Glossary
This material is reprinted with permission from the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada; the publication Understanding Canadian Business; and the former Canadian Council on Learning.
A
Accountability
Requirement that workers accept the consequences of their actions and report those actions to their immediate supervisor.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Achievement gap
Persistent differences in achievement among different types of learners as indicated by scores on standardized tests, teacher grades and other data. The gaps most frequently referred to are those between rural and urban, female and male, majority and minority language learners.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Action research
Action research involves identifying a question or problem and then collecting and analyzing relevant data. It is called action research because participants are studying an aspect of their own work and they intend to use the results themselves.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey
A large-scale, international comparative assessment designed to identify and measure a range of skills linked to the social and economic characteristics of individuals across (or within) nations. The survey provides information on the skills and attitudes of adults aged 16 to 65 in a number of different areas, including: prose and document literacy, numeracy and analytical reasoning and problem solving.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Analytic System
Manufacturing system that breaks down raw materials into components to extract other products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Apprenticeship
A time when a new worker works alongside a master technician to learn the appropriate skills and procedures.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Arbitration
The process of resolving all disputes, not only grievances, through an outside, impartial third party.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Assembly Process
Production process that puts together components.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
At-risk students
Learners who have a higher than average probability of dropping out or failing school. Broad categories usually include inner-city, low-income and homeless children; those not fluent in English or French; and special-needs learners with emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Audit
An audit involves an independent review and examination of records or financial accounts to check their accuracy. Audits are also used to ensure compliance with established policy and operational procedures, and to recommend any necessary changes.
Authentic learning
Learning related to real-life situations – the kinds of problems faced by learners, consumers or professionals. Authentic learning situations require teamwork, problem-solving skills and the ability to organize and prioritize tasks needed to complete the project.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
B
Balance of Payments
The difference between money coming into a country (from exports) and money leaving the country (for imports) plus money flows from other factors such as tourism, foreign aid, investments, interest, and dividend payments.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Balance of Trade
Reports the financial position of a firm at the end of a specific period of time. Balance sheet(s) consist of assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Balance Sheet
Reports the financial position of a firm at the end of a specific period of time. Balance sheet(s) consist of assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Benefit Segmentation
Divides the market by benefits desired.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Best Practice
A best practice is a business process with demonstrated ability to achieve superior results. Best practices represent proven methodologies for consistently and effectively achieving a business objective.
Brand
A name, symbol, or design (or combination of these) that identifies the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and distinguishes them from those of competitors.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Brand Name
A logo, word, letter, or groups of words or letters that differentiate the goods and services of a seller from those of competitors.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Break-even Analysis
Process used to determine profitability at various levels of sales.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Break-even Point
The point beyond which a certain quantity of sales results in profits.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Budget Narrative
A budget narrative is required to explain how anticipated expenses were derived for a project and is complementary to the budget by describing project-related costs. A budget narrative should also explain all applicant and partner contributions to a project.
Bureaucratic Organization
Organization with three layers of authority: (1) top managers, who make decisions, (2) middle managers, who develop procedures for implementing decisions, and (3) workers and supervisors, who do the work.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Business Case
A business case is the information that describes the justification for a project. A business case is built on evidence derived from feasibility studies or impact analysis to support project objectives.
Business Plan
A detailed written statement that describes the nature of the business, the target market, the advantages the business will have over competitors, and the resources and qualifications of the owners.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Deliverable
A deliverable is a measurable, tangible, verifiable product resulting from a project, or a product that must be produced to complete the project. Also see definition of Output. It is important to note that a deliverable is different from an outcome. See definition of outcome.
C
Cash Budget
The projected use of cash during a given period (e.g., monthly, quarterly, or annually).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Cash Flow
The difference between cash receipts and cash disbursements.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Cash Flow Forecast
A projection of expected cash inflows and outflows for a particular period of time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Certification
The process by which a union becomes the sole bargaining agent for a group of employees. This usually requires a majority vote obtained by secret ballot supervised by a Labour Relations Board (LRB).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Class size
The number of learners taught by a single teacher.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Cognitive learning
The mental processes involved in learning, such as remembering and understanding facts and ideas. Educators have always been interested in how people learn but are now becoming better informed about cognition from the work of cognitive psychologists who in recent years have compiled new information about thinking and learning.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Collective Bargaining
The process by which a union represents employees in relations with their employer.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Communications Planning
Communications planning is the process of determining project stakeholders’ communication and information needs.
