Strategic Planning for Walmart: Analysis, Options, and Impact

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic planning for a multinational corporation, focusing on Walmart. It examines Walmart's strategic aims and objectives, the approaches adopted for strategic planning, and alternative strategic options available, including their implications. The report assesses the impact of stakeholder expectations on the strategic plan and planning horizon. It evaluates strategic options for the existing planning horizon, considering factors like concentration, innovation, and diversification. The priorities and feasibility of alternative options are discussed, along with a risk assessment for preferred strategies and alternatives. The chosen strategy, the Ansoff matrix, is justified and articulated, with an analysis of potential problems. Furthermore, the report identifies organizational and market factors to consider during implementation and applies tools and concepts for monitoring and reviewing the strategic plan. Finally, it evaluates the impact of the strategic plan on achieving the organization's objectives.

Strategic Planning

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Organization strategic aims and objective and approaches adopted to strategic planning,...3
1.2 Alternative strategic options available and the implications for the organization.................4
1.3 The impact of stakeholder expectations on a strategic plan and the planning Horizon.........5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Strategic options available to the organisation for existing plan horizon and factor.............6
2.2 The priorities and feasibility of alternative options over the existing planning horizon.......6
2.3 Risk assessment for the preferred strategies and alternatives................................................7
2.4 Identification, justification and articulation of the selected strategies within the plans and
analysing the potential problems.................................................................................................7
2.5 The strategic plan and its components in order to achieve the strategic direction................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Analysing the organisational and market factors that has to be considered in the
implementation of the strategic plan............................................................................................8
3.2 Determining and applying the tool and concept that is used in monitoring and reviewing
the strategic plan..........................................................................................................................9
3.3 Evaluating the impact of strategic plan on the achievement of the organisation's objectives
...................................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Strategies planning refers to the organizational management activity that make the use to
set the priorities, resources and focus strategy, ensure that employee and other stakeholder can
easily work towards the common goals. It is disciplined effort that produces the fundamental
decision and action that shape their guide what an organization is serves. Effective strategies
planning is not only where an organization is going and this could also lead with action needed
to make their progress but also how it will know for successful. This report will explain about
organization strategic aim and objective including the strategic planning and strategic option
with implication for the organization. Also discuss the impact of stakeholder expectation on
strategic plan and planning horizon and strategic option available for existing planning horizon
and factors. This will also examine about the priorities and feasibility of alternative option over
the existing and risk assessment of the strategy and alternatives. Along with this also evaluate the
strategic plan within the addressing potential problems. While also determine the organizational
and market factor and apply the range of tools and concepts to monitor and review the strategic
plan.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
1.1 Organization strategic aims and objective and approaches adopted to strategic planning,
Walmart business strategy-
 To provide the wide range with high quality, unbranded and branded products at the
lowest possible prices.
 Walmart provides are usually prices at 20% lower than those other competitors.
Strategic planning-
Walmart is renovating its stores in many countries through which they can keep the widening
aisles, lowering fixtures, adding natural, improving signage and light to give consumer that fees
friendlier (Almansoori, 2021). The organization have also made the rural area as their business
places and long run that helped them for locking out the competitors and use as entry barriers.
Customer can get almost everything as they want to save money and time and it include about
the own distribution network. Along with this organization can make the use of technology and

