By Megan Jones

Human Resources is one of the most complicated areas of business. Essentially, it’s the glue that keeps all employees working together. When people go to business schools and study HR, professors will give students information pretty much by the book. However, in the real business world, there are many more situations that you will encounter that may not have a textbook answer. With that being said, here are 10 HR lessons that your business professor never taught you. If after this list, you don’t feel more confident about HR, then you might want to consider getting out of HR.

1. It’s all about the people – Human Resources is a people-driven area of business. In order to do anything in HR, be it conflict resolution, or simply evaluating new hires, you have to focus on the people. Knowing that employees have many stresses and have many challenges in the workplace is quintessential to success in Human Resources. While it is important to follow company procedures in everything, having a personal touch is always valuable in HR. Sometimes HR persons have to carry out some of the most difficult tasks in business, such as downsizing. Having people skills can make these challenging tasks much more manageable.

2. Communication is essential – Communication is probably one of the most important skill sets any person in human resources has. Being able to communicate ideas successfully with other members of the company, as well as work on resolving any issues employees may have makes the entire process much simpler. For example, when confronted with a human resources violation, it is important to know how to say things in order to maintain neutrality, and not putting the company at risk. If you overhear employees entering into dangerous territory (like political discussions), knowing a cordial way to suggest a change of subject can be quite helpful.

3. Organization is the key to success – Some of the more negative people in business say that human resources is largely about paperwork. While this outlook is a bit harsh, it is important to have organization when completing HR paperwork. I’ve known people in HR who didn’t have developed organizational skills, and therefore had a hard time managing the demands placed upon them. If you are in charge of managing new hires, having organized files can make filtering through people much easier. Keeping things neat and organized can come in very handy when it comes time to bring up a specific incident report or employee file.

4. You aren’t the enemy – If you were to ask Michael Scott from The Office about HR professionals, he’d probably have some pretty mean things to say. It’s a stereotype that many people who haven’t had true business experience throw around. Human resources is not the enemy. Thinking negatively about your profession, or thinking that other people in the company view your role in a less-positive light is a recipe for disaster. The best suggestion is to realize that human recourses is there to help employees and make sure that everyone works together to help the company become more successful.

5. Always remain neutral – This is a tip that some HR professionals have had issues with. If there is a conflict, or a company policy violation, remaining neutral is of the utmost importance. Even if you may have had personal experience with the situation, keeping a level head and looking at things from an objective, company concerned point of view will make things go much more smoothly. If the HR representative cannot remain neutral, then the conflict will become much more complicated and could even lead to larger problems within the company.

6. If you can’t be neutral, ask for help – If you think neutrality will be an issue, then you should immediately seek a co-workers aid. Report the facts as you see them, and let someone else take the lead on resolving the conflict or reporting the violation. There’s no shame in removing yourself form a situation in which you feel you cannot be entirely impartial.

7. Stick to the facts – Human resources is concerned with facts. Gathering as much information as possible about every incident will ensure smoother and faster resolutions. Less successful persons in HR won’t “go the extra mile” in order to fact-check and interview all employees who may have been involved, or knew what happened. There’s nothing worse than submitting a review to your boss, only to have extremely important facts resurface sometime later. Being thorough with the essential elements of any incident can help you make sure you’re doing the best possible job.

8. Don’t jump to conclusions – It’s only natural for any human to come to their own conclusions on certain events. However, making a conclusion before a final report is released, or all the facts have been carefully analyzed is not a good idea. Depending on your company policy, you may have leeway to include some of your own opinions in an incident report. Keep in mind, though, that if you are going to take the risk in putting your opinion down on paper, you better have thought it through and analyzed all possibilities. There’s nothing more embarrassing than drawing a hasty conclusion that turns out to be woefully inaccurate.

9. It’s okay to be a stickler for rules – Some people think employees in human resources can sometimes be sticklers for rules. It’s okay to stick to company policy on everything. Adding a personal, genuine, human touch to certain situations can help, but your main focus should be doing things by the book. You want to be sensitive to the needs of employees, but you also want to follow policies faithfully.

10. Be aware of the “fishbowl” – If you are in human resources, you will unfortunately be held to a higher standard than other employees. If your job is to investigate violations, hire new employees, and resolve conflicts, then you shouldn’t have any company blemishes. For example, it would make it much more difficult to have employees take an HR representative seriously in a conversation about sexual harassment if the HR representative was often heard making crude jokes at the water cooler. Being in HR places you in a position to be seen differently by many people in the company. Being aware of your actions can ensure that when you do have to be the stickler for rules, no one can accuse you of double standards.

Human Resources is one of the most challenging areas of business to be in. You have to be a leader, know the rules, and deal with employees of all different backgrounds, who all have many different experiences. Once again, HR is essentially the glue that keeps employees together, and working smoothly. HR professors are great when it comes to teaching students the basics, but there’s a large amount of HR that simply cannot be learned in the classroom. Hopefully, with these tips in hand, you’ll be able to avoid some of the rookie mistakes other HR professionals make.
 

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Travel is an important part of business these days, but it’s often hard to stay productive when you’re away from the office. That’s why we’ve found compiled a list of 50 of the best web based and mobile device tools for productivity on the go. Use these tools, and you’ll be able to work wherever and whenever you need to.

Communication

The ability to stay in touch is one of the most important things to keep when you’re away from a traditional office. Put these tools to work and you’ll always be in the loop.

1. Skype: With Skype, you can keep the same telephone number wherever you are and save on long distance charges.
2. Earth Class Mail: This mail service will allow you to receive snail mail no matter where you are in the world. You’ll get a PO box, scanned images of the envelopes you receive, and the ability to open or trash whatever you receive.
3. MyQuire: This online collaboration tool includes lots of great features, all for free.
4. LiveMeeting: Using this hosted web conferencing service, you can conduct online meetings and events wherever you are.
5. Meebo: Stay in touch with multiple IM clients in this web based tool.
6. Highrise: Highrise allows you to handle your contacts in a shared setting, so you and your colleages will always know the status of important contacts.
7. Grand Central: Grand Central will give you one number that will ring on all of your phones and use one central box for voicemail.
8. SugarCRM: With SugarCRM, you’ll be able to stay on top of your customer relations online.

Storage

When you’re away from your office, you may not have all of the files you need available. Using these services, you can get access to the important information you need using only an internet connection.

9. Flickr: Flickr is one of the most popular and useful photo storage and sharing sites available, so it’s a great choice if you want to be able to access your images on the go.
10. GoToMyPC: GoToMyPC offers a way to remotely and securely access your PC from anywhere, and even control it remotely.
11. Jungle Disk: Powered by Amazon’s data centers, Jungle Disk has reliable and affordable online data storage.

Documents

For many students and workers, productivity means being able to work on documents, spreadsheets and office files. These tools will allow you to do just that in an online setting.

12. Zoho: Zoho’s suite of office tools offer a way to work on presenations, documents, spreadsheets, and more.
13. Google Docs: Google Docs allows you to upload and save files to your desktop, allow online collaboration and access, and share changes in real time online.
14. Open Office: In this open source productivity suite, you’ll be able to work on documents that are fully compatible with other major office suites.
15. Webnote: Webnote allows you to take notes using your web browser and save them online, so you can access your notes anywhere there’s an internet connection.

