Is Wal-mart Good for Overseas Workers?
analytical Essay
695 words
When Wal-mart first entered the supermarket industry back in 1962, they were already off to a disadvantage as the industry during that time was already dominated by well-established and deeply experienced national chains such as Albertsons and Safeway. However, in a period of just ten years, Wal-mart had opened an average of seven supermarkets per month for 120 consecutive months, with a total of 888 supercenters. (Fisherman) By then, Wal-mart became the number one food retailer in the nation. What led Wal-mart from starting out as a rookie grocery market to becoming a dominating, world-wide supercenter? The answer is in their prices, which is generally 15 percent lower than their competitors’. (Fisherman) For this very reason, Wal-mart has changed the lives of many, including the spending habits of the shoppers and the working environments of the factory workers overseas who produces these low-priced products. Although Wal-mart’s slogan “Save money, live better” appeals to many of the customers, their actions are putting a burden on factory workers overseas as many are forced to work without the proper benefits and safety regulations.
One of the many reasons why Wal-mart is able to manufacture cheap products is because of the ridiculously low wages and long hours given to the workers overseas. They receive little to no benefits, breaks, or vacations. Their working hours typically start before 8A.M. and lasts until 11P.M., seven days a week and they only have ten days off in a year (185). In “The Wal-mart effect” Robina Akther, a sixteen-year old sewing operator from a factory in Dhaka, discloses that she only earns 13 cents an hour for fourteen hours a day, which is about $26.98 a month (185). Akther also mentioned, “I clean ...
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...e products. These injuries often go unreported since workers are afraid of being fired or punished, and they simply cannot afford to lose their jobs. Furthermore, most factory workers do not have the money to afford medical care and as a result, most do not treat their problems or go into debt trying to pay for medical attention. Once again, Wal-mart is shown to not care about workers’ safety, whether if it is providing them with insufficient safety equipment or blocking the fire escapes to prevent workers from taking breaks.
One reason for this is the local labor laws that are unique to each country, such as the minimum wage and safety standards, allow factories to continue operation below the international standard. In addition, many factories operate under the table. Safety reports are faked or many things go unreported, and underage workers are allowed to work.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart was already dominated by well-established and deeply experienced national chains like albertsons and safeway. their prices, which are generally 15 percent lower than their competitors, have changed the lives of many.
- Analyzes how wal-mart manufactures cheap products because of the ridiculously low wages and long hours given to the workers overseas.
- Analyzes how wal-mart is accused of not providing adequate safety equipment or blocking fire escapes to prevent workers from taking breaks or running away.
- Explains that local labor laws that are unique to each country, such as the minimum wage and safety standards, allow factories to continue operating below the international standard.
Related
- analytical
- opinionated
- explanatory
- 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 - Wal-Mart is Bad For Americaopinionated essayIn 1962, Wal-Mart opened their first store in Rogers, Arkansas. In 1970, Wal-Mart's first distribution center and home office in Bentonville, Ark. open and Wal-Mart went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Just nine years from that, Wal-Mart's annual sales exceeded one billion dollars. In 1988, Wal-Mart super centers opened across the country. In a merely three years from that, Wal-Mart opened their own store in Mexico City, Mexico; making Wal-Mart an international corporation. Not even sixty years has past, and yet, Wal-Mart is over-powering our country.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how wal-mart opened its first store in rogers, arkansas in 1962, its distribution center and home office in bentonville, ark. in 1970, and its annual sales exceeded one billion dollars.
- Explains that wal-mart stores, inc. is the world's largest retailer, with $285.2 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending jan. 31, 2005.
- Explains that wal-mart replaces higher paying retail jobs with lower paying ones and requires taxpayer assistance to keep employees out of poverty.
- Opines that wal-mart is destroying our culture and environment, and destroys shops built by natives and hard-working people. wetlands are not being taken care of, as they should.
- Explains that wal-mart takes advantage of their employees and suckers them into their costly healthcare plans. part-time employees are ineligible for family health care coverage.
- Opines that wal-mart is based on "traditional" morals and values. having the thoughts that women and blacks are inferior and disabled persons are incompetent, makes the whole company racist, sexist pigs.
- Analyzes how wal-mart is a growing competitor to those who have enough trouble just surviving. it is easier for everyone to back-off and let them do what they want.
- Opines that wal-mart is not good for this economy, for the people, and the company, in a whole, is criminal.
841 wordsRead More - Wal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Priceopinionated essayWal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Price Wal-Mart represents the sickness of capitalism at its almost fully evolved state. As Jim Hightower said, "Why single out Wal-Mart? Because it's a hog. Despite the homespun image it cultivates in its ads, it operates with an arrogance and avarice that would make Enron blush and John D. Rockefeller envious. It's the world's biggest retail corporation and America's largest private employer; Sam Robson Walton, a member of the ruling family, is one of the richest people on earth.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how wal-mart represents the sickness of capitalism at its almost fully evolved state. it operates with arrogance and avarice that would make enron blush and john d.
