The Wal-Mart Supply Chain Controversy
Journal of Business Ethics Education 3:143-164 (2006)
Abstract
Wal-Mart received widespread praise for its response to Hurricane Katrina when it hit the Louisiana coast in August 2005 and low prices at the world’s largest retailer are estimated to save consumers billions of dollars a year. Nonetheless, it was coming under increasing criticism for corebusiness practices, ranging from detrimental effects on communities when Wal-Mart stores are established, to abusive labour practices, to alleged sourcing from sweatshops. This case looks at the benefits and the potentially harmful consequences of the Wal-Mart business model. The focus is on supply chain issues and, more specifically, a lawsuit brought by the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) charging that Wal-Mart failed to meet contractual obligations specified in its Standards for Suppliers Agreement. However, the retailer must respond to a range of criticisms that chief executive Lee Scott recognizes are harming its reputation. Scott asks, in reference to Wal-Mart’s response to Katrina, “what would it take for Wal-Mart to be that company, at our best, all the time?” More fundamentally, the case asks, how sustainable is Wal-Mart’s business model?ISBN(s)
1649-5195
DOI
10.5840/jbee2006310
My notes
Similar books and articles
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.: Is it a Good Corporate Citizen?Dominie Garcia, Janet Rovenpor & Asbjorn Osland - 2007 - Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society 18:503-503.
Managing by Deception: Leaks and Lies at Hewlett Packard.Aine Donovan - 2007 - Proceedings of the International Association for Business and Society 18:500-502.
Globalization, Interconnectedness, and Wal-Mart the Bully.Denis Collins - 2006 - Business Ethics Quarterly 16 (2):289-304.
Wal-Mart public relations in the blogosphere.David A. Craig - 2007 - Journal of Mass Media Ethics 22 (2-3):215 – 218.
The Wal-Mart Phenomenon: Resisting Neo-Liberal Power, Through Art, Design and Theory , edited by Benda Hofmeyr.Gerhard Schoeman - 2010 - Philosophical Papers 39 (1):146-154.
Science-mart: privatizing American science.Tiago Mata - 2013 - Journal of Economic Methodology 20 (1):75 - 81.
Mandatory reassignment under the Ada: The circuit split and need for a socio-political understanding of disability.Nicholas A. Dorsey - unknown
Corporate Responsibility in Scandinavian Supply Chains.Robert Strand - 2009 - Journal of Business Ethics 85 (S1):179 - 185.
Analytics
Added to PP
2012-03-18
Downloads
77 (#159,328)
6 months
3 (#226,335)
2012-03-18
Downloads
77 (#159,328)
6 months
3 (#226,335)
Historical graph of downloads