BUS101: Introduction to Business

Unit 1: The Context of Business

• Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • identify foundational business practices;
  • describe economic indicators;
  • identify positive and negative impacts of business on society;
  • use economic indicators to describe the state and health of an economy;
  • identify and explain current economic trends;
  • identify the four phases of the business cycle in real-life situations;
  • use economic indicators to predict where a business is heading in the business cycle;
  • describe global trade restrictions;
  • identify factors affecting the success of businesses;
  • evaluate the feasibility of doing business in a foreign country;
  • describe methods for business entry into the global marketplace; and
  • identify trade facilitators.

• 1.1: Business Basics

  • 1.1.1: Foundational Business Practices

    • What is a Business? Page

      Read this page for an overview of basic business concepts that will give you a solid foundation for the rest of the course. While the goal of business is to make a profit, there are also many other goals. This article will explain the types of goals, how they are assessed, the markets they serve, and their effect on society.
      

  • 1.1.2: Factors Affecting the Success of Business

    • Getting Down to Business URL

      Read this section to learn about internal and external factors that affect the success of businesses. Pay particular attention to Figure 1.2 to gain an understanding of where each of these factors fall.
      

  • 1.1.3: Impact of Business on Society

    It probably goes without saying that businesses provide a value to society in the form of creating products that society needs, providing employment, and paying taxes that lead to a better quality of life for everyone. However, businesses can also negatively impact society, whether it be through damage to the environment or the devastation that can be left behind when a business closes.
    

    • 1.1.3.1: Positive Impact of Business on Society

      • Corporate Social Responsibility URL

        Read this section, paying particular attention to the sections on communities, financial contributions, volunteerism, and supporting local causes, to learn more about the positive impact of businesses.
        

    • 1.1.3.2: Negative Impact of Business on Society

      • Environmentalism URL

        Read this section to see the environmental effects of businesses and why sustainability is important.
        

      • When Coal Plants Shut Down, What Happens Next? URL

        Read this article for an interesting look at the environmental impact that changes in industry can have. While many would argue that the shift away from coal as an energy source is good for the environment, one must also consider the lasting impact that coal plants can have on the environment even after they have closed.
        

      • A New Chart Conclusively Proves that Automation is a Serious Threat URL

        Next, read this article, which helps show what can happen when businesses that once employed many people in an area begin to advance technologically and rely more on automation. Pay special attention to the "Sleeping Through a Wake-Up Call" section, which describes the negative effect that shifts to automation in the manufacturing industries can have on the labor force.
        

    • 1.1.3.3: Case Study

      • Cases and Problems URL

        Now that you've read about some of the positive and negative effects of businesses, complete the activity that asks if Nike was responsible for compensating Honduran factory workers.

        Consider how Nike affected society, and determine whether you think their impact was positive or negative.
        

• 1.2: Productivity and the Business Cycle

  • 1.2.1: Productivity

    • The Context of Business URL

      Read Module 1 on pages 51–74 for an explanation of the United States economy.

      American workers are considered some of the most productive in the world. Productivity is your final output after you have considered the hours worked. Our productivity in this country has grown because technology has lowered the cost of producing goods and services.

      As you read these pages, please note that for this first section, you are focusing on macroeconomics, which includes the gross domestic product, unemployment rate, and price indexes.

  • 1.2.2: The Business Cycle

    • Business Cycles URL

      Review pages 74–76 to learn about the characteristics of the business cycle and its relationship with the GDP. The combination of expansion and contractions is called the business cycle.
    • The Business Cycle Page

      Read this article. Pay particular attention to the items listed under Key Points, Terms, and Examples.

      After reviewing this section, summarize what you consider the three most viable causes of business cycles.

• 1.3: Economic Indicators as Components of Economic Stability

  • 1.3.1: Economic Indicators

    • Economic Indicators URL

      Review pages 81–84.

      Research three economic indicators: leading, coincidental, and lagging. Discuss what the data seems to be showing in the results of your research. Rank or order the economic indicators you consider most important. Write a 2- to 3-page essay that explains your findings, especially in terms of what the indicators say about the economy. In your conclusion, share where you believe the economy is going.

  • 1.3.2: Consumer Price Index

    • CPI Inflation Calculator URL

      Go to the CPI Inflation Calculator and perform two calculations:

      1. Compute what a pair of denim jeans cost the year you were born if they cost $80 today.
      2. Compute what a car cost the year you were born if it is selling for $23,000 today.

      Please feel free to explore the inflation rate of interest by performing additional calculations on this calculator.

  • 1.3.3: Rate of Inflation

    • How the U.S. and Other Countries Experience Inflation Page

      Read this article about the pattern of U.S. price and inflation rates from 1913 to the present. Pay particular attention to the charts that show the comparison between U.S. rates and those of other countries around the world.
      

  • 1.3.4: Gross Domestic Product

    • What is the Gross Domestic Product? Page

      Read this article, which provides an explanation of the Gross Domestic Product, which is the dollar value of goods and services produced in a given country in a year. What is the significance of GDP as an economic indicator?

