(Originally published at WhatTheyThink.com for Premium Access Members on December 6, 2004) -- Scott Paton, publisher of Quality Digest, in his “First Word” column in the September 2004 issue, asks a provocative question: Does quality matter?

This is a tough question. Does a typical American have a realistic “quality definition” so that he or she can make valid quality decisions? What is the role of quality in American society? How important is the quality of a product or service to our everyday lives? As a consumer, what is the real relationship between quality and price these days? Has quality become so bad (or so good) that it is not a factor in some of our buying decisions? (Paton cites the airline industry where the major carriers all pretty much give the same service for about the same price.) Paton observes that “quality is about more than price” – that is, quality includes in such things as service, style, substance, durability, the effect on the community (local, national, global), a ‘wow’ factor, etc.

Looking at quality factors for companies, Paton cites Wal-Mart as not satisfying his personal quality requirements and I share his opinion. (Note: To get a factual perspective on Wal-Mart, take a look at Charles Fishman’s December 2003 extensive article The Wal-Mart You Don’t Know. Says Fishman: “Wal-Mart is not just the world's largest retailer. It's the world's largest company--bigger than ExxonMobil, General Motors, and General Electric. The scale can be hard to absorb. Wal-Mart sold $244.5 billion worth of goods last year. It sells in three months what number-two retailer Home Depot sells in a year...Wal-Mart no longer has any real rivals.”)