Walmarts International Market Entry Strategies: Benefits and Challenges

As the ongoing process of internationalization, there are more and more emerging multinational corporations (MNCs) who seek for international expansion. The first step of going global is to choose a proper entry mode to enter the foreign market. Walmart, a US-based multinational leader in retailing, has expanded its global presence into 19 countries over the past several decades. This article analyzes several entry strategies of Walmarts international expansion, including joint ventures, acquisitions, and wholly owned subsidiaries. This study combines real cases and data to evaluate each entry strategy utilized by Walmart and their benefits and shortages. The research is based on an inductive approach by the use of secondary data, and utilized Perlmutters EPRG Model, as well as the international strategic management mindsets. Walmarts international entries show the benefits and challenges for each entry mode, which instructs MNCs international expansion decisions according to their own resources and capabilities as well as the host country conditions.