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Business Essay Examples

13 Business Essay Examples for Students

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Published on: May 1, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Are you struggling to figure out the structure, research, or data required to make your essay stand out? Or frustrated by the lack of inspiration and ideas for your essay?

But don't give up yet! We have a powerful solution that will make your essay writing a breeze. Our list of business essay examples is here to help! 

We have compiled expertly written business essay examples that will illustrate how to write a striking business essay.

With our examples, you'll be able to see how to structure your essay and generate creative ideas for your topic. And our tips will help you make the most of these examples.

So, let's dive in and get ready to learn!

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What is a Business Essay?

A business essay is a type of academic writing that focuses on business-related topics and issues. These essays can cover a wide range of topics such as marketing, finance, management, entrepreneurship, and more.

The importance of business essay lies in presenting a well-researched and informed analysis. To do this effectively, writers need to conduct extensive research and analysis on the topic at hand.

Referring to examples of business essays can help you gain insight into the structure, tone, and content of a well-written essay.

Business Essay Examples For Students

Here is a list of business writing examples

Business Essay Examples Pdf

Business Essay Example Grade 10

Business Essay Example Grade 11

A Level Business Essay Examples

University Business Essay Examples

International Business Essay Examples

Short Essay About Business

College Essay About Starting A Business

Types of Business Essay with Examples

When it comes to business essay writing, there are several different types that you might encounter. 

Here's a brief overview of each type, including their characteristics and an example of each.

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Case Studies

A case study is an in-depth analysis of a specific business situation or problem. It involves extensive research and data analysis to provide recommendations.

Case studies often showcase the application of theory to real-world business scenarios.

Research Papers

Research papers involve a more academic approach to business writing. They typically require an extensive literature review, data analysis, and original research. 

Business research papers aim to contribute new knowledge to the field of business. These often involve a hypothesis or research question.

Argumentative Essays

Argumentative business essays aim to persuade the reader to adopt a particular point of view or take a specific action. They present an argument and use evidence and logic to support their claims. 

Argumentative essays can address various business topics such as management practices, ethical issues, or market trends.

White Papers

A white paper is a document that provides a detailed explanation of a particular issue or problem, often with recommendations or solutions. 

White papers are typically used to educate stakeholders about a specific topic. These are often used in the business-to-business (B2B) context.

Comparative Essays 

Comparative business essays compare and contrast two or more topics or ideas. They typically analyze the similarities and differences between the topics to evaluate their pros and cons. 

Comparative essays can focus on various aspects such as products, companies, markets, or strategies.

How to Structure Your Business Essays

As you begin writing your business essay, it's important to structure it in a clear and organized way. 

Here's a step-by-step guide with business essay samples to help you do just that:

Executive Summary

The executive summary is a brief overview of your entire essay. It should summarize your main points and highlight your recommendations. 

This section should be written after completing the essay, as it gives a clear picture of what the essay covers. 

Here is how you start a business essay sample:

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for the rest of the essay. It should introduce the topic, provide background information, and explain the purpose of the essay. 

Here is a business essay introduction example:

Industry Analysis

In this section, you'll conduct a thorough analysis of the industry in which the business operates. You should examine factors such as competition, market trends, and customer behavior. 

Here is a sample industry analysis

Key Issues or Problems

This section should identify the main issues or problems faced by the business. You should provide evidence to support your claims and analyze the impact of these issues. 

Here is an example paragraph:

Solutions or Recommendation

Here, you'll provide solutions or recommendations to address the issues identified in the previous section. Your solutions should be well-supported and feasible. 

For instance:

Implementation Plan

For this part, you'll outline a plan for implementing the solutions or recommendations you've proposed. This is sort of a description of the business model you suggest. 

This section should be detailed and include specific action steps. 

For example:

Finally, you'll wrap up your essay by summarizing your main points and reiterating your recommendations. 

This section should be clear, concise, and impactful. 

By following this structure, your business essay will be well-organized, coherent, and easy to follow for your readers.

Tips for Using Business Essay Examples Effectively

Now that you have quite a few business essay examples at hand, you should know how to use them effectively:

• Use them as a guide, not a template : While it's great to learn from examples, you should never copy them outright. Instead, use them as a starting point for your own research and writing.
• Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the essay : Take note of what works well in the example essay, as well as any areas that could be improved. This will help you understand how to make your own essay even better.
• Use them to inform your own research and writing : Pay attention to the research methods, sources, and evidence used in the example essay. This can give you ideas for your own research and help you strengthen your arguments.
• Avoid plagiarism and ensure proper citation: Whenever you use ideas or information from an example, make sure to cite your sources. This will help you avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity.

You now have a plenty of business essay examples on different topics to help you get started!

By following our tips and studying the sample essays, you can confidently write your own essays that are clear, concise, and impactful. 

However, if you still find yourself struggling with your business essays, just reach out to our professional business essay writing service . 

We have the best online essay writing service and are ready to provide you a high-quality business. Our writing service has subject specialist writers who can tackle any business essay topic.  

So why wait? Contact us today and let our AI essay writer take your business essays to the next level!

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443 Business Essay Topics & Best Ideas

18 January 2024

last updated

Business essay topics cover many themes, from entrepreneurship, corporate governance, and strategic planning to ethical business practices, sustainability, and global economics. These themes allow all students to critically explore the intricacies of the business world, presenting opportunities to delve into case studies, analyze industry trends, evaluate business models, and propose innovative solutions. By assessing the impacts of governmental policies, societal influences, technological advancements, and environmental factors on business operations, learners can enhance their understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of businesses. Additionally, discussions on leadership styles, organizational culture, change management, and negotiation strategies foster interpersonal awareness and leadership acumen. Hence, business essay topics provide a solid foundation for developing insightful and engaging papers, nurturing analytical thinking, and paving the way for future business leaders.

Best Business Essay Topics

• Disruption in Traditional Retail: Impact of E-Commerce
• Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Streamlining Business Operations
• Strategies for Establishing Startups in Emerging Markets
• Sustainability Practices: Necessity in Modern Business Models
• Psychological Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behaviors
• Future of Work: Examining the Gig Economy
• Analyzing Ethical Challenges in Corporate Governance
• Influences of Social Media Marketing on Brand Perception
• Implementing Eco-Friendly Policies in Supply Chain Management
• Evaluating Business Risks in Global Markets
• Growing Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Workplace Culture
• Cybersecurity Measures in Digital Business Environments
• Value Creation through Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives
• Power of Influencer Marketing in Modern Consumerism
• Green Entrepreneurship: Opportunities and Challenges
• Shifts in Business Paradigms: Case Studies From Covid-19
• Technological Innovations Transforming Customer Service
• Fintech Revolution: Reshaping the Banking Sector
• Blue Ocean Strategy: Creation of Uncontested Market Space
• Assessing the Success Factors of Family Businesses
• Remote Work: Benefits and Drawbacks for Employers
• Effective Leadership Styles in a Multigenerational Workforce
• Outsourcing vs. Insourcing: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

Easy Business Essay Topics

• Motivational Theories and Their Relevance in Contemporary Businesses
• Roles of Venture Capital in the Tech Startup Ecosystem
• Real Estate Investment Trusts: Benefits and Risks
• Effects of Economic Recessions on Small Businesses
• Comparative Study of Franchise and Independent Business Models
• Strategic Management Practices in Nonprofit Organizations
• Implications of Brexit on International Trade Policies
• Advantages of Digital Payment Systems for Small Businesses
• Factors Influencing Brand Loyalty among Consumers
• Roles of Patents in Protecting Business Innovations
• Developing Ethical Marketing Practices in Advertising Industries
• Dissecting the Role of Predictive Analytics in Sales Growth
• Intellectual Property Rights: Key to Startup Success
• Multichannel Marketing: Enhancing Customer Experience
• Analysis of Market Segmentation and Targeting Strategies
• Corporate Strategies for Dealing With Negative Publicity
• Circular Economy: A Sustainable Business Model for the Future
• Corporate Whistleblowing Policies and Their Importance
• Transformation of the Tourism Industry Through Digitalization
• Influence of Regulatory Changes on the Pharmaceutical Industry
• Human Resource Management in the Era of Automation
• Peer-to-Peer Lending: Impact on Traditional Banking Systems

Interesting Business Essay Topics

• Evaluating the Effect of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction
• Building Resilience: Business Continuity Planning in Times of Crisis
• ESG Investing: Emerging Trends and Market Implications
• Cryptocurrency: Its Influence on Global Monetary Systems
• Navigating Business Challenges in the Healthcare Industry
• Impacts of Corporate Culture on Business Performance
• Strategies for Mitigating Supply Chain Disruptions
• Exploring Business Opportunities in the Space Industry
• Sustainability Reporting: Its Role in Corporate Transparency
• The Evolution of Customer Loyalty Programs in Retail Business
• Roles of Quality Management in Manufacturing Industries
• Impacts of Automation on Job Market Dynamics
• Mobile Commerce: Understanding Its Impact on Retail Sales
• Transition to Renewable Energy: Implications for the Oil Industry
• Dissecting the Relationship Between Employee Engagement and Profitability
• Impacts of Tax Policies on Entrepreneurship and Business Growth
• Implementing Agile Methodologies in Non-Tech Industries
• Strategies for Reducing Employee Turnover Rates
• Roles of Corporate Training in Employee Performance Improvement
• Big Data: A Game Changer in Business Intelligence
• Business Strategies for Attracting Millennial Consumers

Business Essay Topics for High School

• Exploring the Impact of Globalization on Small Businesses
• The Role of Social Media Marketing in Contemporary Commerce
• Ethical Dilemmas in International Trade: An Examination
• Analyzing the Effects of Technology Innovation on Retail Business
• Franchising Models: A Comparative Analysis of Benefits and Risks
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Balancing Profit With Philanthropy
• Sustainable Business Practices for Environmental Conservation
• Cryptocurrency Influence on the Future of Finance and Commerce
• Work-From-Home Trend: Implications for Future Workplaces
• Roles of AI in Business Management: Challenges and Opportunities
• Analysis of Global Economic Crises and Their Effects on Businesses
• Supply Chain Management: The Hidden Aspect of Retail Success
• Examining the Legal Implications of Intellectual Property Rights in Businesses
• Venture Capital: A Deep Dive Into Startup Financing
• Green Businesses: The Prospects of Eco-Friendly Entrepreneurship
• Privacy Issues in Digital Marketing and Consumer Rights
• Future Predictions: The Evolution of E-Commerce Post-Pandemic
• Merger and Acquisition Strategies: Winning in the Corporate World
• Business Models in the Music Industry: A Changing Landscape
• Success Factors: Dissecting Successful Online Business Platforms

Business Essay Topics for Middle School

• Competitive Advantage Through Business Process Reengineering
• E-Waste Management: Corporate Responsibility and Environmentally Sound Practices
• Consumer Behavior Trends in the Age of Sustainable Products
• Youth Entrepreneurship: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
• Risk Management Strategies in the Banking Sector
• Gender Diversity: The Impact on Corporate Performance
• Cultivating Innovation: Business Incubators and Their Role
• Corporate Governance: Ensuring Transparency and Accountability
• Emotional Intelligence: A Crucial Factor in Business Leadership
• Understanding the Nuances of Family-Owned Businesses
• Crowdfunding: A Modern Approach to Raise Capital for Business
• Understanding Business Models in the Gig Economy
• Breakthroughs in Fintech: Consequences for Traditional Banking
• Influence of Pop Culture on Fashion Industry Trends
• Roles of Government Regulation in Tech Industry: A Dual-Edged Sword
• Cybersecurity Challenges in E-Commerce: Securing Online Transactions
• Investigating the Growth of Women in Entrepreneurship
• Organizational Culture: Its Significance in Business Success
• Business Lessons From Notable Corporate Failures
• Unveiling the Power of Branding in Business Expansion
• Biotechnology Innovations: Transforming the Healthcare Industry
• Understanding the Dynamics of a Stock Market Crash on Businesses

Business Essay Topics for College Students

• Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility and Its Impact on Brand Image
• The Role of Digital Transformation in Business Sustainability
• Investigating the Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction and Productivity
• Effects of Globalization on Small and Medium Enterprises
• Impacts of E-Commerce on Traditional Retail Businesses
• The Emergence and Evolution of Cryptocurrencies in Modern Business
• Strategies for Effective Supply Chain Management in a Globalized Economy
• Effects of Organizational Culture on Business Success
• Roles of Business Intelligence in Decision-Making Processes
• Examination of Green Business Practices and Their Profitability
• Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Management
• Interplay Between Business Ethics and Financial Performance
• Evaluating the Efficacy of Agile Project Management in Tech Startups
• Evolution of Artificial Intelligence and Its Business Implications
• Exploration of Gender Inequality in Corporate Leadership Roles
• Impacts of Technological Advancements on Job Market Trends
• The Interrelationship Between Employee Retention and Customer Satisfaction
• Influence of Social Media on Consumer Behavior and Business Marketing
• Assessing the Impact of Tax Policies on Business Growth and Innovation
• Investigation Into the Role of Networking in Business Development
• Business Process Outsourcing: Benefits and Risks

Business Essay Topics for University

• Analyzing the Role of Government Regulation in Business Operations
• Examination of Blockchain Technology and Its Application in Business Transactions
• The Impact of Intellectual Property Rights on Business Innovation
• Disruptive Innovation: Understanding Its Effect on Industry Dynamics
• Exploring the Sustainability of Family-Owned Businesses Over Generations
• Investigating the Role of Data Privacy in Digital Marketing Strategies
• The Influence of Employee Training Programs on Business Growth
• Examining the Impact of Corporate Bankruptcy on Stakeholders
• Mergers and Acquisitions: A Strategic Tool for Business Expansion
• Sustainability Reporting: Its Significance in Business Transparency
• Effectiveness of Different Leadership Styles in Diverse Business Environments
• Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Modern Business Strategy
• The Role of Venture Capital in Supporting Entrepreneurial Innovation
• Examining the Impact of Climate Change on Business Strategies
• The Role of Information Technology in Enhancing Business Communication
• Impacts of Pandemic Outbreaks on Business Continuity Planning
• Importance of Branding Strategies in a Highly Competitive Market
• The Role of Mobile Technology in Revolutionizing Business Practices
• Exploration of Consumer Psychology in Influencing Marketing Tactics
• Assessing the Impact of Business Education on Entrepreneurial Success
• Effectiveness of Online Advertising in Enhancing Business Visibility
• Influence of Corporate Governance on Shareholder Value
• Exploring the Balance Between Profit and Social Responsibility in Businesses

Business Topics for Argumentative Essays

• Implications of Automation on the Human Workforce
• Relevance of Physical Stores in the E-Commerce Era
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Obligation or Choice?
• Impacts of Universal Basic Income on Business Sustainability
• Tax Incentives for Startups: Boosting Innovation or Fueling Inequality?
• Ethical Implications of Data Mining in Business
• Traditional Advertising vs. Digital Marketing: Effectiveness Comparison
• Cryptocurrencies’ Influence on Traditional Banking Systems
• Sustainability Practices: Moral Imperatives or Business Strategies?
• Remote Workforce: Effect on Productivity and Corporate Culture
• Green Initiatives’ Impacts on Business Profitability
• Brexit’s Consequences for European Business Environment
• Regulatory Measures Against Tech Monopolies: Necessity or Overreach?
• Trade Wars: National Security or Economic Destruction?
• Balancing Profit and Ethical Sourcing in the Fashion Industry
• Roles of Business Education in Shaping Future Entrepreneurs
• Impacts of Intellectual Property Rights on Innovation
• Influence of Consumer Activism on Corporate Policies
• Franchise Businesses: Success Model or Exploitative System?
• Globalization’s Effects on Local Small and Medium Enterprises
• Worker Cooperatives: Ideal Business Model or Unrealistic Ideal?

