Order Description
Write a five page paper comparing and contrasting the careers of Andrew Carnegie and Sam Walton. Among the topics: social background of each man, key moments in his business career, management style, role in “creative destruction” of older business methods, companies, and technologies, attitude toward labor, social and political ideology, philanthropic program, impact of the company he built on society and economy. You do not have to choose all of these topics. Just focus on one or a few or construct your own categories of analysis suitable for comparing the careers of these men and the institution they created.

When ever possible avoid merely quoting the historian authors of each book to make a point. Instead offer examples, stories, anecdotes, or other information found in each book that advances your argument. Be concrete and not vacuous; offer facts and events rather than abstract generalizations. Feel free, of course, to quote Carnegie, Walton, or their associates to drive home a point.

The first paragraph in your essay should explain the argument or thesis you will develop in the rest of the paper. This paragraph should always be thoroughly revised once you have finished writing your five pages. And make sure your paragraphs are not too long: one idea or even per paragraph is the best policy.

Footnote or endnote your paper, and not just in terms of actual quotations, but when referencing an idea, event, or story.
Please use the following Texts Book as sources:
Jefferson Cowie, Capital Moves: RCA’s 70-Year Quest for Cheap Labor
Colin Gordon, New Deals: Business, Labor, and Politics in America, 1920-1935
Nelson Lichtenstein, The Retail Revolution: How Wal-Mart Created a Brave New World
Harold Livesay, Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business
Articles listed in the syllabus can be found on JSTOR via Library, Article Indexes & Research