Students

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Learning Objectives

  1. How did manufacturing play an important role in the transformation of the American economy?
  2. What were the causes and effects of the transformation of an American economy reliant on its own manufacturing capabilities to one dependent on the manufacturing of other nations?
  3. What is the importance of mass production and mass distribution to the historical economic growth of America?
  4. What is the historical importance of the Cold War on the economic perception in America?
  5. How has globalization changed American business through increased profits and affordable labor?
  6. How has business in America developed differently from the rest of the world?
  7. What is the mutual influence between the market and the consumer?
  8. How have the complexities of the American market been influenced by the disposable income of the average household?
  1. What influence did Eli Whitney have on the early days of American manufacturing?
  2. What were the lasting effects of the cotton gin on the American economy and the way products are manufactured?
  3. How would you analyze the positive and negative influences the government can have on markets?
  4. How did interchangeable parts and mechanical labor affect the growth of American manufacturing?
  5. How did freedom of movement and individualism affect American ideals and their influence on the growth of America?
  6. Why are products that have a large economic impact over a national economy not always profitable to the maker?
  7. How important are transportation and communication to a company’s ability to manufacture products?
  1. How is mechanized labor important to promote growth in the agricultural industry?
  2. How can market pressure contribute to the success or failure of a product even when demand for the product is high?
  3. What influence can a new invention have on an industry by redefining business methods?
  4. What influence did religion have over the farming industry during the great American expansion?
  5. How did the transformation from personalized to bureaucratic business practices in America happen?
  6. What is this practice of patent purchasing by companies in order to contain and increase market share?
  7. How did Cyrus McCormick’s business model of selling his reaper revolutionize the manufacturing industry?
  8. How is a manufacturer dependent on advertising for market stability and growth?
  9. What are the factors needed for farmers in order to unlock the potential wealth in the fields of the North, Midwest, and the Great Plains?
  10. How did labor shortages created by the abundance of American farmland, lead to innovation and the creation of other industries?
  1. How did the economic times of Andrew Carnegie’s childhood mold his business and work ethics? Are the business models of Andrew Carnegie relevant in today’s global economy? Explain.
  2. What is the difference between the investment principles of Andrew Carnegie and those used in the modern business world?
  3. How did the building blocks of Andrew Carnegie’s education relate to his financial success?
  4. What was the difference between the beginnings of Carnegie Steel and the steel industry of the 1960s and 1970s?
  5. How is market share an important part of a business’s capability to expand its profit margin?
  6. How did cost analysis and maximizing productivity accelerate the profit potential of Carnegie Steel?
  1. Emphasize the need to evolve energy sources in order to promote future progress and development in manufacturing.
  2. What is the difference between capabilities of the past and that of the future generations based on education and technology afforded to each age group?
  3. Why were Thomas Edison’s inventions profitable from the moment he created them?
  4. What is the importance of modern companies housing their own invention factories to create and sustain profitability?
  5. What was the impact of the light bulb on the economy and the escalation in manufacturing it created?
  6. What obstacles were overcome to create the electric light and how did their solutions benefit other industries?
  7. Why was Thomas Edison unable to keep up with the acceleration in manufacturing created by his light bulb?
  8. What is the connection between science and industry and how are they dependent upon each other to promote market growth?
  9. What is the importance of Thomas Edison’s achievements and how difficult is it for anyone to reach the same height of success as him in modern times?
  1. What was the impact of Henry Ford on American manufacturing?
  2. What were the changes in American culture that came about with the Model T?
  3. What is mass industrialization and how was it successful in creating consumers?
  4. What was the economical impact of self-sufficient manufacturing?
  5. How can market changes impact a company’s business model and its need for adaptation?
  6. What is the difference between the growth of the American consumer market and the success of the Model T?
  7. What is the importance of mechanized labor and interchangeable parts in the expansion of American manufacturing?
  8. How did the Ford business model revolutionize manufacturing and the ability of a company to increase profits?
  9. Why is the success of Ford correlated with a new age of prosperity for the American middle class?
  10. How did the growth of Ford’s innovations outgrow the company’s and Henry Ford’s direct control?
  1. Is the belief that employment is a fundamental source of stimulation to an economy true? Justify your answer.
  2. What are the positive and negative influences of a large corporation on a small community?
  3. What is the difference between the philosophies of companies who hold tight to past methods and those that aggressively pursue change?
