Ethics - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Google Accused of Stealing Content from Lyrics Website

July 25, 2019

Since 2009 the website Genius has provided music lovers with a reliable source for lyrics to countless songs. A few years ago, though, the company noticed that someone else was exploring the site along with its usual batch of curious fans. The situation started when Genius published the lyrics to the hit song “Panda” by Desiigner with help from the artist himself. Since the company received assistance directly from the source, their lyrics served as the only accurate transcription of Continue reading →

Product Development, Ethics, Regulation, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Silicon Valley, Antitrust, Google

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

FTC Hits Facebook with $5 Billion Fine

July 23, 2019

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In March 2018, the New York Times revealed that Facebook had allowed Cambridge Analytica to gather personal information from more than 50 million users without their knowledge. Soon after the newspaper published its findings, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began its own investigation of the social media giant. After about a year of inquiry, last week the government agency imposed a $5 billion fine on Facebook, the largest penalty ever issued by the FTC.

It is also the same amount Continue reading →

Data Mining, Facebook, Legal, Ethics, CEO, Social Media, Cambridge Analytica, FTC, Regulation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] Inclusive Fashion Is the Future of Runways and Retail

July 12, 2019

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In recent years consumers have started to lose interest in high-end fashion shows from major houses like Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein. In fact, the latter recently closed its luxury collection in order to focus on casualwear. Many designers have responded to industry changes by creating styles for all shapes and sizes to wear, not just thin models. This video looks at the designers who are answering the call from consumers for greater inclusivity in fashion.

Questions:

What Continue reading →

Retail, Fashion, Marketing, Inclusivity, Ethics, Clothing, Branding

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Chicken Producers Face Price-Fixing Investigation

June 27, 2019

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Last week, the U.S. Justice Department intervened in a class-action lawsuit against some of the nation’s largest poultry producers. The plaintiffs in the case claim that companies like Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms, and Pilgrim’s Pride conspired together to fix the price of chicken. Given that these allegations involve some of the top firms in a huge industry, the federal government decided to take over legal proceedings for the rest of the year. “The Justice Department wants to make sure they Continue reading →

Food & Drink, Price-fixing, Regulation, Legal, Production, Poultry, Operations Management, Tyson, Ethics

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

Independent Shoe Stores Struggle after Losing Major Accounts

June 18, 2019

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For most of the 20th century, American consumers relied on small local shoe stores to fulfill all of their footwear needs. Then big sporting goods retailers arrived on the scene followed by sophisticated online operations like Zappos. Although this increased competition forced some independent outlets to close, many others managed to survive thanks to their high level of service. At Colburn Shoe Store in Maine, for example, employees remember exactly what size shoe their customers wear as well as their Continue reading →

Retail, Nike, Product Distribution, E-commerce, Ethics, Apparel, Entrepreneurship, Footwear, Adidas

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Photo App Develops Facial Recognition with Users’ Pics

June 14, 2019

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In 2013 the photo sharing app Ever launched with the slogan “Make memories” as it invited people to store their pictures on the startup’s cloud-based platform. Millions of users took the company up on its offer and shared their “best moments” on Ever over the years. According to a recent report from NBC News, however, Ever’s sentimental marketing doesn’t mention a key part of its business plan. All photos stored on the app are used by the company to Continue reading →

Product Development, Security, Facial Recognition, Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Social Media

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Claire’s Recalls Asbestos-Contaminated Makeup

June 13, 2019

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The last few years have not been good for Claire’s, the mall-based retailer known for its adolescent-focused cosmetics and accessories. In early 2018 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after it accrued more than $2 billion in debt. Although Claire’s eventually emerged from bankruptcy, the end of the year also brought an unwelcome announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the federal agency, Claire’s had been under investigation since 2017 for “high levels of asbestos” Continue reading →

Retail, Product Distribution, Crisis management, Ethics, Recalls, Claire’s, Branding

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] Face It, You’re Being Watched

May 24, 2019

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Whether you realize it or not, companies and organizations across the country are employing facial recognition technology for all sorts of purposes. The video below looks at the various uses for this controversial new tech and why many people are wary about its quick expansion into everyday life.

Questions:

What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of using facial recognition technology in everyday life?
Do you think Microsoft and Amazon should sign the Safe Face Pledge? Why or why not?

Innovation, Facial Recognition, Global, Ethics, Product Development

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Videos

Ransomware Attack Targets Baltimore

May 23, 2019

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In 2017 we looked at how the ransomware virus called “WannaCry” caused more than $8 billion in damage as it quickly infected hundreds of thousands of computers across the globe. Some victims even gave into the ransom that the virus demanded in order to regain access to their computers. Although a “kill switch” was eventually discovered in WannaCry’s code, the surprise cyberattack shocked many people in the business world. After all, securing a network against ransomware is extremely challenging, with Continue reading →

Cyberattack, Baltimore, Maryland, Ethics, Security, Ransomware

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Uber and Lyft Drivers Strike for Improved Pay

May 10, 2019

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Today, Uber will start to trade shares on the New York Stock Exchange in one of the mostly highly anticipated IPOs ever. Although the ride-hailing service had been pushing for a $100 billion valuation, it began the day trading at $45 per share, amounting to a valuation of about $82.4 billion. This enormous windfall will create instant fortunes for those who invested early in Uber. For the company’s millions of drivers, however, it’s unlikely they will benefit that much from Continue reading →

Regulation, Global, Uber, Ethics, Lyft, Labor Relations, Strikes, Compensation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law