Management Information Systems: Business Divisions and Data Warehousing in Walmart

This report discusses the different business divisions of Walmart, including Walmart Super Centers, Discount Stores, and Neighborhood Markets. It also covers the role of data warehousing in Walmart and the various forms of data used by the company. The report evaluates Walmart's current information systems and provides recommendations for improvement.

Management
information system

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1...........................................................................................................................................4
Different business divisions of Walmart that are interconnected...........................................4
QUESTION 2..................................................................................................................................6
Different forms of data & the role or responsibility of data warehousing in Walmart..........6
QUESTION 3................................................................................................................................11
Information about code of conduct and the new GDPR data protection of Walmart..........11
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCE................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Management information system is defined as the study of people, organisations,
technology as well as relationships in business entity. It is the information system which is used
by organisation in decision-making process, controlling, analysing coordinating and visualising
whole information of organisation that improves business operational and functional efficiency.
set of different skills as well as technologies that helps business to attain its goals and objectives
in efficient manner. Goals and objective of implementing management information system to
improve value and profits of business (Abdel-Rahim and Stevens, 2018). Through using this
technique managers of organisation provides appropriate information at all department of
organisation on time that help business to take efficient decisions that improve business
performance as well as provides sustainable competitive advantages. In this report chosen
organisation is Walmart which is global organisation established in 1962. organisation provides
range of products and service worldwide through different supermarkets, convenience stores,
hypermarkets and retaining stores. This report covers divisional structure and operations that are
adopted by the Walmart. Along with that data structure of warehousing and codes of conduct
which are related to legislations & information are mentioned in this report.
TASK 1
Different business divisions of Walmart that are interconnected
Overview of organisation: Walmart is an American multinational retailing organisation
which provides its products and service through hypermarkets, discount departmental stores and
grocery stores. Respective organisation was established by Sam Walton in the year of 1962.
Walmart have more than 10,566 outlets across the globe and its annual income is approx $13.70
billion. 2,300,000 employees are associated with organisation in its outlets and head-office.]
Walmart has various divisions through which it operated its operations in efficient manner.
These divisional departments are mentioned below:
Walmart is the leading organisation of UK which is involved in generating $331.666
billion sales. Walmart US provides its products and services through three major retailing
businesses such as neighbourhood market, Super centres and the discount stores. For the
purpose of improving organisational sales and profitability ration, organisation provides

discounts and offers on non-grocery items. In US Walmart has more than 4,742 stores under the
leadership of John Furner.
 Walmart Super centres: Walmart provides its products and service through hypermarket
stores which provides range of products and services to its customers such as frozen
foods, backed food, optical centre, seafood's, garden products, dairy products and
various others. Respective organisation established its first supermarket in the region of
Washington in 1988 (Al‐Hawari, 2017). Walmart manages operations in more them
3,571 stores across US market. Organisational supermarket stores sell approx 12000
products on the other hand, from online stores it sells more than 35 million items. Walmart Discount Store: Walmart has range of discount store in market which are
involve in providing groceries as well as general merchandise items, lube and tire,
optical stores and various other products. Walmart has establishes its first discount
department in 1990 at Bentonville in year 1990. organisation has 371 discount stores
according to 2021 data. Walmart Neighbourhood market: Walmart provides its products through
neighbourhood market which is the series of various small grocery stores. Organisation
established these stores after 10 years of starting super centre. Neighbourhood market of
Walmart are related to pharmacy, groceries as well as fuel stores. The grocery stores of
organisation is the sector which generates 55% revenue of its whole profits. These stores
are established with the objective of filling gape between super centre & discount stores.
Walmart has approximately 683 neighbourhood market that includes full time and part
time stores. Technology: As Walmart is a multinational supermarket chain which uses latest
technologies in business operations specially in procurement as well as supply chain
procedure. Through adopting technological aspects organisation ensures smooth
functioning as well as optimum utilisation of resources (Ashkezari, 2018). Walmart
brings its operations at international level with the implementation of technology such as
online shopping. Respective organisation uses social media marketing and online
campaigns for promoting and advertising its business in other market. It helps business
to reach large number of customers and attain higher market share.

 Infrastructure: Walmart consist efficient and effective infrastructure which help
business to perform its operations in efficient manner. It enables organisation to arrange
their resources and employees that helps business to attain its determined goals and
objectives on time with efficiency. As infrastructure division of organisation is
interconnected with business sales unit. Walmart develop strong and efficient
infrastructure and structure of business activities that helps business focus on needs and
demands of customers that lead business towards growth and development.
Different business units and divisional structure of Walmart organisation are
interconnected with each other because all divisions or departments involves in various
functions such as human resource, accounts, finance and various others which are same in each
divisional department of organisation. As human resource department is liable for hiring suitable
candidates for each department of organisation, finance department provides funds for running
operations efficiently and provide salary to employees (Beleckas, 2017). Marketing department
is responsible for promoting business products and service and attracts customers towards
organisation. As they utilise suitable software in terms of keeping their information secure.
Through maintaining interrelation among these functions and operations business can lead
operation in right direction. Walmart operates range of business units to serve its products and
services to wide area of customers.
QUESTION 2
Different forms of data & the role or responsibility of data warehousing in Walmart
Walmart is the multinational organisation which provides its products and services
across national boundaries. Data are the facts, figure as well information which is stored and
used by organisation to translate into the form of movement or processing (Bravetti, 2017). In
business data is used for run business operations in efficient manner and attain information
related to competitors that provides various competitive advantages to business. Some forms of
data which are used by the Walmart are mentioned below:
 Qualitative data which is the bunch of information that can not be measured in form of
numbers. It includes word narratives and various other information related to business. It
provides information to organisation regarding quality of things. Walmart use this type
of data to take business decisions and lead business operations in right direction.

