A 7 page paper discussing Wal-Mart International’s strategy from its beginning in 1991. To date, Wal-Mart International has approached globalizing the world’s largest company in much the same way it approached achieving an Internet presence: it claimed its URL and put its name on a main page, but did little else for a long while, finally making several false starts before arriving at an approach to ecommerce. Though the details have changed within Wal-Mart International, the pattern remains the same. Wal-Mart is quite clear on where it wants to go internationally, but so far it is far from achieving its goals. Includes a SWOT analysis. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: CC6_KSwalIntlStrat.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
labels Wal-Mart International a chimera (Wal-Mart, 2000), which Websters defines as "an imaginary monster compounded of incongruous parts." Its an apt description. While Wal-Marts strategy within the US
has been set in stone for several years, the company still has not determined its best route for conquering the world in the same way it has the US.
To date, Wal-Mart International has approached globalizing the worlds largest company in much the same way it approached achieving an Internet presence: it
claimed its URL and put its name on a main page, but did little else for a long while, finally making several false starts before arriving at an approach to
ecommerce. Though the details have changed within Wal-Mart International, the pattern remains the same. Wal-Mart is quite clear on where it wants to go internationally, but so far
it is far from achieving its goals. Current Operations Wal-Mart International currently operates in nine countries, with plans to expand into Russia soon.
Aside from the US, Wal-Mart currently operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Mexico, South Korea, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom (Wal-Mart remains in a class of its
own, 2002). "Wal-Mart also owns a 35% interest in Seiyu, Ltd. with options to purchase up to 66.7% of that company. Seiyu operates over 400 stores located throughout Japan"
(About Wal-Mart, 2004). During April 2004, "40 Wal-Mart managers are convening in Russia ... to study trucking routes, distribution points, rival store locations, shopping habits" (Upbin, 2004; p. 76).
Wal-Mart began its international operations in 1991 with its entry into Mexico. With more than 500 stores there, it has been well