big helping factor and employees can use the computer system back and still reaping benefits for
having their excessive amount of data available. Walmart use the bar code for tracking that can
become easy and this technology was used to plan about their selling products and services,
inventory management and so on. Organization has developed the stores with having organic
products meaning that own in many countries. They widely make the use of joint-ventures and
acquisition as their vehicles and they have the shortened for learning and understanding about
their working local trends, needs and wants. This makes sure for having their more effective
things and keeps their customer as lowest price products availability. Walmart that being make
the use of planning and entering into new market and delayed with working as international
market for having long focus and capture home market first (Ranjan and Foropon, 2021). This
have huge impact on company’s structure and have the various ways for working and aligning
work culture, process and tools are major challenges.
1.2 Alternative strategic options available and the implications for the organization
Walmart has implemented about the several growth strategies over the years for reaching the
stage and that was crafted with carefully and produced excellent results.
Market penetration- This has been useful for supporting and has drawn the attention for many
consumers and helped it penetrate the market further. Its special offers and deals for days such as
Final black Friday deals and also has the line for market penetration strategy (Hannah, Tidhar
and Eisenhardt, 2021). Moreover, this could keep the mentioned about special offers which
affect the profits margin.
Market development- Walmart is the largest retailer in world and it has expanded to many
countries. Along with this also holds the equity investment and make sure for having their
positive impacts over many countries. However, it has the better development strategy which
was failed in many countries and it might be unsuccessful in understanding various countries
market. As organization also invest more in research and development while for identify the
possible new markets and consumer segments for having better products. This could also lead for
focusing on market culture, consumer behaviours and trends and also how they differ from the
consumer behaviour patterns in existing markets.
Product development- This offers the wide selection of product and services and also provides
the private label brands and invests more in heavily research and development. The Walmart is

not just limited to the inclusion for new products successful and also bring the effective concepts
for the customer so that can be easily satisfied.
Diversification- Walmart is strong financial base and this also leads with diversification into
various business and industries (Rudolph and et.al., 2021). The decision to unrelated
diversification by company is made by assessing of the potential streaming market at the global
level. The company can entered this industry keeping in view for reliance of companies on the
financial institutions.
The organization have to keep their focus on products development through which organization
can easily come to know about how they have to keep customer with long term and also have
better market position.
1.3 The impact of stakeholder expectations on a strategic plan and the planning Horizon
The stakeholder of Walmart is multinational retail corporation and strategies are influenced by
both internal and external stakeholder.
Internal stakeholder of organization- Walmart internal stakeholder plays the important role for
developing the implementation about the strategies planning (Eskafi And et.al., 2021). Members
of the leadership employees, teams and shareholder are the main key points of the organization
and this could create them for working with better growth. Institutional shareholder of
organization hold up the good members and this could keep the stock for the products and also
have the big influence with strategies direction. However, the general public also have their
invested and through may not be able to call the shots and they are some degree which influences
the organization. This report about the Walmart is cutting some workers and pay while
increasing their workloads. This may results the workers for finding that is very difficult to pay
their bills and causing the dissatisfaction with the company.
External stakeholder of organization- Customer, suppliers, government, competitors and local
community are the main external stakeholder for the organization. Walmart have huge of
suppliers for working with various companies globally and this could also lead the trading for
working with almost impossible. However, it could consistently receives with low grades in
customer satisfaction surveys and keep them for working with their needs addressing effectively
(Hastings, 2021). Competitors that have impact over the organization and they are very
interested to know about how they moves towards the new products and strategies as they can
come up with counter techniques and strategies. Local communities have the huge interested in

organization and they may have benefits from the affected by the operation of company in their
working areas.
TASK 2
2.1 Strategic options available to the organisation for existing plan horizon and factor.
A strategy is effective for the uses of resources that are being allocate according to organization
plan and delivers the expected results. This have to continually evaluate the use of given
resources and create the better performance to check the effective strategy that will hit up the
targets.
Concentration- It involves for converging resources with one or more of Walmart business in
terms with their respective customer function, needs, alternative technology, in such manner that
is results with expansion (Reidhead, 2021). In business concentration strategies that are known
with variously intensification or specialization strategies.
Innovation- It is the process by which the organization can use the skills and resources for
creating some new technology or products and services so they can changes and have the better
respond for the needs of customer. Successful innovation that can allows the Walmart for bring
something new and that could have the competitors lacks and charge the premium prices.
Conglomerate diversification- The organization adopts the strategy which required for taking
up the various activities that are being unrelated with existing business definition (Chen, Miller
and Chen, 2021). Rather than maintaining some common threat throughout their organization
and strategic manner that can adopt the strategy with financial consideration of cash flow or risk
reduction.
2.2 The priorities and feasibility of alternative options over the existing planning horizon
Walmart also required for working with market penetration that help them for attention with
many customer and need them for keeping some effective market growth. Along with this
market development for the organization seems to be important and this could create the better
market position and include many high estimated for working with some effective concepts. This
could also create the market development through using better strategy and they try to invest
more research and development so that can create the high sources and come to know about how
they can complete their resources allocated for their organization (Laganà, Laporte and
Vocaturo, 2021). Diversification must be important for having their strong financial base and this
keeps them for working with some effective resources so that lead with having decision for the

