Wal-Mart was founded in 1962 in Arkansas and has grown to be the largest retailer in the world. It operates over 3,000 stores across 14 countries with over 2 million employees. Wal-Mart has defined principles of respect for individuals, service to customers, and striving for excellence that guide their corporate culture. The company emphasizes putting customers first, with rules that the customer is always right and empowering employees to make decisions that best serve local customers. Wal-Mart has also made significant technology investments to improve the customer experience.