Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Who Needs Panama When You’ve Got Delaware?

April 14, 2016

Last week’s revelations surrounding the Panama Papers scandal set off a firestorm of debate about offshore tax avoidance. Media outlets across the globe exposed the names of many high profile clients of the offending law firm Mossack Fonseca, including soccer superstar Lionel Messi and several heads of state. As many in the U.S. pointed out, however, the Panamanian firm’s roster of shell company-seeking clients had a noticeable lack of Americans. According to some experts, this is due to lenient incorporation Continue reading →

Regulation, Tax Avoidance, Forms of Business Ownership, Nevada, Ethics, Delaware, Entrepreneurship, Tax Breaks

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 18: Financial Management, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

The Startup that Helps Companies Build Employee Morale

February 17, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

At big tech companies like Google and Facebook, employees enjoy a range of benefits that have become almost as famous as the companies themselves. From free smoothies and snacks to complimentary massages, these perks are meant to fulfill the basic needs of staffers so that morale and productivity remain high. In fact, tales of these benefits have reached so far that many workers today would prefer them to increased wages. According to a recent survey by job-listings website GlassDoor, 79 Continue reading →

Wekudo, Management, Motivation, Human Resources, Benefits, Perks

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management

Negotiating Better Bills Through a Slightly Shady Startup

February 15, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In a perfect world, buying cable TV or a smartphone wouldn’t require customers to parse through a mess of different contracts and “special” deals. But unfortunately that’s not how it works in reality. A confusing collection of regional offers, options and add-ons often confronts people who are looking to upgrade their media services. The whole tangled process can leave customers wondering whether they landed on a good price or ended up paying too much. In many cases, the latter is Continue reading →

Bills, Utilities, BillFixers, Ethics, Tennessee, Product Development, Pricing, Customer Service

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 14: Product and Price

What Happens to Staff When a Unicorn Startup Goes South

February 5, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In Silicon Valley’s immensely competitive entrepreneurial environment, many startups end up failing shortly after they launch. But among these many fallen firms stand a few “unicorns,” or private tech companies with valuations worth more than $1 billion. At these lucky startups, the strategy is to increase the firm’s value as much as possible until it can be sold to the highest bidder. Not only does such a sale grant enormous payouts for founders and investors, it can also enrich regular Continue reading →

Blackberry, Good Technology, Ethics, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Silicon Valley, Venture Capital, Startups

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

The Bitter Backlash Against Mast Brothers’ Chocolate

February 3, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For almost a decade, the Brooklyn chocolate company Mast Brothers seemed to embody the New York borough’s newfound artisanal spirit. Touting their product as handcrafted “bean-to-bar” chocolate, founders Rick and Michael Mast took center stage in marketing campaigns that celebrated their candy’s quality and authenticity. Dressed in antiquated suits and sporting long Civil War-era beards, the pair soon became just as famous for their appearance as their $9 candy bars. But this meticulously crafted image may have been spoiled for Continue reading →

Branding, Marketing, Candy, Ethics, New York, Food, Mast Brothers, Brooklyn, Crisis management, Product Development

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 16: Place and Promotion

Innovation’s Reward and the Hoverboard

February 1, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For many inventors, creating a machine that’s functional as well as popular can feel like striking gold, even if the actual material reward for their work isn’t exactly golden. That’s the situation Shane Chen found himself in since inventing the “hoverboard,” a two-wheeled, Segway-like vehicle that doesn’t quite float but has nevertheless been flying off the shelves. Unfortunately for Chen, many consumers are buying hoverboards from companies that have not paid him for his patented design. Instead, consumers are taking Continue reading →

Global, Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Manufacturing, Pricing, Innovation, China, Hoverboard

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Disney Faces Investigation for Forcing Out American Workers

January 27, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For years, skilled workers from around the world have used H-1B visas as their tickets into the U.S. These visas are intended to provide companies with a pool of specialized foreign labor in case they can’t find any qualified domestic candidates. According to a recent lawsuit, however, one of the world’s biggest brands may have been abusing the H-1B system in order to boost their own bottom line. Rather than filling open positions with outsourced labor, The Walt Disney Company Continue reading →

Immigration, Global, Regulation, Ethics, Disney, Human Resources, Labor Relations

Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Texas Plumber Sues Dealership for Shocking Truck Mix-up

January 20, 2016

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Last year we featured a post about the unfortunate case of Texas plumber Mark Oberholtzer. In need of a better truck for his business, he took his old Ford F-250 to a local dealership and traded it in for a newer model. The plumber didn’t give the transaction a second thought until about a year later when the complaints started rolling in. Due to the extraordinarily complicated nature of the global auto resale market, Oberholtzer’s truck somehow ended up in Continue reading →

Middle East, Global, Texas, Ethics, Distribution, Cars, Supply chains, Transportation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, 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, Bonus Chapter C: Managing Risk

Picking the Best Web Address Out of What’s Left

May 24, 2015

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In today’s Internet-centric world, companies of all kinds must establish a professional web presence or run the risk of wasting away in the dark ages. Accomplishing this task is often easier said than done, though, especially when it comes to setting up a website compared to a social media profile. Not only do websites require knowledge of coding and design in order to work, but they also need to have a logical URL address so users can easily access it. Continue reading →

Product Development, Branding, Marketing, Small Businss, Entrepreneurship, Silicon Valley

Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

OnDeck Capital’s Controversial Lending Practices

May 15, 2015

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Even though the effects of the recession have eased in the last few years, some small businesses still can’t find banks willing to lend them money. After all, many financial institutions are looking to invest in established companies with little to no risk involved, qualities that most small businesses simply do not have. That’s where OnDeck Capital comes in. This lending startup touts itself as a disruptive financial force that can make loan assessments and send cash to companies within Continue reading →

Banking, Ethics, Finance, Small Business, OnDeck Capital, Innovation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 17: Accounting, Chapter 18: Financial Management, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media