Wal-Mart to Cut Management Role to Simplify Store Operations

Wal-Mart is eliminating a layer of in-store management, part of efforts to simplify operations at the world's largest retailer. The company will cut the role of zone manager and transfer the duties to other managers, Wal-Mart spokesman Kory Lundberg said. The change, affecting about 14,000 employees, is meant to reduce bureaucracy and put more power in the hands of people running Wal-Mart's 4,500 U.S. stores. The company began notifying employees of the decision this month, Lundberg said. Until now, employees in zone-manager positions — generally about six workers per store — had responsibility over several departments.