INTRODUCTION

Founded in 1962 by Mr.Sam Walton First store opened in Bentonville,Arkansas Today there are about 9000 stores in 15 countries which employ more than 2 million people. The company serves more than 175 million people. In 2010, Fortune magazine listed Wal-Mart as the most admired company in North America for its growth and ability to produce profits.

GLOBAL STRUCTURE

Walmart s Global Map

Spread of Walmart Stores across US

GLOBAL STRATEGY

HOW ?
Transportation Cost Savings Economical Prices Faster replenishment of merchandise

Better Discounts to Customers

Intensive People Focus

Associates and NOT employees.
Various schemes and programmes for associates : Incentive bonuses A discount stock purchase plan Profit Sharing Plan Pay raise based on performance and not seniority An open door policy

DOMESTIC HR POLICIES
Recruitment Training & Development Employee Advancement Plan Health & Wellness Benefits

IHRM POLICIES
Wal-mart doesn t have a Trade Union Culture in the US and UK but they allowed unionization in the stores in China as unionization is mandatory there. Control over the Human Resource Management should be centered and focus should be placed on the cultural differences.

Issues in Other Countries

Hong Kong: Walmart knew nothing about Asia. instead of picking a Taiwanese
or Hong Kong company as a local partner, they picked a Thai partner.

Germany : Ignorance of the specific features of the extremely competitive

German retail market.

China: Collectivism is a remarkable feature of Chinese business culture which

has a great influence on manners and personal relations . High individualism is a general aspect of culture in the United States and Europe.

South Korea: Wal-Marts simply failed to shift from Western marketing

strategies.