Ethnography Of Walmart
explanatory Essay
892 words
The goal for my ethnographic study is subjected to the study of the people of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a place that varies from city to city, but still attracts many of the same people. Everyone knows the weird people that wear ridiculous things to do their normal routine of shopping. That is why I have chosen to do my mini ethnography one day while shopping as an insider at the local Wal-Mart in Auburn, Alabama. Wal-Mart is a large center for shopping that attracts many different types of people, while creating an environment within itself.
I woke up one morning in the need of some groceries because I ran out of eggs to make breakfast. I also realized that I needed ink cartridges, glue for a project, and a video game that I wanted; materials that normal grocery stores wouldn’t sell. Wal-Mart is the typical superstore where you can get almost anything. So I figured what better place to get all of these items at a good price than to go to Wal-Mart.
Before I went to Wal-Mart, I made a list of some characteristics I should be looking for. I began to question certain aspects that are common at Wal-Mart, like what will the average age group be? How many students? What range of race will be there? All of these questions went through my mind pre-ethnography.
I walked into the front of the store to see a crowd of people searching for a good grocery cart. One that wouldn’t wobble every second that you pushed it. I took a look at many of the faces as they were beginning or ending their shopping experience. The people walking in looking for a cart seemed unsure or not pleased to be there in the first place. While the people leaving looked happy and eager to get home. I took this as a clear sign that this was not the most enjoyable place to ...
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..., there were also many aspects that all of these Wal-Mart shoppers shared. Mostly everyone dreaded the loud and obnoxious carts as they were walking into the store. And mostly everyone hated how Wal-Mart only had five of their twenty registers open. This caused the buildup of large lines for which people would wait to buy their items. The people in a hurry did not take this lightly. While the shoppers who weren’t in a hurry took this time to read the magazines and check out the candy options.
This mini-ethnography has taught me to look at people in a completely different way. It has opened my mind to a whole new view of how people interact and carry on their daily lives. I have found that the people of Wal-Mart can vary greatly although everyone is there for the same reason. Wal-Mart has become a place that supports many people no matter what race, size, or gender.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the goal of their ethnographic study is to study the people of wal-mart, a place that varies from city to city, but still attracts many of the same people.
- Explains that they ran out of eggs to make breakfast and needed ink cartridges, glue, and a video game. wal-mart is the typical superstore where you can get almost anything.
- Explains that they made a list of characteristics they should be looking for before going to wal-mart. they began to question certain aspects that are common at the store.
- Describes how they walked into the store to see people searching for a cart that wouldn't wobble every second that you pushed it. the people walking in looked unsure or not pleased to be there in the first place.
- Explains that wal-mart attracts many people, but they didn't notice many interactions going on around them besides people who came with a group.
- Explains that they took into account the questions they had prepared themselves for this ethnography. they walked around most of the store but didn't notice there being any small children in this wal-mart.
- Explains that students took up about half of the population, while bama fans dominated the wal-mart population.
- Explains that many non-student shoppers were interested in the clothing line at wal-mart. they thought it was cheap and effective even if it looked ridiculous.
- Explains that they decided to try to figure out why many students were going to wal-mart in the first place. they figured out that a majority of the students there were trying to get groceries.
- Explains that people who were in a hurry were running their cart around the whole store trying to get all of their items as fast as possible.
- Explains that wal-mart shoppers shared many aspects, including the loud carts and the lack of registers. people in a hurry took the time to read magazines and check out candy options.
- Explains that the mini-ethnography has taught them to look at people in a completely different way. wal-mart supports many people no matter what race, size, or gender.
