Global - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] Why is Everything Getting So Expensive?

March 10, 2023

Prices on everyday products like groceries and diapers have increased dramatically in the last couple of years, with inflation often being identified as the culprit. This video takes a close look at the potential causes of the post-pandemic trend of rising inflation, examining why supply chain issues and plain old markups could be responsible for ever-increasing prices.

Questions:

What are the potential causes of inflation outlined in this video? Which factor do you think is the most likely cause Continue reading →

Rising Inflation Could Damage Economic Gains Made by Women

March 8, 2023

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People around the world celebrate International Women’s Day every March 8th, paying tribute to the achievements of women while also campaigning for greater gender equality. While issues like equal pay and opportunity for women have certainly received a lot of attention in recent years, companies still have a long way to go before they reach total parity. To make matters worse, economists say that women are disproportionately feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis brought on by rising Continue reading →

Management, Motivation, Global, Ethics, Human Resources, Compensation, Regulation, Hiring, Gender equity, Wage gap

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions

Inflation Fears Sink Stocks to Lowest Point in 2023

March 1, 2023

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Last Friday, the stock market tumbled to its lowest point so far this year, with the S&P 500 falling for three weeks straight while the Dow Jones similarly slumped due to disappointing economic data. Investors expected inflation to decline more at the start of 2023, but experts say that it has actually re-accelerated in recent months. As a result, the Federal Reserve may continue to raise interest rates, a measure used to combat inflation that reduces the amount of Continue reading →

Securities Markets, Global, Regulation, Federal Reserve, Recession, Interest Rates, Supply & Demand, Stock Market, Inflation, Stock valuation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions

The Tricky Task of Monetizing Esports

February 24, 2023

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This week, the esports talent agency GameSquare announced that it hired Tyler “Ninja” Blevins as its Chief Innovation Officer. A famous Fortnite streamer with more than 17 million followers on the platform Twitch, the company said Ninja will “curate disruptive strategies, pursue new business opportunities, and explore next-gen technologies to accelerate the [e-sports] industry’s growth within pop culture.” This will also give Ninja another source of revenue besides streaming, which he claims to earn $500,000 a month from while keeping Continue reading →

[VIDEO] How Domino’s Became The World’s Biggest Pizza Chain

February 17, 2023

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With thousands of locations across more than 90 international markets, Domino’s has become a global powerhouse thanks largely to its innovative production and distribution methods. This video takes an extensive look at how Domino’s makes pizza, focusing especially on a dough-making facility that relies heavily on automation to succeed.

Questions:

Why did Domino’s install automated systems in its Indiana dough-making facility?
Do you think more food companies should rely on automation like Domino’s? Why or why not?

Operations Management, Global, Product Development, Automation, Product Distribution, Domino’s, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

[VIDEO] Why Lego Is Way More than a Toy Company

February 3, 2023

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Lego grew to be the world’s largest toymaker by appealing to many different kinds of customers, from kids and collectors to corporations looking for fun team-building activities. The Danish company manages to reach lots of people by licensing popular properties like Stars Wars and Marvel for a range of content like movies, TV shows, and video games. This video looks at how Lego drives toy sales by branching out into entertainment that reinforces its brand and grows its customer Continue reading →

Marketing, Global, Licensing, Branding, Entertainment, Lego, Television, Movies

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Videos

[VIDEO] The Artificial Flower Factory that Serves Celebrities

January 20, 2023

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This video dives deep into the story of M&S Schmalberg, the last artificial flower factory in the U.S. that crafts beautiful blossoms by hand. Located in the heart of Manhattan, this family-owned business serves everyone from top fashion designers and celebrities to individual clients with personal projects in mind. The video below delves into the history of M&S Schmalberg and its artisanal production methods while also examining the rise and fall of the American artificial flower industry over the span Continue reading →

[VIDEO] The Multi-Billion Dollar Business of BTS

December 14, 2022

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The members of the K-pop group BTS are more than just entertainers: they’re financial juggernauts who have contributed billions of dollars to the South Korean economy. The video below looks at how BTS leverages their massive global audience to develop lucrative brand partnerships with everyone from McDonald’s to Louis Vuitton. This bonanza of cash might not go on forever, though, with the group announcing they were taking a brief hiatus that could potentially blunt their branding power.

Questions:

What Continue reading →

Marketing, Global, Product Development, Branding, Promotions, Entertainment, McDonald’s, Music, Product Distribution, South Korea, Celebrities

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Videos

Amazon’s Echo Fails to Live up to Expectations

December 7, 2022

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When Amazon launched the Echo in 2014, both the e-commerce giant and media observers set the bar very high for the smart speaker. One publication likened the voice-assisted machine to something out of Star Trek while others called it the “computer of the future” that would soon be in every home. These predictions seemed reasonable enough as Amazon sold more than 5 million Echos in the device’s first two years on the market. By 2016, the Echo and its voice Continue reading →

Big Business Gets a Big Boost from Controversial World Cup

December 2, 2022

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The 2022 FIFA World Cup moves into the knockout stages this weekend, a nerve-wracking time when teams can be eliminated with a single loss. While the tournament’s soccer stars will experience a dramatic increase of tension on the field, the host country Qatar has already faced plenty of global pressure since FIFA awarded them the event in 2010. The Middle East nation has long been accused of using corruption to land the World Cup, leading to a 2015 indictment from Continue reading →