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businessballs - business and management terms Category: Management > business and management Date & country: 13/09/2014, USA Words: 1681

Selling Cost
Costs which are incurred for the advertising and distribution of a product

Semi-Skilled
Having or requiring some skills or special training to perform a job, such as operating machinery

Semi-Structured Interview
An informal method of research in which set questions are asked which allow other questions to be brought up as a result of the interviewees response

Seminar
A business meeting for training purposes or for discussing ideas

Sensitivity Analysis
Looks at the effects of the performance of a system, project, etc., by changing the variables, such as costs, sales, production, etc

Sequential Sampling
A sampling method in which an unfixed number of samples are tested and enough data is collected before a decision can be made

Sequester
Keeping a jury in isolation, under close supervision and away from the public and media, during a trial

Sequestrate
To legally confiscate someone's property until a debt has been paid

Serial Bonds
Also called Instalment Bonds. Bonds which are issued on the same date but mature over a period of time, usually at regular intervals, so the issuer can spread the repayment to the investor

Server
A computer which provides services, such as e-mail, file transfers, etc., to other computers connected to the network

Service Economy
Part of a country's economy which provides services, such as banking, tourism, education, retail, etc., rather than manufacturing or production

Service Level Agreement
SLA. A contract, which can be legally binding, between a service supplier and a user, in which the terms of service are specified

SET
Secure Electronic Transfer. A safe and confidential way of paying for goods which have been purchased over the Internet

Set-Aside Scheme
Introduced in 1988 in the UK to reduce the overproduction of arable crops. Farmers are paid to keep land fallow rather than use it to grow produce

Settlement Date
Term used to describe the date by which shares, bonds, etc., must be paid for by the buyer, or a sold asset must be delivered by the seller

Sex Discrimination Act
In Britain, legislation passed by Parliament in 1975, mainly related to employment in the workplace, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against an individual because of their gender

Sexism
Discrimination and/or abusive behaviour towards member of the opposite sex

Sexting
Sending sexually explicit messages and/or pictures by mobile phone

Shadow
To be with someone in the workplace as they perform their job so that you can learn all about it

Shadow Economy
Also called Black Economy. Business activities, including illegal activities, which are carried out without government approval or regulations

Share
Any of the equal units into which a company's capital stock is divided and sold to investors

Share Buyback
Also known as Stock Repurchase. A situation in which a listed company buys back its own shares from shareholders

Share Capital
Funds raised by a company from shares sold to investors

Share Incentive Plan
SIP. A way for employees to invest in the company for which they work. The company gives the employees shares or offers shares for them to buy, enabling the employees to receive some of the company's profit, i.e. in dividends

Share Index
A list of certain companies share prices, which can be compared on a day to day basis, i.e. showing whether prices have risen or fallen

Shareholder
Also called Stockholder. An individual, business or group who legally owns one or more share in a company

Shareware
Copyrighted computer software which is available for a free trial, after which a fee is usually charged if the user requires continued use and support

Shark
A dishonest business person who cheats and swindles others

Shark Repellent
Measures taken by a company, such as creating different voting rights concerning shares, or requiring certain shareholders to waive rights to capital gains resulting in a takeover, etc., in an attempt to keep a hostile bid from succeeding

Shark Watcher
An individual or company who monitors the stock market for another company and warns them of a potential takeover, e.g., if a lot of their shares are being bought by one person or one company

Shelf Talker
Also known as Shelf Screamer. A sign hung on the edge of a shelf in a shop to attract peoples attention to a product

Sheriff's Sale
In the US, a forced sale of property ordered by a law court, the proceeds of which settle unpaid debts

Shoestring
A very tight, barely adequate budget

Shop Floor
Workers, usually in a factory, as opposed to managers. The area in a factory where production of goods takes place

Shop Steward
A member of a Trade Union, usually in a factory, who is elected to represent other members in meetings with management and personnel officers

Shopping Bot
Also called Price Engine. Computer software which searches the Internet and compares prices from retailers for specific products

Short-change
Give too little change in a cash transaction, and metaphorically meaning to treat someone unfairly or dishonestly, deprive someone of something, or cheat, usually from a position of control or dominance.

