*Reposted from February 3rd, 2011
Vias, Alexander. "Bigger stores, more stores, or no stores: paths of retail restructuring in rural America." ScienceDirect. N.p., July 2004. Web. 3 Feb 2011.
Vias, Alexander. "Bigger stores, more stores, or no stores: paths of retail restructuring in rural America." ScienceDirect. N.p., July 2004. Web. 3 Feb 2011.
This artilce, taken from the website ScienceDirect and published online in 2004, compiles data which was taken over an 11 year span, from 1988-1999. The purpose of the data is to show the relationship which Big-Box stores have on many separate rural environments over a long period of time, and what the findings show is that these effects are not universal. Many factors go into determining how a Big-Box store will affect an area, so the current generalizations about big-box stores may not be fair. This article helps to provide a more neutral look at the issue, and will help my report to be less one-sided.
Courtemanche, , Charles, and Carden. "The Skinny on Big Box Retailing." MPRA. N.p., 2009. Web. 3 Feb 2011. <http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/25326/>.
The Article found on Munich RePEc Personal Archive implies a positive correlation between the increase in Walmart Super Centers and national obesity. According to the article, it would seem that 11% of our nation’s recent rise in obesity can be explained by this. This article is useful since it sheds light on an issue which many might not associate with stores like Walmart, and could help me provide a stronger argument if I take the Anti big-box store approach in my final argument.
"The Larger Costs of Low Prices." Ohio State University Extension. Ohio State University, 2007. Web. 3 Feb 2011. <http://extensionreport.osu.edu/commecon/the-larger-costs-of-low-prices-when-big-box-stores-come-to-town/>.
“The Larger Costs of Low Prices” gives a brief overview of the problems which big-box stores pose to smaller communities, and also how to combat big-box stores that are introduced in a community. There is also a link to the larger, more in-depth article. This is a good source because unlike previous sources, it gives ways to minimize the effects of a big-box store, and will help me if I wanted to include a “Call to action” in my report.
"Thinking Outside The Box." Civic Economics, 2009. Web. 3 Feb 2011. <http://www.staylocal.org/pdf/info/ThinkingOutsidetheBox_1.pdf>.
In this article looking at independent merchants in New Orleans, researchers compared the data between big-box stores and local merchants to find that a larger percentage of consumer money spent at the smaller stores stayed in the area than that which was spent at the big-box stores. I can use this study as a comparison, and to highlight a reason why it is important to protect our smaller businesses.
(PART II)
Frontline: is wal-mart good for america?. (2004, November 16). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/secrets/
This webpage is more of a “jumping off” point, providing useful links to other articles on the website dealing with the issue of Big box stores, specifically Wal-mart. Aside from giving general facts about Wal-mart, the website explores issues such as the corporate pairing of Wal-mart and China, how Wal-mart is able to maintain such low prices, and also delves into the inner workings of the chain. There are also several interviews with different Wal-mart key players, such as Vice President Ray Bracy. Because of all of this material, this would be a great source for someone interested in gaining some general background information on this store.
Scott, R.E. (2007, June 25). The wal-mart effect: its chinese imports have displaced nearly 200000 u.s. jobs. Retrieved from http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/ib235/
This article, taken from the Economic Policy Institute, explores Wal-mart’s relationship with China and the disastrous effects which the pairing has had on U.S. jobs. According to the article, Wal-Mart made up about 9.3% of total U.S. imports from China between 2001 and 2006, which resulted in a $17.1 billion increase in the U.S. trade deficit between those years. This in turn led to the displacement of nearly 200000 American jobs. Because of the focus on the relationship between Wal-mart and China, this source would be useful to anyone who wanted to see the global effects which stores like Wal-mart can have..
Boarnet, M, & Crane, R. (1999, September). The impact of big box grocers on southern california. Retrieved from http://www.paluc.org/pdfs/resources_and_contacts/big_box_study.pdf
This lengthy document (119 pages), which was put together in 1999, discusses all of the major financial impacts which big-box stores had on the Southern California region during this time. This study is interesting because since it is over a decade old, we can compare the data found here to more recent findings in order to identify any trends. The study also makes predictions of how the rise in “supercenters” would affect the economy, so we can see how accurate those predictions are. Also, this is the most complete and in-depth study which I have come across thus far. Issues discussed in the study include the annual decrease in profit (up to $2.8 billion/year) and poor health-care, specifically with regards to Wal-mart. This would be a useful source for someone who wanted to examine the effects of Wal-mart over a long period of time (10+ years).
