WALGREENS

The International Culture of Walgreens

Walgreens is an American based pharmacy store that now operates in more than 25 countries. It provides medications, prescriptions, and other related health products. The pharmacy operations are both retail and wholesale all over the world (Bells, 2017). It came into being after a merger of Walgreens and Alliance Boots in 2014. The mergers opened ways to international market entry. The retail business is now in 11 countries, and the wholesale distribution network is seen in 19 countries. Within the US, there are over 8,100 stores and even more than 4,500 outside the region. The huge presence of Walgreens' stores can be seen in California, Florida, and Texas as 633, 831, and 713, respectively.

The US has turned out to be the most lucrative market for Walgreens that has provided more than 70 percent of its sales. The international retail sales were $13.3 billion during 2016, and the wholesale ones were $20.2 billion during the same year. As the company has been able to earn huge profits outside the United States, it means it encompasses employees from all over the world. There is an extremely diversified workforce that belongs to different cultures and backgrounds. The international culture outside the main region, which is the US, has its characteristics.

Walgreens has strived for a strong value system shared by various communities across foreign countries to maintain its market image. Each employee has worked hard to work together with each other by respecting cross-cultural attributes so that optimized work performance is achieved. Fairness and equality were the two criteria for this multinational company's foundations were based on its founders decades ago (Walgreens, 2013). Commitment and passion are evident qualities of its international culture so that they are passed onto the customers, patients, communities of various countries in the standard manner globally.

A diverse and inclusive work environment is observed within the company since it would be impossible to engage employees from various cultures for serving in numerous states without it. A work environment is maintained such that it fosters encouragement and dedication for the culturally diversified workers so that they provide the best of their performance. Research has deduced that employee engagement and inclusiveness are closely related since highly engaged workers would produce better outcomes with their diversified and distinct ideas following company values (Itam & Bagali, 2018). If they feel a connection with the company and its goals, they would only be able to provide...…at all levels eliminates any cultural or diversity barriers within the organization, as that would certify the company's market success. Global workplaces demand better communications so that cultural issues within the firm could be solved, and human capital could be managed in a globalized economy (Okoro & Washington, 2012). If workplace diversity and its implications are ignored, it can create havoc for its overall business goal performance. Walgreens knows that inter-cultural needs should be tackled suitably so that a healthy working environment is created and sustained.

International markets mean the suppliers and customers are diversified too. One of the ways to achieve best practices management throughout countries was to gain supplier diversity. Walgreens approached small businesses and women-owned enterprises in 2012. The firm has focused on purchasing assorted products from these suppliers and serves as mentors and partners to promote entrepreneurial spirit and economic progress.

The international culture of Walgreens has been developing over time, and with globalization, the company still intends to provide medical products to the countries. It has strategically planned the involvement of culturally diversified employees to remain closely informed of customers' cultural practices from the targeted markets worldwide. The firm needs to concentrate on employee welfare to meet their differentiated needs for international pharmacy growth. Keeping…