The United States of Wal-Mart

John Dicker talked about his book The United States of Wal-Mart, published by Jeremy P. Tarcher. The book discusses how Wal-Mart’s company business practices have been shaping American culture, including the nation’s social, political, and industrial policy. Wal-Mart employs 1 out of every 115 workers in the United States and has annual sales of approximately $260 billion. Mr. Dicker also writes that it is responsible for the loss of many local small business jobs each time a new Wal-Mart opens in a community. Mr. Dicker makes the case that the Wal-Mart globalization effort, with new stores now in China and the Far East, is promoting homogeneity and eliminating small businesses. Mr. Dicker read excerpts from the book and then answered questions from members of the audience. Among the topics discussed were health care, labor unions, international trade, human rights, and both tactics that have been used to oppose Wal-Mart and the company’s responses. close