Video Title: Muttville: Seven Key Business Rules in the Pursuit of Success

Video Title: Muttville: Seven Key Business Rules in the Pursuit of Success Run Time: 7:12

Classroom Application: Instructors will find this video useful in the study of the business environment. As a non-profit organization operating on donations of time and money, Muttville serves as a good case study for this topic because the nature of their business makes it imperative that they be able to respond and adapt to the business environment in which the company operates. Providing students with such knowledge can help them to appreciate and better understand the business environment and the general rules for success in business.

Synopsis Muttville is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the lives of older dogs through foster care, adoption, education, and community. In their efforts to help senior rescue dogs, Muttville must consider five factors of production: natural resources, capital, human resources, an entrepreneurial spirit, and knowledge. In addition to these factors of production, Muttville must respond to the business environment in which it operates. This involves following state regulations, putting technology to use for the business, understanding and dealing with changes in the demography of the region, and dealing with competition from related organizations. In order to operate successfully, Muttville must follow many of the seven rules for success: honoring stakeholders, coping with uncertainty, dealing with competition, managing a common enemy, remaining true to ethics, understanding societal differences, and undergoing self-development.

Discussion Questions 1. Compare and contrast a profit and non-profit businesses.

Both for-profit and non-profit businesses provide goods and/or services. Both for-profit and non-profit businesses also have costs associated with running the business. The key difference is that with a non-profit organization the overall goal is to provide products or services rather than to make a profit for owners or managers, as is the situation with a for-profit business.

2. List the factors of production, and describe how each factor relates to Muttville.

The factors of production for almost any business are natural resources, capital, human resources, an entrepreneurial spirit, and knowledge. In the case of Muttville, the natural resources are the senior dogs that are brought to the organization in need of care and a good home. The capital is the money needed to provide healthcare for the dogs to get them well before trying to place them in a new home. The human resources at Muttville include both fulltime employees and volunteers who take care of the dogs and help to place them in new homes. The owner of this company has a very entrepreneurial spirit and is willing to take on the risks associated with starting her own corporation. The owner also brings to the organization the knowledge necessary to do the job well from her former experience as an animal control vice chair and a rescue worker. 3. Describe how Muttville is affected by factors in its business environment.

Factors in the business environment affecting Muttville include state regulations, technology, changes in demography, and competition. State regulations require that Muttville have their dogs spayed, neutered, and immunized, and Muttville adheres to these regulations. Muttville stays abreast of technology advancements and tries to employ these strategies to help the company succeed. For instance, videos of the dogs in need of new homes are often played on YouTube, helping Muttville to locate potential homes for these pets. The region in which Muttville operates is seeing a change in demography, as the population ages there are more senior dogs in need of homes. Organizations such as puppy mills that breed new, frisky puppies provide competition. Also, competition comes from organizations such as the SPCA, which is also looking for new homes for pets in need.

Quiz 1. Which of the following is given in the video as one of the seven key business rules for success? a. having an entrepreneurial spirit b. staying abreast of technology trends c. honoring stakeholders d. all of the above Answer: c Explanation: The seven key business rules for success given in the video include: honoring stakeholders, coping with uncertainty, dealing with competition, managing a common enemy, remaining true to ethics, understanding societal differences, and undergoing self-development.

2. Which of the following is a difference between for-profit businesses and non-profit businesses? a. Only non-profit businesses provide goods and services. b. Only for-profit businesses incur costs associated with running the business. c. The primary goal of a for-profit business is to provide goods or services rather than earning money for owners or managers. d. none of the above Answer: d Explanation: Both for-profit and non-profit businesses provide goods and/or services. Both for-profit and non-profit businesses also have costs associated with running the business. The key difference between a for-profit company and a non-profit company is that with a non-profit organization, the overall goal is to provide products or services rather than to make a profit for owners or managers, as is the situation with a for-profit business.

3. Which of the following is mentioned in the video as a factor of production? a. natural resources b. state regulations c. technology d. competition Answer: a Explanation: The factors of production listed in the video include: natural resources, capital, human resources, an entrepreneurial spirit, and knowledge.

4. Which of the following is an aspect of the business environment in which Muttville operates that has an affect on the organization? a. state regulations b. technology c. changes in demography d. all of the above Answer: d Explanation: Factors in the business environment affecting Muttville include state regulations, technology, changes in the demography, and competition. State regulations require that Muttville have their rescue dogs spayed, neutered, and immunized. Muttville stays abreast of technological advancements and tries to employ these strategies to help the company succeed. For instance, videos of the dogs in need of new homes are often played on YouTube. The region in which Muttville operates is seeing a change in demography, as the population ages there are more senior dogs in need of homes.

5. Muttville saw a huge increase in support as a result of which of the following events? a. an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show b. an appearance on Good Morning America c. the adoption of a senior dog by a well-known television actor d. a video on YouTube that received over one million views Answer: a Explanation: After being invited to attend Oprah Winfrey’s final “Favorite Things” episode, Muttville received a huge boost in support. The company received free advertisement from local networks and radio stations and was given the opportunity to educate people about the plight of senior dogs all over. They were also able to auction many of the gifts received from the show to make additional money to operate the business.