Article Review: Wal-Mart: The Future is Sustainability
Article Review 2
Article: Wal-Mart: The Future is Sustainability
Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, 2013
SUMMARY
Wal-Mart is one of the biggest corporations in the United States of America. Since it was created in 1962, Wal-Mart gained prominence due to its effort of granting its customers with the everyday products that they need in effort to survive for very low and economical prices. In the book, Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, O.C. Ferrell, John Fraedrich and Linda Ferrell accredit the corporation for being the most popular retail chain in this day and age. “In 2002 Walmart officially became the largest grocery chain, topping the Fortune 500 (a position it held eight times between 2002 and 2010). . .In 2010 Fortune ranked Walmart as the ninth most admired company in the world,” Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell explain (2013, p. 328).
Despite the success that Wal-Mart has managed to successfully obtain, the company has came under fire for the not so ethical practices that it carries out within its operations. For instance, in order for Wal-Mart to make good on their promises to provide their target market with the products that they need for very affordable prices, the company has realized the imperative need to cut back on the expenses that they spend in other facets or its corporate affairs. In doing this, Wal-Mart has repeatedly short-changed the wages to which its employees are entitled in effort to maintain the positive rapport that the company has created with its customer base. “Walmart. . .has been roundly criticized for its low wages and benefits. Walmart has been accused of failing to provide health insurance for more than 60 percent of its employees,” Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell share (2013, p. 330).
OPINION
If Wal-Mart expects to remain one of the most successful corporations in the United States of America, I suggest that the corporation rectify the wrong doing that its currently executing within its corporate affairs. Firstly, Wal-Mart needs to start showing a little bit more appreciation to the corporation’s staff members. This will include granting them with the money that they have earned through the hard work and dedication such employees have demonstrated each and every time they step foot into the store to begin a shift. There is no reason the company has forever minimizing the paychecks that they pay to its employees. Carrying on in this manner is both unethical and inhumane. Paying its employees the rightful amount of money that they have worked for is extremely important for the Wal-Mart corporation to do because although the company has a pretty loyal customer base, the retail chain will not get very far without having a team of staff members who are there to perform the in-store transactions needed for people to purchase Wal-Mart’s products.
Although the retail chain is regarded to be the most popular grocery store chain in this day and age, does not mean that they will still hold the coveted title ten years from now. Treating its employees better will provide the company with the help that it needs in order for Wal-Mart to maintain its good standing in modern-day society. Regarding its employees as the important constituents that they are will help the company to establish a better rapport with the people they hire. In turn, this will improve on the company’s turnover rate and furthermore, fortify the sense of loyalty that its employees have with the retail chain.
References
Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2013). Business ethics: Ethical decision Making and cases (9th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.
