BUSN: Introduction to Business

Cover
Brief Contents
Contents
Letter to Students
Part 1 The Business Environment
Chapter 1: Business Now: Change Is the Only Constant
1-1 Business Now: Moving at Breakneck Speed
1-2 The History of Business: Putting It All In Context
1-3 Nonprofits and the Economy: The Business of Doing Good
1-4 Factors of Production: The Basic Building Blocks
1-5 The Business Environment: The Context for Success
1-6 Business and You: Making It Personal
Chapter 2: Economics: The Framework for Business
2-1 Economics: Navigating A Crisis
2-2 Managing the Economy through Fiscal and Monetary Policy
2-3 Capitalism: The Free Market System
2-4 Planned Economies: Socialism and Communism
2-5 Mixed Economies: The Story of the Future
2-6 Evaluating Economic Performance: What's Working?
Chapter 3: The World Marketplace: Business without Borders
3-1 An Unprecedented Opportunity
3-2 Key Reasons for International Trade
3-3 Global Trade: Taking Measure
3-4 Seizing the Opportunity: Strategies For Reaching Global Markets
3-5 Barriers to International Trade
3-6 Free Trade: The Movement Gains Momentum
Chapter 4: Business Ethics and Social Responsibility: Doing Well by Doing Good
4-1 Ethics and Social Responsibility: A Close Relationship
4-2 Business Ethics: Not Anoxymoron
4-3 Ethics: Multiple Touchpoints
4-4 Defining Social Responsibility: Making the World A Better Place
4-5 Ethics and Social Responsibility in the Global Arena: A House of Mirrors?
4-6 Monitoring Ethics and Social Responsibility: Who Is Minding the Store?
Chapter 5: Business Communication: Creating and Delivering Messages That Matter
5-1 Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
5-2 Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
5-3 Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
5-4 Pick the Right Words: Is that Car Pre-Loved Or Just Plain Used?!
5-5 Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
5-6 Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook'Em and Reel 'Em in!
Part 2 Creating A Business
Chapter 6: Business Formation: Choosing the Form That Fits
6-1 Business Ownership Options: The Big Four
6-2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Sole Proprietorships
6-3 Partnerships: Two Heads (and Bankrolls) Can Be Better Than One
6-4 Corporations: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Artificial Person
6-5 The Limited Liability Company: The New Kid on the Block
6-6 Franchising: Proven Methods for a Price
Chapter 7: Small Business and Entrepreneurship: Economic Rocket Fuel
7-1 Launching A New Venture: What's in It for Me?
7-2 The Entrepreneur: A Distinctive Profile
7-3 Finding the Money: Funding Options for Small Businesses
7-4 Opportunities and Threats for Small Business: A Two-Sided Coin
7-5 Launch Options: Reviewing the Pros and Cons
7-6 Small Business and the Economy: An Outsized Impact
Part 3 Financing a Business
Chapter 8: Accounting: Decision Making by the Numbers
8-1 Accounting: Who Needs It-and Who Does It?
8-2 Financial Accounting: Intended for Those on the outside Looking in
8-3 Financial Statements: Read All about Us
8-4 Interpreting Financial Statements: Digging beneath the Surface
8-5 Budgeting: Planning for Accountability
8-6 Inside Intelligence: The Role of Managerial Accounting
Chapter 9: Finance: Acquiring and Using Funds to Maximize Value
9-1 What Motivates Financial Decisions?
9-2 Identifying Financial Needs: Evaluation and Planning
9-3 Finding Funds: What are the Options?
9-4 Leverage and Capital Structure: How Much Debt is Too Much Debt?
9-5 Acquiring and Managing Current Assets
9-6 Capital Budgeting: In It for the Long Haul
Chapter 10: Financial Markets: Allocating Financial Resources
10-1 The Role of Financial Markets and Their Key Players
10-2 Regulating Financial Markets to Protect Investors and Improve Stability
10-3 Investing in Financial Securities: What are the Options?
10-4 Issuing and Trading Securities: The Primary and Secondary Markets
10-5 Personal Investing
10-6 Keeping Tabs on the Market
Part 4 Marketing a Business
Chapter 11: Marketing: Building Profitable Customer Connections
11-1 Marketing: Getting Value by Giving Value
11-2 The Customer: Front and Center
11-3 Marketing Strategy: Where are You Going, and How Will You Get There?
11-4 Customer Behavior: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
11-5 Marketing Research: So What Do They Really Think?
11-6 Social Responsibility and Technology: A Major Marketing Shift
Chapter 12: Product and Promotion: Creating and Communicating Value
12-1 Product: It's Probably More Than You Thought
12-2 Product Differentiation and Planning: A Meaningful Difference
12-3 Innovation and the Product Life Cycle: Nuts, Bolts, and A Spark of Brilliance
12-4 Promotion: Influencing Consumer Decisions
12-5 A Meaningful Message: Finding the Big Idea
12-6 The Promotional Mix: Communicating the Big Idea
Chapter 13: Distribution and Pricing: Right Product, Right Person, Right Place, Right Price
13-1 Distribution: Getting Your Product to Your Customer
13-2 Wholesalers: Sorting Out the Options
13-3 Retailers: The Consumer Connection
13-4 Physical Distribution: Planes, Trains, and Much, Much More
13-5 Pricing Objectives and Strategies: A High-Stakes Game
13-6 Pricing in Practice: A Real-World Approach
Part 5 Managing a Business
Chapter 14: Management, Motivation, and Leadership: Bringing Business to Life
14-1 Bringing Resources to Life
14-2 Motivation: Lighting the Fire
14-3 Planning: Figuring Out Where to Go and How to Get There
14-4 Organizing: Fitting Together the Puzzle Pieces
14-5 Leadership: Directing and Inspiring
Chapter 15: Human Resource Management: Building a Top-Quality Workforce
15-1 Human Resource Management: Bringing Business to Life
15-2 Human Resource Management Challenges: Major Hurdles
15-3 Human Resources Managers: Corporate Black Sheep?
15-4 Human Resource Planning: Drawing the Map
15-5 Legal Issues: HR and the Long Arm of the Law
Chapter 16: Managing Information and Technology: Finding New Ways to Learn and Link
16-1 Information Technology: Explosive Change
16-2 Cloud Computing: The Sky's the Limit!
16-3 Information Technology and Decision Making: A Crucial Aid
16-4 Information Technology and the World of E-Commerce
16-5 Challenges and Concerns Arising from New Technologies
Chapter 17: Operations Management: Putting It All Together
17-1 Operations Management: Producing Value in A Changing Environment
17-2 What Do Operations Managers Do?
17-3 Implications of A Service-Based Economy: Responding to Different Challenges
17-4 The Technology of Operations
17-5 Focus on Quality
17-6 The Move to Be Lean and Green: Cutting Cost and Cutting Waste
Personal Finance Appendix
Endnotes
Glossary
Index