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Happy President’s Day! New lesson posted in complimentary online free enterprise course

February 17, 2025
A man in a beige suit speaks, standing next to a blue panel with white icons showing a sequence of a person evolving into two people wearing helmets.

In celebration of President’s Day, Northwood University has posted a new lesson in the complimentary online course, “Philosophy of Free Enterprise.”

Led by Northwood Economics Chair Dr. Dale Matcheck, the new lesson cleverly illustrates how a flexible market price results in the effective teamwork needed for economic prosperity.

“It has been said that a price is a signal wrapped in an incentive. The price you pay for goods communicates your priorities to the world and rewards those who do something to meet them,” explains Dr. Matcheck in “Prices, Knowledge and Incentives.”

Anyone can enroll in Northwood University’s complimentary Philosophy of Free Enterprise course to learn about the importance of business in society, the ethical foundations of the capitalist system, the meaning of free enterprise and the ways in which it benefits us, limited government and the rule of law, and the differences between capitalism and other economic systems.

This newest lesson appeals to viewers from all educational levels and backgrounds. It includes an easily digestible lecture that’s less than seven minutes long and incorporates helpful animation and engaging dialogue.

Learners enrolled in the Philosophy of Free Enterprise course can test their knowledge through quizzes and access thought-provoking supplemental reading material following each lesson. Upon completing the course, learners will earn certificates from Northwood University.

If you are not interested in completing the course but want to view the lectures, the following are available to watch on Northwood University’s YouTube channel:

A Time Traveler’s Brief History of Progress

Innovation & Innovism

Vocation of Business

Constitution, Rules, and Games

Entrepreneurship

Prices, Knowledge, & Incentives

Economic Freedom

America is Not a Democracy

Make a Law, Light a Match

Rights from the Start

Freedom and Equality

Civil Society

America’s Debt Crisis

Inflation

Knowledge, Prices & Incentive

The videos and Philosophy of Free Enterprise online course are possible thanks to the principal donors behind this effort: Donald S. Gottwald, a 1988 alumnus, and his wife, Pamela. The effort also was aided by a generous gift from the Thomas F. and Harriet S. Oakley Family Trust.

Donors who value liberty, the American free-enterprise system, and the creation of leaders who drive economic and social progress may consider a gift to Northwood University. Visit our giving page or contact Northwood’s advancement office at (989) 837-4356.

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