History

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., branded as Walmart, is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's second largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2013, the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart remains a family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of Walmart. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. It is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. Walmart is also the largest grocery retailer in the United States. It also owns and operates the Sam's Club retail warehouses in North AmericaWalmart has over 11,000 stores in 27 countries, under 55 different names. The company operates under the Walmart name in the United States, including the 50 states and Puerto Rico. It operates in Mexico as Walmart de Mxico y Centroamrica, in the United Kingdom as Asda, in Japan as Seiyu, and in India as Best Price. It has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, and Canada. Walmart's investments outside North America have had mixed results: its operations in the United Kingdom, South America, and China are highly successful, whereas ventures in Germany and South Korea were unsuccessful.

Saving people money so they can live better Walmart helps people around the world save money and live better -- anytime and anywhere -- in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 245 million customers and members visit our 11,000 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately $466 billion, Walmart employs 2.2 million associates worldwide.

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Operating divisions

Walmart's operations are organized into three divisions: Walmart Stores U.S.: Walmart Supercenters offer a one-stop shopping experience for electronics, apparel, toys and home furnishings with the added convenience of a grocery store with fresh produce, bakery, deli and meat and dairy products. Most Supercenters are open 24 hours, and may also include specialty shops such as pharmacies, banks, hair and nail salons, name-brand restaurants, vision centers or health clinics.

Sam's Club: Sam Walton opened the first Sam's Club in 1983 to meet a growing need among customers who wanted to buy merchandise in bulk. Since then, Sam's Club has grown rapidly, opening more than 600 clubs in the U.S. and 100 clubs internationally. Sam's Club helps make saving simple for families and small business owners.

Walmart International: Walmart became an international company in 1991, and operates in 26 countries outside the United States. With more than 796,000 associates and over 6,400 stores internationally, Walmart leverages their global resources to meet local needs. Walmart International is currently the fastest growing part of our business and is led by President & CEO David Cheesewright.

Strategic Vision and Mission The Walmart Mission Statement is Saving people money so they can live better. The Ad slogan is, Save money. Live better. The vision of Walmart is based on 5 values that guides Walmarts future:

Vision

Chart No.1: Chart showing the five values that guide Walmarts vision

Hierarchical structure and their key rolesOrganisational Structure of Wal-MartWal-Marts management structure and management style model is the created or moulded by Sam Waltons principles and values. Increasing size and geographical scope of Wal-Mart determined that the corporate executives should remain in touch with customers and store operations on constantly basis. Wal-Mart is constructed into a three product divisional structure. It is a structure due to which communication between individual stores and headquarters is close and personal. The divisional structure and approach is for Wal-Mart's advantage because each division is open to focus on its efforts on specific goals such as products, services, or customers. Narrow focus allows the companies to perform effectively because they pinpoint specific areas which are needed to be changed and adjusted. Wal-Marts regional vice presidents are responsible for supervising between 10 and 15 district managers. The divisional structure is divided into three categories: product, market, and geographic.Product StructureProduct structure groups employees which are based upon specific products produced by Wal-Mart. An example of this would be producing three distinct products, "product a", "product b", and "product c" and having a separate division for each these products.Market StructureMarket structure groups employees together based upon specific markets in which it competes. At Wal-Mart also a form of market structure is used. It sells products to individual consumers and business customers. The sales and customer service departments are organized using market structure. Consumer sales and consumer customer service function together while corporate sales and corporate customer service worked together.Geographic StructureGeographic structure groups employees together based upon specific geographic location. This is often used by Wal-Mart as it operates in many areas throughout the United States or in both the U.S. and overseas.

3. The firms external and internal environment1. WalMarts three major areas of external environment

1.A. The General Environment of Walmart can be summarized as follows:a) Economic: Despite the general weakness in the world economy and the uncertain environment that prevailed, Walmart had reported sales growth of 11%, amounting to $6.4 billion. The company's associates were indeed doing the Walmart cheer in faraway places like Germany, South Korea, China and United Kingdom. In three decades, it had grown from its rural Arkansas roots to become the world's largest company, and quite possibly the most powerful retailer.b) Socio-cultural: Walmart stores were geared toward the low-income customer segment; headquarters were reflective of the company's tendency to be tightfisted as they were housed in warehouse style buildings with minimalist decor. Frugality was a central tenet at the company, and every associate was expected to fully adopt this value in all its manifestations. It was also said that the company is homogenizing the marketplace by letting smaller towns dictate popular culture.c) Global: Walmart worked globally under the philosophy: Different store for different folks. As it grows around the world, it is important to its success that it exchange best practices among all the countries where it operates. Walmart launched its globalization efforts with an initial foray into Mexico, then to Brazil, as well as Argentina. It then penetrated Europe with its stores in Germany and in the United Kingdom. Its Asian strategy composed of China, Korea and Japan.d) Technological: Walmart was a leader in the use of technology to maximize operational efficiency. Very early on, the company realized the value of proactive investments in technology and deployed a private satellite network. Walmart also managed much of its own logistics through a central hub-and-spoke system of warehouses and distribution centers. It was estimated that the corporate logistics handled over million loads each year.e) Political/Legal: It was said that politicking also made a way within Walmart as women were discriminated by not allowing them to sit in supervisory and managerial levels. There are said to be pending lawsuits waiting for Walmart's notions as the company has allegedly went against the labor laws.f) Demographic: By 2004, Walmart was the largest employer in private industry worldwide as it counted over 1.3 million associates among its ranks. Roughly 65% of Walmart's management associates started out as hourly associates and it hired locally for most of its foreign operations.

Internal Environment of Wal-Mart

1.Corporate Structure

The stores of Wal-Mart are considered as one of the large retail chains of the world. The corporation's operations comprise three business segments: Wal-Mart U.S. engulfs diverse formats through which it operates large retail chain in regions of the United States. These formats and brands come under the umbrella of Wal-Mart brand. In addition, Wal-Mart is also engaged in online retail operations which are known as Wal-Mart.com. It is an international online retail chain that regulates its retail operations in 14 different countries; moreover, the enterprise controls different retail stores and restaurants that also include discount stores in order to retain the consumer. The Sam's Club comprises warehouse clubs that offer memberships in the U.S. and caters diverse online retail operations (samsclub.com).

2.Corporate Culture

Culture can be analyzed by observing how the company behaves, including rituals, routines, systems, histories and structures. There are certain clues about the presumptions that are mostly taken for granted. Wal-Mart's rituals of corporate life incorporate meetings, special events which emphasize what is important to strengthen the way of doing things.The one major factor faced by North American companies is the cultural management in Asian business environment. Most of past literature on international expansion deals with the issue of workforce diversity and managing across cultures. National culture is defined as the set of characteristics, norms, beliefs and values commonly held by a society. Any practice or procedures, which are against the national culture of the host country, will result in failure for MNC. The resulting conflicts between consumer preferences and the company can have further implications for a business (Michael, pp. 66).3.Tangible resources Financial Resources - Since Walmart is well-established and is financially stable, it's borrowing capacity is high, it can readily produce funds for new projects and/or endeavors. Organizational Resources -Walmart has got big executives as well top associates. Structure is normally in a regional basis. These regions are then divided in departmental managers who handle staff of their own. Physical Resources - Walmart buildings can generally be found on its roots, the rural areas. Its products for selling, shipped and delivered to them by the suppliers through their own sophisticated logistics are easily available within their locations. Technological Resources - Walmart employ their own logistics for their product shipping, they also have their own private satellite network for point-of-sales transmission in all their stores.4. Intangible resources Human Resources - It was a well-known fact that Walmart advocates stringent standards of employment of fair labor practice, but this fact was clouded by its own employees' cry for abuse and discontentment. Lawsuits were filed against Walmart for unfair labor practices. Innovation Resources - Walmart is always full of ideas. They innovate as well as educate. It evaluated market potential based on economic and political risk, growth, potential and availability of real-estate for development; thus, they always know how to tackle every investment and every innovation that they have in mind. Reputational Resources - Walmart's reputation with customers is obviously good since it always maintain a "for-the-consumers" attitude. After establishing its own products, they seem to grow more popular among the masses. Their products are always of good quality, are durable and reliable, since they only partner with the best names in the industry. They also get to maintain a good name and reputation with their suppliers as they continue to uphold a good working relationship with them.5.Capabilities Distribution - Walmart effectively use logistics management techniques; it was a veritable logistics with a level of efficiency that rivaled even dedicated trucking fleets. Human Resources - Walmart motivates and empower employees through free education and trainings that will enrich employees' knowledge. They also promote from within, moving low-level employees to higher positions as a way of retaining and satisfying employees. Management - Walmart applies effective and efficient control of inventories through information systems such as point-of-sales data collection methods Marketing - Walmart is not into glossy advertisements like its competitors. It limits its advertising to 12 or 13 circulars a year; circulars that reflected the same bare-bones approach that the stores has adopted. But its customer service is superb because of its courteous and respectable staff. Its merchandising is also innovative and attractive to consumers. Manufacturing - Walmart's production skills yield reliable results since it also manufactures its own brand of products now; its product and design quality are of high standard, yet still affordable. Research & Development - Knowledge about what a consumer in a certain location is of great importance to Walmart, that's why it employs sophisticated R&D from information gathering, to transformation of these information into new products and processes.