Organization

While you’re away from a traditional office, it’s easy to lose papers, sticky notes, and important thoughts, but with these tools you can keep everything safely stored and organized online.

16. I Want Sandy: Sandy will be your personal online assistant, sending you useful reminders and to dos for your day.
17. Basecamp: Make use of Basecamp, and you’ll be able to post and share documents, communicate, and stay on top of your to do lists.
18. Jott: Jott allows you to email yourself notes using just a phone call. The service is integrated with lots of other great tools, including I Want Sandy.
19. HTTrack: If you’ll be working offline, but need to use web pages, download them with HTTrack.
20. Google Calendar: Google’s online shareable calendar service is a great way to stay on top of your schedule while you’re out.
21. Toodledo: Toodledo offers an easy way to stay on top of your tasks in a really organized manner.
22. Remember the Milk: With Remember The Milk’s online to do list and task management, you can keep your tasks organized and easily at hand online and off.
23. Backpack: The Backpack tool will help you organize your business information and share it with your colleagues and classmates.

Finance

Keep tabs on your money while you’re away using these finance tools.

24. Mint: Keep all of your accounts in one easy to access space online using Mint’s service.
25. Paypal: This popular online payment system will allow you to pay and be paid using a credit card or checking account no matter where you are.
26. Wesabe: Keep your money under control with this online tool, and you’ll be able to take advantage of social finance as well.

Media

Use these tools to stay up to date with your media and news while you’re on the road.

27. Picnik: With Picnick’s online photo editing, you can fine tune your photos wherever you are.
28. Google Reader: Stay up to date with news, friends, and more using RSS feeds on Google Reader.

Travel & Navigation

Get around the easy way with these travel and navigation tools.

29. Google Maps: Google Maps makes it easy to find out how to get just about anywhere, and it integrates with a number of online and mobile tools.
30. TripIt: Use this online trip planner and itinerary website to get your travel organized from the web.

Device

It’s not always ideal to use a full featured computer when you’re away from the office, so make use of these tools that will help you use your mobile device to be productive and stay on top of your courses and projects.

31. WordBook: Using WordBook’s mobile dictionary, you can look up definitions from your smart phone, even inside of apps.
32. WorldMate: The WorldMate travel software makes it easy to stay on top of weather, currency, and other travel needs.
33. Mobipocket Reader: Mobipocket Reader will allow you to read news, ebooks, and more on your smart phone.
34. VOIP Buster: Use VOIP Buster to get free, high quality voice communications all over the world.
35. Mobile Wikipedia: Keep an encyclopedia in your pocket with the mobile version of the Wikipedia.
36. Fizz Traveler: Fizz Traveler is a great solution for staying on top of all your travel information and more.
37. Text Marks: Make your text messaging capabilities even better with the TextMarks service.
38. IR Remote: This tool will turn your phone into a universal remote control that can operate audio and video equipment.
39. PocketWeather: PocketWeather will make it easy for you to stay updated on weather reports wherever you are.
40. GeoPedia: GeoPedia offers the ability to find Wikipedia articles based on your geographic location.
41. RDM+: Use RDM+ to get remote access to your PC.
42. Orb: Using Orb, you can broadcast from your home PC.
43. Keep Track: Keep Track will help you with organized expense tracking, financial transactions, and accounts, so you’ll have your finances organized when you get back.
44. Evernote: Using Evernote, you can take notes that will sync with your desktop.
45. GooSync: Synchronize your mobile calendar and Google Calendar using GooSync.
46. 1 Calc: 1 Calc will put your installed calculator to shame with its currency converter, graphing, scientific calculations, and more.
47. Oxios: This to do list tool will sync with Microsoft Outlook on your desktop.
48. eOffice: Use eOffice, and you’ll be able to edit documents on your device and integrate with Google Docs.
49. Agenda One: Manage your time in a really organized way with Agenda One’s mobile time management solution.
50. ChatterEmail: ChatterEmail is a smartphone email tool that works with HTML and webmail clients.

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It’s an unfortunate part of the job universe. Sometimes people just have to get fired. Even if they are trying their hardest, it may just not be working out. Sometimes it gets even worse if you’re the one who has to do the firing, even though your boss is the one who wants it done. However, lamenting the pains of having to fire someone can be pretty boring. One way to spice things up (at least for yourself) is to come up with creative ways to fire someone. Most firings today are done with emotion and “concern” for the person being fired.  However, I feel that if the firing experience is unique, the now jobless former-employee may never forget it, and truly focus on being a better worker. At the very least, you can have a good laugh about your crazy antics with the other managers at the office. So without further adieu, here are 30 creative ways to fire someone.

1. The Geico Technique – Sure it’s been done in movies, but it would be even more hilarious in a real-life firing situation. Simply ask the person being fired into your office, and tell him that you’ve got bad news and good news. If they ask for the bad news first (which we hope they do), you can tell them they’re fired. If they then ask for the good news, you guessed it; “I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.” However, if they say what’s the good news you must use a different technique.

2. The Fake Promotion – If your about-to-be-canned employee asks for the good news first, you can say, “you’re getting a promotion!” Then be sure to add in a bunch of perks to the promotion, quote a new salary if you have to. If they ever ask “really?” or when you’ve decided enough’s enough, simply get a straight deadpan face and say, “just kidding, you’re actually fired.” Your employee’s face sure will be red!

3. The Yoda Technique – Speak normally, and tell them all the things wrong with their performance, etc. Just when you’re getting to the part where you tell them they are now jobless, switch into a Yoda voice and say “Fired, you are!” and then give them a complimentary DVD of the original Star Wars trilogy (don’t give them the new episodes, they’ve just been fired, remember!?).

4. The Unemployment Line – Ask the employee to go for a ride with you. Then, you drive them right to the unemployment offices. Be sure not to talk to them the whole time. Then, when you get there, throw them out of the car and drive off. They’ll get the message.

5. You’re Fired Candy Gram – Who doesn’t love candy grams!? Nothing says “you’re fired” like a nice box of chocolates delivered with a song to someone’s office/cubicle. Make sure the song mentions all the things that they have done wrong during their employment, or else they won’t get the message.

6. The Marty McFly Fax – In Back to the Future Part II, Marty McFly (the main character) gets fired by his boss via a fax that simply reads “YOU’RE FIRED.” This is a simple, brilliant idea. You could also change it to an e-mail if you were so inclined.

7. The Google Bomb Firing – Yes, Google Bombs are much harder (okay, near impossible) to do now. However, if you know someone is going to get fired months in advance. I suggest spending millions of dollars Google Bombing their name to bring up dictionary.com’s definition for “unemployed.” Won’t it be a laugh when they come in one day and you tell them to Google their name?

8. Fired During a Fire Drill, or Real Fire – I don’t think anyone has ever made the connection, but it’s such a great pun that you almost have to do it. Schedule a fire drill, or perhaps set a real fire (although I wouldn’t recommend it) in your office. As everyone is running around panicking (or calmly congregating outside, depending on your fire alarm method), get on a megaphone and say “This is a fire (drill) because [employee’s name] is FIRED!” Everyone will probably have such a hearty chuckle, it could be worth the thousands of dollars worth of damage.

9. Give the Employee an Atomic Fireball During the Firing – Another pun with equally humorous results. When the employee comes into your office, offer them an atomic fireball. If they accept it, and enjoy it, ask them “do you like atomic fireballs?” When they respond, “yes”, you can then say “great because you’re fired!” and subsequently throw several more Atomic Fireballs at them.

