Wal-Mart Current Market Conditions Essay Example for Free

Wal-Mart Current Market Conditions Essay Market trends in the retail market are not difficult to track. â€Å"Any major initiative Wal-Mart undertakes has enormous supply chain implications worldwide† (ThomasNet News, 2010). The analysis for this paper is to look at the approach of Wal-Mart in a very competitive industry and examine how Wal-Mart is so successful. Some of the areas that will be examined are the Market Structure, the impact of new companies entering the market, prices, productivity, and cost structure, price elasticity of demand, competitors, supply and demand analysis, and impact of government regulations. When locating new stores, Wal-Mart tends to first look at more rural areas where there is less population, a higher income and where consumers are less likely to travel to larger cities. This may be due to the economics of the region or the size of city in which they propose to occupy. The company’s market is the same market as Target and K-Mart. The company’s growth will in all likelihood cause other smaller retail businesses to fail. New firms entering the market will continue to drive Wal-Mart’s prices lower. The impact of new companies entering this market would affect pricing indifference between companies. â€Å"Wal-Mart is the worlds largest retailer and second largest corporation. It is the largest private employer in the United States and Mexico. Wal-Mart is the largest grocery retailer in the United States, with an estimated 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business, and the largest toy seller in the United States, with an estimated 45% of the retail toy business, having surpassed Toys R Us in the late 1990s. Wal-Mart has 1,929 stores which as of 2005 sales figures totaled about $155 bilion in sales. Wal-Mart’s revenue as of 2006 was an estimated $315 billion USD, net income $11. 231billion USD, and employs more than 1. 8 million employees† (Information Food Source, 2006). Wal-Mart’s major competitors in the grocery market are the Kroger co. #2 in annual sales, Albertsons Inc. #3, Safeway, Inc. #4, and Costco Wholesale Group #5. Now even though Wal-Mart is leading the way in total sales the #2 and #3 businesses lead the way with total # of stores. The Kroger Co. has 3,302 with Albertsons at 2,476 stores nationwide. Wal-Mart’s total sales for that year alone were beating its 2nd place competition alone by more than 80 billion dollars. Wal-Mart’s major competitors in low-end general merchandise department would include Sears Holding Corporation, the slowly diminishing K-Mart chain, and Target whose trying different approaches including building Super Target stores to compete with the Super Wal-Mart. With Wal-Mart moving into the grocery business it has put a strain on grocery retailers also including: H-E-B, Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Giant Eagle, Safeway, Winn Dixie, Food Lion and Save-A-Lot. Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott in 2005 embarked on an energetic campaign to revive the company’s image. He installed Eduardo Castro-Wright to overhaul operations in America. Who remodeled 1,300 shops, modified merchandise and cut prices. Wal-Mart has had a number of suits filed against if for unfairly paying the female employee’s, not promoting the female employee’s fairly, placing them into positions where they can not advance, and paying them less than their male counterparts. Wal-Mart, Wally World or what ever the public wants to call wants to call it does not change what it is: A corporate machine that has made a major and horrific impact on the global economy. Wal-Mart has been accused of denying benefits, working employees off the clock, and denying them rightly earned over time pay. They also have exploited suppliers and been associated with monopolies. These are reasons that Wal-Mart, the corporate machine, the menace to the global community, must be stopped. Wal-Mart capitalizes on the use of the good value strategy when pricing their products. If Wal-Mart were to increase the price of their products then the demand for them would likely decrease and the demand for the competitor’s merchandise would likely increase, where if the price of the products drops at Wal-Mart then the demand will likely increase at Wal-Mart and decrease at the competitor’s stores. If Wal-Mart increased to match the prices then the demand would be perfectly elastic. Competition for Wal-Mart encompasses many different areas such as retail, electronics, club stores, and gasoline sales to name a few. In the US, Wal-Mart’s main competitors are department stores such as Target, K-Mart, nd ShopKo. When considering Wal-Mart’s Club store competitors one must look at Costco and BJ’s Wholesale Club in the eastern part of the US. Wal-Mart’s main US retail competitor is Target and seems to be doing very well considering the current market conditions. With Wal-Mart’s push to add greater sustainability and eco-friendly techniques to its repertoire, it becomes that much more difficult for the competition to stay with the industry leader. In 2009 Target’s EBIT (Earnings before Interest and Taxes) were 4. 