Chapter 15: Thinking Small Summary and Analysis

Since the beginning, Sam has been extremely connected as a manager. However, he also believes he is not as hands-on as other managers. He gives his associates and managers the freedom to experiment and test things on their own. However despite their growth, each store still applies the same basic philosophies that were integral to the first few stores that Sam built. Sam explains the difference between Wal-Mart and a number of other potentially-profitable businesses is this: Sam always wanted to be the best retailer, not necessarily the biggest. He did not get into the retail business to make money. He did it to be the best in his industry. The bigger Wal-Mart gets, the smaller it has to think. The key is to remember what helped to make the first stores so successful and apply it...