Persuasive Business Essay Topics

• Adapting Business Strategies for Climate Change
• Telecommuting: A Viable Model for Future Workplaces
• Ethical Standards in Advertising: Redefining Boundaries
• Implementing Machine Learning for Enhanced Customer Experience
• Influences of Cultural Diversity on Global Teams
• Transforming Traditional Retail With E-Commerce Solutions
• Green Energy Investments: Future of Corporate Responsibility
• Emotional Intelligence: Essential Component of Leadership
• Advancements in Artificial Intelligence: Boon or Bane for Employment
• Quality vs. Quantity: Effective Customer Acquisition Strategies
• Remote Work Culture: Impact on Employee Productivity
• Digitization of Businesses: A Necessity in Modern Era
• Data Privacy Regulations: Balancing Consumer Trust and Business Needs
• Role of Influencer Marketing in Enhancing Brand Visibility
• Sustainability Practices: Integral Part of Business Ethics
• Role of Interpersonal Skills in Business Success
• Adopting Lean Manufacturing for Operational Efficiency
• Women in Leadership Roles: Driving Business Innovation
• Social Media’s Impact on Consumer Decision-Making
• Financial Literacy: A Mandatory Skill for Entrepreneurs
• Intellectual Property Rights: Safeguarding Business Innovation
• Corporate Philanthropy: Impact on Brand Image
• Automation in Business: Evaluating the Pros and Cons

Small Business Essay Topics

• Strategies for Financial Management in Small Businesses
• Analyzing the Role of Leadership in Small Business Success
• Small Businesses and Their Involvement in Local Communities
• Incorporating Sustainability Practices Into Small Businesses
• Overcoming Challenges of International Trade for Small Firms
• Navigating Digital Transformation in the Small Business Sector
• Importance of Business Ethics in Small Enterprises
• Small Business Survival: Lessons From Economic Recessions
• Innovations in Small Business: A Key to Competitive Advantage
• Women Entrepreneurs and Their Role in Small Business Evolution
• The Effect of Government Policies on Small Businesses
• Contributions of Small Businesses to the National Economy
• Customer Relationship Management in Small Businesses
• Startups vs. Established Small Businesses: A Comparative Analysis
• Influence of Technology on Productivity in Small Enterprises
• Addressing Workforce Diversity in Small Business Environments
• Exploring the Relationship between Small Business and the Local Economy
• Significance of Training and Development in Small Businesses
• Potential Risks and Opportunities in Small Business Franchising
• The Role of Small Businesses in Promoting a Green Economy

Medium Business Essay Topics

• Accelerating Growth: Key Strategies for Medium-Sized Businesses
• Building a Robust Organizational Structure for Sustainable Business Expansion
• Overcoming Financial Challenges: A Case Study of Successful Medium Businesses
• Cultivating Innovation: The Role of Leadership in Medium Enterprises
• Technologies That Redefine Efficiency in Modern Business Operations
• Reimagining Customer Service: The Transformative Power of Digital Tools
• Evaluating the Impact of Regulatory Compliance on Medium Enterprises
• Pursuing Global Opportunities: A Guide for Medium Businesses
• Harnessing Data Analytics for Strategic Decision-Making in Business
• Exploring Green Business Practices: Sustainability in Medium Enterprises
• Developing a Dynamic and Diverse Workforce: Human Resources Strategies for Medium Businesses
• Navigating Economic Uncertainty: Risk Management Tactics for Midsize Firms
• Agile Management: Adapting to Fast-Paced Market Changes
• Leveraging E-Commerce for Growth: Opportunities for Medium Enterprises
• Marketing in the Digital Era: Best Practices for Medium-Sized Businesses
• Streamlining Supply Chains: Techniques for Medium-Sized Firms
• Strategic Partnerships: Exploring Their Impact on Business Growth
• Positioning for Success: Branding Strategies for Medium Enterprises
• Transformative Leadership: Creating a Culture of Excellence in Business
• Investing in Employee Development: A Cost-Benefit Analysis for Medium Businesses
• Engaging Stakeholders: The Key Role Communication Plays in Business Success

Startup Strategy Essay Topics

• Analyzing the Role of Disruptive Innovation in Startup Success
• Strategic Decision-Making Processes in Early-Stage Startups
• Leveraging Network Effects for Business Expansion
• Scalability: Key Factors for Sustainable Startup Growth
• Understanding the Importance of Customer Discovery in Product Development
• Tactics for Attracting Venture Capital in Competitive Markets
• Embracing Agile Methodologies for Rapid Startup Development
• Digital Marketing Strategies: Driving Growth in Startups
• Implementing Lean Startup Principles for Efficient Business Operations
• Roles of Intellectual Property Rights in Safeguarding Startup Innovations
• Importance of Founder’s Vision in Shaping Startup Strategy
• Strategic Partnerships: Fostering Growth in Startups
• Effectively Using Big Data Analytics in Startup Growth Strategy
• Workplace Culture: Its Impact on Startup Success
• Analyzing the Role of Bootstrapping in Startup Financial Strategy
• Challenges in Balancing Speed and Quality in Startup Growth
• Globalization: Expanding Startup Reach Beyond Local Markets
• Understanding the Impact of Regulatory Compliance on Startup Strategy
• Embracing Corporate Social Responsibility in Startup Culture
• Financial Forecasting: Essential Component of Startup Planning

Business Startup Essay Topics

• Defining Entrepreneurship: A Detailed Analysis of Its Evolution
• Impacts of Technological Innovations on Startup Success
• Social Entrepreneurship: Transforming Society Through Business
• Understanding the Role of Venture Capital in Startups
• Examining the Importance of Business Plans for New Enterprises
• Navigating Business Regulations and Legalities for Startups
• A Comprehensive Review of Risk Management in Startup Companies
• Essential Marketing Strategies for Startup Success
• Exploration of the Lean Startup Methodology in Today’s Business Environment
• Disruptive Innovations: A Deep Dive Into Startup Business Models
• Sustainability in Business: Incorporating Green Practices in Startups
• Identifying Market Opportunities: A Key Step for Startups
• Significance of a Robust Human Resources Strategy in Startups
• Crowdfunding as a Financial Booster for Startup Businesses
• Blockchain and Its Potential Impact on Startup Businesses
• Globalization and Its Effects on Startup Expansion
• Financial Management Practices: Vital Components for Startup Survival
• Roles of Leadership and Organizational Culture in Startup Growth
• Exploring the Challenges of Scaling Up a Startup
• Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Startup Success
• Digital Marketing Techniques: Boosting Online Presence for Startups

Business Management Essay Topics

• Disruptive Innovation: Catalyst for Market Evolution
• Leadership Styles: Their Impact on Organizational Productivity
• Emotional Intelligence: Essential Ingredient for Effective Management
• Sustainable Business Practices: Ensuring Corporate Social Responsibility
• Performance Appraisals: Objectivity and Fairness in Evaluations
• Globalization: Transforming Traditional Business Operations
• Diversification Strategies: Expanding Business Horizons
• Data-Driven Decisions: Role in Corporate Strategy
• Workplace Diversity: Nurturing an Inclusive Culture
• Organizational Behavior: Key for Understanding Employee Engagement
• Strategic Alliances: Enhancing Competitive Advantage
• Virtual Teams: Challenges and Opportunities in Remote Work
• Risk Management: Mitigating Threats in Business Operations
• Mergers and Acquisitions: Evaluating Long-Term Benefits
• Artificial Intelligence: Its Impact on Business Efficiency
• Knowledge Management: Leveraging Intellectual Capital
• Ethical Decision Making: Balancing Profit and Principle
• Customer Relationship Management: Building Sustainable Business Relations
• E-Commerce Strategies: Shaping the Future of Retail Business
• Change Management: Navigating Organizational Transformations

Social Responsibility Essay Topics in Business

• Balancing Profitability and Social Responsibility in Global Corporations
• Environmental Stewardship: Integrating Sustainability Into Business Models
• Exploring the Impact of Ethical Leadership on Corporate Social Responsibility
• Influence of Stakeholder Engagement on Corporate Social Responsibility Policies
• Strategic Philanthropy: Connecting Business Goals With Community Needs
• Unpacking the Role of Transparency in Corporate Social Responsibility
• Diversity and Inclusion: Essential Elements in Modern Business Ethics
• Navigating the Tricky Waters of Business Ethics in International Markets
• Leveraging Social Responsibility for Building Stronger Customer Relationships
• Social Responsibility in Advertising: Truthfulness, Fairness, and Decency
• Integrating Human Rights in Corporate Social Responsibility Practices
• Sustainable Procurement: Encouraging Responsible Supplier Relations
• Socially Responsible Investments: Business Opportunities and Challenges
• Green Marketing: Harnessing Eco-Friendly Business Practices
• Incorporating Social Justice in Business Operation and Management
• Workforce Welfare: Linking Employee Satisfaction With Social Responsibility
• Unveiling the Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Shareholder Value
• Analyzing the Role of Business Education in Promoting Social Responsibility
• Business Ethics: Addressing Consumer Privacy in the Digital Age
• Community Development: Engaging Local Businesses in Social Responsibility Efforts
• Fair Trade Practices: A Path Toward Greater Social Responsibility

Business Personnel Essay Topics

• Strategic Management Styles: A Comparative Study
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• Impacts of Organizational Culture on Employee Performance
• Business Ethics: A Crucial Factor for Corporate Success
• Analysis of Modern Marketing Techniques
• Entrepreneurship: Driving Force Behind Business Innovation
• Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction and Organizational Success
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Beyond Profit-Making
• Technological Innovations Transforming Business Operations
• Women in Business Leadership: Breaking Glass Ceilings
• Influence of Globalization on Small Businesses
• Sustainable Business Practices: A Necessity for Future Profitability
• The Effect of Workplace Diversity on Business Growth
• Change Management: Addressing Resistance Within Organizations
• Cybersecurity: Essential Aspect of Modern Business Strategies
• Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Decision-Making Processes
• Consumer Behavior: A Determinant of Marketing Strategies
• Outsourcing: Evaluating Risks and Benefits
• Balancing Work-Life Integration: A Challenge for Modern Professionals
• Digital Transformation: A Pathway to Business Efficiency

Business Culture Essay Topics

• Understanding Organizational Culture: An Assessment of Corporate Values
• Impacts of Leadership Styles on Organizational Culture
• Fostering Innovation: How Does Business Culture Drive Creativity?
• Business Ethics: Cultural Influence and Corporate Behavior
• Diversity’s Roles in Enriching Corporate Culture
• Work-Life Balance: An Essential Component of Modern Business Culture
• Virtual Workplaces: Assessing Their Influence on Business Culture
• Globalization and Its Impact on Business Culture
• Company Culture’s Effects on Employee Satisfaction and Retention
• Strategies for Building a Positive Business Culture
• Millennial Influence on Evolving Business Culture
• Culture’s Roles in Successful Business Negotiation
• Effects of Technology Adoption on Business Culture
• The Power of Corporate Social Responsibility in Shaping Business Culture
• Psychological Safety’s Impacts on Organizational Culture
• Analyzing the Relationship Between Business Culture and Productivity
• Corporate Storytelling: Its Influence on Business Culture
• Importance of Communication in Shaping Business Culture
• Impacts of Remote Work on Corporate Culture
• Cultural Intelligence in International Business: A Necessity or an Option?
• Conflict Management: An Undervalued Aspect of Business Culture?