  4. What is the difference between the growth potential of a family-run business and a business that is controlled by a board of directors?
  5. Did America need anti-trust laws at the beginning of the twentieth century?
  6. What is the influence war has on a nation’s economy?
  7. What are the benefits of a company that shows concern and care for the individuality of their workforce?
  8. What is market forecasting? And what are the benefits it had on the profitability of Du Pont?
  9. How did Pierre du Pont play a vital role in his family company’s success?
  10. What were the methods used by Pierre du Pont in countering restrictive government legislation on big businesses?
  1. Why is it necessary for technology and organization to coexist in order for a company to be successful?
  2. What is the significance of General Motors in the growth of Frigidaire?
  3. Were the achievements of GM’s locomotive division due to the business practices of other companies?
  4. What was the need for governmental regulation of large businesses and firms at the end of the nineteenth century?
  5. What was the role played by Pierre du Pont during the reorganization of General Motors?
  6. Why did Alfred Sloan sell Hyatt to General Motors?
  7. How effective are big companies in promoting individual initiative?
  8. What are the differences between the business styles and practices of Henry Ford and Billy Durant?
  9. Could Billy Durant have continued to successfully run and reorganize General Motors?
  10. How are the practices of standard volume similar to market forecasting?
  1. How were the business styles of Henry Ford and Henry Ford II different from each other?
  2. How do world events influence the development of an individual’s business style?
  3. Was the replacement of Henry Ford in 1945 justified?
  4. How did Henry Ford II affect the future success of Ford Motor Company?
  5. Are large companies like Ford capable of promoting individualism?
  6. How was Henry Ford II’s business model effective in securing foreign markets for his cars?
  7. What is cultural influence and how does it affect business models?
  8. How is the leadership style of Ford Motor Company opposed to that of General Motors?
  9. Can the Common Market influence a company’s overseas’ profits?
  10. What characteristics allowed Henry Ford II to succeed in his reorganization of Ford?
  1. What correlation exists between the early influences on Edwin Land and his business practices later in life?
  2. How did the wartime economy impact the growth of Polaroid?
  3. Is a college education a requirement for success in business and manufacturing?
  4. Can a company succeed on virtue and a good product alone?
  5. What influence did stockholders have on the day-to-day operations of Polaroid?
  6. Do a company’s achievements rely on the success of the society that surrounds it?
  7. How do pricing methods influence a company’s ability to expand a consumer market?
  8. What philosophies drove Edwin Land to believe there were no unanswerable questions?
  9. How did Polaroid overcome the obstacles it faced in producing the SX-70?
  10. Why does the loss of a powerful executive often lead to instability in a company’s future?
  1. What similarities do Dell, Wal-Mart, and McDonalds have to big businesses of the past?
  2. How did franchisees benefit the expansion of McDonalds?
  3. What distribution problems did McDonalds face at the onset of their expansion?
  4. Did cultural shifts, government interference, or market demands influence the business methods of McDonalds?
  5. What connection is there between service industry and manufacturing?
  6. How does a large company like Wal-Mart affect a community?
  7. What approach did Sam Walton use in cutting his labor costs throughout his stores?
  8. How did emerging markets contribute to the success of Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and Dell?
  9. Was the direct sales method key to the success of Michael Dell’s computers?
  10. Why is inventory a major problem to any growing company?
  1. What effects do an individual American business owner’s efforts have on society?
  2. How have globalization and American business influenced each other?
  3. Does globalization diminish the impact of the individual?
  4. What circumstances are needed for an individual to succeed in business other than their own natural talents and abilities?
  5. What are the main characteristics of the American labor force that are different from workforces around the world?
  6. Does American power stem from the success of American business?
  7. Is American manufacturing the engine powering the globalization of world economies?
  8. Why do nations with strong business ties rarely go to war?
  9. What are the positive and negative influences big businesses have on a society?
  10. What are the obstacles American manufacturing faces in modern markets?