10. Pig Latin Irefay – Fire the person in pig Latin. I’m not quite sure how it would go exactly, but the employee won’t be either. It would definitely be more effective to conduct the entire meeting in Pig Latin, ending with an emphatic, "Ou’reyay Iredfay!" Eventually they’ll figure it out though when their security clearance is revoked so they can’t come into work. Or you can just direct them to a pig latin translator.

11. Just Stop Paying Them – The Office Space technique can really work wonders. It avoids confrontation and is amusing to observe. Just stop paying your employee without ever telling them that they’re fired. Be sure to have payroll refer the employee to you and you refer the employee to payroll. Making office pools for how long it takes before the employee realizes he/she is fired is another positive outcome of this technique.

12. Have IT Change Their Password – You can be very creative by having IT change the employee’s computer password to “imfired” or “unemployed.” When they go to ask what the new password is, they’ll have quite the surprise on their hands!

13. Make Your Kids Fire Them – Who knew that bring your son/daughter to work day could actually have value for the company. Simply have your kids do all the firings for the day. The fired employees won’t feel so bad when they’re firing comes from an adorable child. Kids do say the darndest things!

14. Fired Fruit Basket – People usually send fruit baskets for appreciation. Why not change the entire meaning of a fruit basket by sending a fruit basket with a “You’re Fired” card? Even though the employee will still be upset, at least they get some fruit out of it.

15. Donald Trump Himself – Depending on your commitment to unique firings, you could decide to pay Donald Trump to come say “you’re fired” to the employee. Make sure Trump is hiding in a closet or under a desk to provide extra surprise.

16. Fake Murder Fired – Set up the meeting with the soon-to-be jobless employee. Then, make your office look like the spot of a violent murder. Sprawling out on the floor with loads of professional movie-quality makeup making it look like you’ve had your throat slashed or something horrid is a great idea. When your employee comes in, they may decide to scream or call for help. Be sure to then jump up and yell “just kidding, I’m not dead, but you sure are fired!”

17. Window Washer Drama – If the employee has a nice office with a window, simply give a nice piece of paper to the window washer that reads, “you’re fired!”

18. Fake Kidnapping Firing – Call your employee up and claim to have their loved ones. Spouse, child, or both is usually the most effective. Demand a ransom, and when they agree to it simply say “Just kidding, it’s me, and you can’t afford that ransom anyway, because you’re fired.”

19. Scoreboard Firing – Your company may have box seats to several venues. Invite the employee to come to a game. At the opportune time, have them look as the scoreboard flashes “You’re Fired!” over and over. Although, funnier things have been seen on scoreboards.

20. Hire Before Fire – Hire the employee’s replacement BEFORE they are fired. Be sure to give the replacement the former-employees office. When the old employee comes in and sees a new employee in his office/cubicle, hilarity is sure to ensue.

21. Arm Wrestle for the Job – Invite your employee into your office, then challenge them to an arm wrestling match. If they lose, they lose their job. However, if they win, they get a raise. Even if they lose, you can still fire them, which is funny because you just made them waste time and energy arm-wrestling you before the inevitable canning.

22. Make an Human Resources Employee Do It – On second thought, I think that’s a bit mean. No one should ever have to talk to HR.

23. The Tricky Business Birthday Cake – At the office, there will often be cakes when someone has a birthday. If someone who is going to be fired also has a birthday coming up, give them a “you’re fired” cake. Everyone can have a laugh, and the person being fired still gets a cake out of it.

24. Elaborate Office Musical Number – Shows like Family Guy often break out into musical numbers at random times. If you’re going to fire someone, what better time then to start singing? Getting the whole office involved is a great way to build a stronger team through ostracizing one of the former members via music!

25. The James Bond Theme Firing – When the employee enters your office, make sure some James Bond music is playing softly in the background. Also make sure you have a huge captains chair and you’re facing the window away from the office door (preferably smoking a Cigar). Spin around slowly and say “Well [employee’s name], I’ve been expecting you…” You can then go into the whole firing speech. A little theatrics can go a long way when firing someone.

26. The Show and Tell Surprise – Oftentimes kids have special “what my parents’ jobs are” show-and-tell days. Find out when your employee has such a day, and then surprise him or her at their children’s school. When they are giving the presentation about their job, be sure to jump in and inform them that they no longer have that job. Feel free to stick around and see what they say to the little wide-eyed children.

27. Massive E-Mail Oops – E-mail the employee informing them of the decision and the reasons behind it. Accidentally CC the entire company for added hilarity.

28. You’re Fired Tattoo – This idea is great because it could be used many times. Tattoo “You’re Fired” somewhere on your body. The more creative the body part that it is tattooed on, the more interesting every firing will be. Personally, I feel the buttocks would be the most amusing spot.

29. Silly String Canning – When the employee comes into your office, use a can of Silly String to cover them, and then spell “You’re Fired” out on one of the walls (assuming you have enough Silly String left over). If the person looks confused or asks what’s going on, you get to say “you’ve just been canned!” Just make sure Silly String isn’t banned in your town.

30. Have Their Car Impounded – Again, if you’re going for a lest controversial, yet equally hilarious firing, you can always have their car impounded. Be sure the tow truck operate knows why the car is getting impounded. How many people can actually say they were informed that they were jobless by a guy working at an impound yard? I’d venture to say not many!

So there you have it, 30 unique ways to fire someone. Firings don’t always have to be dull. Making the firing as devastating as possible is a great way to add some spice to the otherwise monotonous business world. Of course, if you’re actually planning on firing someone, I suggest you don’t follow any of these suggestions, since most people would probably get pretty upset.

 

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When starting any business, there are certain intangibles one should have. Creativity, a solid work ethic, the ability to organize, modify, and stick with plans, and general business knowledge can all go an extremely long way when setting up a business. However, growing that business requires these skills and more. Open courseware is one of the greatest things to happen to education in recent memory. With open courseware, it is possible for persons to learn more and improve their careers. For business, courseware cam help you learn new ways to grow a specific business. While there are many instinctual elements to entrepreneurship, knowing theory, techniques, new innovations, and other solid business strategies can give a much needed edge over competition in whatever specific industry you may be in. With this idea in mind, there are a variety of options for free open courseware that can help you grow your business.

1. Economics Interactive Tutorials – This course is lead by Dr. Samuel L. Baker, at the University of South Carolina. This class concerns the basics of economics, which is something that is very essential to growing a business. If there’s no demand for your product, don’t over supply.

2. Introduction to Marketing – For the Entrepreneur who may not have had any marketing experience.

3. Economics Lecture Notes – Professor Brad DeLong, Berkeley University makes his in depth Economics 101 lecture notes available to all. They come in both .doc and HTML versions. DeLong also has a macroeconomics page.

4. Marketing Strategy – If you are trying to seriously grow a business, you need to think outside of the box. This course is strongly recommended for entrepreneur, and anyone who has goals to see their business expand.

5. Environmental and Natural Resources Economics – This course is taught by Steve Hackett, at Humboldt State University, Taking a look at trends, going green is a fantastic business decision. Learning about economics and natural resources, via lecture slides that go in depth on the topic.