4. Competitors, Core Competencies, SWOT Analysis,CompetitionIn North America, Wal-Mart's primary competition includes department stores like Kmart, Publix, Target, ShopKo and Meijer, Canada's The Real Canadian Superstore and Giant Tiger, and Mexico's Comercial Mexicana and Soriana. Competitors of Wal-Mart's Sam's Club division are Costco, and the smaller BJ's Wholesale Club chain operating mainly in the eastern US. Wal-Mart's move into the grocery business in the late 1990s also set it against major supermarket chains in both the United States and Canada. Some retail analysts see regional grocery store chain WinCo Foods as serious competition for Walmart.[150] Several smaller retailers, primarily dollar stores, such as Family Dollar and Dollar General, have been able to find a small niche market and compete successfully against Wal-Mart for home consumer sales.[151] In 2004, Wal-Mart responded by testing its own dollar store concept, a subsection of some stores called "Pennies-n-Cents."[152]Wal-Mart also had to face fierce competition in some foreign markets. For example, in Germany it had captured just 2 percent of the German food market following its entry into the market in 1997 and remained "a secondary player" behind Aldi with a 19 percent share.[153] When in July 2006, Wal-Mart announced its withdrawal from Germany, its stores were sold to German company Metro.[96] Wal-Mart continues to do well in the UK, and its Asda subsidiary is the second largest chain after Tesco.[154]In May 2006, after entering the South Korean market in 1998, Wal-Mart withdrew and sold all 16 of its South Korean outlets to Shinsegae, a local retailer, for $882 million. Shinsegae re-branded the Wal-Marts as E-mart stores.[155]Wal-Mart struggled to export its brand elsewhere as it rigidly tried to reproduce its model overseas. In China, Wal-Mart hopes to succeed by adapting and doing things preferable to Chinese citizens. For example, it found that Chinese consumers preferred to select their own live fish and seafood; stores began displaying the meat uncovered and installed fish tanks, leading to higher sales

Competitor benchmarkingTesco is one of several European retailers whose entry into Central Europe has changed the local retailing structure. It grew first through acquisition of local chains and of chains of Western retailers, and then through Greenfield investment in new hypermarkets. Government regulations did not present major problems to its expansion (Mcgowan, Radosevic & Tunzelmann 2004). ). Tesco is a British retailing company that is known to have gained large international and domestic market share. Tesco is the third largest retailing firm behind Wal-Mart and Carre-Four. Like other retail companies, Tesco wants to have clients that will patronize their product. The company uses a loyalty program to gain the loyalty of its clients. Compared to Wal-Mart, Tesco has started to concentrate on the housing market but it has not been that successful as of late.

Core Competencies and Competitive advantage Valuable Capabilities - Walmart has the capacity to neutralize threats or exploit opportunities Rare Capabilities - Walmart has this inherent capability that is not possessed by many other retailing stores, it is the concept that volume and inventory-turn velocity were the defining elements of competitive advantage in the discount retail business. Along with the knowledge of this concept is Walmart's capacity to ran their stores under this concept. Culture- One core competency Wal-Mart has is its culture. Wal-Marts employees are hardworking, efficient, and process oriented. In the video The Age of Wal-Mart it pointed out that Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, called his employees associates and treated them as partners. He wanted their input and ideas on how to make the company better. Also, no matter what Wal-Mart you go into across the country, Walton wanted you to know you will ALWAYS receive low prices, excellent customer service, and feel at home. From door greeters to big charity contributions, this type of culture is rare and difficult for competitors to imitate. Low Cost Operations- As the video pointed out, Sears was a leading retailer during the 70s, but was greatly affected by the recession. They targeted middle class families, expanded their overhead, and developed in larger cities. Wal-Mart focused on small towns and lower overhead during this time. As the economy worsened, people began looking for lower prices and moving to smaller towns and suburbs. Today Wal-Mart can generate big sales volume which allows the company to gain profits with low profit margin giving it an advantage over its competitors. Distribution- Wal-Mart operates an unrivaled global network of 146 distribution centers (Troy, 2003). Because of this, the trickle-down effect happens.

SwotStrengthsIn one store they offer a huge selection of goods at very competitive,if not the best, prices in a one stop store. Because of their size they can get huge discounts from suppliers and so pass these savings on to the customers.They manufacture they own branded goods as well as supply goods from local suppliers and other major brands.Their size and buying power is a great strength. They also are frugal in their management style...very careful with how they spend their money and manage their resources.Wal-Marts strength is the popularity it has. The company is known throughout the world. Strength of the company is the strong brand name they have. The strong brand name is what makes the company, its products and services popular. Furthermore a strength of the company is its ability to make strategic adjustments whenever there is a need for it. The company makes sure that whenever changes in the industry happen they have alternative plans towards it. Another strength of the company is the supply chain system wherein the company keeps the products in a secure place until it is needed in a certain branch. Lastly a strength Wal-Marts is its website that is easy to use, attractive, and informative. Such website encourages the clients to visit the store.

WeaknessesJust controlling such a huge organisation is a huge untertaking and in particular managing the employees. Suppliers are always under pressure with regard to price and their ability to supply when required. Becuase of the low prices customers often question and are concerned at the quality of the goods.This is offset to some extent by the satisfaction guarantees offered.

The main weakness of Wal-Mart is the criticism towards the company. The criticism affects not only the image of the company but its standing in the supply chain. Such criticism affects the relations between the suppliers and the company thus causing issues in the companys supply chain. Another weakness of Wal-Mart is the notion that the company is losing its charm. This means that the company in some way is having problems in their relationships with clients. Lastly a weakness of Wal-Mart is poor sales in clothing merchandise. The company does not do well in this kind of product due to the company not being known as a reseller of such product.