Business Economics Essay Topics

• Blockchain Technology: Reshaping Economic Infrastructure
• Digital Marketing Strategies in Enhancing Consumer Engagement
• Comparative Analysis of Developed and Developing Economies
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Impact on Business Profitability
• E-Commerce Evolution: Market Trends and Economic Implications
• Sustainable Business Practices: Necessity or Luxury?
• Microfinance Institutions: Economic Empowerment Tool for the Underserved
• Assessing the Efficiency of Stock Markets
• Fintech Revolution: Its Consequences on Traditional Banking
• Gig Economy: Labor Rights and Economic Stability
• Effects of Political Instability on International Trade
• Green Economy: Potential for Sustainable Development
• Venture Capital Funding: A Catalyst for Innovation
• Impacts of Economic Policies on Income Inequality
• Cryptocurrency Influence on Global Economic Structures
• Workplace Automation: Its Effect on Employment Rates
• Intellectual Property Rights: Protection and Economic Impact
• Data Privacy Regulations: Their Effect on Digital Businesses
• Outsourcing Strategies: Profit Maximization or Quality Compromise?
• Diversification in Business: Risk Management and Return on Investment

Corporate Law Essay Topics

• Exploring the Role of Corporate Governance in Publicly Listed Companies
• Legal Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions: A Deep Dive
• Understanding Securities Regulation and Its Effect on Corporations
• The Impact of Bankruptcy Laws on Corporate Restructuring
• Analyzing the Interplay Between Corporate Law and Environmental Regulations
• Debating the Efficacy of Antitrust Laws in Modern Corporations
• Interpreting Fiduciary Duties of Directors Under Corporate Law
• Probing the Ethical Dilemmas in Corporate Legal Practice
• Investigating the Influence of Intellectual Property Rights on Corporate Growth
• Navigating Legal Challenges in International Business Transactions
• The Evolution of Corporate Personhood: A Legal Perspective
• Examining the Role of Compliance in Risk Management
• Comparative Analysis of Corporate Laws Across Different Jurisdictions
• Evaluating Legal Strategies for Corporate Social Responsibility
• Unraveling the Complexities of Shareholder Rights and Responsibilities
• Deriving Insights From Notable Corporate Law Cases
• Delineating the Legal Framework for Business Entity Formation
• Shareholders versus Stakeholders: A Legal Conundrum
• Corporate Liability in the Age of Globalization
• Unearthing Legal Aspects of Venture Capital and Private Equity
• Scrutinizing the Effects of Labor Laws on Corporate Policy

Global Business Essay Topics

• Navigating Cultural Differences in International Business Relations
• Technological Innovations Driving Global Commerce
• Influence of Cryptocurrency on International Trade
• The Role of AI in Shaping Global Business Strategies
• Sustainability Practices in Global Corporations: Case Studies
• Impacts of Brexit on European Business Landscape
• Comparative Analysis of Trade Policies Across Nations
• The Influence of International Trade Agreements on the Global Economy
• Roles of World Trade Organization (WTO) in Global Commerce
• Global Supply Chain Management: Challenges and Solutions
• Climate Change: Addressing its Impact on Global Businesses
• Cultural Intelligence: Essential Skill in International Business
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Trends and Impacts
• Outsourcing Business Processes: Analysis of Costs and Benefits
• The Future of E-Commerce in Developing Countries
• Trade Wars: Implications for Global Businesses
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Multinational Enterprises
• Rise of Asian Economies: Implications for Global Business
• Mergers and Acquisitions in the Global Business Scene
• Economic Crises and Their Impact on International Trade

Emergency Business Assistance Topics

• Managing Cash Flow During Unexpected Disasters
• Navigating Legal Concerns After a Business Interruption
• Establishing Effective Communication Channels in Emergencies
• Creating a Resilient Business Model: Tactics and Strategies
• Mental Health: Supporting Employees Through Crisis
• Essential Operations: Continuity Planning and Implementation
• Understanding Government Aid: Available Resources for Businesses
• Building Robust Supply Chains for Crisis Situations
• Redesigning Physical Spaces: Best Practices for Safe Operations
• Reviving Sales: Marketing in a Post-Crisis Environment
• Leveraging Technology for Business Continuity During Disruptions
• Stakeholder Management in Times of Crisis
• Strategic Decision-Making Under Emergency Conditions
• Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Business in a Digital Environment
• Dealing With Debt: Financial Strategies for Business Recovery
• Remote Workforce: Maintaining Productivity During Crisis
• Public Relations: Crafting Messages for Crisis Management
• Inventory Management: Securing Supply in Unforeseen Situations
• Maintaining Quality Customer Service Amidst Disruptions
• Rebuilding Trust With Clients Post-Crisis
• Vendor Management: Strategies for Keeping Essential Supplies

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1.2 Understanding the Business Environment

• What are the sectors of the business environment, and how do changes in them influence business decisions?

Businesses do not operate in a vacuum but rather in a dynamic environment that has a direct influence on how they operate and whether they will achieve their objectives. This external business environment is composed of numerous outside organizations and forces that we can group into seven key subenvironments, as Exhibit 1.4 illustrates: economic, political and legal, demographic, social, competitive, global, and technological. Each of these sectors creates a unique set of challenges and opportunities for businesses.

Business owners and managers have a great deal of control over the internal environment of business, which covers day-to-day decisions. They choose the supplies they purchase, which employees they hire, the products they sell, and where they sell those products. They use their skills and resources to create goods and services that will satisfy existing and prospective customers. However, the external environmental conditions that affect a business are generally beyond the control of management and change constantly. To compete successfully, business owners and managers must continuously study the environment and adapt their businesses accordingly.

Other forces, such as natural disasters, can also have a major impact on businesses. While still in the rebuilding stage after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the U.S. Gulf Coast suffered another disaster in April 2010 as a result of an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil-rig, which killed 11 workers and sent more than 3 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. This event, which played out for more than 87 days, severely affected the environment, businesses, tourism, and people’s livelihoods. Global oil conglomerate BP, which was responsible for the oil spill, has spent more than $60 billion in response to the disaster and cleanup. Seven years after the explosion, tourism and other businesses are slowly recovering, although scientists are not certain about the long-term environmental consequences of the oil spill. 7

No one business is large or powerful enough to create major changes in the external environment. Thus, managers are primarily adapters to, rather than agents of, change. Global competition is basically an uncontrollable element in the external environment. In some situations, however, a firm can influence external events through its strategies. For example, major U.S. pharmaceutical companies have been successful in getting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up the approval process for new drugs. 8 In recent years, the five largest companies in the S&P Index— Google , Facebook , Amazon , Microsoft , and Apple —have spent close to $50 million on lobbying activities in the nation’s capital in an effort to help policy makers understand the tech industry and the importance of innovation and an “open” internet. 9 Let’s now take a brief look at these varied environmental influences.

Economic Influences

This category is one of the most important external influences on businesses. Fluctuations in the level of economic activity create business cycles that affect businesses and individuals in many ways. When the economy is growing, for example, unemployment rates are low, and income levels rise. Inflation and interest rates are other areas that change according to economic activity. Through the policies it sets, such as taxes and interest rate levels, a government attempts to stimulate or curtail the level of economic activity. In addition, the forces of supply and demand determine how prices and quantities of goods and services behave in a free market.

Political and Legal Influences

The political climate of a country is another critical factor for managers to consider in day-to-day business operations. The amount of government activity, the types of laws it passes, and the general political stability of a government are three components of political climate. For example, a multinational company such as General Electric will evaluate the political climate of a country before deciding to locate a plant there. Is the government stable, or might a coup disrupt the country? How restrictive are the regulations for foreign businesses, including foreign ownership of business property and taxation? Import tariffs, quotas, and export restrictions also must be taken into account.

In the United States, laws passed by Congress and the many regulatory agencies cover such areas as competition, minimum wages, environmental protection, worker safety, and copyrights and patents. For example, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to deregulate the telecommunications industry. As a result, competition increased and new opportunities arose as traditional boundaries between service providers blurred. Today the dramatic growth in mobile technology has changed the focus of telecommunications, which now faces challenges related to broadband access and speed, content streaming, and much-needed improvements in network infrastructure to address ever-increasing data transmissions. 10

Federal agencies play a significant role in business operations. When Pfizer wants to bring a new medication for heart disease to market, it must follow the procedures set by the Food and Drug Administration for testing and clinical trials and secure FDA approval. Before issuing stock, Pfizer must register the securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission . The Federal Trade Commission will penalize Pfizer if its advertisements promoting the drug’s benefits are misleading. These are just a few ways the political and legal environment affect business decisions.

States and local governments also exert control over businesses—imposing taxes, issuing corporate charters and business licenses, setting zoning ordinances, and similar regulations. We discuss the legal environment in greater detail in a separate appendix.

Demographic Factors

Demographic factors are an uncontrollable factor in the business environment and extremely important to managers. Demography is the study of people’s vital statistics, such as their age, gender, race and ethnicity, and location. Demographics help companies define the markets for their products and also determine the size and composition of the workforce. You’ll encounter demographics as you continue your study of business.

Demographics are at the heart of many business decisions. Businesses today must deal with the unique shopping preferences of different generations, which each require marketing approaches and goods and services targeted to their needs. For example, the more than 75 million members of the millennial generation were born between 1981 and 1997. In 2017 they surpassed baby boomers as America’s largest generation. 11 The marketing impact of millennials continues to be immense. These are technologically savvy and prosperous young people, with hundreds of billions of dollars to spend. And spend they do—freely, even though they haven’t yet reached their peak income and spending years. 12 Other age groups, such as Generation X—people born between 1965 and 1980—and the baby boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—have their own spending patterns. Many boomers nearing retirement have money and are willing to spend it on their health, their comforts, leisure pursuits, and cars. As the population ages, businesses are offering more products that appeal to middle-aged and senior markets. 13

In addition, minorities represent more than 38 percent of the total population, with immigration bringing millions of new residents to the country over the past several decades. By 2060 the U.S. Census Bureau projects the minority population to increase to 56 percent of the total U.S. population. 14 Companies recognize the value of hiring a diverse workforce that reflects our society. Minorities’ buying power has increased significantly as well, and companies are developing products and marketing campaigns that target different ethnic groups.

Social Factors

Social factors—our attitudes, values, ethics, and lifestyles—influence what, how, where, and when people purchase products or services. They are difficult to predict, define, and measure because they can be very subjective. They also change as people move through different life stages. People of all ages have a broader range of interests, defying traditional consumer profiles. They also experience a “poverty of time” and seek ways to gain more control over their time. Changing roles have brought more women into the workforce. This development is increasing family incomes, heightening demand for time-saving goods and services, changing family shopping patterns, and impacting individuals’ ability to achieve a work-life balance. In addition, a renewed emphasis on ethical behavior within organizations at all levels of the company has managers and employees alike searching for the right approach when it comes to gender inequality, sexual harassment, and other social behaviors that impact the potential for a business’s continued success.

Managing Change

Balancing comes easy at h&r block.

In an industry driven by deadlines and details, it’s hard to imagine striking a balance between work and everyday life for full-time employees and seasonal staff. Fortunately, the management team at H&R Block not only believes in maintaining a strong culture, it also tries to offer flexibility to its more than 70,000 employees and seasonal workers in 12,000 retail offices worldwide.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, and built on a culture of providing exceptional customer service, H&R Block was recently named the top U.S. business with the best work-life balance by online job search site Indeed. Analyzing more than 10 million company reviews by employees, Indeed researchers identified the top 20 firms with the best work-life balance. H&R Block headed the 2017 list, followed by mortgage lender Network Capital Funding Corporation , fast food chain In-N-Out Burger , Texas food retailer H-E-B , and health services company Kaiser Permanente , among others.

According to Paul Wolfe, Indeed’s senior vice president of human resources, empathy on the part of organizations is a key factor in helping employees achieve balance. Wolfe says companies that demonstrate empathy and work diligently to provide personal time for all employees tend to take the top spots on the work-life balance list. “Comments we have seen from employee reviews for these companies indicate ‘fair’ and ‘flexible work environments,’” he says. Surprisingly, none of the tech companies known for their generous work perks made the top 20 list in 2017.

In this 24/7 world, when no one is far from a text or tweet, finding time for both family and work can be difficult, especially in the tax services industry, which is so schedule driven for a good part of the year. Making a commitment to help workers achieve a healthy work-life balance not only helps its employees, but it also helps H&R Block retain workers in a tight labor market where individuals continue to have choices when it comes to where and for whom they want to work.

• How does management’s support of employee work-life balance help the company’s bottom line?
• What can other organizations learn from H&R Block when it comes to offering employee perks that encourage personal time for workers even during the busy tax season?

Sources: “Career Opportunities,” https://www.hrblock.com, accessed May 25, 2017; “About Us,” http://newsroom.hrblock.com, accessed May 25, 2017; Abigail Hess, “The 20 Best Companies for Work-Life Balance,” CNBC, http://www.cnbc.com, May 4, 2017; Kristen Bahler, “The 20 Best Companies for Work-Life Balance,” Money, http://time.com, April 20, 2017; Rachel Ritlop, “3 Benefits Companies Can Provide to Boost Work-Life Balance,” Forbes, http://www.forbes.com, January 30, 2017.

The application of technology can stimulate growth under capitalism or any other economic system. Technology is the application of science and engineering skills and knowledge to solve production and organizational problems. New equipment and software that improve productivity and reduce costs can be among a company’s most valuable assets. Productivity is the amount of goods and services one worker can produce. Our ability as a nation to maintain and build wealth depends in large part on the speed and effectiveness with which we use technology—to invent and adapt more efficient equipment to improve manufacturing productivity, to develop new products, and to process information and make it instantly available across the organization and to suppliers and customers.

Many U.S. businesses, large and small, use technology to create change, improve efficiencies, and streamline operations. For example, advances in cloud computing provide businesses with the ability to access and store data without running applications or programs housed on a physical computer or server in their offices. Such applications and programs can now be accessed through the internet. Mobile technology allows businesses to communicate with employees, customers, suppliers, and others at the swipe of a tablet or smartphone screen. Robots help businesses automate repetitive tasks that free up workers to focus on more knowledge-based tasks critical to business operations. 15

Concept Check

• Define the components of the internal and the external business environments.
• What factors within the economic environment affect businesses?
• Why do demographic shifts and technological developments create both challenges and new opportunities for business?

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Business Essay Topics to Write with Impact

Business essays are a common requirement for students pursuing various business-related courses. The key lies in choosing a familiar subject out of various business essay ideas that spark inspiration, one that can be thoroughly researched with ample sources, intriguing facts, or statistical data. In this article, we offer a comprehensive list of business essay topics ideas for you to write a paper that is unmatched!

Business Essay Topics Ideas: Navigating the Selection Process

Selecting the most suitable business essay topics can prove to be a challenging endeavor. Due to the intricate and sensitive nature of the subject, it is crucial to handle business terminologies with care while ensuring that your chosen topic remains intact. To aid you in this process, our custom coursework writing has compiled a set of important tips that will assist you in identifying an impressive essay topic.

