Final answer:
Whole Foods was able to act like a small company in its managerial choices possibly through efficient supply chain management, among other practices. The FTC, when examining their attempt to merge with Wild Oats, focused on competition data rather than market share, setting conditions to maintain local market competition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whole Foods, growing from a local small store to a large corporation, has been able to maintain managerial decisions as if it were still a small store through various means. One notable aspect of their growth strategy involved strategic partnerships, such as the one attempted with Wild Oats Market. In 2007, these two companies, which were the largest in the premium natural and organic supermarket chains market, sought to merge. This raised concerns about market competition, leading the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to scrutinize the merger by looking at data on actual competition between businesses, their profits, and pricing strategies in various cities.
After a legal struggle, the FTC allowed the merger in 2009 with certain conditions, like divesting stores and the Wild Oats brand, aimed at preserving competition in local markets. This action was aligned with a broader shift by antitrust regulators towards examining the practical effects of business decisions on competition, instead of just market share. Whole Foods' ability to act like a smaller company in its managerial decisions might be attributed to practices including advanced technology, effective marketing strategies, or efficient supply chain management.