do a 30 pages paper about Walmart by answering this question. what are the: 1. T
ID: 467865 • Letter: D
Question
do a 30 pages paper about Walmart by answering this question. what are the:
1. Type of Company
2. Expected Gross Sales of the Company
3. Expected Number of Employees and users of the MIS System
4. Product / Services the Company will offer
5. Geographical area of the company will market and sell
6. Time zones of the company operations
7. Languages the company and its employees have to work in
8. Cultures within which the Company will have to work
9. Currencies the company will have to work
10. Legal environments the company will work
11. Technological environment the company will work
12. Business Process of the Company
13. Functional Departments of the Company
14. Hierarchical Orders of the Company
15. Modules necessary for the MIS system
16. Options for Future Expansions / Upgradation
17. Proposed Investment for the new MIS system
18. Training of the employees for the system
19. Security aspects of the MIS system
20. Any other aspects you recommend for the MIS project
Explanation / Answer
1. Type of Company: Public Company
2. Expected Gross Sales of Wal-Mart: US$482.13 billion (2016)
3. Expected Number of Employees and users of the MIS System: 2.2 million in the World (2016)
4. Product / Services Wal-Mart will offer:
Products
Services
5. Geographical area of Wal-Mart will market and sell: Worldwide No. of Locations : 11,534 (May 31, 2016)
6. Time zones of Wal-Mart operations: In all the time zones, depending on the location.
7. Languages Wal-Mart and its employees have to work in: All the languages in which Wal-Mart operates
8. Cultures within which Wal-Mart will have to work: All the cultures depending on the country in which Wal-Mart operates.
9. Currencies Wal-Mart will have to work: All the currencies depending on the country in which Wal-Mart operates.
10. Legal environments Wal-Mart will work:
Kenneth Stone, Professor of Economics at Iowa State University, in a paper published in Farm Foundation in 1997, found that some small towns can lose almost half of their retail trade within ten years of a Walmart store opening. He compared the changes to previous competitor’s small town shops have faced in the past—from the development of the railroads and the Sears Roebuck catalogue to shopping malls. He concludes that small towns are more affected by "discount mass merchandiser stores" than larger towns and that shop owners who adapt to the ever changing retail market can "co-exist and even thrive in this type of environment."[44]
One study found Walmart's entry into a new market has a profound impact on its competition. When a Walmart opens in a new market, median sales drop 40 percent at similar high-volume stores, 17 percent at supermarkets and 6 percent at drugstores, according to a June 2009 study by researchers at several universities and led by the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. A Loyola University Chicago study suggested that the impact a Walmart store has on a local business is correlated to its distance from that store. The leader of that study admits that this factor is stronger in smaller towns and doesn't apply to more urban areas saying "It'd be so tough to nail down what's up with Wal-Mart". These findings are underscored by another study conducted in 2009 by the National Bureau of Economics that showed "large, negative effects" for competing businesses within five to ten miles of the new opening big box retailer. This same study also found that the local retailers experience virtually no benefit. This particularly contrasts with studies that find that local firms re-invest nearly 63% more of profits in other local businesses compared to chain retailers, as found by the Maine Center of Economic Policy in 2011.
Walmart has been subject to criticism from various groups and individuals, including labor unions, community groups, grassroots organizations, religious organizations, environmental groups, and Wal-Mart's own customers and employees. They have protested against Wal-Mart's policies and business practices, including charges of racial and gender discrimination. Other areas of criticism include Wal-Mart's foreign product sourcing, treatment of suppliers, employee compensation and working conditions, environmental practices, the use of public subsidies, Wal-Mart's security policies and slavery. Walmart denies doing anything wrong and maintains that low prices are the result of efficiency.
11. Technological environment Wal-Mart will work
Sam Walton's self-described distrust of computers didn't keep him from building his company into a global leader of information technology innovation.
1962
First Wal-Mart opens in Rogers, Ark.
1975
With more than 125 stores and $340.3 million in sales, Wal-Mart leases an IBM 370/135 computer system to maintain inventory control for all merchandise in the warehouse and distribution centers and to prepare income statements for each store.
Electronic cash registers in more than 100 Wal-Mart stores record point-of-sale (POS) data to maintain inventory.