• First and foremost, choose a topic that aligns with your personal interests and passions. This will not only make the writing business essay more enjoyable but also enable you to delve deeper into the subject matter.
• Additionally, opt for a business essay topic that offers a wide scope for research. Having access to a wealth of resources and information will enhance the quality and depth of your analysis.
• Select argumentative business essay topics that provide a rich pool of information and sources for reference. This ensures that you have a solid foundation to support your arguments and analysis.
• Prioritize topics that offer evidence, examples, or facts to substantiate the major points of your thesis statement. This not only strengthens your arguments but also demonstrates your understanding of the subject matter.
• Avoid the temptation to opt for overly broad subjects, as they can be challenging to cover comprehensively within the given deadline. Instead, focus on more specific aspects that allow for in-depth analysis and exploration. For instance, if you're writing an expository paper, you can enhance your approach by utilizing an expository essay outline . This will help you structure your major points more efficiently and ensure a clear and logical flow of ideas in your writing. 
• For case studies, consider selecting a business essay example centered around well-established companies and discussing their successes or failures. By offering concrete solutions, you can showcase your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

50+ Business Essay Topics Ideas: Unleashing the Best Choice

While there is an abundance of business essay topics ideas to explore, we have curated a selection of exceptional choices to assist you in this endeavor. Take a thorough look at our handpicked list and discover an ideal topic that will serve as a solid foundation for crafting a detailed and engaging business essay.

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Business Management Essay Topics

Business management is a broad field that covers various topics affecting the management of business operations. It encompasses finance, marketing, sales, human resources, and supply chain management. The principles of business management are applicable to all types of businesses, whether small or large. Here are some topics from our ' Do my essay ' experts that can help you explore this area.

• Leadership Styles and Their Impact on Organizational Performance: Analyze different leadership styles (e.g., autocratic, democratic, transformational) and their effects on employee motivation, job satisfaction, and overall organizational performance.
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Management: Explore the importance of emotional intelligence in managerial roles, examining how self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills contribute to effective leadership and team management.
• Strategic Human Resource Management: Discuss the role of human resource management in achieving organizational objectives, focusing on topics such as talent acquisition, employee development, performance management, and retention strategies.
• Ethical Decision Making in Business: Examine ethical challenges faced by managers and organizations, analyzing frameworks and approaches for making ethical decisions and creating an ethical culture within the business environment.
• Change Management and Organizational Resilience: Explore strategies for effectively managing organizational change, considering topics such as change communication, employee engagement, resistance management, and building organizational resilience.
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Discuss the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving business growth and success. Analyze topics such as fostering a culture of innovation, managing risk, and strategies for promoting entrepreneurial thinking within organizations.
• Strategic Marketing Management: Examine the importance of strategic marketing in achieving competitive advantage, discussing topics such as market segmentation, targeting, branding, product development, pricing, and promotional strategies.

Business Law Essay Topics

Business law is a critical component of any business operation. It covers a wide range of topics, including contracts, intellectual property, securities, and trade secrets. Here are some business law essay topics:

• The Role of Intellectual Property Laws in Protecting Innovation and Creativity in the Business World.
• The Legal and Ethical Implications of Data Privacy and Cybersecurity in Business Operations.
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Balancing Legal Obligations and Ethical Considerations in Business Practices.
• The Impact of Antitrust Laws on Promoting Fair Competition and Preventing Monopolies in the Market.
• The Legal Challenges and Opportunities of International Business Transactions: Navigating Cross-Border Trade and Investment Laws.
• The Role of Employment Laws in Protecting Employee Rights and Promoting Fair Labor Practices in the Workplace.
• The Legal and Ethical Implications of Corporate Governance: Ensuring Accountability and Transparency in Business Organizations.
• The Impact of Consumer Protection Laws on Safeguarding Consumer Rights and Regulating Business Practices.
• Legal Challenges and Strategies for Managing Contracts and Negotiations in Business Transactions.
• The Role of Environmental Regulations in Balancing Business Operations and Sustainable Development.

Business Ethics Essay Topics

Business ethics refers to the set of moral principles that govern the decisions and actions of businesses, and if you need assistance, professionals can help you ' write my research paper ' to explore this topic in-depth. Meanwhile, here are some business ethics essay topics:

• Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace: Analyzing Real-Life Scenarios and Decision-Making Processes.
• The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Promoting Ethical Business Practices.
• The Impact of Ethical Leadership on Organizational Culture and Employee Behavior.
• Ethical Considerations in Marketing and Advertising: Balancing Profitability and Consumer Protection.
• The Ethics of Workplace Diversity and Inclusion: Promoting Equality and Fairness.
• Ethical Issues in Supply Chain Management: Ensuring Fair Labor Practices and Environmental Sustainability.
• The Ethical Implications of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Business Operations.
• Whistleblowing and Corporate Misconduct: The Role of Ethics in Promoting Accountability.
• The Ethics of Corporate Governance: Ensuring Transparency and Responsible Decision-Making.
• Ethical Challenges in International Companies: Navigating Cultural Differences and Corruption Risks.

Business Administration Essay Topics

Business administration covers various topics related to the administration and management of business operations. Here are some ideas you can also use as dissertation topics :

• Effective strategies for managing employee diversity in business operations.
• Effective supply chain management strategies.
• Business incubation and entrepreneur support strategies.
• Effective leadership and its impact on business performance.
• Best practices in business decision-making and problem-solving.

International Business Essay Topics

International business operations are characteristic of companies that operate on a global scale. Here are some international business essay topics:

• The impact of globalization on international business operations.
• The impact of cultural differences on international business negotiations and operations.
• Digital transformation challenges and opportunities for global businesses.
• Effective entry strategies for multinational corporations into emerging markets.
• Effective strategies for managing global supply chain operations.

And if If you're wondering how to write a nursing essay focused on international business operations, here are some essay topics to consider:

• The Impact of Globalization on Nursing Practice: Analyze how globalization has influenced the nursing profession on a global scale, considering factors such as international collaboration, workforce migration, and cross-cultural challenges.
• Ethical Considerations in International Healthcare: Explore the ethical dilemmas faced by nurses working in multinational healthcare settings, examining issues like cultural relativism, patient autonomy, and disparities in healthcare access.
• Strategies for Managing Cultural Diversity in Nursing: Discuss effective strategies and best practices for nurses to navigate cultural diversity in international healthcare environments, emphasizing the importance of cultural competence, effective communication, and respectful care.
• Nursing Leadership in Global Healthcare Organizations: Examine the leadership skills and competencies required for nurses to succeed in global healthcare organizations, focusing on aspects such as cross-cultural leadership, strategic decision-making, and managing international teams.
• International Collaborative Research in Nursing: Explore the benefits and challenges of international collaborative research projects in nursing, discussing the importance of knowledge exchange, research ethics, and the potential impact on healthcare outcomes.

Organizational Behavior Essay Topics

Organizational behavior studies the behavior of people and organizations in the workplace. Here are some topics to create a thorough business essay example:

• The relevance of leadership and management in organizational behavior.
• The impact of motivation theories on business performance.
• Diversity management strategies in organizational behavior.
• The impact of workplace stress on employee performance and mental health.
• Effective communication strategies in organizational behavior.

Trending Business Essay Topics for Exam

Here are some current business essay topics ideas that are likely to be examined in exams:

• The Rise of E-commerce: Transforming Traditional Retail
• Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility: Balancing Profit and Environmental Impact
• The Gig Economy: Redefining Employment Relationships
• The Role of Big Data Analytics in Business Decision-Making
• The Influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Business Operations

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Sample Business School Essays

Studying business is a great way to gain valuable working experience across many industries. As such, many students decide to further their education with a degree in business. To help set your business school application apart from the others, having a stellar application essay can help tremendously. Before writing your own essay make sure you explore our sample essays to gather a few ideas and thoughts on how you can make your essay unique and engaging.

This section contains five business essay samples:

Business School Essay Sample One

Business school essay sample two, business school essay sample three, business school essay sample four.

• Business School Essay Sample Five

Watching my brother transform from a man who had lost his ability to walk to a man who can play basketball with my father kindled my fascination of the physical therapy world. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates the field of physical therapy to grow faster than average in the upcoming years. I hope to join this field during an exciting time of growth, furthering the rehabilitation of those who have been injured.

Following graduation from ABC Business School, I intend to serve a marketing team in a local physical therapy company, such as Ridgeview Physical Therapy. My short-term goal is to lead a team, furthering success in the Ridgeview area. Due to the popular physical therapy company thirty miles from Ridgeview, much of the local population is unaware of the quality services Ridgeview Physical Therapy has to offer. I hope to increase visits by 40 percent in the first 5 years of my employment. My long-term goal includes extending the company’s reach into surrounding cities, and eventually beyond national barriers, becoming a global marketing manager.

I expect to gain skills and experiences from ABC Business School that will propel my short and long-term goals. I hope to develop an experiential and diverse learning experience and have the opportunity to interact with different groups of people to learn from their business insights and endeavours. From ABC Business School, I seek the tools and resources needed to further engage in my marketing knowledge, perform professional strategic analyses, and re-evaluate my past work experiences. I look forward to taking courses from Professor Jim. W. Reid, who has published the research of the success of Matthews and Marketing in his book, “Matthews Commerce,” which has helped me continue my career this far. I also look forward to taking the unique classes taught by Professor Rachel E. Davis, introducing me to the physical therapy world and enriching my business skills in that area.

When my brother’s car accident in 2011 caused immobility in his left leg, he never thought he would be able to play his favorite sport again. David Andrews, a 1994 graduate from ABC Business School, ensured that that would not come to pass. I spoke with Andrews about his journey, and he told me that it was through the opportunities and education he received from the professors and students at ABC Business School that helped him open his own practice. I hope to follow in Andrews’s footsteps. With the passion I have for the success of Ridgeview Physical Therapy, and the determination I learned from watching my brother, all I need to complete my goals is the knowledge available to me through an MBA at ABC Business School. I look forward to completing my career aspirations using the tools received from ABC Business School to contribute to my professional career.

The world of physical therapy is growing, and with my skills in marketing, I hope to grow the local Ridgeview services across the globe.

In this essay, the applicant is assigned to answer the prompt in approximately 500 words. The admissions officer expects a clear and concise essay that does not veer off the question and exemplifies quality writing, grammar, and punctuation. In questions similar to these, the admissions officers are looking for: Student’s understanding and knowledge in answering questions: The writer explains his short and long-term career goals, referencing the future of the career (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and quantifying his goals (Increase by 40 percent within the first 5 years). A deeper look into who the applicant is: Writer shares personal information that also relates to answering the question (brother in physical therapy). Make sure that any personal information you share does not veer off of the question that needs to be answered. Proper research on the school to adequately answer the second question: Student mentions names of professors who have demonstrated help in the past (professor’s business research book) giving credibility to the student that he believes they will be able to help him in the future. Avoid flattery and only speak of the school in a way that shows proper research and answers the question presented.

Nancy, the CEO of Jasmine Publishing House, bought me a coffee and told me I should invest in warm gloves as we sat down at a corner diner for what would be a game-changing business meeting. As the leading publishing house in Europe, Nancy informed me that JPH was interested in closing a multi-million dollar deal with our fashion magazine, Zoelle, provided we changed the magazine's appearance to attract a broader European audience.

As production manager, my job was to lead and supervise a staff of 30 to match Nancy's vision, working closely with the design team, photographers, production staff and marketing team. After three weeks of heavy brainstorming, we developed a fresh appearance for the magazine.

I invited Nancy to a meeting with me and three of our executive producers. I shared with her the strategy we had created in order to solve our appearance problem, as well as estimated costs and complications. Nancy agreed that the direction our magazine was going fit well with her vision and audience, and that JPH would be happy to work with us within the next week.

Although the team was excited to accept the offer, I was concerned that we were not prepared to complete the project so quickly. Though the executive producers did not understand, as our production team was to begin work on the next issue the following day, I explained that there may include deep financial consequences if we rush into the process. I wanted to ensure that JPH received a consistent layout from Zoelle magazine. Nancy agreed to wait until the upcoming issue was complete before beginning work on the new look.

We began work the following Tuesday, after the latest issue was produced. I collaborated with an eight member marketing team to develop new branding for our magazine and mediated this branding with the design team, ensuring that it was able to blend well with their ideas and insights based on the first meeting with Nancy. I led the operation of the first issue to be published via JPH, supervising 30 employees.

After the issue was published, our sales increased by 42 percent in the first week. After leading the Zoelle team to a business deal close and a fresh start, I learned that with the proper leadership, a staff of varied talents, insights and opinions can work closely together to produce a magazine that continues to increase its sells each issue. My initiative helped provide Zoelle with its largest new contract that year, a $2 million deal. Customers from Europe and the United States commented with positive remarks on the new look, showing interest in the replacement of the former look, which had been being published for seven years.

After this leadership experience, I was able to see my potential as a leader. I can communicate effectively with all members of a group and help connect them with one another to make a larger picture. I protect my business discernment even against an upset crowd, and am able to properly persuade others to understand other perspectives. Through learning more about leadership every day with my work in Zoelle, I hope to continue to strengthen these abilities and witness the success they can bring to media production.

In this essay, the applicant was asked to detail her leadership abilities through the application of a relevant example. She was asked to do this in approximately 550 words, using concise language and proper grammar and punctuation. In questions similar to these, the admissions officers are looking for: Applicant's ability to share leadership qualities with a relevant example: This writer shared leadership qualities of communication (brainstorming with different staffs and helping them connect their ideas together), listening (brainstorming and understanding staff concerns), delegating (ensuring each team did what was supposed to be done), and managing (managed and supervised a staff of 30) through the use of an example from her work with Zoelle Magazine. Proof of a potential growth in these leadership skills: The writer hopes to “continue to strengthen” her leadership skills. She provides examples of how she learned from previous leadership roles. How these skills will help further your career: The writer used an example from her current career and concluded her essay with a look into the potential of leadership in her field.

I looked across my celebratory cheesecake and beamed up at my new coworkers. I couldn't believe I had finally landed my dream job. All of the senior editors were having lunch in the cafe across the street from the bakery where the finance team and marketing team shared dessert. I had been hired as a budget analyst at my favorite magazine. My job was to work alongside the business manager to help create a more healthy marriage between the finance and marketing departments, thus improving our sales and workplace environment. On my way home, I reflected on my relief in finally having an exciting and secure career.