6. Introduction to the Study of Language – The economy is global, and businesses wanting to have success can increase their reach by having knowledge of other languages. In fact, as countries become more diverse, this discipline will become even more important. Keeping that in mind, Professor Philippe Schlenker’s UCLA class would be a good choice.

7. Mandarin Chinese – If the market is Global, its heart is moving to China. If the Beijing 2008 games aren’t enough to convince you, consider the sheer growth of China’s economy year over year. Learning Mandarin Chinese via The Free Online Language portal would be a great decision for your business. If you want to grow, expanding into China is the next logical step. Knowing Mandarin Chinese can give you a leg up on the competition.

8. Business Law – You can’t expect to go far in your business if you don’t understand Law. If you’re trying to grow your business, you may have to do it via mergers or acquisitions. Understanding the law behind this can help you significantly.

9. Globalization, Migration, and International Relations – This is another course that can build off of the idea that expanding your business can be done internationally.

10. Economic Analysis of Law – Another business and law related course that can help you navigate the sometimes-complicated business laws that exist.

11. Computing, Audio, and Music – If you think you can’t expand a business without investing time in technologies. Being proficient at computing, as well as any alternative technologies can give you an edge over the competition.

12. Taxes and Business Strategy – Taxes are part of any business. You can always hire someone to help you, but knowing a little about taxes can also be extremely helpful. Business strategy is, once again, something solid to have a background in if you have lofty goals for your organization.

13. Language and Mind – Depending on how in-depth you wish to get in your language knowledge, this course can be very useful for further expanding your understanding of other languages. The goal in taking such a course would be top increase fluency to a point where it is quite the boost to your business.

14. Modern Technology – Offered by the University of Winnipeg, this is another technology class that can make sure you are always with the times when it comes to technology and your business.

15. Sociology – Some may wonder what sociology has to do with business. Sociology can be a tremendously useful when trying to reach customers with the end-goal of growing the business.

16. Principals of Microeconomics – A basic course that helps to give the foundation for Microeconomics.

17. Principals of Macroeconomics – Another basic course that helps to give the foundation for Macroeconomics.

18. Entrepreneurial Finance – Knowing the financial aspects from an entrepreneur context can really help your business. Business is a lot more than revenue minus expenses equals profit.

19. Business Analysis Using Financial Statements – Being able to analyze where your business has come from and where it’s going is one of the best things you can do. In order to grow your business you need to be able to assess what has worked, and what could be improved. Some people think analytics to be a lost art form. Get a leg up on the competition by proving them wrong.

20. Information Technology Essentials – Going off of other technology courses, learning IT can be quite the boon to one’s fledgling business. Discovering new ways to be organized, meet goals, make goals, and generally interact with your customers can certainly help your business grow by leaps and bounds.

Growing a business isn’t impossible. While it is an extremely daunting task, if you have the knowledge, it can be much, much easier to do. Taking some of these free open courseware classes can provide you with that essential knowledge. If one were to ask Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, or another highly successful business person what he could change about his path, he or she might mention wanting to have had more business-centric knowledge before embarking on risky business ventures. Get a leg up on the competition with superior knowledge, and you’ll find it was worth it to donate your time to free open courseware.
 

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The Internet is full of great resources for current and future CPAs to keep up with the latest in their industries and in the world of finance. With so much information at your fingertips, why not take advantage of it? You may just learn something new or find advice on topics you’ve been struggling with. Here are 50 great accounting blogs to check out to learn the ins and outs of the accounting field.

General

Give these blogs a read for great general coverage of topics in accounting.

1. A Passion for Business: Axiom CPA publishes this blog which gives advice and information on consulting and general issues in accounting.
2. Beancounter Magic: Both entrepreneurs and those looking to get started in business can get informed on this blog which offers opinions on accounting, taxes and business.
3. Number Insights: This accounting blog focuses on taxes, but also covers a wide range of other issues.
4. Periodic Ramblings of a CPA: Chad Bordeaux, a CPA, shares his thoughts on accounting issues in this blog as well as a host of other topics.
5. Skeptical CPA: This CPA from Texas covers news issues in his blog as well as providing his own life lessons for other CPAs to learn from.
6. Where Every Penny Matters: Written by a Florida CPA, in this blog you’ll find news about the latest in accounting, tax issues, and much more to help you learn the things you need to know about managing money.
7. Re: The Auditors: Those with an interest in business accounting, more specifically auditing, will find some valuable news and views in this blog.
8. The Solo Accountant Reporter: Check out this blog for some great managerial and forensic accounting tips and advice.
9. Understand Accounting: If you don’t have the attention span to read long blog entries, check out this site. It specializes in explaining accounting issues in "mercifully brief" form.
10. Accounting for What’s Next: Accounting firm Gainer, Donnelly & Desroches puts out this blog which covers important issues facing accountants all over the US.
11. Accountants Round Up: This blog from Golden Marketing brings together all kinds of news and commentaries to give accountants some interesting reading material.
12. Footnoted*org: If you have a special interest in the crazy things companies try to bury in their SEC filings, give this blog a read. You’ll find out some interesting business facts and learn what questionable accounting practices some businesses may be involved in.
13. Life and Times of Accounting: This accounting firm’s blog provides humorous commentary, raises issues about tax filings and much more.
14. The Accounting Blog: Vanilla Accounting posts entries on this blog which deal with everything from advice on selling a business to rules for independent contractors.

For Accountants By Accountants

Students and financially-minded individuals can get great advice and insight from accountants on these blogs.

14. A Counting School: A young Canadian Chartered Account talks about his struggles to pass his exams and pursue a career thereafter in this blog.
15. AccMan: This blog is written by an accountant with over 30 years experience in IT finance. You’ll find advice on how to use new technologies to drive client value in your own accounting business.
16. Accountant Jokes and Fun: Accountant Mark Lee provides a little comic relief in this blog, filled with jokes and humorous anecdotes just for accountants.
17. Ambitious Accountants: Mark Lee and the Tax Advice Network put out this blog, which provides tax accountants with the information they need to efficiently and thoroughly complete their clients’ taxes.
18. Big4Guy: This Big 4 consultant shares his advice and experiences in an effort to help out other accountants and those interested in taking a variety of security certification examinations.
19. CPA Marketing Center Blog: Blogger David Rachford posts on this blog, designed to provide tax accountants with new ways they can build and market their businesses.
20. The EyeShade: Check out this blog by auditor Mark Ramos. It provides posts on the latest news in the finance world and aims to give accountants ideas to spark their imaginations.
21. Innovative Practice Management: Accountants can get advice and ideas on managing their practices from this helpful blog.

Professors and Students

Whether you’re in school or just want an academic perspective, these blogs can provide helpful reading material.

23. Tick Marks: Dan Meyer, accounting faculty in Tennessee, writes this blog filled with information on accounting, taxation and personal finance for CPAs and non-CPAs alike.
24. Tax Prof Blog: Charles Hartsock, law professor at the University of Cincinnati, writes this blog which focuses on the legal issues surrounding tax matters.
25. CPA Pledge: Accounting student Jim chronicles his experience working to become an accountant in this blog.
26. Exam Cram Blog: Students studying for their CPA exam can find loads of tips from Priscilla Jenkins, a student currently working towards taking and passing the exam.
27. The Journey to Success: This blog covers a range of issues including personal finance and accounting, but also offers tips for students trying to pass the CPA exam.
28. Accounting Coach: Maintained by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater professor Harold Averkamp, this blog provides loads of information that can be helpful to students and professional accountants alike.

