Better Business

Michael R. Solomon, Ph.D., joined the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia as Professor of Marketing in 2006, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Consumer Research.  From 1995 to 2006, he was the Human Sciences Professor of Consumer Behavior at Auburn University. Prior to joining Auburn in 1995, he was Chairman of the Department of Marketing in the School of Business at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Professor Solomon’s primary research interests include consumer behavior and lifestyle issues, branding strategy, the symbolic aspects of products, the psychology of fashion, decoration, and image, services marketing, and the development of visually oriented on-line research methodologies. He currently sits on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Consumer Behaviour, theEuropean Business Review, and the Journal of Retailing, and he recently completed a six-year term on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Marketing Science. In addition to other books, he is also the author of Prentice Hall’s text Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being, which is widely used in universities throughout the world. Professor Solomon frequently appears on television and radio shows such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, Channel One, the Wall Street Journal Radio Network, and National Public Radio to comment on consumer behavior and marketing issues   Mary Anne Poatsy, MBA, CFP mpoatsy@comcast.net Mary Anne is a senior faculty member at Montgomery County Community College, teaching various computer application and concepts courses in face-to-face and online environments. She holds a BA in psychology and education from Mount Holyoke College and an MBA in finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Mary Anne has more than 11 years of educational experience, ranging from elementary and secondary education to Montgomery County Community College, Muhlenberg College, and Bucks County Community College, as well as training in the professional environment. Before teaching, she was a vice president at Shearson Lehman Hutton in the Municipal Bond Investment Banking Department.   Kendall Martin, PhD kmartin@mc3.edu Kendall has been teaching since 1988 at a number of institutions, including Villanova University, DeSales University, Arcadia University, Ursinus College, County College of Morris, and Montgomery County Community College at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Kendall’s education includes a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Rochester and an MS and a PhD in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. She has industrial experience in research and development environments (AT&T Bell Laboratories) as well as experience with several start-up technology firms. At Ursinus College, Kendall developed a successful faculty training program for distance education instructors. She makes conference presentations throughout the year.

Part I: Looking at the Business Environment
Chapter 1: Business in the United States
Chapter 2: Economics and Banking
Chapter 3: Ethics and Social Responsibility
Chapter 4: Business in a Global Economy

Mini-Chapter 1: E-Commerce

Part II: Starting and Structuring a Business
Chapter 5: Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
Chapter 6: Forms of Business Ownership

Mini-Chapter 2: Constructing a Successful Business Plan

Part III: Managing a Business and Employees
Chapter 7: Functions and Skills of Management
Chapter 8: Teamwork, Motivation and Communications
Chapter 9: Human Resources and Labor Relations
Chapter 10: Business Technology: Management Information Systems
Chapter 11: Production and Operations Management

Mini-Chapter 3: Business Communications

Part IV: Principles of Marketing
Chapter 12: Marketing and Consumer Behavior
Chapter 13: Product Development and Pricing Strategies
Chapter 14: Promotion and Distribution

Mini-Chapter 4: Finding Employment

Part V: Principles of Finance
Chapter 15: Financing and Tracking Business Operations
Chapter 16: Securities and Investments

Mini-Chapter 5: Personal Finance