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- Walmart Case Studyanalytical essayWal-Mart’s Policies and Actions are damaging to a Small Town 's Economy Introduction In the United States and all over the world, the entry and operations of big retailers like Wal-Mart into a small town sparks great controversy within the community. The fact that people contemplate on the fact that the policies and actions of Wal-Mart are destructive to a small town’s economy is not new. Most small town’s economies are run by subsistence and self-reliant traders. With time, the traders embrace the division of labor and specialization of skills in accordance with the trade, production and manufacturing needs of the community.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart's entry and operations in a small town sparks great controversy within the community. small town economies are run by subsistence and self-reliant traders.
- Analyzes how wal-mart's entry into a small town brings its policies and actions that in the long run are detrimental to the local economy. the company pays low wages to its workers, denies them access to quality healthcare plans, and embraces policies that ensure the workers do not join any unions.
- Explains that wal-mart is the fastest growing and biggest retailer with 3,400 stores within the united states and 3,300 other stores in other parts of the major cities in the world.
- Analyzes how the arrival of wal-mart in small towns decimates the economies of smaller towns. the company's policies to offer lowest prices on the market give it an upper hand, but ultimately the low prices throw the local economy into turmoil.
1199 wordsRead More - Essay On The History Of Walmartexplanatory essayThe history of Walmart This article is going to tackle the history of one of the largest multinational retailer with more than 8500 stores all over the world, “Walmart”. Walmart now employs more than 2.1 million people, and more than 200 million customers visit their stores every week. What you probably don’t know is that less than 50 years ago, Walmart was just but a small discount store. So Buckle up and let’s get started on the history of Walmart,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that walmart employs 2.1 million people and more than 200 million customers visit their stores every week. walmart was just a small discount store less than 50 years ago.
- Recounts how sam walton was denied a chance to experiment on his franchises by the butler brothers, so he decided to open the first walmart store in rogers, arkansas.
- Explains that sam walton believed in selling higher volumes of products at lower profits making him gain only a little profit from his sales.
- Explains that walton's pursuit for low prices came naturally to him. he was considered unbelievably cheap despite being the richest man in the united states.
- Explains that walmart had 38 stores with sales of over $44.2 million by 1970. the walton family owned 61% of walmart's stock.
- Explains that walmart had opened over 300 stores all over america in the early 80’s and opened its first sam's club warehouse in midwest city.
- Explains that walmart opened its first supercenter at the end of the 80's and surpassed kmart to become the most profitable retailer in america.
- Explains that walmart opened its first international walmart store in mexico city in 1990. two years later, mr. walton succumbed to bone cancer.
- Opines that david glass was the right fit for the job since unlike walton, he was more willing to spend money on technology and building more supercenters.
- Explains that walmart's sales doubled to $100 billion after the demise of mr. walton’s. lee h. scott was a low-profile walmart veteran and logistics expert.
- Explains that walmart was the largest food retailer in the united states with a grocery sales of $56 billion. 70,000 employees from three southern california grocery stores went on strike to object on health care costs and other employee benefits.
736 wordsRead More - Walmart Discussionexplanatory essayWal-Mart Supercenter is a very large chain of stores that is located in several countries. As Wal-Mart expanded its business locations, various distribution centers for the sales were placed in several locations in the world.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart supercenter is a large chain of stores that is located in several countries.
- Explains that the wal-mart owner chose its locations based on the zoning of the given area and the ability to hire labor for the facility.
- Explains that wal-mart is required to pay for the transportation of the product from one area to its distribution center areas. the company needed to find enough workers to fill the various positions in the company.
- Explains that due to the expansion of wal-mart, various smaller businesses were closed when the stores opened in various communities. employees were subjected to applying for wic food stamps or for types of government assistance because of issues concerning not enough company coverage.
- Opines that wal-mart was creating a situation regarding the ethical standards of workers in some countries, such as china, in order to be able to run their businesses.
- Explains that when wal-mart expanded, a series of jobs closed and more business transactions took place. the company had to consider pay wages, insurance benefits for employees, and environmental issues.
- Explains that some townspeople may favor smaller towns with smaller distribution center offices that would result in less incoming commerce and traffic in the area. some people opposed the development of the towns around the wal-mart.
