US retail giant Wal-Mart, which is entering cash and carry business in partnership with Bharti Enterprises in India, said it will increase IT staffing in the country.
NEW DELHI: US retail giant Wal-Mart, which is entering cash and carry business in partnership with Bharti Enterprises in India, said on Wednesday it will increase IT staffing in the country to support its global operations.
Wal-Mart Stores would expand staffing of some elements of IT application maintenance and development with some of India's leading information technology firms, the company said in a statement without naming the firms.
Hundreds of new positions in Northwest Arkansas this year would be hired, it added.
"Today IT is truly a global business and as we deepen our relationship with India it only made sense that we take advantage of the 24-hour development cycle that India offers," said Wal-Mart Stores Inc Vice Chairman Michael T Duke.
India is one of several countries that the company is targeting as part of its remote sourcing model for IT activities, it said.
The global expansion would encompass projects that range from the tactical to the strategic in order to provide necessary support for the company's growing business around the globe, the statement said.
"By leveraging global talent and 'following the sun' to take advantage of every hour of the day, we can deliver IT solutions to Wal-Mart's global businesses more quickly and efficiently," Wal-Mart Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Rollin Ford said.
He said as the company's remote sourcing model continued to evolve, Wal-Mart was pleased with the expertise of its business partners in India and the country would clearly be a key strategic partner given its impressive IT capability.
Last year Wal-Mart had signed a joint venture agreement with Bharti Enterprises for cash and carry business, which expected to open 10-15 wholesale facilities and employ approximately 5,000 people over the next seven years.
A typical facility would stand between 50,000 and 100,000 square feet and sell a wide range of fruits and vegetables, groceries and staples, stationery, footwear, clothing, consumer durables and other general merchandise items to retailers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}