http://open.lib.umn.edu/informationsystems/chapter/11-7-data-asset-in-action-tec

Question

http://open.lib.umn.edu/informationsystems/chapter/11-7-data-asset-in-action-technology-and-the-rise-of-wal-mart/

To ansewer the questions, you need to read the articel on the link above

1.List the functions performed by Retail Link. What is its benefit to Wal-Mart?

2.Which supplier metrics does Retail Link gather and report? How is this valuable to Wal-Mart and suppliers?

3.Name the technology that Wal-Mart requires partners to use to track and coordinate inventory. Do you know of other uses for this technology?

4.What steps has Wal-Mart taken to protect its data from competitors?

5.List the criticisms leveled at Wal-Mart. Do you think these critiques are valid or not? What can Wal-Mart do to counteract this criticism? Should it take these steps? Why or why not?

Explanation / Answer

Hi,

1. Retail Link - Whenever any item gets sold. Just after scanning the item as Cash Register, It captures the sale and in background triggers various activity like inventory checking for reordering, the schedule for the replenish and estimate delivery. This enables Wal-Mart to have minimum inventory available at any time.

2. Retail link gathers reports of sales, shipments, returns, purchase orders, invoices, claims and forecasts. This helps supplier to uncover the pattern used by the Wallmart for the sale to increase the supply of products and further to Wal-Mart by dropping prices significantly.

3. Wal-Mart uses Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) to use to track and coordinate the inventory. Other uses of RFID in Credit cards and Debits cards.

4. Wal-Mart shares only sales related data. They never disclose Asset level information to anyone.

5. Criticism - For maintaining low price, they provide subpar wages to the employees which makes Union Activitist complain about them. Poor labour conditions for the contractor manufacturers. is also concern areas. They are two option for them, first not to supply Wal-Mart, in this case, they will miss out a very large chunk of business. The second option is to sell Wal-Mart, by doing so, they will be forced to supply at lesser prices which hampers their margins. They are also accused of ruining mom-and-pop's store.

However, most of the criticism is valid except the mom-and-pop's store. In the market, the organization needs to evolve over the time by using new innovation and means. Since Wal-Mart has spent enough there likewise mom-and-pop's store should also think about those aspects. Wal-mart needs to standardised price by considering wages of the employees and sufficient margin to the suppliers so that every stakeholder should feel content. This will build trustworthiness and connectedness.

Thanks!

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