Earlier in 2012, Wal-Mart faced a barrage of negative publicity and possible legal actions regarding the long-term behavior of some executives in Mexico. At the very least, ethical improprieties were involved; at the worst, some laws were violated.

Consider this excerpt from a Knowledge@Wharton online article: “In a case that continues to reverberate across borders, Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, announced recently that it has started its own probe into allegations that executives at its Mexican operations made hundreds of illegal payments — worth more than $24 million — to help expedite the opening of new stores. According to a report in the New York Times, Wal-Mart officials in the U.S. learned about the bribery allegations in 2005, but failed to alert U.S. or Mexican officials at the time. The charges have cast a dark cloud over Wal-Mart, which is also the largest retailer in Mexico and the country’s top private-sector employer. According to news reports, Wal-Mart’s own probe of possible bribery could force the firing of some of the firm’s executives, and bring serious fines from the U.S. government if investigations reveal that the company’s senior managers knew about the illicit payments but did not take sufficient action.”

Click the photo for the full Knowledge@Wharton article.