OpportunitiesExpansion into other countries and forming partnerships to enter these countries is probably the main opportunity...employing 'more of the same' strategy. Taking over companies overseas is also possible. e.g. ASDA in the UKHome delivery of orders placed through the internet is a big opportunity. Most stores are on the edge of town and as fuel costs rise people are less likely to want to travel.Creation of Walmart convenience stores is a strong possiblity. This overcomes local objections and increased travel costs.In recessionary times...people are looking to save money.An opportunity for the company is to find out more ways to give a distinctive look and features to their stores and branches. By doing this the company will have competitive advantage over other firms. An opportunity for the company is to improve the features of their website. By doing this it can attract more markets. The company should also continue to improve its supply chain so that different issues and problems can be resolved ahead of time. It should device faster means to deliver supplies to prevent shortages of products in their branches. Lastly an opportunity for the company is to continue to reach newer territories where it can offer its products and services. This newer territories may be in a country that has recently just improved its economy.Opportunities for Walmart are vast and wide since they're growing and is financially stable, it can still forego with its wider global expansion. Given its huge base of power that enabled them to extract significant price concessions from its suppliers, the company is a sure winner. Also, as it intensifies its promotions of its own labels and store brands that competed directly against well-establish national companies such as P&G and Kraft, everything is seem to be looking grand for Walmart in the future.ThreatsLocal competing vendors hate the possible arrival of Walmart and a lot opposition is likely. Also competition from local convenience stores is likely to increase as travel costs to Walmart increase. In Europe the expansion of the German retailers, Aldi and Lidl, is growing fast. These companies offer limited stock but are local and are cheap. ALDI is the Southwest Airlinesof the grocery business, with efficiency being the name of the game with only 1000 or so stock items against the normal 20,000 to 30,000 items in Walmart. Although Walmart is huge, competition from similar companies is also likely.Being successful, they are open to attack on any ethical stance - low pay and poor work conditions, supply of goods from 'poor' cheap labour countries, and environmental issues.

The main threat to the Wal-Mart is the competitors. The competitors like Tesco and Carre-Four try various tactics to overcome the standing of the company in their industry. The competitors may device a way to overcome the company and have a better standing in the supply chain. The threat to the company includes the laws in the country they are operating in. Another threat to the company is the tariffs and taxes that the company has in different countries, each countries has its own rate of taxes and tariff that creates additional expenses for the company. Lastly a threat to the company is the culture of some clients in other countries they operate in. Some people may not like the new culture that is brought by Wal-Mart and its expansion into newer markets. Major Threats however are the pending lawsuits filed by disgruntled employees who felt abused and improperly treated and compensated. There are also more experienced competitors who seem to go with each other just to see Walmart fall. Walmart must be watchful and vigilant so as to keep their place in the top of the retailing industry.

WAL-MART PESTLE ANALYSISThe PESTLE Analysis is a strategic planning tool used by corporations to analyze the various external forces that would affect corporations operations when entering new markets. The PESTLE categorizes those elements into six different forces, which are the political, economical, social, technological, legal, and environmental forces. PESTLE analysisPoliticalWal-Mart made sure that they were aware of the political situation of every country they have operated in and the company has made sure that it has a reasonable position with regards to political issues. Wal-Mart is continuously prepared for any problems concerning the political sector. The political aspect of a PESTLE analysis would analyze the implications of the new political system and its effect on the corporate models of an international company. Multinational corporations are exposed to a tremendous amount of risk when entering a new country/market; the political forces could negatively affect its operations, in the case of the Wal-Mart Corporation, this is especially true. Wal-Mart has become a symbol of the American culture and it will become a target for any political faction that opposes the political views of the United States. This factor could severely limit the companys' growth in certain region of the world.

EconomicWal-Mart can be said to be economically stable for the past years. Its economic stature is doing well thats why they try to improve their products to give the best to their clients. It is not only the internal economic situation of the company should be taken note of but also the economy of the country, Wal-Mart checks first the economic status of the country they are operating in before making decisions if they will have a branch in that area.When discussing economic forces in the PESTLE analysis, we refer to how different states of an economy such as an economic surge or a depression would influence multinational corporations and their business within that specific economy. Wal-Mart is always sensitive towards this aspect, their sales model which depends on low margins of profit and a high volume of sales, could alter relatively fast. In an economic surge their selling point of low prices would be of less importance to customers, on the contrary, during a time of recession/depression their goal of high volume of sales would be threatened. As a result of the previously mentioned points, Wal-Mart should conduct a thorough study before entering an unbalanced economy.

Social Wal-Mart makes sure that the products they offer will be accepted by the public. Wal-Mart does not authorize the delivery of some products they know will cause outbursts or complains from different groups in the society. Wal-Mart makes sure that they have a very good relationship with different sector in the society although some sectors hold a grudge towards them. Wal-Mart also engages in social activities that tend to develop a better relationship between them, the clients and the society they are operating in. This aspect defines the characteristic of the social forces when analyzing a foreign market and the society in which it is present in. These social forces can cripple a corporations' business if they were left unchecked. In regards to Wal-Mart, this element could prove to be crucial, due to the fact that Wal-Marts model was tailored to suit the American society and their attitudes towards retail shopping. That mentality would inevitably clash with the attitudes of clients in foreign countries fueled by social differences. As a result, Wal-Mart would have to make changes to its model in order to adapt to the requirements of other cultures, this would present a cost that would limit the companys' growth.

TechnologicalWal-Mart offered new innovations in its technological aspect and introduced new concepts with regards to its industry. Wal-Mart makes use of highly advanced cash register or better performing slot machines. It also makes use of better security systems. Since technology rapidly changes Wal-Mart makes sure they are updated to what is happening and they can adjust to these changes. If other companies use new technologies to provide services, Wal-Mart has the technology capable of competing with such technologies. The Technological forces refer to the changes and innovations in technologies and the extent to which it affects companies' processes. It is well known that technology changes all the time and people are always creating better, faster, and more efficient ways of doing things. Companies that can integrate those changes the fastest would have an edge over those who cannot. Wal-Mart has always been a leader in implementing and integrating new technologies to improve its efficiency. However, when venturing to other countries, those systems are sometimes unusable. Change could take a different amount of time to reach different countries, and companies would have to take that into consideration before venturing into a new market. That means that Wal-Marts growth would be limited to the countries that can support those technologies.

LegalWal-Mart makes sure that it follows the different laws of a country they engage transaction in. The company doesnt want to risk their clients welfare and company image by breaking local and international laws Wal-Mart makes sure that the transactions they engage in will have a legal basis and will be sanctioned by local or international legal organizations. The legal factor that could affect organizations willing to enter foreign markets is the different laws, and corporations are forced to abide by those laws should they enter a foreign market. This is a powerful force due to the various implications it creates, companies could venture into other countries for the sole purpose of taking advantage of certain laws in those countries, for example, companies would usually go to a developing country with a less developed legal systems, and set operations to avoid more strict laws in their home countries (Labor laws, environmental laws, safety laws). Wal-Mart has received criticism that it uses this loophole to keep its prices low.

Environmental Wal-Mart makes sure that the products they sell are proven to cause minimal problems to the environment. Wal-Mart puts up certain regulations on what type of product they will sell in their store. Wal-Mart has also introduced better waste management strategies that aim to reduce pollutants and create a cleaner environment for the future. Wal-Mart makes sure that its waste system is organized to prevent any mistakes from the personnel. The environment is a major concern for multinational corporations; this is because large corporations are accused of destroying the environment and the exhaustion of natural resources on a regular basis. Wal-Mart has had an environmental issue before; they sold furniture that was produced from using wood from a natural reserve. They were heavily criticized and were eventually pushed into dropping the product line completely. As a result of that issue, their growth in that field was halted

Porters five forcesPotential EntrantsWal-Mart has been around for a quite some time and the company is not greatly affected by the new entrants. The influence of potential entrants to the company is weak. Any new entrant will have difficulty in gaining clients not unless they can provide innovative strategies that can thwart Wal-Mart from its position and get Wal-Marts clients. Potential entrants: the threat of potential entrants is considered low due to the following reasons: Discount retail industry is a highly competitive environment with mostly big players competing for market shares. Price is mainly the key factor for competition. Existing companies have established strong and stable supplier networks. Wal-Mart has a superior logistics and distribution system, cutting edge technology to support all phases of its operation, a well-established brand name, a large number of stores nationwide, and a deep financial resource. Wal-Mart also has cost advantage over its competitors due to its large purchase volume. Wal-Mart can deter potential entrants.

