Human Resource Strategies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resource Strategies - Case Study Example It has Discount Stores, Supercenters (for one-stop shopping), and Neighborhood Markets (convenience stores). It also operates Sam's Club, America's leading members-only warehouse club (Our Retail Divisions 2007). Being the leader not just in a particular industry but to the whole business world as a whole in terms of revenues is a result of effective policies, plans, and strategies against its competitors. In case of Wal-Mart, their competitive advantage lies on how well and effective they make their principles into reality. Wal-Mart considers its corporate culture as one of the keys for its outstanding success. Walton was able instill his inspiring and motivating beliefs and principles that is being abided and taken by heart by his employees then, until now. Wal-Mart has retained the culture based on tested principles for a successful business and life (The Wal-Mart Culture 2007). The cornerstones by which Wal-Mart stands on are its Three Basic Beliefs. These three main thrust play an important role in decision making and other activities the company does. They are also the standards by which the accomplishments and performances of individual personnel or of the entire organization is measured. Respect the Individual - Wal-Mart believes that they are a group of dedicated, hardworking and ordinary individuals who are united "to make extraordinary things." Being an organization as such is no easy task. One of the essentials of making this happen goal happen is to treat each individual member within and outside the organization with respect and dignity. Service to our Customers - The retail giant knows that they are nothing without their customers. Because of this the company strives to ensure that each of the hard-earned dollar spent by their customers to their service is compensated accordingly by offering quality merchandise at the lowest price while providing outstanding service to them. Strive for Excellence - Wal-Mart's amazing success is a product of innovative and trailblazing ideas and goals that stretch their horizons further. For Walton, it is not enough that Wal-Mart offers low prices or high quality. He believed that striving for excellence by incorporating fresh and innovative ideas that will get them ahead of the pack. Accomplishing a feat is not enough. Complacency is never attained at Wal-Mart as the company takes each accomplishment as a stepping stone for another success. Sustainable improvement is what Walton wants for his organization (Three Basic Beliefs 2007). Sam's Rules for Building Businesses Perhaps still unsatisfied with the brevity of his three basic beliefs, Walton elaborated ten rules that would rev up his business steps higher. Together with the three basic beliefs, he had revealed much of his secrets before his death in April 1992. Commit to your business - The unwavering passion for making the business a phenomenal success is what Walton instilled in the minds and the hearts of his employees. For him the love for work and the desire to excel in it is needed in this fiercely competitive world. Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. - For Walton encouraging his associates to hold a stake in a company is important for them to accompany Wal-Mart in pursuing their dreams. By offering them discounted

The art of war and the illiad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The art of war and the illiad - Essay Example The art of war consists of misdirection and the fluidity of one’s tactics: the use of the mind as a tool of planning for success and the use of the mind as a tool of achieving it. In essence, the law of secrecy and subtly applies in all cases to the battlefield where the battle is not imminent or already in progress. To be invisible and inaudible, as it applies to the senses of sight and sound, are virtues when seeking to acquire a victory in battle. War is, despite common images of bloody and violent battles, a game of deception and misdirection. It is heavily contingent on the acquisition of intelligence, the soundness of one’s planning, and the excellence of one’s execution. The first process, that of the acquisition of intelligence, is perhaps most crucially important. If war is the design of a general, intelligence about his enemy is likely as important as a seeing man’s eyes. A general’s planning guides his men into battle and hopefully to a victory at the end of the day. In most cases, it is the secrecy and subtlety that the general uses to put himself and his army in position to strike that can make all the difference. Attacking places which are not defended, as Sun Tzu, says is the easiest way insuring one’s victory. Similarly, we see methods like these employed by the cunning tactician Odysseus during the course of the Trojan War. In Homer’s Iliad, we find Odysseus and Diomedes acquiring intelligence about a Thracian camp, filled with sleeping soldiers. They get this information from Dolon, who Odysseus promises not to kill. Dolon tells the men about Rhesus: his armor and his horses. Sneakily, the Greeks get into position, ready to attack them as they slumber. Diomedes kills Rhesus and his cohorts: In this passage, Odysseus and Diomedes apply Sun Tzu’s great insight, and attack at will on the sleeping enemy. Book Ten demonstrates the effectiveness of psychological warfare,