1977
Wal-Mart builds a companywide computer network and deploys a system for ordering merchandise from suppliers.
1979
Wal-Mart sales top $1.2 billion, making it the first company to reach more than $1 billion in sales in a mere 17 years. Wal-Mart builds a computer center and installs the first terminal in a store: an IBM 3774.
1983
Wal-Mart begins to use bar codes for scanning POS data.
1984
Store associates start using Texlon handheld terminals when reordering merchandise. Upon scanning a shelf label, the unit provides a description of the merchandise, information on prior quantities ordered and other data.
Bob Martin is named CIO.
1985
Wal-Mart has 882 stores and sales of $8.4 billion.
1987
Wal-Mart completes what is at the time the largest private satellite communication system in the United States. It links all operating units of company and headquarters with two-way voice, data and one-way video communication.
A check-in system designed to take full advantage of container bar-code labeling is in the back room of every Wal-Mart store.
1990
A data warehouse prototype is created to store historical sales data.
1992
Bottom of Form
Wal-Mart deploys the Retail Link system to strengthen supplier partnerships. The system provides vendors information on sale trends and inventory levels.
1993
Randy Mott becomes CIO.
1995
Wal-Mart has stores in 50 states, for a total of 1,995 Wal-Mart stores, 239 Supercenters, 433 Sam's Clubs and 276 international stores. Sales top $93.6 billion.
1996
Wal-Mart makes Retail Link and EDI available via the Internet and begins using the Internet as an application platform.
Wal-Mart and Sam's Club launch online stores.
2000
Kevin Turner becomes CIO.
2002
Wal-Mart chooses the Internet for data exchange with thousands of its global suppliers.
Linda Dillman becomes CIO.
Wal-Mart has its biggest single-day sales in history: $1.43 billion on the day after Thanksgiving.
2004
Wal-Mart announces it will deploy radio frequency identification (RFID) technology on Jan. 1, 2005.
2006
Rollin Ford is named CIO.
Wal-Mart redesigns Walmart.com, starts experimenting with Web 2.0 and social networking tools, and contracts with Oracle and Hewlett-Packard to use their price-optimization and BI retail applications.
Wal-Mart ends the year with $349 billion in sales, nearly 2 million employees and 6,775 stores worldwide.
2007
Wal-Mart launches Site to Store service, enabling online customers to pick up merchandise in stores.
12. Business Process of Wal-Mart
Smart Business Process: Wal-Mart Proves (Again) That Reducing Costs & Adding Customer Value Leads to Profits
Wal-Mart aired its latest performance data today and revealed that, despite the recession, they have maintained profitability. Shining a light on Wal-Mart is kind of silly given that virtually no other organization in the world (and most countries, for that matter) are in the same league. The point is that we can all learn from their lessons. The lessons this week are absolutely central to the argument for smarter business process management. Wal-Mart applied several elegant tactics with what appears to be precision execution. Firstly, they reduced their inventory which contributed to the goal of reducing costs by 6%. Secondly, they recognized that their customers are facing deep income cuts of their own and identified which product discounts would be perceived as most helpful. They leveraged their world-class inventory data to identify specific products and discounted prices considerably. The result was an influx of new customers who compensated for lower sales per customer thereby producing profits that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Lessons Learned – What Small Business, Non-profits and Governmental Organizations Can Take-Away from Wal-Mart (without stealing)
In the spirit of keeping it simple, the following lessons can be brought home to your organization:
It doesn’t matter how big or small you are and it is frankly irrelevant which industry you hail from…you can apply all of these lessons and tactics. I have done so in commercial for-profit enterprises, governmental programs as well as in non-profit settings.
BPM – whether it is enabled by software or not – is key to each and every one of these tactics.
The best strategy and the best intentions will be trumped by lousy, inefficient and absent business processes. Between you and me – when I run across reasonably successful organizations that lack identifiable and manageable business process and controls, I know they are successful quite by accident. Ignorance in managing organizations and performance is not bliss.
