The production, operating, and purchasing for Wal-mart Essay

The production, operating, and purchasing for Wal-mart - Essay Example In the fiscal year 2005, the net worth of Wal-Mart’s sales summed up to $312.43 billion. The strength of Wal-Mart today can be estimated from the fact that more than 1.6 million people all over the world are employed by Wal-Mart, which is 0.2 millions more than the total population of the 39th most populous state i.e. Idaho (Wilbert). Wal-Mart produces everything from processed foods to fabrics, cosmetics, office supplies, paints and furniture. Wal-Mart is undoubtedly a big controller of the world’s economy. Wal-Mart has fundamentally relied upon outsourcing to enhance the profitability of its business. Throughout its history, the company has been purchasing the services of vendors, local or imported, that would provide it with the cheapest services. â€Å"From the beginning, Walton had bought goods wherever he could get them cheapest, with any other considerations secondary. [Walton] increasingly looked to imports, which were usually cheaper because factory workers were paid so much less in China and the other Asian countries† (Ortega cited in Hornblower). In his autobiography written in 1992, Walton wrote, â€Å"Were not interested in charity here; we dont believe in subsidizing substandard work or inefficiency, so our primary goal became to work with American manufacturers, and see if our formidable buying power could help them deliver the goods, and in the process, save some American manufacturing jobs† (Walton cited in Hornblower). Although Wal-Mart has tried to maintain its patriotic image in the media by emphasizing upon the need and its intentions to buy only American services and vendors, yet the fact that it has accommodated external vendors to reduce the expenses and increase the profitability of the business contradicts its own vision and statements. This is the reason why Wal-Mart has been considered good for America by some and bad for America by others. According to the Professor Gary Geffery, Wal-Mart has performed far better as compared to