Business & Industry

Concept Terms

Definitions

B&I Concept Term Expanded Definitions

(Terms in use as of January 2005. Some terms occur in records up to a certain date but are no longer assigned to new records. Definitions from Responsive Database Services, Inc., original producer of this database.)

Ad budget - specific dollar amount used as advertising budget for a company, campaign , product or service. Also called advertising expenditures. Includes public relations and marketing campaign expenditures.

Affluent market - used for discussion of the marketing of products or services to consumers who have income in excess of $50,000 per household. Ended 2002.

African American market - used for discussion of African Americans as a marketing target.

All Company - searches all the mapped company terms which include Ad budget, Bankruptcy, Capital expenditure, Capitalization, Corporate strategy, Divestiture, Downsizing, Financial data, Foreign business, Franchising, Headquarters relocation, Joint venture, Labor relations, Mergers & acquisitions, Name change, New company, Orders, Outsourcing, Plant closing, Pollution, Public relations, and Securities.

All government - searches all the mapped government terms which include Antitrust regulations, Defense spending, Environmental regulations, Government assistance, Government budget, Healthcare regulations, Litigation, New laws, Privatization, Tax rates and Trade issues.

All intellectual property - searches all the mapped intellectual property terms which include Communications license, Copyright, Copyright license, Distribution license, Patent license, Patents, Trademark License and Trademarks.

All market information - searches all the mapped market terms which includes Affluent market, African American market, Asian American market, Baby boomer market, Capacity, Company forecasts, Consumption, Demographics, Ethnic market, Exports, Gay and Lesbian market, Generation X market, Green market, Hispanic market, Imports, Industry forecasts, Inventory, Market share, Market size, Marketing campaign, Mature market, Minority market, Number outlets, Output, Sales, Shipments, Test marketing, Trends, Users, Women's market and Youth market.

All product and service information - searches all the mapped product and service terms which includes Applications, Costs, Energy use, Exploration, Materials use, New process, Price trends, Product development, Product discontinued, Product introduction, Product recalls, Quality and R&D expenditures.

Antitrust regulations - action taken by the government to limit the power of monopolies; includes investigations, lawsuits and fines related to a company or industry. Ended 2002.

Applications - the use or application of a product or service, including the application of products in new functions.

Asian American market - used for discussion of Asian Americans as a marketing target or consumer group. Ended 2002.

Baby Boomer market - used for discussion of the baby boomer generation as a consumer group. This includes all persons born between 1944-1964, the largest consumer group at the present time.

Capacity - the load or measurable figure of the production level of an industry, company, plant or facility; also identifies new capacity added.

Capital expenditures - purchase of an asset to increase business sales, including expenditures for plants, property or equipment.

Communications license - government licensing of the airwaves, such as cellular services, radio and TV, etc.; also includes communications service licenses between companies.

Company forecasts - prediction of sales, production or inventory of a specific company. Must include figures.

Consumption - demand for a product or service in statistical figures, such as barrelage, gallons, units, etc.

Copyright - copyright applications, registrations, disputes and litigation.

Copyright License - copyright licensing agreements between organizations.

Corporate strategy - strategic planning or management decisions that effect the direction or performance of company. Used for company diversification, reorganization, restructuring, or re-engineering when initiated by the company, except when initiated by bankruptcy.

Demographics - statistical data or profile of a specific population group by age, income, ethnicity, location, employment, marital status, etc.

Distribution license - distribution and manufacturing licensing agreements and disputes; includes information on litigation or lawsuits involving distribution licensing.

Downsizing - changes in the size of staff of an organization , also called rightsizing or layoffs.

E-commerce - Buying or selling of products or services via the Internet. Includes spending habits via the Internet and revenues generated through buying/selling via the Internet. Began 1999.

Energy use - use of energy in production or manufacturing.

Environmental regulations - environmental laws or regulations impacting companies. Ended 2001.

Ethnic market - ethnic population groups in general.

Exploration - covers the exploration or discovery of natural resources, including expenditures and extent of reserves located.

Exports - shipments of products from one country to another, whether at an industry or company level.

Financial data - full fiscal year data on a company's performance in terms of profits, revenues, operating income, etc. when accompanied by discussion of significant events that have affected performance. Incorporates topics such as bankruptcy (and subsequent liquidation or restructuring); capitalization (borrowing of money from banks or private investors, including venture capital, lines of credit, refinancing debt and bank loans); and costs (costs of goods manufactured or produced, or cost to ship a product

Foreign business - activity conducted outside a company's home base, especially foreign investment. "Foreign" is considered outside the home country of the subject company.

Franchising - includes franchising agreements and plans between companies, and decisions made by companies to franchise products or services.

Gay and Lesbian market - Gay, Homosexual or Lesbian population as a consumer market. Ended 2002.

Generation X market - young adult market often referred to as X'ers, approximately 25-34 years of age. Ended 2002.

