Wal-Mart Case Study

Abstract Wal-Mart is by far the largest retailer in the United States. It consistently puts competitors out of business, and has sales larger than the Gross National Product of most countries. However, on average, it pays its employees lower wages than most retailers and uses contractors who use sweatshop labor overseas to produce goods that have been labeled "Made in America." Wal-Mart is accused of increasing the need for social services in areas where its …

…these stores contribute almost nothing to the local economy. The outcome entails economically disadvantaged people being faced with an almost complete uniformity of product. Wal-Mart publicly proclaims its allegiance to the free market and free consumer choice; are their practices in contradiction with such beliefs? What are some examples of cultural homogenization that you have observed in your community? How does cultural homogenization affect your free choice? Is cultural homogenization inevitable in today's global economy?