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Why NJ, if you've seen me over on the education forum, then you should know I'm not anti education. But I am anti ignorance, whereas most MBA's seem to hide ignorance behind those three letters. They make a lot of decisions on a cost basis, but do not know enough about the business to understand the real costs. Oh, they do fairly decent with the obvious things, but completely ignore everything they do not understand. Metrics and objectives become focused on the things that are EASY to measure, not the things that are IMPORTANT to measure. That falls out from ignorance of the process and ignorance of the environment. Ignorance that can only be overcome by studying the actual process and environment where they are rather than the hypothetical and constrained environment of the case study.
I know some people who have been at Walmart 20+ years and seem to be doing ok, and they're just clerks, not management. It's certainly not a high paying job, but retail never was high paying.
You only need a degree if you're applying directly for a management position without ever working any of the lower positions. You don't need a degree if you're starting at the bottom and working your way up. Some of the best managers I had working retail were those that did not have degrees. The managers with degrees don't want to do anything but sit in the office or walk around.
While Wal-Mart has a bad reputation, I think K-Mart is a lot worse. The stores are generally very outdated as well as dirty and usually there is only 1 lane open. The customer base seems shadier too and the prices aren't that great. I also can't find any sale items that are advertised.
Grandmother bought a supposed new water dispenser from them. The thing was smelly, filthy and infested with cockroaches. It took a month to get rid of the infestation at our house.
Wal Mart seems to have a very bad reputation as a company and, from what one seems to hear, appears to be one of the worst companies to work for out there. While it might be so for regular employees, I know that my uncle, who worked at a distribution center, made enough money to support a family of seven (though I think he was ill used after being let go due to on the job injuries but as he's in an at-will state and doesn't have too too much money (about $50,000 or so among a family of 7 isn't that that great), they didn't try and fight wally world. In fact, the injuries were so bad that, after trying at some other jobs, which were good enough, he had to leave as the injuries kept him from performing them, as even his doctors said.)
I mean, what happened to Wal Mart? Sam Walton was such a good guy. Where did things go wrong?
I think it now has changed. 20 years ago, Walmart meant a fair price/value.
Now, it's an abusive mean spirited greedy monstrosity that has grown beyond control.
If you're young and eager to learn, good place to learn how abusive management can be. Where I work (Today is last day) management heard of the issues in the Deli, they went to the senior worker, after they spoke, they promised changes, none came. I'm bailing along with 5 others and there's only 8 in the dept....
If you're the "Pet" of the MS (Material Support 1 rung above you) you get the choice shift (They can make them now) so being the "Favorite" helps garner safety.
Customers (Even the verbally abusive ones) get what they want, no matter if they are taking time away from another job you need to do, and when they find out you didn't do it due to them demanding you help abusive customer, they tend to threaten you with a "Incident"
The funny thing is I see people claim the product they bought was junk. The truth is they abused it, and then complained about it. Without admitting they could have spent $100 for a great quality item, that $19.95 bargain costs more in the long run.
In short, you have a select few making it to the top over bodies of others without regard for others....Welcome to Walmart. (Oh and have a nice day)
I had the misfortune of working there when I was in Graduate School and I really have nothing nice to say about my experience at Walmart. I actually saw a manager adjust my time sheet to reflect that I worked 40 hours in a week instead of 47 so that they could avoid paying me overtime. A lot of my coworkers were also short tempered due to the horrible working conditions and the customers treat you like garbage. It was a very toxic environment.
I worked third-shift stocking the pets department and the job was very hard. 10 PM - 7 AM was rarely enough time to get everything on the shelves IF everything went smoothly. If the pallets weren't out there timely, which happened often, it was impossible to get everything done by 7 AM. Also, you have to be EXTREMELY careful when you take a box cutter to the wrapped up pallets because you could accidentally rip open a bag of dog food and find yourself wasting 10 minutes cleaning up the mess. This is why I would often find myself there until 9-10 AM. This was when I was in Graduate School and had a full load of classes to deal with, so this was not a great time in my life.
Management treated you like garbage because they didn't view you as someone who was directly beneficial to the daily sales total (all they really cared about). This is why we were horrifically understaffed in addition to the high turnover that you are going to see in this kind of job. They would still expect you to get everything done in spite of the horrible conditions and the impossible situation that you were put in. In recent years, I've heard that customers have been getting frustrated by the fact that the items they need aren't in stock. I'm not surprised that they have been burned by this given how they treat their overnight stockers.
Not just Walmart but most stores in general I get so sick of going there only to find they don't have what I want in stock. I have switched to ordering more stuff online as a result of the constant frustration. Unfortunately not much I can do about groceries other than try a different store and complain.
Sam died. The company was taken over by typical MBAs. Same folks who ruin other companies. Walmart is so big and has so much money it may take years, but as Walmart is now, A&P once was. As A&P is now, Walmart will be. You could insert Kmart, Sears, Montgomery Ward, and a host of other companies in there and get the same answer.
Was it the MBAs or his kids?
Sam was a great person and a true visionary. He tapped into markets that the other Big Box companies were ignoring. He owned Ben Franklin franchises and went to their executives with the idea of expanding into rural areas and his idea was rejected by their executives. This is the idea that led Walmart to become one of the biggest companies in the world.
His kids are nothing special. They don't have the same drive and desire that Sam had.
I audit companies for a living and when I come across a family owned business, I usually see a lot of damage done by the second and third generations (if they last that long). These are individuals that had great parents or grandparents but have little understanding of how to run a business. They grew up with a sense of entitlement and that does not carry over well to the business world. They also tend to be some of the most arrogant and obnoxious people that I have to deal with. It's no surprise to me when I see these companies go into the red for a few years before ultimately closing up shop or getting bought out.
Sam Walton built such a great company that it took decades for the kids to finally drag the company down a bit. They will survive, but they will have to drop the arrogance and adjust. I think we've started to see that happen in the last couple of years.
My wife used to work for Wal-Mart. The employees and store managers did not have MBAs where she worked. Not sure why TNFF thinks that is relevant to Wal-Mart.
I disagree with most of the premise of the question. Wal-Mart never gave people unlimited disability benefits or high-paying positions for the majority of the workforce. Yes, they paid market rate or below market but people are not forced to work there. It's still a good place to work while improving yourself for that next higher paying job, like one that requires an MBA.
The company actually expanded and got the largest after Sam's death so you could certainly make a case that it has improved since Sam passed. But on this I agree, Sam Walton had a great deal of good ideas. Thank God for Sam.
It has gotten much worst. Thank God I quit today and have orientation at a new job tomorrow. I was denied time off the last 3 times I asked. But was the only one in Produce Department last Tuesday. And if you get sick in a fresh food Department because of their attendance policy you will probably still work their. Of all the recent Assistance Manager or above I know of only one who would send you home or at least get you away from the Fresh food. 2 Friday ago I work Meat Department after throwing up 3 times that morning. Wal-Mart’s bad reputation is will deserved.
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