Just three months later, we met at the same bakery where I had celebrated my new job. Every department from our small, close-knit staff was present. As the publication manager began to tell us the news, I remember how our faces fell. Our publication company was going out of business, and every publication was to be shut down. She explained that they had tried to find another publishing company without success.

Not only did I feel as though I failed the company, I also knew that I, as well as the other 17 employees, was out of a job. We went back to our offices and packed up our things. Writers and designers were frantically calling around, asking for open positions. An employee from the finance department began tweaking his resume, and the marketing department apologized to the publication manager and editor-in-chief, who responded graciously.

I had to leave my apartment not long after losing my job. I stayed with a friend on the north side of town as I tried to find a job in a shrinking economic suburb. It took six months to find a position, and though I had to move and leave behind my dream, I found a new way to work toward my new dream.

From this experience, I learned the importance of adaptability. Only through my ability to embrace the change happening around me was I able to find a new job and start a new life with new visions and goals. Applying for my MBA would have sounded bizarre to the disheartened, homeless idealist who lost her dream. But now, after finding in me the strength to persevere, I am able to take what I learned from my previous job and pair it with what I learn from the university. This knowledge will help me ensure that the future companies I work with will not have to endure a similar fallout.

However, if there comes a time when I am again involved in a lost company, I know how to repair. I know how to restore.

In this essay, the applicant was asked to recall a challenging situation to which the writer overcame the boundaries. The writer was asked to do this in approximately 450 words, using concise language and proper grammar and punctuation. In questions similar to these, the admissions officers are looking for: Applicant's ability to identify a challenging moment in her life: This writer uses a relevant example of a challenging situation, describing the challenge of losing a job, losing housing, and having to move to a different city. Examples of how the applicant overcame these challenges: The writer cites her “adaptability” as the reason why she was able to overcome this challenge. Instead of giving up, the applicant tells of applying for other jobs, even ones that were out of her comfort zone and in another city. Brief insights to what the applicant learned from the challenge: This writer learned how to maintain strength, perseverance and adaptability in challenging situations. The applicant tells of continuing the learning process in her MBA program and allowing it to help future companies.

“Gallery Furniture saves you money today!” As a child, these words rang out to me, sandwiched in between the episodes of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh that I gleefully watched every Saturday morning. During commercial breaks, an older gentleman known as Mattress Mack would dominate all 24 inches of my cartoon box with his signature hundred-mile-per-hour pitch, reserved for sputtering off the praises of American-made furniture sold at affordable prices. Mattress Mack reigned as a household favorite in the Greater Houston area; in fact, my cousin and I made games out of memorizing his lines and spitting them out as fast as we could whenever his ads came on TV.

Mack’s distinctive elevator-pitch talking style stemmed from the financial difficulties he faced at the start of his career. At that time, Mack invested his entire life savings in a single ad that aired on two stations. While watching the ad himself, he grew unhappy with the producers’ work and ad-libbed a rapid pitch which would be later recognized as one of his greatest sparks of unconventional genius. Mack's unique re-branding has taught me to recognize the value of bootstrapping and developing creative solutions to solve problems.

Beyond his unorthodox sales strategies, Mack also had a heart that was truly the size of Texas. In August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall and caused $125 billion in damages, and several people that I personally know lost everything. While most of us worried solely about our own survival, Mack opened his two biggest showrooms and provided food to those who needed it most. His heroic actions eventually earned him his own day, August 26th, appropriately named Mattress Mack Day. He has inspired Houstonians just like me to pursue entrepreneurship opportunities that put social focus on the forefront.

As Harvey pummelled through the Gulf Coast, I noted the amount of devastation the hurricane has caused for our local automotive industry. This sparked an idea. As a passionate watchmaker and a car enthusiast, I partnered with my co-founder to create one-of-a-kind wristwatches from wrecked supercars with stories to match. A portion of each sale would then be donated to Habitat for Humanity to rebuild communities affected by natural disasters. My dream came to fruition, and over the last two years, the work I did has gained the attention of Mayor Turner, Capital One Bank, and various other notable individuals and organizations across Texas, Florida, Switzerland, and the UK. Born from a company bootstrapped with a $10,000 award from Capital One Bank, we are now projected to take in a revenue of $500k in the coming year.

Mattress Mack’s unconventional business approaches have taught me that tackling problems with limited capital yields the most innovative solutions and that the numbers, albeit essential, are not the end-all-be-all of a company. His ability to see equal importance in their lesser-noticed counterparts -the people his business serves and the community he resides in- are what sets him apart from traditional bosses as a truly effective leader. His actions have taught me that marrying unconventional problem-solving skills to a strong moral code is the key to greater personal success.

Business Sample Essay Five

Fuqua was the first business school I visited at the beginning of my application journey. No one in my family has ever attended college, let alone business school, so my visit opened a new world of opportunity for me. I sat in the auditorium with 300 other Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) fellows soaking up facts about Fuqua’s collaborative culture, global perspective, and distinguished faculty. My most vivid memory of the experience was at the end of the first day when the Black and Latino MBA Organization (BLMBAO) came on stage and helped me understand what it truly means to be on “Team Fuqua.” Dancing, cheering, and wearing their Blue Devil gear, the students made it easy to see a cohesive community for students of color – one that I have not felt so palpably at any other business school since. As I sat in that auditorium, I began to imagine myself as a part of “Team Fuqua,” and after the visit I became more confident that there was a place for me at Duke. For these reasons, I am seeking a spot in the entering class of 2022.

Post MBA, I plan to work as a Product Manager in an innovative digital healthcare company focused on using technology to transform patient care. Specifically, I would like to work in wireless tech and data analytics focused on chronic disease management similar to Twine Health, a platform integrated into patients' Fitbits to monitor diabetes-related vitals. In preparation for a career in healthcare, I plan on being a part of Fuqua’s Health Care Club (HCC). I look forward to contributing to this community through my perspective in healthcare consulting as well as my experience in the health insurance marketplace. By participating in the HCC, I will leverage the insight from 2nd year students as I navigate the healthcare recruiting process during HCC life line sessions. In time, I hope to return the favor by helping new students navigate recruitment, coursework, and life in Durham. Particularly, I am excited to gain valuable insight into the healthcare industry through programming coordinated by HCC such as the Duke MBA Health Care Conference and panel discussions throughout the year. HCC will not only provide me the knowledge and professional aptitude for a meaningful career in the healthcare sector, but will also grant me a life-long network of Fuqua healthcare leaders. To further promote health, I want to take part in the Fuqua Running & Triathlon Club. As a cross country athlete in high school and college, I look forward to exploring the Raleigh-Durham area and sharing my love of running.

Beyond my involvement in the Fuqua healthcare community, I also plan to join BLMBAO. It is very important for me to be part of a collective of leaders of color that empower each other to reach their full potential in business. For this reason, I am interested in joining the leadership cabinet of BLMBAO and shaping events such as the MBA Minority Business Conference. I want to continue BLMBAO’s work of increasing the visibility of underrepresented minorities, engaging Fuqua on issues of race and inequality, and being an advocate for women of color in business. For example, as a Fellow and alumna of MLT, I will commit myself to building a pipeline for Latina prospective Fuqua MBA students. This will include holding workshops that focus on the application process and challenges specific to Latinas in management.

In the end, Duke is the ideal place for me to become the business leader I know I can be. The opportunities in healthcare at Fuqua with HCC in conjunction with the school’s close proximity to the research triangle are second to none. A Fuqua MBA will give me the opportunity to learn, grow, and lead among lifelong friends. As a part of the incoming class, I will continue to learn more about Fuqua and expect that the “Team Fuqua” spirit will stand out in all of my interactions within the larger community. Just as BLMBAO students inspired me on my first day at Fuqua, I hope to one day inspire a young Latina professional setting her sights on business school.

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Argumentative Essay Topics (Business-Related)

Please find below a list of argumentative essay topics with a business focus. These topics were used for a college course in Vancouver, Canada, so they are particularly relevant to the Canadian context. Feel free to change 'Canada' in the questions to your particular region.

Note for students : If your teacher has asked you to develop a topic or research question for an argumentative essay, the best topic you can find is one that you come up with. Instead of copying a topic below, creating your own topic related to something you are actually interested in will enable you to enjoy and learn more from your assignment. Regardless, here is a list of research questions for argumentative essays that you can use for inspiration.

Jump to a topic category:

• Advertising & Marketing
• Business Ideas & Entrepreneurship
• Careers & the Workplace

Health & Food

• Employee Pay & Benefits
• Environment & Ethics
• Foreign Issues
• Human Resources & Hiring
• Investing & Personal Finance
• Law & Legalization

Real Estate

• Shopping & Consumption

Travel & Tourism

• Workplace Productivity

List of Argumentative Essay Topics

Advertising & marketing topics.

• Should advertisers be allowed to market their products to children?
• Should subliminal messages be allowed in company advertising?
• Is advertising on Youtube an effective/beneficial method to promote products?
• Should companies hire influencers to promote their products?
• Should companies adopt a product-orientation?
• Should companies adopt a market-orientation?
• Does marketing have an overall harmful effect on society?
• Should the advertisement of junk food be banned?
• Is telemarketing dead?
• Should companies use celebrities to endorse their products?
• Is direct-mail marketing still worthwhile in 2021?
• Should Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) be illegal?
• Should vaping advertisements be banned in Canada?
• Are loyalty programs still an effective strategy in 2021?
• Do coupon marketing strategies increase brand/product value?
• Should Canadian companies participate in Black Friday?
• Can a strong market monopoly be broken through a successful marketing approach?
• The Pink Tax : Do health and beauty companies unfairly target female consumers with higher prices?
• Should brands use storytelling to promote their products?
• Comparative advertisement is legal but is it also ethical?
• Will YouTube's (aggressive) advertising model drive away users?

Business Ideas & Entrepreneurship Topics

• Will Bricks-and-Mortar shopping (in physical scores) survive?
• Are supermarkets killing local businesses?
• Should companies get involved in charity work?
• Is becoming a franchisee a good business opportunity?
• Is Canada a good place to start a business?
• Would creating a language school in Vancouver be lucrative?
• Are chatbots effective customer service tools?
• Does outsourcing improve the effectiveness of businesses?

Careers & the Workplace Topics

• Should people pursue a degree in accounting?
• Is being a photographer a viable career?
• Should younger generations (or young people) consider video gaming as a career?
• Can social media influencer be considered a full-time job? / Should young people consider this as a possible career?
• Should companies/countries adopt a four-day workweek?
• Should regular employees be involved in the corporate decision-making process?
• Does shift-work have a negative impact on employee health?
• Is lifetime employment a thing of the past? / Should workers stay loyal to one company?
• Should leaders adopt a democratic leadership style?
• Should leaders adopt an authoritative leadership style?
• Should companies have dress codes? / Are strict dress code policies beneficial to companies?
• Should companies allow their employees to bring pets to work?
• Is the mental health of employees the responsibility of companies?
• Is leadership a learned trait?
• Is overtime counterproductive?
• Should companies provide benefits to gig workers?
• Should companies allow employees to listen to music during work?
• Is introversion a negative trait in the workplace?
• Can the taxi cab industry survive the advent of ride-hailing apps?

Economics Topics

• Is hosting the Olympics a waste of money?
• Should the minimum wage be increased?
• Should [Canada] provide a living wage to workers?
• Should Canada adopt a Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
• Was the demonetization in India a success or failure?
• Should government privatize public services? / Does the privatization of public services improve cost-effectiveness?
• Should the [Canadian] government privatize healthcare?
• Does the 'gig economy' exploit workers?
• Is worker exploitation necessary in order to maximize profits?
• Should workers in the public sector be allowed to unionize/go on strike?
• Has globalization hurt or helped developing countries?
• Should the Bank of Canada increase interest rates?
• Should the WTO or other trade organizations be able to issue binding orders?
• Should government regulate monopolies?
• Should government provide free healthcare to citizens?
• Does brain-drain negatively affect the economy of India?
• Should government regulate the BC housing market?
• Are Multi-National corporations (MNCs) really beneficial to the host economy?
• Should government create policies to manage population?
• Should Canada invest more in its agriculture industry?
• Is China engaging in debt-trap colonialism?
• Is China's investment beneficial to Africa?
• Will China become the new world leader?
• Was BrExit a good decision for Britain?

Education Topics

• Is a university degree needed for business success? / Does having an undergraduate degree guarantee a successful career?
• Should business schools focus on theoretical knowledge instead of practical skills?
• Are international student fees unfair to foreign students? / Are Canadian international students being exploited?
• Should young people pursue an online degree?
• Should Canadian colleges charge less for online programs? / Should tuition be lower for online learning programs?
• Should young adults do an internship as part of their education?
• Should unpaid Internships be legal?
• Should financial literacy courses be part of the national education system?
• Is studying abroad beneficial for a student's host country (or home country)?

Employee Pay & Benefits Topics

• Is the current basic requirement for weekly vacation in Canada adequate?
• In general, are CEOs overpaid?
• Are financial incentives the best way to motivate employees?
• Should college athletes get paid for their games?
• Should male employees be allowed paternity leave?
• Should companies provide childcare services for employees?
• Does the gender pay gap exist in the Canadian/North American workplace?
• Is a performance-based pay system a good motivator for employees?
• Does making more money make people happier?

Environment & Ethics Topics

• Should fracking be banned?
• Are CSR campaigns genuine or greenwashing?
• Is the hospitality industry sustainable enough?
• Should small companies pursue CSR?
• Should companies implement hiring quotas to ensure workplace diversity?
• Should organic food companies support fair trade policies?
• Should cosmetic companies be allowed to test their products on animals?
• Should government implement a carbon tax on polluters?
• Can renewable energies replace fossil fuels?
• Should government be able to censor Internet content?
• Should the Canadian seal hunt be banned? (ALT: Japanese whaling)
• Should the use of pesticides in agriculture be banned?
• Is the global coffee industry doomed?
• Should India adopt organic farming practices?
• Should designer brands start using vegan materials?
• Is Zara taking adequate measures to combat climate change?
• Should consumers support fast fashion?

