To the executives at Wal-Mart:

Your plan to open two stores in Chicago is an example of your continuous efforts to expand your corporation into new markets across the United States. Unfortunately, as has happened with previous cities, these efforts have been met with some opposition. Your company has only “38 of your 3,000” [1] stores located in urban areas and in order to successfully enter these, you will need a plan for galvanizing the necessary support from local government leaders as well as the community. You will then need to follow through on your promise and strengthen the communities that you serve. Your critics continue to portray Wal-Mart as an inconsiderate monopoly that comes in to towns and wipes out their small retailers. Activists and union leaders claim your low pay drives down wages across the county. The United Food and Commercial Workers are concerned that Chicago grocery stores will suffer due to your lower grocery prices. The Chicago Workers’ Rights Board argues that by “squeezing more sales out of each man hour” [1] Wal-Mart will actually cost the city jobs. You will need to show that you can positively impact cities by being compassionate toward the concerns of your potential customers and employees.

It is likely that if Wal-Mart can open these stores, the company will eventually gain public support with time as low prices and new local jobs inspire customer loyalty. However, the only way to make this happen is to obtain the required 26 votes from the 50-member city council before they vote on the issue. This will require lobbying members of council, specifically those who are the most relevant based on their district’s proximity to the proposed stores and those still undecided on the issue. With “strategic communication of politically relevant information to government office holders”[1] you should obtain the pivotal votes that will