Walmart The Main Street Merchant Of Doom Essay

Wal-Mart: The Main Street Merchant of Doom

Synopsis The case “Wal-Mart: The Main Street Merchant of Doom” is a look at the origins of the company Wal-Mart. The case initially portrays Sam Walton as the “hired gun” to help small towns defeat the businesses that take advantage of the lack of purchasing options. Wal-Mart guaranteed their prices would always to low and fair. This was a new concept for the small towns, so they welcomed the company with open arms. The company was greatly successful and grew to an exponential level. Wal-Mart opened thousands of stores across the country and even tapped into other countries abroad. By adopting a real-time computer based inventory system, the company was able to cut overhead and limit employees
They will continue to grow and take every action necessary to do so. The only action I see that will stop this and other situations like it from happening would have to be legislative action. The company should be held accountable for the economic hardship it places on communities and employees. By establishing legislation in which regulates locations and wages the company must adhere to, Wal-Mart will be forced to play by the rules the citizens of this country set for them. Without doing so, citizens are neglected the right to
The issues in this case revolve around social responsibility. Although the company’s initial ideals were based on providing a better alternative to price-fixing local businesses, Wal-Mart has taken the right to choose away from the consumer. Wal-Mart provides a very desirable situation for the consumer that is looking for the lowest prices. But for the employees of the company, which may have no other option but to be employed there, they are not receiving the same consideration. The reduced wages and lack of competitive benefits is a sign of negligence on social responsibility. Wal-Mart also has the power to strip a community of its independence and character. Not only do they strip the community of the businesses that have shaped the community for many years, they create structures that tower over the unique architecture of the community by erecting unsightly and value lowering structures. Can you imagine how hard it is to sell a house that is next door to a Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart attempts to tap into any market that is lacking one of their stores. Establishing stores in communities that lack the infrastructure, building in elite communities, and creating a need where the need is not desired are all examples of Wal-Mart’s socially irresponsible