"If you want the people in the stores to take care of the customers, you have to make sure you're taking care of the people in the stores. That's the most important single ingredient of Wal-Mart's success."--Sam Walton.
The new regime seems to have a different take of what it meant to "take care of people in the stores." Mr. Sam viewed long term associates as "assets" and the source of the companies' best ideas. The new regime views long term associates as "liabilites" that need to be eliminated. History will show which view is right.