Introduction -- Up from the tobacco fields -- The rewards of a contrary nature -- A cog in the machine -- Asking Alice -- When we got eyes -- Toys aren't kid stuff -- The eureka moment -- Surprise and delight -- Saving the dollar, changing the world -- Free of distractions -- Birth of the fire...

Insightful, original, and steeped in the culture of retail life, "The Retail Revolution" draws on first-hand reporting from coastal China to rural Arkansas to give a fresh and necessary understanding of how Wal-Mart has transformed international commerce

Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the United States, with more than one million current employees. Its employment practices directly affect over one percent of the American workforce. Moreover, other retailers often strive to replicate Wal-Mart's practices. If employment discrimination...