potential streaming and keep their industries for having some effective concepts. The
organization can also make the proper use of market development so that could help them for
having profit margin and this keep their resources towards some producing better customer needs
and wants. Walmart can have their better profits through which they grow and keep their
products through which they can easily keep their customer with long term.
2.3 Risk assessment for the preferred strategies and alternatives
Risk assessment refers to the complete process of identifying the factors and hazards that are
concerned with the potential of providing harm to the business. Here is the description of the risk
assessment for the strategic planning of the Walmart:
Risk identification- It refers to the type of risk that is concerned in the strategic planning. In this
stage of risk assessment, the manager of the Walmart must identify that, whether the risk in
arising is from the internal or external factors. If it is from internal factors then it can be solve
easily. And if is from the external factors then there is need to take strategic actions. Further, the
emergent approach to strategy has to be adopted.
2.4 Identification, justification and articulation of the selected strategies within the plans and
analysing the potential problems
The selected strategy for the Walmart is Ansoff matrix. This refers to that tool that helps
in planning the strategies in relation of the long term growth. It involves mainly four elements
and that is market penetration, market development, product development and diversification.
This plan has been chosen for the Walmart in order to increase their existing market share along
with adding the new market share. Also, this strategy leads to the product development to the
firm. The plans related to this particular strategy involves the market development along with the
product development. The potential risk that is involved in this strategy for the Walmart in
present at the diversification stage.
The diversification stage refers to entering into the new market with the new product.
This is concerned with the numerous risk such as, failure of the product, failure of marketing
strategies, consumers does not get satisfied and so on (Sumiati and Pramono, 2019). As the new
consumers have the different taste therefore, there is a risk in relation of accepting the new
products.

2.5 The strategic plan and its components in order to achieve the strategic direction
Vision & Mission- The vision and mission of the Walmart in relation of the market development
and product development strategy is to attract the large number of consumers.
Objectives- The major objective of the strategy is to increase the market share of the firm and
assure higher profit to the firm.
Strategies- In order to achieve the main strategy it is important to develop the numerous
strategies that can assure the achievement of the market and product strategy to the Walmart. The
analysation of the internal and external environment has to be done by the firm in order to know
the factors that can affect the main strategy of the firm.
Approach- The prescriptive and emergent approach to the strategies has to be adopted by the
company. In the implementation of the main strategy, the prescriptive approach to strategy has to
be adopted and when there is any change is needed to add. At that time emergent approach to
strategy has to be adopted (Nekhaychuk and et.al., 2019).
Tactics- The tactics has to be decided before implementation of the strategy. Under this, the
alternatives has to be decided. As the diversification stage is full of risk therefore, analysation of
the market demand, external factors, competitive evaluation has to be done by the Walmart so,
the achievement of the strategy can be done.
TASK 3
3.1 Analysing the organisational and market factors that has to be considered in the
implementation of the strategic plan
It is important to analyse the organization and market factors while implementing the strategic
plan. As this leads to provide the direct impact over the final plan. Here are the major
organisational factors and market factors that has to be taken in consideration by the Walmart for
implementing the Market development and product development strategy.
Scanning the internal environment- It is one of the most important factor that directly affects
the strategies of the firm. It involves the financial, physical and human resources in the
organisation. This indicates the internal ability of the firm in order to perform the major aspects
of the strategy (Teixeira and Junior, 2019). Walmart has to analyse the physical, financial and
human resource of the company so, the strengths and weaknesses of the company can be known.
Assessing the external environment- This refers to analysing the external factors that can affect
the strategies of the firm. It includes, political factors, social factors and so on. It has been also

