Dictionary of Business Terms [antikvár]

PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Whether you are majoring in business at a college or graduate school, starting a fresh career in business, venturing into a new enterprise, or just reading a newspaper or writing a business letter, you will find this book to be a valuable reference. In class, at a meeting, or at home you are likely to read or hear a business term that is unfamiliar to you. Sometimes considerable discussion will center around that term, and not understanding it will pose an obstacle to participating in the entire conversation. Indeed, you may feel uneasy or ignorant if you don't recognize even one term. At that point this book will be indispensable. Keeping a copy of this handy paperback by your side will provide a useful reference and avoid embarrassing moments in a classroom, conference, meeting with a supervisor, or discussion with an investment advisor or financial planner. Whether the term relates to accounting or economics, management or marketing, business law or business statistics, advertising, transportation, finance, insurance, or real estate, you are likely to find it here. A concise definition is provided for more than 6,000 terms, and a further explanation of the term or its use is shown to clarify the definition or use of the term. Terms defined here are short enough to be read in a few seconds, but complete enough for the reader to fully grasp meanings and usage. Entries have been listed in strict alphabetical order, as if the entry were one uninterrupted word. Terms that help define the particular entry that appear elsewhere in this dictionary are shown in italics. Terms that are similar to the one being defined are in lower case capital letters. The book is designed to make a user feel comfortable with the style right from the start. Its size and design features are intended to maximize use and convenience. Many people were involved in this project. Contributors listed by subject areas include: Accounting and Taxation Advertising and Direct Mail Business Law Communications and Transportation Computers Economics Joel Siegel Jae Shim Jack P. Friedman Jane Imber Betsy-Ann Toffler Lowell B. Howard Jack P. Friedman Douglas Downing Michael Covington Bruce Lindeman iv HOW TO USE THIS BOOK EFFECTIVELY Alphabetization: All entries are alphabetized by letter rather than by word so that multiple-word terms are treated as single words. For example, OPENING precedes OPEN INTEREST and DIRECTOR follows DIRECT MATERIAL. In some cases, abbreviations or acronyms appear as entries in the main text, usually as a cross-reference to the complete term, in addition to appearing in the back of the book in the separate listing of Abbreviations and Acronyms. Where a term has several meanings, alphabetical sequence is used for subheads, except in special instances where clarity dictates a different order. In some entries, the various meanings of the term are presented with simple numerical headings. Abbreviations and Acronyms: A separate list of abbreviations and acronyms follows the Dictionary. It contains shortened versions of terms defined in the book, plus some related business terms. Cross-references: In order to gain a fuller understanding of a term, it will sometimes help to refer to the definition of another term. In these cases the additional term is printed in small capitals. Such cross-references appear in the body of the definition or at the end of the entry (or subentry). Cross-references at the end of an entry (or subentry) may refer to related or contrasting concepts rather than give more information about the concept under discussion. As a rule, a term is printed in small capitals only the first time it appears in an entry. Where an entry is fully defined at another entry, a reference rather than a definition is provided; for example, PUBLIC CARRIER see common carrier. Italics: Italic type is generally used to indicate that another term has a meaning identical or very closely related to that of the entry. Occasionally, italic type is also used to highlight the fact that a word used is a business term and not just a descriptive phrase. Italics are also used for the titles of publications. Parentheses: Parentheses are used in entry titles for three reasons. The first is to indicate that an entry's opposite is such an integral part of the concept that only one discussion is necessary; for example, CAPITAL GAIN (LOSS). The second and more common reason is to indicate that an abbreviation is used with about the same frequency as the term itself; for example, DOING BUSINESS AS (DBA). Finally, information enclosed in parentheses may add to the understanding of the term: BORROWING POWER (OF SECURITIES). Examples, Illustrations, and Tables: The examples in this Dictionary are designed to help readers gain understanding and to help them relate abstract concepts to the real worid of business. Organizations and Associations: Those that play an active role in the field are included in the Dictionary, along with a brief statement of their mission. They are also listed by initials in the Appendix under Abbreviations and Acronyms. Vi