- Explains that wal-mart doesn't intend to place their property in an area that would cause environmental damage to the community, nor does it supposedly desire a historic site.
- Explains that wal-mart may not like the fact that individuals in the community may have to the department of health and social services so that they may receive extra benefits. the company may also say that the town prospers in various locations.
- Explains that wal-mart stores are required to comply with zoning regulations and with any policies that affect them regarding the production areas in general. as a stockholder, they would have to adjust the wages of workers at the work sites.
- Explains that as a stakeholder, they would be able to participate in business meetings based on issues such as agreements on how to arrange for the arrangement of costs in the business. discussions regarding embargos and procedures would also be held.
- Opines that the company should maintain environmental standards in order to ensure profits and growth. budget cuts, marketing strategies, and other business policies would increase profits over time.
- Explains that small businesses and larger businesses are able to have higher profits and expand their businesses in various ways.
- Explains that wal-mart may need to adjust their standards and add new types of technology in order to be an efficient business.
- Opines that wal-mart should provide good working conditions for their employees so that they can run an efficient successful business.
- Explains that wal-mart's dominance creates problems for suppliers, workers, communities, and even american culture.
1458 wordsRead More - Perception of Social Inequalityexplanatory essayOne of my experiences that I wrote about was the difference between Nordstrom’s and Wal-Mart’s customers. In the past I have never been a faithful shopper of Wal-Mart. I will go to Wal-Mart on occasion to purchase something that I know they carry cheaper than their competitors. However, every time I go into Wal-Mart a thought always goes through my head about the preconceived ideas I ha...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that expanding their knowledge through the experiences in which they participated in during the last semester has opened their eyes to more than just the panhandler on the corner or the limousine pulling up to a five star hotel.
- Opines that most of us go about our day to day routines without recognizing where we are in the social class system.
- Explains that they've never been a faithful shopper of wal-mart, but their preconceived notions about those who shop there have been validated.
- Explains that they don't feel uncomfortable shopping at nordstrom because they realize they cannot afford a lot of merchandise in the store unless they save for it.
- Explains that they compare their own life and lifestyle to others. they work with one woman who is married to a fire captain.
- Opines that she lives in a double-income household, whereas they live in single income households, and she was raised around money and married into money.
- Explains that their father moved up in social class from the working class of his parents because of hard work, marriage to their mother, who brings in a great income and some education.
- Opines that people's perception of people isn't always reality. they're trying to live a lifestyle that they want rather than what they really have.
- Describes how they found it interesting that some students had no problem announcing that they were in the lower middle or working class. they were bettering themselves by educating themselves.
- Opines that their husband is striving to get through law school so he can take care of his family, make a good living, and have some prestige.
- Opines that america is known for a land of opportunity and believes in the horatio alger myth because they are an optimist.
1143 wordsRead More - Wal-Mart and its Affect on the American Economyanalytical essayWal-Mart has been a huge debate subject in the news since it began to pop up in large quantities across the entire United States. The majority of that conversation focused on the negative impacts that Wal-Mart has on the communities and economies in which its super stores are located. Richard Vedder and Wendell Cox take a different approach and while they recognizes the downfalls and negative impacts that Wal-Mart can have, he focuses more on proving that the positives that Wal-Mart has on economies and communities outweigh those negatives.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart has been a huge debate subject in the news since it began to pop up in large quantities across the entire united states. richard vedder and wendell cox focuses more on proving that the positives that
- Analyzes the criticisms of wal-mart, including low labor compensation, loss of jobs, impact on competitors and communities, and insensitivity to the environment.
- Explains that wal-mart's negative impact on a community can cause american companies to go out of business. richard vedder and wendell cox refute these criticisms with positive impacts.
- Analyzes how the negative connotation of wal-mart is contributed to the non-objective critic's portrayal of the corporation.
