Walmart in many ways has successfully fulfilled the virtues of competition by offering the same products or better quality products at a competitive price. Walmart has improved their competitiveness throughout the years by offering a wider variety of products online that they had previously not offered. As their success grew over the years many people have begun to question their business practices. An investigation done by Walmart Watch showed that Walmart hired more part time employees so that they didn't have to provide benefits and only pay part time wages. These business practices once made public negatively affected them financially, stocks went down 30% since 2000 and sales growth was 3.1% lower than their competitor Target.

They have been sued for discrimination of a disabled employee in the case EEOC versus Walmart Stores East. An employee with Down syndrome worked for years a Walmart and when Walmart changed to a computer system and the employee could no longer work due to hour changes and the affects it had on her health. She quit and then attempted to return to her job but was discriminated against by Walmart and the EEOC won the lawsuit. Walmart responded to all the bad publicity by working with a public relations group to create Working Families for Walmart in 2005. Their goal was to show Walmart in a positive light by charitable contributions and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Walmart now offers to pay 100% of college tuition and books for nearly 1.3 million field-based associates.

Through the use of its own advanced and technological supply chain and logistics, efficient purchasing practices, low prices, and multiple rural chain locations, Wal-Mart has become a giant among corporate industries. Walmart has been able to achieve this success by working directly with suppliers and local farmers, therefore, eliminating the middleman and providing an unattainable service and reputation that other retail stores have tried to copy but haven't been as successful at achieving.While Walmart has seen its share of success, it hasn't come without a cost, many current and former employees have accused the retail giant of underpaying and overworking them as quoted by David West, "Walmart may say they help people's live better,'" said West, executive director of Puget Sound Sage, in the press release. "But this study shows that communities will be much worse off with lower wages and less money in the community after a Walmart opens." This statement is in response to the fact that many researchers have found that Wal-Mart pays its hourly associates around $3 an hour less than that of other local comparable workers. The most serious charge that Walmart has had to face is an EEOC ( Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) charge that found Walmart liable for the alleged discrimination of a Down Syndrome employee after Walmart fired her for maintaining to manage her new hours after Wal-Mart changed her work schedule, she was awarded $300,000 in damages.As stated above one of the alleged problems caused by Wal-Mart is its low pay to employees other such alleged abuses include: sweatshops, footing the bill on healthcare costs, shutting out local business (mom and pop ) stores, and exporting pollution and importing urban sprawl and pushing political agenda just to name a few.On the other hand, Walmart associates are able to enjoy some benefits such as 100% college tuition, paid time off, 16 weeks of maternity leave, 401k match, 10% discount on all fresh produce and select general merchandise, discounts on gym membership, and cellphone plans.

The question is how would you seperately respond to both of these statements above ?