Examine The Manner In Which Walmart's Business Philosophy Ha

Examine The Manner In Which Walmarts Business Philosophy Has Impacted

Examine the manner in which Walmart's business philosophy has impacted its perception of being unethical toward supply and employee stakeholders. Provide one example of Walmart in an ethical situation. Determine the major effects that Walmart's business philosophy has had on its human resource practices and policies. Analyze two of the legal mandates that workers and the U.S. government have accused Walmart of violating. Provide an explanation as to why these legal mandates were violated, citing specific violations.

Evaluate the efficiency of the structure of the ethical decision-making framework that Walmart has used in making its decisions. Provide a rationale for your response. Recommend two actions that Walmart's human resources department should take in order to improve the employees' perspectives of Walmart's human resources policies. Provide a rationale for your recommendations. This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is: Propose organizational changes that would prevent violations of legal mandates and improve stakeholder perspectives. In four pages.

Paper For Above instruction

Walmart's profound influence on retail industry practices is rooted in its core business philosophy, which emphasizes low prices, operational efficiency, and broad market reach. This philosophy has significantly shaped its perceptions and actions concerning ethical considerations toward supply chain and employee stakeholders. Walmart's relentless pursuit of cost reduction and profit maximization has, at times, led to controversial perceptions of unethical behavior, especially regarding supplier exploitation and employee treatment. However, the company's ethical stance is also evidenced by its contributions to affordability and availability of goods, which benefits millions of consumers in the United States and globally.

A notable example of Walmart acting ethically is its commitment to sustainability initiatives, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting ethical sourcing. Walmart's pledge to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2020 demonstrated its effort to balance business interests with environmental responsibility (Walmart, 2016). These steps showcase its recognition of corporate social responsibility, despite ongoing criticisms related to labor practices.

Walmart's business philosophy has profoundly impacted its human resource practices and policies. It has prioritized efficiency through standardized procedures, extensive training, and a focus on high productivity. Nevertheless, this focus has also cultivated a culture criticized for low wages, limited benefits, and high turnover. The company has been accused of creating a workplace that treats employees as interchangeable parts, often leading to dissatisfaction and high attrition rates (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016). Such practices reflect a view that prioritizes cost savings over employee well-being.

Two legal mandates Walmart has been accused of violating are wage and hour laws, and occupational safety regulations. For example, Walmart faced lawsuits alleging it violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by misclassifying employees or failing to pay them for overtime work (Eisenberg & Nelson, 2014). The violations occurred due to policies that restricted employees from claiming rightful overtime pay, often through misclassification or enforcement practices that discouraged overtime reporting. Additionally, Walmart has faced OSHA violations stemming from inadequate safety measures in warehouses and stores, which compromised employee health (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2014).

The ethical decision-making framework employed by Walmart has been critiqued as fragmented and reactive rather than proactive. Its decentralized organizational structure often limits consistent ethical oversight, leading to inconsistent responses to ethical dilemmas. This indicates a lack of a comprehensive, ethically grounded decision-making framework that emphasizes stakeholder interests beyond mere compliance. An effective framework would incorporate ethical principles such as stakeholder theory, transparency, and accountability into decision processes (Crane et al., 2014).

To improve employee perceptions of Walmart’s human resources policies, the company could implement two strategic actions. First, adopting transparent communication channels regarding compensation, benefits, and workplace policies would foster trust and reduce misinformation. Second, increasing investment in training and development programs would demonstrate a commitment to employee growth, morale, and retention. Both actions would help align Walmart’s operational goals with a more ethically driven human resource approach, enhancing stakeholder trust and improving workplace satisfaction (Bartol & Zhang, 2019).

In conclusion, Walmart’s business philosophy has significantly shaped its practices and perceptions regarding ethics and stakeholder treatment. While its focus on efficiency and low costs has brought economic benefits, it has also raised ethical concerns particularly relating to labor practices and legal compliance. By adopting a more integrated and stakeholder-focused ethical decision-making framework and enhancing transparency and employee engagement, Walmart can better align its operational policies with ethical principles and stakeholder expectations, ultimately promoting sustainable organizational success.

References

• Bartol, K. M., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Ethical leadership and employee well-being: The role of organizational culture. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(4), 1025-1039.
• Cascio, W. F., & Boudreau, J. W. (2016). The search for global competence: Aligning HR and talent strategies. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 103-113.
• Crane, A., Matten, D., & Spence, L. J. (2014). Corporate social responsibility: Readings and cases in a global context. Routledge.
• Eisenberg, T., & Nelson, R. (2014). Walmart labor practices and legal issues: A case study. Business Law Journal, 29(2), 45-59.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (2014). Inspection findings at Walmart facilities. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov
• Walmart. (2016). Sustainability report 2016. Walmart Inc. https://corporate.walmart.com/sustainability