Shoulder Season
In the travel industry, the time between high and low season

Shovelware
A derogatory term for content which is put directly on to a web page, e.g. from a magazine, etc., without changing its appearance to make it suitable for the Internet. Also refers to pre-installed programs on some computers, which have little value to the user

Showrooming
emerging in the popular media in 2012 the term 'showrooming' refers to the 21st century practice of shoppers visiting retail stores to inspect/handle/assess products, especially electronic/technology equipment and gadgets, which the shoppers (quite intentionally as part of a buying method) subsequently purchase online, thereby achieving a lower price than offered by the retail store. Increasingly shoppers are able to use smartphones to scan or otherwise check/confirm/record precise product types/codes, etc. On a wide scale, in certain product sectors, the practice undermines the retail store business model, through stock wear/damage, wasted staff time, etc., although product susceptibility varies greatly. Some products, e.g., standardized mass-market goods, are hugely prone, whereas others, e.g., high quality musical instruments and jewellery, hardly at all.The behaviour is extremely common and part of a significantly and globally changing retailing economic system. Showrooming is a factor driving retail exclusivity deals, and notably 'dark store' strategy and development, in which collection warehouses are replacing conventional retail outlets.

Sick Building Syndrome
SBS. Ailments, such as headaches, fatigue, nose and throat irritations, etc., experienced by workers or residents in certain buildings, often believed to be caused by poor ventilation, air conditioning, heating, cleaning chemicals, or the materials from which the building has been made

Sickout
A type of organised strike in which the employees refuse to work by staying away from the workplace and claiming they are ill

SIG
Special Interest Group. On the Internet, a place where people can discuss and exchange information about a particular subject. A group or organisation whose aim is to influence political decisions by trying to persuade government officials to act or vote in the group's interest

Sight Unseen
To buy something which has not been available for inspection before the purchase

Signature Loan
Also called Unsecured Loan or Character Loan. A loan which is not backed by any security, and which only requires the borrowers signature

Silicon Alley
An area in Manhattan, New York, which is known for its Internet and multi-media companies

Silicon Valley
An area south of San Francisco, California, which is noted for its computer and high-technology industries

Silver Bullet
A simple extremely effective solution to a very challenging and serious problem. A metaphor alluding to the mythical method of killing a werewolf or similar monster. See also Magic Bullet, which basically means the same.

SIM Card
From the full meaning, Subscriber Identification/Identity Module. A small removable card which stores personal information on a mobile phone or other small personal computerized device. There are other less serious interpretations of the SIM acronym

Simple Interest
Interest which is calculated on the original amount of money deposited or borrowed, and not on any interest which may have accrued

Sin Tax
A tax on certain goods or services which are considered bad for people, such as cigarettes, alcohol, etc

Sinecure
A job or position which involves little or no work, but for a which a person is paid

Single-Entry Bookkeeping
A simple system of recording a company's finances in which transactions are recorded only once in one account

Sinking Fund
Money set aside on a regular basis by a company, that is used for paying debts, taxes, etc., which are due at a later date

Six Sigma
A business strategy, originally developed by Motorola, which strives for perfection in production and quality. See Six Sigma

Six Thinking Hats
Group dynamics and decision-making concept devised by Dr Edward De Bono, from the book so named, based on De Bono's theory of how people look at things/situations from different perspectives

SKU
Stock Keeping Unit. A unique number which identifies the price, size, manufacturer, etc., which is assigned to a product by a retail store

Skunkworks
A production development program in a company which has the freedom to work outside the usual rules, without the restrictions of company procedures and policies

Sleeper
Something, such as a film, book, share, etc., in which there is little interest but suddenly becomes a success

Sleeping Partner
Also called Silent Partner. A person who has invested capital in a company but does not take an active part in managing or running it

Slogan
A catch-phrase used in advertising which is easy to remember so it is associated with a product or company when people hear or see it

Slush Fund
Also called Slush Money. Funds which are raised and set aside for dishonest or illegal purposes, e.g., for bribing government officials

Small Claims Court
A UK court in which hearings are generally informal, without jury, for the judgment of civil claims for small amounts of money, and where parties commonly represent themselves instead of hiring a solicitor or lawyer, although legal assistance or representation is permitted

Small Print
An informal term for contractual terms and conditions which usually appear in very small font size (typically 8-point or less, whereas normal easily readable text is 10-point and over) on the reverse of a more accessible simple presentation of some sort of deal or arrangement into which a customer or user enters with a provider or supplier. 'Small print' is usually characterized by legalese and complex details, and is commonly used in a cunning way by unscrupulous suppliers to trick buyers into signing onerous agreements. The small size of the print became a practical necessity to accommodate the volume of contractual detail included in most legal documents, but has long served an ulterior purpose of ensuring that most contractual 'small print' is never read at all

