1. What does the documentary “Is Wal-Mart Good for America” illustrate about the business environment at the time?
The documentary articulates how Wal-Mart greatly influences the economic system. Until the late 1980s, U.S. retailers depended on domestic industries. Early in business history, manufacturers were more powerful than retailers, yet this relationship has totally changed today. Retailers were a kind of vassal, but they became a center as a mass global retailer.
The change of the business environment is illustrated by Wal-Mart. Although huge retailers provide many positive effects, serious competition has become a reason for bankruptcy for some American businesses. Even though big retailers provide many benefits and convenient shopping environments, such as one-stop shopping at the cheapest cost, some experts point out that their business model has affected small retailers, suppliers, and local businesses.
2. What did you notice at the Wal-Mart shareholders meeting? Do you think this is different from other shareholders' meetings? If yes, in what ways?
Yes, the Wal-Mart shareholders meeting is very different from other companies. According to Hedrick Smith, a Frontline correspondent, the gathering started at 6 AM at the University Arena in Arkansas. A huge amount of members had come to cheer each other in a big stadium. The Wal-Mart executive chanted first with celebrities, like Halle Berry and Susan Lucci, and afterwards, all of the shareholders followed the chant, “Team Wal-Mart…” It looks like it is meant to stir up the members. Throughout the whole meeting, there seems to be an intended upbeat atmosphere.
At the climax, the executive shouts, “Your company was the first company on the planet to report one quarter of a trillion dollars in sales– $256 billion! Do you know what that is, $256 billion? That's one IBM, one Hewlett-Packard, one Dell Computer, one Microsoft and one Cisco Systems. And oh, by the way, after that, we've got $2 billion...