Communication in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Communication in business - Essay Example The multi-billion dollar corporation has various large stores spread across the United States and Canada. Wal-Mart Corporation on average has managed to attain a net profit of more than $3 billion USD. Wal-Mart has thousands of employees under its payroll. Wal-Mart, the largest private employer in the United States defines the standards of the retail industry in terms of the suppliers and employers. It is important for a large corporation like Wal-Mark to ensure that it satisfies its customers cater for its employees, and when it comes to the environment and the community, it should observe corporate social responsibility. As much as Wal-Mart Corporation has strived to ensure that it puts its mantra of â€Å"save money, live better† into action, there have been occasions in which it has let down its consumers, employees, the environment and community. This is through poor management and neglect of mission and social responsibility on the side of the managers. In essence, Wal-M art Corporation has put more effort in increasing profit for its shareholders than fulfilling corporate social responsibility. This paper examines how Wal-Mart Corporation has performed in terms of social, corporate responsibility. Wal-Mart and its employees A number of individuals, community groups and employees’ labor unions have expressed mixed feelings regarding the welfare of employees in Wal-Mart. In most cases, the welfare involves salary and wages, working conditions, safety, training and holidays. Employee salaries and wages have been a major issue on the debate in that employees’ labor unions, have asserted that Wal-Mart pays its employees a less than average living wage while it makes billions of profit (Lichtenstein, 2006: 2). Additionally, the payments made by Wal-Mart, as salaries and wages to its employees are way low expectations of the retail industry. Wal-Mart also offers less over-time working hours since their normal working hours are 34 hours a wee k while, on the other hand, its competitor only offer an average of 32 hour a week. This means that if an employee works over time he or she will not get the advantage of working for the two extra hours. Wal-Mart as a retail store makes a lot of profit, which fails to reflect on the salaries of its employees. Working conditions in Wal-Mart are not conducive enough since the company partly violates the â€Å"National Labor Relations Act† and the specification of basic human rights through â€Å"International Labor Organization†. There are many complaints regarding the harsh working conditions in Wal-Mart through intimidation, threats and firing of employees. Moreover, some complaints have been filed in court against Wal-Mart. In accordance with the â€Å"National Organization for Women† (NOW), Wal-Mart Corporation has demonstrated discriminatory practices against its employees, and thus it is a â€Å"Merchant of Shame†. Women have been on the forefront fig hting against the widespread gender discrimination in Wal-Mart Corporation (Walmart Watch, 2011: 6). Wal-Mart has gone to the extent of failing to pay its employees their hard-earned salaries. This case occurred in 2002 when more than 30 lawsuits claiming millions of dollars belonging to employees filed against Wal-Mart. The lawsuits entailed Wal-Mart forcing some employees to work during their breaks, illegally deleting employees’ time sheet and forceful working during off the clock working hours. Wal-Mart collaborated with managers and supervisors in