Sam Walton, a leader with an innovative vision, started his own company and made it
into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. Through his savvy, and sometimes
unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty
years. Today, four years after his death, the company is still growing steadily. Wal-Mart
executives continue to rely on many of the traditional goals and philosophies that Sam's
legacy left behind, while simultaneously keeping one step ahead of the ever-changing
technology and methods of today's fast-paced business environment. The organization
has faced, and is still facing, a significannot
amount of controversy over several different
issues; however, none of these have done much more than scrape the exterior of this
gigantic operation. The future also looks bright for Wal-Mart, especially if it is able to
strike a comfortable balance between increasing its profits and recognizing its social and
ethical responsibilities.
Why is Wal-Mart so Successful? Is it Good Strategy or Good Strategy
Implementation? -- In 1962, when Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in
Rogers, Arkansas, no one could have ever predicted the enormous success this
small-town merchant would have. Sam Walton's talent for discount retailing not only
made Wal-Mart the world's largest retailer, but also the world's number one retailer in
sales. Indeed, Wal-Mart was named "Retailer of the Decade" by Discount Store News in
1989, and on several occasions has been included in Fortune's list of the "10 most
admired corporations." Even with Walton's death (after a two-year battle with bone
cancer) in 1992, Wal-Mart's sales continue to grow significannot
ly.T ...