Preface

The changing nature of business, challenges presented by increasing globalization, expanding impact of technology, and a renewed emphasis on ethical decision making has prompted us to present this next version in our series of traditional business law and legal environment textbooks. In all of these editions, we have purposefully emphasized aspects of law that are especially relevant for future business managers. This text draws upon previous editions in order to provide managers with the framework in which they will identify, consider, and then solve practical problems in a business environment in which legal and regulatory issues have attained prominence.

The text presents readings, materials, and decided cases that provide a basis for understanding the unique “legal vocabulary,” and identifying and analyzing critical legal principles and concepts. The cases contained in this volume have been carefully selected and edited and contain questions designed to enable students to gain insights which reflect their importance in the development of the law as it relates to the managerial function. In addition, we have included topical ethical considerations related to the chapter materials. These considerations are designed to sharpen our students’ appreciation for the role that ethics will play in their decision making process.

The authors are grateful to our many generations of students who have used this series for their study of traditional business law and legal environment topics. We believe that our individual backgrounds and professional experiences strengthen and enrich the text and will make it a solid part of our students’ learning process.

As educators, we continue to look forward to each new group of our students, the eagerness and anticipation they bring to the classroom and the expression of their expectations and doubts about the law and the broader concept of justice as it presents itself in the business environment. Issues relating to business ethics, government regulation, and the legal and social environment will all play an important role as students transition to active participants in a new generation of managers.

RJ Hunter, Jr