Open Educational Resources (OER): Business & Economics

Textbook designed for an introductory level business course. This work is a project of the Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech.

Designed to introduce students to the essential concepts of business and other organizations. Focus is on small, entrepreneurial start-ups, and expanding the discussion in each chapter to include issues that are faced in larger organizations when it is appropriate to do so.

Provides context and essential concepts across the entire range of legal issues with which managers and business executives must grapple. The text provides the vocabulary and legal acumen necessary for business people to talk in an educated way to their customers, employees, suppliers, government officials—and to their own lawyers.

Designed with a “less can be more” approach, and treats small business management as a practical human activity rather than as an abstract theoretical concept.

Provides exploration into building, leading, and thriving in global organizations in an increasingly flat world.

Covers the broad spectrum of legal issues that entrepreneurs must understand when starting and running a business.

Covers the scope and sequence for a two-semester principles of economics course. Includes many current examples such as: the great recession, controversy among economists over the Affordable Care Act, recent government shutdown, and the appointment of the United States' first female Federal Reserve Chair.

Covers the scope and sequence for a one-semester economics course. Includes many current examples such as: the Keystone Pipeline, Occupy Wall Street, and debates over the minimum wage.

Covers the scope and sequence for a one-semester economics course. Includes many current examples such as: the housing bubble and housing crisis, Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation, global unemployment, and the appointment of the United States’ first female Federal Reserve chair.

The authors, Rittenberg and Tregarthen help students understand how real individuals actually work with economics. The text illustrates the practicality and relevance of economics with a variety of new illustrations and insights.

Centers around student needs and expectations through two premises: 1) Students are motivated to study economics if they see that it relates to their own lives. 2) Students learn best from an inductive approach, in which they are first confronted with a problem then led through the process of solving that problem

Economic concepts are presented through an approachable style and methodology. Takes a three-pronged approach to every chapter: “Heads Up” section to ward off confusion, a real-world application for that concept, and a “You Try It” section to make sure students are staying on top of the concept.