Battleground: Business: [2 volumes]

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Description

Business is one of the most potent cultural forces today, profoundly affecting every facet of our lives whether we are working in a corporate environment or not. This book surveys some of the most controversial issues and topics central to the contemporary business world. Included are more than 70 alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors. Each entry explores a topic's relevance and influence, highlights opposing viewpoints, provides sidebars of interesting information, and lists resources for further research. For students and general readers, this book is an engaging, accessible, and essential resource on the role of business in society. Globalization. Outsourcing. Downsizing. These are some of the economic issues at the center of today's society. Time after time, we see that business is one of the most powerful forces in the modern world, profoundly affecting every facet of our lives whether we work in a corporate environment or not. Because in one way or another the world is all about economics, students need to understand and appreciate the role of business in their lives. This book overviews the most important topics and issues characterizing the role of business in today's society. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on more than 70 critical issues or topics central to the role of business in our lives. Each is written by an expert contributor and provides a summary of the topic's relevance and influence, a consideration of opposing viewpoints, and a list of resources for further research. For students and general readers, this book is an engaging, accessible, and essential resource on the role of business in everyday life.

Reviews

Students interested in the ethical dimensions of US business and economics will be well served by Battleground Business. Editors Walden and Thoms have compiled articles by business and economics academics on hot topics related to marketing, management, work-life balance, globalization, economic policy, and labor issues. Many articles are framed as questions: Are antidumping laws simply protectionist Are corporate tax shelters harmful or beneficial Other articles explain economic or business phenomena, e.g., how pension plans work or what intellectual property is.libraries lacking access to comprehensive viewpoint databases will want to add this title to their collection. Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, general readers. * Choice *
[The editors] have carefully chosen qualified academic contributors to address 77 controversial, high-interest topics in business and economics, including blogs, same-sex partner benefits, outsourcing, whistle blowing, universal health care, and big-box retailers. Each A-Z entry provides an overview and explanation of the topic, dispels some popular myths, gives examples, and answers commonly asked questions, e.g. why are students targeted by credit card marketers, why are professional athletes paid so much, and what we do about the uninsured. Unlike other business reference works, this one presents the topics from multiple points of view, forcing readers to look at all sides of an issue.This comprehensive and timely work will appeal to high school and college students, concerned citizens, and virtually everyone in the business world. A welcome addition to any library collection. * Library Journal *
Battleground: Business provides a place to start for the reader who is exploring a topic or a student trying to generate ideas to complete an assignment. These two volumes would be a good addition to a public library or academic institution serving high school students or lower-level undergraduates. * American Reference Books Annual *

Author Bio

Michael Walden is Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Agricultural Resource Economics at North Carolina State University. His previous books include Smart Economics (Praeger, 2005), Everyday Economics (2004), Economics and Consumer Decisions (2001), and Economic Issues: Rhetoric and Reality (1995). Peg Thoms is Professor of Management and Director of the MBA Program at Penn State Behrend. She is the author of Finding the Best and the Brightest (Praeger, 2005), and Driven by Time (Praeger, 2003), and coauthor of Project Leadership from Theory to Practice (1998).