Enhancing Project Management with Earned Value Management (EVM)
Abstract
<h2>Cover Page and Candidate Declaration Details</h2> <p>Centre name: CTS College</p> <p>Learner’s name: [Anonymized]</p> <p>ABE membership number: 705508</p> <p>Date: 10/11/2025</p> <h2>Organizational Profile and Strategic Positioning of Walmart Inc.</h2> <p>Walmart Inc. is a retail company that is a multinational enterprise founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Bentonville, Arkansas, in the United States. The company is also in the retail and e-commerce industry with a very diverse array of products, including grocery, clothes, electronics, home items, and even pharmaceuticals, sold in its various store formats and online shops (Walmart Inc., 2020). Walmart is the biggest privately operating employer in the world and has operations in over 19 nations and employs in excess of 2.1 million employees all over the planet (Statista, 2024). The main business drivers of the Walmart chain are the notions of cost leadership and everyday low pricing (EDLP), which the company achieves through effective supply chain management, economies of scale, and an extremely advanced system of data-driven logistics (Lamb et al., 2022; Fahreza et al., 2024). Its competitive areas are availability in cost, penetration in its distribution system, and availability in digital interface. Walmart has Amazon, Costco, and Target as the major competitors, and its main customers include individuals in the middle-income and lower-income brackets and value-conscious individuals who require convenience and access to shopping both at the brick-and-mortar stores and online. Walmart also holds the largest share of the global retail market and ranked first on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2024, with total assets exceeding USD 250 billion (Fortune, 2024; Statista, 2024).</p> <h2>Evaluation of Multinational Enterprise Impacts on Host Local Economies</h2> <h3>Employment Generation and Local Workforce Expansion Effects</h3> <p>One of the highest positive economic effects of multinational enterprises (MNEs) is job creation. It will happen when MNEs go abroad and hire local professionals who have a direct and indirect impact on the increase of income and social welfare. Using MNEs, through foreign direct investment (FDI), becomes a way of driving industry workers by encouraging the supply chain (World Bank, 2022). In support of a reduction in unemployment, MNEs' FDI in the global economies created more than 80 million job opportunities in the host economies by 2023 (UNCTAD, 2023). In Mexico, Walmart announced it would invest 2025 US$6 billion to open new stores and distribution centres, which should provide approximately 5,500 new direct employment opportunities (Reuters, 2025). Walmart Canada has said that its operations and supply chains contributed over 170,000 jobs in the years 2018 to 2021 in Canada (Walmart, 2020). These job opportunities lead to an increase in household income, livelihood, and growth in government tax revenues, and are useful in assisting host communities to attain sustainable economic growth and stabilize socially.</p> <h3>Integration of Local Suppliers and Strengthening of Value Chains</h3> <p>Local supplier development can be defined as attempts by an MNE to enroll, educate, and procure from local enterprises, consequently entrenching the host business-country chain of value, enhancing the functioning ability of local firms, and expanding economic advantages. This is enhanced by multinationals using programmes and sourcing strategies, which offer technical assistance, access to the market, and also stable contracts (World Bank, 2022). As an illustration, the Supplier Opportunity project of Walmart Inc. pledged to purchase products and services locally and from small-scale producers globally; in the year 2024, Walmart announced sourcing an additional US$99.5 billion of products and services since 2021 and more than 750,000 new jobs at the same time. Walmart has committed to sourcing US$10 billion of India-made goods annually in India by 2027, which assists the local MSMEs and farmers through its Vriddhi programme (Walmart Inc., 2020).</p> <h3>Labour Standard Pressures and Wage Inequality Concerns</h3> <p>Poor labour conditions and low wages take place because MNCs transfer their pay and labour standards in the supply chains to reduce costs, which is achieved by reducing supplier and worker bargaining power through monopolistic buying power, low lead times, and constrained contracting. Across the world, productivity has long been outpaced by real-wage growth. The example of Walmart demonstrates that this phenomenon occurs: in the United States, its 2023 wage change made the initial pay USD 14–19 per hour on a substantial number of hourly positions (Reuters, 2023). The International Labour Organization claims that real wages have decreased globally (International Labour Organization, 2022).</p> <h3>Environmental Externalities and Sustainability Challenges</h3> <p>The primary adverse externalities that multinational corporations create are environmental pollution and excessive carbon emissions. Walmart has estimated over 400 million metric tons of CO2e emissions produced by its global supply chain in 2023 (Walmart Inc., 2023). Reports also indicate plastic pollution linked to retail packaging (Greenpeace, 2022). These impacts result in biodiversity loss, contamination of waterways, and poor air quality.</p> <h2>Macroeconomic and Institutional Analysis of Vietnam Using PESTLE Framework</h2> <h3>Political Stability and Regulatory Environment Assessment</h3> <p>Vietnam demonstrates relative political stability with pro-investment policies encouraging trade liberalization. Membership in ASEAN provides access to over 680 million consumers (ASEAN Secretariat, 2024). However, governance challenges remain, reflected in a CPI score of 42/100 (Transparency International, 2024).</p> <h3>Economic Growth Dynamics and Consumer Market Expansion</h3> <p>Vietnam’s GDP grew by 5.8% in 2024, driven by manufacturing and consumer demand (World Bank, 2022). The middle class exceeds 40 million consumers, presenting strong opportunities for Walmart’s low-cost model (Statista, 2024).</p> <h3>Socio-Demographic Trends and Consumer Behaviour Patterns</h3> <p>The country has a young population with a median age of 32 and high literacy rates (United Nations, 2024). Increasing urbanization and digital connectivity support retail expansion and e-commerce growth.</p> <h2>Competitive Industry Structure Analysis Using Porter’s Five Forces</h2> <h3>Buyer Power and Pricing Sensitivity in Retail Markets</h3> <p>Vietnamese consumers are highly price-sensitive, increasing buyer power. Large retailers negotiate significant discounts, intensifying competitive pressure (Trading Economics, 2024).</p> <h3>Supplier Power and Market Fragmentation Advantages</h3> <p>Supplier power is low due to fragmentation and the dominance of SMEs. Walmart can leverage this through diversified sourcing strategies.</p> <h3>Substitution Threats from Traditional and Digital Retail Channels</h3> <p>High substitution exists from competitors such as Co.opmart and online platforms like Shopee and Lazada (Retail Asia, 2024).</p> <h3>Barriers to Entry and Regulatory Constraints</h3> <p>High capital requirements and regulatory restrictions reduce the threat of new entrants (ASEAN Briefing, 2024).</p> <h3>Competitive Rivalry and Market Concentration Dynamics</h3> <p>Market rivalry is intense due to dominant players controlling over 55% of the market (Statista, 2024).</p> <h2>Strategic Evaluation of Market Entry Approaches for Vietnam Expansion</h2> <h3>Joint Venture Strategy for Market Penetration and Risk Sharing</h3> <p>A joint venture allows Walmart to collaborate with local firms, sharing risks and leveraging market knowledge. This aligns with regulatory requirements and reduces entry barriers.</p> <h3>Direct E-Commerce Market Entry and Digital Expansion Strategy</h3> <p>E-commerce enables Walmart to enter the market with lower capital investment. Vietnam’s digital economy growth and high internet penetration support this strategy (Thai & Mai, 2023).</p>