IntroductionJeffrey Seglin, business ethics columnist for The New York Times, participated in an event sponsored by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. He described two Wal-Marts, one as bad and the other as good. The evil corporation is very, very big and is doing everything to grow. They use illegal immigrants to clean floors and are accused of locking employees inside at night. They practice gender discrimination, pay low wages, and undermine suppliers and competition. The bad “is the enemy of all that is good and just in our nation” (Seglin, 2004). The good Wal-Mart Seglin describes as thrifty, hardworking, and offering fair deals. They serve society and, through their exceptional distribution system, pass on the earnings to everyone. The company employs insightful managers who are “democratizing the American dream.” The company boosts productivity and helps fight inflation. The Good is “America’s most admired company” (Seglin, 2004). Wal-Mart is a massive global retailer employing millions of people, serves millions of customers each year, and operates in more than 13 markets (Walmart/AboutUs). Prior to 2008, they were consistently highly rated by their peers and featured on Fortune Magazine's list of 20 Most Admired Companies. The question however is: is the company ethical? This article examines various criticisms and praises in specific areas and applies normative theories to attempt to answer this question.EmploymentWal-Mart has been found guilty of discriminating against female employees, minorities, humiliating workers with disabilities, and inequalities based on sexual orientation. Wal-Mart was found guilty of gender bias in 2004. Customers sued Wal-Mart for racial profiling, as did a group of bla...... middle of paper ...... Markkula Center for AppliedEthics. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/wal-mart.html Shaw, W. H. (2008). Business Ethics (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/WadsworthVelasquez Manuel, Moberg, Dennis, Meyer, Michael J., Shanks, Thomas, McLean, Margaret R., DeCosse, David, Andre, Claire and Hanson Markkula, Kirk O. (1988). Santa Clara University Center for Applied Ethics. Ethical Issues, V. 1, N. 2. Sobel, Russell S. and Dean, Andrea M. (2008). Did Wal-Mart bury mom and dad? : The impact of Wal-Mart on self-employment and small establishments in the United States. Regulatory review. http://www.be.wvu.edu/divecon/econ/sobel/WalMart/v31n1-1.pdfWal-Mart. About Us. http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/Wal-Mart. Information sheet. http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/FactSheets/Wal-MartWatch. Problems. http://walmartwatch.com/issues/