Essay on "Walmart Sustainability"
Essay 7 pages (2100 words) Sources: 0
[EXCERPT] . . . .
The first is that China is becoming more expensive as a source of production anyway, so the company is going to have to begin evaluating other alternatives. The second is that shipping shiploads of goods back from China uses up a lot of fuel, and China has to import that fuel in the first place.Certainly in terms of fuel consumption, producing locally would be better. This can mean Canada or Mexico, too, because of the lower distances and NAFTA, but for the most part this means producing in the United States. There are efficiencies to be had in producing locally, too. Ultimately, productivity of each worker is higher in North America, and technology is at its best. Also, North American workers having better jobs in manufacturing will create a means by which they can afford to shop at Wal-Mart. The classic argument that local production is inefficient is becoming less relevant, but the important consideration is that Wal-Mart has the power to make it happen. They have the bargaining power with their suppliers, and have been able to do things in the past that were viewed as impossible. Their contribution to the MSC program could be mirrored with a program that encouraged keeping production of goods in the U.S. It is far more sustainable in the long run to produce goods locally, as the price of fuel and the cost of production in China continues to rise.
This is definitely something that the company should consider. There are ways to make this work. Wal-Mart customers may not be willing to pay a premium, but with highly-efficient production processes and a higher level of control over production there is no reason why Wal-Mart cannot find benefit both social and environmental in
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e. The two items in Exhibit 12 that reduced Wal-Mart's profitability are the CFLs, which save the customers $3 billion in electrical costs over their life spans and that is the only one. Another one without a dollar figure attached, the packaging savings of 800,000 gallons of gasoline and 11 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions didn't have a dollar value attached but reduced packaging reduces shipping costs as well as the cost of goods sold so Wal-Mart definitely benefited from this. The CFL thing, however, shows no clear benefit to Wal-Mart. They might overall sell more, or generate a higher margin from this sale, but that is not stated in the case so it could well be that Wal-Mart has nothing to gain from this initiative.
The lightbulbs could be sold to management because they will save consumers a lot of money. That means that Wal-Mart is still working within its mandate to deliver value to consumers. The company might have no financial gain from doing this, but the reality it that is makes its business selling the idea that it saves customers money. This is an example of that, so fulfills the brand promise that Wal-Mart offers, even if in selling these lightbulbs the company ends of losing money.
The one thing about branding is that it requires consistency. In almost all circumstances when Wal-Mart saves money it can frame that as being able to pass those savings along to customers. Thus, as long as the company is being consistent in its brand promise, it can pursue projects that benefit its customers. It would be a more difficult sell than something that saves the company money, but it is still something that can be sold to senior management on the basis of strengthening the brand image with respect to the brand commitment to… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Walmart Sustainability" Assignment:
Prior to writing the paper, you would need to read a case + supplementary readings. You do not need additional research (you have the option to, but it is not necessary).
Then you would answer the following questions (in regards to the readings) a. Given the fact that Wal-Mart’s customers generally are unwilling to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products, how is the company deriving business value from its sustainability strategy, or if not, how can it ensure that it does? b. Imagine that you are Andy Ruben or Tyler Elm, evaluating the progress of the electronics, seafood, and textile networks. Which networks have been most successful? What factors explain the success (or lack of success) of these networks? c. How is Wal-Mart motivating its suppliers to share information about and continuously reduce the environmental impacts of products and processes? How can the company stimulate the development or disruptive, breakthrough innovations. d. Propose one new “game changer” or “innovation project” not described in the case. To support your proposal, outline the environmental benefits, the profit opportunity for Wal-Mart, the greatest challenges in implementation, and how Wal-Mart could overcome them. e. As evidenced by Exhibit 12, Wal-Mart’s sustainability strategy has generally been very profitable. However, two initiatives described in the case benefit society and the environment, but apparently decrease Wal-Mart’s profits. Identify these two initiatives and imagine that you are their internal champion. How would you justify pursuing those initiatives?
Also please add important exhibits in relation to the written paper.
How to Reference "Walmart Sustainability" Essay in a Bibliography
“Walmart Sustainability.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2014, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/walmart-sustainability-strategy/7666738. Accessed 4 Oct 2024.
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