- Explains that wal-mart products are not less expensive due to virtuosity. the "misguided hippie punk" labors under the delusion that they are somehow the savior of middle and lower class americans.
- Recommends reading barbara ehrenreich's recent book, nickel and dimed, which reveals the misery of working for a big box retailer and the impossibility of living in america on poverty wages.
- Opines that wal-mart and other big box retailers are destroying the cultural landscape of america.
- Opines that people are fighting wal-mart and are winning. they must break corporate domination that is strangling american democracy and spreading misery across the world.
515 wordsRead More - Walmart Case Studyanalytical essayThe retail giant’s policies to offer lowest prices on the market is one that gives the company an upper hand since it can leverage on its massive economies of scale, but ultimately the low prices throw the local economy into turmoil. The many small businesses within the regions find it extremely difficult to compete with the low prices offered by the retail giant, Wal-Mart. According to Wolff-Mann (2016), the opening of Wal-Mart in North Carolina resulted in a 30% drop in the sales of a 44-year-old grocery store. Whenever the grocery store cut prices to retain its clients which were being lost to Wal-Mart, the giant retailer would always undercut or match the price. This unfair practice led to the close down of the store, while other businesses in the region succumbed to the stiff and unfair competition. Therefore, when Wal-Mart moves into a small town, things do not get better; the company introduces unsustainable economic models which makes thing worse within the
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 - Walmart Discussionexplanatory essayBianco, Anthony and Zellner, Wendy. (October 6, 2003). Is Wal-Mart too Powerful? Low Prices are Great. But Wal-Mart’s Dominance Creates Problems for Suppliers, Workers, Communities, and even American Culture. Retrieved on March 30, 2011 from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_40/b3852001_mz001.htm.
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 - Impact of Wal-Mart on the US Economyexplanatory essayImpact of Wal-Mart on the US Economy Wal-Mart has had a significant economic impact on the US, as well as the economies of countries that have relations with the US. Wal-Mart is the world’s biggest company of any kind, with 80 percent of the households in America purchasing something from the superstore; it is the nation’s largest retailer. Wal-Mart’s continuing price reduction has given Americans the advantage of being able to afford 15 to 20 percent more than they previously could. (Hansen) In a world governed by globalization and greed, competition has become rigid; as a result firms like Wal-Mart have utilized advanced marketing strategies to insure that they are on the ‘neck’ of competition, and are the core deciders of the market.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart has had a significant economic impact on the us, as well as the economies of countries that have relations with us.
- Explains that wal-mart has been of a great advantage to the us economy, being the world's largest private employer thus providing more jobs.
- Quotes ira kalish, global director of deloitte research in new york, who says wal-mart has a positive impact on the us economy.
- Opines that wal-mart has achieved low prices by paying low salaries and benefits to employees.
- Explains that wal-mart has achieved lower prices by promoting unethical acts to create cheaper products, thus a higher margin. this has been achieved by immoral exploitation of cheap labor in developing countries.
- Opines that wal-mart has become an economical disaster to competitors and the us as a whole due to the exporting of huge amounts of funds to asian countries.
834 wordsRead More - Is Wal-Mart Bad For America?opinionated essayWal-Mart Wal-Mart, a "Big-Box Retailer" employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide and has two-thousand seven-hundred stores in the United States with many more in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, making Wal-Mart the largest retailer in the world. "Wal-Mart accounts for upward of 30 percent of U.S. sales, and plans to more than double its sales within the next five years" (Lynn 29-36). Why is Wal-Mart so successful, and is Wal-Mart actually bad for America? Wal-Mart was conceived and founded by Sam Walton in 1962, at Rogers, Arkansas. Sam Walton started with just a few small variety stores, funded with borrowed money.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart, a "big-box retailer," employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide and has two-thousand seven-hundred stores in the united states.
- Explains that wal-mart was conceived and founded by sam walton in 1962, at rogers, arkansas. his goal was to provide affordable products to the public to make life easier.
- Explains that wal-mart's success is so great, that many people believe that it is becoming a monopsony.
- Opines that wal-mart is not a huge retailer trying to take over the world with cheap prices. they see it as business that has played their cards the way they were dealt.
- Explains that wal-mart has lived up to sam walton's promise of affordable goods and services. lisa of sedalia, mo claims to save at least $1200 a year on prescription medicine from the pharmacy.
- Explains that wal-mart's 2.1 million world-wide employees take the brunt of it, with "every day low wages" and a lack of many benefits other retail chains provide.
- Explains that wal-mart's low wages make them look ugly, but it still has a golden glow about it. it gives large donations to non-profit organizations that focus on education, workforce development, health and wellness, and the environment.
- Explains that wal-mart has found another way to provide for the latino community with the opening of mas club. the warehouse store is stocked with many goods that will satisfy customers' craving for good ole' home cooking.
- Opines that wal-mart isn't bad for americans. they do save money by shopping there and give back to their communities.
- Analyzes how lynn's "breaking the chain" was published by sirs researcher. canning, kathie, "art of transformation: walmart’s betting on a revamped great value lineup."
