Research Proposal

Research Proposal
Jeannie Tillery
STR/581
October 14, 2013
Professor Wallace

Research Proposal
The purpose of this paper is to outline the research approach that will be used for Wal-Mart’s Strategic Plan.   This plan will ensure that the organization’s vision, mission, people strategies, and values are in alignment.   The following paragraphs will identify and discuss the sources that will be used to perform external and internal environmental analyses.
Vision, Mission, and Values
Wal-Mart’s vision statement is “to give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people” (“Examples of Vision Statements”, n.d.).   Wal-Mart’s mission statement is “to help people save money so they can live better” (“Is the Walmart Mission Statement a Good One!”, n.d.).   According to New Charter University 2013,
“Mission and vision both relate to an organization’s purpose and aspirations, and are typically communicated in some form of brief written statements.   A mission statement communicates the organization’s reason for being and how it aspires to serve its key stakeholders.   The vision statement is a narrower, future-oriented declaration of the organization’s purpose and aspirations.   Together, mission and vision guide strategy development, help communicate the organization’s purpose to stakeholders, and inform the goals and objectives set to determine whether the strategy is on track.”
 
Wal-Mart has values that help guide their decisions and leadership.   These values are “the 3 Basic Beliefs:   Respect for the Individual, Service to our Customers, Striving for Excellence” (Walmart, n.d.).   These values represent Wal-Mart’s beliefs in which they are emotionally invested.
External and Internal Environmental Analysis
“A SWOT analysis is a comprehensive look at a company’s strengths and weaknesses, or internal factors, as well as external factors it faces in the market” (Suttle, n.d.).   When a SWOT analysis is used in a business plan it helps the...