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A business or economic cycle refers to fluctuations in economic activity. The reasons for such cycles are not only much debated about but are also of critical importance to the well-being of the citizens of each country. Each economy has sectors for the production and provision of different goods and services. Some suffer greatly during recessions and others are relatively unaffected. The former are cyclical sectors and the latter non-cyclical sectors.
Wages in lieu of notice, sometimes referred to as pay in lieu of notice, is a payment made by an employer to compensate a terminated employee if an advance notice of the termination is not given. This payment to the employee is not mandatory but is a consideration voluntarily given by the company. Therefore the employer is not entitled to it by law, and employees cannot expect these wages upon release from employment with the company.
Budget reprogramming is the allocation of funds to purposes other than those Congress contemplated or knew of during the appropriations process. Reprogramming does not involve new funds; it involves a movement of funds between projects and procurement activities. Federal agencies usually inform congressional committees of reprogramming decisions, which maintains good relationships between the executive and the legislative branches and satisfies congressional notification requirements.
A justified wage is a perceived idea of what an employer should pay a worker. Social activists and political leaders often put pressure on companies to pay their workers better based on this idea. However, those who emphasize the idea of justified wage often have trouble giving it an exact value, as they may use different methods to measure it, and these methods are not always exact.
Fixed assets are key components of a company's operating arsenal, especially with long-term profit management and sales growth. Failure to adequately manage these resources could throw the corporate strategy off kilter, as the business ultimately might spend more money on maintenance and repairs. Financial managers use various methods, including vertical analysis, to evaluate business performance and the contribution of fixed assets to the corporate bottom line.
Companies that battle for competitive dominance typically take bold steps to cut costs, increase revenues and resolve vexing issues. These may come from inefficiencies in manufacturing processes, personnel's inability to rein in waste and the production of low-quality items. To advance its commercial interests, a company follows specific rules to set a budget and ensure that employees effectively implement the blueprint.
A court-appointed trustee liquidates a bankrupt company's assets when a company files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The trustee sells off any and all valuable assets that a bankrupt company has and uses the profits to pay the company's creditors. Financial news outlet The Motley Fool points out that while bankruptcy is simple in principle, corporate bankruptcy involves complex laws and negotiations and often takes years.
Publicly traded companies adhere to a host of legal rules and regulations. Holding annual meetings, issuing annual reports and publishing financial statements are among the rules corporations follow. How businesses make certain decisions is also part of the conventions defining appropriate corporate behavior. Corporate resolutions fall under the guidelines of proper administration and management of public entities.
The stock market provides a place where individuals and organizations can sell, buy and trade stocks. Companies sell shares representing ownership equity in the company. Investors make money through dividend payments issued by companies and through appreciation of stock prices. You can invest in a company by purchasing different kinds of shares. The share type purchased directly affects the benefits of owning stock.
The Forex -- or foreign exchange -- market is one of the most dynamic financial markets in the world, and it has a number of related products and services for sale. Many of these products are promoted and sold with the help of Forex affiliates. Forex affiliates are individuals who sell Forex-related products for a share of the profit.
A publisher prepares and distributes printed material. A publisher can be an individual, such as an author, or a large multinational corporation. The publishing process can be relatively simple or highly complex, depending on the subject matter, type of design, amount of artwork, number of authors and size of print runs and distributions. The publisher is responsible for acquiring content to publish, producing the final electronic and print products, then marketing, selling and distributing the product.
In California, employers can voluntarily adopt sick and vacation pay policies for their employees as part of their overall fringe benefit compensation package. If they provide their employees with vacation pay, employees have a right to receive unused vacation pay at employment termination as part of their owed wages. However, sick pay is not considered wages, and employers do not have to include unused sick time in their final paychecks.
A rolling layoff is a type of layoff that has a provision for the laid-off employee to work a certain period. Under the terms of a rolling layoff, the laid-off employee would continue to work under a reduced schedule. For example, the employee could work one, two or three weeks out of the month. Rolling layoffs utilize different parameters to meet the specific labor requirements of the company. Generally, rolling layoffs occur with the understanding that the laid-off employee will eventually return to a full work schedule.
