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Case Study

Wal*mart: Competing in the global marketplace

By Nirmalya Kumar and Brian Rogers

8 pages

December 2000

Reference: IMD-3-0969

This case highlights some of the challenges that Wal*Mart faces as it expands to markets outside the US. Specifically, it illustrates the difficulties Wal*Mart has encountered as it seeks to adapt its retailing concept to international markets. Though Wal*mart has had to deal with issues related to its retail mix and store layouts in various markets, the company has also had to cope with unexpected rigidities in each country’s business environment. For example, strong competition, price regulations, and restrictions on store operating hours have put additional pressure on the Wal*mart business model. Participants will be challenged to think about how Wal*Mart should overcome these challenges and whether it should consider alternative strategies as it seeks to expand abroad. This case can be used as a standalone teaching tool, or it can be used in conjunction with the Harvard Business School case study titled “Wal*Mart Stores, Inc.” (No. 9-794-024).

Keywords

Retail, International Expansion

Settings

2000

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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