Business Vocabulary Dictionary

💰 Finance & Accounting

ROI (Return on Investment)

/ɑːr oʊ aɪ/

A measure of the efficiency of an investment, calculated as a percentage of profit relative to the initial cost.

Example: "Our marketing campaign achieved a 300% ROI."

Cash Flow

/kæʃ floʊ/

The movement of money in and out of a business during a specific period.

Example: "We need to improve our cash flow to meet expenses."

Budget

/ˈbʌdʒɪt/

A plan for how money will be spent over a specific period.

Example: "We need to stay within budget for this project."

Revenue

/ˈrevənu/

The total amount of income generated by a business from its operations.

Example: "Our revenue increased by 15% this quarter."

Profit Margin

/ˈprɑːfɪt ˈmɑːrdʒən/

The percentage of revenue that remains after all expenses are paid.

Example: "We aim to maintain a 20% profit margin."

Overhead

/ˈoʊvərhed/

The ongoing business expenses that are not directly tied to creating products or services.

Example: "Our overhead costs include rent and utilities."

📊 Marketing & Sales

Target Market

/ˈtɑːrɡət ˈmɑːrkət/

A specific group of consumers a business aims to reach with its products or services.

Example: "Our target market is young professionals aged 25-35."

Brand Awareness

/brænd əˈwernəs/

The extent to which customers are familiar with and can recognize a brand.

Example: "Our brand awareness campaign increased recognition by 40%."

Lead Generation

/lid ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/

The process of attracting and converting prospects into potential customers.

Example: "Our lead generation strategy focuses on social media."

Conversion Rate

/kənˈvɜːrʒən reɪt/

The percentage of visitors who take a desired action on a website or campaign.

Example: "Our website has a 3% conversion rate."

Market Share

/ˈmɑːrkət ʃer/

The percentage of total sales in an industry generated by a particular company.

Example: "We hold a 25% market share in our sector."

USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

/ju es pi/

A factor that differentiates a product from its competitors.

Example: "Our USP is 24-hour customer support."

👔 Management & Leadership

Stakeholder

/ˈsteɪkhoʊldər/

A person or group with an interest in the success of a business.

Example: "We need to keep all stakeholders informed of changes."

Delegation

/ˌdeləˈɡeɪʃən/

The assignment of responsibility and authority to another person to complete tasks.

Example: "Effective delegation is key to good management."

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

/keɪ pi aɪ/

A measurable value that shows how effectively objectives are being achieved.

Example: "Customer satisfaction is one of our main KPIs."

Micromanagement

/ˈmaɪkroʊˌmænɪdʒmənt/

A management style characterized by closely observing and controlling employees' work.

Example: "Micromanagement can reduce employee motivation."

Synergy

/ˈsɪnərdʒi/

The combined effect of teamwork that produces results greater than individual efforts.

Example: "The merger created significant synergy between the companies."

Benchmark

/ˈbentʃmɑːrk/

A standard point of reference used for comparison in measuring performance.

Example: "We use industry leaders as our benchmark for quality."

⚙️ Operations & Logistics

Supply Chain

/səˈplaɪ tʃeɪn/

The network of organizations involved in producing and delivering a product.

Example: "COVID-19 disrupted our global supply chain."

Inventory

/ˈɪnvəntɔːri/

The raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods that a company holds.

Example: "We need to reduce our inventory levels to cut costs."

Quality Control

/ˈkwɑːləti kənˈtroʊl/

The process of ensuring products or services meet specified requirements.

Example: "Our quality control team found the defect early."

Lean Manufacturing

/lin ˌmænjəˈfæktʃərɪŋ/

A production method that focuses on minimizing waste while maximizing productivity.

Example: "Lean manufacturing helped us reduce production time by 30%."

Throughput

/ˈθruːpʊt/

The amount of material or items passing through a system or process.

Example: "We increased our production throughput by 20%."

Bottleneck

/ˈbɑːtlnek/

A point in a process where the flow of work is restricted or slowed down.

Example: "The approval process is creating a bottleneck in our workflow."

👥 Human Resources

Onboarding

/ˈɑːnbɔːrdɪŋ/

The process of integrating new employees into an organization.

Example: "Our onboarding program lasts for two weeks."

Retention Rate

/rɪˈtenʃən reɪt/

The percentage of employees who remain with a company over a specific period.

Example: "We aim for a 90% employee retention rate."

Performance Review

/pərˈfɔːrməns rɪˈvju/

A regular evaluation of an employee's job performance and overall contribution.

Example: "Annual performance reviews help identify training needs."

Work-Life Balance

/wɜːrk laɪf ˈbæləns/

The equilibrium between personal life and career work.

Example: "Good work-life balance improves employee satisfaction."

Compensation Package

/ˌkɑːmpənˈseɪʃən ˈpækɪdʒ/

The total rewards (salary, benefits, bonuses) offered to an employee.

Example: "We offer a competitive compensation package including health insurance."

Succession Planning

/səkˈseʃən ˈplænɪŋ/

The process of identifying and developing potential leaders for key positions.

Example: "Succession planning ensures business continuity."

Browse by Category