  • 1.3.5: Nominal and Real GDP Growth

    • Economic Growth URL

      Review "Economic Growth" on page 55. The United States' high GDP allows Americans to have a high standard of living.
    • Measuring the Health of the Economy URL

      Read this section to learn more about economic and growth. Looking at GDP alone does not give much of an indication of the health of an economy. It is the change in GDP that is relevant. If GDP goes up, the economy is growing. This positive movement is what we want as we leave behind the most recent recession. Complete the exercises at the end of the section.

  • 1.3.6: GDP Per Capita

    • Country Comparison – GDP Per Capita URL

      Carefully review this chart, which compares the GDP per capita of several countries around the world. Note the date of information provided, and compare this to the charts provided on pages 66 through 69 of Introduction to Business. Studying GDP per capita will allow you to compare one country to another.

      As you review this resource, answer the following questions:

      1. Why is the U.S. GDP per capita higher than China?
      2. How is GDP per capita found?

  • 1.3.7: Inflation and Consumer Spending

    • Consumer Income, Purchasing Power, and Confidence Page

      Read this section for an in-depth look at the relationship between inflation, the economy, and how we spend our money.

      As you read, consider the effect of inflation on your own purchasing power and buying habits. As the rate of inflation increases, there is a decline in your purchasing power as a consumer, but a decrease in inflation and lower prices can also affect what we buy. For example, as gas prices decline, we see an associated decline in the rate of hybrid car purchases.

      List three ways that inflation might affect your life.

    • Inflation Rate URL

      The graph of inflation rate on page 70 shows the direction inflation has gone from 1914 to 2007. Review this graph and read the text below it. High interest rates can hurt businesses because consumers are less likely to buy when interest rates are high. Additionally, businesses find it expensive to purchase equipment and other overhead they may need to prosper.
      

• 1.4: Components of Economic Policy

  • 1.4.1: Budget Deficit (Expenses Exceed Revenues)

    • Fiscal Policy URL

      Re-read "Fiscal Policy" on page 77 and review the graph on page 78 to learn about the definition of the budget deficit.

      In the year of an election, the candidates promise to reduce government spending. Usually, this does not happen. The deficit in the United States is growing with the continuation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The yearly deficit continues to add to the national debt. Some U.S. citizens think that government spending helps the economy grow. Others think that government spending comes out of the hands of consumers and business owners, thereby slowing growth.

      After you read, write a paragraph that expresses your thoughts on this argument.
      

  • 1.4.2: Budget Surplus (Revenues Exceed Expenses)

    • The Government's Role in Managing the Economy URL

      Read this section, focusing on the national debt, to learn about budget surpluses. It is quite unlikely that the United States will see a budget surplus in the near future. This situation is present when the tax revenues collected are greater than the expenses of the United States government. Complete Exercise 1 at the end of the section.
      

  • 1.4.3: Government Regulation

    • Monetary Policy URL

      Review the graphic and text on page 79 to learn about the monetary policy. Monetary policy manages the money supply under the control of the Federal Reserve Board.
      

    • What Does the Federal Reserve Do? Page

      Read this article to learn more about the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

• 1.5: Doing Business Globally

  • 1.5.1: Feasibility of Doing Business in a Foreign Country

    • The World's Economies URL

      Review pages 56–69 to learn about the importance of international business.
    • The Drive for International Trade URL

      Read this section to learn about why businesses are going global and the difference between imports and exports.
      

  • 1.5.2: Methods for Business Entry into the Global Marketplace

    • Types of International Business URL

      There are a variety of methods businesses can use to enter the global marketplace. Some carry heavier risk than others, and some require businesses to give up some of their control.

      Read about the types of international business and rate them based on risk and control.
      

  • 1.5.3: Global Trade Restrictions

    • International Trade Barriers URL

      While international trade seems like a win-win situation for businesses, many governments impose trade restrictions such as tariffs or quotas as a way to control how much foreign product is introduced into their country. Often, these trade restrictions are put in place to protect domestic industries or insure a working population.

      Read about the trade restrictions and reflect on what would precipitate a government imposing one trade restriction rather than another.

  • 1.5.4: Global Trade Facilitators

    • International Trade Agreements and Organizations URL

      It can be daunting to start a business in the United States. One must learn how to navigate through the bureaucratic red tape. Can you imagine how much more difficult it must be to navigate the bureaucratic red tape for more than one country? Luckily, for a business entering the global marketplace, there are organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary fund, trade agreements such as GATT and NAFTA, and economic communities, which make the process easier to navigate.

• Unit 1 Activities

  • Banks and the 2008 Financial Crisis Page

    These videos discuss the 2008 financial crisis in the United States. In the first, Didier Sornette talks about how early warning signs for a financial crisis can be plotted. In the second, William Black gives an insider's view of how banking practices led to the 2008 financial crisis.
    

  • Unit 1 Writing Activity Quiz

    After you have viewed these resources, integrate this information with the material you have learned throughout Unit 1. In a 3 page paper, summarize the factors that led up to the financial crisis, and the impact it had on the U.S. economy as it relates to the U.S. GDP, employment, money supply, and the other economic factors covered throughout the Unit.
    

• Unit 1 Assessment

  • Unit 1 Assessment Quiz

    Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

    • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
    • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
    • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.