Pandemic - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

Godzilla vs. Kong Brings Optimism Back to the Box Office

April 8, 2021

Movie theaters across the country closed for months last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then struggled to recover once other businesses began to reopen. After Tenet disappointed at the box office during the summer, other would-be blockbusters like Wonder Woman: 1984 and Raya and the Last Dragon were simultaneously released in theaters and on streaming services. This radical change in distribution made industry observers and uneasy theater owners wonder if moviegoers would continue to remain at home as Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Global, Entertainment, Streaming, Product Distribution, Movies, Coronavirus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Americans Filed 719,000 New Jobless Claims Last Week

April 6, 2021

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Starting in March 2020, new unemployment claims in the U.S. seemed to reach record levels every week as businesses closed all over due to the pandemic. And while that number has gradually been decreasing in recent months, thousands of people continue to file fresh unemployment claims each week. 719,000 workers filed for unemployment last week, an increase from 658,000 initial claims the week before.

Although the U.S. unemployment rate remains high, some experts are optimistic that the economy is on Continue reading →

Economics, Ethics, Human Resources, Unemployment, Coronavirus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Video Game Sales Went Through the Roof Last Year

March 23, 2021

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As the pandemic forced Americans to stay at home a year ago, many people turned to indoor activities like baking, watching TV, and playing video games to pass the time. Sales of products like baking accessories and new televisions increased as a result, but video games skyrocketed in popularity to a degree never seen before. In 2020 Americans spent a record $56.9 billion on gaming, a 27 percent increase from the year before.

Sony reported a 62 percent jump Continue reading →

Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Entertainment, Product Distribution, Video Games, Coronavirus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

New Players Flocked to Golf and Tennis in 2020

March 16, 2021

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The pandemic took a major toll on entertainment and recreational facilities as everything from theaters to gyms were forced to shut down or drastically alter their operations. Although golf courses and tennis courts initially closed in March and April 2020, they soon reopened and welcomed all sorts of new players looking for socially distanced outdoor activities. From June to December 2020, rounds of golf in the U.S. grew by 75 million compared to the same period in 2019, representing a Continue reading →

Marketing, Product Development, Sports, Promotions, Entertainment, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Contactless service

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Looking Back on a Year of Covid-19 in the U.S.

March 11, 2021

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One year ago, the World Health Organization designated the coronavirus as a pandemic. Soon after that announcement, life in the U.S. changed utterly as offices, airlines, and professional sports leagues all came to a halt. And while the U.S. economy is beginning to recover as the vaccine rollout gains momentum, the coronavirus pandemic has had a seismic impact upon America and the rest of the world that will be felt for years to come.

More than 118 million cases of Continue reading →

Economics, Global, Ethics, Health, Product Distribution, Coronavirus, Stimulus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

Millions of Americans Face Tax Bills on Unemployment Payments

March 2, 2021

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The coronavirus pandemic caused millions of people to lose their jobs last year and file for unemployment benefits, which were expanded several times through federal legislation. Now, many Americans are discovering that they owe taxes on these payments that were vital for them to make ends meet. For example, Erika Rose of Los Angeles has been on unemployment insurance since the start of the pandemic and has spent the winter stretching every penny to pay rent and utilities. When she Continue reading →

Ethics, Human Resources, Unemployment, Coronavirus, Stimulus, Pandemic

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

[VIDEO] How Regulators Are Investigating GameStop’s Stock Volatility

February 19, 2021

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The recent frenzy surrounding GameStop stock caught even the most careful market observers by surprise as shares in the struggling retailer skyrocketed to unbelievable levels only to fall again soon after. This video looks at how regulators at the SEC are looking into the matter and the possible consequences that could fall on companies like Reddit and Robinhood.

Questions:

Why is the SEC investigating the recent stock market volatility surrounding GameStop and other companies?
Do you think federal regulators Continue reading →

Ethics, Regulation, Stocks, GameStop, Stock Market, Coronavirus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 19: Securities Markets, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Shopify Sales Skyrocket as More People Start up Side Businesses

February 16, 2021

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After millions of Americans either lost work or saw their incomes drop during the pandemic, many started side businesses as a way to make up for lost revenue. In fact, last year new business applications increased by 24 percent compared to 2019, reaching their highest level on record. The retail sector comprised 54 percent of new businesses as many people used platforms like Shopify to sell products online. Founded in 2006, Shopify provides entrepreneurs with e-commerce tools that can handle Continue reading →

Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Product Distribution, E-commerce, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Shopify

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Companies Keep Pushing Back Their Office-Reopening Plans

February 11, 2021

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As last year came to a close and news about Covid-19 vaccinations became more optimistic, companies across the country hoped that a quick vaccine rollout would allow them to reopen offices as early as spring 2021. That rapid rollout still has not come to pass, though, causing many businesses to push back their office-reopening plans until September at the earliest. In the meantime, millions of employees will continue to work remotely until the pandemic is finally under control.

For example, Continue reading →

Ethics, Human Resources, Work Environment, Coronavirus, Organizational Structure, Remote working, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

GDP in 2020 Dropped to Lowest Point Since World War II

January 28, 2021

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Last year, the U.S. economy shrank by 3.5 percent as Americans had their lives turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. This made 2020 the worst year for growth since 1946 when the economy contracted by more than 11 percent in the immediate aftermath of World War II. It’s also the first time since 2009 that GDP has contracted over the course of an entire year, although the economy did begin to recover in the latter half of 2020.

“There Continue reading →

GDP, Product Distribution, Federal Reserve, Coronavirus, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 20: Money and Financial Institutions