To hazard a guess at Rock's mystery product: bootstraps?
Assault weapons?
Product was to be used by Wal-Mart employees and was not patentable. Assault weapons have a mechanical complexity that warrants patent law. Bootstraps always cheapest from ebay via China. Even slip-on or Croc-rocking motherf*ckers know that. CompanyX invested in expensive plant? It will have some degree of assembly to it. My guess is it's some hardware for cleanups on aisle 4 or some fancy till.
The point is that it was folly to take WMs business for granted when anyone can bang out your generic product cheaper. A company with the volume of turnover like WM will always spot the magnitude of saving potential in shaving even a few cents per unit cost. You cannot expect any sentiment for job retention etc. when the teak-office spreadsheet jockeys stand to make massive personal bonuses. It's as personal to them as it is to the workforce laid off.
I find myself in a smaller-scale quandry of similar shape. My car is on the way out, but with 2 months work left with my client, I am not about to undertake further financial hole-depth as the rope is being withdrawn before my very eyes. My client has gone with cheaper labour in Eastern Europe. IMD. As must my client, who are already reaping the benefits of getting what they paid for...
"There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person???s lawful prey.
It is unwise to pay too much, but it is also unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot???..It can???t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. "
In my experience the great majority of the folks who go around spouting off about "evil corporations" have no idea how businesses are run and have been programmed to think Successful Business = Evil.....the first clue you're speaking to one of these clowns is the mandatory mention of "Non-Profits".
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Makes me wanna kind of believe in the Bilderberg agenda of reducing the world population to 500 million.
If we are going to live in a dystopian shithole, at least a dystopian shithole with less people is preferable to the one were heading into with Wal Mart being the world's largest employer and 7 billion people.
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Makes me wanna kind of believe in the Bilderberg agenda of reducing the world population to 500 million.
If we are going to live in a dystopian shithole, at least a dystopian shithole with less people is preferable to the one were heading into with Wal Mart being the world's largest employer and 7 billion people.
To hazard a guess at Rock's mystery product: bootstraps?
Assault weapons?
My client has gone with cheaper labour in Eastern Europe. IMD. As must my client, who are already reaping the benefits of getting what they paid for...
Always nice to see feckless former clients getting the service they deserve from their low-rent new best friends.
In my experience the great majority of the folks who go around spouting off about "evil corporations" have no idea how businesses are run and have been programmed to think Successful Business = Evil.....the first clue you're speaking to one of these clowns is the mandatory mention of "Non-Profits".
Wal Mart's business model and conduct is not the only way to be successful.
In my experience the great majority of the folks who go around spouting off about "evil corporations" have no idea how businesses are run and have been programmed to think Successful Business = Evil.....the first clue you're speaking to one of these clowns is the mandatory mention of "Non-Profits".
Wal Mart's business model and conduct is not the only way to be successful.
This.
I refuse to think that somehow a corporation's documented abuse of employees and taxpayers is somehow collateral damage and unfortunately has to occur for corporation to run successfully. I also refuse to believe corporations operate on some ridiculously high level of critical thinking and acumen that my tiny intellect cannot begin to grasp why this needs to occur and is actually somehow a good thing.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
that's a theft prevention measure more than anything. the theory being if you are greeted by someone personally then you will feel less inclined to steal becuase of that human connection. it's also a subtle reminder that you have not gone unnoticed so who knows who else is watching.
i try not to shop at walmart for all sorts of reasons but i am not above buying something if i need it and its the best price in town.
for those who have not seen it, here is an interesting documentary called "the high cost of low prices":
In my experience the great majority of the folks who go around spouting off about "evil corporations" have no idea how businesses are run and have been programmed to think Successful Business = Evil.....the first clue you're speaking to one of these clowns is the mandatory mention of "Non-Profits".
Wal Mart's business model and conduct is not the only way to be successful.
This.
