Is Walmart Bad For The Economy?
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| Walmart is also accused of harming smaller "mom and pop" businesses
| through pricing power. Yes - I believe it is called free market
| capitalism. People accused Microsoft of pricing power through
| monopoly too. Has anyone ever really done a detailed analysis of
| how much Walmart has hurt these small businesses and compared it
| against how much money it has saved shoppers? I bet the latter
| number is heavier. Most small shops that offer good products and
| service at reasonable prices should be able to survive the
| Walmart threat.
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http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/061211/22151_id.html?.v=1
I suppose that Walmart could never force people to buy its stock, destruction
of smaller businesses aside.
Related and recent:
Jury Hears Microsoft Competition Suit
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| A judge on Friday told jurors they must accept as fact that a
| federal court found in 1999 that Microsoft holds a monopoly over
| computer operating systems and that it restricted computer
| manufacturers' ability to use competing systems.
|
| [...]
|
| She said she'll show that the company used its monopoly power
| to exclude competition and control prices and that it conspired with
| other companies to restrain trade, maintaining what she called a
| chokehold on software competitors and computer manufacturers.
|
| "It isn't illegal to be successful," Conlin said in opening
| remarks. "We applaud that. ... But you can't freeze out competitors
| and punish and retaliate against people who cooperate with
| competitors. Microsoft did all that and more."
|
| Conlin warned jurors that she would say some unflattering things
| about Microsoft and its billionaire founder Bill Gates, who
| serves as company chairman.
|
| [...]
|
| Conlin's first 3 1/2 hours of opening arguments delved deeply into
| computer industry history and how Microsoft fought off competitors
| attempting to design rival software.
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http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061201/microsoft_trial.html?.v=1
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