Sorry for the inconvenience. Tha is the complete case with the questions
Transcribed Image Text: The biggest retailer in the
shoppers about Walmart's 'everyday low prices
model. In 2016, they restructured the Brazil
world has found that
operations and closed 60 outlets, accounting for
internationalisation is
5 per cent of its sales. European expansion
results have similarly been mixed. The
considerably more
acquisition of the ASDA Group in the UK was
relative successful while Walmart experienced
challenging than expansion at
eight years of struggle in Germany that ended in
home.
a market exit. First, they did not have enough
scale economies compared to local competitors,
Walmart began its international operations 1991
like Aldi, with strong relationships with German
and today the UK, Brazil and China are their
suppliers and already catering to price-
largest markets outside the USA. Walmart
conscious consumers. Second, cultural
International is the company's fastest growing
mistakes were made as customers did not
unit with sales of $141bn (£85bn, €106bn) in
approve of American service practices. A third
2015, accounting for about 30 per cent of
challenge was Germany's then strict regulations
Walmart's overall sales. It included close to
on location and opening hours. German workers
800,000 employees in over 6,200 stores and 11
also resisted Walmart workplace customs,
e-commerce websites in 28 countries.
resulting in labour union conflicts. Walmart's first
Internationalisation results have, however, been
Asian expansion into South Korea was similar to
mixed as Walmart has struggled to understand
the German story with strong local competition
local buying patterns, culture, competitors and
and failures to meet local customer needs. It
regulations, not the least in emerging markets.
ended in exit after eight years. China has been
Walmart first entered the Americas and has
more of a mixed picture. On the one hand, sales
since expanded into ever more distant
have steadily increased - over 400 stores have
geographic markets. The early entry into
been established and they make a profit. On the
Canada and Mexico was successful, but South
other hand, the distance, both geographically
America's largest market, Brazil, has been
and culturally, was considerably larger than first
considerably more challenging. After two
anticipated.
decades they are still losing money there. Their
challenges include regulatory problems, strong
competition from the French supermarket chain
Carrefour and being unable to convince
Transcribed Image Text: An early discovery was that Chinese consumers
He emphasised four initiatives: 'First, create a
prefer frequent shopping trips in contrast to
platform for sustainable growth in China. ..
Walmart's home-based experience where
Second, turn around our operation in Brazil..
customers drive to out-of-town stores and fill
.Third, we have to rejuvenate Mexico.. .And,
their cars with large multi-packs. While they
fourth we have to drive e-commerce.'
encountered a completely different international
market, they also faced large regional variations
Sources: Dudely, R., Wal-Mart's everyday low prices fail to
in this vast and multi-ethnic country. They have
stir Brazilians', Bloomberg Business, 23 April 2014; S. Banjo,
also struggled with local regulations and food
"Wal-Mart's strategy to jump start growth in China', Wall
Street Journal, 5 August 2014; A. Felsted, 'China set to
safety issues and tough competition from
remain at head of line for grocery sales', Financial Times, 23
Carrefour. In a 2014 interview with the Wall
August 2015; Thomson Reuters Street Events. Wal Mart
Street Journal, Walmart International President
Stores Inc. 22nd Annual Meeting for the Investment
and CEO David Cheesewright, former CEO of
Community, edited transcript, 14 October 2015; L. Whipp,
Walmart to close 269 stores as it revamps online presence',
Walmart's UK supermarket chain Asda, admits
Financial Times, 15 January 201
to the struggles, but explained they would still be
the Walmart growth engine.
QUESTIONS
1. What are the internationalisation drivers Walmart International has struggled with?
2. What might be the dangers for a large Western retailer in staying out of emerging
markets?