sesoony

Soony Seo
Eap2(w/w)
1/23/2006
S/R#2


In the article,"Local families taking sides", the author, Mark Rice, explains that Columbus Council is considering a proposal of the local families for allowing super centered Wal-Mart in Columbia, GA. Each family has various reasons to go or not to go to Wal-Mart. Some families want the supercenter Wal-Mart because of low price and convenience, while some families don't like Wal-Mart because of it's unkindness, traffic problem on weekend, low payment of jobs, and rare American goods. Generally, local families is likely to spend money by their taste; they make the decision to go to where between Wal-Mart and local shops by choosing low price or quality. I insist that there are three disadvantages of Wal-Mart to the small shops, which should differentiate their strategy to the customer through finding out the disadvantage of Wal-Mart.

First, Wal-Mart is just cheap. I agree that Wal-Mart serves goods in a low price, but I don't agree easily that their quality is better. Comparing the price to other shops, there are better prices in Wal-Mart. Clothes are cheap, but it is not nicer than other markets, and vegetables are better priced but they are not various and fresh in quality because of the process of transportation and restricted space. There are many sections but it is not enough to satisfy customer. It seems to choose just low price instead of quality . For example, if you are a wise customer, may you go to another shop for fresh vegetables even though you have to pay more. If you want a good quality of clothes, you maybe go to another shop, because their clothes is just cheap, not satisfying your needs. Small shops have to discover their attractive ways in price and quality.

Second, Wal-Mart has to sell high service as well as low price for business. " low price, low service" is not attractive to the customers. It is not difficult to see a worker's face be indifferent to the customers. The workers of Wal-Mart look tired because of a lot of customers and a lack of experience. Just the low price of goods always says to the customer,"hello". They have to sell not only low price but also their service. In order to make their employees smile happily, they have to educate workers to be nice for the customers through giving appropriate payment. So, the small shop needs to retrain employees to be nice to the customer for business.

Third, the strategy of Wal-Mart does not seem to lock their customer in forever. Unfortunately, customers are too wise to go to one shop. The lowest price is the strongest arm to attract the customer, but it is impossible to keep them forever. It is wise for the cusomer to compare price and quality. Nobody wants the expensive and low quality goods, but everybody wants the cheap and high quality goods. Small shops have to discover what Wal-Mart can not do easily as a professional shop, even though it will not be an easy assignment for small shops to solve for business.

Customers want Wal-Mart as well as small shops, which are essential to the customers who need good quality and good price. Wal-Mart has three disadvantages, even though its price is better. A Small shop's distinguishable strategy such as good quality can attract customers who are likely to go their way because of their financial situation and needs.


Reference
Rice, M. (2005, December 13). Local families taking sides. Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA). Retrieved January 25, 2005 from Lexis-Nexis.

Name : Soony
Class : Eap2(w/w)
Date : 1/25/06
S/R#1


Business is Business

In the article, "Small-town grocer hangs up apron", Anthony A. Mestas claims that McClain's small shops, Rocky Ford Market's grocery and the McClain's super market in La Junta have difficulty because of Wal-Mart's low price. Even though Wal-Mart doesn't want to make local small stores to fail, small shops face fatal risk to be dropped off with economic situations that have been not good from 2000, so people's financial situation made them choose cheap goods in Wal-Mart instead of choosing the local mart.

How to survive in a fierce world, like a wild animal world where the strongest can survive, but the poorest disappear. The world has rapidly changed;the customer does not give any more patronage. I will tell my husband's story of business to you, nevertheless he is not great successful businessman. My husband runs a small company of ocean digital world, against big company. As you know, there is a famous story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Goliath is biggest, so general people give up, but David had brave and wise heart to beat Goliath. He found out Goliath's disadvantage instantly. Like this story, my husband have concentrated on his business, overcoming disadvantage of small business.

First, he has good leadership. There are a lot of risky situations, such as a financial problem, relation of members, and no creative idea to lead company. Then, leadership is very important, when we meet a turf war. Magazine, newspaper, various meetings and thoughtful economic books give the information to him to adjust to a speedy world. He always study for his business. So I should say, study your business.