To sublet is to rent or lease part or whole of a rented or leased property. The laws that apply to sublet and subtenants vary by state. You may want to consider subletting a property if you do not want to lose a lease or if you cannot break the lease. When you sublet a property, you assume responsibility for the property and damages caused to the property by the party subleasing the property. Even when the landlord allows subletting of a property, you will generally assume liability for damages to the property.
Companies embark on different activities that require additional financing to complete. These activities can include launching new products, opening additional manufacturing sites and entering new markets. Additional financing allows the company to pursue these activities without reducing other company operations. Companies with outstanding common stock may consider offering preference shares of stock, or preferred stock.
Verizon Communications, Inc. is a New York-based global telecommunications company that offers domestic wireless and wireline services to consumers and businesses. Through its wireline subsidiary, Verizon offers voice, Internet, broadband video and data, network services and access, long distance calling and other services. Its Verizon Wireless subsidiary offers wireless voice and data services to consumers, businesses and government agencies across the U.S., and was the No. 1 wireless provider in the country as of 2011.
A corporate ethics program is an organized attempt to see that all agents of a company adhere to certain ethical guidelines and practices. U.S. law requires that public companies maintain a code of corporate ethics and oversight for that code. Although private companies have no such requirement, some elect to create programs anyway.
Cyclical unemployment occurs when companies need fewer workers to assist their customers at a given point but plan to hire these workers back when demand increases. For example, a television manufacturer may lay off workers because the people who normally buy televisions from it already have televisions, but these televisions will eventually wear out and need to be replaced.
The term "furlough" used to refer to a period in which a person took time off from a particular task or position. For example, an inmate might receive a furlough for the weekend that would allow him to leave prison for several days. However, the term can also refer to a mandatory unpaid leave that an employee is required to take temporarily. Furloughs differ from full layoffs in a number of different ways.
Six Sigma is a program developed by Motorola and used by several companies to ensure production of a quality product. In essence, Six Sigma is a process used to eliminate errors in product production.
"Oil," in modern parlance, generally refers to petroleum, an oily mixture of hydrocarbons. Crude oil is the major fuel source used in current technologies. "Conventional Oil" is petroleum extracted through the traditional oil well methods. Conventional oil is defined in relation to "unconventional oil," or oil extracted through alternate methods. These newer, alternative methods have become relevant due to increasing oil scarcities worldwide.
Vertical foreclosure is a type of anti-competitive behavior. A company purchases a supplier that supplies both the company and several competitors with raw materials. The company then uses its leverage over the supplier to receive a discount when it buys raw materials, and reduces quantity and raises prices when its competitors buy raw materials.
Corporate goodwill is an IRS term defined as the value of a company based on the business it can expect to generate from consumers' positive association with its name or reputation. In practice, though, the term is often used interchangeably with corporate charitable giving, mostly because corporations generally make charitable contributions based on the theory that the generosity will improve the corporation's image, and thus their bottom line.
A configuration management database, or CMDB, is a listing of computer and software assets with locations, descriptions and details of their configuration. Its purpose is to help IT management determine what changes are necessary in the configurations of the company's IT systems, based on the configurations in place. To fulfill this purpose, the CMDB must be detailed and exhaustive to give basic information on configuration of IT assets but it must also contain information on the location of assets, such as original software disks, to allow implementation of changes once the corresponding decisions have been made.
Corporate debt management is a tale of strategic vision and financial dexterity. All organizations -- including charities and government agencies -- engage in borrowing activities to bridge budget gaps or mitigate occasional liquidity shortfalls. Regulators and investors pay attention to a company's liabilities to make sure the firm is not piling on too much debt.
A corporate revenue office is the financial management hub of a business. The information in an organization's annual report is generally provided by this office. This department is integral in enterprises of all sizes.