 Quantitative data is the collection of various information which is collected from group
of individuals and statistical data analysis. It is represented in numbers. Walmart uses
this type of data to represent business sales, profits and financial positioning that help to
take effective decisions for future.
 Primary data is defined as the unique and original data which is collected by the
researcher for first time according to requirement (Heinrich, 2017). Walmart collect data
related to customers through conducting questionnaire and survey. Secondary data is defined as the data which has been already collected for certain
purpose. Walmart uses this method of data collection to gain necessary information to
develop business policies and decisions.
Role or responsibility of data warehousing in Walmart
Data warehousing of Walmart plays various roles and responsibilities that facilitates business to
attain determined goals and objectives with efficiency. In Walmart various officers are
associates with data warehousing their roles and responsibilities are mentioned below:
 Business sponsorship is the primary officer who is responsible for target business areas.
They understand the issues and problems as well provide comfort to warehousing team.
They store data and take effective decisions to manage them.
 Data warehousing is responsible for system warehousing activities such as share funds
and manage authorities over system staff.
 Conduct meeting to collect necessary information and maintain them in efficient manner
for attaining business goals and objectives before determined deadline.
Walmart uses various types of information system in order to manage organisation data and
process in efficient manner. These information systems in the context of Walmart are mentioned
below:
Executive Support system (ESS):
Executive Support system is defined as the computer bases system which is used by
organisation to provide top managers with the capability of accessing internal as well as external
information which is related to strategic decision-making and other executive responsibilities
(Liu, Wang, and Li, 2018Matin, 2017). This information system is related to gathering data and
information of business operations. Walmart uses this system with the objective of gaining
information regarding organisational inventory status, business financial data and sales. All

these information helps business manager to develop strategies decisions and gain advantages in
competitive business environment.
Decision support system (DSS)
Decision support system is the most important aspect of information system which is used by
the organisation to analyse as well as synthesis large amount of data in order to take efficient
business decisions. This information system tool, produces report tat states business financial
positioning that consist business revenue, sales, inventory and various other items. Through the
integration of multiple variables, Decision support system produces number of outcomes on the
bases of past as well as current inputs of business (Volkova, 2017). Walmart uses this
information system to evaluate organisational data and produces beneficial outcome and resolve
problems that are occurred in business and impacts on efficiency.
Big data is defined as the collection of wider structures as well as unstructured data
which is large and complex in nature. Walmart management department allows employees to
gather internal data and use it to run current operations on business in efficient manner. As big
data is the large and diverse set of information which has characteristic of ever-increasing rates.
It consist large volume of information, speed at which they are created and collected. It helps
business to take suitable decisions that lead business towards success. Walmart uses the concept
of big data which help business to classify instructed and complicated data into systematic
manner which is easy to interpret and make decisions.
Evaluation of current IS at Walmart
Walmart uses various information system. Current information system is defined as the
suitable and significant approach that is termed as the CAMELS approach. It stands for capital
adequacy, earning as well as liquidity & sensitive factors that help business to run business
operations in efficient manner. All these are the performance indicators that bring accuracy in
business. Walmart also uses API model which facilitates business through providing assistance
in the process of evaluating big data. Walmart ensures that its data and relative information is
recorded on radular bases. Public cloud services is also the information system that helps
business to provides infrastructural benefits.
Recommendations
In organisation large size of data is available which is quite complicated, that creates difficulty
for business managers to analyse data and create effective decisions. There is various

recommendation are provides to the board of directors of Walmart organisation are
mentioned below: It is recommended to Walmart to use latest technologies and software fort collecting and
sorting information according to requirement. Organisation should update their software
on regular bases to enhance overall efficiency of data management. Walmart organisation uses DSS, KMS & ESS information system so business should
maintain these systems in order to improve effectiveness of overall business operations.
Organisation should use intelligence technology to analyse as well as discover the
pattern of data. It is recommended to Walmart to concentrates on business goals and objectives and
develop planning to use big data analytical techniques to meet desired outcomes. It has been recommended that Walmart should adopt strategic aspects like qualitative &
quantitate data process that help business sort information as per business requirements. It is recommended to organisation to use storage technology for structuring big data is
systematic manner get rid from extra data that cover space.
Technology strategy to enable big data strategy:
Big data strategy is defined as the strategy that described how data is used in practices
and what types of data is required by organisation to attain determined business goals and
objectives in efficient manner. It business collect unnecessary data than it enhance business
complication. Big data strategy is beneficial for business in technical transformation that enable
business to sustain in competitive business environment (Yakubailik, Kadochnikov, and
Tokarev, 2018). Walmart uses various big data strategies such as performance management that
is related to meaning of big data of organisational database to resolve quarries and conduct
multidimensional analysis. Developing strategies on the bases of technological enhancement
help business to attain higher profits in business.
Merits and demerits of information systems
Merits of information systems Demerits of information system
 Open communication: The
implementation of a suitable information
system helps business firms to increase
open communication in their company
 Cyber-security challenges: The
usage and reliance on information
systems introduces cyber security
issues related to data protection at