Second, he has many friends. Friends, including customers, are very important for running a company. They cooperate with his business. Fortunately his cooperators have diligent, positive and creative personalities. As you know, people are such an important factor to lead to success. Even though financial situation is unstable as a venture company, the members of company are actually asset to him. So, I should say that you should not have lunch alone, get the information from his friends.

Third, his unique item of company leads to make profits. His company's idea is unique in Korea. It is a precious value of his company which is a leader of ocean digital system. His aggressive idea made digital and practical maps with patience, and finally his company could overcome the turf war. There are also many competitors in his business world like Wal-Mart. The creative thinking leads to investment for business. So, I should say that you have to discover your unique idea to attract customers.

Even though a small shop has a many disadvantages of making profits while competing big market, they can survive as a unique style which can be close to customers. The important thing is a positive and creative thinking to adjust to various situations. The world is changing too fast to stay in the same style. In order to achieve success, we should change quickly and lead the people with creative thinking.

Reference
Mestas, A.A. (2005, October 6). Small-town grocer hangs up apron. Retrieved January 23, 2005 from Lexis-nexis

Name : Soony Seo
Class : Eap2(w.w)
Date : 1/19/06
Practice S/R

Resisting Wal-Mart

In the article,"Some Cities Resiting Wal-Mart Expansion" The author, Emily Kaiser writes that some cities don't allow making Wa-Mart in center of the city. Supercentered Wal-Mart prevents small shops from running business. That means small companies face big problems for earning money.That is because some people worry about their regional economic situation, even though most consumers are likely to use big Wal- Mart for convenience. I think that it is natural for the small retailer to resist big Wal-Mart for living. Considering a healthy society, we should try to share the wealth for basic life with someone.

In order to make peace among us, small shop people should study their own shops more to survive in the war-business world. First, I would say that the government has to control the situation, even though we are under free capitalism for peace in the world. Throughout the history of human beings, few people get power to be happy. Nowadays everyone wants to be happy, so we share the power with each other. Big company get the much money as great capital. So, small shop and the small power of people face a serious problem of not fulfilling their essential desire to be happy. In order to make basic happiness, Wal-Mart have to yield to make money in the cities to make happiness for the small shop.

Second, customers should try to think about this problem. General people's thinking is very important to make ideas for society. We had better watch social problems in our society, because everything is connected with our lives. We are not islands, so we have to give positive ideas to the government.

Third, the small shops shoule try to raise their ability to make money; that means that they have to raise their competitive ability for surviving in the fierce business world. It is important to recognize the big shop's disadvantage, even though they sell goods with cheap price. Generally saying, a cheap thing is cheap thing! So, some people want to buy good quality of goods with even expensive prices. So, instead of worrying about the giant shop, study and study one's own shop for making money; there are some ways to solve problems to beat big shops.

It's important to live together with keeping peace for healthy society through adjustments.

Reference
Kaiser, E. (2003, July 12). Some cities resisting Wal-Mart expansion. Reuters, Common Dreams News Center, Retrieved on Jan.17, 2006 from Common Dreams News Center

Name : Soony Seo
Class : Eap2(writing)
Date : 1/18/06

Wal- Mart is Economical

I got a unique impression from Wal-Mart in Carbondale. Absolutely there were lots of American people. It was so impressive to see common American families. I was nervous because of language problems at first. It was difficult to know where the goods were. It took a long time to buy goods because I did not know the information of Wal- Mart. Nevertheless, It has been convenient for me to buy goods in a short time as time goes by. I am sure that I met many problems without Wal-Mart for survival in the U.S. I did not know much Carbondale, so how should get essential food without Wal- mart? Above all, the price is the cheapest in Carbondale as I know. I don't need to wonder to other places to look for the essentials. I used to go shopping at E-mart which is the most popular mart in Korea. The concept is similar to Wal- mart, but E- mart's image is higher image, while offering cheap prices.