Marketers must use advertising to accomplish several goals at the same time. First, they want to advertise new products to consumers so consumers know these products exist and are available through the company. Second, they want to advertise value so consumers believe they are getting their money's worth -- or preferably, more than their money's worth -- from product features, customer service and other value offerings of the company. But the overarching goal of marketing is to create a company brand, a strong identity that has the ability to stick in the minds of consumers regardless of the product or…
Companies engage in budgeting initiatives to rein in waste and weed out operating inefficiencies that stunt sales growth. Corporate financiers may fret about a firm's solvency if the company is unable to control its spending. Investors often reward publicly-listed firms that establish effective expense-control strategies, generally by bidding corporate shares up.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a prominent and evolving 21st century business topic. Following significant business scandals before and after the turn of the century, society has begun to expect more from companies on the ethical front. CSR is an umbrella of actions and behaviors expected of organizations regarding social and environmental responsibility.
When you begin a new job or career, or want to grow in your current position, it can be useful to receive guidance and advice from a trusted advisor--someone who has been where you are and knows what it takes to reach your goals. In an effort to help their employees succeed, some companies have instituted formal corporate mentoring programs.
Wages in lieu of notice are payments that a worker receives after dismissal. The employer pays an employee higher wages than normal because the employee is fired, instead of formally firing the employee. Wages in lieu of notice are a substitute for any additional wages the employer would pay the employee after the employee loses the job. An employer does not have to offer these benefits and they are usually only available if a collective bargaining agreement requires them.
In business, total assets consist of all assets of a company. An asset is defined in business as any items of ownership convertible into cash. Examples of assets include cash, notes and accounts receivable, securities, inventories, goodwill, fixtures, machinery, real estate and the like. All assets, and the total cash value of the total assets, are reported on the company's balance sheet. Assets are defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and accounted for according to the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Corporate strategy is one of three hierarchical levels of strategy. Decision making at the highest level falls under this strategy. Reference for Business says that corporate strategy takes a "big picture view" of the firm and decides which markets to compete in and where, geographically, to operate. In multi-business firms, corporate strategy also determines how resources are allocated.
Both a layoff and a furlough save an employer money. A furlough is a temporary layoff. A furlough is an alternative to a permanent layoff, because instead of being fired, employees do not come to work on certain days. In a layoff, the employer does not assign employees to work during days that they would normally work. In a permanent layoff employees are fired, and with a temporary layoff the employer may call back employees. The advantage of the furlough is that the employees get to keep their jobs, although each employee works fewer days during the month and earns…
A corporate charter may be referred to as a company's articles of incorporation. The corporate charter provides information about the business, such as the legal name and address of the business. Every corporation must file a corporate charter with the secretary or department of state where the company operates in order to establish the legal existence of the business.
Corporate executive rely on assets to boost productivity in the short- and long-terms. Senior leaders analyze the economic environment domestically and internationally, evaluating how best to use corporate assets in operating activities. Asset-management procedures help a company leverage its resources to grow and outmatch the competition, especially when it comes to engaging in long-term expansion plans.
Much research in business and the social sciences deals with survey data. People fill out questionnaires and the data are analyzed. The purpose is to come to understand a target market. If the sample is too small, or biased in some way, the research will be distorted and the results of little value. To avoid bias, the sample must be reflective of the general population.
Corporate law and legal definitions of business entities are complex subjects that are constantly undergoing changes brought on by new legislation and judicial rulings on the state, provincial and national level in countries all across the world. There are literally tens of thousands of accountants and financial analysts worldwide looking for the best place to invest funds or open new offices based on laws about corporate structure or taxation.
Corporate governance is the term used to describe both a company's over-arching business strategy and the way it functions internally. This can include everything from the construction of its board of directors to how new employees are interviewed and screened for hiring. A business without an effective corporate governance strategy risks its investors losing confidence along with a large chunk of money.
Corporate financial reporting is an essential activity in the modern-day economic landscape. In a business environment replete with bankruptcy news, lenders and investors pay attention to financial reports to distinguish companies experiencing economic distress from those that are profitable. These statements also help corporate leadership prevent losses resulting from litigation in case of inaccurate reporting.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the government agency tasked with the administration of Title 26 of the United States Code, commonly known as the Internal Revenue Code. All definitions of terms and rules applied by the IRS can be definitively sourced by reference to the code.
