Wal-Mart and Sam Walton

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No two heroes are alike; George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. achieved their statuses in vastly different ways, but nevertheless are both considered idols of their time. Heroes share a unique set of attributes, not a set of actions to be followed in an orderly fashion. A person who is innovative, fearless, and determined to succeed, in any field, has the ability to become a leader and a hero. The founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Sam Walton, exemplified each of these characteristics on a daily basis. He was the first to open a discount store chain, and successfully sustain the difficulties that a low cost business strategy can bring forward. Walton put his faith in his employees and was sure to let them know that he was on their team, always being available when crisis arose. Although there has been some upheaval about the company’s business practices in recent years, Sam Walton was an iconic figure in the business world and will remain to be seen as one due to his confidence in Wal-Mart’s success against all odds.
Sam Walton always wanted to be the one calling the shots; he tested the waters with a few retail jobs and could not stand the fact that his ideas weren’t being implemented. After being drafted as a communications officer during World War II, Walton decided to take matters into his own hands and start a business with his brother. When the upper management of Ben Franklin, the small discount store chain that Walton franchised, disregarded with his plan of altering their business strategy, he chose to leave them behind. Having done his research about large warehouse stores during his time with Ben Franklin, Walton chose to open a business in uncharted territory. Superstores like Kmart were prevalent only in metrop...

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...top shop,’ he has changed the business world forever. Walton’s reign as a true American business hero will live on, as he is the father of such a large part of American culture; its consumer behavior.

Works Cited

Gimein, Mark. "Sam Walton Made Us a Promise." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 18 Mar. 2002. Web. 07 Feb. 2014.

Hayes, Thomas C. "Sam Walton Is Dead At 74; the Founder Of Wal-Mart Stores." The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 Apr. 1992. Web. 31 Jan. 2014

Kuhlken, Robert. "Wal-Mart." St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 5. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 69-71. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.

"Walton, Sam Moore." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 1076-1078. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.

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