600 words -7 hour dead line

write 600 words with min 2-3 peer reviewed references

"Zooming In" Activity : Walmart page 85 - Part 1

1 When creating its international expansion policy, Walmart at first followed the advice of Harvard professor Theodore Levitt, who advocated standardization, not localization. “Gone are accustomed differences in national or regional preferences,” Levitt wrote. Truly global firms sought to “force suitably standardized products and practices on the entire globe.”11 Should companies keep a standardized approach or adapt to local markets?

2 What domestic and global changes prompt the international expansion of companies such as Walmart?

3 What other U.S. businesses can you name that have merged with foreign companies or expanded to become multinational or global? Have you heard of any

Your submission must be double-spaced with uniform 1-inch margins and using 12-point Times New Roman font.

Please refer below article and reference inorder to answer this questions

Material:

Business Communication: Process & Product (9th Edition) by Guffey and Loewy (ISBN-13: 9781305957961) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) (ISBN-13: 9781433832161)

Intercultural and Ethics Challenges for the World’s Largest Retailer Walmart’s global intercultural blunders and occasional ethical lapses are well documented. In college business classes around the world, the giant retailer’s missteps continue to serve as rich case studies of how not to expand abroad.1 Walmart was forced to withdraw from its first European market, Germany, at a loss of $1 billion. Top executives didn’t speak German; greeters with Midwestern folksiness were lost on German employees and shoppers. A court overturned Walmart’s policy against dating coworkers, and the retailer’s antiunion stance backfired in a country where unions and corporations collaborate closely.2 Walmart hasn’t fared much better in Asia. Cultural differences and fierce local competition forced the world’s largest retailer to exit South Korea. Consumers in this and other Asian countries don’t buy in bulk. Koreans favor smaller packages and shop daily at a variety of stores.3 In Japan Walmart recently shuttered 30 stores to cope with a fragmented market and brutal price competition,4 but also because finicky Japanese consumers equate discounts with poor quality and don’t trust a broad merchandise selection.5 In India Walmart broke up with its local partner and was able to hold on only to its wholesale business without establishing superstores there. In addition, the Indian government investigated the company’s foreign investment practices and other alleged misconduct.6 After entering China in 1996, Walmart failed to establish a strong presence in this lucrative market. Its key competitor, Sun Art, opted for a more localized approach and understood that Chinese shoppers prefer to buy groceries at outdoor markets, not in big-box stores. Also, more than everyday low prices, Chinese consumers desire quality and authenticity in products.7 Says one analyst: “Instead of adjusting to the local competition by shrinking store sizes or selling higher margin products, Walmart is doing little to change its business model.” He faults the retailer and other U.S. companies for not localizing their business models and management styles to keep up with new domestic players.8 Another consultant concurs: “Companies can become complacent and arrogant and then they make mistakes when they expand overseas.”9 In addition to adverse market forces and its intercultural slip-ups, Walmart has been the target of several bribery probes alleging possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in Mexico, India, China, and Brazil.10 Can Walmart do better in its future international endeavors? You will learn more about Walmart and be asked to complete a relevant task at the end of this chapter.

Critical Thinking

• When creating its international expansion policy, Walmart at first followed the advice of Harvard professor Theodore Levitt, who advocated standardization, not localization. “Gone are accustomed differences in national or regional preferences,” Levitt wrote. Truly global firms sought to “force suitably standardized products and practices on the entire globe.”11 Should companies keep a standardized approach or adapt to local markets?

• What domestic and global changes prompt the international expansion of companies such as Walmart?

• What other U.S. businesses can you name that have merged with foreign companies or expanded to become multinational or global? Have you heard of any

Guffey, Mary Ellen; Loewy, Dana. Business Communication: Process & Product (p. 85). Cengage Learning. Kindle Edition.