13. Functional Departments of Wal-Mart
Walmart’s organizational structure determines the company’s business activities. Its organizational structure also imposes limits on how the business addresses its problems. In relation, Walmart’s organizational culture determines the way people respond to challenges in the workplace. The resilience of the human resources of the company partly depends on the mind set supported through the organizational culture. Nonetheless, the long history of Walmart in succeeding and continually growing internationally shows that the firm’s organizational structure and organizational culture have been helpful in bringing competitive advantage and success. Such organizational structure interacts with the organizational culture to maintain the significant competitive advantage of Walmart. Walmart’s leadership position in the retail industry and its potential long-term success are linked to the beneficial combination of the company’s organizational structure and organizational culture.
Walmart’s Organizational Structure
Walmart has a hierarchical functional organizational structure. This structure has two features: hierarchy and function-based definition. The hierarchy feature pertains to the vertical lines of command and authority throughout the organizational structure. For example, except for the CEO, every employee has a superior. Directives and mandates coming from the top levels of Walmart’s management are implemented through middle managers down to the rank-and-file employees in the Walmart stores. On the other hand, the function-based definition feature of the company’s organizational structure involves groups of employees fulfilling certain functions. For example, Walmart has a department for the function of human resource management. The company also has a department for the function of information technology, and another department for the function of marketing. These are just some of the numerous function-based departments in Walmart’s organizational structure.
The main effect of Walmart’s hierarchical functional organizational structure is the ability of corporate managers to easily influence the entire organization. For example, new policies and strategies developed at Walmart’s corporate headquarters are directly passed on to regional managers down to the store managers. In this way, effective monitoring and control are achieved through Walmart’s hierarchical functional organizational structure. However, a downside of this organizational structure is that it has minimal support for organizational flexibility. The lower levels of the organizational structure cannot easily adjust business practices because of the lengthy communications and approval process involving the middle managers and corporate managers at Walmart’s headquarters.
Walmart’s Organizational Culture
Walmart’s organizational culture has four main components. These components guide employees’ behaviors. The components are also identified as Walmart’s beliefs:
In terms of service to customers, the company prioritizes customers in its operations. Walmart also recognizes the contributions of each employee to the success of the business. In addition, the firm strives for excellence in the performance of individuals, teams, and the entire organization. In terms of maintaining integrity, Walmart promotes the virtues of honesty, fairness, and impartiality in decision-making.
Recommendations on Walmart’s Organizational Culture and Structure
Walmart’s organizational structure is ideal for the company’s type of business and global scope of operations. However, Walmart can improve in applying its beliefs in the context of its organizational culture. These beliefs are ideal. Still, the company is frequently criticized about its failure to address employees’ concerns regarding low wages. Such criticisms pointed to the difference between the belief of respect for individuals in the organization’s culture, and the actual treatment of the employees. Thus, a suitable recommendation for Walmart is to implement more effective measures for fulfilling the respect for the individual component of the organizational culture.
14. Hierarchical Orders of Wal-Mart
Most people don’t know the pecking order at Walmart unless they have worked there so here is a brief layout:
At the bottom we have associates:
Level 1 associates: cashiers, stockmen and greeters
Level 2 associates: sales floor associates
Level 3 associates: electronic and jewelry associates
Next we have department managers:
Department manager as the name states are over a certain department and the associates in said department.
Then its ZMS or zone managers:
ZMS are over certain zones of the store, the department managers within those zones and the associates in that zone.
Next we have CSM or customer service managers:
CSM are pretty much over all the cashiers. I like to think they are associates on power trips because someone gave them a walkie.
Next is the AM or assistant manager:
AM are over the CSM, ZMS, department managers and associates.
Then we have co-managers:
Co-managers are over AM, CSM, ZMS, department managers and assoiates.
Finally we have the Store Manager:
The store manager is in charge of everyone in the store.
15. Modules necessary for the MIS system
The Double First Engage education information management system offers the best of all worlds:
Engage's fully inclusive core functions cover all the basics any independent school will need. These can be enhanced by optional modules and plugins.
Cloud and local installation flexibility
We also offer a flexible range of installation options. You can install on in-house hardware, or speak to us about cloud hosting where we manage secure infrastructure offsite.
Either way you'll benefit from Double First's policy of continual investment in the product and free updates for the lifetime of your contract.
Device agnostic
PC, Mac or both? Laptop, tablet, phone? School IT has never been more diverse and the Engage school management information system is geared to cope with multiple methods, in school or remotely.