- Explains that wal-mart's low prices and market share force local small businesses to fail, which creates a multitude of problems for that community and its economy.
- Explains that wal-mart's large importation of foreign goods puts people and businesses out of work in the united states and ultimately contributes to the downfalls of the economy.
- Opines that wal-mart's growing presence has been criticized for having negative effects on communities and economies, but it has a positive impact on the economy of the united states.
1306 wordsRead More - Always the Lowest Price at Wal-Martopinion essayOver the past 20 years, the nature of the American retailing market has changed dramatically, going from Mom and Pop's boutiques to mega retail stores like Wal-Mart. Especially in the last decade, Sam Walton's discount stores have proliferated in almost every city across the United States and Canada. But the opinions about the effects of Wal-Mart in small towns divide the rural population in two groups. Through economic, cultural and social arguments, the anti-Wal-Mart activists and the advocates defend their point of view about the expansion of the store in small communities.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the nature of the american retailing market has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, from mom and pop's boutiques to mega retail stores like wal-mart.
- Explains that anti-wal-mart activists believe that the creation of giant discount stores in the rural regions of the united states will lead to their economic and cultural destruction.
- Argues that wal-mart's advocates believe that the creation of new stores in rural regions stimulates the economy and that local businesses are responsible for the problems faced on main street because they are not adapted to the modern retailing market.
- Opines that the wal-mart conflict is deeper and more important than a simple competition among retail stores.
592 wordsRead More - The World of Wal-Mart Discounting the American Dreamopinion essayThe World of Wal-Mart: Discounting the American Dream I can say in my opinion was a very intriguing book. Being both informative and entertaining at the same time I was able to learn some history about Wal-Mart while not being bored to death with just dates and events. The book also gave me some insight about how other people view Wal-Mart as a whole. I thought people in general enjoyed Wal-Mart because it offers low prices and convenience but the book defiantly showed me that I was wrong and it gave reason to why people detested Wal-Mart. The book also refers to the American Dream, in connection to Wal-Mart. Purposing questions related to whether Wal-Mart is actually making the American Dream attainable or if it is actually making it tougher to fulfill. In my opinion I feel like this is one of the main points of the book, is Wal-Mart helping the American Dream or is it hindering it? Another idea that the book touches on is how Wal-Mart works. When works is said it is meant by how Wal-Mart remains functioning by attracting people or how it avoids some hazards to itself like unions o...
In this essay, the author
- Evaluates the world of wal-mart: discounting the american dream as an interesting and informative book.
- Opines that the book is opinionated and criticizes wal-mart, but s counter the positive with a negative note.
- Opines that the research was conducted in an effective way other than s focused more on the undesirable things.
- Opines that the book is a well-rounded book that did inform on some of the basic concepts about anthropology and ethnography.
568 wordsRead More - Walmart Case Analysisanalytical essayMany have complained about Walmart shrewd business practices to maintain its competitive edge and the loss it has brought to communities because of jobs lost to overseas suppliers. In the documentary, the question of Is Walmart good for America can be summed up in the statement that “Walmart is giving the American people what they want, low prices, to save money and to live better.” Walmart defends against those who would argue that Walmart has been bad for working class Americans because it has lower their standard of living. Walmart however states that that they have rather raised the standard of living for the American people by providing affordable products to its consumers. Brink Lindsey, economist in the documentary sums it up as “Walmart is good for America. Walmart is doing what America is all about, what the American market economy is all about, which is producing things consumers want to buy. Walmart is offering consumers a wide range of goods at rock bottom prices and therefore meeting the market test.” (PBS Frontline,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that walmart has become synonymous with american culture since it opened its first store in rogers arkansas in 1962. it has remained competitive in the global market and has managed to sustain its competitive edge even in times of recession.
- Analyzes how walmart maintains its competitive edge by looking at its competitors through porters 5 force model of competitive rivals within the industry, threat of new entrants into the market, bargaining power of the suppliers
- Explains walmart's shift from "push production" to a "pull production," which involves retailers deciding what they're going to produce and collecting information on what is being sold.
