Walmart (the company) is a multinational retailing business corporation that operates worldwide. It is the largest in the world with more than 11,500 stores, employing 1.4 million from the United States alone and 2.2 million associates globally (Walmart Website, 2016). The company reported more than $400 billion of net sales annually from its operations in the last five years (Annual Report, 2014, p. 18). Its operating performance prominently established an increase of sales from 2010 to 2014 annual financial report. The increase came from different factors such as the addition of new clubs, and growing number of customers (Annual Report, 2014, p. 26). From small retail store started in Arkansas in 1962 serving its customers through selling …show more content…
By 2000, the company employs 1.1 million associates worldwide (Walmart website, 2016). Walmart topped the Fortune 500 as the largest company in America in 2002 (Walmart website, 2016). Also in 2000, Walmart introduced online shopping through walmart.com. The milestone of the company in opening new stores in local communities encountered resistance from the locals as they wanted to protect the environment and preserve the historical culture (Neumark, Zhang and Ciccarella, 2006) but the company oppose the claims because they create jobs for the people. The company never stops in innovation and creating new ideas to keep its customers to come back in Walmart stores. The company’s global mission “We save people money so they can live better” is giving them the edge over other retailers because customers go back to the stores every time. The consumers are conscious in price tags that they prefer going to discount stores and bargain sales rather than going to expensive one but no savings left for them (Thomasson and Skariachan, 2013). The low cost of products drives them to keep lower prices which leveraging the company’s operating