Associations and Professional Literature

These professional organizations’ blogs for accountants can provide some great information.

29. Alex Malley: This blog is put out by the president of CPA Australia and offers information on conferences, general accounting issues and more.
30. CPA Success: Check out this blog from the Maryland Association of CPAs. You’ll get tips on managing your own finances and building your accounting business.
31. NYSSCPA Blog: The New York State Society of CPAs provides numerous articles and tips on a wide range of accounting issues in this blog.
32. TSCPA Governmental Affairs Blog: Keep up with what’s going on in the news related to accounting and finance in this blog from the Texas Society of CPAs.
33. AGA Weblog: If government accountability is your area of interest, check out this blog from the AGA. You’ll get insightful commentary on the latest issues.
34. The AAO Weblog: While you’ll need a subscription to read all of the content on this site, the Accounting Observer puts out loads of articles that can be of great interest to those in the accounting field.

Taxes

Taxes can be the bread and butter of many accountants’ businesses and you’ll find tips and information about them in these great blogs.

35. Tax Tips Blog: CPA Gina Gwodz provides little tips that can help you improve the amount you get back on tax returns.
36. Tax Guru: Kerry M. Kerstetter, CPA, provides news tidbits and his own commentary to help business owners get the most back from their taxes.
37. Our Taxing Times: This blog deals with tax laws, US taxes and tax preparation.
38. Taxable Talk: Russ Fox of Clayton Financial and Tax uses this blog to give advice and insight on the current state of taxes in the US.
39. TaxMama’s TaxQuips: You’ll find daily audio clips and other tips on this site dedicated to helping small businesses with their taxes.
40. Tax Update Blog: Firm Roth and Company puts out this blog which updates accountants about the latest news in tax accounting.

Niche Accounting

Whether it’s technology or bankruptcy, these blogs focus on special areas of business and accounting.

41. InsolvencyAccounting: Chris Laughton of Mercer & Hole writes this blog which deals with numerous issues in bankruptcy accounting in the UK.
42. Business Valuation Blog: Blogger and CPA Eva Lang posts valuable sites, comments and news articles on this blog to help businesses determine just how much they’re worth.
43. Accounting Thoughts: If your interests lie in forensic accounting and fraud investigation check out this blog by Joel Ungar.
44. Islamic Finance Blog: Price Waterhouse Coopers provides this blog which delves into the latest financial issues facing Islamic countries in the Middle East and beyond.
45. Abacus: Get loads of tips on using computer programs to track and manage accounting information in this blog.
46. Energized Accounting: Learn how to get the most out of the software you’re using to do your accounting with a little help from the advice in this blog.
47. Financial Systems and Business Intelligence: Get some insight into the most common financial systems and ways you can use them more effectively in this blog.
48. The Tech Gap: Explore the areas where technology and accounting intersect in this blog written by CPA and tech expert Gregory LaFollette.
49. From Greg’s Head: Greg Price of PKF Texas writes this blog which follows the latest in accounting and technology trends.
50. CPA Firm Technology Blog: CPA and technology advisor, Brian Tankersley gives you some ideas on how to use technology better in your accounting practice.

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LinkedIn is a fantastic business resource. Maintaining your profile can open up many career opportunities, and be helpful in ways you may have never even thought of. Every person in business, and every student in business should have a LinkedIn profile. If you think you don’t, hopefully your views will change by the end of this post. So, without further introduction, here are 10 ways you can use LinkedIn that you may not have considered.

1. Learn more about your employer’s work ethic – With resumes and references, employers always get to go into potential employee’s lives and learn more. With LinkedIn YOU can actually learn about your employer. Any job is a mutual relationship, and so while they evalute you, you should evaluate them. LinkedIn allows this to occur.

2. Market yourself to potential employers – To be honest you probably knew LinkedIn could help you with this. Updating your LinkedIn profile is essential to helping you get more job opportunities. The best thing you can do is make sure your profile is clean and presents you in the best light possible

3. Introduce yourself to new people in your industry – Every industry is different. Someone is not just in business. You are in marketing, finance, accounting, etc.  Linked in can help connect you with other people in your area. Wether you meet someone new who can set up a meeting with a potential employer, or if you just make a new connection that can be helpful if you need advice, LinkedIn can help connect you to your industry in a way you never thought of.

4. Join industry groups to meet new people and help potential employers find you – On LinkedIn, you can further imbed yourself in your industry by joining industry groups. This is another great way LinkedIn can help you meet other professionals or students who have new experiences and insight to offer. Additionally, recruiters often go through groups to seek out talent. You certainly want to be there.

5. Let people know what you look like – Some people like to have a face to the person they are looking to potentially hire. Linked in allows you to post a picture of yourself on your profile. Be sure to pick a flattering, professional picture, because recruiters WILL look at it.

6. Rekindle old friendships, and old connections – The sheer amount of people on LinkedIn is staggering. If you lose contact with someone, chances are you might be able to meet them again on LinkedIn. The ability to reconnect with your peers is one of the greatest features of LinkedIn. Some people even think LinkedIn can be used as an espionage tool!

7. Meet members of the opposite sex – Okay so LinkedIn isn’t INTENDED for you to meet a potential love interest, but you could use it that way. There are thousands upon thousands of profiles, and it would be a good way to make sure you meet someone who has at least similar work interests. Or, perhaps, if you have a particular affinty for one profession, you could use LinkedIn to achieve that end.

8. Find out who at your workplace went to a rival school – When gameday approaches, it’s nice to know who will be rooting against your team, so you can gloat to them at the office the next day. Using LinkedIn, you can find out if your quiet coworker went to your schools chief rival. For example, if you are an Ohio State grad, finding all the Michigan grads is a great way to have good watercooler conversations the Monday after a win.

9. Get recommended by peers – Recommendations are one of the best parts of LinkedIn. You can get reccomennded by peers which looks great in the eyes of potential employers, and potential customers depending on what type of business or field you are in. I talked to someone who once was recommended on both a blog and in his LinkedIn profile. Talk about great exposure!

10. Keep yourself occupied at work – While LinkedIn is supposed to be for improving your career, you can also use it to procrastinate. Updating your profile while you are at work is not the best idea if your boss is around, but if you have significant downtime between projects, then there’s no problem in making sure your profile makes you look like the hardest, most dillligent worker.

LinkedIn is a very valuebale resource for any professional, but especially those in the business sphere. A lot of business is purely about connections. LinkedIn is the ultimate place to get connected. You can find people who you havent seen or worked with in years, and meet new peoiple who can help you advance your career. LinkedIn can be a fantastic resource, if you use it correctly. However, you may not have thought of some of these interesting ways you can use it. In fact, there are even LinkedIn applications that allow you to check it from places other than your computer. You don’t want to be the person who doesn’t get hired because you didn’t have connections. So if you haven’t already, go make your profile, and start connecting in ways you never thought possible. If these aren’t enough ways to use LinkedIn for you, there are others who have come up with more great ways to use LinkedIn.
 

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Many of the best and the brightest in the field of business can be found teaching at universities around the world. Besides enrolling in one of these schools, you can reap the benefits of their knowledge by visiting their blogs where they discuss the topics that they know best. From management to marketing and everything in between, these blogs by business professors offer a wealth of information for anyone to take just by stopping by for a read.

