Principles of Logistics Management Research Assignment

Walmart Supply Chain and How It Has Supported Its Business StrategyStudent’s name:Course name and number:Instructor’s name:Date submitted:
Introduction
Walmart Inc. is a publicly traded company in the retail industry owning over 11695 stores in 28 countries around the world. Having been in operation for over five decades, they have amassed vast experience in the industry that has given them unparalleled dominance in the industry and a very competitive edge over its competitors. It is the largest private employer in the world and largest company by revenue. Their business model has booked them an in fortune 500 companies for many years in a row. The chain retail giant is known for its pricing strategy branded ‘every day low prices’ by its marketers. Walmart has over 2.3 million employees making them the largest private employer in the world CITATION Jon15 \l 1033 (Groucutt & Hopkins, 2015). An efficient supply chain has served their stores locally and internationally whilst ensuring it offers competitive prices and a wide assortment of goods to its clientele. Walmart supply chain is managed strategically to achieve their business objectives, mission, and vision goals while eliminating unnecessary expenses before they deliver their products to the final consumer. Over the years, Walmart business model has remained their main strategic objective focusing on being the leading retailer of a wide variety of high quality branded and unbranded products at the lowest price. In this essay, critical analysis and evaluation of Walmart Supply Chain Management strategy and its impact on its business strategy discussed in detail.
Walmart Business Strategy
Walmart has employed a philosophy that has been embedded their business strategy since its inception. The company boasts of low prices, and it has branded itself as a store with the lowest prices for its customers. Their marketing focuses on ensuring their target customers perceive their products to be cheaper that their competitors CITATION Dav15 \l 1033 (Tyreman, 2015). Their brand is associated with low prices in most parts with their presence and continually market to maintain that image. The business model used by the company ensures low overhead costs for each item to enable them to set a lower price than their competitors. The company has high efficiency especially in the supply chain where it has created a channel to get their products straight from the manufacturers and deliver them to the clients. The company thus invested heavily in lowering its operational cost and improving efficiency to enable them to reduce the overhead costs.
The company’s business strategy is a culmination of constant improvements of assortment, price, and access. Walmart ensures it gives its customers the widest choice of products at the lowest price. Their profits come in through sales quantity. Their strategy is based on the premise that customers flood their stores to take advantage of the low prices and a big assortment of their products. Walmart depends on volume to make good profit margins since they price their products lower than their competitors CITATION Joh07 \l 1033 (Jones, 2007). Walmart aligned its supply chain strategies with business strategies, and...