determined as the market factors. As the social and economic factors are concerned with the
market conditions. In order to perform the diversification strategy under Ansoff Matrix, Walmart
has to analyse the external factors. So, the factors that can affect the strategy can be known.
Needs and wants of the consumers- This is one of the major market factor that has to be taken in
consideration by the Walmart for implementing the strategy. As the strategy of the firm includes
the market penetration and product development (George, Walker and Monster, 2019).
Therefore, it is important to analyse the needs and wants of the consumer in the new market in
relation of the new product. And on the basis of that, the major decision has to be taken.
Competition factor- This has been considered as both the organisational and market factor that
affects the strategic planning. Walmart has to examine the competition in the market so, the
major risk can be analysed and on the basis of that, the approaches in the strategies can be taken.
3.2 Determining and applying the tool and concept that is used in monitoring and reviewing the
strategic plan
It is important to monitor and review the strategic plan in the organisation as it leads to help in
gather the information about the success and failure of the plans. Here are the major tools and
concept that can be used by the Walmart in order to review and monitor their plan.
SWOT Analysation
This tool helps in knowing the internal factors that can affect the Walmart market and product
development strategy. It includes:
Strengths- The major strength of the Walmart is that the firm has effective physical, financial
and human source that leads to help in the achievement of the main goal. The firm is planning to
increase its existing market share along with capturing new market. Thus, these strengths of the
firm will help in the implementation of the strategy.
Weaknesses- The major weakness of the firm that can work as a barrier in the strategic planning
is that, the firm has less effective working condition and it provides direct impact over the
performance of the employees (Uzarski and Broome, 2019). As a result, this can act as a barrier
in performing the strategies. It is important to have the support of employees in order to perform
the plan. Thus, the organisation must focus on improving the working condition.
Opportunities- The major opportunities to the firm is that, the firm can grab the market share. It
has been found from various studies that, Walmart has effective image in understanding the

needs and demand of the customers. Therefore, in the diversification stage, the firm has the
opportunity of capturing the new market.
Threats- The major threat to the firm in relation of the strategies is related to the competition in
the market. There are more retail firms in the market. Thus, there is high competition. Therefore,
the firm has to perform the effective marketing strategies in order to attract the consumers.
The review and monitoring of the plan can be done by keeping a keen observation after
performing each step (Reichert and et.al., 2020). Walmart must adopt the concept of observing
the business environment in order to monitor the strategic plan. Also, the observation over the
market has to be done. So, at the time of risk, the corrective measures can be taken.
3.3 Evaluating the impact of strategic plan on the achievement of the organisation's objectives
The strategic plan leads to creates the huge growth and success for the company. In order to
understand this with clearance, here are the major impact of the Walmart strategic plan that leads
to achievement of the main goals and objectives.
Increase in sales- Market penetration leads to increase in the sales of the firm. The products has
been sell to the customers. Also, in the market development the new customers has been
approached for selling the existing product. Increase in sales leads to generate high revenue for
the firm.
Profit assurance- The strategic plan of Walmart is related to increasing the customers base in the
market. As it involves approaching the new customers (Papadas and et.al., 2019). More
customers makes more purchase and it results in assuring the higher profit to the company.
Increase market share- Adding new market in order to increase sales leads to expand the
operations of the Walmart. As a result, more investors will approach the company.
Interaction with consumers- Understanding the needs and wants of the customers and then
taking steps accordingly that leads to create the effective interaction among the business and
customer (Cleberg, 2019).
All the above points states that the strategic plan of the Walmart leads to increase the market
share of the firm along with increasing the consumer base of the firm. Also, assures the higher
profit and attracts the investor. Thus, the strategic plan helps in achieving the main objectives
and assures the higher growth to the firm.

CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that, strategic planning plays the vital role in adding
the growth and success in the organization. Also, the report has described that the firm must
adopt the numerous strategies in order to achieve the main strategy. Apart from this, the report
has highlighted that, after implementing the strategy, it is important to monitor the strategy.

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