While there's been no shortage of commentary about the structural crisis plaguing the American economic and political system, from wage stagnation and chronic unemployment to unchecked corporate and state power and growing inequality, analyses that offer practical, politically viable solutions to these problems have been few and far between. This illustrated presentation from distinguished historian and political economist Gar Alperovitz is a rare...

Jay expands his financial enlightenment. The profit and loss account (as described in The basics of finance I: are we making a profit) tells him a lot, but only the balance sheet will reveal to him the overall “financial health” of his company. Jay's friend takes him through the balance sheet explaining the key terms: fixed/current assets, current/long-term liabilities, creditors & debtors. She also shows him how to extract some basic financial...

You can have a great product, great marketing ideas, but if you don't understand how finance works, you're in trouble. This is an entertaining guide to sources of finance for business start-ups. CASE STUDIES: Using real-life businesses, the film illustrates the pros and cons of different sources of finance. Loans are repayable, with interest, regardless of the company's ability to pay. Share capital is more flexible, but it means losing some control....

A light-hearted case study offering a clear guide to the financial ideas business people need to grasp. Jay's business, designing websites and CDs, is doing well. But then he meets an old friend who's now an accountant. She gives him some tough lessons on the value of accounting knowledge and takes him through the basics of finance. Just because there's a lot of cash floating around in the business doesn't mean that this money is profit. How much...

v. 1. A new salad bar chain is chasing growth - but will it run out of cash? Tossed is the baby of twenty-something entrepreneur Vincent McKevitt who aims to make big money out of healthy eating. The business is successful, but if he tries to grow it too quickly, he risks running out of money. We eavesdrop on a critical meeting with his business advisor. --v. 2. Cash flow isn't about how much money you're making - it's about when you get paid for...

v. 1. Vital to commercial success is how well businesses control their costs. These come in two basic types: direct and indirect. But in the real world classifying costs is rarely clear-cut. Manufacturer Blakeway Ltd divides its company up into cost and profit centres to help it monitor how different parts of its business are performing financially. But there's disagreement inside the company about how to act on the figures. --v. 2. Acme Whistles...

Pink ribbons...they're everywhere: tee-shirts, hats, yogurt cups, KFC buckets, car ads, NFL stadiums...the list goes on and on. They make us feel good, as if we're all engaged in a successful battle against breast cancer. But who is really benefiting? After all, more and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Maybe it's the companies who wrap their products in pink to gain our admiration (and money)... and wouldn't it be something...

Fed up with answering to higher-ups, Nick, Dale, and Kurt decide to become their own bosses by launching their own business. But a slick investor soon pulls the rug out from under them. Outplayed and desperate, and with no legal recourse, the three would-be entrepreneurs hatch a misguided plan to kidnap the investor₂s adult son and ransom him to regain control of their company.

American public education is in controversy. As public schools across the country struggle for funding, complicated by the impact of poverty and politics, some question the future and effectiveness of public schools in the U.S. For free-market reformers, private investors and large education corporations, this controversy spells opportunity in turning public schools over to private interests. Education, Inc. examines the free-market and for-profit...