Posted on 11/09/2004 1:11:34 PM PST by Willie Green
In Circleville, Ohio, population 13,000, the local RCA television manufacturing plant was once a source of good jobs with good pay and benefits. But in late 2003, RCA's owner, Thomson Consumer Electronics, lost a sizeable portion of its production orders and six months later shut the plant down, throwing 1,000 people out of work.
Thomson's jobs have moved to China, where cheap labor manufactures what the American consumer desires--from clothing to electronics--and can buy at "everyday low prices" at the local Wal-Mart.
On Tuesday, November 16, at 9 P.M. on PBS (check local listings), FRONTLINE® explores the relationship between U.S. job losses and the American consumer's insatiable desire for bargains in "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" Through interviews with retail executives, product manufacturers, economists, and trade experts, correspondent Hedrick Smith examines the growing controversy over the Wal-Mart way of doing business and asks whether a single retail giant has changed the American economy.
(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...
ping
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=WMT&t=my
Love WMT....
I was watching the South Park last week that thouced the same issue. The people of South Park tried to kill Wall-Mart because the store killed mom and pop stores. They succeeded, only to see one of the mom and pop store grew bigger and bigger so that they had to kill it too. And started to buy stuffs from the other mom and pop store... until...
IOW, America is good for Wal-Mart!
Best to quote John Kerry here..."well, er, yes and no."
This quote ought to make everyone's hair stand up:
"Wal-Mart and China are a joint venture."
I recently visited a WalMart and the place was a disaster. I've only gone to Walmart three times in my life and all three times the visit was horrible. Personally, I'll take may chances with small stores.
No it is not.
BEIJING: The world's biggest retailer, WalMart Stores Inc, said it plans at least 10 new stores in China next year, joining other foreign retail giants in taking advantage of new rules letting them move into smaller cities.China's US$240bil retail market, dominated by local firms such as Beijing Wangfujing Group and Wumart Stores, is turning into a major battlefield as foreign companies ratchet up their investments.
WalMart will have 43 Chinese outlets by the end of the year, only a small fraction of its more than 5,000 outlets worldwide, and it runs a distant second to France's Carrefour SA in terms of foreign retailers that country. – Reuters
So where will the stuff for the China stores be made?
p.s. Wumart! LOL!
Ask any RVer. They'll say WM is the greatest thing since sliced bread! ;>)
I agree. If I go to Walmart it is only on Black Friday or at 7am when they first open. Otherwise it is a ZOO.
I agree...I think Walmart stores are generally, dirty and full of inferior quality stuff. I much prefer Target. that being said....I think the anti-Walmart jihad is stupid. People like the place and they shop there. Capitalsim relies on creative destruction, Walmart is a good competitor.
Adam Smith answered this question two and a quarter centuries ago.
Of course, I compare it to the Hungry Fisherman scenario. HF was my favorite restaurant for several years in Nashville and Knoxville. It was great. Then the HF in Nashville got new management and the experience was horrible. Dirty, food all over the floor (their big draw was a buffet), and food beginning to spoil. Never went back.
Maybe the Wal-Marts you went to had poor management.
Short term, no. Long term, yes.
If I had my druthers, I'druther not have 'em at all.
:O)
P
Don't know. I haven't been to Walmart in over four years. I try not to buy Chinese if I can help it, although that's just about impossible now.
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