Chip Taylor

Interesting PR approach

A Wal-Mart-Brand Symposium
Academics and PR Coexist at Conference on Social Impact

By Amy Joyce
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 5, 2005; Page D01

One of the world's most private of public companies went public in an unusual way yesterday when it hosted a presentation of nine academic papers on Wal-Mart's impact on the economy, the retailer's latest move to repair its image.

The embattled retailer commissioned the independent economic research firm Global Insight Inc. to do a study and invite academics to present their own research at the conference. The presentations were made yesterday for an audience of about 150 in the District.

I wonder if the proceedings are available online?

UPDATE: Article in the New York Times. Another in BusinessWeek.

UPDATE: Still don't know about proceedings, but here is a link to the Global Insight report. HT: DocuTicker

UPDATE: Global Insight has posted some of the other papers presented.