Competitive rivalryCompetitive rivalry has a low influence on Wal-Mart. The company has lower concerns on its competitors since there are limited competitors in their industry. The competitors cannot give much problem to the company since it already acquired a good percentage of the buying public. Industry competition: the competition among existing firms is high because: This is a mature industry. There are few but large competitors, who dominate the majority of the market. Price is the focus of competition, and firms are forced to cut cost to stay competitive.

SubstitutesSubstitutes give high influence to Wal-Mart and its different branches since substitutes can make a company lose the clients it has. The substitutes can be in the form of online or actual stores. This kind of business is continuously growing and continuously changing strategies. The company and its different branches in different locations make sure that the substitutes wont give them much problem. They do this by proving that the service they offer and the technologies they use to provide the service are the best quality and are better than substitutes or any other company. Substitutes: the threat of substitute is low. Consumers can buy from small mom-and-pop stores or specialty stores, but these stores do not offer a wide range of products, nor do they offer competitive prices. On-line purchase can be a substitute means for shopping; however, it may not be a good choice for goods that are consumed daily because shipping costs may lead to higher final prices, and shipping time can delay the needs fulfillment. Industry competition: the competition among existing firms is high because: This is a mature industry. There are few but large competitors, who dominate the majority of the market. Price is the focus of competition, and firms are forced to cut cost to stay competitive.

Bargaining power of buyers and sellersThe bargaining power of buyers highly influences Wal-Mart. As much as possible the company maintains reasonable prices for their products and service to satisfy the buyers. When the clients try to dictate lower prices the company tries to know whether it is reasonable and if isnt it has no choice but let the client go. The bargaining power of sellers highly influences Wal-Mart. The company makes sure that their suppliers have high bargaining power through helping them show their importance in the industry. Wal-Mart makes sure that the price being asked for a material has the same value as the same materials quality and durability. This will ensure that budgets will not be wasted. Bargaining power of suppliers: the power of suppliers is low. In general, most suppliers rely on retailers to distribute their products to the end consumers; therefore, the role of retailers in the distribution channels is critical. Wal-Mart not only carries a wide range of products, but also possesses thousands of stores in the U.S. and worldwide. This combination places Wal-Mart in a very strong negotiation position with suppliers and gives it great flexibility in choosing and working with a wide range of suppliers and vendors. As stated in the case, Wal-Mart is both desired and feared by manufacturers. With a fleet of 4,000 trucks, Wal-Mart also has capability to independently operate part of its transportation logistics without relying solely on outside vendors. Wal-Mart also carries some of its own Great Value private-label products tailored to local demand. Bargaining power of buyers: the power of buyers is considered moderate. Switching costs of buyers is low. Buyers are price-sensitive. They can be easily lured to competitors to buy products that are offered at a lower price. The differentiation in the products and brands among different discount retail stores in this industry is low. Since most of the products offered are commodity, buyers usually choose the store that is closest to their home or their workplace for convenient shopping. Wal-Mart provides a wide range of products and services, and offers very low prices. In addition, it has many stores serving different geographical areas. Hence, it has a large and loyal customer base.

5. Corporate Level Strategies, international business strategies,

Types of business-level strategiesa) Cost Leadership Firm Infrastructure: With cost-effective management information systems, relatively few managerial layers in order to reduce overhead costs, and simplified planning practices to reduce planning costs Human Resource Management: With consistent policies to reduce turn-over costs, intense and effective training programs to improve worker efficiency and effectiveness Technology Development: With easy-to-use manufacturing technologies, and investments in technologies in order to reduce costs associated with a firm's manufacturing processes Procurement: With systems and procedures to find the lowest-cost (with acceptable quality) products to purchase as raw materials and frequent evaluation processes to monitor supplier's performance General: With highly efficient systems to link supplier's products with the firm's production processes, use of economies of scale to reduce production costs, construction of efficient-scale production facilities, a delivery schedule that reduces costs, selection of low-cost transportation carriers, a small, highly trained sales force, products priced as to generate significant sales volume, and an efficient and proper product installations in order to reduce the frequency and severity of recalls.b) Differentiation Firm Infrastructure: With highly developed information systems to better understand customer's purchasing preferences and a company-wide emphasis on the importance of producing high-quality products. Human Resource Management: With compensation programs intended to encourage worker creativity and productivity, superior personnel training, and somewhat extensive use of subjective rather than objective performance measures. Technology Development: With strong capability in basic research and investments in technologies that will allow the firm to produce highly differential products. Procurement: With systems and procedures used to find the highest-quality raw materials and purchase of highest-quality replacement parts. General: With superior handling of incoming raw materials so as to minimize damage and improve the quality of the final product, consistent manufacturing of attractive products, rapid responses to customer's unique manufacturing specifications, accurate and responsive order-processing procedures, rapid and timely product deliveries to customers, extensive granting of credit buying arrangement for customers, extensive personal relationships with buyers and suppliers, extensive buyer training to ensure high-quality product installations, and complete field stocking of replacement parts.c) Focused Cost Leadershipd) Focused Differentiatione) Integrated Cost Leadership/DifferentiationTypes of business-level cooperative strategies Vertical complementary strategic alliance - Formed between firms that agree to use their skills and capabilities in different stages of the value chain to create value for both firms. Outsourcing is one example of this type of alliance Horizontal complementary strategic alliance - Formed when partners who agree to combine their resources and skills to create value in the same stage of the value chain - Focus is on long-term product development and distribution opportunities. - The partners may become competitors which requires a great deal of trust between the partners Competition response strategy - Occur when firms join forces to respond to a strategic action of another competitor. - Because they can be difficult to reverse and expensive to operate, strategic alliances are primarily formed to respond to strategic rather than tactical actions Uncertainty-reducing strategy - Are used to hedge against risk and uncertainty. - These alliances are most noticed in fast-cycle markets - An alliance may be formed to reduce the uncertainty associated with developing new product or technology standards. Competition-reducing strategy - Created to avoid destructive or excessive competition - Explicit collusion: when firms directly negotiate production output and pricing agreements in order to reduce competition (illegal). - Tacit collusion: when firms in an industry indirectly coordinate their production and pricing decisions by observing other firm's actions and responses.