David, . (2007, January 2). Shopping small versus big-mom and pop vs. big box stores. Retrieved from http://www.mytwodollars.com/2007/01/02/shopping-small-versus-big-mom-and-pop-vs-big-box-stores/
Taken from the website “My Two Dollars,” this article looks at the pros and cons of both big box stores and small mom and pop stores. This source is different from others on this list being that it is slightly more biased. However, it is valuable since it provides a look at the issue of Big Box vs. Mom & Pop from the perspective of a consumer. Issues which the writer focuses on include customer service, selection and price of goods and the overall experience one gets when shopping at one of these stores. This source would be helpful for someone who wanted to get a different perspective on the issue, specifically that of a consumer.
(PART III)
Robinson, Kevin. (2010, January 10). Wal-mart using fake community group to manufacture support.
Retrieved from http://chicagoist.com/2010/01/26/wal-mart_using_fake_community_group.php#photo-1
Taken from a Chicago-based website “The Chicagoist,” this article details a supposed ethical issue surrounding Walmart, specifically a practice of using a fake community group to gain support to open new stores around Chicago. Although this is a highly opinionated article, it still sheds light on an issue that might not be gaining the recognition it warrants. Still, this is a good article for readers to look at due to the fact that it looks at a problem that is out of the ordinary with regards to Wal-Mart ethics.
Stohr, Greg. (2010, November). Wal-mart vs. a million angry women. Retrieved from http://reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/2010/dukes_appeal.php
This 2010 Article, published on the website Reclaimdemocracy.org, discusses the unfair treatment of women in the workplace, specifically the preferential treatment of male coworkers, and the fact that women are often overlooked for promotions. The article also talks about a lawsuit currently in progress regarding this issue. Readers will find this article useful both because it details the issue of unfair treatment, but also because it can be used as a case-study to illustrate poor Wal-mart practices.
Articles on wal-mart and big box stores: 2007-2010. (2011). Retrieved from http://reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/#article
This website, Reclaimdemocracy.org, is not an article but rather a jumping-off point for readers interested in reading about Wal-mart and Big-box stores. The page contains links to several other internal articles detailing various issues and exploits of Wal-mart, and is a useful tool for people interested in reading more about the chain of stores.
Fishman, Charles. (2003, December 01). The Wal-mart you don't know. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
Although this is an older article, dating back to 2003, it still discusses an important issue which is often overlooked: The effects of Wal-mart’s low prices on the companies of the products it sells. This article would be useful to anyone looking to explore some of the more un-discussed controversies surrounding the company.
(PART IV)
"Carbon Dioxide Emissions Per Mile Traveled."Sightline Institute. N.p., 2008. Web. 2011.
This source provides readers with a comprehensive graph showing the amount of CO2 emissions from various travel options, most notably that of cars. Although the information may not seem immediately relevant, within the context of the argument (Walmart causes more pollution due to traffic) it becomes clear how important this data really is.
"Walmart Complaints." Complaints Board. N.p., 2010. Web. 2011. http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/unsafe-work-conditions-c371679.html
This source is a complaints website in which current employees and shoppers can post various complaints about things that happen to them in stores such as Walmart. This website is interesting for readers because it shows things from the perspective of those who’s stories you typically don’t hear. Although the credibility of some of the posters is suspect, some of the complaints on the website warrant some deeper thought.
"Walmart Watch." Walmart Watch. N.p., 2011. Web. 2011.
Walmart Watch, a blog about Walmart, is a good source because it is someone doing basically the same thing as this blog, only on a larger scale and for a larger amount of time. The Blog has been recommended by other Anti-Walmart groups (such as Sprawl-Busters), and overall the content seems to be relevant and well presented. Those readers looking for another take on the issue would benefit greatly from this website.
"Walmart Launches Major Initiative." Walmart Corporate. N.p., 2011. Web. 2011. http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/10514.aspx.
Although this particular page details Walmart’s 5-point plan to make healthier foods more available, It is the entire corporate website of Walmart/Sam’s Club which is most important. On the website, Walmart provides detailed fact sheets on their corporation, as well as news and other things like that. Again, this is a source who’s purpose is to give readers an insight into another perspective on the issue, this one coming straight from Walmart itself.
