Book excerpt: The 4th edition of Business Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager introduces the reader to fundamental principles of the laws regulating business as well as their practical application in the United States. The various chapters cover such topics as the law and the basic legal principles impacting entrepreneurs and managers, the foundational business laws that entrepreneurs and managers in the United States must become aware of and understand, as well as other important legal topics such as constitutional law, administrative law, torts, products liability, crimes, contract law, sales and agency laws, commercial paper, various forms of business organizations, and debtors and creditors laws. The study of this legal material will be very beneficial to entrepreneurs, managers, and human resources professionals. This edition to this book seeks to make the reader more legally knowledgeable and astute. The book attempts to identify as many legal challenges as possible in establishing, operating, and managing a business in today's very competitive global business environment. The book recommends strategies and tactics to overcome these challenges and to achieve a successful business in a lawful and moral manner. Yet overcoming business law challenges is not the only goal of this book. The authors naturally want the reader to be able to more clearly foresee legal problems so as to avoid them; but the authors also want the reader to learn how to use the law and the legal system to more effectively establish, manage, and develop the business. Accordingly, an important objective of this edition of this book is to focus on "preventative law," that is, making the business person aware of the law, its applicability to business, and the legal consequences of business decision-making. The goal is to proactively avoid legal problems before they materialize, as opposed to the "trials and tribulations" (and "trials" perhaps literally) of reactively dealing with them when they occur. One major purpose of this book, therefore, is to help business people recognize legal risks and thus avoid legal liability. The authors are most grateful for all the support and encouragement to publish the 4th edition and particularly for the many most helpful suggestions for improving the book from colleagues, managers, human resources professionals, students, friends, and readers from across the globe. Furthermore, by using this book, you are contributing to the Business Ethics and Global Social Responsibility Scholarship, which has been established at the Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University to support scholarly research and coursework by students, which will advance the fields of business ethics and global social responsibility. This scholarship was conceived and created by the authors of this book, and Huizenga Business College professors, Dr. Frank J. Cavico, J.D., LL.M., Professor Emeritus of Business Law and Ethics, and Dr. Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, M.B.A. / D.B.A., Professor of Management and Human Resources. Professors Cavico and Mujtaba are co-funded this academic scholarship initiative with the support of the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Nova Southeastern University. Thank you for exploring and leading discussions, and advancing knowledge on legality, morality and ethics, as well as social responsibility, in the world of management, entrepreneurship, and leadership!