Technology

These professors write about the impact of technology on business in these blogs that offer topics on sustainable technology, innovation, and more.

1. The Impact of Information Technology (IT) on Businesses and their Leaders. Written by Andrew McAfee, a professor at Harvard Business School, this blog features technology as it pertains to business.
2. Harga-Blog. Andrew Hargadon writes about technology innovation and management with an emphasis on sustainable technology. Recent topics include innovation and entrepreneurship, smart design, and a discussion of what makes a good idea.
3. Technology and Organizations. Terri Griffith, from Santa Clara University, takes a look at technology and its application in organizations in her blog.
4. Eric Goldman. This law professor writes about technology and marketing on his blog, which covers Internet law and news, copyright and technology, and more.
5. Open IT Strategies. Joel West writes about IT and business with a focus on creating business models.
6. Karim R. Lakhani’s Infrequent Musings. This Harvard professor blogs about technological innovation here.
7. billso.com. Read about "management, mobile computing, and information systems" in this Hawaii Pacific University professor’s blog. Recent posts have included Google apps, time management, and Scrabulous on Facebook.

Management

Whether managing individuals or managing the business of business, these professors’ blogs share their insight and knowledge on the field of management.

8. Random Rantings. Freek Vermeulen, from London Business School, writes on strategy, competition, and more as it pertains to management.
9. Robert Salomon. This professor from Stern School of Business features posts on corporate strategy, the economy, and more.
10. Tom Davenport The Next Big Thing. A professor at Babson College, Tom Davenport blogs about management innovations.
11. Gary Hamel. This professor has two landmark management books on the market and blogs about that topic here.
12. Bob Sutton: Work Matters. This writer and professor blogs about management and leadership.
13. Management Professor Notes II. Read Sandy Piderit’s posts about management and the workplace.
14. Work-Related Blogs and News. This lecturer at Heriot-Watt’s School of Management and Languages writes about the workplace and blogging. He also includes an impressive list of workplace blogs organized by profession.
15. Management R&D. This blog is co-written by two professors who look at management strategy, economics, and more.
16. The Business of America is Business. Starling David Hunter blogs about various topics as they relate to American business practices. Some recent posts have covered leadership retreats, Wal-Mart, divorce, gas, and farmer’s aid.

Economics and Finance

From the economy of sports to the impact of traffic on the economy, these blogs offer a wide range of information from some of the best professors in the field.

17. Grasping Reality with Both Hands: The Semi-Daily Journal Economist Brad DeLong. This popular blog, written by an economy professor from U.C. Berkeley, features posts about the economy with a heavy dose of politics.
18. Financial Literacy and Ignorance. Annamaria Lusardi at Dartmouth writes about personal finance and how much (or how little) most people know about it.
19. Pat Utomi’s Musings. Running for President of the African Democratic Congress, this professor at Lagos Business School-Pan African University writes about economics as well as discusses his platform.
20. Professor Andrade’s Comments on Business, Economics, and Finance. This professor discusses the trade deficit, tax cuts, and more on this blog.
21. ProfessorVC. This professor of entrepreneurial finance blogs about business and other interests.
22. Carpe Diem. Mark J. Perry writes about gas prices, real estate bubbles, and more on this popular blog.
23. Division of Labour. This collaborative blog is written by several professors and focuses on economics.
24. The Transportationist. David Levinson and the Nexus Research Group on Networks, Economics, and Urban Systems write about topics such as traffic congestion, economic impact of traffic improvements, and bridge safety.
25. Organizations and Markets. Four professors from America and Europe collaborate on this blog which touches on various aspects of economics.
26. Conservation Finance. The title says it all for this blog written by Lars Christian Smith.
27. CoreEconomics. Written by Melbourne Business School’s Joshua Gans, this blog looks at economics and a few other topics as well.
28. The Wages of Wins Journal. These three professors of economics look at the economics of sports in this blog, which is a companion piece to their book The Wages of Wins.
29. The Borjas Blog. Professor George Borjas specializes in labor economics and blogs about immigration and labor around the world.
30. Economist’s View. Mark Thoma writes such topics as economic growth, financial markets, speculation and bubbles, and more on his economy blog.

Marketing

From India to France to America, these marketing blogs focus on the effects of marketing on global business.

31. John Quelch Marketing KnowHow. This professor from Harvard Business School discusses global marketing.
32. Marketing Practice. This marketing professor in India blogs about Indian brands.
33. Dr. Neil Hair. This professor writes about marketing and the Internet and also has some lectures on his blog.
34. Cyberstrat. Polish up on your French before visiting this blog by Professor Jean-Claude Morand where he writes about marketing, and particularly how it pertains to and the Internet and technology.
35. Ping!. Yuping Liu teaches marketing at Old Dominion and uses this blog to discuss how marketing, technology, and consumer psychology work together.
36. Marketing Profs Daily Fix. This collaborative blog discusses topics that range from social media, to Starbucks to stevia.

Strategy, Leadership, and Innovation

Professors sharing their knowledge and ideas about strategy, leadership, and innovation in these blogs from professors at some of the top schools in the world.

37. Rita McGrath Dynamic Strategies. This professor from Columbia Business School looks at innovation and entrepreneurship on her blog.
38. John Sviokla The Near Futurist. Management and innovation feature highly in this blog by a professor from Kellogg School of Management.
39. Stew Friedman Better Leader, Richer Life. Leadership is the topic on this University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School professor’s blog.
40. Michael Watkins The Leading Edge. From IMD in Switzerland, this professor looks at leadership and strategy in his blog.
41. Professor Michael Roberto’s Blog. This professor from Bryant University focuses on leadership in his blog with topics such as global vs. local, airline services, and Anheuser Busch.
42. Ed Batista. This leadership coach at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business writes about leadership and management with a good dose of technology.
43. Outlook for Change. Change management is the focus of this blog that takes a look at innovation among businesses and organizations.

Blogs on Various Topics

These blogs range from sustainable business to international subjects and all offer the wisdom and experience of the professors who write them.

44. BizDeans Talk. These deans of business school write about business school education in this collaborative blog.
45. Chris Knudsen on Life and Business. This adjunct instructor at Westminster College blogs on several aspects of business, as well as his family.
46. Kellogg Insight. This blog features the latest research of the professors at Kellogg School of Management.
47. sustainable business design. Written by N.E. Landrum, this blog approaches business from the perspective of sustainability and shows how this type of business makes good sense economically and socially.
48. B V Krishnamurthy Bangalore Calling. This professor from India discusses international business with a strong emphasis on India and the U.S. on this blog.
49. Santiago Iniguez. The dean at the international IE Business School blogs about the the school and education in this blog with posts in both English and Spanish.
50. Yoko Ishikura’s Blog. This professor in Japan writes about business in the global community. Her blog is in Japanese as well as English.

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If you are considering going into business for yourself and using the Internet as your vehicle, then you will want to ensure you have the best background possible to make your venture a success. With open courseware readily available, there is no reason why you can’t provide the knowledge for yourself that many business students gain from some of the top universities in the world. The following open courseware selections will give you the edge when it comes to knowing about business.

Marketing

Every entrepreneur needs to know about marketing if he intends his business to become popular enough to make it. These courses will help you learn what you need to know about marketing.

