Wal-Mart Stores, Inc

A Wal-mart vice-president is preparing to meet with her new colleagues from a Brazilian company Wal-mart had just acquired. She thinks about how she should explain how Wal-mart operates, how it competes and what role its international operations will play in its future. The case describes several aspects of Wal-mart’s operations in the context of the U.S. retail industry. Several items are described including employee wages and benefits, merchandise assortment, the Retail Link database, and the supply chain. The retailer’s financial position is also depicted. The case notes Wal-mart’s public relations woes as well as its international ventures and its competitors.