Third party friendly
Engage links to a number of leading third party solutions as standard and we have wide experience of linking with other applications.
16. Options for Future Expansions / Upgradation
Walmart U.S. Remodeling Success Leads to Accelerated Program
BENTONVILLE, Ark. , Oct. 22 -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) today presented its global plans for store and club growth next year at its annual conference for the investment community and updated its projections for capital expenditures through the fiscal year ending on Jan. 31, 2011 .
Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010 , is projected to be in a range of$12.5 to $13.1 billion , up from approximately $11.5 billion in fiscal year 2009. Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2011 is projected to be in a range of $13.0 to $15.0 billion .
"Our plan for growth is clearly intended to increase shareholder value," said Tom Schoewe , executive vice president and chief financial officer. "In the U.S., we're building new stores and accelerating the pace of our remodels because they have been so successful at winning and retaining customers.
"We're stepping up growth in our International operations to take advantage of growing economies and opportunities in emerging markets, such as China and Brazil ," Schoewe added.
Capital expenditures for all purposes are projected as follows and exclude the impact of any future acquisitions:
Capital Expenditure Detail (US$ billions)
Actual Projected
Segment FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. $5.8 $6.6 - 6.8 $7.0 - 8.0
Sam's Club U.S. $0.8 $0.8 - 0.9 $0.7 - 1.0
Walmart International $4.1 $4.2 - 4.4 $4.5 - 5.0
Corporate $0.8 $0.9 - 1.0 $0.8 - 1.0
Total $11.5 $12.5 - 13.1 $13.0 - 15.0
If fiscal year 2009 were placed on a constant currency basis with fiscal year 2010, International capital expenditures in fiscal year 2009 would have been approximately $3.8 billion .
In the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010 , the company expects to add approximately 38 million square feet globally, compared to approximately 44 million square feet added in the prior year (excluding square footage added by acquisition). Walmart expects to increase global square footage by approximately 37 million square feet in fiscal year 2011.
Square footage growth (excluding any acquisitions) is projected as follows:
Square Footage Growth by Segment (in millions)
Actual Projected
Additional Square Footage
for: FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. 23 14 11
Sam's Club U.S. 2 1 1
Walmart International 19 23 25
Total Company 44 38 37
Walmart U.S. to Focus on Remodels and Accelerating Growth Through New, More Efficient Supercenters
In the U.S., Walmart will continue to focus on further improving the returns of its supercenter format through remodels of existing stores and by accelerating growth of new store designs capable of generating greater returns from current assets.
By November 2009 , Walmart U.S. will have completed Project Impact remodels at more than 30 percent of its 3,538 stores. By the end of fiscal year 2012, approximately 70 percent of Walmart U.S. stores, including newly-constructed stores, are expected to be updated under the Project Impact initiative.
"As part of our plan to accelerate growth, we are investing capital in fiscal year 2011 for stores that are planned to open in fiscal year 2012, and we're stepping up the remodels of our existing store base," said Eduardo Castro-Wright , vice chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "The remodeling of our existing store base is important because the investments are delivering strong sales performance, excellent customer response and higher returns."
Sam's Club Expanding and Remodeling
Sam's Club plans to add between five and 10 new, expanded or relocated clubs in fiscal year 2011 after adding a projected 15 clubs this fiscal year.
"We remain committed to opening and operating the optimal number of clubs, in the right sizes and formats, in locations that make the best use of our capital," said Brian Cornell , president and CEO, Sam's Club . "Sam's also is increasing its investment in remodeling to improve operating productivity and efficiency, based on a new club layout unveiled earlier today."
Sam's Club plans to remodel between 50 and 55 clubs by year-end, and expects to remodel between 70 and 90 clubs next fiscal year.
Investment outside the U.S. focused on Growth Markets
Walmart International plans aggressive investment, particularly in growth markets such asChina and Brazil . The International portfolio includes a variety of formats, from supercenters to small grocery stores. New stores are expected to add approximately 23 million square feet in fiscal year 2010, and approximately 25 million more square feet in fiscal year 2011. These projections are based on the existing store base and do not include possible acquisitions.
"We will continue our organic growth strategy, with strong capital discipline and optimization of our portfolio of formats and brands worldwide," said Doug McMillon , president and CEO ofWalmart International . "We will allocate capital, by country and by format, to improve returns from these investments."