1. Introduction to Marketing. An excellent place to start for those just starting out in marketing, this course covers all the basics.
2. Marketing Management. This introductory course offers a basic overview of the concepts of marketing and is a great place to start before moving to more advanced marketing courses.
3. Marketing Strategy. This course looks at marketing in conjunction with the strategy for a company as a whole. The course is recommended for entrepreneurs, consultants, project managers, and investment analysts.
4. Entrepreneurial Marketing. Focusing on the general concept of marketing problems, this course examines basic marketing and new venture issues to help the student learn to have a better understanding for her specific needs.
5. Special Seminar in Marketing: Marketing Management. Teaching students the basics of marketing ideas and phenomena as well as honing students’ abilities for market analysis and planning are the high points of this seminar.
6. Strategic Marketing Management. Understanding the market (rather than the customer) is the focus of this course, which will teach the skills necessary to complete a marketing research survey.
7. Listening to the Customer. This is the companion course to Strategic Marketing Management where the needs of the customers are examined in terms of marketing.
8. e-Marketing. This course, in Spanish, teaches about marketing on the Internet as well as using it in conjunction with more traditional marketing techniques.
9. Marketing Communications As a Strategic Function. This course covers the basic arguments for marketing communications as an important strategy, the changing role of communications, and customer preferences.
10. The Market-led Organization. Looking at both understanding marketing orientation and managing a market-led organization, this course examines the benefits of market-led organization.

Finance

From how to gain capital in the early stages of your business venture to learning about investments and equity finance, these courses will help you get a handle on anything financial.

11. Early Stage Capital. This course offers lessons on start-ups and early stage capital generation with a focus on building relationships with investors and advisors.
12. Entrepreneurial Finance. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists will benefit from this course that looks at raising money for technology-based companies and the early stages of development.
13. The financial markets context. This course examines financial markets as well as the Efficient Markets Hypothesis.
14. Financial Management. Take a look at corporate finance and capital markets in this course, which relies heavily on using empirical research in managerial decisions.
15. Investments. With an analytical approach, this course teaches how to make sound financial investment decisions based on financial theory and empirical evidence.
16. Equity Finance. Learn all about equity in both the public and private sector in this course that brings a decidedly international flair to the information.
17. Introduction to the context of accounting. Learn all the basics of accounting in this course.
18. Business Analysis Using Financial Statements. The purpose of this course is to prepare the student to successfully use financial statements as a tool to understand and place a value on businesses.
19. Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning. Getting personal finances in order and planning for the future has an impact on your business as an entrepreneur. Learn the basics to get you off to a great financial start with this course.
20. Investment Risk. This course focuses on risk aversion, qualifying risk, risk factors, and discounted cash flow and the net present value rule.

Economics

Knowing the basics and beyond when it comes to economics will give you a huge lead in business. These courses cover everything from introductory courses to statistics for economics to economics for managers.

21. Introduction to Economics. This course offers the basics in economics with topics such as the history and principals of economics, public vs. private sectors of the U.S. economy, and more.
22. Introduction to Statistical Method in Economics. If you plan to know much about economics, you must have a solid foundation in statistics in order to make sense of the data you will be reviewing. This class provides the tools you need specifically to analyze economic data.
23. Economic Analysis for Business Decisions. This course examines the topic of microeconomics and teaches basic analytic tools to help the student make smart economic decisions.
24. Principles of Microeconomics. This is a great basic course to get a foundation for the concept of microeconomics.
25. Principles of Macroeconomics. Focusing on macroeconomics in the U.S. as well as other economies, this course provides the basics in macroeconomics.
26. Behavioral Economics and Finance. This course looks at a wide variety of topics that incorporate psychology into economics.
27. Applied Economics for Managers. Examining the results of scarcity on the market, this course teaches ways economists study consumer reactions to these allocations as well as the markets’ response to these reactions.
28. Special Topics in Economics: The Challenge of World Poverty. Thinking about the various potential agents of change for world poverty and who ultimately is responsible, this course offers a thought-provoking opportunity to examine the possibility of impact on poverty through economics.
29. Applied Macro- and International Economics. Using case studies, this course takes a look at the macroeconomics of businesses.
30. International Economics. This course offers an introductory look at international trade theory, policy, and international finance.
31. International Political Economy of Advanced Industrial Societies. This advanced course examines international trade, international monetary and financial relations, and security.
32. Economics Research and Communication. This course will teach how to do original research on economic questions with a hands-on approach to the lesson.
33. Economic Applications of Game Theory. Take a look at Multiperson Decision Theory as it applies to economics. This course is heavy on mathematics as well.

Technology

If you plan on having a web-based business, then chances are good you will want to know as much as you can about business and technology. These courses will give you a wide base for the history and modern practices when it comes to business and technology.

34. Information Technology Essentials. This basic course offers an overview of technology concepts and trends, concepts, and hardware and software.
35. Internet Technology in Local and Global Communities. This course looks at programming, Internet technology, open source programs, and entrepreneurship and is a part of the MIT-African Internet Technology Initiative.
36. Data Mining. This course examines data mining methods that have evolved from both statistics and artificial intelligence and looks at recognizing patterns and making predictions with this information.
37. The Software Business. Specifically targeted at those founding or working for a software company, this course is a must for entrepreneurs who are interested in selling software.
38. Information Technology and the Labor Market. This course examines how information technology and computers have changed the American labor market.
39. Competition in Telecommunications. Examining the convergence of computers, cable TV, and telecommunication alongside the competition of the Internet within the market, this course offers lectures from leaders in the industry.
40. Innovation, markets and industrial change. With a heavy emphasis on technology’s impact on innovation and industrial change, this course examines the relationship between innovation, technology, and market changes.
41. Media Industries and Systems. This course examines the trends, audience, and creative process as forces shaping content in media industries and systems.
42. Technology for Professional Writers. This course teaches important technology skills with at focus on the writer’s perspective. Whether your entrepreneurial endeavor focuses on writing or not, it is highly unlikely you won’t need to draw on a combination of writing skills and technology at some point.
43. Information technology: a new era?. Take a look at technology and how it has impacted the economy, productivity, and more in this course.
44. Search Engines: Technology, Society and Business. Learn from a distinguished group of lecturers in the course that examines Internet searches and how they relate to business.
45. Practicum in Enterprise Security. Students participate in an opportunity to act as employees in charge of security for an online business in this course that teaches what you need to know about securing your online business.
46. The Anthropology of Computing. Take a look at the people behind computing from the early days to the modern world with issues such as hackers, privacy, and more.
47. New Global Agenda: Exploring 21st Century Challenges through Innovations in Information Technology. This course examines how IT development has affected globalization and international politics.

Management and Leadership

Being a good manager, understanding how to manage a business, and knowing how to become the person others look to for guidance are all important factors when owning your own business. These courses will tell you how to do all that and more.

