Final paper (bus 621)

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Walmart analysis for Leadership Elina Aristil The University of Arizona Global Campus BUS 621: Leadership & Teamwork Dr. Thomas Evans 3/18/2024

Wal-Mart Analysis for Leadership Introduction In the world of international business, being global is key. It involves trading goods and help between companies from different countries. Globalization goes beyond just trading goods – it's about sharing ideas, art, and culture across borders. While Wal-Mart has been a powerhouse in the retail industry with its low prices, it's faced challenges expanding internationally, especially in places like Germany. In this paper, we'll take a closer look at Wal-Mart's leadership and the demographics they serve. Wal-Mart stands tall as a retail giant, thanks to Sam Walton's vision of offering lower prices than other stores. Since the 1960s, when the first Wal-Mart opened, the company has grown exponentially, focusing on frugality and customer loyalty. Today, it remains the world's largest retailer, according to Carbonara (2018). Now, Wal-Mart aims to expand further into untapped markets like New Zealand. This paper will delve into the leadership and cultural traits Wal-Mart needs to succeed in entering New Zealand's retail market. Demographic and Economic Data

New Zealand, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, presents a promising opportunity for Wal-Mart's expansion efforts. With a population of 4.8 million, New Zealand has experienced a growing trend, indicating potential for increased consumer base. A significant 86.1% of the population resides in or around major cities, particularly on the North Island, suggesting strategic location considerations for Wal-Mart's expansion plans. Moreover, the demographic makeup, primarily consisting of people of European, Maori, and Asian descent, with English as the predominant language, aligns well with Wal-Mart's existing market in the United States, reducing the need for extensive adaptations in marketing strategies. Economic stability, supported by a strong labor market and wage growth, further enhances the attractiveness of New Zealand as a business destination. Additionally, New Zealand's reputation for political reliability and low corruption levels provides a stable environment for businesses like Wal-Mart to thrive without significant risk of financial or political challenges. GLOBE Study Results: New Zealand The GLOBE studies examined how various cultures perceive leadership qualities, revealing insights into New Zealand's cultural tendencies. Categorized as part of the Anglo cluster, New Zealand falls within a group characterized by moderate scores across cultural practices, except for a high-power distance and low gender egalitarianism (Liddell, 2005). This suggests that power is perceived as unevenly distributed in New Zealand society, while gender roles and discrimination are not strongly

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acknowledged. Additionally, the Anglo cluster, including New Zealand, emphasizes performance orientation and individual achievement over collective goals (Northouse, 2018). Consequently, clear goals are valued to enhance performance rates. The desire for greater gender equality and a more humane society is evident in New Zealand's cultural values, advocating for equal respect and treatment for all genders and individuals in the workplace. Special treatment, whether positive or negative, is generally frowned upon unless deemed necessary by the circumstances. Effective Leadership Styles Based on GLOBE Results The findings above draw a significant conclusion regarding the necessary leadership characteristics within the Anglo cluster. Wal-Mart leaders should recognize that New Zealanders value having their individual ideas acknowledged, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in decision-making processes. Competitiveness is seen as a driving force to achieve goals in New Zealand culture, suggesting that Wal-Mart should embrace and encourage competition to foster employee engagement (Northouse, 2018). Given these criteria, the two most suitable leadership styles for Wal- Mart to adopt in a new store in New Zealand would be participative, transformational, and coaching styles. Participative leadership involves both the leader and the team, fostering trust, open communication, and equal consideration (Oedekoven et al., 2018). This approach aligns with the New Zealanders' inclination to contribute to decision-making processes.

Transformational leadership, which focuses on empowering followers and providing visionary guidance, is also favored in New Zealand (Northouse, 2018). This style resonates with the Anglo cluster's preference for leaders who are charismatic, team-oriented, and able to inspire high performance (GLOBE Project, 2016). Additionally, Wal-Mart leaders should employ a coaching leadership style, working with employees to establish goals and action plans, especially in environments where employees are learning and need guidance (Oedekoven et al., 2018). This approach ensures clarity and support in employee development. Conversely, a self-protective leadership style, centered on the leader's safety rather than the followers', would not be effective in New Zealand, as it undermines the effectiveness of leadership by prioritizing personal security over the well-being of others (Northouse, 2018). Wal-Mart should prioritize creating a safe and secure environment that fosters trust and collaboration among employees in line with New Zealand's cultural values. Wal-Mart’s Cultural and Ethical Model Wal-Mart needs to develop and implement a model of cultural and ethical leadership tailored to the characteristics of New Zealand's population. According to Raymond (2011), upholding universal ethical values while respecting the laws and customs of diverse global customer environments can provide a competitive advantage. Ethical businesses foster trust among