(Chacón-García, 2017). Enterprises with
advanced information systems are able to
respond to consumer quarries at any time
of the day. Walmart will be able to
facilitate open communication and resolve
problems faced by the consumers in any
corner of the world quickly.
 Productivity: Presence of suitable
information system in business firms
supports improvement in productivity of
the company. This is because it increases
the speed with which relevant information
is given to suppliers. This boosts the sped
of decision making and helps the
company implement various plans
quickly. In this way usage of advanced
information system will help Walmart
enhance productivity of the company and
gain competitive advantage.
 Cost savings: The adoption of advanced
and updated information system helps
business firms increases the cost
effectiveness of their establishment. This
is done by reducing human error and
helping the company complete various
asks accurately in first time. In addition to
this information system lower expenses by
reducing transaction costs of the company
(Al-Emran and et. al., 2018). Walmart
will be able to eliminate unnecessary
expenses caused by hum error and
the firm. Brach in information
system of the company can lead to
sensitive data leakage such as
employee, consumer information or
confidential company information.
This demerit of information system
can be highly damaging for the firm
as data leakage reduces consumer
trust in the company. Walmart needs
to ensure that the information
systems used at the company are
protected with advanced cyber-
security measures to deal with such
issues.
 Expenditure for implementation:
Adopting Information systems is
highly expenses for business firms
(Hänninen, Mitronen and Kwan,
2019). The primary reason is the
costs associated with installing
information systems at large scale in
international corporation. In
addition to this, technology used in
information system needs to be
updated regularly to gain the best
results. Walmart needs to ensure
that return on investment is gained
from investment in information
system is high to avoid unnecessary
expenditure.
 Compliance with data regulations:

enhance cost effectiveness by developing
information system at the company.
Adhering to complication data
regulations in different parts of the
world is demerit of using
information systems.
QUESTION 3
Information about code of conduct and the new GDPR data protection of Walmart
General data Protection which is more commonly known as GDOR are refers to the data
protection legislation implemented by the European Union to address transfer of personal data
outside European Union and EEA areas (Humbeeck, 2019).
 Ethical: As per the GDPR guidelines the usage of data by business firms need to be
ethical. This means that the respective company needs to ensure that they are responsible
for ethical usage of every piece of consumer data. Apart from this, it is important for the
company to ensure that the data gained from consumers including persona information is
collected after gaining the consent of the consumer. This will ensure that the data is
collected ethically.
 Legal: It is extremely important for the companies to make sure that the data collected
by them from the customers and clients are safe and are kept in a private place. The data
includes private information of customers which are needed to be protected at any cost
(Žuľová, Švec and Madleňák, 2018). It involves the act of regulation of 2016/679 that
are present in EU laws. It is an act that supports that provides a safe and secure course to
the company to transmit information outside EU and EEA. It is important for the
companies to make sure that they are collecting information only from the permission of
client and are not otherwise. In case of Walmart, the company understands the value of
safety of private information of customers and it is the reason why company make sure
that they are using a appropriate source of collecting data and are maintaining the
confidentiality of the data properly. The company understand that it can impact the
reputation of the company majorly and it is the reason why company is strict about their
rules and regulations.

 Professional: The most important and fundamental thing for management is to make
sure that they are behaving in a professional manner. Dealing with the problems
professionally should be one of the main aim of management (Krzysztofek, 2018). In
case of Walmart, the company understands that private information of customers is a
sensitive issue and is needed to be considered carefully. The company make sure that
only certified and essential information is getting shared in between the employees so
that they can continue with their research. It is important for the company to make sure
that they are building trust among their customers and are maintaining in their customers
which will help the company is enhancing their brand image and will make sure that the
company is able to create a loyal customer base as well.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that, it is extremely important for the companies to
develop a systematic process in their organisation which can help them in becoming more
efficient and effective. In this report the interrelation between several department of the
company. It will help the company in enhancing their financial presentation and will also make
sure that the companies are getting support from this report. In this report the information flows
from low level to middle level which will help in analysing the different departments easily.
Data warehousing is an important task for the company because of the increasing demand of
personalised experience but it is the responsibility of the company to make sure that the data
collected by them are safe so that the threat of privacy error is not there. In this report the
importance of code of conducts as well as ethical practices is provided which can help them
company in attaining competitors advantage in the market.

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