Wal-Mart StrategyWal-Mart dominates the American retailing industry due to number of factors like its business model which is still a mystery and its effectiveness in not letting the rivals let know about the weaknesses. Wal-Mart made strategic attempts in the its formulation to dominate the retail market where it has its presence, growth by expansion in the US and Internationally, create widespread name recognition and customer satisfaction in relation to brand name Wal-Mart and branching into new sectors of retailing.It is learnt that Wal-Mart strives on three generic strategies consisting of Focus Strategy, the Differentiation Strategy and overall cost leadership. Managers strive hard to make their organizations unique, distinctive and identify key success factors that will drive the customers to buy their products.Thus, firm specific resources and capabilities are crucial in explaining the firm's performance. The Resource Based View (RBV) explains competitive heterogeneity based on the premise that close competitors differ in their resources and capabilities in important and durable ways. The company's capability can be found through its functionality, reliable performance, like Wal-Mart superior logistics. (Helfat, 2002) Wal-Mart has firm infrastructure, well equipped in human resource with management professionals and technologically too.Any organizations thrive hard to be successful for which it needs to have better resources and superior capabilities. Wal-Mart has strong RBV with economically and financially very strong enough to stand still in the time of crisis. Pereira states that dominating the retail market is its key strategy. Wal-Mart operates on low price strategy which is operated as every day low prices (EDLP) which builds trust among the customers.(Brunn, 2006)The strategy lies in purchasing the goods at lower prices and selling the goods to customer at much lower prices, cutting the price as far as possible and increasing the profit by increasing the number of sales. This ferociously increases the competition in the market and Wal-Mart competes with all its competitors till it is dominant it the market.Wal-Mart is expanding seriously and rapidly which is also its strategic goal. Wal-Mart employs over 1.3 associates, owns over 4000 stores out of which 3000 are in US and serves around 100 million customers weekly. Wal-Mart has acquired many international stores and merged with some super stores like ASDA in UK. Wal-Mart far flung network of retail outlets has ensured that Wal-Mart interacts with and has impact on virtually every locality within US. (Helfat, 2002) The expanded strategy has led the hunger of Wal-Mart to many European Countries. It is learnt that three countries with no Wal-Mart stores became part of corporation's international presence wherein the domestic retail chains were taken over by Wal-Mart including 122 Woolco stores in Canada, 21 Wertkauf stores in Germany and 229 ASDA units in United Kingdom. The takeover strategy by Wal-Mart keeps the company at forefront when entering into the new market and the number of competitors is also minimized. The strategies have helped the Wal-Mart to rein in number one position in international countries making it the largest retailer in the world.It is seen that Wal-Mart has significantly the Porters five force model wherein through proper strategic planning and strategic implementation has led to removal of barrier entry, rivalry from competitors and pricing norms. In regard to substitutes, Wal-Mart in order to achieve its aim of customer satisfaction has selling goods under its own legal brand. Wal-Mart's big box phenomenon has changed the retailing industry in the United States which is often considered as discount stores and makes profit through high volume of purchases and low markup on profits.(Parnell, 2008)Wal-Mart with its low cost and ever expanding strategy has made a dramatic impact since 1962 when Sam Walton first started his business. With this strategy, Wal-Mart has now over 4000 stores and outlets in US and other countries through acquisition and mergers.Sustainability in Discount Retailing Wal-MartAccording to Porter, (2002) operational effectiveness and efficiency are the key elements of success in any organization. A company can outperform its rivals or competitors in the market only with superior management and efficient control creating a difference from the others which eventually attracts customers. Porter defines operational effectiveness as performance of similar activities as its rivals but better than them. In a study, it is stated the Wal-Mart is expert in manipulating perceptions. It is termed that low price is not the strategy of Wal-Mart but the advertisement manipulates the consumer perceptions by making them think that its prices are lower than its competitors' price using price spin'. Wal-Mart makes the consumer addicted coming to its stores by convincing them the prices are lower than in the other stores by selling itself cheaper by advertising that we have lower prices than anyone else' and placing a opening price point'. The opening price point' is the lowest price in the store which is kept at high visibility which makes consumer believes that the products in this store are really cheaper. (Race Cowgill, 2005)The SWOT analysis of Wal-Mart reveals that it is most powerful retail brand, reputation for money, value, commitment, and provides wide range of products. It is growing at a brisk pace with expanding its horizon to other parts of world through acquisition and merger. Wal-Mart has good opportunities in markets of Europe and China and focuses on acquiring the market through acquisition of smaller stores and merger with leaders in the specific markets. Wal-Mart is always under threat to sustain its top position in market nationally and internationally. Global leader in the industry leaves the organization vulnerable to many socioeconomic and political problems of the country.Sustainability at the top place is the most important job that makes its managers strives hard to frame the policies and strategy to compete with its rivals in the market. Slack, Imitation, Substitution and Hold-up are some of the threats to any organization in retail industry. However, Wal-Mart with its visionary goal of attaining zero waste status and reaching 100% renewable energy has planned to launch number of sustainability initiatives. (GreenBiz, 2008) Imitation increase profits by increasing the supply. But imitation puts reputation, relationship at stake. James Hall reports that Wal-Mart is planning to open convenience stores as Tesco has started and operating in US called Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. (James, 2008) Such tactics will create mixed response among the consumers while degrading the reputation of the leader in market. Substitution reduces the demand for what a firm uniquely provides by shifting the demand elsewhere due to changes in technology. The threats of substitution can be subtle and unexpected like minimizing expenses through videoconferencing instead of air flights to long distance meetings with its managers of other stores, etc. Therefore, substation is an especially effective way of attacking dominant rivals in the market. Substitution offers mixed responses after identifying and understanding the threats. The organization should fight the threat and merging with them, switching to different options of substitution to be in the market. Hold-up diverts the value to customers, suppliers or complementors who have some bargaining leverage which results in tough negotiations, contractual agreements and vertical integration.Wal-Mart is having great network with almost over 7800 stores and Sam's Club locations in 16 markets worldwide. It employs more than 2 million associates and serves more than 100 million customers every year. According to Fishman (2006) Americans spend $26 million every hour at Wal-Mart which makes it believable that Wal-Mart is financially very strong and is capable of combating any threat from its rivals in the market. Wal-Mart is ever expanding its boundaries by way of acquisition and mergers. Thus Wal-Mart with such a vast network of stores and alliances in the forms of ASDA, Target and many other stores is well protected enough to sustain its top position in the retail industry.Main customer marketsThe market of Wal-Mart is different individuals who need a discount store that will provide them the products they need. This market is the one that needs an alternative shopping experience. This market wants a store where every product they need is available and sold at lower prices. The market segment of the company is divided into clients who have brand loyalty and price sensitivity. There are specific products for those clients that are price sensitive and want low priced products. There are also products that direct its attention clients who are brand conscious. The company makes sure that they cover all the segments in the society they are operating in. The company has specialized prices for the different market segment, this will ensure that the clients will have lesser doubts about taking a look at the companys product and the products that they can afford. The target market of the company involves almost all sectors of the society. They want to provide products to all ages and all gender. The company as much as possible aims to reach all walks of life. This target market is a larger source of income. The company has different marketing strategies that can cater to the taste and appeal of such markets. The company makes sure that its stores and branches are located in the most profitable places where clients can easily see the store and they can be encouraged to visit the store and buy products. The company also makes sure that competition in the location they want to put up the branch will not be too heavy.

CORPORATE LEVEL STRATEGY OF WALMARTWalmart uses a combination strategy ofoverall cost leadershipand differentiation. They use differentiation by having a wider variety of products than their competitors. Walmart's transportation, logistics, and information systems lower their costs. They also lower costs by having no-frills service and by having economies of scale.Walmart's successfuloverall cost leadership/differentiation strategy leads to high entry barriers for competitors. It alsomakes it hardfor substitute products to enter the market. Walmart also has bargaining power with their suppliers. They changed their competitivechallenge from retailing to transportation logistics and communication industries to play to their strengths (Dess, Lumpkin, Eisner, McNamara, 2012). Walmart has avoided the pitfalls of the overall cost leadership/differentiation strategy by not getting "stuck in the middle" and properly calculating future revenues and expenses

The Internet has helped Walmart grow their businessby lowering transaction costs. Walmart allows customers to order products online which reduces sales force expenses. Customers can have their own account page on the Walmart website to look at prior orders and track current orders. Their Internet site allows you to ask questions and give feedback.Walmart differentiates it's website by providing recommendations of other products to buy when you make a purchase.

Walmart has many overall cost leadership value-chain activities. They have fewer management layers than their competitors which reduces overhead costs.Walmarthas effective inbound logisticsby using just-in-time inventory. They have cut costs from outbound logistics by creating better fuel efficiency in their trucks, getting more pallets on a load, and decreasing empty miles driven by their trucks. Walmart also reduces costs by buying in large blocks.