Communication Strategy
A communication strategy outlines a process for communicating and sharing information on project benefits and facts to target audiences and stakeholders. It is a tool used for promoting the awareness, knowledge and understanding of a project.
Competitive advantage/edge
Competitive advantage occurs when an organization acquires or develops an attribute or combination of attributes that allows it to outperform its competitors. These attributes can include access to natural resources or access to highly trained and skilled personnel human resources.
Composite Learning Index (CLI)
CCL's Composite Learning Index measures learning conditions favourable to the economic and social well-being of Canadians. The Index is a combination of 16 key learning indicators that show at a glance how well Canada is doing in the field of lifelong learning. Specifically designed to measure and report on the state of learning in Canada – over time and by region – the CLI includes data on formal and informal learning across the lifespan and includes indicators about knowledge acquisition, knowledge application, learning for personal development and learning that is required for people to live together.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
The use of computers in the design of products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Computer-Aided Industrial Design (CAID)
The creation and modification of models with a three-dimensional perspective.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
The use of computers in the manufacturing of products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
Computer-aided design (CAD) combined with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM); it then further integrates CAD/CAM with other corporate functions such as purchasing, inventory control, cost accounting, materials handling, and shipping.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Computer Use
Computer Use, one of nine Essential Skills, is the ability to use different kinds of computer applications and other related technical tools.
Conceptual Skills
Ability to picture the organization as a whole and the relationship of various parts.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Consortium
A temporary association of two or more companies to bid jointly on a very large project.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Consumer Market
All the individuals or households who want goods and services for personal consumption.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Monthly statistics that measure changes in the prices of a basket of goods and services that consumers buy.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Contingency Planning
Process of preparing alternative courses of action that may be used if the primary plans do not achieve the objectives of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Continuous Improvement
Procedures designed to ensure and inspire constant creative interaction and problem solving.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Continuous Learning
Continuous Learning is one of nine Essential Skills. It is the act of participating in an ongoing process of acquiring skills and knowledge.
Continuous process
Production process in which long production runs turn out finished goods over time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Contribution “Program contribution”
A contribution is a condition transfer payment to an organization for a specified purpose, the conditions of which must be defined in a contribution agreement.
- A contribution agreement is signed by both parties;
- The recipient is obligated to account for expenditure categories and funding amounts (such as, through quarterly or monthly payment claims with detailed financial breakdown and periodic activity reporting); and
- The government will conduct financial verification via supporting documents or on-site reviews and may audit the recipient's use of the contribution.
Convenience Goods and Services
Products that the consumer wants to purchase frequently and with a minimum of effort.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Co-operative learning
A teaching strategy combining teamwork with individual and group accountability. Working in small groups, with individuals of varying talents, abilities and backgrounds, learners are given one or more tasks. The teacher or the group often assigns each team member a personal responsibility that is essential to successful completion of the task.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Core Time
The time when all employees are present in a flextime system.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Corporate Distribution System
Distribution system in which all the organizations in the channel are owned by one firm.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Corporate Social Responsibility
The recognition by corporations that their actions must take into account the needs and ethical standards of society.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Corporation
A legal entity with an existence separate from its owners.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Cost of Goods Sold
A particular type of expense measured by the total cost of merchandise sold (including costs associated with the acquisition, storage, transportation, and packaging of goods).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Critical Path
The longest path a product takes from the beginning of the production process until the end.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Current Assets
Cash and assets that are normally converted to cash within one year.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Customer-Driven
Customer satisfaction becomes the driving force that permeates the company.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
D
Dataset
The individual-level results of a survey, conceptualized as a table or "matrix" where the rows are individual respondents and their answers, and can include values derived from those answers, typically stored as numbers. Datasets may be used for secondary analysis.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Decentralized
Decision making is spread downward from the top of an organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Delegating
Assigning authority and accountability to others while retaining responsibility for results.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Demand Curve
Line on a graph which shows the relationship between quantity demanded and price.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Demand-Oriented Pricing
Pricing strategy based on consumer demand.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Demographic Segmentation
Divides the market into groups by age, sex, income, and similar categories.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Departmentalization
Dividing an organization’s structure into homogeneous departments such as manufacturing and marketing.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Depreciation
Since assets such as machinery lose value over time, part of their cost is calculated as an expense each year over their useful life.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Design For Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA)
A process used to design products with the least number of parts, thus reducing the cost of assembly.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Differentiated instruction
A form of instruction that seeks to maximize each learner’s growth by offering several different learning experiences in response to learners’ varied needs. Learning activities and materials may be varied by difficulty to challenge learners at different readiness levels, by topic in response to learners’ interests, and by learners’ preferred ways of learning or expressing themselves.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Disaggregated data
Test scores or other data divided so that various categories can be compared. For example, schools may break down data for the entire student population (aggregated into a single set of numbers) to determine how minority students are doing compared with the majority, or how scores of girls compare with those of boys.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Dissemination Plan
A dissemination plan provides specific details on how information or knowledge gained from a project is distributed and shared. Project dissemination can occur through presentations, conferences, publications and Web sites.