Foreign Issues Topics

(*Replace [Canada] with your country of choice)

• Are immigrants worth the investment for [Canada]? / Do immigrants have a positive impact on the [Canadian] economy?
• Should [Canada] accept more refugees?
• Should international students on a study visa be allowed to work full-time?
• Should [Canada] accept more immigrants?
• Should Americans be required to have a visa to enter the Philippines?
• Does immigration in Canada increase crime?
• Will insect-based protein products replace traditional forms of protein?
• Is the food industry responsible for the problem of food waste?
• Is organic food worth the extra cost?
• Is the food industry to blame for the high obesity rate in the US?

Human Resources & Hiring Topics

• Should companies seek to hire employees internally?
• Should countries/companies enforce a mandatory retirement age?
• Should companies only hire experienced applicants? / Should companies hire university graduates with no work experience?
• Do dress code policies benefit companies?
• Should companies have policies to regulate workplace romance?
• Should workplaces conduct drug-testing?
• Is experience the most important factor for HR when promoting an employee?
• Can nepotism in the workplace be justified?
• Is money the most important factor when choosing a job?
• Is remote recruitment effective? / Should businesses shift to remote recruitment?
• Are virtual job interviews effective?
• Should companies look at social media profiles of candidates when hiring?
• Should companies hire people with criminal records?
• Are work references a reliable tool in the hiring process?
• Is equal employment opportunity balance possible to achieve?
• Are good working conditions the most important factor when looking for a job?

Investing & Personal Finance Topics

• Is cryptocurrency/Bitcoin a good investment?
• Should people invest their own money or use a financial adviser?
• Should young people focus on passive investing?
• Should the Canadian government support/adopt cryptocurrencies?
• Is the stock market rigged?
• Is donating to charities effective? / Do charities make effective use of donations?
• Are credit cards a debt trap? / Should young people get a credit card?
• Is a car a good investment for people in cities?
• Should people purchase life insurance?
• Should short-selling be made illegal?
• Is payment for order flow an unfair business model for online brokerages?

Law & Legalization Topics

• Should government legalize psychedelic drugs?
• Should the sale of tobacco products be illegal?
• Should lotteries be banned? / Do lotteries unfairly target the poor?
• Should government allow the sale of genetically modified products?
• Should drugs be legalized in Mexico?
• Should recycling be legally required (in Canada)?
• Should sex work/prostitution be legalized?
• Should FIFA consider human rights when it chooses its host?
• Are professional athletes overpaid?
• Is the gender pay gap in professional sports unfair?
• Should WNBA players receive equal pay to NBA players?
• Should young people consider a career in e-sports?
• Are e-sports the next 'big thing'?
• Is being a high performance athlete a viable career?

Shopping & Consumption Topics

• Should automatic gratuity for large groups be prohibited?
• Does tipping in restaurants improve service?
• Is the customer always right?
• Should customers base purchasing decisions on online reviews?
• Should female hygiene products be free (or subsidized)?
• Are progressive taxes fair (to all income earners)?
• Should churches be exempt from tax?
• Should the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) be eliminated?
• Should there be an additional tax on unhealthy products?
• Should online sellers without physical stores have to pay tax in the companies they operate in?
• Should there be a digital service tax (DST) on social media companies?

Technology Topics

• Will self-driving cars become a reality for consumers in the next decade?
• Should self-driving cars be legal?
• Should Amazon introduce drone delivery?
• Are cellphones unsafe for consumers? / Should government put tighter restrictions on cellphones for public safety?
• Should companies invest more in MIS (managerial information systems)?
• Should government regulate the use of cookies on the web?
• Should biodegradable straws be mandatory in F&B (Food & Beverages) businesses?
• Is a cashless economy possible?
• Can blockchain technologies replace centralized transactional systems?
• Is technology limiting the creativity of people?
• Does online shopping have addictive effects on consumers?
• Should Big Banks in Canada introduce  'tellerless' branches as people can do transactions in ATM (Automated Teller Machine)?
• Will 3D food change the food sector?
• Can electric cars replace traditional vehicles?
• Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) a threat to business?
• Should users be concerned about their privacy on social network platforms?
• Will the Metaverse be relevant five years from now?
• Should publishing companies shift to digital e-books?
• Should Canada implement measures to target 'house-flippers'?
• Should foreigners be allowed to purchase property in [Country]?
• Should government regulate the housing market?
• Is the empty-homes tax unfair?
• Should airlines allow travelers to board planes with pets?
• Are travel agencies doomed to extinction?
• Does the AirBNB business model spell doom for the hotel industry?

Workplace Productivity Topics

• Should social media be banned in the workplace?
• Do smartphones have a positive effect on workplace productivity?
• Does peer pressure in the workplace benefit workers?
• Can employees be productive when working from home?
• Should employers allow napping in the workplace?
• Should employers limit smartphone use in the workplace / Do smartphones increase worker productivity?
• Do open-office plans increase productivity? / Should companies adopt open space plans?
• Should companies incorporate the practice of mindfulness in the workplace?
• Is a highly competitive environment beneficial for workers?
• Does art or workplace decor have a positive effect on productivity?
• Should 'quiet quitting' be normalized in the workplace?

-- Argumentative essay topics compiled by Matthew Barton, Creator of Englishcurrent.com (copyright) | Last updated: Jan 2023

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Why Some Companies Grow Amid Uncertainty — and Others Don’t

• Simon Freakley
• David Garfield

A survey of 3,000 global executives suggests that it’s not strategic thinking that sets them apart. It’s their inclination to move quickly.

When you cannot base strategy on reasonably certain premises — or when those reasonable premises are undone by unforeseeable events — what is a company to do? You still have to make plans, allocate capital, and invest for the future. Some argue that agility is the key to thriving in disruptive times, but if all you do is pivot, you are just going around in circles. The annual AlixPartners Disruption Index surveys 3,000 global executives about what is knocking them sideways. Among other things, it shows that three out of five say that it is increasingly challenging to know which disruptive forces to prioritize. Amid all this, there is a group of companies doing very well: about one in five said their companies lead their industry in revenue growth. In this article, the authors dig into that 2024 data to find out what sets these companies apart, and what other companies can learn from them about setting growth strategy in an uncertain world.

Strategic planning plays a key role in helping companies anticipate and manage business cycles. But forces like emerging digital technologies, climate change, and deglobalization — not to mention “black swan” events like the Covid-19 pandemic and wars — have turned a rolling sea into a choppy one, where companies are beset by currents, crosscurrents, riptides, and squalls. This multiplicity of related, unrelated, and inter-related difficulties have one thing in common: They are unpredictable.

• SF Simon Freakley is the Chief Executive Officer of AlixPartners, a post he has held since 2015. He is based in New York.
• David Garfield is a Chicago-based partner and managing director of AlixPartners, and the global leader for the firm’s industry practices.

Partner Center

ESSAY SAUCE

FOR STUDENTS : ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD ESSAY

Essay: Business environment

Essay details and download:.

• Subject area(s): Business essays
• Reading time: 11 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 22 August 2017*
• File format: Text
• Words: 3,245 (approx)
• Number of pages: 13 (approx)

Text preview of this essay:

This page of the essay has 3,245 words. Download the full version above.

POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

Political factors, in the context of the external environment in which a business functions, are a type of external constraint acting upon a business. They’re related to actions of governments and political conditions in the location where the business conducts business or seeks to conduct business. Government actions and political realities influence the success of the business.

Political environment can also affect government policies at local to federal level. Companies should be ready to deal with the local and international outcomes of politics. Changes in the government policy make up the political factors. The change can be economic, legal or social. It could also be a mix of these factors.

Change in the political factors can affect business strategy. The stability of a political system can very well decide about the appeal of a particular local market because Government is a major consumer of goods and services. Government is liable for protecting the public interest and thus it views business organizations as a vehicle for social reform. Government pass legislation, which impacts the relationship between the firm and its customers, suppliers and other companies.

Below, is a list of political factors affecting business:

§ Bureaucracy

§ Corruption level

§ Freedom of the press

§ Trade control

§ Education Law

§ Anti-trust law

§ Employment law

§ Discrimination law

§ Data protection law

§ Environmental Law

§ Health and safety law

§ Competition regulation

§ Regulation and deregulation

§ Tax policy (tax rates and incentives)

§ Government stability and related changes

§ Government involvement in trade unions and agreements

§ Import restrictions on quality and quantity of product

§ Intellectual property law (Copyright, patents)

§ Consumer protection and e-commerce

§ Laws that regulate environment pollution

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

A business has many decisions to make – what to produce, how to produce, for whom to produce. However, these decisions will be affected greatly by the economy in which the firm operates. Even if the economy is quite stable, the business always has to monitor its own operations, those of the opposition and any changes to customers’ habits or even lifestyles. Where there is instability in the economy the decisions of the business will be even harder and difficult and even more important.

Economic environment refers to the aggregate of the nature of economic system of the country, the structural anatomy of the economy to economic policies of the government the organisation of the capital market, the nature of factor endowment, business cycles, the socio-economic infrastructure etc.

When the economy becomes unstable, that’s when problems will occur, when services and goods start to become in short supply or the price of the goods and services go so high that people are not able to afford them anymore. A rise in unemployment could mean that the production and supply of goods decrease and the amount of money to purchase the available goods decreases as well – due to wages being reduced. As there are less people in employment, the taxes being paid to the government are less (they need the taxes to fund services such as housing, health e.g. and education, etc.).

Economic factors that affect the business environments are as under:

· Government economic policies

· Rate of interest set by the central bank of any country

· Per capita Income which has a huge impact on business environment by changing their consumption behaviour

· Privatization policy by the government

· Instability in the economy due to bad political conditions in the county affects the business environment

· Customs duty structure

· Airline air freight charges

· Foreign investment in the country

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Social environment of business means all factors around the business which affect it socially. It refers to the nature of social organisation and development of social institutions like caste, religion, customs, and socio-economic factors like class structure, social mobility, women employment etc.

Society is ever changing. The tastes and continuously changing trends are a part of it. It is highly affected by social media and social networking sites.

A business has some responsibilities towards society as it uses resources from society, so it has to return something to the society. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms.

Below is a list of social factors which impact customer needs and size of markets:

§ Lifestyles

§ Buying habits

§ Education level

§ Emphasis on safety

§ Religion and beliefs

§ Health consciousness

§ Sex distribution

§ Average disposable income level

§ Social classes

§ Family size and structure

§ Minorities

§ Attitudes toward saving and investing

§ Attitudes toward green or ecological products

§ Attitudes toward for renewable energy

§ Population growth rate

§ Immigration and emigration rates

§ Age distribution and life expectancy rates

§ Attitudes toward imported products and services

§ Attitudes toward work, career, leisure and retirement

§ Attitudes toward customer service and product quality

TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Technology has revolutionized the world. It is changing rapidly with newer innovations. It has influenced operations of the business over the world. Its influence is felt in practically all aspects on the day-to-day operations of businesses, both large and small.

Technology has also changed the face and the pace of how business functions. Business processes have been modified and organizations are now working much more efficiently than ever. At the same time, technology has opened a new way of communication, allowing businesses to communicate and collaborate beyond borders.

The growing use of IT and its tools, smartphones and various smart devices have taken the business to a next level. Today, it’s seen that those organizations are higher ranked are usually more advanced in technology. Technology has, in fact, made organizations to go digital.

The rapid development of technology requires quick reaction by businesses in order to survive in an emerging competitive environment and keep up with new trends and innovative services which other competitors might be offering.

These technological factors can include both products and processes and can present opportunities and threats but it is vital for competitive advantage and is a successful driver in globalisation. Products can be marketed in new ways and processes present immense Value to the business.

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT

The legal environment refers to the principles, rules and regulations established by the government and applicable to people. These regulations come through various legislations. The government has passed and enacted various Acts. Now due to globalization of economy, it became necessary to make changes in these Acts.

The legal environment plays a very crucial role in determining the success of a business. The government imposes taxes among other regulatory measures to promote economic growth and to cushion consumers from exploitation. Therefore, before establishing or when running a business, it is imperative to understand the role of regional tax measures and regulatory measures to determine how they affect business.

An understanding of the legal environment of business is relevant—indeed, essential—to functioning well within disciplines like accounting, finance, management and marketing. Additionally, a solid understanding of the legal environment can help avoid liability or at least minimize risk. In business, it is not enough to comport one and one’s business ethically. Business must also ensure that it understands the legal environment in which it is working. Therefore, it is important for the organization, for its employer, and for all the other people who may be relying on business expertise—such as employees and their family—to understand the legal environment. Such an understanding will help to avoid or lessen the likelihood of liability exposure, enabling organization to manage business affairs successfully, unhampered by unmanaged legal liability risks.

Most of the countries have consumer protection laws aimed at making sure that business act fairly towards their consumers. A few examples are

· Weight and Measures Act, 1976: This Act was enacted to establish standards of weights and measures, to regulate inter-State trade or commerce in weights, measures and other goods which are sold or distributed by weight, measure or number, to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Goods sold should not be underweight. Standard weighting equipments should be used to measure goods.

· Trade Description Act, 1968: It means deliberately giving misleading impression about the product is illegal. The Act makes it a criminal offence to apply a false trade description to goods. The Act covers descriptions given both verbally and in writing. It covers any factual statement about the physical qualities of the product, e.g. size, capacity, performance, place of manufacture and previous history.

· Consumer Credit Act, 1974: According to this Act, consumers should be given a copy of the credit agreement and should be aware of the interest rates, length of loan while taking a loan. The Act also regulates what may be taken as security, limits the ways in which credit organisations can advertise and gives the county courts the ability to intercede in the case of unfair or unjust credit agreements. It also gives additional rights to the debtor, including certain limited rights to cancel concluded agreements.

· Sale of Goods Act, 1979: According to the Act, it is illegal to sell products with serious flaws or problems and goods sold should conform to the description provided. The Act applied to contracts where property in ‘goods’ were transferred or agreed to be transferred for a monetary consideration, in other words: where property (ownership) in personal chattels was sold.

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Business is interconnected with nature in two ways. Firstly, business gets its raw materials from the nature, whose quality and availability can affect the business to a large extent. Secondly, natural calamities which are uncontrollable and uncertain, can bring disaster for the business.

The analysis of the mega environment must also cover aspects like extent of endowment of natural resources in the country, ecology, climate, etc. These constitute the natural environment.