Walmart has many differentiation value-chain activities. Walmart hasflexibility and speed when transferring their products from their warehouses. Their technology provides an accurate ordering process.While Walmart doesn't offer many sales,their "everyday low pricing"strategy has been successful. Their slogan "save money, live better"accurately represents their image.Walmart and Corporate Level Strategies5.A. Three international corporate-level strategies Multi-domestic - Strategy and operating decisions are decentralized to strategic business units (SBU) in each country - Products and services are tailored to local markets - Business units in one country are independent of each other - Assumes markets differ by country or regions - Focus on competition in each market - Prominent strategy among European firms due to broad variety of cultures and markets in Europe Global - Products are standardized across national markets - Decisions regarding business-level strategies are centralized in the home office - Strategic business units (SBU) are assumed to be interdependent - Emphasizes economies of scale - Often lacks responsiveness to local markets - Requires resource sharing and coordination across borders (hard to manage) Transnational - Seeks to achieve both global efficiency and local responsiveness - Difficult to achieve because of simultaneous requirements: Strong central control and coordination to achieve efficiency - Decentralization to achieve local market responsiveness - Must pursue organizational learning to achieve competitive advantageCorporate-level Strategy

The major reason behind the success of Walmart lies in the fact that the company believes and concentrates on the strategy of single business, which means more than 95% of its revenue comes 6 |!P a g efrom their grocery business. Over 30 years, the strategy of single business has been contributing greatly to the success of Walmart, they have never believed in the concept of diversification for the sustenance of its growth and also its advantages at the competitive level (Market entry strategies of Walmart in the international arena, 2013).

International-level strategy

Walmart has been able to successfully enter into the global market because of the use of multinational business strategy. This strategy involves that customers of different countries are treated differently and hence productivity and profitability are high. It is imperative for Walmart to cater every region's differences in product preferences; thus, they work under the "Different Stores for Different Folks" philosophy (Walmart: An Analysis, 2008).

6. Business policies, Corporate social responsibility,Business policiesa. our ad match guaranteeb. Walmart coupon policyc. global anti-corruption policyd, government relations policye. photo video use policyf. Walmart privacy policyg. return policyh. walmarts social media guidelinesI ethics and integrity

a. Our Ad Match GuaranteeWere committed to providing low prices every day. On everything. So if you find a lower advertised price on an identical product, tell us and well match it. Right at the register. We gladly match the price in the following types of ads:* Buy one, get one free ads with a specified price Example: Buy one for $2.49, get one free (BOGO) Competitors' ads that feature a specific item for a specified price Preferred shopping card prices for specific items that are in a printed ad For fresh produce and meat items when the price is offered in the same unit type (lb. for lb.; each for each)*The following are guidelines and limitations: We will match any local competitor's advertised price. We do not require customers to have the ad with them to honor a competitor's ad. Items purchased must be identical to the ad (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc.)We do not match the price in the following types of competitor ads: Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price example: "Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C" Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product example: "Buy both [items A & B] to get [item C] for free" Items that require a purchase to get a competitors' gift card example: "Buy [item A] to get a $B gift card Buy one, get one free (BOGO) ads with no actual price given Going out of business or closeout prices Percentage off example: "All mascara, 40% off" Competitors' private label price promotionsWe do not honor: Ads when the actual price for items cannot be determined Internet pricing Misprinted ad prices of other retailers "Going out of business" sales or "closeout" pricesb. Walmart Coupon PolicyWe gladly accept the following types of coupons* Print-at-home internet coupons Must be legible Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer Must have a valid expiration date Must have a scannable bar code Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price Are acceptable in black and white or color May not be duplicated Manufacturers' coupons For dollar/cents off For free items (except those printed off the Internet) Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer Must have a valid expiration date Must have a scannable bar code May not be duplicated Competitors' coupons A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99 Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price Have a valid expiration date Are acceptable in black and white Soft drink container caps Checkout coupons ("Catalinas") Printed at our competitors' registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" with specific item requirements printed on them Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer Must have a valid expiration date Must have a scannable bar code Are acceptable in black and white May not be duplicatedWe do not accept the following coupons: Checkout coupons Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase Percentage off the entire basket purchase Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase Competitors' coupons Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer Percentage off Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price Double- or triple-value coupons*The following are guidelines and limitations: We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell. Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase. Only one coupon per item. Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc). There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction. Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration. If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase. SNAP items purchased in a SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back. WIC items purchased in a WIC transaction are applied to the basket purchase and may not be eligible for cash back. Refer to state-specific WIC guidelines. Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase. The system will prompt for supervisor verification for: 40 coupons per transaction. A coupon of $20 or greater on one item. $50 or more in coupons in one transaction.c. Global Anti-Corruption Policy (CR-02)Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide (collectively "Walmart" or the "Company"), are committed to maintaining the highest possible ethical standards and complying with all applicable laws. In all of its operations, Walmart seeks to avoid even the appearance of impropriety with respect to the actions of any of its officers, directors, associates, employees, agents or representatives. This policy prohibits corrupt payments in all circumstances, whether in dealings with government officials or individuals in the private sector.General DirectivesIt is the policy of Walmart to comply with all relevant Anti-Corruption laws including, but not limited to, the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") and the UK Bribery Act.Accordingly, Walmart prohibits anyone acting on behalf of the Company, directly or indirectly, from making or receiving improper payments.Improper payments means receiving or paying bribes or giving, offering, or promising to give money or anything else of value to any person, including any Government Official, in order to improperly influence any act or decision of a person, or to otherwise gain an improper benefit for the Company.A Government Official may include, but is not limited to, any officer or employee of a foreign government, a public international organization, a member of a political party, a candidate for foreign political office, any foreign government department or agency thereof, or any official or employee of a state-owned business enterprise.The use of Walmart funds or assets for any illegal, improper, or unethical purpose is strictly prohibited.Compliance with this Global Anti-Corruption Policy (the Policy) is required of all associates and third parties that are engaged to interact or may interact with government officials on the Companys behalf. All associates are responsible for ensuring that third parties with whom they interact fully understand and follow the policy and associated procedures in their activities related to Walmart business.Violations Any associate or third party who violates this policy in connection with Walmart business will be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including termination in the case of an associate, or termination of business relations in the case of a third party and, where appropriate, referral of the matter to relevant law enforcement authorities.Global Implementation of Anti-Corruption Policy To effectively implement this policy, Walmart shall maintain an effective risk-based Global Anti-Corruption Program (the "Program") designed to prevent, detect, and remediate bribery and recordkeeping violations. As part of the program, Walmart shall adopt operating procedures specifically targeted to the corruption risks that exist for all of its operations, worldwide. Management in each affected area shall be responsible for ensuring that adequate resources are devoted to maintaining effective compliance programs. A senior executive at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., shall be given overall responsibility for the Program, and shall report regularly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., which shall exercise reasonable oversight as to the implementation and effectiveness of the Program.The procedures and governance used to implement this policy, shall include, at a minimum: Effective controls on the disbursement of funds and other assets to ensure that disbursements are not made for improper purposes; Measures to ensure that books and records accurately reflect the disposition of assets; Clearly articulated standards of behavior as included in Walmart's Statement of Ethics, which shall be well publicized to all of Walmart's operations, worldwide; Clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines for day-to-day management and implementation of the compliance procedures; Effective training of executives, associates and, where appropriate, third parties regarding relevant anti-corruption standards and procedures; Testing by Internal Audit or a third party for compliance with the anti-corruption procedures, including review of expenditures for operations that interact with government officials; Corruption risk assessments conducted annually; Conducting due diligence of third parties engaged to interact with government officials on behalf of the Company; Effectively publicized means to report or seek guidance on actual or potential anti-corruption issues, as well as procedures for responding to such reports or requests; Regular review and, if necessary, revisions or updates to this policy and to the related procedures where appropriate, including in response to legal, regulatory, or industry changes or violations of the Anti-Corruption Policy; Appropriate incentives and punishments for associates, executives and third parties for adherence to or violations of, respectively, the relevant policy and related procedures.