Distance learning
Taking classes in locations other than the classroom or places where teachers present the lessons. Distance learning uses various forms of technology, especially television and computers, to provide educational materials and experiences to learners. Many colleges and universities broadcast credit courses for learners who live in isolated locations or who, for other reasons, cannot attend classes on campus.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Document Use
Document Use, one of nine Essential Skills, is the ability to execute tasks that involve a variety of information displays in which words, numbers, symbols and other visual characteristics (lines, colours or shapes, etc.) are given meaning by their spatial arrangement.
Dropout rate
The proportion of students between 20 and 24 years of age who are not currently in school and who have not completed secondary school.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Duration
Duration is the length of time required or planned for the execution of a project activity. Measured in calendar time units—days, weeks, months, years.
Dyslexia
A specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
E
Economics
The study of how society chooses to employ scarce resources to produce various goods and services and distribute them for consumption among various competing groups and individuals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Economies of Scale
The cost savings that result from large-scale production.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Effect size
The magnitude of a result in relation to a standard normal distribution. An effect size of +/- 1.0 would indicate that the result was one standard deviation above or below the mean. For example, on a test with scores normally distributed from 0 to 100, an effect size of + .5 would indicate that the result was approximately 17 per cent above the mean of 50, in other words 67 per cent.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Software that enables the computers of producers, wholesalers, and retailers to talk with each other.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Employee Benefits
Sick leave pay, vacation pay, pension plans, health plans, and other benefits that provide additional compensation to employees beyond the basic wage.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Employee Orientation
The activity that introduces new employees to the organization, to fellow employees, to their immediate supervisors, and to the policies, practices, and objectives of the firm.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Empowerment
The leaders of organizations give their workers the freedom, the incentives, and the training to be decision makers and creative contributors to the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Entrepreneur
A person who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of starting and operating a business to make a profit.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Environmental Scanning
Analysis of societal forces, economic realities, technological developments, and legal and regulatory conditions.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Equilibrium Point
Point at which supply and demand are equal.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Essential Skills
Essential Skills are nine skills that are common to all Canadian occupational groups, and used at varying levels of complexity depending on occupation. The nine essential skills are Reading, Document Use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral Communication, Working with Others, Thinking, Computer use and Continuous Learning.
Evaluation
Evaluation is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to determine whether projects/programs/initiatives are appropriate, adequate, effective and efficient.
Evaluation Strategy
For the purposes of this call for proposals, an evaluation strategy includes the evaluation questions to be addressed, the methods that will be used to evaluate the project, the timing of the evaluation activities and the costs of carrying out the evaluation.
Evidence-based research
Research in which the conclusions are reached by, among other things, the systematic collection of empirical evidence rather than on editorial opinion unsupported by evidence.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Exchange Rate
The value of one currency relative to the currencies of other countries.
Exponential Function
The mathematical description of anything that changes steadily in one direction over a given period of time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Extrinsic Rewards
Reinforcement from someone else as recognition for good work, including pay increases, praise, and promotions.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Functional illiteracy
The inability to read or write well enough to perform many necessary tasks in life, such as writing a cheque, filling out a job application, reading a classified advertisement, or understanding a newspaper headline.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
F
Factors of Production
The basic inputs of a society: land and natural resources, human labour, capital, entrepreneurship, and information.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Feasibility Study
A feasibility study is utilized to examine the viability of taking on a project; it allows for the analysis and evaluation of proposed ideas. It is a way to determine if a business idea is capable of being achieved, and the results are used to develop solutions and strategies for project implementation.
Final Report
A final report is the post-implementation project report. It is a report that formally closes the project and highlights the achievement of project objectives and deliverables. The report should also draw attention to experiences during project development and implementation that may be of benefit to future projects.
