590 Technology: Engineering Our World Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. School-Based Company Are you curious about how it might feel to be a part of a company? This section provides guidelines for participating in a school-based company (Figure 20-11). You can experience starting and operating a company in a risk-free setting. The business you will develop will be one that the entire class can work on under the guidance of your teacher. Your class will select a business that you can set up and run within the school year. Although your business will be much smaller than a typical corporation, it will operate in a similar manner. It will become part of our free-enterprise system. In a free-enterprise system, people make most of the decisions about how to use the country’s economic resources. The government does not specify who can do what job and for what amount of money. People are free to start a business or work for someone else. Their business can produce anything from athletic shoes to construction cranes. The four parts of the free-enterprise system are: • People who decide how to use resources and purchase goods • Companies that produce goods and provide services to make a profit • Markets that buy and sell goods, services, and finances • Governments that make and enforce rules to protect rights and property Deciding on a Product The fi rst place to look for ideas for a school-based business is the school itself. What are the needs in the school? What complaints do students or teachers have? What could be improved? Figure 20-12 contains a few ideas. Use these as a starting point for a class brainstorming session. Remember that you will not have a lot of time to form your company and make a product. The product you decide to make should be something simple. The equipment to make it should be readily available and easy to use. Lucky Business/Shutterstock.com Figure 20-11. Working with classmates in a school-based business helps you learn about working in a company. It also builds important teamwork and communication skills. Product Theme Possible Products Sports Banners, flags, foam hand or cheer stick that can be carried and displayed by fans Special Events Posters, mugs, silk-screened T-shirts Repairs School desks, outside benches, tables Recycling Wastepaper, leftover food, aluminum cans LED Lighting Clothing, jewelry, accessories Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 20-12. Sample ideas for products to make in your school-based business.