1169 wordsRead More - Wal-Mart and Class Inequalitiesanalytical essayHellerman, Caleb. 2004. “The Wal-Martization of Everywhere” & “Low Road/High Road.” Retrieved March 6, 2004 from: www.inequality.org.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart's slogan, "always low prices," entices consumers, but many consumers do not recognize the means by which it ensures these low prices.
- Analyzes how wal-mart is under attack from critics who argue workers are underpaid, women are discriminated against, and illegal tactics are being deployed to kill unionization efforts.
- Argues that perucci and wysong (1999) would argue that this article is a perfect example of selective reporting, which portrays unions as bad and business as good.
- Analyzes how inequality.org reports on the controversy of wal-mart in two related articles.
- Analyzes how "low road/high road" focused on criticizing wal-mart and relating the issue to recent books about america's working poor. hellerman argues that although companies are claiming these operations result from a need to remain competitive, this claim is mistaken.
- Analyzes how inequality.org was the first alternative media source relating to the issue of wal-mart and its relationship to economic inequality.
- Analyzes how olsson's article "up against wal-mart" highlights the power corporations have in relation to company policies and decisions.
- Analyzes how the alternative media article provided a greater critical analysis regarding the controversial business practices employed by wal-mart in relation to its workers.
- Analyzes how the articles provided information on the wal-mart issue, but they were all different in how much information was given, as well as the particular slant towards corporate interests or alternative interests.
- Opines that they were unaware of the blatant discrimination against women through the wage discrepancies and the lawsuits against wal-mart.
- Analyzes how the usa today article portrays wal-mart critics as evil and manipulative. perucci and wysong use value-laden terms and images to discredit union views.
- Explains the superclass's ability to control the mass media through deck stacking, spin-control, and selective reporting ensures that critics of the system are not seen.
- Opines that they were disappointed that alternative media sources didn't fully analyze the issues at stake. they wanted a broader interpretation of why our system recreates these inequalities.
- Opines that the assignment was beneficial to their perspective on class issues. it exposed them to multitudes of informational sources ranging from mainstream to alternative.
2364 wordsRead More - Persuasive Essay On Walmartanalytical essayToday Wal-mart has a higher GDP than the entire country of Switzerland, but don’t worry they’re pretty neutral about it. But there has also been news about how they treat there employees. In 2004 an article was released entitled Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart, and soon after Washington got involved. The bad publicity took a toll on Wal-mart and in fact is still today, Maryland passed a law in January, 2006, that said larger employers, such as Wal-mart, must spend at least 8% of their payroll on health benefits for their employees, and now many other states have followed suit. The bad publicity also made it so 8% of customers shop elsewhere because of what they’ve heard, this has caused lower expected sales around the holidays during 2004, and 2005. Some things they’ve done is in 2006 they paid employees on average 9.36 dollars, while other major retailers like Target and Sears pay on average 11.08 dollars. While this can be easily denied by Wal-mart, another way they have gained bad publicity is from something called off-the-clock work. If they had not finished their job they had to clock out and then still finish their job, meaning they wouldn’t get paid for
In this essay, the author
- Explains that walmart started as a small five-and-dime in bentonville, arkansas, by sam walton, who had some retailing experience after his time in the war.
- Analyzes how wal-mart's success was influenced by the way it stayed up-to-date with technology, such as a "made in america" campaign.
- Explains that wal-mart has gained bad publicity from off-the-clock work. they have had to pay loads in lawsuits from employees who are upset.
- Explains that wal-mart has used lawyers to pay them off, which hasn't worked out as well as tate's methods on the issue.
- Explains that walmart's average annual pay of $20,774 is below the federal poverty level for a family of four, and does damage to local families in the long run.
- Explains how walmart patented the idea of barcodes on products to keep up with walmart. they also use an open price system where you are drawn into a department by the low prices they stick in front.
- Opines that walmart's pristine blue shelves would devastate the manufacture as a business, so manufacturers would put incredibly low prices just to be sold at walmart.
1724 wordsRead More - Benefits Of Walmartexplanatory essayQuestion 2 How does expanding internationally benefit Wal-Mart? What factors drove Wal-Mart to start expanding business across national borders? At the first, Wal-Mart only operates its business in home country. However, Wal-Mart became more integrated and independent by expanding internationally.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that wal-mart can promote their domestic product and services at international market as a whole by expanding internationally.
- Explains that wal-mart has obtained significant economies of scale from its global purchasing power. global market and global supply chain increase the higher demand for the product from any state in international level and automatically affect the lower cost for production.
- Explains that wal-mart benefits in the terms of the resources including capital, land and labor. china as the country rich with a lot of resources such as cheap labor forces, forest and different kind of material are giving opportunity to wal
- Explains that wal-mart has many stores in international level that came up in the variety of the country. the company can take host country skill and utilize it to improve its business.
- Explains that wal-mart realized that if it did not explore to international market, other global retailers around the world would beat it to the punch.
- Explains that wal-mart's strategy of expanding internationally gains a lot of benefit to their business.
715 wordsRead More