Finance
The business function that is responsible for the efficient acquisition and disbursement of funds.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Financial Accounting
The preparation of financial statements for people outside of the firm (for example, investors).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Financial literacy
Knowledge and understanding of financial concepts, and the skills, motivation and confidence to apply such knowledge and understanding in order to make effective decisions across a range of financial contexts, to improve the financial well-being of individuals and society, and to enable participation in economic life.
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Financial Statements
Report the success and position (condition) of a firm; they include the income statement and balance sheet.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Fiscal Year
A fiscal year is the 12-month period used for financial planning and reporting purposes. The Federal Government’s fiscal year begins on April 1 and ends on March 31 of the proceeding year.
Fixed Assets
Items that are acquired to produce services or products. They are not bought to be sold.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Flat Organization Structures
Ones with relatively few layers of management.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS)
Totally automated production centres that include robots, automatic materials handling equipment, and computer-controlled machine tools that can perform a variety of functions to produce different products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Flextime Plans
Work schedules that give employees some freedom to adjust when they work, within limits, as long as they work the required number of hours.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Focus Group
A small group of people who meet under the direction of a discussion leader to communicate their feelings concerning an organization, its products, or other important issues.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Formal, job-related training
Courses or programs related to a worker’s current or future job. These courses and programs have a structured plan whereby a learner, led by a teacher or trainer, follows a planned program and receives formal recognition upon completion, such as a certificate, diploma or degree.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Formal learning
Formal learning is learning that is structured in terms of learning objectives, curricula, learning time, and/or learning support. It is also intentional from the learner’s perspective and leads to a formal qualification (such as degree, diploma, certification, etc.)
Formal Organization
The structure that details lines of responsibility, authority, and position. It is the structure that is shown on organization charts.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Foundation skills
Foundation skills include reading, writing, math, basic computers and communication.
Four Ps of Marketing
Product, place, promotion, and price.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Franchise
The right to use a specific business’s name and sell its products or services in a given territory.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Franchise Agreement
An arrangement whereby someone with a good idea for a business sells the rights to use the business name and sell its products or services to others in a given territory.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Free-Market System
System in which decisions about what to produce and in what quantities are decided by the market; that is, by buyers and sellers freely negotiating prices for goods and services.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
G
Gantt Chart
Bar graph showing production managers what projects are being worked on and what stage they are in on a daily basis.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Gender bias
The idea that one gender is at a disadvantage compared to the other gender. The term may refer to the difficulties males may have in conforming to classroom routines and learning to read and write, or it may refer to lower average achievement by females in science, mathematics and technology. Bias is sometimes suspected when test results consistently favour one gender.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Globalization
A globally integrated system of production, marketing, finance, and management.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Goal “project goal”
A goal is the definition of specifically what a project will accomplish, its purpose, its quality focus, and viewpoint. A project goal should reference the project's business benefits in terms of cost, time and/or quality. See also objective.
Goals
Broad, long-term accomplishments an organization wishes to attain.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Goal-Setting Theory
Theory that setting specific, attainable goals can motivate workers and improve performance if the goals are accepted, are accompanied by feedback, and are facilitated by organizational conditions.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Goods-Producing Sector
Produces tangible products, things that can be seen or touched.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Grant
A grant is an unconditional transfer payment that is not subject to being audited but for which eligibility and entitlement may be verified.
- A grant agreement is signed by both parties; and
- Recipients may be required to periodically submit activity progress reports and general financial statements.
Grievance
A formal protest by an individual employee or a union when they believe a particular management decision breached the union contract.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The total value of a country’s output of goods and services in a given year.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Gross Margin (profit)
Net sales minus costs of goods sold before expenses are deducted.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
H
Hawthorne Effect
The tendency for a group of people to be more motivated when they know they are being studied and take a more active part in the experiment.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
High-skilled Worker
A high-skilled worker is defined as a person with a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
Human capital
Productive wealth embodied in labour, skills and knowledge.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Human Resource Management
The process of evaluating human resource needs, finding people to fill those needs, and getting the best work from each employee by providing the right incentives and job enrichment, all with the goal of meeting the objectives of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
I
Impact Analysis
Impact analysis is the process of assessing the merits of pursuing and implementing a project. It often includes an impact assessment which is the assessment of the harm or consequences to a project of a risk if it occurs. It enables the development of strategies for minimizing risk.
