Lowe's Companies

LOWE’S Companies, Inc.

One of the organizations I chose to review is Lowe’s, simply because it is a store I regularly go to shop for hardware products and occasionally garden materials.

Lowe's Companies, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate as a home improvement retailer in the United States and Canada. The company provides a range of products and services for home decoration, maintenance, repair, remodeling, and property maintenance. It offers home improvement products in various categories, such as appliances, lumber, flooring, paint etc…

It serves homeowners and renters, including do-it-yourself customers, and others buying for personal and family use such as myself; They also cater commercial business customers, such as repair and remodeling contractors, electricians, landscapers, painters, plumbers, and commercial and residential property maintenance professionals.

The chain now serves over 13 million customers a week in its 1500+ stores in 50 states and Canada.

Lowe's is organized geographically into Divisions such as Southeast, West, Northeast, Regions, Areas, Districts and then the individual store. A Lowe's store can typically have anywhere from 80 to over 400 employees depending on the size and sales volume. One of the stores I shop and which I have had the opportune to analyze has close to 200 employees.

As a corporation Lowe’s has been awarded for it contribution to the environment such as the Energy Star retail partner of the year in 2004. Lowe’s was awarded for instance for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through promoting energy-efficient products and educating consumers and employees on the value of the Energy Star program. In 2000 for instance, it released a policy that will make sure all wood products they sell won’t come from endangered forests.

“Lowe's offers its employees benefits including 401(k) and stock-purchase plans, medical coverage and disability benefits. It also offers all employees and their spouses or domestic partners