Walmart
Running head: Walmart Information Systems
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Walmart Information Systems Research Project-Group2 CIS 511 Fall 2011 Amber Slemmons, Brooke Williams, Cheri Evans, Ismael Molina, & Wesley Belz
Walmart Information Systems Walmart Information Systems Executive Summary:
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Walmart, the billion dollar retail giant, has grown significantly over the past five decades, incorporating numerous different types of information systems into their daily operations. The company is well recognized for their innovation when it comes to utilizing the latest technologies and information systems to maximize their profitability. Information systems structures and processes play a critical role in Walmart’s success and today they are bringing that innovative spirit to the market as they move toward full implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). This technology allows for Walmart’s operations to function efficiently and effectively as they are capable of sending and receiving real time data to the networks. By doing so they are able to communicate the information to the retailer and the product manufactures making it possible for Walmart to remain competitive in the retail industry by properly controlling its inventories. This report will explain how Walmart has utilized several information systems throughout the course of its history such as: point of sale, satellite communication systems, data warehouses, retail link systems, electronic data interchange (EDI), and most recently web bases platforms, but none are as innovative as RFID (Wailgum, 2007). This technology was previously tested by the U.S. Air Force to try and reduce labor costs and allow management to make better decisions based on more accurate information regarding tracking packages/inventories (Roberti, 2004). This technology in the hands of the retail giant will allow for more up to date accurate information to flow through the networks to management so that they can reduce costs and increase
1
Walmart Information Systems Research Project-Group2 CIS 511 Fall 2011 Amber Slemmons, Brooke Williams, Cheri Evans, Ismael Molina, & Wesley Belz
Walmart Information Systems Walmart Information Systems Executive Summary:
2
Walmart, the billion dollar retail giant, has grown significantly over the past five decades, incorporating numerous different types of information systems into their daily operations. The company is well recognized for their innovation when it comes to utilizing the latest technologies and information systems to maximize their profitability. Information systems structures and processes play a critical role in Walmart’s success and today they are bringing that innovative spirit to the market as they move toward full implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). This technology allows for Walmart’s operations to function efficiently and effectively as they are capable of sending and receiving real time data to the networks. By doing so they are able to communicate the information to the retailer and the product manufactures making it possible for Walmart to remain competitive in the retail industry by properly controlling its inventories. This report will explain how Walmart has utilized several information systems throughout the course of its history such as: point of sale, satellite communication systems, data warehouses, retail link systems, electronic data interchange (EDI), and most recently web bases platforms, but none are as innovative as RFID (Wailgum, 2007). This technology was previously tested by the U.S. Air Force to try and reduce labor costs and allow management to make better decisions based on more accurate information regarding tracking packages/inventories (Roberti, 2004). This technology in the hands of the retail giant will allow for more up to date accurate information to flow through the networks to management so that they can reduce costs and increase
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