Implementation
Implementation is a phase in the project life cycle in which a product is put into use; it is when a chosen project solution is developed into a completed deliverable. Implementation is also a term used as a synonym for development.
Income Statement
Reports revenues, expenses, and profit or loss during a specific period of time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Independent Audit
Examination of a company’s books by public accountants, to give the public, governments, and shareholders an outside opinion of the fairness of financial statements.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Indicator
Something measured that signifies a state or level of performance or achievement. For example, an indicator for the level of post-secondary attainment might be the percentage of working-age population which has completed a post-secondary program.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Industrial Advertising
Advertising from manufacturers to other manufacturers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Industrial Goods
Products used in the production of other products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Industrial Market
Individuals and organizations that purchase goods and services to produce other goods and services or to rent, sell, or supply the goods to others.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Industrial Park
A planned are in a city where businesses can find land, shipping facilities, and waste disposal outlets so they can build a manufacturing plant or storage facility.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Industrial Policy
A comprehensive, co-ordinated government plan to revitalize the economy and lay out a path for the future.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Informal learning
Informal learning is not structured. It can be intentional or incidental. It does not result in a formal qualification.
Informal Organization
The system of relationships and lines of authority that develop spontaneously as employees meet and form power centres; it is the human side of the organization and does not show on any formal charts.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Information System
Network consisting of written and electronically based systems for sending reports, memos, bulletins, and the like.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
In-kind Contributions
In-kind contributions are noteworthy contributions made by applicants and their partners to project activities. An example of an in-kind contribution is the time that partners contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of projects. In-kind contributions may also include the use of office space and equipment required to undertake the project.
Input
Inputs are resources dedicated to and consumed by the project such as funds, staff, materials, and facilities.
Intermittent Process
Production process in which the production run is short and the machines are shut down frequently or changed to produce different products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Internal Marketing Program
Marketing program designed to commit employees to the objectives of a firm.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
An international bank that makes short-term loans to countries experiencing problems with their balance of trade.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Interpersonal Skills
Ability to lead, communicate, motivate, coach, build morale, train, support, and delegate.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Intrinsic Rewards
Reinforcement from within oneself; a feeling one has done a good job.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
J
Job Analysis
A study of what is done by employees who fill various job titles.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Descriptions
Summaries of the objectives of a job, the type of work, the responsibilities of the job, skills needed, the working conditions, and the relationship of the job to other functions.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Enlargement
Job enrichment strategy involving combining a series of tasks into one assignment that is more challenging and interesting.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Enrichment
A motivational strategy that emphasizes motivating the worker through the job itself.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Rotation
Job enrichment strategy involving moving employees from one job to another.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Sharing
An arrangement whereby two part-time employees share one full-time job.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Simplification
Process of producing task efficiency by breaking down the job into simple steps and assigning people to each of those steps.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Job Simulation
The use of equipment that duplicates job conditions and tasks so that trainees can learn skills before attempting them on the job.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Just-In-Time (JIT) Inventory Control
Arrangements for delivery of the smallest possible quantities at the latest possible time to keep inventory as low as possible.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
L
Leadership
Creating a vision for others to follow, establishing corporate values and ethics, and transforming the way the organization does business so it is more effective and efficient.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Lessons learned
Lessons learned are a set of statements captured after completion of a project or a portion of a project. The statements describe in a neutral way what did or did not work well, along with a statement regarding the risk of ignoring the lesson. Capturing and sharing the lessons learned is an important part of process improvement.
Liabilities
Amounts owed by the organization to others.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Life cycle
A project’s life cycle consists of the events from beginning to end necessary to complete a project. It is the sequence of defined stages over the full duration of a project.
Limited Liability
The responsibility of a business’s owners for losses only up to the amount they invest; limited partners have limited liability.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Line Organization Structure
Organization in which there are direct two-way lines of responsibility, authority, and communication running from the top to the bottom of the organization, with every employee reporting to only one specific supervisor.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Line Personnel
Employees who perform functions that contribute directly to the primary goals of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Literacy
Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society.
