沃尔玛供应链管理分析

沃尔玛供应链管理分析一、1、沃尔玛取得的成就以及发展SCM的现状二、1、沃尔玛供应链管理的优点和缺点三、1、和国美的供应链管理相比较四、1、总结一沃尔玛公司由美国零售业的传奇人物山姆·沃尔顿先生于1962年在阿肯色州成立。经过四十多年的发展，沃尔玛公司已经成为美国最大的私人雇主和世界上最大的连锁零售商，多次荣登《财富》杂志世界500强榜首及当选最具价值品牌，目前，沃尔玛在全球15个国家开设了超过8,400家商场，下设55个品牌，员工总数210多万人，每周光临沃尔玛的顾客2亿人次。2014年销售额达4673亿美元，位居世界五百强之首。 ACaseStudyofWalmart’s“Green”SupplyChainManagementAdamHeyingWhitneySanzeroMGT520OperationsManagementProfessorJimConstandMay4,2009Page|1SummarySupplychainmanagementhasbeenthecornerstonetoWalmart’ssuccessandremainstheirprimarycompetitiveadvantageintheretail/departmentstoreindustry.Theirdistributionsystemisgenerallyregardedasthemostefficientandtheyhaveanapproachtosupplychainmanagementthathaslongemphasizedvisibilitythroughthesharingofinformationwiththeirsuppliers.AlthoughtherearehundredsoflogisticalfunctionswhichallowWalmarttobethepriceandlogisticsleader,thefocuswillbeprimarilyonthecompany’snewlyadoptedstrategyofmakinglogisticalprocesses“green”andmoreenvironmentallyconscious.AccordingtotheSupplyChainManagementReview,WalmartCEOLeeScottcommittedthecompanytothreeambitiousgoals:tobesupplied100percentbyrenewableenergy;tocreatezerowaste;andtosellproductsthatsustainWalmart’sresourcesandtheenvironment.Walmart’s14SustainableValueNetworks,theNetwork’sstructure,new“green”logisticstechnologies,andadditionalfutureinitiativeswillbeconsideredalongwithcounterargumentswhichsuggestthatWalmart’sgreeninitiativeissimplyunsustainable.Themainstickingpointseemstobethesameonethathaslongheldbacktheadoptionofbetterlightbulbs,homesolarpanels,orhybridcars.Upfrontcostsareunavoidable;andthepromiseofpotentialsavingsdowntheroaddoesnotresonatewithconsumers,orsmallerWalmartsuppliers,thesamewayitdoeswithbigcorporations.Sothat’sthebigquestion:HowmuchwillWalmartinvestingreentechnologiesnowtocleanupitsactdowntheroad?IntroductionWalmarthasundergonemanygrowthstagessinceSamWaltonfirstdecidedtobethebestretailerintheworld.Hisinitialstrategywastotargetlow-incomefamiliesinruralareasbyofferingsignificantlylowercosts.WhenDavidGlasstookoverin1988,Walton’smissionwastrulyrealizedthroughtheuseoftechnologyindistributionandsupplychainlogistics,whichallowedWalmarttheopportunitytocutcostsandlowerpricesforendusers.LeeScotttookthereinsin2000tosteerWalmarttowardsustainability.Scott’sbusinessmodeltostrengthensupplychainmanagementprocessesby“goinggreen”wasastrategicdecisionthatpositivelyimpactedWalmart’sgrowth,distributiontechniques,andcorporateidentity.Hisknowledgeofdistributionsystemsandpushforsustainabilityhastransformedthecompanyintoaneco-friendlypowerhousethatcontinuestocutcostsandremainatthefrontierofdistributionsystemstechnology.BackgroundWalmartleadershiphasdonewelltoputtherightpeopleintherightseatsonthebustodrivethecompanyforward.FounderandoriginalWalmartCEOSamWaltonstrategicallychosehissuccessorDavidGlasstoleadthecompanyin1988ArtTurockclaimsthat“themostimpactfuldecisionSamWaltonmadeduringhisreignwastoselectanddevelopsuccessorsequippedtoleadWalmarttothenextlevelofcomplexity”(Turock,2004).From1988to1999,CEODavidGlasstransformedthecompanyfromjustaretailerintoaretaildistributor,usingtechnologytodevelopWalton’soriginalgoalwhilestayinginlinewithhiscorevalues.WhileSamWaltonbuilthisstrategyonlowpricestothemasses,CEODavidGlassenhancedhisgrowthstrategythroughtheuseoftechnology.SophisticatedtechnologyboostedsupplyoperationssuchthatWalmart’sefficientretailstoresbecamethemanifestationofafastandflawlessdistributionbusiness.WhenGlasssucceededWalton,hebelievedthat“technologywouldultimatelydrivethisbusinesstobethesizethatitis”whichwasthefundamentaldifferencethatsethisapproachapartfromthatofWalton’s(Turock,2004).Thelate80sand90sbeganatechnologyboom,withthecomputerindustrymakingrapidadvancements.Glassidentifiedthisasastrategicopportunitytoenhancebusinessanddistributionatanearlystageindevelopment.EmphasizingvisibilitythroughthePage|3sharingofinformationwithsuppliers,Glassreframedthecompanystrategyintermsofhowtobethelow-costoperatorandlow-costleaderbyfocusingonlogisticsanddistribution.Amoreadvanceddistributionsystemwouldmoveproductfasterandmoreefficiently,allowingWalmarttomaximizeuseoftheirsuppliersaswellasinternaldistributionlines.Glassusedcuttingedgetechnologytocreatealogisticalcompetitiveadvantagein“anindustrywithhighvolume,inelasticpricing,fragmentedmarketshare,andinefficientdistribution”(Turock,2004).BecauseofDavidGlass’work,Walmart’ssupplychainanddistributionsystemisnowregardedasthemostefficientandremainstheirprimarycompetitiveadvantageintheretailindustry.GoingGreenRequirementsLeeScotttookcontrolofWalmartin2000withanewlyadoptedstrategyofmakinglogisticalprocessesmoreeconomicallyfriendly.“Green”logistics,atitscore,meansimplementingasystemthatcanindependentlymonitoroverseassupplierstomakesuretheymeetsocialandenvironmentalstandards.Thoughthepushforbecomingenvironmentallyfriendlyisimportant,aglobalcompanylikeWalmartmustconsiderthetransformation’seffectonthebottomline.LeeScottsawthetwogoalsasintertwined:“beingagoodstewardoftheenvironmentandbeingprofitablearenotmutuallyexclusive.Theyareoneandthesame”(MSNBC,2005).Scottprovidedanexamplebycalculatingthatimprovingfuelmileageefficiencyinthetruckingfleetbyonemilepergallonwouldsavemorethan$52millionperyear.ThemovetowardsustainabilityalsointegratedCorporateSocialResponsibility(CSR)intoWalmart’sbusinessmodel.Ideally,thisCSRpolicywouldfunctionasabuilt-inself-regulatingmechanismwhereWalmartcouldmonitorandensuretheiradherencetolaws,ethicalstandards,andinternationalnorms.ThisCSRpolicywouldbeawayforthecompanytoembraceresponsibilityfortheimpactoftheiractivitiesontheenvironment,consumers,employees,communities,stakeholdersandallothermembersofthepublicsphere.TheNextLevel,Walmarthasattemptedgreeninitiativesbefore,butScott’splanisdifferentandhasthepotentialforsuccessbasedonmanyreasons.Inthepast.Walmartdealtwithenvironmentalissuesdefensivelyratherthancooperatively,proactively,andasopportunitiesforprofit.In1989inresponsetolettersfromcustomersaboutenvironmentalconcerns,thecompanylaunchedacampaigntoconvinceitssupplierstoprovideenvironmentallysafeproductsinrecyclableorbiodegradablepackaging.However,thislarge-scaleeffortwasmetwithsomeskepticismfromcommentatorswhobelievedthatitwasintendedtogeneratebenefitsforWalmartattheexpenseofitssuppliers.Nevertheless,thecompanydidearnsomegoodwillamongenvironmentalistsasthefirstmajorretailertospeakoutinfavoroftheenvironment.Whenvendorsclaimedtheyhadmadeenvironmentalimprovementstoproducts,Walmartbeganpromotingtheproductswithgreen-coloredshelftags.ItshouldbenotedthatalthoughWalmartpromotedtheseproducts,thecompanydidnotactuallymeasureormonitortheimprovements.Regardless,thecompanysoldasmanyas300productswithgreentagsatonepoint.Bytheearly1990s,thegreentagprogramdisappearedaltogether,andenvironmentalissuesslippedoffoftheWalmart’slistofstrategicpriorities.ThenewsustainabilitystrategyneedstobedeeplyembeddedinWalmart’soperationsandsupplychainmanagementtomeettheambitiousgoalssetin2005.InthewordsofLeeScott,“Werecognizedearlyonthatwehadtolookattheentirevaluechain.Ifwehadfocusedonjustourownoperations,wewouldhavelimitedourselvesto10percentofoureffectontheenvironmentandeliminated90percentoftheopportunitythat’soutthere”(Plamback,2007).Walmart’sleadershipmustthereforeevaluatetheentirevaluechainasameansofimplementingsustainabilitythroughdistributionsystems.CreatingmetricsforanalysisisparamounttoWalmart’sabilitytomonitorcorporateoperationsandglobalsupplierstobeabletosupporttheirrealeffortsforimprovementwithsubstantialdata.AmbitiousGoalsInlate2005,WalmartPresidentandCEOLeeScottgavehisfirstpresentationbroadcasttoover1.5millionemployeesinover6,000storesandeachofitssuppliers.HelaidoutadetailedsummaryregardingWalmart’snewsustainabilityinitiativetomakeapositiveimpactandgreatlyreducetheimpactofWalmartontheenvironmentinordertobecomethe“mostcompetitiveandinnovativecompanyintheworld”(Plambeck,2007).Inhisspeech,LeeScottlaidoutthreeveryambitiousgoalsinwhichhevowedWalmartwould:1.Besupplied100percentbyrenewableenergyintheverynearfuture2.Createzerowaste3.SellproductsthatsustainWalmart’sresourcesandtheenvironmentClearly,Walmartistryingtodifferentiateitselfinanareawhereitwasonceconsideredalaggard.EvensomeoftheharshestWalmartcriticshavestartedtoagreethatthecompanyhasbeguntomakegoodonitspromises.Obviously,thesegoalscanseemoverlyambitioustomost,buttheyshouldnotseeminconceivableconsideringWalmart’spastsuccesswithseeminglyun-reachablegoals.ThethreegoalswerejustanintroductiontoMr.Scott’sspeech.Healsodiscussedthefollowinggoals:1.IncreasefuelefficiencyinWalmart’struckfleetby25percentoverthreeyearsanddoublingitwithin10years2.Reducegreenhousegasesby20percentin7years3.Reduceenergyuseatstoresby30percentin7years4.CutsolidwastefromU.S.storesandSam’sClubsby25percentinthreeyears.5.Buyingdiesel-electricandrefrigeratedtruckswithapowerunitthatcouldkeepcargocoldwithouttheenginerunning,savingnearly$75millioninfuelcostsandeliminatinganestimated400,000tonsofCO2pollutioninoneyearalone6.Makingafive-yearverbalcommitmenttobuyonlyorganicallygrowncottonfromfarmers,andtobuyalternatecropsthosefarmersneedtogrowbetweencottonharvests.Lastyear,thecompanybecametheworld'slargestbuyeroforganiccotton7.Promisingby2011toonlycarryseafoodcertifiedwildbytheMarineStewardshipCouncil,agroupdedicatedtopreventingthedepletionofoceanlifefromoverfishing.8.Buying(andselling)12weeks'worthofRestrictionsonHazardousSubstances(RoHS)-compliantcomputersfromToshiba.Althoughthismayseemlikeaverylargelistforacompanytoaccomplish,eachoftheseareattainableandplaceWalmartinagreatcompetitivepositionforthefuture.SustainableValueNetworksWhileWalmartisbuildingvalueaddednetworksofgovernmentagencies,nonprofits,employeesandsuppliersto“green”itssupplychains,thecompanyisusinganetworkapproachtoloweroverallcarbonandenvironmentalfootprintinordertoincreaseprofitabilitywhileincreasingmargins.ForyearsWalmarthasbeennarrowlyfocusedonoperationsandsupplychains,growth,andprofits.Recently,Walmartreachedouttoexternalstakeholderstotryanddevelopareasofmaximumenvironmentalimpactandidentifykeynetworkswhichwouldhelpachievethesegoals.Inreturnforparticipatinginthesevalue-addednetworks,participantswouldreceiveinformationaboutaswellasasayinWalmart’soperations.TylerElm,Walmart’sseniordirectorofcorporatestrategy,andAndrewRuben,Walmart’svicepresidentofcorporatestrategyandbusinesssustainability,directedWalmart’snetworkleadersto,“deriveeconomicbenefitsfromimprovedenvironmentalandsocialoutcomes”(Elm,2007).