Wall-Mart & Massmart
BUSINESS ETHICS 214 SECOND WRITING ASSIGNMENT 2013
Assignment handed out: Wednesday 10 April
Assignment due: Tuesday 30 April at 12:00 at the Department of Philosophy (Arts Building, room 678, Ms Lizelle Franken)
Writing assignment:
1. Refer to the case study ‘One Nation Under Wal-Mart’ (Shaw, 2005; 2008; 2011 - end of chapter 4). Is Wal-Mart’s rapid rise to retail dominance (as described in the case study) a positive or negative economic development? Motivate your answer at the hand of theoretical arguments provided by Adam Smith and Karl Marx. In other words, which aspects of the Wal-Mart case would Smith and Marx criticize and/or support, and why. (It is not necessary to define their theories in full. Only refer to those facts that are relevant to your analysis.) (30 marks)
2. In 2011, Walmart took over Massmart (South Africa). Describe the nature of the takeover and critically assess the impact of the takeover. In other words, you must describe both the positive and negative dimensions of the takeover. (30 marks)
3. On the basis of your answers to question 1 and 2, briefly describe what the Wal-Mart case tells us about capitalism, globalisation and the plight of workers. (30 marks)
Total: 90 content-based marks plus 10 impression-based marks (See the mark sheet for more information regarding the mark allocation)
Details:
You must co-operate (discuss, plan and write) this essay together in groups of 3-4. Any other configuration (alone, or 2 or 5 in a group, for example) will be penalised.
You can hand in a maximum of 5 A4 pages (Times New Roman, 12 point Font, 1.5 spacing), bibliography, title page, plagiarism declaration, and turn-it-in summary of report excluded.
Bibliography: make sure it is correct and complete.
Title page: provide your own essay title, the subject code, as well as the surnames, initials and student numbers of your group members, in alphabetical order.
Plagiarism
Assignment handed out: Wednesday 10 April
Assignment due: Tuesday 30 April at 12:00 at the Department of Philosophy (Arts Building, room 678, Ms Lizelle Franken)
Writing assignment:
1. Refer to the case study ‘One Nation Under Wal-Mart’ (Shaw, 2005; 2008; 2011 - end of chapter 4). Is Wal-Mart’s rapid rise to retail dominance (as described in the case study) a positive or negative economic development? Motivate your answer at the hand of theoretical arguments provided by Adam Smith and Karl Marx. In other words, which aspects of the Wal-Mart case would Smith and Marx criticize and/or support, and why. (It is not necessary to define their theories in full. Only refer to those facts that are relevant to your analysis.) (30 marks)
2. In 2011, Walmart took over Massmart (South Africa). Describe the nature of the takeover and critically assess the impact of the takeover. In other words, you must describe both the positive and negative dimensions of the takeover. (30 marks)
3. On the basis of your answers to question 1 and 2, briefly describe what the Wal-Mart case tells us about capitalism, globalisation and the plight of workers. (30 marks)
Total: 90 content-based marks plus 10 impression-based marks (See the mark sheet for more information regarding the mark allocation)
Details:
You must co-operate (discuss, plan and write) this essay together in groups of 3-4. Any other configuration (alone, or 2 or 5 in a group, for example) will be penalised.
You can hand in a maximum of 5 A4 pages (Times New Roman, 12 point Font, 1.5 spacing), bibliography, title page, plagiarism declaration, and turn-it-in summary of report excluded.
Bibliography: make sure it is correct and complete.
Title page: provide your own essay title, the subject code, as well as the surnames, initials and student numbers of your group members, in alphabetical order.
Plagiarism