" Wal-Mart uses high technology to effectively plan and schedule workers shifts. Currently, Wal-Mart boasts 1.2 million workers throughout the world and has been in existence for 43 years (Grant, 2005) HR departments at the different stores and the management constantly ensure that every store has the optimized number of employees to handle the transactions and sales in the store. In the past retailers had permanent employees. Now, Wal-Mart is increasingly employing part-time workers. As the number of stores increase, the number of employees required also increases. Tracking and managing payrolls over a centralized computer database system has proved to be very beneficial for the company.

Wal-Mart invests time and resources to identify products that are preferred by the customer and offering them at prices much below departmental and specialty stores. "Consumer information should be collected systematically and on a timely basis the recommended time between tracking is shortening as shifts in consumer behavior and erosion in brand loyalty accelerate." (Kardon, 1992) Technology and data mining operations have been used to identify market trends and advantages to ensure that the company does not miss opportunities. The increased use of technology to manage operations has also helped Wal-Mart better understand the variables and the impact that these variables have on the profits that can be generated by the company. Peter Drucker stated that markets are not passive entities beyond the control of the entrepreneur or organization; rather, they are very interlinked. Markets can also be influenced.

Maintaining business intelligence and knowledge is also critical. Retailers that are able to better leverage this intelligence and knowledge can help identify the best methods of entering new markets and gaining market share quickly. Wal-Mart's core competencies...

They have been able to do this by using data mining and warehousing effectively. Data warehousing has been gaining tremendous following in organizations like Wal-Mart. This is because of its ability to help companies streamline their supply chain, improve the information transference, make better decisions and consequently improve the profitability of a brewery or distributor over time. Data warehousing is the first step towards knowledge management in the organization.
A large section of the Wal-Mart's workforce, such as checkout clerks, has limited access to the technology infrastructure used by the company. They are often only taught the necessary skill for the task and have no additional knowledge of the use of technology of the intricate monitoring aspects that the technology offers the company. At the management level, Wal-Mart extensively uses every aspect of the technology systems. Thus they are able to effectively harness the best options and solutions for the company.

Bibliography

Blanchard, Dave. "Countdown to Rfid-Day." Logistics Today 45.12 (2004): 1.

Grant, L. "Wal-Mart Ceo Vows 'Unfiltered Truth.'" USA Today, Money section p. 01b (2005).

Kardon, Brian E. "Consumer Schizophrenia: Extremism in the Marketplace." Planning Review 20.4 (1992): 18-23.

Simchi-Levi, David, Philip Kaminsky, and Edith Simchi-Levi. Designing and Managing the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies, and Case Studies. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2003.

Simonsis, Yolanda. "Wal-Mart: Friend or Foe?" Paper, Film and Foil Converter 78.5 (2004): 6.

Toombs, Patrice, and Bevolyn Williams-Harold. "Diversity in the Retail Industry; Away from the Limelight, Little Sign of Commitment."…