Question 1
I think Walmart is doing more than enough to become more sustainable. It is quite evident that the company is very serious about becoming more sustainable in the future. Walmart has set goals since 2005 that it has since made considerable effort to meet. The firm aims at reducing the emission greenhouse gases in all its stores. The company has since achieved a 5% decrease in these emissions, as per 2012. This is a huge step towards its 20% target. Walmart also aims at attaining maximum efficiency in all its stores through design and use of prototypes: a target that it has successful achieved (Ferrell and Ferrell, 2012).
Walmart has installed daylight saving infrastructure in its stores hence saving on its energy consumption. Moreover, the store has its own wind turbines that generate 5% of its green energy. The cooling and heating systems have also been controlled so as to reduce the use of fossil fuels in its daily operations. The firm also aims at ensuring sustainable growth of the area in which it is located. It promotes the local economy by ensuring it acquires its products locally. The firm wants to ensure that its products are also sustainable hence it is aiming at creating a database on product lifecycle. This may incorporate the inclusion of green labels on different products. This helps users to know how safe or unsafe the products are. It aims at doing this by liaising with other institutions and NGOS.
Question 2
Walmart has been accused by smaller companies of using predatory pricing as a way of putting competing firms out of business. This is whereby the company attracts most of the buyers through its ridiculously low prices. Law suits have been raised in line with these accusations. However, the company has managed to defend its pricing based on its core objectives of provision of quality and low priced goods to all consumers. Walmart has been accused of disapproving the role of unions and providing low employee benefits. The firm has, however, acted in line with the laws of union so as not to infringe the rights of its employees. The firm also pleaded guilty in 2006 to tax evasion charges and federal wire fraud. However, these are problems that cannot be completely avoided by a company of its esteemed size (Ferrell and Ferrell, 2012).
Walmart has also been accused of massive environmental pollution. It has, however, made several steps to improve on the safety of its effluence. As per 2012, the firm has reduced emission of green house gases by 5%. The firm has also been known to cause an urban sprawl in every city where it is located. It leads to traffic congestion and massive stress of the cities’ infrastructure. Walmart stores lead to wastage of space when abandoned. As such, the firm now opts to open smaller stores in several different stores so as to reduce this problem.
Question 3
The company has been able to remain relevant, even through recessional times, due to its low pricing. The company has a good corporate governance procedure that helps in efficient decision making. Cases of fraud and corruption are treated with profound gravity, and sometimes law suits are raised on accused employees (Rourke, 2007). Accountability of each employee ensures efficiency in work and a strict adherence to work ethics. The company has established stores all over the world in different cities. This has led to consumer loyalty. This means that the firm has a constant demand for its products. This is what has kept it afloat through tough economic and financial times (Ferrell and Ferrell, 2012).
References
Ferrell, O. C., & Ferrell, L. (2012). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases (9.
ed.).Australia: Houghton Mifflin.
Rourke, J. S. (2007). The Business Communication Casebook: A Notre Dame Collection (2nd
ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
