Is Wal-Mart Good for America?
Reflection Paper # 1 – Is Wal-Mart Good for America?
Brandon A. Grossberg
University of Redlands School of Business
“The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point of view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience.”(Walton) This direct quote from Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, was placed at the top of their website to inform its consumers of their general management philosophy. It is meant to instill a feeling of comfort that such an enormous multinational retailer still manages to hold on to its small town founder’s values. Provide people with the lowest possible prices on items that they need, whatever the cost. This slogan of always providing the lowest prices has made Wal-Mart the largest retailer on the planet and they generate billions of dollars in profit annually. But is Wal-Mart good for America? On the surface it would seem that providing a customer with an item at the lowest possible price is a good thing. However, to get a more comprehensive answer to the prevailing question, one must more closely examine the mechanisms by which Wal-Mart is able to provide merchandise at such bargain basement prices. Providing people the lowest possible prices, whatever the cost. In this case, these low prices are being provided at the cost of the environment, Wal-Mart vendors, Wal-Mart employees, and even the American taxpayer. As the “Wal-Martization” of America is forcing businesses to outsource their jobs oversees just to stay solvent, it creates a problem here back home of people not being able to pay their bills and maintain adequate living standards. Is Wal-Mart creating the greatest good for the greatest number? Or
Brandon A. Grossberg
University of Redlands School of Business
“The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point of view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience.”(Walton) This direct quote from Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, was placed at the top of their website to inform its consumers of their general management philosophy. It is meant to instill a feeling of comfort that such an enormous multinational retailer still manages to hold on to its small town founder’s values. Provide people with the lowest possible prices on items that they need, whatever the cost. This slogan of always providing the lowest prices has made Wal-Mart the largest retailer on the planet and they generate billions of dollars in profit annually. But is Wal-Mart good for America? On the surface it would seem that providing a customer with an item at the lowest possible price is a good thing. However, to get a more comprehensive answer to the prevailing question, one must more closely examine the mechanisms by which Wal-Mart is able to provide merchandise at such bargain basement prices. Providing people the lowest possible prices, whatever the cost. In this case, these low prices are being provided at the cost of the environment, Wal-Mart vendors, Wal-Mart employees, and even the American taxpayer. As the “Wal-Martization” of America is forcing businesses to outsource their jobs oversees just to stay solvent, it creates a problem here back home of people not being able to pay their bills and maintain adequate living standards. Is Wal-Mart creating the greatest good for the greatest number? Or