With Wal-Mart being one of the biggest retailers in the world, serving customers in more than 8,650 retail units in 15 countries, as stated by the company (Wal-Mart, 2010), it makes the perfect example to look at in terms of globalisation and the impacts and strategies that relate to it. A very brief explanation by Holm and Sørensen (1995, p. 12) defines globalisation as “The intensification of economic, political, social and cultural relations across borders”. In my opinion this phrase is too superficial to actually explain all the outcomes and interrelations of the complexity of globalisation. It is also unknown regarding how to measure the degree on relations across the world and also their intensification as well as whether relationships exist between the economic, political, social and cultural relations. I believe that a definition should also be addressed about the technological and financial transformation that is currently taking place, the geographical reallocation of production and the emerging of a „powerless nation state“.
Others see the phenomena of globalisation rather simple. Levitt (2006, p. 133) stated that “The world’s needs and desires have been irrevocably homogenised”, which leads one to believe that consumer tastes around the world appear to merge. While this is also referred to as the ‘simultaneous theory of internationalisation’, it means that standardised products, services and strategies can be used around the globe.
Keeping in mind of Levitt’s thesis, this paper first gives a general overview of the impacts of globalisation on Wal-Mart as this is important to understand ongoing argumentation. Later, it will concentrate on Wal-Mart’s presence in Germany, explaining the market entry into the country while concurrently focusing on strategies used and outcomes of the company’s actions in Germany.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Globalisation - A Theoretical Overview
- The Reasoning of Going Global
- The CAGE Theory
- General Impacts of Globalisation on Wal-Mart
- Wal-Mart Operating in Germany
- Conclusion and Future Strategies
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines the globalisation strategies of Wal-Mart, one of the world's largest retailers. The paper aims to explore the impacts of globalisation on Wal-Mart, particularly focusing on its presence in Germany.
- The definition and impact of globalization
- Wal-Mart's globalization strategy and international expansion
- The role of the CAGE framework in analyzing Wal-Mart's internationalization
- Wal-Mart's challenges and successes in the German market
- Lessons learned from Wal-Mart's global experience
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter provides an introduction to the paper, defining globalization and its significance in the context of Wal-Mart's operations. It highlights the complexity of globalization and discusses various perspectives on its impact on consumer preferences.
Chapter two provides a theoretical overview of globalization, exploring the reasoning behind Wal-Mart's international expansion and the various strategic approaches it has adopted. It further introduces the CAGE theory, which emphasizes the importance of considering cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic distances when entering new markets.
Chapter three analyzes the general impacts of globalization on Wal-Mart, highlighting its rapid growth and global reach. It also discusses the company's success in navigating global competition, particularly in the context of its international expansion strategy.
Chapter four examines Wal-Mart's experience in Germany, exploring its market entry strategy, the challenges it faced, and the lessons learned from its operations in this specific market.
Keywords
The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include globalization, international business strategies, Wal-Mart, CAGE framework, market entry, international expansion, global retail, and competitive advantage. The paper focuses on analyzing the complexities of globalisation and its impact on businesses like Wal-Mart.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2010, Wal-Mart Going Global, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/214009