74 Billion with a net income of 2. 49 Billion (Daily Finance an AOL Money and Finance Site, 2010). Target Inc. operates in the United States exclusively which keeps the Wal-Mart competitor in a distant second place. Although economic conditions in recent months have been difficult overall, firms operating in the consumer staples sector, and especially the food and staples retailing industry, have enjoyed a certain amount of stability, and even growth, which exceeded performance in other sectors of the market. This is especially true for those firms that have diversified into international markets. Access to a range of markets stabilizes earnings by reducing risk across a range of differing economic cycles. Although demand in the United States, Wal-Mart’s primary market, has been modest, it has continued on a general growth trend over the years. There have been months where demand fell; however, the overall trend has continued to rise. There are two major economic conditions that have worked in concert to contribute to moderate, but continued growth. First, income has generally suffered in Wal-Mart’s home market. Stagnant and declining wages, combined with rising unemployment have reduced the buying power of retail consumers. The sales of many consumer goods declined, and have only recently begun to recover (U.  S. Census Bureau, 2009; U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). This reduction in demand would cause a shift to the left in the demand curve for many of the products sold by Wal-Mart. On a global scale, Wal-Mart experienced a range of economic growth rates affecting demand in the markets where it has operations (United Nations Statistics Division, 2010). Overall, demand on a global scale was influenced by two primary mechanisms. Of greatest importance is an increasing customer base. As the firm reaches more consumers through new outlets and new markets, generally demand would increase across all products. Since many of Wal-Mart’s international markets are growth markets, incomes are increasing alongside the expanded consumer base. Although the company strives to bring value to all of its customers, since many of its products in growth markets are new to the market, income increases result in the reduction of demand for existing inferior goods in the market. In many ways, the items sold by Wal-Mart in growth markets are considered normal goods. Thus, increasing incomes actually increase for most of Wal-Mart’s products in these markets (Colander, 2008). Wal-Mart’s expansion into international growth markets may have helped the firm’s bottom line, but not without some upfront costs to overcome barriers to entry. At home, the firm must adhere to a range of labor, product safety, and reporting and audit requirements to do business. Similar regulations will likely be encountered in each of the markets where business is done. Some markets may actually have more rigid requirements than what the company has to deal with at home. The most important types of regulation the company will need to be responsive to deal with corruption and foreign direct investment. To combat corruption in both business dealings and interaction with governments, the United States requires its businesses to adhere to the Foreign Corruption Practices Act (FCPA). Along with other unscrupulous practices, the law aims to prevent bribery as a business practice while improving transparency in business dealings. There may be similar regulation in some of the markets where Wal-Mart does business. In terms of Foreign Direct Investment, Wal-Mart must deal with a complex patchwork of laws that differ from each of the other countries in which it has operations. Some countries, such as Canada and Mexico, allow Wal-Mart to directly operate its stores as long as it maintains certain capital and operational conditions. Other countries, however, require the company to undertake operations through or in collaboration with a native firm. Likewise, regulation may restrict the types of business operations a firm may undertake or the area of the market in which it may operate. Both China and India have restrictions along these lines, requiring Wal-Mart to partner with existing retailers to do business (U.  S. Commercial Service, 2008). Trends in the world’s retail markets may not be difficult to track, but due to the complexity of handling such a wide variety of goods and the wide range of competitors they can be difficult to understand and successfully do business in. To be successful in understanding the retail marketplace an entity must be dedicated to comprehensive research of the landscape. Additionally, an understanding of economic principles is critical to putting the extensive amount of available information into context.

