Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Latest Stimulus Bill Looks to Provide Relief for American Households

March 18, 2021

Last week, Congress passed a $1.9 trillion stimulus package aimed primarily at easing the financial burdens that many Americans have felt during the pandemic. While previous stimulus bills were directed more towards businesses, this latest package provides $960 billion in aid towards individuals through $1,400 checks, unemployment coverage, and provisions for child care. The bill also includes tax credits as well as programs that seek to make rent, food, and healthcare more affordable.

According to economists, low-to-middle income Americans will Continue reading →

Coronavirus, Economics, Ethics, Regulation, Human Resources, Health, Labor Relations, Crisis management, Unemployment, Layoffs

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

New Players Flocked to Golf and Tennis in 2020

March 16, 2021

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The pandemic took a major toll on entertainment and recreational facilities as everything from theaters to gyms were forced to shut down or drastically alter their operations. Although golf courses and tennis courts initially closed in March and April 2020, they soon reopened and welcomed all sorts of new players looking for socially distanced outdoor activities. From June to December 2020, rounds of golf in the U.S. grew by 75 million compared to the same period in 2019, representing a Continue reading →

Sports, Promotions, Entertainment, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Contactless service, Product Development, Marketing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Looking Back on a Year of Covid-19 in the U.S.

March 11, 2021

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One year ago, the World Health Organization designated the coronavirus as a pandemic. Soon after that announcement, life in the U.S. changed utterly as offices, airlines, and professional sports leagues all came to a halt. And while the U.S. economy is beginning to recover as the vaccine rollout gains momentum, the coronavirus pandemic has had a seismic impact upon America and the rest of the world that will be felt for years to come.

More than 118 million cases of Continue reading →

Health, Product Distribution, Economics, Coronavirus, Global, Stimulus, Ethics, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

How the Pandemic Changed Drive-Thrus and Takeout

March 9, 2021

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As dining rooms closed across the country in 2020 because of the pandemic, restaurants started focusing their efforts on takeout and drive-thru orders. Many companies added new technology and logistical plans for their takeaway operations that will likely remain in place after the pandemic is over. For instance, Starbucks sent employees with hand-held devices through lines of cars to gather orders quickly and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. New Chipotle locations will feature “Chipotelanes” where customers Continue reading →

Product Development, Fast food, Marketing, Product Distribution, Operations Management, Food & Drink, Artificial Intelligence

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] Behind Costco’s Treasure-Hunt Shopping Strategy

March 5, 2021

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The wholesaler Costco is one of the most successful retailers in the country due in large part to its unique approach to doing business. This video looks at the strategies that Costco uses to keep prices low while still offering many items in bulk.

Questions:

How does Costco’s membership plan drive its business?
Why are items at Costco kept on pallets rather than laid out neatly on shelves like in supermarkets?

Retail, Product Distribution, Marketing, Costco, Operations Management, Promotions

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Google Will Stop Selling Ads Based on Browsing History

March 4, 2021

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In recent years, tech giants like Google have faced increasing scrutiny from international legislators and privacy advocates for tracking users across the Internet. Companies take this information and use it to personalize advertising based on someone’s previous browser history. Faced with building opposition to these potentially invasive practices, Google announced this week that it would stop using and investing in tracking technologies.

“If digital advertising doesn’t evolve to address the growing concerns people have about their privacy and how Continue reading →

Ethics, Mobile, Google, Digital advertising, Regulation, Marketing, Advertising

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Millions of Americans Face Tax Bills on Unemployment Payments

March 2, 2021

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The coronavirus pandemic caused millions of people to lose their jobs last year and file for unemployment benefits, which were expanded several times through federal legislation. Now, many Americans are discovering that they owe taxes on these payments that were vital for them to make ends meet. For example, Erika Rose of Los Angeles has been on unemployment insurance since the start of the pandemic and has spent the winter stretching every penny to pay rent and utilities. When she Continue reading →

Unemployment, Coronavirus, Stimulus, Pandemic, Ethics, Human Resources

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Why Some Texans’ Electricity Bills Went Through the Roof

February 25, 2021

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A couple of weeks ago, Texas’ power grid failed after a historic snowstorm and cold snap overwhelmed the state. As millions struggled without electricity or heat, those who had power potentially faced exorbitant electric bills because of changes Texas made to its utility system more than 20 years ago. Back then, much of the state switched from using regulated utilities to a deregulated market where customers could choose from a variety of power providers. As a result, nearly 60 percent Continue reading →

Product Development, Regulation, Operations Management, Utilities, Ethics, Entrepreneurship

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Digital NBA Trading Cards Sell For Thousands of Dollars

February 23, 2021

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In February 2020 during a regular season NBA game, Lebron James performed a two-handed windmill slam dunk that he afterwards said was a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant. A clip of James’ dunk placed side-by-side with a nearly identical one of Bryant’s from 2001 quickly went viral and can be easily found from multiple sources on YouTube. Then again, you could also do what social media entrepreneur Jack Settleman did in January: pay $47,500 for a clip of the Continue reading →

Economics, Marketing, Pricing, Ethics, Product Distribution, Entrepreneurship, Blockchain, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] How Regulators Are Investigating GameStop’s Stock Volatility

February 19, 2021

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The recent frenzy surrounding GameStop stock caught even the most careful market observers by surprise as shares in the struggling retailer skyrocketed to unbelievable levels only to fall again soon after. This video looks at how regulators at the SEC are looking into the matter and the possible consequences that could fall on companies like Reddit and Robinhood.

Questions:

Why is the SEC investigating the recent stock market volatility surrounding GameStop and other companies?
Do you think federal regulators Continue reading →

Coronavirus, Ethics, Pandemic, Regulation, Stocks, GameStop, Stock Market

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media