I find the guy’s story absurd...
This is the Walmart headquarters
http://mypbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/walmart-headquarters.jpg
No lawn chairs.
Well for one thing the article I linked is posted January 1, 2006. Another thing Wally IIRC corp has changed top management several times since then.
On another note though. Do you remember those highly annoying entrance alarms Wally used to have in Electronics every time someone entered the department? Do you remember them being taken out? The VP's at Wally used to have direct hands on with the operation of the stores and actually interacted with the public. If you had a complaint and called or wrote Corp you would get a reply from a higher up in corp.
I know because years ago I called and complained about those blasted alarms. VP of Loss prevention called me actually. Try and address any issue with corp now and you'll get a call from a local associate who can't do Zilch. Walmart has lost it's way from the beginnings that made it the success it became.
