Walmart

Assignment 3 MT451 Management Technology Marybeth Still The company I have chosen is Wal-Mart. The company’s current position in the market place is back in the number one spot according to Fortune 500 magazine (money.cnn.com). Last year they had slipped to the number two position so they put the focus back on meeting the need of the customer with low prices. One of the types of innovation that Wal-Mart has brought into the company is a faster easier way to do online shopping. They have put together a new search engine called Polaris). This system is used for ecommerce internationally and mobile searches for the online shoppers. They have also pledged to cut back on plastic bag waste for a greener environment to cut back on landfills. They have promised to cut back on waste from plastic bags by one third for 2013 (www.news.walmart.com). Some of Wal-Marts dominant designs are providing the customers with what they want, focusing on developing cost structures that allow everyday low prices. It also has a way to fill its inventory as items are sold at the registers so that they are not out of stock for a long period of time providing the customers with their needs in a timely manner. They also use a system called Supply Chain Management, this system includes purchasing, operations, distributions, and integration. Sam Walton had a reputation for caring about its customers, associates and the community. When he started the company he implemented three principles customer value and service, partnership with its associates and community involvement (The Story of Walmart, 1995). Sam’s key feature of implementing strategy is to have a relationship with the customers and the suppliers, being aware of the minor details of the stores layout and merchandising techniques along with keeping with his philosophy of “Everyday Low Prices”. Wal-Marts inventory system has grown from a cross docking system to MPP system or the massively parallel processor which allow them the stock product outs four times faster. They also have their own transportation system where they ship their goods from the warehouse to the store in less than forty eight hours. With having low prices, the availability for outs on the store shelves and having a forty eight hour turn- around time it allows the stores to keep up if not pass the competitors. Which gives them the competitive advantage keeping them in the number one position. References: www.Wal-Mart.Com The Story of Wal-Mart, Gilbert, Sara (2012)