Political and Economic Issues Along the U.S. and Mexico Border Essay ex

Introduction and Statement of Purpose According to Jason Riley (2009) there are an estimated ten to twelve million illegal immigrants living within the United States (p. 54). According to Cieslik, Felsen, and Kalaitzidis (2009), over half of these illegal immigrants are from Mexico (p. 185). These population estimates have led the United States to take action along our border. We have built a fence, deployed various surveillance systems, and currently employ thousands of U.S. Border Protection officers. These actions have made the issue of illegal immigration a highly debated topic within the United States and Mexico. This debate will be explained from a political, economic, and an integrated perspective. The Political Perspective on the Issue Politics have severely impacted the issue of immigration along the U.S. and Mexico border. Within the United States, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has been extremely active regarding immigration along this border. Branton and Dunaway (2009) stated, â€Å"Governor Bill Richardson declared a state of emergency in four counties along the U.S.-Mexico border† (p. 289). Governor Richardson was concerned with, â€Å"Ravages of terror and human smuggling, drug smuggling, kidnapping, murder, the destruction of property, and the death of livestock† (Branton & Dunaway, 2009, p. 289). Influenced by Governor Richardson’s concern, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano also declared a state of emergency, â€Å"As a desperate attempt to get the attention of the federal government† (Branton & Dunaway, 2009, p. 289). These are all valid concerns when public safety is a top priority of any elected government official. Another political figure concerned with violence along the U.S.-Mexico border is Pat ... ..., I. (2007). Does border enforcement deter unauthorized immigration? The case of Mexican migration to the United States of America. Regulation & Governance, 1(2), 139-153. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&hid=13 &sid=7c49dcc1-50b3-45c4-8b94-2ede81fd093d%40sessionmgr12 Delacroix, J., Nikiforov, S. (2009). If Mexicans and Americans could cross the border freely. Independent Review, 14(1), 101-133 Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=13 &sid=7c49dcc1-50b3-45c4-8b94-2ede81fd093d%40sessionmgr12 Emmott, R. (2010, September 15). U.S. and Mexico border wall a costly failure film says. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68E6JG20100915 Riley, J. L. (2009). Let them in: The case for open borders. New York, NY: Gotham Books.

Antigone Character Analysis: Compassion Of Love For Her Brother Essay

In the stage play Antigone, Antigone’s drive and compassion for the love of her brother lead to the sacrifice of her own well-being and life. She gets through the harsh reality of what is destined for her with her set beliefs for what she is doing. She dies a brave death, knowing that she died for all of the right reasons. Antigone is a tragic heroine, who cares about the loyalty to her family and doing what is right in her eyes. Because she has a strong stand on what she thinks is what she needs to do the negative thoughts from others don’t affect her decision to go through with it. When her sister Ismene and her were going back and forth about why she should and should not continue with the task, she disregards what Ismene says because in her mind she already has set what she wants to do and no one can possibly change that. Antigone shows how driven she is in many situations. â€Å"But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down With him in death, and I shall be as dear To him as he to me..† (Scene 2, lines 57-60). She is obviously very determined to accomplish the goal that she has set out for herself. These decisions she makes possibly set an example for other citizens of the community to see that is it okay to stand up for they believe in despite what society thinks isn’t right. Another character trait of Antigone is bravery. When knows the new law set by the new king Creon and still decides to go against it. Also questioning Creon’s authority, when arguing with him she technically insults him. â€Å"Think me a fool, if you like; but it may well be that a fool convicts me of folly† (Scene 2, lines 83-84). By Antigone saying this alone, demonstrates how brave she is. To speak as such to the king was a mighty thing to do, coming from a citizen at that. Throughout the whole play Antigone stands by her word, which could be seen as another strong character trait that she has.

