Sleeping with the enemy–or coopetition?
susanharrow | April 26, 2006
Wal-Mart’s new program to help competitors compete against them at first seems counterintuitive, and it may well be. Wal-Mart is famous for moving into a neighborhood and displacing (that’s a fancy word for putting someone out of business) local stores and businesses. According to Michael Barbaro of The New York Times “The giant discount retailer, under assault as never before by critics, announced a wide-ranging effort today to support small business near its new urban stores, including the hardware stores, dress shops and bakeries with which it competes. Under the program, Wal-Mart will offer those businesses financial grants, training on how to survive with Wal-Mart in town and even free advertising within a Wal-Mart store.”