48. Special Seminar in Management The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans. Specifically targeted to entrepreneurs, this seminar looks at the basics of creating a business plan.
49. Communicating with Data. This course is designed to teach the student to think critically when looking at data so that decisions made for the business are firmly rooted in a solid understanding of the information.
50. Pricing. Looking at cases, this course aims to teach an understanding for pricing strategies and techniques for businesses.
51. Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organization. With a focus on design and organizational behavior, this course teaches how to design, build, and grow a business.
52. Entrepreneurial behavior. This course looks at the definitions, qualities, function, and work styles of entrepreneurs.
53. Competitive Decision-Making and Negotiation. Learn negotiation tools and get plenty of practice using them in this course.
54. Advanced Corporate Risk Management. Examining how corporations make use of "insights and tools of risk management," this course teaches managing risk, liability management, and much more.
55. Management Communications for Undergraduates. A great course for polishing those managerial skills, the content includes a focus on writing, speaking, team work, and interpersonal relationship skills.
56. Managerial Economics. This course covers the basics of microeconomics as it pertains to management decisions and is a must for any entrepreneur.
57. Negotiation and Conflict Management. Learn negotiation theory, strategy, and styles in this class with both first and third party negotiations covered.
58. Organizational Management and Leadership. Find out management principles and techniques in this course that aims to teach what kind of management leads to a successful business.
59. Analyzing Projects and Organizations: How Organizations Behave. This course hopes to teach analytic skills in evaluating programs, projects, and organizations.

Strategy and Innovation

Staying ahead of the game with both a well-planned strategy and the ability to continually evolve with original ideas are both important aspects of running a successful business, and these courses will teach you how to do that.

60. Taxes and Business Strategy. Focusing on the unique combination of tax planning opportunities and tax strategies for a business, this course seeks to bridge a gap frequently found in both tax and finance courses.
61. Strategic Management in the Design and Construction Value Chain. Specifically targeted to students learning about real estate, construction, and architecture, this course offers management strategies for business enhancement.
62. Game Theory for Managers. This strategy course aims to teach managers the "game theory" and how to use it effectively when dealing with competitors, customers, and more.
63. The Sociology of Strategy. Rather than looking at strategy itself, this course examines such topics as the nature of competition and market interactions, organizational capabilities, and strategic change.
64. How to Develop "Breakthrough" Products and Services. Likely the goal of every entrepreneur, this course teaches how to create breakthrough products and services through concrete, systematic concepts.
65. Technology Strategy. This course is designed for those who will invest in or run a business where technology will play a major role and will cover investment planning and behavior of competition, suppliers, and customers.
66. Innovative Product Development. Examine new product development in the context of technology, the innovation process, and more in this course.
67. Too unimportant to fail? Innovations and competitive selection in markets. Learn about such topics as innovation and creativity in economies, the changing role of research and development, and much more.
68. Strategic view of performance. Find out what strategy is, learn market and research-based approaches to strategy, and begin to look at strategy as rational planning in this course.
69. Optimization Methods in Management Science. Learn how to optimize your management strategy in this course that looks at several different types of optimization theories.

The Global Community

If you are planning to do business on the Internet, then you must become familiar with the global community through economics, culture, development, and more. These courses will get you up to speed on international issues.

70. Planning in Transition Economies for Growth and Equity. This course examines the global shift from "centrally planned economies to market-oriented ones" with a focus on reconsidering many long-standing economic issues.
71. Developmental Entrepreneurship. By looking at historic examples of both failed and successful business ventures in developmental entrepreneurship.
72. Marketing, Microchips and McDonalds: Debating Globalization. Discussing what globalization means and the impacts it has on the global community, this course aims to give a firm foundation in understanding it’s impact economically, socially, and culturally.
73. Global Markets, National Policies, and the Competitive Advantages of Firms. This course looks at the fast-changing world of global markets and examines how national policies are no longer adequate for today’s global economy.
74. Capital Markets. This course focuses on global capital markets and teaches a working knowledge of investor relations.
75. The Politics of Global Finance Relations. This course examines the impact of globalization of finance on American politics and policy as well as international relations.
76. Media in Cultural Context. Learn about how culture defines itself through TV programs and how international markets are impacted by these identities and others perceptions of these identities.
77. International Trade. This course looks at international trade and finance as well as current topics such as globalization, free trade, and more.
78. International Relations: New Approaches in a Complex World. Learn about global economy, the World Trade Organization, Latin America, and more in this class that examines the changes that have taken place in the global business world.
79. Managing local practices in global contexts. This course covers a lot of ground as it examines several aspects of business in the global economy.
80. International Multilateral Negotiation. By looking at case studies, this course provides examples of several types of negotiation strategies and processes.
81. International Relations. Learn such important topics as international economy, values and attitudes, and global issues in this course that is a must for anyone dealing with international business contacts.
82. Economic Development, Policy Analysis, and Industrialization. This course teaches how government plays a role in developing countries that affects global business. One topic of interest is the introduction of the high tech industry in these countries.
83. Working in a Global Economy. This course examines global economy and the practice and policy changes that have occurred since the development of the current "new" economy.
84. Globalization, Migration, and International Relations. Learn about globalization and its impact on businesses and people around the world.

Women in Business

Women in business have a unique experience and perspective as this field has traditionally been one for men. Whether you are a woman entrepreneur or are a man who wants to gain another perspective when it comes to the challenges and successes of business, then these courses will give you the knowledge.

85. Enterprising Women Exhibition . Meet four successful business women and learn how they made it big in the world of business (part 1 of 4).
86. Entrepreneurship in Contemporary America. Find out what several American business women have faced in a field that has typically been a man’s realm (part 2 of 4).
87. Women without Money and Women as Commodities. Learn about how poverty, welfare, and bankruptcy affects women and then learn "the value of gender" as you study surrogate motherhood, the sex trade industry, and genteel marriage (part 3 of 4).
88. Women and Economic Development. Study women entrepreneurs across time and in various countries. There is also a strong focus on the women in India who developed the Self-Employed Women’s Association (part 4 of 4).
89. Technology and Gender in American History. Learn about the history and present-day presence of women in technology and how it shapes the field and society itself.
90. Gender, Power and International Development. Take a look at women in developing countries and how poverty, economics, and development effect women and men differently.

Law and Government

From copyright to privacy to international law, any smart business person will want to know the legal basics before starting her venture.

91. Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager. This law class aims to educate the learner in the basics of the legal issues that affect a business from start-up to going public.
92. The Law of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets. Focusing on mergers and acquisitions, the course also looks at financial services and financial markets in this introductory business law course.
93. Government Regulation of Industry. This course looks at firm behavior, economic regulation, and social regulation and the impact government has on business.
94. Justice. Looking at the ethics of societal justice, this course also examines some of the ongoing debate over the moral-political controversy.
95. Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier. Law, policy, and technology come together in this course that discusses several timely topics concerning the Internet and law.
96. Introduction to Copyright Law. This course covers the basics of copyright law with a heavy emphasis on Internet-related topics.
97. Information Law and Policy. Find out about copyright law, protecting databases, licensing of information, privacy and much more in this course.
98. International Law. Get the basics of International Law in this course that covers such topics as dispute settlements, state responsibility, and international resource management.
99. Innovative Businesses and Breakthrough Technologies–the Legal Issues. This introduction to business law covers several areas of legal concerns ranging from the legal framework of R&D to intellectual property protections.
100. Business Law. This course looks at the "legal environment among businesses, government and consumers" with both a national and international approach to the topics.
101. Public Economics. This course examines the reasons for government involvement in the economy, the extent of that involvement, and reactions by private agencies to the involvement.
102. The Supreme Court, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights. While studying the civil rights of citizens in America, this course also looks at privacy issues and the law of criminal procedure, which would be helpful for entrepreneurs to know before starting out.

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