Additional information
| Author | David Barrows |
|---|
Fundamentals of economics for business
By David Barrows (2006)
What the internet says
Aggregated insights from reviews and discussions across the web.
Overall reception: Mostly positive
Based on available online information, 'Fundamentals of Economics for Business' by David Barrows (co-authored with John Smithin) receives generally positive reception as an educational textbook. The Goodreads listing for the related 'Essentials Foundations of Economics' shows a rating of 3.80 out of 5 stars from 15 ratings, indicating moderate satisfaction among readers. The book is described as a practice-oriented learning system that breaks from traditional textbook formats, using checklists and checkpoints to reinforce key concepts immediately after introduction. Reviews suggest it serves its intended audience of business students well, with one reviewer noting they learned useful concepts like the rule of 70 and gained clearer understanding of CPI and GDP.
The book appears to be widely adopted in business education programs, with multiple editions published through World Scientific and Captus Press, suggesting sustained academic demand. It is marketed as specifically designed for MBA students and undergraduate commerce programs, with international scope and adaptable content for courses of varying lengths. The second edition (2008) added significant material on production costs, managerial economics, growth and competitiveness, along with new case studies for international business applications. The text is positioned as accessible yet comprehensive, not requiring prior statistics knowledge while covering essential economic principles relevant to business decision-makers.
What readers loved
- Practice-oriented learning system with immediate reinforcement through checkpoints after each concept
- Accessible to students without prior economics or statistics background
- International scope with globally applicable content rather than country-specific focus
- Clear explanations of complex concepts like CPI, GDP, and economic indicators
- Adaptable to different course lengths and educational objectives (one-semester MBA, undergraduate, executive MBA)
- Includes real-world case studies with applications to international business
- Comprehensive coverage of both microeconomic and macroeconomic topics relevant to business
Common critiques
- Limited number of detailed reviews available online to assess specific weaknesses
- Moderate Goodreads rating (3.80/5) suggests some readers found it less than fully satisfactory
- As a textbook, may be expensive for students (listed prices around $40-90 for new copies)
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