Week 5 – Developing a Global Vision

Wal-Mart first became an international company when they opened a Sam’s Club (membership only retail warehouse, owned by Wal-Mart) in 1991 near Mexico City. Wal-Mart has 4,230 stores in 15 countries outside the United States, some of which operate under a different name other than Wal-Mart. The countries with Wal-Mart stores are Argentina, China, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, Costa Rica, India, United Kingdom, Canada, El Salvador, Japan, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Wal- Mart has 24% of its sales outside of the United States. Wal-Mart’s in China sell different products you wouldn’t see in a Wal-Mart in the U.S. In China they sell; crocodiles, turtles, assorted dried reptiles, frogs, ducks, pig faces (sold as food, not as pets), rib cages of animals, boxes of liquor, rice in bulk, and of course a large selection of chop sticks.  By selling these products in China, Wal-Mart is adhering to the external environment.  Wal-Mart is taking into consideration the cultural differences in China.