Wal-Marts sustainability strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Wal-Marts sustainability strategy - Essay Example From that time the company has attained massive expansion and is currently operating under different brand names. It is one of the most successful groups with operations in 27 countries, has more than 10,000 stores with different departments and employs over 2 million people. (Wal-Mart, 2012, p.3). The aim was to improve the lives of the people by saving their money while making profit through reduced expenses and improved management. They operate as supercenters, food and drug store, restaurants, general merchandise stores, warehouse clubs, small markets, discount stores human and cash and carry stores. Its strategic management has been based on five principles: resource development, reduced expenses, online shopping services, satisfied customers and social and environmental responsibility (Sullivan, 2010, p. 156).These have led to the rapid growth in revenue, customer base and workforce. Like any other large international companies, there need to develop a proper management strateg y to ensure the business fulfills its mission.This paper will critically analyses the challenges facing Walwart international and gives its recommendation on how to overcome these challenges with keen consideration of seafood supply chains. Challenges of Wal-Mart’s supply chain Employees The company employs over two million employees across the world and has been accused of violating their rights. According to Marshall (2012, p.3), their employees went on strike in Los Angeles after several months of trying to reach out to the company’s executives with success. Prior to this strike, there was also demonstration in other regions, with the employees complaining of low wages, healthy risk and poor treatment while at work. There has been case of firing of workers that are actively involved in their trade union OUR Wal-Mart (Marshall, 2012, p. 4). OUR Wal-Mart has filed several cases on unfair treatment of the workers Such as termination, warnings or reduced working hours. Most complain seem to be a strategy by the executives to reduce the cost of labor and eventually reducing the operational cost. The reduction in expenses is supposed to increase in sales and revenue. Staff reduction can hinder proper management of day to day activities in the stores as well as in factories. Each outlet has different management and this has worsened the situation, some stores lack proper safety facilities, do not give employment contract to their employees, and poor sanitation. Poor working conditions can affect the quality of their products especially food and this pose greater health risk to the consumers. Thestrikes, demonstrations and poor working conditions, not only have negative impacts on the employees but also create a negative image of the company thus affecting business. Competition Like any other company in profit making business, Wal-Mart faces stiff competitions from other large stores, small stores and international companies and sometimes has been for ces to close down their stores. This has forces them to change their mode of marketing as well as their mode of doing business. Being an international company poses greater challenges because of different ways of doing businesses in these countries and also different cultural back grounds of their customers. Sea food store in China almost closed down due to the way chines prefer to choose their sea food, they were forced to display them while uncovered and this led to high sales. According to Ellickson at el (2012. P 750) Wal-Mart has changed the pricing strategy of supermarkets to reduce completion. Its entrance in the market led to closed down of other business but this is just one sided opinion since it has also faced competition. Their low price strategy has worked well for