I refuse to think that somehow a corporation's documented abuse of employees and taxpayers is somehow collateral damage and unfortunately has to occur for corporation to run successfully. I also refuse to believe corporations operate on some ridiculously high level of critical thinking and acumen that my tiny intellect cannot begin to grasp why this needs to occur and is actually somehow a good thing.
yeah im sure setting a walmart on fire will set everything right tho, am i rite
u r so edgy
If you drive through Texas you will literally find 100's of "ghost towns" that were once vibrant places with local economies built on or around a variety of industries. As these industries became obsolete or replaced by bigger, more centralized businesses and transportation became more common and affordable, these towns died. The local stores in these towns died and these towns, for the most part, ceased to exist. Driving through these towns is a sad reminder of what once was and will never be again. Close knit communities that relied on, supported and watched out for each other. (Detroit may indeed become the first large city to succumb to this fate)
In the 30's - 50's people looked at the Sears Catalog Store in a similar light that they look at Wal-Mart today. These catalog stores moved in to these small towns and offered things that either weren't available locally (a good thing) or were cheaper than available locally (a bad thing). When I moved here in the 80's some of these stores were still operating but on their last legs. The mega-Sears stores had opened in every mid-sized city by the 60's and people would travel to shop there. Same thing with grocery stores that disappeared as "SUPER"Markets began to spring up. This was "progress".
Wal-Mart began as a local Arkansas store that competed with the Sears of the world. Just as transportation and industrialization changed the face of America previously, The new "global economy" allowed Wal-Mart to become what it has. The larger a company gets the less "personal" it becomes towards both it's customers and employees. This alone is nature of the beast. It is possible to grow and maintain some level of 'community" and from what I've seen Costco is one example who has at least tried to do this, although they also have their detractors. The public wants cheap and convienent and those two things are not synonomous with "fair" and high moral ground.
If Wal-Mart breaks laws they should be prosecuted. If they take advantage to the fullest existing laws to the detriment of their employees, customers and communities they can only be punished by our not shopping or working there. And we all have that option. The idealist who thinks Wal-Mart should conduct their business while adhering to some sort of moral code is naive and ignorant to the history of business in America. As a friend of mine puts it, Capitalism is the worst form of society, except for all the others. Like I said earlier, they are either sleazy, immoral or shrewd businessmen and some times those lines are easily blurred. I chose not to shop or work there, beyond that I'd be an old man yelling at a cloud.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
If I buy something and find out that someone older than 11 assembled it, I return it.
If Wal-Mart breaks laws they should be prosecuted. If they take advantage to the fullest existing laws to the detriment of their employees, customers and communities they can only be punished by our not shopping or working there. And we all have that option. The idealist who thinks Wal-Mart should conduct their business while adhering to some sort of moral code is naive and ignorant to the history of business in America. As a friend of mine puts it, Capitalism is the worst form of society, except for all the others. Like I said earlier, they are either sleazy, immoral or shrewd businessmen and some times those lines are easily blurred. I chose not to shop or work there, beyond that I'd be an old man yelling at a cloud.
The local stores in these towns died and these towns, for the most part, ceased to exist. Driving through these towns is a sad reminder of what once was and will never be again.
I've been noticing (in LA) a return to the small, "family owned" business and resurrection of local, community based specialty shops.
Once the shrewd, cut-every-corner possible, business model has been carried out to the fullest extent, it makes sense some people would respond with something less homogenous that hopes to give back rather than just endlessly take.
The local stores in these towns died and these towns, for the most part, ceased to exist. Driving through these towns is a sad reminder of what once was and will never be again.
I've been noticing (in LA) a return to the small, "family owned" business and resurrection of local, community based specialty shops.
Once the shrewd, cut-every-corner possible, business model has been carried out to the fullest extent, it makes sense some people would respond with something less homogenous that hopes to give back rather than just endlessly take.
Expertise, quality and service still has value in 2013.
The local stores in these towns died and these towns, for the most part, ceased to exist. Driving through these towns is a sad reminder of what once was and will never be again.
I've been noticing (in LA) a return to the small, "family owned" business and resurrection of local, community based specialty shops.
Once the shrewd, cut-every-corner possible, business model has been carried out to the fullest extent, it makes sense some people would respond with something less homogenous that hopes to give back rather than just endlessly take.
Expertise, quality and service still has value in 2013.
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Wal-Mart is the only place keeping Americans employed and we are fucked.
Wal-Mart is an illegal business routinely breaking immigration, labor, wage, zoning laws...
But it's ok because we can get cheap food and clothes there.
The idealist who thinks Wal-Mart should conduct their business while adhering to some sort of moral code is naive and ignorant to the history of business in America.