ReportingEvery associate or third party who has information that this policy or related procedures may have been violated, or believes he or she is being asked to pay a bribe or receive a bribe, or otherwise act in contravention of this policy shall immediately report the event, as provided by Walmart's Statement of Ethics.Reports shall be made, and may be made anonymously to any officer (Vice President or above) of the Company, the Global Ethics Office, the International Global Ethics Helpline, or the International Anti-Corruption Compliance Manager/Director. Reports may also be made to the Local Ethics Helpline, the legal department, the Compliance and Ethics Office or the Market Anti-Corruption Compliance Manager/Director. If anyone receives a report through the Open Door process he or she shall promptly forward the report to one of the contacts stated in this paragraph. Anyone who receives a report through any of the channels stated in this paragraph shall immediately report to the Global Ethics Helpline.Anyone who reports a suspected violation of this policy will not be subject to disciplinary action or retaliation for the act of making the report. However, anyone who reports a suspected violation may be subject to disciplinary action to the extent he or she violated any Walmart policy or procedure. D, Government Relations Policy This policy applies to all associates who work for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., or one of its subsidiary companies, in the United States ("Walmart"). Policy Walmarts Government Relations Departments (US Government Relations, Public Affairs and Government Relations) coordinate company interactions with elected officials and legislative and regulatory bodies at the federal, state and local level. To help ensure consistent management of these relationships, all conversations and engagement with elected officials or government agencies should be done in coordination with your Government Relations contact. Associates wishing to represent Walmarts corporate position on public policy or political matters should seek guidance from Government Relations before expressing such views. In addition, all such interactions with public officials, including their support staff, should be reported to Government Relations, as certain contact can constitute lobbying which is reportable. Government Relations, partnership with Corporate Affairs, coordinates the activities and administration of the Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Political Action Committee for Responsible Government (WAL-PAC). WAL-PAC is the primary entity authorized to make political contributions in support of our business. Corporate funds shall not be provided to political candidates, entities or organizations without the express knowledge and consent of Government Relations. If you are approached by a political candidate or organization in your store or club, please call the Home Office Government Relations at 479-277-0934. Please refer any other questions in the area to Government Relations at the number listed above. With respect to fundraising, the following rules shall apply in addition to all applicable laws: Officers of Walmart may distribute political literature or engage in political solicitation, as approved by an Executive Vice President. Associates assigned to the Corporate Affairs Department may engage in political solicitation or political distribution, as approved by the Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs. e. Photo and Video Use PolicyAll photos and videos in the Media Library are made available to accredited news organizations. Walmart grants its permission for use of these items for the sole purpose of accompanying related news content in print, broadcast and online channels by professional news organizations. Any other use without the written permission of Walmart is prohibited. Content may be attributed "Courtesy of Walmart" where news organizations require attribution.Content posted on Walmart's social media channels, including but not limited to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter, that is not posted in the Media Library, is available for use without objection from Walmart for the purposes of complementing news coverage. However, Walmart does not represent or assure any rights of publicity, copyright or other rights associated with these images.f. Walmart Privacy PolicyWalmart Privacy Policy - Highlights Scope: This Policy applies to customer information we collect in the United States and Puerto Rico at Walmart retail stores ("stores") and through our websites (for purposes of this Policy, "websites" includes our mobile applications).Walmart has a specific Notice of Privacy Practices for its personal information practices relating to our Health and Wellness operations (Pharmacy and Vision Center) in our retail stores. This Notice is available at each Pharmacy and Vision Center.

Information We Collect: We collect your information from the following sources: Information you give us, such as during transactions, customer service operations, surveys, and website registrations, Information from other sources, such as companies that help us to update our records, and Information automatically collected when you visit or use our websites, such as via cookies and device information, and in stores, such as via video cameras.How We Use and/or Disclose Your Information: Walmart does not sell or rent your personal information. Walmart uses your information to provide products and services and to support core business functions. These uses include order or service fulfillment, internal business processes, marketing, authentication, loss and fraud prevention, public safety and legal functions. We may combine all the information we collect. We may disclose your information within our corporate family of companies. We may disclose your personal information to third parties under the following limited circumstances: with service providers or suppliers that help with our business operations or joint products. with your consent. when necessary to protect the safety, property, or other rights of Walmart, customers, or associates, or when otherwise required by law.Your Choices: We want to communicate with you in ways you want to hear from us. Examples include email newsletters, special offers, and new product announcements. We use the following standards for marketing communications: We will not contact you via phone or text message without your express consent (opt-in). We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes without your express consent (opt-in). We use an opt-out standard for all other communications. This means we will conduct the activity unless you tell us not to. We participate in interest-based advertising. This means that you may see advertising on our website tailored to how you browse or shop, or you may see advertising for Walmart on other websites based on your browsing behavior across websites. Learn more about such advertising, including how to opt out. You can provide us your marketing preferences by visiting the Privacy Preference Center. The Preference Center allows you to update or change your preferences for marketing materials at any time. You can also contact us via the Contact Us section below.Mobile Application Privacy: In addition to the information above, the following applies to our mobile applications: Our mobile applications collect certain information automatically, such as the type of mobile device you use, the temporary or persistent unique device identifiers (sometimes called UDID), and information about the way you use the applications. The mobile applications also collect certain information you voluntarily provide, such as product information when you scan a bar code, and transactional information, such as when you make a purchase or respond to an offer. Our mobile applications collect precise information about the location of your device, such as when you search for a store. You must first provide permission through your device before the application obtains such location information from technologies like GPS, Wi-Fi, or cell tower proximity (or a combination of these technologies). The Mobile Application section below addresses your choices with respect to our applications collection and use of your precise location information. Service providers may collect device-specific information, such as a unique device identifier, when you use our website or one of our mobile applications. This information will not be associated in any way with your account at Walmart or any personal information that identifies who you are.How to Contact Us: Contact us through our web form -- for privacy or Walmart Privacy Policy feedback/questions, for store experience, marketing preferences, product questions and general feedback/questions.Important Information: We recognize the importance of privacy and believe it is a matter of trust. Read our entire privacy policy. We are committed to providing you a fair and timely response to any privacy concern or questions you bring to us. See Walmart's Notices and Privacy & Online Safety Tips for general tips and resources.Privacy Policy - Full Policy Walmart recognizes the importance of our customers' privacy. We believe that privacy is more than an issue of compliance it is one of trust. We strive to manage your personal information based on our basic belief of respect for the individual. This Policy describes: How and why we collect your personal information. How your information is used and protected. When and with whom we share your information. The choices you can make about how we collect, use, and share your information.Notice and Scope of Our Privacy Practices Our goal is to provide clear, prominent, and easily accessible information about our privacy practices. This Policy applies to customer information we collect in the United States and Puerto Rico at Walmart retail stores ("stores") and through our websites (for purposes of this Policy, "websites" includes our mobile applications). Walmart has a specific Notice of Privacy Practices for its personal information practices relating to our Health and Wellness operations (Pharmacy and Vision Center) in our retail stores. This notice is available at each Pharmacy and Vision Center.

Our Pledge of Accountability Walmart expects our associates and business partners to manage your personal information properly and maintain your trust. We have designated associates who are accountable for compliance with this Privacy Policy. Information We Collect We collect personal information about you to deliver the products and services you request and to help improve your shopping experience. We strive to limit the amount of personal information collected to support the intended purpose of the collection. Information You Give Us