Smoke And Mirrors
Term based on a magician's illusions. To cover something up by drawing attention away from it

SMS
Short Message Service. Allows a text message to be sent from one mobile phone to another

Snail Mail
Mail which is delivered in the traditional way by postal service, rather than e-mail

Sneakernet
Humorous term describing the transfer of electronic information, such as computer files, by physically taking the disk, cd, etc., from one computer to another

Social Enterprise
A business chiefly having positive social and/or environmental aims, in which community and staff tend to feature strongly in priorities, and where profit is a means towards social, environmental or community purposes rather being an aim itself for the enrichment of owners or shareholders

Social Networking
On the Internet, online communities which are built for people who share interests and activities, or to make and/or contact friends and family, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc. The practice of making business and/or social contacts through other people.

Socio-Economic Grouping
The process if identifying and dividing people into groups according to their social, economic and/or educational status.

Soft Sell
A subtle, persuasive way of selling a product or service, as opposed to Hard Selling.

Soldier Of Fortune
A mercenary. A person, sometimes ex-military, who is hired to work for another person or country. A freelance fighter

Sole Trader
Also called Sole Proprietor. A business which is owned and managed by one person who is responsible for any debts which are incurred, keeping their own accounts, etc

Solvency Margin
The money a business requires in the form of cash or saleable assets, which must exceed the amount needed to pay bills, debts, etc

Solvent
Having enough funds to pay all your debts

Sort Code
A number which is assigned to a branch of a bank, found on cheques, bank statements, etc., which enables that particular bank's address to be identified

Spam
Unsolicited e-mail which is sent to numerous recipients

Special Commissioners
In the UK, special commissioners are present at appeals concerning disputes between the Inland Revenue and tax payers

Special Resolution
In business, a resolution which must be passed by a high majority of a company's shareholders, often 75%, as opposed to an ordinary resolution, which only requires more than 50% of the the vote

Specialised
To be highly skilled in a particular branch of a profession, occupation, activity, etc. Developed or adapted for a particular job or task

Specimen Signature
An example of a person's signature required by a bank, etc., so that it can be compared with the same person's signature on cheques and documents

Speculate
To risk investment in property, shares, etc., in the hope of making a profit when selling them

Spider Food
Key words or phrases which are placed, usually invisibly, on a web page in order to attract search engines

Spiff
A commission paid by a manufacturer or supplier to encourage salespeople to sell their product rather than a competitors

Spin
The presentation of news/reports/information by politicians, business-people, etc., (typically cynically, dishonestly, unethically) in a highly positive way, or in a way designed to support a particular position. The term derives from the sense of putting a 'spin' on a story, so as to distort the truth to suit a particular purpose. This entail the use of euphemisms (unreasonably optimistic interpretations) in referring to one's own performance/effects, and dysphemisms (unreasonably negative interpretations) in referring to critics and competitors and their actions, effects, etc

Spin Doctor
A public relations official or press/media spokesperson, in government or corporate work.

Spot Check
A random inspection or examination, often with no warning, of a sample of goods or work performance to check for quality

Spreadsheet
On a computer, a program used for entering, calculating and storing financial or numerical data

Square Mile
A term used for an area of London in which many financial institutions are based

Stagflation
A situation in which there is a slow economic growth along with high inflation and high unemployment

Stakeholder
A person or group, such as shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, etc., with a vested interest in, and can affect the success of, a company or organisation, or successful completion of a project, e.g

Standing Order
In the UK. an instruction given to a bank to debit a fixed amount of money from an account, usually every month on the same date, to pay a bill, mortgage, etc

Standing Room Only
A sales technique in which a company or individual selling a product gives the impression that many people wish to buy the product, encouraging people to purchase it immediately in case it sells out and they don't get another chance

State Benefit
In the UK, money given by the government to people who don't have enough funds to live on and need financial assistance, often because they are unemployed or too ill to work

State Of The Art
The highest level of development and/or technology applied to a product or service which is currently available

Statistician
A person who specialises in or works with statistics

Status Enquiry
In the UK, a request made to a bank asking for a report on a person's financial status, i.e., whether they can repay a loan, mortgage, etc

Staycation
US term for spending one's vacation at home or near to one's home

Stealth Marketing
Also known as Buzz Marketing. A method of advertising a product where customers don't realise they are being persuaded to buy something, e.g., people recommending a product on Internet Chat Forums, without others realising that the person actually works for the company or manufacturer selling the product