In 2015 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the world’s largest retailer, faced several strategic challenges. The company had just been ranked number one on the Fortune 500 list, but same-store sales in the United States had barely been growing for the past six years. International expansion had turned out to yield uneven results, and Wal-Mart lagged in online sales. To foster continued growth, the company was considering a strategic shift: looking outside the store's traditional customer base to attract more upscale consumers. Wal-Mart's past efforts to move upscale had not been successful. What are the strategic risks and benefits of the company's latest efforts to improve sales?

摘要
2008年，沃尔玛百货有限公司（Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.）面临一项艰巨的战略性挑战。沃尔玛在上一年高居《福布斯》500强榜首，但它在美国的同店销售额增速却在下降，在国际市场上的销售业绩充其量也只能说忽高忽低。鉴于实施地域扩张的机会已经有限，公司管理层在考虑瞄准更高端的消费市场。尽管公司拥有核心竞争优势保驾护航，但这种战略转变将会带来怎样的风险和收益呢？