In today’s nature disturbances, upcoming of global warming and other hazardous issues to the environment, companies around the world are integrating environmental interest with business and are becoming proactive in finding ways to reduce environmental impact. Additionally, consumers are favouring businesses that contribute to protecting natural resources. These interconnections are explicit domains where business is heavily implicated.

There are no hard and fast rules with regard to location of plant. In practice, a large number of factors have to be considered while choosing a suitable location. Moreover, these factors differ from situation to situation and from time to time.

ENVIRONMENT SCANNING TECHNIQUES

It is essential for a company to understand the environment in which it is working, in order to stand and survive in the market. The understanding of environment can be meant as environmental scanning. This environmental scanning is used by the companies to judge its position among its competitors. It helps to identify positive points and negative points, that is, strengths and weaknesses of the company. It provides knowledge about the upcoming opportunities and threats to the company. Thus, environmental scanning gives a proper base to the company for looking its current position and improving for the better. It shows the scope of betterment in future.

There are various techniques of environmental scanning, each having its own usefulness but having some drawbacks at the same time.

SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT analysis is an acronym of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. It is the simplest technique of all because it does not take much time and doing it forces the management to think about the company in a whole new way. SWOT analysis is calculated by a SWOT matrix.

SWOT analysis, as per the name suggests, helps company to identify its strengths and weaknesses, understand and grab the opportunities on the way and taking precautions against threats that may harm it.

Strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors of the company which can be changed from time to time but not without some work. Opportunities and threats are the external factors which cannot be changed nor there is any control over them.

Areas typically considered in the internal factors include financial resources, human resources, physical resources, access to natural resources, and current processes.

Some example of strengths, as an internal factor, that a company can consider are patents, strong brand names, good reputation among customers, cost advantages from proprietary know-how, exclusive access to high grade natural resources, favourable access to distribution networks. Some example of weaknesses, as an internal factor, that a company can consider are lack of patent, weak brand names, poor reputation among customers, high cost structure, lack of access to the best natural resources, lack of access to key distribution channels.

Areas typically considered in the external factors include market trends, economic trends, funding, demographics, relationships with suppliers and partners, and, political, environmental and economic regulations.

Some example of opportunities, as an external factor, includes an unfulfilled customer needs, arrival of new technology, loosening of regulations, removal of international trade barriers. Some example of threats, as an external factor, that a company can face include shifts in consumer tastes away from the firm’s products, emergence o f substitute products, new regulations, international trade barriers.

It is important to study SWOT analysis to determine the status of the company and providing for better future.

ENVIRONMENT THREAT AND OPPORTUNITY PROFILE(ETOP)

ETOP is the acronym of Environment Threat and Opportunity Profile. It is an environmental scanning technique in which environment is divided into different sectors and then impact of each sector is analysed separately. The impact is measured on three measures of scale: positive, negative, neutral, marked as +,-,0 respectively.

ETOP considers the environmental information and determines relative impact of threats and opportunities, for the systematic evaluation of environmental canning. It helps organization to identify opportunities and threats and to consolidate and strengthen organization’s position. It provides the strategists of which sectors have a favourable impact on the organization.

Some of the environmental factors that can be covered while undergoing ETOP analysis includes political factors, legal factors, economic factors, social factors and alike.

The strategic managers must keep focus on following dimensions:

· Issue selection

Focus on issues which have been selected, should not be missed as there is a probability of landing at incorrect practices. Some of the important issues may be related to market share, competitive pricing, customer preferences, technological change, economic policies, competitive trends, etc.

· Accuracy of data

Data should be collected from good sources otherwise the entire process of ETOP may fail. The relevance, importance, manageability, variability, and low cost of data are some of the important factors to be kept in focus.

· Flexibility in operations

Due to uncertainty in business situations, a company will be benefited by devising proactive and flexible strategies in their plans, structures, strategy, etc.

· Impact study

It should be conducted focusing on the various opportunities and threats and the critical issues selected. Efforts must be made to make the assessment more objective.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY PROFILE(OCP)

OCP is the acronym of Organizational Capability Profile. It is summarized statement which provides overview of strengths and weaknesses in key result areas likely to affect future operation of the organization. Information in this profile may be presented in qualitative terms or quantitative terms.

The organizational capability profile is drawn in the form of a chart. The strategists are required to systematically assess the various functional areas and subjectively assign values to the different functional capability factors and sub factors along a scale ranging from values of -5 to +5.

After the preparation of OCP, the organisation is in a position to assess its relative strength and weaknesses vis-a-vis its competitors. If there is any gap in area, suitable action may be taken to overcome that. OCP shows the company’s capacity. OCP tells about company’s potential and capability. OCP tells what company can do.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE PROFILE(SAP)

SAP is the acronym of Strategic Advantage Profile. It is a summary statement, which provides overview of the advantages and disadvantages in key areas likely to affect future operations of the firm. It is a tool for making a systematic evaluation of the strategic advantage factors, which are significant for the company in its environment. The preparation of such a profile presupposes detailed analysis and diagnosis of the factors in each functional area.

SAP describes the organisation’s competitive position in the market place. It indicates what the organisation has done or is doing in comparison to its competitors to generate competitive advantage for itself. It is external-oriented.

INTERACTION MATRIX – PORTER’S FIVE FORCES OF MODEL

Source: www.tutorialspoint.com

The mix, character and power of the competitive forces operating in a company’s industry varies from one industry to another. The most powerful tool used for systematically diagnosing the basic competitive pressures in a market and assessing strength, weakness, opportunities and threats, is the five-forces model of competition.

Five forces model of competition was developed by Harvard Business School’s Michael E. Porter in 1979. It emphasizes on the five important factors that help determine whether or not a business can be profitable on the basis of the present strategy it is following. The strategy the business follows is what ultimately drives competition and profitability and not on what product or services it is providing.

RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITORS

In today’s cut-throat market, competitors are prone to use whatever weapons they have in their business to attain better market positions and earn good profits as well as brand loyalty. The challenge is to adopt a competitive strategy that produces competitive edge over rivals. This strategy consists of offensive and defensive moves, action and reaction patterns, adjust and readjust process. Thus, the current leaders of the market cannot be very sure of their continued leadership in future.

Rivalry gets stronger when competitors are active in making strategies against strategies, moves after moves. Competition increases as the products of rival sellers become more standardized and diminishes as the products of industry rivals become more strongly differentiated. Competitors to stand in market, thus, should have diverse strategies and objectives.

THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS

Val Renault, Section 14. SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/swot-analysis/main

Tim Berry, What is a SWOT Analysis?, Retrieved from http://articles.bplans.com/how-to-perform-swot-analysis/

SWOT Analysis, Retrieved from http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/59535/7/07_chapter%201.pdf

Smriti Chand, Environmental Threat and Opportunity Profile, Retrieved from http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/organization/environmental-threat-and-opportunity-profile-%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80/23557/

ETOP Analysis, Retrieved from http://www.bbamantra.com/etop-environmental-threat-and-opportunity-profile/

BMS Team, Organizational Capability Profile, Retrieved from http://www.bms.co.in/organizational-capability-profile-ocp/

Strategic Management – Environmental Scanning Techniques – Notes – Business Management, Study notes for Business Administration. Banaras Hindu University,Business Administration, Retrieved from http://www.docsity.com/en/strategic-management-environmental-scanning-techniques-notes-business-management/52577/

Jim Makos, Political factors affecting business, Retrieved from http://pestleanalysis.com/political-factors-affecting-business/

Alex Pirouz, The Impact of Technology in Business, December/January 2012 issue of Business Review Australia magazine

Andrew J. Hoffman and Susse Georg, INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT A history of research on business and the natural environment: conversations from the field, Retrieved from http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/ajhoff/pub_academic/2013%20Routledge%20Intro-2.pdf

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IMF Working Papers

The riskiness of credit origins and downside risks to economic activity.

Author/Editor:

Claudio Raddatz ; Dulani Seneviratne ; Jerome Vandenbussche ; Peichu Xie ; Yizhi Xu

Publication Date:

March 29, 2024

Electronic Access:

Free Download . Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

We construct a country-level indicator capturing the extent to which aggregate bank credit growth originates from banks with a relatively riskier profile, which we label the Riskiness of Credit Origins (RCO). Using bank-level data from 42 countries over more than two decades, we document that RCO variations over time are a feature of the credit cycle. RCO also robustly predicts downside risks to GDP growth even after controlling for aggregate bank credit growth and financial conditions, among other determinants. RCO’s explanatory power comes from its relationship with asset quality, investor and banking sector sentiment, as well as future banking sector resilience. Our findings underscore the importance of bank heterogeneity for theories of the credit cycle and financial stability policy.

Working Paper No. 2024/072

9798400270765/1018-5941

WPIEA2024072

Please address any questions about this title to [email protected]

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New York Takes Crucial Step Toward Making Congestion Pricing a Reality

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to approve a new $15 toll to drive into Manhattan. The plan still faces challenges from six lawsuits before it can begin in June.

By Winnie Hu and Ana Ley

New York City completed a crucial final step on Wednesday in a decades-long effort to become the first American city to roll out a comprehensive congestion pricing program, one that aims to push motorists out of their cars and onto mass transit by charging new tolls to drive into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

The program could start as early as mid-June after the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that will install and manage the program, voted 11-to-1 to approve the final tolling rates, which will charge most passenger cars $15 a day to enter at 60th Street and below in Manhattan. The program is expected to reduce traffic and raise $1 billion annually for public transit improvements.

It was a historic moment for New York’s leaders and transportation advocates after decades of failed attempts to advance congestion pricing even as other gridlocked cities around the world, including London, Stockholm and Singapore, proved that similar programs could reduce traffic and pollution.

While other American cities have introduced related concepts by establishing toll roads or closing streets to traffic, the plan in New York is unmatched in ambition and scale.

Congestion pricing is expected to reduce the number of vehicles that enter Lower Manhattan by about 17 percent, according to a November study by an advisory committee reporting to the M.T.A. The report also said that the total number of miles driven in 28 counties across the region would be reduced.

“This was the right thing to do,” Janno Lieber, the authority’s chairman and chief executive, said after the vote. “New York has more traffic than any place in the United States, and now we’re doing something about it.”

Congestion pricing has long been a hard sell in New York, where many people commute by car from the boroughs outside of Manhattan and the suburbs, in part because some of them do not have access to public transit.

New York State legislators finally approved congestion pricing in 2019 after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo helped push it through. A series of recent breakdowns in the city’s subway system had underscored the need for billions of dollars to update its aging infrastructure.

It has taken another five years to reach the starting line. Before the tolling program can begin, it must be reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration, which is expected to approve it.

Congestion pricing also faces legal challenges from six lawsuits that have been brought by elected officials and residents from across the New York region. Opponents have increasingly mobilized against the program in recent months, citing the cost of the tolls and the potential environmental effects from shifting traffic and pollution to other areas as drivers avoid the tolls.

A court hearing is scheduled for April 3 and 4 on a lawsuit brought by the State of New Jersey, which is seen as the most serious legal challenge. The mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., Mark J. Sokolich, has filed a related lawsuit.

Four more lawsuits have been brought in New York: by Ed Day, the Rockland County executive; by Vito Fossella, the Staten Island borough president, and the United Federation of Teachers; and by two separate groups of city residents.

Amid the litigation, M.T.A. officials have suspended some capital construction projects that were to be paid for by the program, and they said at a committee meeting on Monday that crucial work to modernize subway signals on the A and C lines had been delayed.

Nearly all the toll readers have been installed, and will automatically charge drivers for entering the designated congestion zone at 60th Street or below. There is no toll for leaving the zone or driving around in it. Through traffic on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and the West Side Highway will not be tolled.

Under the final tolling structure, which was based on recommendations by the advisory panel, most passenger vehicles will be charged $15 a day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The toll will be $24 for small trucks and charter buses, and will rise to $36 for large trucks and tour buses. It will be $7.50 for motorcycles.

Those tolls will be discounted by 75 percent at night, dropping the cost for a passenger vehicle to $3.75.

Fares will go up by $1.25 for taxis and black car services, and by $2.50 for Uber and Lyft. Passengers will be responsible for paying the new fees, and they will be added to every ride that begins, ends or occurs within the congestion zone. There will be no nighttime discounts. (The new fees come on top of an existing congestion surcharge that was imposed on for-hire vehicles in 2019.)

The tolls will mostly be collected using the E-ZPass system. Electronic detection points have been placed at entrances and exits to the tolling zone. Drivers who do not use an E-ZPass will pay significantly higher fees — for instance, $22.50 instead of $15 during peak hours for passenger vehicles.

Emergency vehicles like fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, as well as vehicles carrying people with disabilities, were exempted from the new tolls under the state’s congestion pricing legislation .

As for discounts, low-income drivers who make less than $50,000 annually can apply to receive half off the daytime toll after their first 10 trips in a calendar month. In addition, low-income residents of the congestion zone who make less than $60,000 a year can apply for a state tax credit.

All drivers entering the zone directly from four tolled tunnels — the Lincoln, Holland, Hugh L. Carey and Queens-Midtown — will receive a “crossing credit” that will be applied against the daytime toll. The credit will be $5 round-trip for passenger vehicles, $12 for small trucks and intercity and charter buses, $20 for large trucks and tour buses, and $2.50 for motorcycles. No credits will be offered at night.

Grace Ashford contributed reporting.

Winnie Hu is a Times reporter covering the people and neighborhoods of New York City. More about Winnie Hu

Ana Ley is a Times reporter covering New York City’s mass transit system and the millions of passengers who use it. More about Ana Ley

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Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey

Modest growth continues in texas service sector.

For this month’s survey, Texas business executives were asked supplemental questions on wages, prices and outlook concerns. Results for these questions from the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey, Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey and Texas Retail Outlook Survey have been released together. Read the special questions results.

Texas service sector activity expanded in March, according to business executives responding to the Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey. The revenue index, a key measure of state service sector conditions, held mostly steady at 4.0, indicative of below-average activity growth.

Labor market measures suggested no growth in employment and work weeks. The employment index fell five points to -1.2 in March. The part-time employment index also fell from 2.8 to -1.2, while the hours worked index held steady at 0.7. These near-zero readings suggest flat employment and work hours in March.

