Foundations of Business Thought

Description

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. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I - INTRODUCTION A WRITTEN WORD IS THE CHOICEST OF RELICS "OF STUDIES" FROM: THE ESSAYS "READING" FROM: WALDEN FROM: THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK SELECTIONS FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE PART II - MOTIVATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCE INTRODUCTION: ALL THAT IS SOLID MELTS INTO AIR FROM: THE JOURNAL OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS A HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD FROM: THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF NEW SPAIN "OF PROPERTY" FROM: THE SECOND TREATISE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT 1879 SPEECH TO CONGRESS FROM: FAUST PART TWO "ECONOMY" FROM: WALDEN THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US PART III - FOUNDATIONS OF A COMMERCIAL SOCIETY INTRODUCTION: DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY FROM: THE REPUBLIC FROM: THE POLITICS "LAISSEZ-FAIRE POLICY" FROM: THE ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES OF CONFUCIUS AND HIS SCHOOL FROM: AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS I, PENCIL FROM: THE FABLE OF THE BEES "WEALTH" FROM: ESSAYS AND JOURNALS "THE VEINS OF WEALTH" FROM: UNTO THIS LAST AND OTHER ESSAYS ON ART AND POLITICAL ECONOMY FROM: ACRES OF DIAMONDS FROM: ATLAS SHRUGGED SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - TEACHING BUSINESS TO LADIES "CAPITALIST PRODUCTION" FROM: DAS KAPITAL "THE SOCIAL ORGANISM" FROM: RELIGION AND THE RISE OF CAPITALISM FROM: THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM FROM: THE ACQUISITIVE SOCIETY FROM: THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE FROM: THE PERSONAL RELATION IN INDUSTRY - COOPERATION IN INDUSTRY THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS IS TO INCREASE ITS PROFITS THE SHUCHU KIYAKO* PART IV - MARKETING INTRODUCTION: YOU ARE WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE; SO BECAREFUL ABOUT WHO YOU THINK YOU ARE FROM: THE ART OF WAR FROM: DE OFFICIIS "OF CHEATING, WHICH IS COMMITTED IN BUYING AND SELLING" FROM: THE SUMMATHEOLOGICA SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE "NATURAL SELECTION" FROM: THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES FROM: THE FINANCIER "PECUNIARY EMULATION AND CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION" FROM: THEORYOF THE LEISURE CLASS FROM: THE MIDDLEMAN "THE DEPENDENCE EFFECT" FROM: THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY PART V -ACCOUNTING INTRODUCTION: WHEN YOU ADD, YOU SUBTRACT THE ANTECEDENTS OF DOUBLE-ENTRY "PARTICULARS OF RECKONINGS AND THEIR RECORDING" FROM: ANCIENT DOUBLE ENTRY BOOKKEEPING: LUCA PACIOLI'S TREATISE SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE THE ETERNAL STOREHOUSE OF JAPAN [NIPPON EITAIGORA] FROM: THE COMPLEAT ENGLISH TRADESMAN SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE PART VI - FINANCE INTRODUCTION: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, BIT BY BIT A DISCOURSE OF COYNED MONEY FROM: THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO "LENDER AND BORROWER" FROM: THE CODE OF MAIMONIDES "OF THE SIN OF USURY" FROM: THE SUMMA THEOLOGICA FROM: THE WORKS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN "OF RICHES AND OF USURY" FROM: THE ESSAYS "OF PROFITS" FROM: THE PRINCIPLES OF POLITICAL ECONOMY SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - HOW MONEY GROWS AT INTEREST SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - THE CREDIT SYSTEM SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH A BANK "THE TULIPOMANIA" FROM: EXTRAORDINARY POPULAR DELUSIONS AND THE MADNESS OF CROWDS CONFUSION DE CONFUSIONES FROM: THE GENERAL THEORY OF EMPLOYMENT, INTEREST, AND MONEY SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - BOARDS OF TRADE AND STOCK EXCHANGES PART VII - MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION: THE ART OF GETTING THINGS DONE THROUGH PEOPLE LETTER TO HORACE GREELEY FROM: THE PRINCE FROM: THE REPUBLIC FROM: THE ANALECTS "AN EMPLOYER'S VIEW OF THE LABOR QUESTION" FROM: THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH FROM: LETTERS FROM A SELF-MADE MERCHANT TO HIS SON SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - BUSINESS ENERGY "THE CONDITION OF EFFICIENCY" FROM: THE ACQUISITIVE SOCIETY FROM: LADY CHATTERLEY'S LOVER THE HUMAN SIDE OF ENTERPRISE SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - HOW TO DO BUSINESS "THE NATURE OF EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY" FROM: THE FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - HOW TO APPLY FOR A SITUATION PART VIII - PRODUCTION INTRODUCTION: TAKE THIS JOB AND LOVE IT FROM: THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO "MANUFACTURERS" FROM: THE WORKS OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON MANUFACTURES: THE PRESENT STATE OF MANUFACTURES, COMMERCE, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR TRADE? "THAT ARISTOCRACY MAY BE ENGENDERED BY MANUFACTURES" FROM: DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA ALIENATED LABOR FROM: THE PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT FROM: MY LIFE AND WORK SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - HOW TO ESTIMATE THE CONTENTS OF A PILE OF GRAIN, POTATOES, HAY OR WOOD FROM: THE HOUSE OF MIRTH "ECONOMIC FOOTHOLD" FROM: WOMEN AND THE TRADES "MAN AND MACHINE" FROM: ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS SELECTION FROM: THE BUSINESS GUIDE - BUSINESS MAXIMS INDEX