A Case Study On Wal-Mart's Logistics Operation

Wal-Mart, as the largest commercial retail enterprise in the world, achieved a smooth link of the whole supply chain, improved operational efficiency and ultimately controlled logistics costs by adopting the modern logistics operation system. Wal-Mart's logistics operation system is called the model for retail industry in the world. Meanwhile, Chinese retail industry is launching the most dramatic reform ,especially logistics reform. With the rapid development of Chinese retail industry, its logistics management has also exposed some drawbacks: such as high costs of logistics operation, inefficiency and lack of modern logistics operation system, which has restricted the sustainable development of Chinese retail industry to a certain extent. Learning from Wal-Mart's advanced logistics operation in order to compete with international retail giants is necessay for Chinese retail industry.In this thesis, the background of Wal-Mart's logistics management and its distribution center are introduced firstly. Then the thesis does a comprehensive research on Wal-Mart's advanced logistics operation processes, focusing on the operation of Wal-Mart's distribution center, ordering process, transportation and the corresponding information system support. As can be analyzed from the case study, Wal-Mart's successful expansion depends on its advanced logistics system to some extent. Finally, the enlightenments of Wal-Mart's advanced logistics operation mode for Chinese retail industry were studied. Based on the summarization of characteristics and advantages of Wal-Mart's logistics operation, the thesis demonstrates the application possibility of Wal-Mart's logistics operation system in Chinese retail industry according to current logistcics operation tendency of Chinese retail industry .Meanwhile, from the strategic perspective of logistics, logistics development strategies for Chinese retail industry were explored preliminarily.