In its home town of Bentonville Walmart seems a very American company, its culture a blend of sunny encouragement and hard-nosed capitalism. Sam Walton’s legacy looms large. American town squares are often ghostly, but Bentonville’s centre is cheerful, with a Walmart museum in Walton’s original five-and-dime shop. At its headquarters, many employees still refer to him as “Mr Sam”. Giant quotes from Walton are painted on office walls—“Get involved. Get serious. Get exercised. Get involved in what we’ve got going.”