Organizational Structure

(O.J) Diversity does not just happen. The philosophy that drives diversity at Wal-Mart is a natural extension of our core beliefs: "Respect for the Individual," "Service to the Customer" and "Strive for Excellence" (2006, Walmart.com). Wal-Mart continues to ensure the hiring practices represent the diversity of the communities and increase growth of the percentage of women and minorities in the management ranks. The officers at Wal-Mart also are financially accountable, by tying officer incentive bonuses to the achievement of diversity goals, including mentoring and participation in diverse organizations. The Wal-Mart Corporation does not stop there, they continue to increase the amount of business they do with minority companies, using there size and leverage to create companies of significant size and stature.

To ensure that diversity is maintained through out the company Wal-Mart has established several departments with various functions to carry out the continued values of diversity. The Office of Diversity ensures that diversity is interwoven into Associate programs, placement efforts, supplier relations, philanthropic initiatives, and community engagement. The Office is comprised of the following departments:

"Diversity Initiatives Department provides tools and resources to:

* Aid in the development and advancement of Associates through diversity leadership and mentoring programs

* Increase accountability of leadership's commitment to diversity through the Diversity Goals Program

* Enhance the leadership's knowledge of and visibility in the communities we serve through Good Faith Efforts

* Ensure transparency and equity of advancement opportunities through selection systems" (2006, Wal-Mart.com).

Global Talent Management Department provides integrated talent solutions, which allow Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to achieve business objectives now and for the future. The department includes executive development, global learning solutions and organizational development, corporate learning services, succession planning, and selection strategy. Employment Analysis Department ensures continued equity in our employment practices for all U.S. based associates. The department oversees the U.S. workforce data analysis with a focus on risk assessment specific to adverse impact measurement. In addition, Employment Analysis serves as the People Division Liaison to Employment Practices Advisory Panel.

"Diversity Relations Department establishes and maintains productive, trust-based partnerships with women and minority stakeholder groups, community leaders and suppliers to continually improve Wal-Mart's reputation as a socially responsible enterprise. This group is also responsible for supplier diversity initiatives which are designed to grow and expand a diverse, value-added base of suppliers. In addition, Diversity Relations promotes diversity awareness among Associates through internal communication channels to convey clear and consistent messages regarding Wal-Mart's commitment to diversity. The channels include: the WIRE (Intranet), weekly news service, Home Office notifications, celebrations of cultural heritage months and special programs" (2006, Wal-Mart.com).

(Angel) With the market being intense and competitive in the 21st century, Wal-Mart has continually proven to its competitors worldwide that it maintains the right-sized staff with the precision skills and competence in the every day battle to improve customer service. Although negativity has surfaced during the last several years concerning their behavior toward their employees, Wal-Mart's relations with its vendors and allies has continually showed to be collaborative. By having a flexible organization, it creates a better atmosphere not only to its employees, but to its customers as well. Regardless of the business or the products sold to consumers, businesses must concentrate on leadership. What makes a good leader? Wal-Mart, with it flexible organization, has embedded to all levels of management that it takes more than just charisma to determine the success of any business; it takes passion, love and believing in the mission statement, organizational goal and values to run a business successfully. By continuing to turn customer service into customer satisfaction, it utilizes its flexible organization to improve in the following division: organization, workers skills, and internal/external support systems.

Traditional organizations rarely focus on changing its policies, procedures, its way to earn more profit, and how to better service its customers. On the contrary, Wal-Mart has done what it ever it takes to continue to provide the best customer service, ensure its most important asset are trained and informed with the most current procedures, and, most importantly, ensure they implemented them immediately. Furthermore, in order to promote market responsiveness, businesses must be flexible to the economy in order to adapt to any change it might produce (Jacobsen, 2000). It is rare in the 21st century to encounter organizations that are not flexible in changing their values and goal; however, there are few traditional organizations in the economy that are surviving, but it's only a matter of time when they will close their doors to the public.

In addition to shifting the values, goals and the mission statement, another approach that a flexible organization will reconsider is worker skills. In every organization, regardless of the size, workers are depended to continue working with a positive attitude and enhance their skills to provide better service. If not, workers will eventually cease from working and causing the business thousands of dollars to hire and retrain another potential employee. Traditional organizations are slow to spend funds to better train employees; thus allowing companies like Wal-Mart to dominate the economy with its diverse staff, training seminars, and competitive pay. Because Wal-Mart generates tremendous profits all over the world by providing products that every customer can afford, external support systems are eagerly fighting with other external systems, such as Nike and Colgate, for a chance that Wal-Mart will display their products for consumers to purchase. Nevertheless, every organization should implement or change its organization skill to adapt with the never-ending economy.

(Mike) Over the last few decades the traditional organizational structure has developed into a flat organizational structure in order to be more competitive and fast paced. The Wal-Mart Corporation is one of those organizations that has changed due to