Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L

Fall 2015
Instructor:
Lawrence Aronhime
Aronhime@jhu.edu
104 Whitehead Hall
Office hours: Mon: 1:00pm 3:00pm
Time and Room:
Mon, Wed, Fri: 12:00pm 12:50pm
Shaffer 3
Course Description:
This course is designed as a broad introduction to the terms, concepts, and values of business
and management. Particular emphasis will be placed upon topic specific readings and their
implications for managerial decision-making.
Required Materials:
A Short History of Financial Euphoria by John Kenneth Galbraith (ISBN-10: 0140238565)
Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Taleb (ISBN-10: 0812975219)
The Halo Effect by Phil Rosenzweig (ISBN-10: 0743291263)
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (ISBN-10: 0316346624)
Harvard Business school cases (see section syllabus)
Supplemental Readings on electronic reserve at:
http://reserves.library.jhu.edu/access/reserves/findit/articles/aronhime/aronhime.php
Password: ARO105
All slides can be printed from the following web sites: http://blackboard.jhu.edu
Course Objectives:
This course seeks to provide the undergraduate student with a foundation in business and
management. A student who successfully completes this course should be able to

analyze basic financial statements,

interpret economic and financial information as presented in the Wall Street Journal,
understand the workings of the stock and bond markets,
understand the language of business,
understand basic managerial decision making,
understand how businesses are organized,
understand how businesses deliver goods and services,
understand how business strategy determines structure,
place management ideas in a conceptual framework,
think about the business world and his/her eventual place in it

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Student Responsibilities:
This is a rigorous course. It is imperative that all assignments and readings be completed
prior to class.
Students are expected to take all examinations and to complete all assignments on the
required dates. All assignments must be submitted in hard copy on time. No emails will be
accepted. Make-up exams may be completed only at the discretion of the instructor and the
department.
It is the responsibility of the student to obtain notes and assignments from colleagues for any
classes that are missed.
The instructor reserves the right to change topics, readings, cases, and assignments in order
to further appropriate course outcomes.
Evaluations:
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
Plusses and minuses will be used at the discretion of the instructor.
Assignments:
Individual Assignments:
Midterm Examination 1
Midterm Examination 2
Final Examination
Case Studies
Entrepreneurship Paper
Section Assignments
Business Plan
Reading quizzes (and section participation)
Stock Market Paper and Competition

15%
15%
15%
15%
5%
10%
10%
10%
5%

Section material will be covered on the final exam only.

One double-sided 8.5x11 piece of paper with handwritten notes is allowed per exam.
Readings on electronic reserve are marked with a dot.

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Ethics
The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. In this course, you must
be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of
assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration,
alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty,
and unfair competition.
Report any violations you witness to the instructor.
You can find more information about university misconduct policies on the web at these sites:
For undergraduates: http://e-catalog.jhu.edu/undergrad-students/student-life-policies/
For graduate students: http://e-catalog.jhu.edu/grad-students/graduate-specific-policies/

Students with Disabilities

Any student with a disability who may need accommodations in this class must obtain an
accommodation letter from Student Disability Services, 385 Garland, (410) 516-4720,
studentdisabilityservices@jhu.edu .

ABET Outcomes
Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams (d).
Ability to communicate effectively (g).
Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning (i).
Knowledge of contemporary issues (j).

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Da
te
8/28

Day

8/31

Topic

Readings Due

Introduction

Howard Means - Money and Power

David Shipler A Poor Cousin of the Middle Class
Molly O Neill The Viking Invasion

Mon

Economic Background

Diane Coyle Sex, Drugs and Economics

Ian Parker The Poverty Lab

9/2

Wed

Economic Background

Stephen Dubner Monkey Business

Patrick Radden Keefe Buzzkill

9/4

Fri

Economic Background

Eric Schlosser Reefer Madness

9/7

Mon

Labor Day

9/9

Wed

Securities Markets

A Short History of Financial Euphoria

9/11

Fri

Securities Markets

John Colapinto Hot Grease

9/14

Mon

No Class

9/16

Wed

Securities Markets

Malcolm Gladwell Blowing Up

9/18

Fri

Accounting

Fooled by Randomness

9/21

Mon

Accounting

Ed Caesar What is the Value of Stolen Art?

