Wal-Mart as Investment Opportunity in an Age of Labor Disruption

Paula Souza, a researcher at Cornerstone Capital Group, was considering the disruptive forces buffeting the retail sector, including wage pressure from a newly invigorated labor movement, the rise of Amazon as an e-commerce juggernaut, and the potential of automation to improve operational efficiency and the customer experience. In response to these forces, Souza considers what consumer strategies Wal-Mart is likely to pursue in light of these forces: a convenience strategy or an experience strategy. In this case, students are asked to reflect on the impact that strategy would have on the company's long-term value as an investment—and whether Wal-Mart's long-held success as a retail behemoth would continue.