While many may typically view a bank as an institution for depositing and withdrawing money, or administering loans, banks actually may offer a wide variety of services. Accordingly, a bank service company has a distinguished place in the banking community.
Often denounced as an easy exit for bad decisions, corporate bankruptcies have major implications for directors and officers. One is the likelihood of lawsuits against directors and officers for claims of acting in bad faith, or against their company's interests. Unless the company has bought more than a basic liability policy, directors and officers may find themselves held liable for lost income and wages, as well as punitive damages, court costs and attorney's fees.
A company is a business owned by one or more people and established for the purpose of conducting commercial or industrial enterprise. Proprietorships, partnerships and corporations are three types of companies.
A corporate card is a charge card used to cover certain expenses incurred by business people or corporate executives. The corporate card helps separate business expenses from personal expenses. Additionally, the corporate card allows a company to keep track of all business-related spending.
A firm often needs external sources of funding to stay competitive and increase business performance in the short term and long term. Senior leaders generally issue debt instruments to meet operating liquidity needs.
Though we rarely hear about it, corporate espionage is an international grand scheme that spans individuals, corporations and countries. The players in this game use any means necessary to gain advantage over their competition. Corporate espionage has only recently become better known to the general public because of films like "Duplicity," starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Despite this new attention, corporate espionage has increased thanks to ever-improving technology and science.
Corporate finance is the set of actions and policies that determine how cash is used in a business. The decisions are researched and recommended by lower-level employees, such as financial analysts, who report to executive officers. There are a few standard rules when managing a corporation's finances.
Advances in communication technology have made the world smaller. In the 21st century, corporations manage global campaigns by email, telephone, video conferences and file-sharing applications. A trend rose in the 1990s in which corporate entities traveled beyond their nation's borders to reduce operating costs. In the 21st century the true global corporations abandoned or avoided this trend and saw the value of truly penetrating foreign markets as an investment strategy.
"Consolidation" means to unify multiple entities into one. Sometimes companies are combined to form a new corporation or one firm absorbs the other. The terms "acquisition" and "consolidation" have specific technical meanings and should not be conflated.
Some businesses find it useful to adopt the corporate model of organization. This provides several advantages over partnerships or sole proprietorships and exists in several forms. Individuals who want to avail themselves of these advantages and will be performing specialized services that legally require a license may form a personal service corporation.
Corporate structure refers to the arrangement by which control, authority and ownership are determined. In corporations, both ownership and control are distributed to the stockholders, but authority to attend to operational matters is vested in various officials within the company. While varied companies are structured according to the corporate model, the model itself always contains certain features.
Corporate leadership training provides tomorrow's leaders with skills and knowledge required to make an impact in the business world. By definition, corporate leadership training offers instruction and practice on topics relevant to leading corporations. Typically beginning by administering a participant self-assessment, corporate leadership training programs strive to help managers develop their capacity to think strategically to enable long-term financial success.
State laws require corporations to draft bylaws and keep a record of them. Corporate bylaws provide the internal rules and procedures that a nonprofit or for-profit corporation must follow.
A 501 c organization is a non-profit organization that is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as meeting the criteria set forth by the federal government as a non-profit. Most nationally known charitable organizations are 501 c organizations. These are the only organizations that you can donate to and legally deduct the amount from your taxes.
Most popular in the United States, corporate housing offers a fully furnished home space for travelers. One-, two- and three-bedroom housing units are rented out in the same fashion as hotel rooms or lodging facilities. According to the Corporate Housing Providers Association, the total corporate housing revenue among the 73,385 units across America was $2.77 billion in 2008.
Corporate planning is a systematic approach to clarifying corporate objectives, strategic decision making and checking progress toward objectives. A corporate plan is a set of instructions to managers of an organization describing what role each department is expected to fulfill in the achievement of organization's objectives (Gubbins, 2003, p. 98).