We collect personal information from you in a variety of ways when you interact with Walmart, both in stores and through our websites. Some examples are when you: Create an account on one of our websites; Make an online or in-store purchase from us; Use a gift registry or create a mobile shopping list; Conduct a transaction where we collect information, including when required by law (such as hunting and fishing licenses); Request customer service or contact us; Submit a Walmart related story, testimonial, rating or review, or other user-generated content that may be posted on the site; Participate in a contest, sweepstake, promotion, or survey; or Otherwise submit personal information to us along with any related content of the communication.Personal information is information that identifies you or is reasonably linked to you. The personal information we collect may include contact and payment information like your name, email and physical addresses, phone numbers, and credit and debit card information. When you ask us to ship an order, we may collect information you provide us such as the name, address, and phone number of recipients. For certain transactions, we may be required to collect information to comply with legal requirements. Information from Other Sources We may receive personal information about you from other sources as well. Examples of these sources are entities that can help us correct or supplement our records, improve the quality or personalization of our service to you, and help prevent or detect fraud. In addition, we may collect information from consumer reporting agencies or other service providers if you obtain certain financial products. Automated Information Collection We receive and store certain types of information when you interact with our websites, emails, and online advertising. Our purpose is to allow the websites to work correctly, to evaluate use of the website, and to support website analytics and marketing campaigns. Some examples include: We may collect technical information such as your internet protocol address, your device operating system and browser type, the address of a referring website, if any, and the path you take through our websites. We use "cookies" to recognize you as you use or return to our sites. This is done so that we can provide a continuous and more personalized shopping experience for you. A cookie is a small text file that a website or email may save to your browser and store on your hard drive. We may also use web beacons. Beacons allow us to know if a certain page was visited, an email was opened, or if ad banners on our website and other sites were effective.We operate cameras in stores for security and operational purposes, such as to measure traffic patterns. Except for security purposes, we do not use these cameras to identify you personally. How We Use Your Information Walmart uses your information to offer and provide our products and services and to support our core business functions. These include order or service fulfillment, internal business processes, marketing, authentication, loss and fraud prevention, public safety and legal functions. Some examples include: To fulfill your requests for products and services and communicate with you about those requests; To register and service your account; To administer surveys, sweepstakes, contests, and promotions; To provide customer service and alert you to product information, including recalls; To help us improve and customize our service offerings, websites, and advertising; To send you information about our products, services, and promotions; and To protect the security or integrity of our websites and our business.To accomplish these purposes, we may combine personal and non-personal information we collect with offline information, including information from third parties. We may transfer or disclose your information within our corporate family of companies for these purposes. How We Disclose Your Information Outside Walmart Walmart does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We only disclose your personal information with your prior consent or under the following limited circumstances. Service Providers We may disclose or otherwise make available personal information about you to service providers that help with our business operations. Examples are shipping vendors, billing and refund vendors, payment card processors, and companies that help us improve our product and service offerings and our websites. Your personal information may be stored and processed by our service providers in the United States or other locations where the service providers or Walmart maintain facilities. We require our service providers to keep your information secure. In addition, our service providers may not use or disclose personal information for any purpose other than providing the services on our behalf. Legal Requirements and Protection of Our Company and Others We may disclose your information in other special circumstances. These include situations when the sharing is necessary to protect the safety, property, or other rights of Walmart, our customers, our associates, or any other person, or where otherwise required by law. Examples include protecting the health or safety of customers, or addressing crimes committed on Walmart property. Data from in-store security cameras may also be provided to law enforcement upon written request. Walmart may provide your personal information in response to a search warrant or other legally valid inquiry or order, or to an investigative body in the case of a breach of an agreement or contravention of law, or as otherwise required by applicable law. Marketing Purposes From time to time with your consent, we may disclose information with carefully selected companies who may offer you products and services of interest. You may opt in to this sharing under the "Your Choices" section below. Business Transfers

We may transfer any information we have about you in connection with a merger or sale (including transfers made as part of insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings) involving all or part of Walmart or as part of a corporate reorganization or stock sale or other change in corporate control. Your Choices Data Collection, Use, or Disclosure Walmart collects, uses, or discloses your personal information consistent with this policy. The method of obtaining consent is appropriate for the type of personal information being collected, used, or disclosed. For example, we will obtain your express consent (verbal, written, or electronic agreement) to collect, use, or disclose personal health information in accordance with law. In other situations, we consider consent to be implied, such as to use your email for marketing purposes, unless you opt out of these communications such as by unsubscribing. Marketing Preferences We want to communicate with you in ways you want to hear from us. Examples are newsletters, special offers, and new product announcements. We use the following standards for marketing communications: We use an opt-in standard for phone and text messages. We also use an opt-in standard for sharing personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Opt-in means we will only conduct the activity with your express consent. We use an opt-out standard for email or for other communications like mail. Opt-out means we consider your consent is implied, but will stop the activity on your request.You can provide us with your marketing preferences by visiting the Privacy Preference Center. The Preference Center allows you to update or change your preferences about receiving marketing materials at any time. Or you may contact the Privacy Office as described in the Contact Us section below. If you contact us by email or mail, please be sure to include your full name, the types of communications you would like to receive or not receive, and your related contact information. For instance, if you would like to opt-out of mail, include your mailing address. Please allow sufficient time for your preferences to be processed. It may take up to 10 days to process your requests related to email and 4-6 weeks for other requests. Please be aware that, even if you have opted out of receiving marketing communications from us, we may still contact you for transactional purposes. Some examples are contacts for customer service, product information, service or reminder notices, or recalls. We may also need to contact you with questions or information regarding your order, such as regarding order status, shipment, or refunds. Credit Offerings The above marketing preferences do not apply to our credit card offerings since these are provided through our financial institution partner(s). However, you can choose to stop receiving prescreened offers of credit from all companies, including our prescreened offers, by calling 1-888-567-8688 or by going to www.optoutprescreen.com. Online Operations and Advertising You may exercise choices related to our online operations and advertising. For instance, you can choose to browse our websites without accepting cookies Please know that cookies allow us to recognize you from page to page, and they support your transactions with us. Without cookies enabled, you will still be able to browse our websites, but will not be able to complete a purchase or take advantage of certain website features. To learn more about cookies, including how to refuse cookies on your device, follow these links: Microsoft Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox All About Cookies Adobe Flash Cookies SafariYou may also opt-out of certain online advertising called interest-based advertising. Interest-based ads are ads that are served to you based on your browsing behavior. The goal is to show you ads more tailored to your interests. We may use how you browse and shop in order to show you advertisements on our website that are more relevant to your interests. As an example, if you browse for electronics with us or other sites, we may show you ads for electronics as you browse our website. Advertisements may relate to Walmart or our advertising partners. We do not disclose personal data about you with advertising partners to place an ad for them. We only retain data related to the ads for legitimate business purposes. In addition, we belong to ad networks that may use your browsing history across participating websites to show you interest-based advertisements on those websites. You may see ads for Walmart on participating websites based on how you browse our website and those sites. We do not allow the network provider to provide your browsing behavior on our website to other websites. Learn more about interest-based advertising, including how to opt out. You may opt-out of either interest-based advertising on our website, or interest-based advertising on other sites, as described above. Other websites you visit may offer their own opt-out methods as well. If you do opt-out of interest-based advertisements, you may still see advertisements on websites you visit, just not ads based on your browsing behavior. How to Access and Update Your Information Walmart takes reasonable steps to keep your personal information accurate and complete. You can access or update your personal information, including contact or account information, in the following ways: If you have created an account on one of our websites, log into your account. Once you do, you will be able to enter and update your own contact information and payment information, as well as contact information for recipients you have designated. Contact us at the email or postal address listed in the "Contact Us" section at the bottom of this Policy. Please include your current contact information, the information you are interested in accessing, and your requested changes. We will provide you the personal information requested if reasonably available, unless it infringes on the privacy of other individuals and subject to reasonable limitations provided by law and internal procedures. Otherwise we will describe the types of information we typically collect. We will provide access and make changes you request, or will provide an explanation of what actions we will be able to take with regard to the request. If you need help accessing your information related to a service provided by a third party, we will assist you by referring you to the third party. Please contact us via the "Contact Us" section below. If you need assistance accessing records related to your Vision Center, Pharmacy, or financial services information, please visit the section below related to "Privacy Protections for Specific Types of Information."How We Secure Your Information Securing your information is a company priority. Whether you are shopping on our websites or in our stores, we use reasonable security measures to help protect the confidentiality of personal information. Online Protections Your account information is protected by the password you use to access your online account. Please keep this password confidential. We also use a technology called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). If your browser is capable of SSL (and most are), your account information will be protected during transport across the Internet. You can see a representation of this when you enter a secure portion of our online website (not including our mobile applications), which is any page containing any of