Abstract

For Wal-Mart's founder, Sam Walton, going global had not been a top priority. It was only after Walton's death, that Wal-Mart's globalization accelerated. Walton's successors realized that waiting too long to get into foreign countries would allow competitors to gain a foothold in overseas markets. Moving fast would give Wal-Mart the necessary time to learn the complexities of international business and to correct its mistakes before others joined the fray. Since then Wal-Mart has entered several overseas markets. While Wal-Mart has succeeded in some markets, it has encountered major challenges in others.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• 0

Keywords

Wal-Mart, Sam Walton, Globalization, International business, World's Biggest Retailer, Global Expansion, Super centers and SAMS Clubs