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Walmart Strategy

Sam Walton, a leader with an innovative vision, started his own company and
made it into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. Through his savvy,
and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the
company forward for thirty years. Today, four years after his death, the
company is still growing steadily. Wal-Mart executives continue to rely on
many of the traditional goals and philosophies that Sam's legacy left behind,
while simultaneously keeping one step ahead of the ever-changing technology
and methods of today's fast-paced business environment. The organization
has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several
different issues; however, none of these have done much more than scrape
the exterior of this gigantic operation. The future also looks bright for
Wal-Mart, especially if it is able to strike a comfortable balance between
increasing its profits and recognizing its social and ethical responsibilities.
Why is Wal-Mart so Successful? Is it Good Strategy or Good Strategy
Implementation? -- In 1962, when Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart
store in Rogers, Arkansas, no one could have ever predicted the enormous
success this small-town merchant would have. Sam Walton's talent for
discounts retailing not only made Wal-Mart the world's largest retailer, but
also the world's number one retailer in sales. Indeed, Wal-Mart was named
"Retailer of the Decade" by Discount Store News in 1989, and on several
occasions has been included in Fortune's list of the "10 most admired
corporations." Even with Walton's death (after a two-year battle with bone
cancer) in 1992, Wal-Mart's sales continue to grow significantly. Wal-Mart is
successful not only because it makes sound strategic management decisions,...