- Analyzes how walmart sustains its competitive advantage by maintaining its low cost product to beat its competition. many have complained about walmart's shrewd business practices and the loss of jobs to overseas suppliers.
- Analyzes how the documentary shows suppliers moving to bentonville in hopes of getting a big contract with walmart. the threat of substitutes in the market also doesn't threaten walmart's global position.
- Explains how walmart used the "opening price point" strategy to dominate the retail market. the new trade agreement with china opened china as an emerging market for the west.
1822 wordsRead More - Economic Effects Of The Walmart Effectanalytical essayWith its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, Wal-Mart was commissioned in the hands of its founder Sam Walton. Generally, the Wal-Mart effect is structured in a manner that it aids economic experts to evaluate attached global and local economic effects to the famous Wal-Mart retail. The term Wal-Mart effect is often employed by analysts to refer to the wide variety of both negative and positive influences of the retail business (Hiltzik 1). Evaluation of the retail’s effects is significant as the business is not only a key figure is the world’s economy but also it is arguably the most performing private economic retail. Briefly, Wal-Mart has conventionally caught the eyes of consumers since it not only boosts their experience by suburbanizing local shopping but also it avails low commodity prices for necessities (Neumark, Junfu, and Stephen 406).
In this essay, the author
- Explains the wal-mart effect, which aids economic experts to evaluate attached global and local economic effects of the famous retail business.
- Analyzes the negative and positive effects of wal-mart in the retail sector.
- Explains how wal-mart expanded its operations to illinois, missouri, and hutcheson shoe firm. it entered the chinese market by joint-venture agreements to maintain its impressive performance.
- Explains that wal-mart's operation in different countries has resulted in numerous effects both negative and positive.
- Analyzes how wal-mart's trade deficit involvement pushed workers out of the manufacturing industries and left them with options of retiring from the labor force or opting for low-paying industries.
- Analyzes the retail giant's employee treatment, stating that it has a history of knocks against society norms and poor treatment of workers.
- Explains that despite the negative effects of wal-mart, it also comes along with positive effects on the society, such as the low prices associated with its commodities.
- Analyzes how wal-mart has thwarted the dominance of its competitors by thriving to reduce their commodity prices to over seven percent.
- Explains that wal-mart's decline is attributed to healthcare costs, stock price pressure, and pressure to differentiate the company, which has continuously been disadvantaged by current company capabilities and locations.
- Explains that wal-mart's operations have been strategized in a manner that they tend to target poverty-stricken districts.
1377 wordsRead More - The History Of Walmartopinion essayWalton grew up in a rural area in the United States. He tried lots of things such as running variety stores before founding Walmart. Walton believed that discount stores could succeed in smaller markets based on the success of many Ben Franklin stores which were located in smaller markets. From the beginning, Walmart focused on small-towns, in rural or suburban areas. In 1962, Walton started his first Walmart store in the small town of Rogers, Arkansas. Then, Walmart grew up by following Walton’s expansion strategy in which new stores should be adjacent to existing Walmart markets and distribution lines. (Ortega, In Sam We Trust) Besides the concern about geographic location, Walmart also understood customers’ shopping habits - they preferred
In this essay, the author
- Explains that walton grew up in a rural area in the united states. he tried lots of things like running variety stores before founding walmart.
- Opines that walmart should have taken an important lesson in the failure of its expansion in germany.
- Analyzes how walmart overestimated the german culture and its political similarity to the united states.
- Opines that walmart didn't adapt its business strategy to expand into other markets. a more carefully constructed entrance into another country is invaluable to cultivate fertile ground for expansion.
- Explains that china is a lucrative market for the low-margin retailing industry. walmart adapted its business strategy to align itself with the local taste.
929 wordsRead More