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

CBO Says Government Shutdown Cost $11 Billion

January 29, 2019

From December 22, 2018, up until last Friday, the federal government remained shut down due to a budget dispute between the White House and congressional Democrats. During the course of this 35-day shutdown, thousands of federal employees either worked without pay or were sent home until the government reopened. And according to a new report from the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the shutdown cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion.

The report says that most of the lost Continue reading →

Operations Management, Legal, Ethics, Compensation, Regulation, Economics, Government shutdown

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Toymaker Sues Louis Vuitton over the Right to Create Parody Purses

January 24, 2019

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For luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, maintaining an image of elegance and sophistication is essential for success. After all, high-end consumers might not be willing to hand over huge amounts of cash to a company that has fallen out of fashion. In order to remain in control of its image, Louis Vuitton has often been quick to file lawsuits against knockoff businesses that place its signature logo onto poorly made items. Along with targeting bootleggers, however, the company also has Continue reading →

Clothing, Global, Product Development, Ethics, Copyright, Entrepreneurship, Branding, Fashion, Legal, Luxury, Louis Vuitton

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, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Johnson & Johnson Must Pay $4.7 Billion in Talcum Powder Settlement

January 15, 2019

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Back in 2016 we took a look at the enormous legal fight surrounding talcum powder produced by Johnson & Johnson. At the time, a judge ruled that the company had to pay $72 million to a group of 60 plaintiffs who said they contracted ovarian cancer from using J&J baby powder. But that settlement was far from the end of the pharmaceutical giant’s problems as it continues to face thousands of talc-related lawsuits all over the country.

In fact, Continue reading →

Johnson & Johnson, Business reputation, Ethics, Regulation, Legal

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] The Future of Gaming: Your Data, Your Wallet

December 7, 2018

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The video game industry has grown into a global juggernaut. Last year, consumers around the world spent more than $100 billion on games, more than double the amount spent on movies. As this in-depth video shows, however, some video game companies have started to earn all that money by operating like casinos. From examining the business model of “loot boxes” to the ways that video games track customer data, this long but fascinating video provides an excellent assessment of an Continue reading →

Regulation, Product Distribution, Video Games, Product Development, Global, Entertainment, Ethics, Pricing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Videos

Why Video Games Can’t Use the Red Cross Symbol

December 4, 2018

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A couple of years ago, a pair of video game developers received a deeply worrying email from the British Red Cross. “It has been brought to our attention that in your game ‘Prison Architect’ a red cross emblem is displayed on vehicles,” read the email. “Those responsible may be unaware that use of the red cross emblem is restricted under the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims.” Little did the two developers know, but their placement of a Continue reading →

Product Development, Global, Branding, Ethics, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, Regulation, Legal, Video Games, Red Cross

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, 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

[VIDEO] The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Segway

November 16, 2018

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In 2001, a company called Segway introduced a two-wheeled “personal transporter” that it claimed would revolutionize how people traveled in big cities. 17 years later, though, and the Segway is mainly a vehicle for security guards and tourists. Along with chronicling the ways that the company failed to live up to expectations, this video also looks at how Segway could still leave a big impact on the transportation industry.

Questions:

Why did Segway fail to connect with consumers in the Continue reading →

Product Distribution, Segway, Marketing, Product Development, Ethics, Promotions, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Transportation

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, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Videos

Domino’s Fills Potholes in “Paving for Pizza” Promotion

November 8, 2018

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A few months ago, Domino’s began running a TV ad campaign centered on a pretty unusual premise. The commercials showed workmen filling potholes with asphalt which were then spray-painted with the Domino’s logo. “We don’t want to lose any great-tasting pizza to a pothole, ruining a wonderful meal,” read a press release about the campaign. Called “Paving for Pizza,” Domino’s encouraged Americans to contact the company if they wanted some roads repaired in their town free of charge.

“Within the Continue reading →

Regulation, Transportation, Legal, Marketing, Domino’s, Ethics, Infrastructure, Promotions

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

Nearly Half of U.S. Companies Give Employees Time Off to Vote

November 6, 2018

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Today millions of Americans will head out to vote in the midterm elections, and hopefully you’ll be one of them. Of course, not everyone can easily find time during the day to perform this important civic duty. According to a Pew Research Center survey from 2014, 35 percent of respondents said they were registered to vote but couldn’t make it to the polls due to “work or school conflicts.” In that particular election year, only 37 percent of eligible voters Continue reading →

Legal, Management, Politics, Motivation, Voting, Ethics, Human Resources

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

Massive Debts Drive Sears into Bankruptcy

October 25, 2018

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In today’s retail environment, the most successful companies aim to be one-stop shops where customers can purchase everything they need in a single trip. And while modern shoppers might associate this strategy with firms like Walmart and Amazon, experts agree that Sears was the first business to perfect the all-in-one retail plan. Starting out in the late 1800s as a mail-order catalog, the company eventually built thousands of department stores across the country. Consumers at the time had never before Continue reading →

Sears, Management, Retail, Product Distribution, Bankruptcy

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Toys ‘R’ Us Bankruptcy Hurts Sales at Hasbro

October 23, 2018

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Earlier this year, Toys ‘R’ Us announced that it would be closing most of its U.S. stores after filing for bankruptcy in 2017. And while this was certainly bad news for anyone who loved the store “where a kid can be a kid,” it was especially unpleasant for toy manufacturers like Hasbro and Mattel. These companies depended on large holiday orders from Toys ‘R’ Us to fund operations throughout the entire year. Without a big retailer to sell to, though, Continue reading →

Toys ‘R’ Us, Operations Management, Hasbro, Retail, Supply chains, Product Distribution, Bankruptcy

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law