Business Public Policy and Society or Lessons from the Edge

Business, Public Policy, and Society

Author: Lawrence M Lesser

The book not only addresses timely theories and concepts related to ethics, social responsibility and public policy, but it adds relevance through real-life applications in business. It contains exclusive interviews in which corporate and trade association executives explain in their own words how they manage their responsibilities toward government and society. The text also explains how companies and industries use technology and telecommunications to promote and defend their public policy and societal interests in the U.S. and around the world. Thus, the text also has a strong global focus, containing international perspectives and examples. The text uses theories, concepts and historical developments to help students build a foundation and develop an analytical framework for the practical applications and policy discussions that follow. And it includes cutting-edge topics in business ethics and society—presented in a pro/con format—that have been classroom tested to increase student interest, promote class discussion, and enable students to develop their critical thinking skills.

Table of Contents:

PART I. BUSINESS AND SOCIETY OVERVIEW. 1. Introduction
2.Social Responsibility and Performance
3.Ethics in Theory and Practice. Controversial Issue: Should Human Cloning Be Prohibited? Controversial Issue: Do Nike and Other Companies Take Advantage of Their Factory Workers to Maximize Profits?
PART II. BUSINESS AND THE PUBLIC POLICY ENVIRONMENT. 4. The Government Environment
5.Business and Public Policy. Controversial Issue: Does Popular Music Encourage Drugs, Alcohol and Violence in Society? Controversial Issue: Should Internet Gambling Be Made Illegal?
PART III. BUSINESS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 6. The Global Business Environment: An Overview. 7. The Global Business Environment: Foundations of U.S. Trade Policy. Controversial Issue: Are Trade Sanctions an Effective Means of Promoting Human Rights? Controversial Issue: Should the U.S. Restrict Technology Exports to China?
PART IV. BUSINESS AND ITS REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT. 9. Overview of Regulation
10.Economic Regulation. Controversial Issue: Should Government Tax Electronic Commerce? Controversial Issue: Do Airline Hubs Reduce Competition?
PART V. BUSINESS AND SOCIETAL CONCERNS. 11. Business and the Environment. 12. The Business Response to Environmental Concerns
13.Business, Employees and the Workplace. 14. Workplace Issues for the 21st Century: Employment Discrimination, Employee Pensions, Family Leave, and Executive Compensation. Controversial Issue: Should Tobacco Advertising Be Subject to Further Restrictions? Controversial Issue: Is Affirmative Action Needed to Eliminate Discrimination?
PART VI. ADDRESSING GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETAL CONCERNS. 15. Managing Government Affairs
16.Lobbying and Campaign Finance
17.Information Technology, the Internet, and Government Resources for Business
18.Corporate Governance. Controversial Issue: Do Campaign Contributions Corrupt the Political Process? Controversial Issue: ADM and Corporate Welfare: Should Ethanol Subsidies Be Eliminated?
PART VII. SUBSIDIES, TAX BREAKS, PROCUREMENT, AND BAILOUTS. 19. Sources of Government Financing. 20. Procurement, Bailouts, and Government Ownership. Controversial Issue: Should Social Security Be Privatized? Controversial Issue: Should Taxpayers Subsidize Professional Sports Stadiums?

Interesting book: The Politics of the Global or Public Argument

Lessons from the Edge: For-Profit and Nontraditional Higher Education in America (ACE/Praeger Series on Higher Education)

Author: Gary A Berg

The importance of for-profit higher education becomes clear when one examines the state of higher education today. Traditional institutions are facing major pressures, including diminishing financial support, a call to serve adult learners, the need to balance applied and liberal arts curricula, and the need to maintain and evolve the institutional mission. Stakeholders are more numerous than ever before, and they are pulling institutions in different directions. Traditional institutions of higher education are increasingly pressured to alter the their missions because diminished public funding has resulted in dependence on donors and corporations with varied interests. This strain is causing universities to behave in new ways. For-profit institutions provide a model of how to handle these challenges by their very structure--they are organized to operate professionally as a business and continually question and refine their organizational mission.