While completely legal, studies suggest that Wal-Mart’s labor policies exploit regulatory loopholes that, for example, allow it to sidestep the burden of healthcare costs for many workers (Wal-Mart provides healthcare coverage to less than half its workers). And the entry of big-box stores into a community crushes long-established retailers, often traumatically transforming their character.
但是，我对沃尔玛模式作为全球性增长的蓝图却持有保留。首先，这一模式对低工资工人以及小型零售者产生影响。研究报告表明，沃尔玛的劳工政策尽管完全合法，但是却钻法规的空子。例如，这些空子让沃尔玛规避给许多雇员承担医疗费用（沃尔玛只给一半的雇员提供医疗保险）。而且，巨型零售店进军某个社区，就会冲垮经营已久的零售者，经常痛楚地改变它们的性质。