Signature Assignment: Strategic Plan: Implementation Plan, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Plan Analysis

The external factors will be those factors affecting Walmart that are beyond the company's control including the regulatory and legislative issues as well as competition (Cassidy, 2016). The internal factors will include the factors happening inside Walmart Company and that the firm can control given the proper strategies including management, innovation, and structure. The primary objective of the SWOT analysis is to determine and assess the information that will be important in developing the strategic plan of the corporation.

External Forces and Trends

Walmart Corporation should deal with the several external forces and trends that may impact on its strategic goals of the new division as well as the frim. The legislative and legal issues are among the important external factors that may affect the corporation (Cervone, 2014). The retail industry is determined by the establishment of intellectual property, and it is important to safeguard the new technologies that the company plans to introduce with copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Since the beginning of 2012, the company's primary concern was to provide the best services to the customers with the emerging technology. As such, Walmart should protect customer information while operating online. Failure to do so could lead to the lawsuits that could cause the company's fortune. Besides, Walmart has increasingly been targeted by many underlying antitrust lawsuits connected to the production of counterfeit products. This has, in turn, motivated the company to establish a strong legal team to deal with the underlying regulatory issues over the years. It will be pertinent for the company to uphold an extremely experienced legal team that will handle the changes that may affect the corporation in the future as a result of the compound lawsuits and regulatory issues.

A global economy that is unstable has a significant influence on the business operations of Walmart Corporation (Smithson, 2017). Walmart's primary source of revenue comes from the sales from the groceries and foodstuffs. The firm should maintain affordability and quality balance with its products and services throughout the economic swings in the country. The customers of the company may go for alternative businesses that offer lower prices for the same products if Walmart fails to maintain quality and affordability balance during the economic downturn. Presently, the global economy is going towards the recovery and disposable incomes that are increasing globally. Suppose this trend continues, the company will have a chance to expand its operations in the emerging markets of South America, Asia, and Africa.

The most critical external factor for Walmart Company is the competitive analysis brought about by the other retail companies within the industry. Most retail companies, both large and small have taken a substantial market share in manufacturing of products from Walmart over the last years (Gray, 2015). Nevertheless, an increasing number of small grocery businesses are penetrating the niche markets that were once overtaken by Walmart. As such, it is important to analyze the company's competitors for the enterprise to effectively introduce new products in the market without the fear of making sales as a result of competition. A weak competitive analysis can lead to flops in products.

Internal Forces and Trends

Walmart Corporation has utilized its success to create an inspiring culture in the organization. The company has effortlessly recruited highly-talented employees to give the best services to its customers. However, other small companies have also demonstrated a greater capacity to develop the top talent in the industry (Cassidy, 2014). Walmart's leadership has also remained consistent over the years. The company may improve its leadership by recruiting a person who can reach out to the younger generation as a result of digitalization. Walmart can build a positive image by developing its operations to suit the needs of the younger generation. The hypothesis here is that a strong leader in the team would make a considerable increase in the effectiveness of the leadership in Walmart.

The company has continuously demonstrated an excellent ability to adapt to change. The business model of Walmart is built on innovation and therefore continuously produce new innovative products that suit the extremely advanced retail industry. Despite the decline in the market share, Walmart has maintained an impressive customer base that consistently delivers value to their stakeholders. Walmart shows a robust effort to get into the new markets such as groceries and foodstuff (Smith, 2013). The increasing efforts to meet the demands of its customers has also made it possible for the company to be successful in the increasingly evolving markets.

SWOT Analysis Table of the New Division at Walmart Corporation

Supply Chain of the New Division of the Existing Business

Walmart has adapted to the supply chain of its business operations. The supply chain comprises of all the company's aspect from the procurement of inventory, manufacturing of products and the customer service (Gray, 2015). The new division at the company conducts its inventory in the supply chain to ensure the success of the firm. Walmart should train all its stakeholders including the managers and the employees to make a positive impact on its supply chain. It can achieve this by training the suppliers to deliver quality products and the employees to provide the best services in the corporation.

Walmart introduced a new division that focuses on uniting the other six divisions to four and to improve on customer service. A strategic plan is needed for the company to direct its plans for the realization of organizational goals and objectives of the new division. Both internal and external trends impact on the strategic plan of the company and therefore its success. Walmart Corporation should deal with the several external and internal forces and trends that may impact on its strategic goals.

References

Cassidy, A. (2016). A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. CRC press.

Cervone, H. F. (2014). Improving strategic planning by adapting agile methods to the planning process. Journal of Library Administration, 54(2), 155-168.

Gray, J. E. (2015). Integrating the Principles of Total Quality Into the Strategic Planning Process for a Federal Services Acquisition Organization (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Dominguez Hills).

Smith, R. D. (2013). Strategic planning for public relations. Routledge.

Smithson, N. (2017, January 17). Walmart SWOT Analysis & Recommendations. Retrieved from Panmore: http://panmore.com/walmart-swot-analysis-recommendations-case-study