9/23

Wed

No Class

9/25

Fri

Sarah Stillman Get Out of Jail, Inc.

9/28

Mon

No Class

9/30

Wed

The Corporate Context

Rebecca Mead Youre Getting Married

10/2

Fri

The Corporate Context

Eric Schlosser In the Strawberry Fields

10/5

Mon

Midterm I

10/7

Wed

The Global Context

Matthew Brzezinski Reengineering the Drug Busine

10/9

Fri

The Global Context

George Packer The Megacity

Fri

The Corporate Context

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Da
te
10/12

Day

Topic

Readings Due

Mon

The Global Context

Akash Kapur Rush

Simon Schama The Unloved American

10/14

Wed

Ethics and Social Responsibility

Stephen Dubner What the Bagel Man Saw

Bartlett and Steele Monsantos Harvest of Fear

10/15

Thu

Introduction to Management

Malcolm Gladwell The Talent Myth

10/16

Fri

Fall Break Day

10/19

Mon

Introduction to Management

Nathan Heller Naked Launch

10/21

Wed

Introduction to Management

The Halo Effect

10/23

Fri

Organizational Structure

James B. Stewart The Collapse

William Poundstone How to Ace a Google Interview

10/26

Mon

Organizational Structure

10/28

Wed

Organizational Development

Jonah Lehrer Groupthink

Malcolm Gladwell The Televisionary
Malcolm Gladwell Personality Plus

10/30

Fri

Organizational Development

Barbara Ehrenreich Nickled and Dimed

Lisa Belkin The Opt-Out Revolution

11/2

Mon

Organizational Development

John Bowe Nobodies

Malcolm Gladwell Designs for Working

11/4

Wed

Introduction to Marketing

Rob Walker The Brand Underground

11/6

Fri

Introduction to Marketing

Rob Walker Can a Dead Brand Live Again?

11/9

Mon

The Four Ps: Product

The Tipping Point

11/11

Wed

Midterm 2

11/13

Fri

11/16

Mon

The Four Ps: Product

Malcolm Gladwell Creation Myth

Rebecca Mead Just Add Sugar

The Four Ps: Promotion

Tad Friend This is Going To Be Big

Kelefa Sanneh Skin in the Game

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Da
te
11/18

Wed

11/20

Fri

11/23

Mon

Thanksgiving Break

11/25

Wed

Thanksgiving Break

11/17

Fri

Thanksgiving Break

11/30

Mon

12/2

Wed

12/4

Fri

12/12

Day

Topic

Readings Due

The Four Ps: Promotion

Malcolm Gladwell The Science of the Sleeper

The Four Ps: Place and Price

Malcolm Gladwell The Science of Shopping

Producing Goods and Services

Malcolm Gladwell The Bakeoff

Producing Goods and Services

Michael Pollan Power Steer

Eric Schlosser Meat and Potatoes

Summation

Jonathan Mahler Commute to Nowhere

Adam Davidson Making it in America
Duhigg and Bradsher How the U.S. Lost Out on iPh

Sat Final Exam

12pm

Johns Hopkins University

Introduction to Business (660.105. 01 - 660.105.05, .09, .10) Aronhime_L
Fall 2015
Course Assistants:
Section 1

Tue

1:30pm Hodson 211

Erik Henrikson

ehenrik2@jhu.edu

Section 2

Tue

1:30pm Arellano Theater Samantha Wright

swrigh46@jhu.edu

Section 3

Tue

3:00pm Shaffer 2

Chris Kulawik

ckulawi1@jhu.edu

Section 4

Wed 3:00pm Hodson 213

Aileen Leitner

aleitne2@jhu.edu

Section 5

Thu

1:30pm Shriver 5

Baxter DeBruyn

bdebruy1@jhu.edu

Section 6

Thu

3:00pm Shaffer 2

Matt Auran

mauran1@jhu.edu

Section 7

Mon 1:30pm Shaffer 202

Kylie Bongaardt

kbongaa1@jhu.edu

Section 8

Wed 3:00pm Bloombrg 168

Sophie Tulkoff

sophieptulkoff@gmail.com