Wal-Mart and Values: Painting the Town Red?

22 Pages Posted: 23 Jun 2007 Last revised: 8 Apr 2009

See all articles by Art Carden

Art Carden

Brock School of Business, Samford University

Charles Courtemanche

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro - Department of Economics

Jeremy Meiners

Washington University in St. Louis - Department of Economics

Date Written: April 1, 2009

Abstract

This essay explores the relationship between commerce and culture in the context of the recent debate over the social effect of Wal-Mart. In spite of much public debate, little is known about how Wal-Mart affects values. Using data collected from multiple sources, we show there is little evidence that Wal-Mart makes communities more conservative or more progressive.

Keywords: Wal-Mart, values, retail, social capital

JEL Classification: A13, L81, N3, O18, Z13

Suggested Citation

Carden, Art and Courtemanche, Charles and Meiners, Jeremy, Wal-Mart and Values: Painting the Town Red? (April 1, 2009). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=996164 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.996164

Art Carden (Contact Author)

Brock School of Business, Samford University ( email )

800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.artcarden.com

Charles Courtemanche

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro - Department of Economics ( email )

Greensboro, NC 27402-6165
United States

Jeremy Meiners

Washington University in St. Louis - Department of Economics ( email )

One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130
United States