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,000 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion , Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune magazine's 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visitingwww.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com andwww.samsclub.com.
This release contains statements that the company believes are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by that Act. Except as noted below, these forward-looking statements are identified by use of the words or phrases "are accelerating," "are building," "are increasing," "are stepping up," "expected," "expects," "is increasing," "are projected," "is projected," "plans," "projected," "is intended," "remain committed," "believe," "will allocate," "will be based," "will continue," "will have completed," "will remodel," or a variation of the foregoing words or phrases in these statements, including in captions to certain of the columns contained in the tables included in this release. The forward-looking statements discuss, among other things, management's expectations for or concerning: a step up in growth in emerging markets by the company's International operating segment; projected capital spending by the company in each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011; building new stores and accelerating the pace of remodeling of stores; projected capital spending by each of the company's operating segments, for general corporate purposes and in total for each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011; projected increases in square footage globally and by operating segment in each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011; the company's Walmart U.S. operating segment continuing to focus on further improving the returns of its supercenter format through remodels of existing stores and accelerated growth in new store designs capable of generating greater returns from current assets; Walmart U.S. increasing its investment in remodeling stores to deliver strong sales performance, excellent customer response and higher returns; Walmart U.S. having completed remodels of approximately 70 percent of its stores, including new stores, by the end of the company's fiscal year 2012; the company's Sam's Club operating segment adding new, expanded and relocated clubs in fiscal year 2011 and the number of clubs to be added in fiscal year 2010;Sam's Club's commitment to opening and operating the optimal number of clubs in the right sizes and formats and in locations to make the best use of its capital; Sam's Club increasing its investment in remodeling clubs; the number of clubs that Sam's Club plans to remodel in each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011; the company's International operating segment aggressively investing, particularly in growth markets such as China and Brazil ; the growth in square footage of the International operating segment in each of fiscal years 2010 and 2011; the International operating segment continuing its organic growth strategy with strong capital discipline and optimization of its portfolio of formats and brands; and the International operating segment allocating capital to improve returns from its investments. Also included in the forward-looking statements in this release is the information contained in the charts entitled "Capital Expenditure Detail," and "Square Footage Growth by Segment,", which information relates to capital expenditures to be made and square footage to be added during each of the fiscal years 2010 and 2011. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, domestically and internationally, including general economic conditions, including the effects of the current economic crisis, competitive pressures, geopolitical conditions and events, inflation, deflation, consumer confidence, credit availability, spending patterns and debt levels, currency exchange fluctuations, unemployment rates, personal income and other tax rates, trade restrictions, availability of attractive investment opportunities in non- United States markets, availability of appropriate locations for new or relocated units, local real estate and other laws, ordinances and initiatives that may prevent us from building or relocating, or that impose limitations on our ability to build or relocate, stores in certain locations, availability of necessary utilities, weather conditions, availability of skilled labor, labor, material and other construction costs, insurance costs, operating expenses, interest rate fluctuations and other capital market conditions, and other factors and risks. The company discusses certain of these matters more fully in that Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2009 , and this release should be read in conjunction with that Annual Report on Form 10-K and together with all of the company's other filings, including its Current Reports on Form 8-K, made with the SEC through the date of this release. You are urged to consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. As a result of these matters, including changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, the actual implementation of the company's operating and other plans by one or more of its operating segments, its actual capital expenditures, unit growth, and square footage growth in one or more of its operating segments, the formats of the units built, and the focus of the company's expansion may differ materially from the anticipated results described in these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of this report, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
17. Proposed Investment for the new MIS system: Depends on company to company & requirement to requirements
19. Security aspects of the MIS system
Security of an Information System
Information system security refers to the way the system is defended against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction.
There are two major aspects of information system security:
Guaranteeing effective information security has the following key aspects:
Products
- Electronics
- movies and music
- home and furniture
- home improvement
- clothing
- footwear
- jewelry
- toys
- health and beauty
- pet supplies
- sporting goods and fitness
- auto
- photo finishing
- craft supplies
- party supplies
- grocery
Services
- Walmart-2-Walmart
- Walmart MoneyCard
- Pickup Today
- Walmart.com
- Walmart Pay
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