Walmart

Abstract

Explores the marketing strategies employed by Wal-Mart Corporation and their efforts to compete in the “new” economy.

Includes an assessment of Wal-Mart’s expressed and apparent positioning and value proposition based upon internal documents, public relations statements, web page and advertising.

Includes an assessment of Wal-Mart’s competitive position and strategy.

Includes an assessment of Wal-Mart’s marketing mix.

Introduction

The new economy, characterized by sophisticated technology, global communication and “knowledge as a commodity” demands a great deal from organizations that intend to remain competitive. Wal-Mart corporation does not just compete in their field, they dominate it.

Wal-Mart is the largest retail operation in the world today. According to the Wal-Mart corporate website at http://www.walmartstores.com, the company’s net sales totaled $191.329 billion for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2001. This makes Wal-Mart the fourth largest company in the United States of America. The size and consistent profit generation of Wal-Mart Corporation make it a logical choice for the study of marketing techniques employed by successful businesses.

Definitions

Marketing mix:

How much is spent and what percentage of marketing dollars go to advertising instead of other types of more highly targeted marketing communications. (Hill and Rifkin, 1999)

New Economy:

The way that business is conducted, characterized by a dozen or so themes: a) knowledge as a commodity b) digitalization c)virtuality d) molecularization e) networking f) disintermediation g)hyper media h) innovation i) customer as product designer j) immediate, k) global and l) discordant. (Tapscott, 1997)

Organizational Culture:

A common perception held by the organization’s members; a system of shared meaning. (Robbins, 2001)

Discussion

Method

To assess an organization’s marketing strategies we look at three separate aspects of its approach to reaching the