Up against Wal-Mart

The Wal-Mart Dispute Karen Olsson believes that Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer company, under pays their employees for the amount of work they do daily. They do not offer good working conditions for their employees or enough medical benefits to support themselves and their families. Sebastian Mallaby says that Wal-Mart is not wrong for the way that they run their business; he feels as though Wal-Mart does their consumers a favor by keeping the wages low and offering “low prices” (620). It’s just business! They have to do what it takes to remain the world’s top retailer and continue to, “enrich shareholders, and put rivals out of business” (620). Karen Olsson and Sebastian Mallaby both address the topic of big business in today’s economy, but I find Karen Olsson’s argument to be the most persuasive because she has more information and quotes to support her opinion and views of the way that Wal-Mart treats their workers, while Sebastian Mallaby’s article is quite the opposite. Their opinions are very different but they share common interests which are: Wal-Mart, their customers, and their workers. Both writers make it clear to the reader why their topics matter. Looking first at Olsson’s essay, I’m struck by the skillful way she presents the importance of her topic by giving you an example of a Wal-Mart employee who shares her experiences and struggles that she goes through like being under paid and treated badly, in order to appeal to the reader and capture their attention. She also handles her critics well by using a number of different strategies. Instead of shying away from her critics, she backs up her argument with solid material, and research to support her views and opinions of Wal-Mart. Mallaby, on the other hand, presents a argument for middle class families who appreciates Wal-Mart’s “low prices” which is a significant issue in the current conversation about business’ in our culture today. He brings in