Explain how viable employee relations’ practices have contributed to Wal-Mart’s success as an employer.

The secret to Wal-Mart’s success has long been attributed to its strong culture. Wal-Mart employees are referred to as “Walmartians” which is a sign of a unique culture shared by them. This culture is responsible for a company of this magnitude to be able to sustain its entrepreneurial spirit decade after decade.

In early days, Wal-Mart achieved remarkable growth rates and was the first trillion-dollar company in the world. With amazing success came criticism. Wal-Mart once held the record for being sued the maximum number of times. Its practices and culture were held responsible for killing small local retailers. It was also criticized for gender-based discrimination, it’s overtime policies, and using sweatshop products.

Go to Walmart’s Website and review the employment benefits it offers, located at http://walmartstores.com/Careers/7750.aspx.

Write a three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:

1. Explain how viable employee relations’ practices have contributed to Wal-Mart’s success as an employer.
2. Speculate on the contribution that employee benefits have in relation to the success of Wal-Mart’s employment practices.
3. Predict the major effects that the organizational culture and the use of performance criteria could have on the establishment of a union.
4. Speculate on why you believe Wal-Mart has not been effectively unionized over the years. Provide a rationale for your response.
5. Use at least five (5) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Summarize the differences between employee relations and labor relations.
• Examine the relationship between management and unions.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in employee and labor relations.
• Write clearly and concisely about employee and labor relations using proper writing mechanics.