“It’snotphilanthropy,”headds.AccordingtoaStanfordSocialInnovationReview,“Bytheendofthesustainabilitystrategy’sfirstyear,thenetworkteamshadgeneratedsavingsthatwereroughlyequaltotheprofitsgeneratedbyseveralWalmartSupercenters”(Denend,2008).BelowisalistofWalmart’ssustainablevaluenetworksandhowthecompanyplanstoaccomplisheachofthemainthreegoals:AtthecenterofthebusinesssustainabilitystrategypursuedbyWalmartisashiftfromgeneratingadditionalvaluethroughprice-basedinteractions,relationshipswithnonprofits,suppliers,andotherstakeholders.Throughtheabovenetworks,Walmartisgainingasystemperspectivewhichhelpsretailersfindwaystoaddressenvironmentalissues.Inexchangeforthesesuppliersaddressingtheissues,nonprofitnetworkmembersgainhugeleapstowardstheirPoverallmissionsbecauseofthescaleoftheoperationsatWalmart.SuppliersalsoenjoynotonlythestabilitythatmoreintimaterelationshipswithWalmartbrings,butalsotheguidanceandsupportfromWalmart’snonprofitpartners.TheWalmartsustainabilitystrategynodoubtlookstobeofftoapromisingstart;theymustnotbecomecomplacentandmustpress-oncarefullyinordertomakethesenetworkssustainableandabletoexpandwithoutinterruption.Thefirstthingtheyneedtodoismanagethesepartnershipscarefullyinordertokeepcostsdown.Theyalsoneedtobeabletomanagethebalancebetweenoffering“green”andconventional“non-green”productsinitsstores.Finally,becauseoftheveryhighnumberofnonprofitsinthenetwork,Walmartmustmanagethelossofthesepartnerships.Individualgroupsmaybeunabletogetcreditforalargereductiononenvironmentalimpact.Overtime,thesegroups’inabilitytobeabletodemonstratetheirimpactmaycausesomeproblemswiththeirfundraisingbecausedonorswilldemandmoreandmoredataontheirperformance.Theseproblemscouldeventuallycausethenonprofitgroupstowithdrawalfromthenetworks.Counter-ArgumentstoWalmartGoingGreenWhilesomestakeholdersandmanagementbecomeincreasinglyconfidentaboutthenewsustainabilityinitiatives,historydictatesthatthereisreasontoworry.ManycriticsarguethatWalmart’sgreeninitiativeissimplyunsustainable.Aswithmanycompaniesattemptingtomaketheirbusinessstrategymore“green”,upfrontcostsbecomeunavoidableandaresimplynotworththeinvestment.Walmartwillneedtospendinupwardsof$500millionperyearinordertoachievethegoalsmentionedearlierinthestudy.Thepromiseofpotentialsavingsdowntheroaddoesnotresonatewithconsumers,orsmallerWalmartsuppliers,thesamewayitdoeswithbigcorporations.However,itisimportanttonotethatLeeScottstatedin2007,“TangibleprofitsgeneratedbyWalmart'ssustainabilitystrategyinthefirstyearofimplementationwereroughlyequivalenttotheprofitsfromseveralWalmartSuperCenters.”Intangiblebenefits,suchaspublicgoodwillandimprovedassuranceofsupply,areworthmuchmoretotheretailerthantheprofitsgeneratedthefirstyearofimplementation.AsWalmartattemptstoscaleupnetworksandimproveupon“green”initiatives,companyfacesthreepossibleobstacles:1.IncreasedCosts2.ASub-OptimalProductAssortment3.CriticismofFactoryLaborConditions.Walmartmusttakethesechallengesseriouslybecausepublicreputationisonthelineasitmakesmoreandmorepromisestothepublic.Withincreaseddependenceonalimitednumberofselectedsuppliers,Walmartalsomayfacerisingpricesfromthenarrowsupplybase,especiallyintimesoflimitedresources.Also,withfewersuppliersWalmartmaymissoppor