Generation Y - market group born between 1977-1994, often referred to as GenY, Echo Baby Boomers or The Millennial Group. Products or services marketed toward this group including buying and spending habits. As of 1999, any target group within the 5-22 years of age range. See also youth market. Ended 2002.

Government finance - aspects of government spending, including assistance programs and budgets. Began 2001.

Green market - environmentally conscious consumers as a group. Headquarters relocation - relocation of company headquarters. Ended 2001, use Corporate Strategy.

Healthcare regulations - government enacted laws or regulations regarding the provision of health insurance. and the costs of businesses to comply. Ended 2001.

Hispanic market - Hispanic-Americans as a consumer group.

Imports - shipments into one country from another.

Industry forecasts - market predictions of the size, sales or growth of a particular industry or product.

Intellectual property - Began 2001.

Inventory - direct inventory of manufacturer, including raw materials, work in process and finished goods. Used when given in hard data or numbers.

Joint venture - strategic alliance or cooperative agreement between two companies that results in a joint operation, product or marketing agreement.

Labor relations - discussions of work stoppages, strikes, and negotiations for salaries and benefit packages.

Licensing agreements - Began 2002.

Litigation - lawsuits brought by the government; and those between companies.

Market share - company or product sales as a percent of a whole industry or category; or channel of distribution often accompanied by units, monetary values, or percent.

Market size - monetary value or unit of a potential or existing market.

Marketing campaign - planned advertising or marketing campaign to increase sales of a product or service. Use for most basic search on advertising or marketing.

Materials use - the quantity of materials used in manufacturing. For example the quantity of chemicals used in paper production. Ended 2002.

Mature market - the consumer market composed of people over the age of 50, often referred to as the 50+ market, senior market, or third age. Ended 2002.

Men's market - products or services marketed specifically towards men as the primary audience or buyer. Includes buying and spending habits and purchase decision making. Ended 2002.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures - direct purchase or combination of net assets of one company to form a consolidated company or a new company, or sale of a division of a unit , also called a spin-off or asset sale. Began 2002.

Minority market - minorities in general without specific group mentioned. Ended 2002.

Name change - renaming of a corporate entity.

New company - formation of a new company.

New laws - discussion of newly enacted laws which are likely to impact business.

New process - new process or technique for producing a new or existing product.

Number outlets - total number of retail stores, restaurants or branches of company.

Orders - contracts or orders received for products and services. Usually mentions the specific value in monetary or unit terms.

Output - production statistics, full year data only.

Outsourcing - contracting work to a third party.

Patent license - patent license and technology agreements between organizations. Ended 2002, see Licensing Agreements.

Patents - patent applications, registrations, disputes and litigation. Ended 2002, see Intellectual Property.

Plant closing - closing of a plant or site.

Pollution - environmental pollutants caused by a company's manufacturing process, and any attempts to lessen the pollution.

Product development - the development of new, improved, or replacement product or service.

Product discontinued - the discontinuation of a particular product or service.

Product introduction - the introduction or launch of a new product or service; also used for product line extension or brand expansion.

Product recalls - the recall of a product from distribution channels.

Public relations - activity, communications, or press coverage that is designed to enhance the prestige or goodwill of a company.

Quality - covers the implementation of quality programs which attempt to improve the standard or performance of a company, product or industry and the impact of changes made because of quality factor. Includes TQM and Baldridge material.

R&D expenditures - the monetary amount a company spends on research and development.

Sales - monetary value or number of units for a company or product. Full year data only.

Securities - issuance or sale of stocks or bonds, also includes initial public offerings (IPOs) if significant information is included in the article, also includes debt vehicles that are securities backed.

Shipments - monetary value or number of units of merchandise shipped from factory to distributors.

Target Markets - use for specific markets, such as Gay & Lesbian, Affluent, etc. Began 2002.

Tax rates - enacted changes in the tax code which are likely to impact business.

Trade issues - information on tariffs, trading regulations, or trade agreements that affect a company's ability to conduct foreign business, also includes charges of dumping of products.

Trademark license - trademark licensing agreements between organizations. Ended 2002, see Licensing Agreements.

Trademarks - trademark applications, registrations, disputes and litigation. Ended 2002, see Intellectual Property.

Trends - general tendency or direction in a market or industry. Major event affecting market or industry.

Users - number of people who use a product or service, including subscribers, installed base, patrons, account holders, card holders, tourists, passengers, visitors, shoppers, or any other variant.

Women's market - women as a target market, used especially in areas of products or services not traditionally or normally marketed towards women as the primary audience or buyer. Includes buying and spending habits and purchase decision making. Ended 2002.

Youth market - children, teenagers or college students of either sex as a market. Usually considered to include those persons under the age of 21. Often includes buying or spending power of the market.

January 2005

Return to Business & Industry documentation