The University of Toledo
01/27/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/27/2025 02:05
Business Faculty Member Serves as Lead Author on Contemporary Textbook
Business Faculty Member Serves as Lead Author on Contemporary Textbook
Daniel Pfaltzgraf, an instructor at the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, said he knows first-hand the power that a textbook can have in the learning process.
"How? Because I learned from dozens of 'em," Pfaltzgraf said. "Back in third grade, I became fascinated with textbooks, these holy grails, filled with lots of interesting information that guided me through learning just about anything."
Daniel Pfaltzgraf, an instructor at the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, recently released the 20th edition of the "Contemporary Business."
Textbooks, despite all their merits, can be less-than helpful and outdated.
"I also know what it's like to panic the night before an exam, stuck with a book that feels outdated and unhelpful," he said. "The world needs less books that are relics of the past, and more that are tools for the future."
Pfaltzgraf said he sought to help solve this problem as the lead author and architect of the 20th edition of the "Contemporary Business" textbook - originally authored by Louis Boone and David Kurtz.
With content that reflects the digital age, "Contemporary Business" (Wiley, $58) connects students' everyday experiences in society with foundational business concepts, incouding:
• Learning supply and demand through Taylor Swift's sold-out, record-breaking Eras Tour.
• Discovering branding insights from MrBeast, the most-subscribed YouTuber, and popular TikTok influencers pushing the boundaries of business like @SalaryTransparentStreet.
• Gleaning how Pepsi uses artificial intelligence to engineer the perfect Cheeto.
• Exploring intentional business strategies behind everyday experiences (like why prices end in .99 or why milk is placed at the back of the store).
• Uncovering the unique business models and strategies of brands like Spotify, Peacock, HelloFresh and Chipotle.
"The goal is for students to see themselves in the material, to understand not only how business works but how they can thrive within it," he said. "Whether it's through the concepts they learn, the brands they recognize or the references they read about."
Pfaltzgraf said his updates to the textbook are meant to make business education engaging, practical and transformative.
"'Contemporary Business' represents more than just a textbook, but a tool to empower students to think critically, imagine the art of the possible and ignite curiosity," Pfaltzgraf said. "It brings yesterday's business principles into today's context, so students can shape tomorrow's world."