Entrepreneurship - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

The Startup That Wants to Streamline Divorce

June 21, 2016

Few legal procedures are more emotionally charged than divorce. Former couples often bring the worst out in one another as they contentiously divide their assets in the presence of lawyers. According to the startup Wevorce, however, ending a marriage shouldn’t place such a large strain on anyone’s finances or feelings. Instead, the company hopes to transform divorce from a drawn-out legal nightmare into a civil, streamlined division of property and possessions.

For those who have experienced the devastating effects of Continue reading →

Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Legal, Divorce, Wevorce

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

[VIDEO] The Explainer: Disruptive Innovation

May 6, 2016

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This week we looked at the startups that have tried to follow in the disruptive footsteps of the on-demand car service Uber. The following video explores how small companies can disrupt large firms and the ways that the big boys respond.

Questions:

Why can it be dangerous for companies to focus on small but lucrative customer bases?

Will startups like the parking service Luxe or even the gasoline delivery company Filld become disruptors like Uber?

Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Cars, Uber, Disruption

Videos

Who Needs Panama When You’ve Got Delaware?

April 14, 2016

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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 →

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

Food Delivery Startups Stall in India

March 7, 2016

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Throughout the U.S., food delivery apps like GrubHub and Postmates have totally transformed takeout. These services offer eaters a variety of cuisines and restaurants to choose from, a far cry from the days when many American homes could only order pizza for delivery. And unlike other tech startups, food delivery companies have developed solid profit models based on the service fees they charge. This dependable system translates into markets throughout the world. The Berlin-based delivery service Foodpanda, for instance, operates Continue reading →

Global, Entrepreneurship, Food, India, Product Development, Innovation, Startups, Mobile, Delivery

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Innovation’s Reward and the Hoverboard

February 1, 2016

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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, Manufacturing, Product Development, 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

Italian Artisans Thrive with 3D Printing

June 17, 2015

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In the 1960s Northeast Italy’s artisans banded together to form small family-owned businesses that depended closely on one other. Each company manufactured a single part of a finished product that held the entire town’s attention. For instance, the tiny burg of Montebelluna specialized in making ski boots, with dozens of companies contributing parts like buckles and foam linings. The town eventually became famous for its high quality footwear, producing about three-quarters of the world’s ski boots at its height. One Continue reading →

Global, Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing, Product Development, Innovation, Italy, 3D Printing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Benefit Corps Help Shareholders and Society

June 13, 2015

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While nonprofit organizations do the world an immeasurable amount of good, their restrictive structure can prove frustrating for some entrepreneurs. After all in order to stay afloat, many nonprofits depend on the generosity of donors, a source of capital that could suddenly dry up at anytime. That’s why a few startups are combining the social drive of nonprofits with sustainable business models to form benefit corporations, or “B-corps” for short.

On the surface these companies seem like normal firms: they Continue reading →

Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Labor Relations, Product Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Product Distribution, A to Z

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 13: Marketing

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 →

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

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

The Motor City’s Burgeoning Bike Business

March 17, 2015

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With Detroit officially out of bankruptcy, business leaders and entrepreneurs are looking to the city’s mighty manufacturing past as an example for its future. After all, Detroit is full of old factories that can be fixed up and rented out cheaply. But it’s not just carmakers who are flocking back to the Motor City: over the last several years at least seven bicycle manufacturers have set up shop in the area as well.

Some of these bike builders rent small Continue reading →

Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing, Product Development, Innovation, Cycling, Detroit

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price

The Spotlight Fades on Rockstar Energy

February 19, 2015

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Even though Rockstar wasn’t the first energy drink to hit the market, it didn’t take long for the brand to make a big impact in a crowded field. Consumers quickly responded to Rockstar’s affordable price and large serving size, which set the brand apart from more exclusive products like Red Bull. During its first six years, revenue at Rockstar soared as high as $405 million while it grew at an average annual rate of 103 percent.

By 2007, however, the Continue reading →

Management, Entrepreneurship, Food, Product Development, Rockstar

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion