Saturday, April 17, 2004
Walmart and Society
The New York Times has an article on Walmart:
But the more than 250 sociologists, anthropologists, historians and other scholars who gathered at the University of California here on Monday for a conference on Wal-Mart came looking for more than the company's vital statistics. Like archaeologists who pick over artifacts to understand an ancient society, the scholars here were examining Wal-Mart for insights into the very nature of American capitalist culture. As Susan Strasser, a history professor at the University of Delaware, said, "Wal-Mart has come to represent something that's even bigger than it is."
---------
I grew up just over an hour away from the Bentonville headquarters of Walmart and now live just about 2 hours away. I still remember how great the Bentonville swim team had it because the United Way paid their way to all the meets - with Walmart donations, of course. They had an awesome tent.
More recently, Northwest Arkansas has really grown and even has a much bigger airport and gourmet shops. Most large companies that produce retail products and have contracts with Walmart have offices there. Can you imagine rising to the top in a company in New York or California and then being told you have to live in Arkansas? It's beautiful country but definitely not sophisticated in "coastal" terms. But it's great having the option of gourmet food and the other resources just down the road.
But the more than 250 sociologists, anthropologists, historians and other scholars who gathered at the University of California here on Monday for a conference on Wal-Mart came looking for more than the company's vital statistics. Like archaeologists who pick over artifacts to understand an ancient society, the scholars here were examining Wal-Mart for insights into the very nature of American capitalist culture. As Susan Strasser, a history professor at the University of Delaware, said, "Wal-Mart has come to represent something that's even bigger than it is."
---------
I grew up just over an hour away from the Bentonville headquarters of Walmart and now live just about 2 hours away. I still remember how great the Bentonville swim team had it because the United Way paid their way to all the meets - with Walmart donations, of course. They had an awesome tent.
More recently, Northwest Arkansas has really grown and even has a much bigger airport and gourmet shops. Most large companies that produce retail products and have contracts with Walmart have offices there. Can you imagine rising to the top in a company in New York or California and then being told you have to live in Arkansas? It's beautiful country but definitely not sophisticated in "coastal" terms. But it's great having the option of gourmet food and the other resources just down the road.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]