Sears Holdings Corporation and Denial Class Discussion Essay

In 1962, Wal-Mart opened their first store in Rogers, Arkansas. In 1970, Wal-Mart's first distribution center and home office in Bentonville, Ark. open and Wal-Mart went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Just nine years from that, Wal-Mart's annual sales exceeded one billion dollars. In 1988, Wal-Mart super centers opened across the country. In a merely three years from that, Wal-Mart opened their own store in Mexico City, Mexico; making Wal-Mart an international corporation. Not even sixty years has past, and yet, Wal-Mart is over-powering our country.

Target has been a successful retail company coming in 2nd place behind Wal-Mart. Although these success comes in many forms there are factors that deter Target from ever reaching first. Target Corporation has run into a few weaknesses in the recent years. These weaknesses that Target are facing can impact their future goals. These weaknesses include lawsuits that Target is facing with the recent events and not having an international presence.

Wal-Mart is a brand that is well known around the world, especially in the USA. It has gradually developed into the largest retailer in the world. Wal-Mart’s globalization efforts have been happening rapidly. But have they been successful in all aspects of their international expansion or not? This is the main thought that is going to be discussed in this essay. The questions I will be looking at are based on a case called “Wal-Mart takes on the world” from the book of International Business The Challenge of Global Competition eleventh edition – Ball, McCulloch, Geringer, Minor, and McNett. Questions are the following:

Sears and Wal-Mart are both nationwide retailers, but their similarities are only skin deep. Sears started to lose its dominance in the early 1980s. In an attempt to boost the dwindling market share, Sears started to issue proprietary Sears Card, which gave customers payment flexibilities. A new slogan focusing on the "softer side of Sears", and a revised product mix, were created to appeal to the middle-class female shoppers.

Ultimately P&G understands how to make their customers the main priority. Their products and brands are household names and are used in arguable every home across the world. In order to have this kind of success it depends on how well each retailers and wholesalers sells their products. Within the walls of P&G there are innovators, leaders, and creative minds that are pushing to craft the best products in the world. But without their customer business development, these products are not successful. Their focus on their customer is what leaves them untouchable in its industry. They are able create a relationship and bring value to the customer, making them successful in the long run. As stated in the article, “P&G is so committed to the principle of developing the customers business as a means of developing its

Wal-Mart, a "Big-Box Retailer" employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide and has two-thousand seven-hundred stores in the United States with many more in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, making Wal-Mart the largest retailer in the world. "Wal-Mart accounts for upward of 30 percent of U.S. sales, and plans to more than double its sales within the next five years" (Lynn 29-36). Why is Wal-Mart so successful, and is Wal-Mart actually bad for America?

During the last 20 years, Wal-Mart has moved into many areas wiping out all the stores around causing people to loose jobs, slashing the tax base and causing many more disturbing problems to neighborhoods so people should stop supporting Wal-Mart for many of these reasons. Always low prices, does this sound familiar? Well this would be the slogan of the world’s most controlling company; Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart grew over the years into a 256 billion dollar company after making its name across the world in 1915. The major problem with Wal-Mart is that it maintains its own mini-economy. Some people believe Wal-Mart supports the American economy while most others hold that Wal-Mart’s global outsourcing will and has

I chose to do my research on the Target Corporation. I feel they have a reputation of service to their customers, employees and community. Target’s mission is great value, the community, diversity and the environment. Target takes 5% of its income and puts back into the community. The Reading and Education Program, The Military and Veteran Support Program and The Social Services Program are just a few of several programs Target Corporation offers to the community. Target has a great reputation to be a positive fixture in the communities they serve. I think it says a lot about a company and the way it does business. I would feel good about working for a corporation like this. The Target Corporation has good ethics and is socially

The 2 firms had a similar profit margin, major difference exists in COGS and SG&A, while Sears had a higher gross profit margin, high expense (21.17%) is driving the total cost and expense of the two firms to the same level-about 95%.

to see where the company is now with the use of a brief Swot analysis.

The following pages focus on providing a strategic analysis of Sears Holding Corporation. The introduction reveals the issues that the paper addresses. The Company Presentation section reveals important facts in Sears' evolution. The Strategy Debates Section discusses theoretical issues applied to the situation of Sears. This is followed by the Strategic Decisions section that provides a series of recommendations that can help Sears improve its situation. The Implementation Challenges section provides important issues that can be considered challenges of strategic implementation.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world 's largest retail enterprise, with total revenue of $421.8 billion and a net income of $16.4 billion in 2011. 1 It is also the world 's largest employer, with 2.1 million employees worldwide in 2010 2, not including workers hired by its providers. In my opinion, Wal-Mart provides a clear illustration through which to look at how many multinational companies (MNCs) take part in an illegal and unethical behavior. They use their bargaining power and market control to pressure countries to overlook environmental degradation and violation of national labor laws. They dictate expected pricing for products, particularly through imports from overseas countries. Labor is fulfilled mostly by underage and underpaid employees. In the United States, since 2005, Wal-Mart has paid about $1 billion in damages to U.S. employees in six different cases related to unpaid work. 3 Furthermore, Wal-Mart opposes any form of collective action, even when employees are not seeking unionization, but simply more respect. 4 The fact that Wal-Mart opposes unions exist. The company has a long history of fighting them, to the point of closing stores after employees organize. Managers have been instructed to talk to their teams about why unions are so unwanted in their business. Overseas, the company was involved in a series of scandals, including multiple cases of bribery. In April 2012, The New York Times published a story that

 Illustrates low prices and at the same time, not portray a cheap image to consumer.

The answer will be 1 .34 . this is a good sign that the company will be able to pay its obligations when they fall due . Based on both current ratios above , Sears company has a better current ratio at 1 .94 when compared with the current ratio of Walmart of only 1 .34 .B Sears Acid Test ratio Quick Assets 20201 1 .279354 Current Liabilities 15790 The quick assets are arrived at by adding the cash , cash equivalents ,receivables and marketable securities . The quick ratio is arrived at dividing the quick assets for the year 2007 of 20 ,201 . The quick ratio is 1 .28 times .Walmart Acid Test ratio Quick Assets 2423 0 .167566 Current Liabilities 14460 The quick ratio here is arrived at by dividing the quick assets of 2 ,423 for the year 2007 by the current liabilities amounting to 14 ,460 for the same year . The acid test ratio or quick ratio is .17 Based on the above data , Sears has a better quick ratio with its higher rate of 1 .28 as compared to the quick ratio or acid test ratio of Walmart at only .17 .C SOLVENCY LEVERAGE RATIOS Ability to pay long term obligations Sears 38700 The ratio of .85 . This shows that the company will be able to pay its obligations when the time of payment arrives .Walmart 45384 The Walmart will be able to pay its obligations when they

The global player Wal-Mart operates in 14 different markets all around the world, serving 176 million customers every week. Today, the second biggest company of the world, concerning turnover which amounts to 312,427 million US-$, categorizes its operational facilities into five divisions. Among those divisions are the Wal-Mart discount stores, offering convenience and low-priced goods. Wal-Mart supercenters are the biggest stores, being open 24/7 hours and employing a workforce of 350 people, selling all kinds of groceries and general merchandise at the lowest possible price. Wal-Mart neighborhood markets are specified in