Discussion Responses

Two responses to discussion board posts. If you want to include sources you can, but they are not a requirement. Requirements. Each response must be at least two paragraphs with at least 10 sentences. These responses should go beyond simple agreement or disagreement with the original post. Instead, they should add new insights to the ongoing discussion, contributing to a more robust and engaging conversation. Write in third person. The discussion is not about your own opinion unless you will be sharing your own experiences. If it must be your own opinion, you must have formed it based on the outside influences. In other words, you must trace back to the original idea and cite your reference in APA style. Each paragraph should have at least one reference. Discussion Post 1. Walmart is one of the largest retail stores, if not the largest, in the United States. Walmart offers a multitude of products at a lower price than competitors. With the company's success in the United States, global expansion was the next step in its business plan. In order to compete amongst other retail stores in the United States, global expansion was the only option. (Dumortier, 2013). Offering its products worldwide via physical stores and online were possibilities to send Walmart into the largest retailer in world's position. Walmart plans to have doubled their gross merchandise volume in foreign countries by 2028. (Cavale, 2023). Gross merchandise volume is a monetary measure of goods sold over a period of time. Walmart's current gross merchandise volume is over 100 billion dollars. Walmart's business strategy is that of the omni-channel strategy, comprising of retail services, delivery, and much more. With this strategy, Walmart has control over most aspects of the products sold to consumers. Walmart is currently located in 19 foreign countries. In 2020, Walmart sold its Asda subsidiaries in the United Kingdom. (Shoulberg, 2020). This was a major bust for the company's future endeavors in the United Kingdom and other potential foreign countries. Walmart has struggled to find the balance of appreciating other countries' cultures, while also maintaining the Walmart brand. Walmart has succeeded in Mexico but has failed to make waves in other continents. Walmart has the potential to reach its goal of doubling gross merchandise volume, but a different entry strategy and more diversity will be the only way to achieve it. Dumortier, A. (2013, November 25). 3 Reasons Wal-Mart Went "International" With Its New CEO. The Motley Fool. 3 Reasons Wal-Mart Went "International" With Its New CEO | The Motley Fool Links to an external site. Cavale, S. (2023, June 2). Walmart reiterates goal of doubling international gross merchandise in five years. Reuters. Walmart reiterates goal of doubling international gross merchandise in five years | Reuters Links to an external site. Shoulberg, W. (2020, July 28). Will Walmart Ever Be Successful Overseas?. Forbes. Will Walmart Ever Be Successful Overseas? (forbes.com) Links to an external site. Discussion Post 2. Facebook is a social networking site that allows people from across the world to connect with each other through media posts and direct messaging. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg and launched in 2004. Its initial goal was to connect people on Harvard’s campus, where Zuckerberg went to college, but quickly grew into a multinational corporation that now connects people globally. There are now around three billion users worldwide with only 5.74% of those being in the United States (Shepherd, 2024). But how did it get to this point? The initial business strategy of Facebook was to target colleges in the United States. It would be used as a method of communication and connection between students at each school. Zuckerberg continued to expand and reach out to students across the US to use the website. As it continued to grow, he began to target colleges outside of the United States in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and even high schools in the UK and Ireland (Boyd, 2019). The vision Facebook shared with students was of building stronger communities on campuses outside of the classroom. The main method they relied on for it to spread was word of mouth from one student to the next. It was promoted as a virtual realm where people could experience the same connection they would feel if they were right next to them. As personal computers became more popular, it was feasible that everyone would have access to the site. Fast-forward to present day, Facebook is used by over one-third of the human population and can be utilized by anyone who has access to the internet. Its business strategy has a strong focus on ad revenue. In 2023, Facebook made over $150 million in ad revenue which contributed to an entire shift of the landscape of digital media across all platforms (Mosby, 2023). Facebook’s ability to adapt and accommodate to the constantly changing social media landscape is a testament to their immense success. What was once a website that aimed to connect students at universities has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Mosby, A. (2023, December 26). Facebook ad revenue from 2009-2024 (Data & Stats). Yaguara. https://www(dot)yaguara(dot)co/facebook-ad-revenue/#:~:text=Facebook%20Ad%20Revenue%3A%20General%20Statistics&text=In%202022%2C%20Facebook%20generated%20around,of%20the%20Facebook%20ads%20revenue. Boyd, J. (2019, January 25). The history of Facebook: From basic to global giant. Brandwatch. https://www(dot)brandwatch(dot)com/blog/history-of-facebook/ Shepherd, J. (2024, February 8). 33 essential facebook statistics you need to know in 2024. https://thesocialshepherd(dot)com/blog/facebook-statistics