Respondents in March continued to perceive worsening broader business conditions. The general business activity index remained negative and fell two points to -5.5. The company outlook index fell from 3.8 to -0.1, with the near-zero figure indicating companies’ outlooks did not improve in March. The outlook uncertainty index increased four points to 10.2.

Selling price pressure remained unchanged, while input price pressures eased. Wage growth accelerated slightly in March. The selling price index was unchanged at 7.7 while the input price index fell from 34.3 to 30.4. The wages and benefits index increased four points to 19.5.

Respondents’ expectations regarding future business activity continued to reflect optimism in March. The future general business activity index fell but remained in positive territory at 5.4, and the future revenue index held mostly steady at 39.2. Other future service-sector activity indexes such as employment and capital expenditures remained in firmly positive territory, reflecting expectations for continued growth in the next six months.

Texas Retail Outlook Survey

Texas retail sales fall, but at a slower rate for the second month in a row.

Retail sales activity declined in March, but at a slightly slower pace than last month, according to business executives responding to the Texas Retail Outlook Survey. The sales index, a key measure of state retail activity, increased from -5.3 to -3.4, indicating retail sales fell at a slower rate than the previous month. Retailers’ inventories grew over the month, with the March index at 16.1.

Retail labor market indicators reflected contraction in employment growth and shorter workweeks in March. The employment index fell from 2.4 to -5.0, and the part-time employment index fell three points to 1.3. The hours worked index fell from -4.6 to -6.3.

Retailers continued to perceive a worsening of broader business conditions in March. The general business activity index increased two points but remained in negative territory at -15.6, while the company outlook index held steady at -4.5. The outlook uncertainty index increased six points to 15.8.

Input price and wage pressures increased while selling price pressure was unchanged in March. The input price index increased five points to 27.0 while the selling price index held mostly steady at 4.4. The wages and benefits index moved up ten points to 22.4.

Expectations for future retail growth improved in March. The future general business activity index increased from -0.9 to 8.2. The future sales index jumped 25 points to 33.5. Other indexes of future retail activity such as employment and capital expenditures were positive and increased, reflecting expectations for continued retail sales growth in the next six months.

Next release: April 30, 2024

Data were collected March 12–20, and 276 of the 414 Texas service sector business executives surveyed submitted a response. The Dallas Fed conducts the Texas Service Sector Outlook Survey monthly to obtain a timely assessment of the state’s service sector activity. Firms are asked whether revenue, employment, prices, general business activity and other indicators increased, decreased or remained unchanged over the previous month.

Survey responses are used to calculate an index for each indicator. Each index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of respondents reporting a decrease from the percentage reporting an increase. When the share of firms reporting an increase exceeds the share reporting a decrease, the index will be greater than zero, suggesting the indicator has increased over the prior month. If the share of firms reporting a decrease exceeds the share reporting an increase, the index will be below zero, suggesting the indicator has decreased over the prior month. An index will be zero when the number of firms reporting an increase is equal to the number of firms reporting a decrease.

Data have been seasonally adjusted as necessary.

Historical data are available from January 2007 to the most current release month.

*Shown is the number of consecutive months of expansion or contraction in the underlying indicator. Expansion is indicated by a positive index reading and denoted by a (+) in the table. Contraction is indicated by a negative index reading and denoted by a (–) in the table.

**Shown is the number of consecutive months of improvement or worsening in the underlying indicator. Improvement is indicated by a positive index reading and denoted by a (+) in the table. Worsening is indicated by a negative index reading and denoted by a (–) in the table.

Downloadable chart

Comments from survey respondents

These comments are from respondents’ completed surveys and have been edited for publication.

• General business activity has picked up.
• We are seeing a slowdown in capital expenditures for existing real estate buildings.
• We were forced to raise prices 7 percent this month because labor expense is too high.
• The elections are still a variable that keeps the uncertainty high.
• The general level of business activity is healthy, but current growth is dismal.
• Relatively stable at the moment, tentatively watching prices tick back up.
• Our company has already laid off all nonessential staff. There is no liquidity in the market, no ability to get debt. Fear of a recession continues to dominate, and the Federal Reserve is hesitant to signal rate cuts.
• We are hiring new support people for our sales and brokerage business.
• The property insurance industry has become very tough here in Texas, especially in 2024. Rapidly increasing premium rates plus higher deductibles are being applied to all homeowners, residential and commercial property owners. It’s very tough to find affordable terms, and many insurance companies are restricting what they offer. It's a very serious issue that doesn't appear to be addressed on any governmental level.
• The level of transaction activity in commercial real estate (sales, financing, new development pursuits) is anticipated to increase in the second half of the year, as soon as the Federal Reserve starts reducing rates.
• The political rhetoric and upcoming elections will continue to ramp up through the year, and the closer we get to the elections, the more uncertainty and pessimism will grow and dampen consumer sentiment, which is very important to our business.
• We are curtailing business investment due to high interest rates.
• The unmitigated volume of additional regulations promoted by this administration is creating a burden that has and will continue to negatively impact the consumer. The upcoming election could be a critical turning point for our country’s future and community banking. Inflation is now having obvious impacts on some subsets in the economy, and as consumer debt continues to grow, the money volume slows down and we draw closer to a potential recession, there are concerns and the possibility of long-term negative consequences.
• American enterprises need relief. There’s a forming perfect storm that creates a dangerous paralysis.
• The labor market seems to be loosening up a small bit. Things seem to be slowing down. Most developers are finishing up projects already started but not yet looking for another project. The multifamily and industrial sectors seem to still be moving forward. House sales are not moving at all in the higher-priced homes. Rent-to-own is a growing concept. Rising costs still put pressure on profit margins.
• We see a slow start to client spending this year.
• The business climate has slowed. There is uncertainty regarding the general economy, inflation, interest rates and the presidential race. We are somewhat pessimistic for the remainder of 2024.
• Buyers seem paralyzed by a lack of visibility into the future. We work with companies looking for talent. Although unemployment is relatively low and many companies are looking for the right talent, activity didn't increase this year until late February. Many of these companies have had open positions for a while, but it seems they are ready to get them filled because they know they need the right people to grow their companies.
• The number of employees has decreased because of attrition. We are looking for replacements.
• We’ve had a slight uptick in billable hours, and revenue is better year to date.
• While inflation may be propping up the economy some, we are still amazed that the economy has been so resilient, given the many headwinds it is facing.
• Costs are continuing to increase, and borrowing is getting more complex. New government rules keep piling on, harming us as a small business and making it more costly to operate.
• Although we have seen an increase in real estate orders the past month, the general level of business activity still remains sluggish. We don't see this changing until the regional banks’ liquidity issues get resolved and we have a better understanding of where the interest rates are going to settle.
• Our business in the Asian and U.S. markets is growing.
• Our outlook has increased primarily due to our internal efforts and investment in sales and marketing activities.
• Most businesses in our category will continue to assess market data and the potential for a modest rate cut before fully committing to any sort of accelerated growth. Employee wage increases and other associated costs (insurance, workers’ compensation) and the recent Department of Labor rule changes will impact growth.
• Indications are that there is a slowdown on the horizon, yet expenses are rising, including wages and benefits. Productivity in general is down significantly. People don't seem to want to work, and new hires need a lot of training.
• We have the fewest zoning cases for new multifamily dating back to before the Great Recession. Overall activity is low, as are filings across the board at the City of Dallas. If things are not in the pipeline now, the construction sector will feel this pain in 2025 and beyond. This is by far worse than during the pandemic. Dallas County is not a low-cost place to do business.
• The position we are intending to add is one that we have needed to add for many months. We're hoping to find an engineer. If we had more confidence in the market, we would probably add two or three positions. Right now, we feel that the third and fourth quarters are going to be weak. Some of this is due to uncertainty with the election. Some of our worries stem from strength of the economy.
• Election years are always turbulent.
• Way too many regulations. Many regulations do nothing but confuse our customers.
• Higher interest rates have significantly slowed demand for credit and loans. This translates into slower growth and lessened capital expenditures for our clients. Consumers are beginning to show effects of higher borrowing rates and inflation pressures, with increasing past-due loan payments and growing consumer debt.
• General economic indicators remain strong. Client activity is positive and improving. Staffing skilled positions remains challenging.
• Business in the last six weeks has softened. We are in one of our traditionally busiest periods, and we are experiencing a 10 to 15 percent decrease in business demand.
• Sales are starting to pick up. From September 2023 to the end of January 2024, sales were down relative to historical expectations, but February and March seem to be normalizing against historical averages. In discussions with other industry folks, the consensus is that the consumer now has the cost of inflation baked into their budget, so restaurant spending appears to be coming back.
• We are seeing some pressure from a national and global slowdown in West Texas, but it is being counteracted by an increase in oil prices. We believe overall the price of oil will outweigh the negative pressure from a national slowdown. There is not a clear winner right now, but the two combatting sides are making our forecast very unclear and unpredictable.
• Inflation is hurting our business. People cannot afford to buy the products they did before. We have many requests to fill smaller quantities of medications. Prices everywhere are too high.
• We think rates are still too high. Our company profits are still 35 percent lower than three years ago.
• A shakeout of the weak retailer is looming. Fixed costs are not able to be passed on in this environment.
• First quarter of 2024 will be more challenging than the prior year. January was a very soft market, February rebounded somewhat, and March is mixed. Volume is up, but margins shrink. Inventories are too high, and cost-to-carry at today's high interest rates creates double trouble. Grosses are down, expenses up, profits declining.
• New vehicle inventories are increasing at a dramatic rate, raising the cost of inventory financing considerably.
• Return to office and soft business travel continue to impact customer demand. Our cost of food and beverage continues to increase, although slightly slower. It’s the same for labor, not as much pressure to increase wages although continuing inflation is hurting our employees. Increases in selling prices may well be contributing to soft customer demand as well.
• Many new restaurants are opening in Houston. We are oversupplied. We expect many to close. Prices and wages are still high; guests are pushing back. New restaurants are busy; older ones not so much. Rents are still high but not really sustainable. It’s not a good time in our industry.

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The next phase of AI is here — and it's not looking pretty

• Generative AI just started a new phase. This one looks a little less pretty than the last.
• Many AI startups are starting to show signs of weakness after a period of immense bullishness.
• Inflection AI lost a cofounder to Microsoft, and other startups are struggling to generate revenue.

When the history of this decade's generative-AI years is finally written, this past month will probably mark the moment the industry had to start thinking twice about the hype.

Since the launch of ChatGPT , artificial-intelligence hype has been everywhere. AI-first companies have carried the Nasdaq. Billions of dollars have poured into startups at a clip. And luminaries such as Bill Gates have declared the technology as "revolutionary as mobile phones and the internet."

That euphoria may be harder to justify following a series of recent developments.

Startups that once raised billions of dollars have watered down ambitions. Hungry founders who talked up a big game have conceded to the powers of Big Tech. And the opportunity for everyone to make bank by simply saying "AI" seems less promising.

In other words, a new era has begun in which success is much less certain than it initially seemed.

AI companies run into hurdles

One of the more eye-opening developments of this new phase came last week from a barely two-year-old OpenAI rival named Inflection AI .

The startup announced that its cofounder Mustafa Suleyman , who also cofounded DeepMind, was leaving to head up a new AI unit at Microsoft. The business Suleyman started with the tech veteran Reid Hoffman was also de-prioritizing Pi — its ChatGPT competitor — for consumers.

It's not controversial to say this caused a bit of a shock in the AI community. Inflection, after all, was valued at $4 billion, having raised $1.3 billion as recently as June 2023 from the likes of Gates, Nvidia, and ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt .

At that time of the raise, the company was publicly exuding a lot of confidence about its AI, which aimed to make its chatbot, Pi, a "kind and supportive companion" to its users. Suleyman even saw it fit to tout personal AI as " the most transformational tool of our lifetimes ."

But now its leader and a bunch of top engineers and researchers have walked out the door. So much for that.

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But it has quickly become apparent that Inflection AI wasn't the only one struggling.

Stability AI , the $1 billion startup behind the AI image generator Stable Diffusion, announced on Friday that its CEO, Emad Mostaque, was stepping down. His reason for doing so? Apparently so he can "pursue decentralized AI."

The Information meanwhile reported that another OpenAI rival — this time Cohere, founded in 2019 by ex-Googlers — was generating only $13 million in annualized revenue by the end of last year.

Business Insider understands this has since increased to $22 million in March, following the launch of Cohere's new model Command-R. The company is understood to be in late-stage fundraising talks to raise more money at a $5 billion valuation.

What went wrong?

These companies have been some of the past year's most hotly discussed AI businesses. So what happened?

For one, as my colleague Ali Barr notes, AI has a bit of a consumer problem . In Inflection's case, its pivot to enterprise customers has come as Pi has barely managed to average 1 million daily users . That's not a fat lot when considering the scale of the consumer market.

Inflection was offering Pi as a free chatbot, though had been considering a paid-for subscription, Axios reported . How much traction that would have gained is hard to say in a market where all of its rivals offer a free-tier chatbot to entice the mass market.

Cohere tried to be smart about the consumer market by avoiding it altogether. Its focus has been enterprises from the get-go. But the fact it has taken time to boost revenue is a sign that buyer interest in enterprise-grade AI can be hit or miss.

Stability's Mostaque, meanwhile, seems to have conceded that Big Tech companies wield unassailable power in AI. In a post on X , he said centralized AI wasn't going to be beaten with "more centralized AI".

Not going to beat centralized AI with more centralized AI. All in on #DecentralizedAI Lots more 🔜 https://t.co/SbEF5zoo05 — Emad acc/acc (@EMostaque) March 23, 2024

But few stand-alone companies seem to be able to make headway in the field without the backing of a blue-chip player.

Stability, which raised funds from a collective of private investment specialists such as Coatue and Lightspeed Venture Partners, has struggled to get the backing of a Big Tech firm that its rivals have.

It may want one if it's serious about entering its " next phase of growth ." Self-describing as an AI company may not be enough to ensure success in this new era.

Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.

Watch: What is ChatGPT, and should we be afraid of AI chatbots?

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