Sociology 2111: Worksheet--"Is Wal-Mart Good for America?"

1. How did Wal-Mart move from being a company that emphasized "Made in America" in their advertising, at least, to being the American company that buys the most product overseas?

2. Why did Wal-Mart end up with so many of its suppliers in China?

3. What gives Wal-Mart such great power over its suppliers, and how does it use that power?

4. What effect has the Wal-Martization of the economy had on American consumers?

5. What effect has Wal-Martization had on American workers?

Sociology 2111: Groups--"Is Wal-Mart Good for America?

1. Duke University professor Gary Gereffi says: "China is the largest exporter to the U.S. economy in virtually all consumer goods categories. Wal-Mart is the leading retailer in the U.S. economy in virtually all consumer goods category. Wal-Mart and China are a joint venture." What are the effects on each country of this mutual interdependence?

2. What difference does it make that Wal-Mart is headquartered in the United States? More generally, do large corporations like Wal-Mart have loyalties to the country where they are headquartered?

3. Is Wal-Mart good for America? More realistically, what do you see as the good and bad effects?

4. As I mentioned in class, the labor movement is in the early stages of a campaign to unionize Wal-Mart. Is this likely to succeed? Why or why not, and what would be the consequences of success?

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