I am not ignorant of the history of business in America.
Just the same, I think people and corporations should adhere to some sort of moral code.
I know that makes me unAmerican.
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Wal-Mart is the only place keeping Americans employed and we are fucked.
Wal-Mart is an illegal business routinely breaking immigration, labor, wage, zoning laws...
But it's ok because we can get cheap food and clothes there.
obviously consumers have decided that they value lower priced goods than the things you listed above. if they cared they would go somewhere else.
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Wal-Mart is the only place keeping Americans employed and we are fucked.
Wal-Mart is an illegal business routinely breaking immigration, labor, wage, zoning laws...
But it's ok because we can get cheap food and clothes there.
obviously consumers have decided that they value lower priced goods than the things you listed above. if they cared they would go somewhere else.
If Wal Mart is the only place keeping Americans/world employed, then America is fucked.
Wal-Mart is the only place keeping Americans employed and we are fucked.
Wal-Mart is an illegal business routinely breaking immigration, labor, wage, zoning laws...
But it's ok because we can get cheap food and clothes there.
obviously consumers have decided that they value lower priced goods than the things you listed above. if they cared they would go somewhere else.
Not so simple. It would be like saying if people in lower income areas cared about eating well, they would not buy so much processed food. That there is a lack of full grocery stores and/or fresh fruit/vegetables stores in said areas is a known problem, therefore access is a problem. Same thing applies to Wal Mart. And it might be easier to take two buses back and forth from your neighbourhood with a bunch of grocery bags full of carrots and kale, but it's not so easy carrying an appliance on the rush-hour #41 after work because there are no other businesses around that carry what it is you need.
I can get to three Wal Marts in less than 20 minutes from my house but have to go at least 45 minutes to get basic household items from any other store. I'll go the distance or shop by work and carry it back home. I am childless, able-bodied, don't mind transit and am lucky enough to have fam who will be kind enough to drive me now and then. I am not sure I would/could I make the effort if I didn't have half those things in my favour.
As much as circumstances can increase one's choices, they can also limit them.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
It ain't that simple.
Not everyone can afford to go to x number of mom and pop's in order buy the more-expensive sustainable goods, if those mom and pop's and sustainable goods are even available at all in your locale. Walmart is obviously forced on us in many ways...and regardless of what anybody thinks of them, for consumers: practicality > high moral ground.
But yeah, anything (ugly) in the name of stimulating "employment".
Comments
Assault weapons?
Product was to be used by Wal-Mart employees and was not patentable. Assault weapons have a mechanical complexity that warrants patent law. Bootstraps always cheapest from ebay via China. Even slip-on or Croc-rocking motherf*ckers know that. CompanyX invested in expensive plant? It will have some degree of assembly to it. My guess is it's some hardware for cleanups on aisle 4 or some fancy till.
The point is that it was folly to take WMs business for granted when anyone can bang out your generic product cheaper. A company with the volume of turnover like WM will always spot the magnitude of saving potential in shaving even a few cents per unit cost. You cannot expect any sentiment for job retention etc. when the teak-office spreadsheet jockeys stand to make massive personal bonuses. It's as personal to them as it is to the workforce laid off.
I find myself in a smaller-scale quandry of similar shape. My car is on the way out, but with 2 months work left with my client, I am not about to undertake further financial hole-depth as the rope is being withdrawn before my very eyes. My client has gone with cheaper labour in Eastern Europe. IMD. As must my client, who are already reaping the benefits of getting what they paid for...
Kind of a joke, but not really.
Makes me wanna kind of believe in the Bilderberg agenda of reducing the world population to 500 million.
If we are going to live in a dystopian shithole, at least a dystopian shithole with less people is preferable to the one were heading into with Wal Mart being the world's largest employer and 7 billion people.
Always nice to see feckless former clients getting the service they deserve from their low-rent new best friends.
Wal Mart's business model and conduct is not the only way to be successful.
This.
