Wal-Marts Positive Influence on American Businesses Essay -- Business

Wal-Mart's Positive Influence on American Businesses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer..." Adam Smith. Wal-Mart is a producer who has the sole purpose of promoting consumption of the consumer. Wal-Mart and its quest for capital improvement are playing a major and vital role in the evolution of economic life. Wal-Mart brings positive change to towns in the U.S. They increase competition between retailers, stimulating the economy, and they also bring more capital and tax revenue to at town, some of which desperately need a positive change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   'I think it's just the natural evolution of growth,' says Cynthia Lin, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mat in California. Wal-Mart's expansion and growth, like that of many other large retailers such as K-Mart, Buy Mart and Fred Meyer, is part of a bigger picture involving the evolution of the economy and the way businesses conduct themselves. Evolution, defined as the gradual process in which something changes into a different and unusually more complex or better form, is thoroughly distributed in all aspects of life. From biological, social, cultural, to economic, it can?t be denied that there are evolutionary processes taking place constantly. But it would be impossible to take a small piece of time out of our history, study it, and then conclude what is exactly evolving. The evolution processes take place simultaneously and can only be seen from the larger picture. That is why it is necessary to take a collective look at our history, from one point in time until anothe r, to effectively see the process of evolution work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The industrial revolution began with one or two ideas for a better means of mass-production, and it became the driving force that turned the manufacturing world into what it is today. It was just 1 turning point of the evolution that took place in the 20th century (still affecting and changing lives today). Cars, houses, appliances and life?s everyday activities became more affordable and convenient for the average person. If you look at the pattern of the human race for as far back as possible, the general goal has been to increase the quality of life. Whatever it might be; health and medicine, living conditions, or food, people have... ...?t find what they needed there, so they came downtown to shop,? Jubitz said. ? I don?t think we?ve lost any businesses except for a small drugstore that was on its way out anyway because a Payless moved in at the same time as Wal-Mart.? The city of Grants Pass, Oregon had a similar situation with an arrival of a Wal-Mart in 1992. ?Today the downtown corridor consists of specialty and antique shops,? says Barton Brierley, and associate planner for Grants Pass. ?Wal-Mart helped ensure a change in the character of downtown,? he said. Laura Richardson who is a retail analyst with Pacific Crest Securities is all for a competitive change involving smaller retailers. ?It?s a big store. It carries a broad selection. There?s no depth,? Richardson said. ?That?s where the local shops can compete. They need to figure out what Wal-Mart doesn?t do, be flexible and do it.? The expansion of Wal-Mart throughout the U.S. is a positive change for towns, cities and the economy. It brings prosperity, healthy competition and it is part of the inevitable evolution that sweeps through the country on a daily basis. Wal-Mart should be greeted with open arms and with a positive outlook for the future.