Down with Chancellor Wal-Mart

Germany bids auf wiedersehen to Wally-World [1] (emphasis added):

Andreas Knorr and Andreas Arndt of the University of Bremen didn't mince words in their study called "Why did Wal-Mart Fail in Germany?"

The authors wrote: "Wal-Mart's attempt to apply the company's proven US success formula in an unmodified manner to the German market turned out to be nothing short of a fiasco."

One example of that might be that Wal-Mart's American managers pressured German executives to enforce American-style management practices in the workplace. Employees were forbidden, for instance, from dating colleagues in positions of influence. Workers were also told not to flirt with one another.

A German court ruled last year against the company's attempt to introduce a telephone hotline for employees to inform on their colleagues.

High labor costs may have been a big hurdle for Wal-Mart Germany, as well as workers who tried to resist management's demands which they felt were unjust.

One Wal-Mart employee told the newsmagazine Der Spiegel that management had threatened to close certain stores if staff did not agree to work to working longer hours than their contracts foresaw and did not permit video surveillance of their work.

This is what happens when a citizenry feel empowered to oppose unfair business practices. If only Americans workers enjoyed the fair protection of a government by and for the people.

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