Foundations Of Business Thought

Foundations of Business Thought is an eclectic guide through the historic and socio-philosophic maze of our distant and recent business past. It is a seeker's blueprint to the intellectual architecture of the business world, which, like many standard introduction texts to business, exists to introduce readers as efficiently as possible into the mechanical processes of commerce.

Now published by Sage Foundations of Business Thought, Ninth Edition presents the writings of great contemporary and historical thinkers in an effort to develop the conceptual foundation for commercial activity in general and the ideals of accounting, finance, management, marketing, and operations/production in particular. This unique approach of using classical works of authorship reinforces the importance of clear, critical, and integrative thinking. Since 1993, many thousands of students across the United States have been introduced to the world of commerce and business through a process that makes business concepts at once understandable and intimately personal. Business is presented as a series of human connections designed to address the personal needs and wants of individuals based on sets of values and codes of ethics that guide our thoughts and actions in a market setting. Business techniques and tools may change over time but the essential goals and concepts of commercial activity remain unchanged across both geography and time. Inspired by a four volume set of books produced by the Harvard Business School in 1962, entitled The World of Business, this course and the book upon which it rests present the writings of great contemporary and historical thinkers in order to develop the conceptual foundation for commercial activity in general and the ideals of accounting, finance, management, marketing and operations/production in particular. This unique approach of using classical works of authorship reinforces the importance of clear, critical and integrative thinking. These works first outline the motivations for the development of commercial activity and, then, present the fundamental elements important to the foundation of a commercial society. These foundational concepts are followed by sections devoted to the various functional areas of business, again introduced by classical works that have both passed the test of time and provide unique insights into each of the areas. Faculty are provided with detailed instructions on methods of relating the material to contemporary business concepts and practice. While this roadmap provides structure for the material, faculty are encouraged to take advantage of their individual specialization and creativity. This could end up being one of the most enjoyable courses a faculty member will teach. Students are encouraged to be critical of the readings, of the concepts and, most particularly, their own notions about business and, at the same time, open to new ideas, the thoughts of others and the opportunities for personal growth. Through careful reading of the text, participating in classroom discussions, expanding knowledge through individual research and by writing position papers on contemporary business topics, this course has the potential to be one of the most impactful undergraduate or graduate courses students will take in their college career.

Gain a solid understanding of business today and what it takes to become a better employee, more informed consumer, and even a successful business owner with the best-selling FOUNDATONS OF BUSINESS, 5E. This up-to-date, comprehensive survey of business highlights forms of business ownership, management and organization, human resources management, marketing, social media and e-business, information systems, accounting, and finance. Core topics and special features examine ethics and social responsibility, small business and entrepreneurship, and global issues, while new coverage addresses cutting-edge topics, such as the impact of social media in business, the economic recovery and remaining economic issues, international business, green and socially responsible business, and sustainability. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Seeking an ethical formula that would prove useful for evaluating actions and events occurring in the sphere of business and economics, the author focuses on dialogue. The need for dialogue is justified by the fact that interlocutors share a conviction that the relationship between them is valuable. Although the manner for assessing business experiences in the proposed formula is narrowed down to the interactive criterion of fairness, this criterion is sufficient for enabling partners to agree, or for them to reach a consensus. It reveals to them the ethically and praxeologically destructive effects of refusing to exchange information about their own accomplishments and plans and, sometimes, the consequences of refusing to accept responsibility for the process of others taking on the role of business partners.

The book's premise is that the theories taught in management schools are based on unacknowledged philosophical perspectives that are significant not so much for what they explain, but for what they assume. Rarely made explicit, these perspectives cannot be reconciled, with the result that the study of management has been dominated by contradictions and internecine intellectual warfare. However, the ability critically to analyze these diverse perspectives is essential to practicing and aspiring managers if they are to evaluate expert opinion. Moreover, since management is primarily an exercise in communication, managing is impossible in the darkness of an imprecise language, in the absence of moral references, or in the senseless outline of a world without intellectual foundations. Managing is a prime example of applied philosophy.