Alice Walkers The Color Purple Essay - 2478 Words

Rape, incest, sex, forced labor, and a little reefer on the side. These are all of the components of a novel by Alice Walker. All of these views are illustrated proficiently in Alice Walker’s third novel, â€Å"The Color Purple.† Each one of these aspects had a lasting impression upon the ideals and notions of the time. Walkers writings helped to break the racial barrier that existed in some peoples minds. One way that the barrier was destroyed was through Walkers depiction of an imperfect black person. If a white person wrote about a less than perfect black person than it was considered racist. Now that a black person is writing about other blacks that are foretaking in acts that are, in their eyes, immoral and corrupt, the†¦show more content†¦For example, many authors of the time, black or white, would address the idea of either inter-racial or same-sex relations. Walker was an active feminist and her voice and opinions show through in many of her novels. The Color Purple includes many dynamic characters throughout. Mr._____ is a good example of one such character. In the beginning of the novel he is a mean, strange old man who only marries Celie because he needs somebody to look after his kids. Mr.______ is really in love with her sister, but their father decides that her sister Nettie is too young for marriage so he settles for Celie. This shows how unfeeling Mr.____ is in the first portion of the novel. He beats his wife and overworks her and rapes her and abuses her. He is an all around bad guy. First he put this thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my *censored*. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it. (Walker, pg. 1,2) However, Mr.____ comes upon a big change in his life when Celie finally leaves him. Mr.____ is left all by himself and forced to survive and maintain himself on his own. Here is where he runs into some problems. Here is where the big ch ange takes place. Mr.____ changes his evil ways and begins to show some compassionShow MoreRelatedColors And Independence In Alice Walkers The Color Purple1555 Words   |  7 Pages Alice Walker’s masterpiece, The Color Purple, uses ordinary things such as clothes, colors, jobs, and money as strong symbolism. In this book, pants symbolize independence. Pants change the way society views and treats a person. They also convey that a person is strong, confident, free, and equal to others. Alice Walker shows the reader how wearing pants can have a big effect on a person’s life, especially if that person is a woman in the early twentieth century. From the beginning of time to lessRead MoreAnalysis Of Alice Walkers The Color Purple2079 Words   |  9 Pages In Alice Walkers The Color Purple, she explores the thin grey line that stands between survival and living. Through her protagonist, Celie, she examines the dramatic shifts of empowerment; focusing on the young black girl in the 1850’s. Walker introduces the reader to the protagonist, Celie, through a series of letters. In these letters the reader finds Celie amidst her mother’s death. The author chooses to address her letters to God, giving Celie a greater willpower to survive. Celie’s upbringingRead MoreGender Equality In Alice Walkers The Color Purple704 Words   |  3 Pagesthe release of The Color Purple, women had already begun to eliminate gender discrimination in education, voting, sports, and in the workforce. During To Kill a Mockingbird’s time, only â€Å"30 percent of wives worked outside the home in 1960† (â€Å"Modern America†). This would eventually grow into â€Å"50 percent by 1980† (â€Å"Modern America†), which alludes to gender bias becoming less of an issue when The Color Purple came to be. By 1980, still two years before the publication of Alice Walker’s novel, â€Å"more thanRead MoreEssay about Alice Walkers The Color Purple1442 Words   |  6 PagesAlice Walkers The Color Purple Alice Walkers ‘The colour purple’ was largely based in a black community in the deep south of America, in between the end of the nineteenth century and the Second World War. It has been described as a rendition of her own life, thus far, I am none the wiser. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, slavery had long been abolished in America, but old habits die hard, especially in the deep south of America-where barely any politicians would set foot-Read MoreThe Importance Of Love In Alice Walkers The Color Purple1522 Words   |  7 PagesBritish poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, â€Å"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all† (BrainyQuotes). This particular quote ties into Alice Walker’s The Color Purple by portraying the many feelings that the main character, Celie has about love and how love impacts your life. Celie had to learn the hard way that love was not always easy and often caused heartache. Although these lessons were not always simple they ultimately helped Celie in her future success. Even thoughRead MoreEssay on Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple1622 Words   |  7 PagesEssay on Race and Class in The Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walkers The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. Indeed, the passage in which Celie struggles to puzzle out the markings on her first envelope from Nettie provides a concrete illustration Read MoreLanguage and Male Supremacy in Alice Walkers The Color Purple694 Words   |  3 Pagesfeelings; it only creates problems and hurts women. Historically, Southern men in the middle 1900’s, like the ones in The Color Purple, traditionally treated their wives as if they were worthless or unimportant. In her novel, The Color Purple, Alice Walker shows husbands abuse their power over their wives to escape their problems through Harpo, Mr. _____ and Grady. First, Alice Walker shows husbands abuse their power to escape their problems through Harpo. Harpo abuses his power of being the manRead MoreLife Struggles and Themes in Alice Walkers The Color Purple 2040 Words   |  9 PagesBorn in Eatonton, Georgia, in 1944 Alice Walker was last of her eight siblings. As far as becoming author, Alice walker herself was faced with many struggles throughout her life. After a childhood accident blinded her in one eye, she went on to become valedictorian of her local school, and attend Spelman College and Sarah Lawrence College on scholarships, graduating in 1965(Janet Witalec). Her biggest turning point/ motivation was an author named Zora Neale Hurston, who made a great influence onRead More Celies Pain in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesCelies Pain in The Color Purple Molestation is a topic that is painful to think about, and even more difficult to write about. Yet Alice Walker chose this as the central theme of her novel The Color Purple. Walkers work centers around a poor African American girl Celie. Celie keeps a diary, and the first section of the novel is an excerpt from her diary. After reading the excerpt, the reader comes to realize that Celie is a fourteen-year-old girl who has been molested by her father. ThroughRead MoreEssay on Struggle and Growth in Alice Walkers Color Purple836 Words   |  4 PagesStruggle and Growth in Alice Walkers The Color Purple The Color Purple depicts the struggle and growth of Celie, an uneducated slave of the South who became a victim of racism, sexual roles, men, and social injustices, in numerous letters that she writes as a diary. Walker uses Celies uneducated grammar to help the reader perceive the pain that she thinks and feels in order to become a mature, twentieth-century woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Celie writes to God for guidance and strength asking