Business

Historically, the term business referred to activities or interests. By extension the word became (as recently as the 18th century) synonymous with "an individual commercial enterprise". It has also taken on the more general meaning of "a nexus of commercial activities".

Businesses are established to perform economic activities. With rare exceptions (such as co-operatives, corporate bodies, non-profit societies and institutions of government), they are for-profit ventures. That is, one of the main objectives of the owners and operators of the business is to receive a financial return for their time and effort.

There are many ways to classify types of businesses. Service businesses offer intangible products and typically have different, usually smaller, capital requirements than manufacturers. Distributors will have different inventory control needs than a retailer or manufacturer.

In most legal jurisdictions, the forms that a business can take are specified and a body of commercial law has been developed for each type. The most common types are partnerships, corporations, and sole proprietorships.

An industry is a group of related businesses: for example: the "entertainment industry", or the "dairy industry", or the "fishing industry".

Business-related topics



In the News

Inaugural Fashion
Illustrated essay highlighting fashions worn by first ladies at inaugural ceremonies for U.S. presidents. Features video clips and images of some of the inaugural gowns. Part of a PBS Online NewsHour program covering the 2001 presidential inauguration.

In the First Person: An Index to Letters, Diaries, Oral Histories and
This site "provides in-depth indexing of more than 2,500 collections of oral history in English from around the world."Covers topics such as historical events, repositories, narrator, year, and subject. Search results include bibliographic records, excerpts from materials, and links to texts. (Access to some texts requires subscriptions.) From Alexander Street Press.

Interactive animations give science students a boost
For a generation of students raised and nurtured at the computer keyboard, it seems like a no-brainer that computer-assisted learning would have a prominent role in the college science classroom. But many difficult scientific concepts are still conveyed through dry lectures or ponderous texts. But that could change if science professors take a cue from a new study on the use of interactive animations in the college science classroom.

Ashcroft Vows Piracy Assault
Move over, terrorism. Attorney General John Ashcroft pledges to make fighting piracy a top priority for the Justice Department. By Katie Dean.

Function Of Cancer Genes Discovered
Dutch researcher Sebastian Nijman has discovered new genes which are involved in the development of cancer. The results of his research have led to a new treatment for patients with an inherited form of cancer, cylindromatosis.

Retiring Early Is Not Linked To Longer Life
Retiring early is not linked to longer life, finds new research published online by the BMJ today. There is a widespread perception that early retirement is associated with longer life expectancy and later retirement is associated with early death. But no consensus has been reached on the effect of early retirement on survival.

Fuzzy Photos Make Strong Images
Photographer Matthew Pillsbury uses extremely long exposures to create eerie, ambient-light images that juxtapose technology's permanence with human transience. By Sharon Mizota.

Sharks''Bite Force'Under The Spotlight
A biologist is analyzing the "bite force"and feeding mechanics of great white sharks. Earlier this summer he traveled to Australia to dissect a rare 8-foot great white shark, and help create the first high-res 3-D computer model of its bite. Huber's research may lead to advances in protective swimwear, shark-proofing equipment and a better understanding of flexible cartilage -- which forms the sharks'whole skeletons.

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau: Alcohol Advertising, Labelin
Official announcements from this bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury about the regulations, requirements, and compliance issues related to alcohol advertising and labeling. The FAQ covers topics of interest to both businesses and home brewers related to how alcoholic beverages may be marketed to consumers. Includes a section on labeling requirements for organic alcoholic beverages.

Life In Deadly Conditions: Researchers Sequence The Genome Of A Microb
The genome of another micro-organism which lives under extreme conditions has been sequenced. Scientists at the Department of Membrane Biochemistry at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry have analysed the genome of Natronomonas pharaonis and uncovered the survival strategies with which the archaeon can best thrive in deadly environmental conditions. In the latest edition of the international journal Genome Research, Professor Dieter Oesterhelt and his colleagues present their research.




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