Reflection on the Research Paper - Essay Example

The research was not easy. I found it difficult because as I was researching the causes of Wal-Mart's failure and relating it to theory, I discovered that there were more causes and theoretical explanation than could possibly fit into the given word count. It was then that I realized that in this assignment we were probably being tested on our ability to isolate the more important causes for failure, as in the root causes, as opposed to listing all those identified.The difficulty encountered and the realization I made as a result were important learning experiences.

This is because, as I was reading through the articles, I made a list of all the cited causes. To be honest, my main concern was the identification of all causes and writing as comprehensive a research as possible. As this strategy turned out to be incorrect, I had to reread the articles with a different purpose in mind - the identification of the root causes. As none of the articles accessed or handed out as part of our class readings outlined the root causes for the failure of retail chain internationalization projects, I had to reflect upon the various causes, establish correlations between them, and relate them back to theory.

Not only did doing so give me a deeper understanding of the problems confronting the internationalization of retail chains but, it gave me a better grasp of theory. Accordingly, the very nature of the assignment, and the supposed imbalance between word limit and the vast array of causes for failure, were learning experiences in themselves.As my initial approach had been incorrect, forcing me to reread each article more than once, I gained a greater familiarity with the different writers in the field, to the extent that I was able to compare the worth of each.

While not claiming that any of the writers or theorists whose material we studied lacked substance or value, I personally found the most informative, hence more valuable, to be Brown and Palmer. Both explained the relevant theoretical assertions in both straightforward and comprehensive terms, allowing readers, not only to understand the theories in question but, more importantly to apply them. It was primarily due to Palmer and Brown's articles that I was able to understand, and subsequently apply, the concepts of strategic fit, divestment and the Big Middle to Wal-Mart's failure in Germany.

Indeed, Brown and Palmer, but especially the latter, gave me an understanding of the assignment which I lacked when I started out.As a final thought, I believe that I successfully fulfilled the assignment's objectives. As I interpreted it, the objective was not the identification of the causes of failure but the more important root causes. Similarly, the aim of the assignment was not simply the understanding of the relevant theoretical propositions but the development of the ability to apply theory to real cases.

As a I fulfilled both these objectives, in closing, I can stress that the assignment proved a valuable learning experience.