I refuse to think that somehow a corporation's documented abuse of employees and taxpayers is somehow collateral damage and unfortunately has to occur for corporation to run successfully. I also refuse to believe corporations operate on some ridiculously high level of critical thinking and acumen that my tiny intellect cannot begin to grasp why this needs to occur and is actually somehow a good thing.
that's a theft prevention measure more than anything. the theory being if you are greeted by someone personally then you will feel less inclined to steal becuase of that human connection. it's also a subtle reminder that you have not gone unnoticed so who knows who else is watching.
i try not to shop at walmart for all sorts of reasons but i am not above buying something if i need it and its the best price in town.
for those who have not seen it, here is an interesting documentary called "the high cost of low prices":
The net effect of Walmart is a job killer, not a job creator.
u r so edgy
In the 30's - 50's people looked at the Sears Catalog Store in a similar light that they look at Wal-Mart today. These catalog stores moved in to these small towns and offered things that either weren't available locally (a good thing) or were cheaper than available locally (a bad thing). When I moved here in the 80's some of these stores were still operating but on their last legs. The mega-Sears stores had opened in every mid-sized city by the 60's and people would travel to shop there. Same thing with grocery stores that disappeared as "SUPER"Markets began to spring up. This was "progress".
Wal-Mart began as a local Arkansas store that competed with the Sears of the world. Just as transportation and industrialization changed the face of America previously, The new "global economy" allowed Wal-Mart to become what it has. The larger a company gets the less "personal" it becomes towards both it's customers and employees. This alone is nature of the beast. It is possible to grow and maintain some level of 'community" and from what I've seen Costco is one example who has at least tried to do this, although they also have their detractors. The public wants cheap and convienent and those two things are not synonomous with "fair" and high moral ground.
If Wal-Mart breaks laws they should be prosecuted. If they take advantage to the fullest existing laws to the detriment of their employees, customers and communities they can only be punished by our not shopping or working there. And we all have that option. The idealist who thinks Wal-Mart should conduct their business while adhering to some sort of moral code is naive and ignorant to the history of business in America. As a friend of mine puts it, Capitalism is the worst form of society, except for all the others. Like I said earlier, they are either sleazy, immoral or shrewd businessmen and some times those lines are easily blurred. I chose not to shop or work there, beyond that I'd be an old man yelling at a cloud.
I've been noticing (in LA) a return to the small, "family owned" business and resurrection of local, community based specialty shops.
Once the shrewd, cut-every-corner possible, business model has been carried out to the fullest extent, it makes sense some people would respond with something less homogenous that hopes to give back rather than just endlessly take.
Expertise, quality and service still has value in 2013.
Fixed
Wal-Mart is the only place keeping Americans employed and we are fucked.
Wal-Mart is an illegal business routinely breaking immigration, labor, wage, zoning laws...
But it's ok because we can get cheap food and clothes there.
I am not ignorant of the history of business in America.
Just the same, I think people and corporations should adhere to some sort of moral code.
I know that makes me unAmerican.
True.
Not so simple. It would be like saying if people in lower income areas cared about eating well, they would not buy so much processed food. That there is a lack of full grocery stores and/or fresh fruit/vegetables stores in said areas is a known problem, therefore access is a problem. Same thing applies to Wal Mart. And it might be easier to take two buses back and forth from your neighbourhood with a bunch of grocery bags full of carrots and kale, but it's not so easy carrying an appliance on the rush-hour #41 after work because there are no other businesses around that carry what it is you need.
I can get to three Wal Marts in less than 20 minutes from my house but have to go at least 45 minutes to get basic household items from any other store. I'll go the distance or shop by work and carry it back home. I am childless, able-bodied, don't mind transit and am lucky enough to have fam who will be kind enough to drive me now and then. I am not sure I would/could I make the effort if I didn't have half those things in my favour.
As much as circumstances can increase one's choices, they can also limit them.
Not everyone can afford to go to x number of mom and pop's in order buy the more-expensive sustainable goods, if those mom and pop's and sustainable goods are even available at all in your locale. Walmart is obviously forced on us in many ways...and regardless of what anybody thinks of them, for consumers: practicality > high moral ground.
But yeah, anything (ugly) in the name of stimulating "employment".
walmart provides many employment opportunities and offers significant savings on consumer staples. what more do you need for class mobility?
So now Walmart is causing poor people to become less poor?
No, more likely causing poor people to buy more low quality junk they don't actually need.
But hey, they got a McDonald's right there in the store. Who could ever ask for more?