leaders, employees, and customers, whereas unethical behavior can lead to a loss of respect and trust, resulting in decreased customer loyalty. When implementing an ethical model, leaders should adhere to the "3 R's" - respect, responsibility, and results (Oedekoven et al., 2018). An ethical business model treats everyone equally, delivers high-quality goods and services, and strives for ethical outcomes. The ethical standards of a business are reflected in its leadership. Ethical leaders, as noted by Oedekoven et al. (2018), are fair, consistent, and prioritize the interests of their organization and team over their own. They set a strong example of ethical conduct for their entire team. Leaders must recognize that their actions directly influence the thoughts and behaviors of employees. Therefore, they have a responsibility to consistently uphold ethical standards. Additionally, it is essential for Wal- Mart to align its ethical values with those of the New Zealand culture to develop a competitive strategy. Wal-Mart should seek to recruit leaders and employees who embody strong ethical values consistent with the company's ethos. Cultural Model As per Northouse (2018), effective global leaders must grasp the intricacies of business, politics, and cultures worldwide. They should also familiarize themselves with the perspectives, preferences, trends, and technologies prevalent in various cultures. Additionally, they must excel in collaborating

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with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and adapt their communication styles accordingly. Importantly, leaders should approach interactions with individuals from other cultures with equality, avoiding any sense of cultural superiority. These traits reflect a leader's high level of metacognitive cultural intelligence, which involves being mindful of people's backgrounds and cultural norms. This enables leaders to adjust their assumptions to ensure they do not offend their audience and instead foster a sense of understanding (Mor et al., 2013). As a global entity, Wal-Mart operates across the world with a diverse workforce. It is crucial for Wal-Mart leaders to employ cultural intelligence not only when building relationships with employees but also when engaging with customers. Wal-Mart can enhance cultural intelligence among its leaders and employees through training programs focused on globalization and business strategy. Participation in global projects, training programs, and working with multicultural teams can further develop cultural intelligence within the organization (Nima, 2017). Assignment 6: The Walmart Analysis for Leadership Entering the New Zealand market presents an opportunity for Wal-Mart to strengthen its global footprint. Establishing a presence in New Zealand offers several advantages, including similarities in ethics and culture with the United States. Due to these parallels, Wal-Mart would need to make only

minimal adjustments to its leadership styles and business practices, making expansion into New Zealand more cost-effective compared to other potential markets. However, it is crucial for Wal-Mart to conduct a thorough analysis of Anglo and New Zealand leadership and cultural characteristics before venturing into a new country. References: AngloGlobe Project. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.globeproject.com/results/clusters/anglo?menu=list#list Carbonara, P. (2018, June 6). Walmart, Amazon top world’s largest retail companies. Forbes. Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petercarbonara/2018/06/06/worlds-largest- retail-companies-2018/#55ead67213e FocusEconomics. (n.d.). New Zealand economy - gdp, inflation, cpi and interest rate. Retrieved from https://www.focus-economics.com/countries/new-zealand Levitt, S. R. (2015). Cultural Factors Affecting International Teamwork Dynamics. International Journal of Knowledge, Culture & Change in Organizations: Annual Review, 13, 9–23. https://doi-org.proxy- library.ashford.edu/10.18848/1447-9524/CGP/v13/50966 Lima Neves, V. M., & Amélia Tomei, P. (2017). The Effect of Global Mindset on Leadership Behavior: An Analysis of a Diversified Sample of Countries. International Journal of Knowledge, Culture & Change in Organizations: Annual Review, 1, 19–37. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.18848/1447-9524/CGP/v17i01/19- 37 MOR, S., MORRIS, M., & JOH, J. (2013). Identifying and Training Adaptive Cross-Cultural Management Skills: The Crucial Role of Cultural Metacognition.

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Academy of Management Learning & Education, 12(3), 453–475. https://doi- org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.5465/amle.2012.0202 Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu Oedekoven, O. O., Lavrenz, J., & Robbins, D. (2018). Leadership essentials: Practical and proven approaches in leadership and supervision. Retrieved from https://ashford.instructure.com Raymond, C. (2011). Ethical leadership in a global marketplace. National Defense, 696. Walmart. (n.d.). 10 rules for building a business. Retrieved from https://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/history/10-rules-for-building-a- buiness Why Invest in New Zealand - so many reasons to do business in nz. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.newzealandshores.com/why-invest-in-new- zealand/

Wilbert, Caroline. (2018). How Wal-Mart works. Retrieved on July 25, 2018, from https://money.howstuffworks.com/wal-mart.htm William W. Liddell. (2005). Project GLOBE: A Large Scale Cross-Cultural Study of Leadership. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 3.

Final paper (bus 621)

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