Bonus Chapter A: Business Law - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

American Cities Sue Automakers over Increased Car Theft

September 13, 2023

On the massively popular app TikTok, searching for the trending topic “Kia boys” will result in hundreds of videos of people joyriding in cars. These aren’t overly enthusiastic owners, however: these users take advantage of the South Korean automaker’s lax security standards to steal vehicles for fun and Internet clout. For example, one video shows a gloved hand easily starting a car using just a screwdriver and a USB cable while a computerized voice repeats the phrase “this is why Continue reading →

Product Development, Global, Cars, Ethics, Regulation, Manufacturing, Transportation, Crime, Legal, Product Distribution, South Korea

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] Inside American Trucking’s Largest Bankruptcy

August 18, 2023

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The trucking company Yellow filed for bankruptcy in July after struggling for years with mounting debts and slim profit margins. The video below looks at how this low-cost carrier butted heads with unions while also failing to integrate acquisitions into its existing business, leading to the collapse of this century-old company.

Questions:

What are some factors that led Yellow to declare bankruptcy last month?
Why is it difficult for low-cost carriers like Yellow to operate in the competitive trucking industry?

Product Distribution, Bankruptcy, Operations Management, Unions, Labor Relations, Product Development, Transportation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Videos

Wildfires Cause Multibillion Dollar Destruction in Maui

August 16, 2023

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Last week, wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui caused unprecedented destruction, killing 106 people and leveling thousands of buildings. The worst damage occurred in the resort town of Lahaina, which will cost billions of dollars and several years to rebuild. Like many other Hawaiian communities, Lahaina relies heavily on the tourism industry, drawing 2 million visitors annually. Of course, thousands of tourists and residents have evacuated the town and the western side of Maui in recent weeks as dry Continue reading →

Economics, Operations Management, Tourism, Ethics, Regulation, Entrepreneurship, Product Distribution, Hawaii, Natural Disasters

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter C: Managing Risk

MrBeast Sues Food Delivery Partner for “Low-Quality” Products

August 4, 2023

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The YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is the video-sharing platform’s most popular creator, boasting more than 172 million subscribers and counting. Donaldson has parlayed his massive success on YouTube into numerous other businesses, including food brands like the snack line Feastables and MrBeast Burger. He co-founded the latter in 2020 after partnering with Virtual Dining Concepts, a company that specializes in serving food through “ghost kitchens.” These ventures take up residence in the kitchens of established restaurants Continue reading →

Bank of America Fined $150 Million by Federal Regulators

July 12, 2023

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According to consumer watchdogs, for years Bank of America charged customers a variety of “junk fees” while also mishandling accounts. Not only did the financial giant withhold perks that were promised to some credit card holders, but it also double-charged overdraft fees and secretly opened cards in customers’ names without their knowledge. As a result, Bank of America received a $150 million fine from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which Continue reading →

Ethics, Banking, Regulation, Bank of America, Fraud, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Ed Sheeran Wins Copyright Lawsuit

May 24, 2023

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In 2017, English pop star Ed Sheeran got hit with a legal complaint alleging that the melody of one of his most popular songs was copied from another tune. According to plaintiffs in the lawsuit, his 2014 hit “Thinking Out Loud” resembled the Marvin Gaye classic “Let’s Get It On” to such a degree that it infringed on the latter song’s copyright. Sheeran vehemently denied any wrongdoing and challenged the suit, which lingered in court for years due to the Continue reading →

Product Development, Copyright, Ethics, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Music, Product Distribution

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] Why Hitting the Debt Ceiling Would Be ‘Catastrophic’

May 11, 2023

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Lawmakers are once again butting heads about raising the debt ceiling, a limit on the total amount of money that the federal government is authorized to borrow. This video looks at the potential economic consequences that could follow if legislators fail to reach an agreement and default on the nation’s debt.

Questions:

How does debt help drive the U.S. economy?
Why are U.S. bonds traditionally seen as reliable investments? How could that change if the country defaults on its debt?

Regulation, Economics, Debt ceiling, Global, Ethics, Federal Reserve, Bonds, Securities

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Videos

NLRB Rules Against Non-Disparagement Clauses

March 31, 2023

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Earlier this year, we looked at how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a ban on noncompete clauses in employer contracts, which restrict the jobs that former staffers can take once they leave a company. Another controversial clause that some businesses place into contracts prevents ex-employees from talking bad about their old jobs if they accept a severance agreement. Labor advocates have long criticized nondisparagement clauses for infringing on the rights of workers, a point that the National Labor Review Continue reading →

Human Resources, Employee turnover, Labor Relations, Severance, Regulation, Hiring, Motivation, FTC, Ethics, Noncompete clauses

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] How the FDIC Insures Customers’ Deposits

March 24, 2023

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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) does not get much attention unless something goes drastically wrong in the financial world, such as the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). This video explains how the organization covers customers’ deposits in order to prevent bank runs, and how the fall of SVB presented the FDIC with some unique challenges.

Questions:

Why was the FDIC formed, and how does it protect customers’ deposits?
How did the FDIC’s handling of the SVB collapse Continue reading →

Regulation, Economics, Federal Reserve, Securities Markets, Financial Crisis, Ethics, Stock Market, FDIC, SVB, Bailout

Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 18: Financial Management, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Videos

Companies Confuse Job Seekers with Fake Listings

March 23, 2023

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Although the collapse of SVB and the resulting economic fallout has rattled global markets, many companies are hoping to restore faith among investors by showing signs of growth. The clearest sign of a growing business is one that is hiring people, after all, leading some firms to place job listings with no intention of actually bringing anyone on board. In fact, a recent survey of 1,000 hiring managers found that 27 percent of respondents reported leaving job listings up for Continue reading →

Turnover, Economics, SVB, Ethics, Human Resources, Banking, Hiring

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