In recent news, a Utah court is pondering if the right to self defense superceeds a Walmart “de-escalation” policy, which led to the firing of six Walmart employees. (Kieler, 2014) The former Walmart employees’ behaviors appear to be within human nature to protect oneself and the organization. Why would Walmart view the former employees’ behaviors as damaging to the corporation? What are the impacts of the firings on Walmart’s remaining workforce? How do Walmart’s actions influence employer and employee relationships? The aforementioned questions come to mind when contemplating if Walmart made the right decision(s) following their employees’ actions. Although Walmart views their former employees’ actions as black or white, others within …show more content…
Amarsingh violated company policy. From Walmart’s approach, this alone would constitute immediate termination. My initial response, however, is to question the current JetBlue policy. Under the circumstance, I did not review the policy (as it is not provided), but I will make a few assumptions. First, is the policy supportive of organizational goals (vision) or is it a legal protection document, which corporate attorneys fabricated? My instinct leads me to believe that corporate legal gurus put the policy together in order to protect the company from lawuits. As the Vice President, I want all policies to reflect our company’s vision. Great leaders would not create a vision centered on “lawsuit prevention.” Leaders focus on developing an organizational vision (what the organization, as a team, moves towards) and all corporate policies support that …show more content…
(Dizik, 2010) Corporate policies, and training on those policies can mitigate the risk of customer-related disturbances. JetBlue failed to arm Mrs. Amarsingh with the proper “know how” on dealing with unmannerly customers. JetBlue is aware that “passenger frustrations” are increasing and flight attendants continue to be “walking targets” for intense customers. (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012, p. 170) Since the company understands the current environment, it is JetBlue’s duty to protect Mrs. Amarsingh, and all employees, from belligerent customers. JetBlue employees should not expect to fend for themselves against hostile patrons, without support from the corporate leadership. (Bloom,
Companies that do not take steps to ensure appropriate associate conduct will be penalized by their constituents and erode public confidence in our free enterprise system” (Kroger, 2014, p. 1). Therefore, as one of the largest retail grocers in the country, they are sincere about their obligation to follow the law and ensure transparency in their operations. Additionally, their core values support the goal of maintaining an ethical workplace, which includes: honesty, integrity, respect, diversity, safety, and
Wal-mart is currently the world’s largest company. It has seen continuous growth and financial success since it was founded in 1962. Today it is living off of a previous reputation of solid ethical business practices that are no longer being exercised. Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-mart, was considered to be “freakishly cheap… Cost-cutting was an obsession in the Wal-mart culture… on business trips, everyone, including the boss, flew coach, and hotel rooms were always shared.” (reclaimdemocracy.org. 2006). This was only part of the reason for Sam Walton’s success.
There is an evil company in Arkansas, some say. It's a discount store-a very, very big discount store-and it will do just about anything to get bigger. You've seen the headlines. Illegal immigrants mopping its floors. Workers locked inside overnight. A big gender discrimination suit. Wages low enough to make other companies' workers go on strike. And we know what it does to weaker su...
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. Wal-Mart and the Waltons got to the top the old-fashioned way: by roughing people up. Their low, low prices are the product of two ruthless commandments: Extract the last penny possible from human toil and squeeze the last dime from its thousands of suppliers, who are left with no profit margin unless they adopt the Wal-Mart model of using nonunion labor and shipping production to low-wage hellholes abroad." (The Nation, March 4th 2002 www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020304&s=hightower).
When we think of the well-known private employer “Wal-Mart” what exactly comes to our minds? We may think of Wal-Mart as being a convenient, useful, low price department store that contains our everyday goods and necessities. On the outside perspective, we are generally appreciative of the fact that Wal-Mart exists and is able provide for our needs. But do we ever think of what happens inside the company? While customers may be happy, the employees can be considered as angry, disappointed, frustrated, and struggling do to harming executive wage decisions. While many employees are getting cut from their full time positions to part-time, they are also getting a decreased pay. In this theoretical application paper, I will be applying the father of conflict theory Karl Marx’s theoretical concepts to a Wal-Mart news article. There are many different theoretical concepts that I will be applying throughout this application essay. These major concepts applied are capitalism, Bourgeoisie, Proletariat, haves, have-nots, exploitation, class consciousness, and objectification.
There are three articles that will be referenced during this analysis. The first article is taken from the mainstream media publication USA Today. “Wal-Mart takes hits on worker treatment: Lawsuits, unions slam megaretailer”(Armour, 2003) argues that Wal-Mart is coming under attack from critics who argue workers are underpaid, women are discriminate against, and illegal tactics are being deployed to kill unionization efforts. Armour (2003) states, “company officials say they don’t know why the attacks are coming now, and they also say the allegations are unfounded.” The next statement made during the article states that Wal-Mart employees agree with the statement. The author continues reporting on the issues at stake, but focuses mostly on how unions may be less relevant in today’s world. The article makes mention of both sides of the argument, but the rhetoric and terminology used leans towards the portrayal of Wal-Mart as a victim of biased attacks to further union interests in the market.
Lichenstein, N. (2007) Why Working at Walmart is Different Connecticut Law Review, Volume 39 Number 4, May 2007
Mallaby admits Wal-Mart can treat their employees and other retailers unfairly, but as a result everyone can share in the 50 billion in savings that American shoppers consume annually. The pay that employees get is the price they must pay for low priced merchandise. Because of the minimal pay to employees, Wal-Mart strengthens its’ consumer buying power. Giving the American shoppers the savings they need, Wal-Mart’s has ultimately been them successful. Wal-Mart has potentially wiped out the middle class as an employer, but the employees can now work and ...
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.
How does managerial planning for Project Impact take place at different levels within the organization?
Wal-Mart maintains aggressively, a distinct and consistent corporate culture through out its operations. The issue is that local managers and supervisors are given unguided discretion on the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of employees (Hart, 2006). These individual managers bring with them their own beliefs, biases, stereotypes, and assumpt...
Southwest Airlines is one of the most successful airlines in the United States. There has never been layoffs or strikes in the history of the company, although there were several times when layoffs could have been justified, including the months following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. However, Southwest's Mission statement says “Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.” (Southwest, 1988). The Airline has always believed that their corporate culture is one of the keys to their success. The culture recognizes that employees have emotional intelligence and that their attitudes and morale are key to the teamwork and creative environment.
The most significant component of Wal-Mart’s success was the way it treated its employees or as they are known as in Wal-Mart “associates”, the beliefs or rules of the Wal-Mart culture makes associates want to provide excellent service to its customers. During visits Walton encouraged associates to pledge to greet customers and ask if they assist them or walking into a Wal-Mart store customers are met by a greeter, an associate who welcomed them and handed out shopping carts (Farhoomand, 2006).
Environmental Studies is the academic field, which systematically studies human interaction with the environment in which we live in. It is a broad field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them. Environmental studies takes into account many different factors that help provide an enjoyable, fruitful way of life, such as national policies, politics, laws, economics, sociology and other social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature.
Employee stakeholders have another story. The discrimination lawsuits ranging from female employees not getting equal pay or equal positions, to disabled employees, class-action lawsuits stating that Wal-Mart doctors questionnaires to prevent disabled workers from applying, Wal-Mart does not rank very high with these employees. Lawsuits stemming from Wal-Mart’s failure to monitor labor conditions at oversea factories and hires illegal immigrants add to the rift in relations between the employees and the company. Wal-Mart continues to deny charges...