ABSTRACT
In the opening profile, Duke, an archetypical leader who headed a company that is a cultural icon in North America and one that has been expanding around the world, is romanticized as a hero for aggressively taking risks as he pushes ahead for changes. In other ways, he is also a pragmatic bureaucrat who led changes in product choice and brand assortment in an effort to better match the interests of a new generation of customers interested in healthy and sustainable foods and workerfriendly practices. In still other ways, he is a collaborative coach, open to candid feedback and striving for excellence by setting ambitious goals. Duke credits his leadership ideals to Sam Walton, the legendary founder of Wal-Mart, although he gave this leadership style a new meaning in a contemporary global context.