Source: UNESCO
Lockout
A drastic negotiation strategy in which the employer locks the premises against the employees.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Logic Model
A logic model is a step-by-step approach for defining and measuring project activities and expected project outcomes.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Low-skilled Worker
A low-skilled worker is defined as persons without a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
M
Manageability
A system where everyone in the organization knows who is responsible for what, who reports to whom, and what to do when problems arise.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Management
The process used to accomplish organizational goals through planning, organizing, directing, and controlling people and other organizational resources.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Management By Objectives (MBO)
A system of goal setting and implementation that involves a cycle of discussion, review, and evaluation of objectives among top and middle-level managers, supervisors, and employees.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Management Development
The process of training and educating employees to become good managers and then developing managerial skills over time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Manufacturing
Process of making goods by hand or with machinery as opposed to extracting things from the earth (mining or fishing) or producing services.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Marketing
The process of studying the wants and needs of others and then satisfying those wants and needs with appropriate goods and services.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Marketing Communication System
Listening to the market, responding to that information, and promoting the organization and its products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Marketing Concept
Refers to a three-part business philosophy: (1) a consumer orientation, (2) training of all employees in customer service, and (3) a profit orientation.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Marketing Manager
Plans and executes the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Marketing Mix
The strategic combination of product decisions with decisions regarding packaging, pricing, distribution, credit, branding, service, complaint handling, and other marketing activities.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Market Price
Price determined by supply and demand.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Market Segmentation
Process of dividing the total market into several submarkets (segments) that have similar characteristics.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Materials Handling
The movement of goods within a warehouse, factory, or store.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Materials Requirement Planning (MRP)
A computer-based operations management system that uses sales forecasts to make sure that needed parts and materials are available at the right place and time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Mathematical literacy
The capacity to identify, understand and engage in mathematics and make well-founded judgments about the role that mathematics plays in one’s life.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Matrix Organization
Organization in which specialists from different parts of the organization are brought together to work on specific projects but still remain part of a traditional line and staff structure.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Mediation
The use of a third party to attempt to bring the parties to a resolution of their dispute.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Mentors
Experienced employees who supervise, coach, and guide lower-level employees by introducing them to the right people and groups and generally act as their organizational sponsors.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Mercantilism
The economic principle advocating the selling of more goods to other nations than a country buys.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Merger
The result of two firms forming one company.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Methodology
A methodology is a documented process for management of projects that contains procedures, definitions, and roles and responsibilities.
Middle Management
Level of management that includes plant managers and department heads who are responsible for tactical plans.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Milestones
A milestone is a key event selected for its importance in a project. Milestones are commonly used for monitoring the progress of a project. A milestone is often chosen to represent the start of a new phase or the completion of a major deliverable. It usually marks the completion of a critical part of a project.
Mission Statement
A mission statement is a brief summary, approximately one or two sentences, that sums up the background, purposes and benefits of the project.
Mixed Economy
All economies that combine free markets with some government allocation of resources.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Monitoring
Monitoring is the recording, analysing, and reporting of project performance.
Monopoly
A market in which there is only one seller.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Motivators
Factors that provide satisfaction and motivate people at work.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
N
National Debt
The sum of money the government has borrowed and not paid back.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
National Scope
Projects must produce results and/or final products that have the potential for broad application across Canada. "Broad application" means that the results or products of the project could be used or replicated by a range of organizations, sectors or stakeholders across Canada.
Networking
Linking firms together by making it possible for their computers to talk with one another. Establishing and maintaining contacts with key managers in one’s own and other organizations and using those contacts to weave strong relationships that serve as informal development systems.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
NIMBY
Not in my back yard, meaning that people don’t want waste disposal facilities in their town, though they agree that such facilities are needed somewhere.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Non-formal learning
Non-formal learning, like formal learning, is structured and intentional. However, unlike formal learning, it does not result in a formal qualification.
Non-regulated occupations
Non-regulated occupations do not require special licensure and can range from those requiring extensive education and training, such as a university degree (such computer analysts or biologists) to those that require little in the way of formal training and involve little risk to the public (for example: bartenders, salespersons, or housekeepers). About 80% of the Canadian workforce is employed in non-regulated occupations.
Numeracy
Numeracy is one of nine Essential Skills. It is the use of numbers and thinking in quantitative terms to complete tasks.
O
Objectives
An objective is something to be achieved. Objectives are measurable, shared and agreed project goals. They are directly linked to the concept of "project success factors."
Objectives
Specific short-time tasks that must be completed to achieve the organizational goals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Observation Method
Method of collecting data by observing the actions of potential buyers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Official Languages Minority Communities
Designates Anglophones living in Quebec and Francophones living in provinces and territories outside Quebec.
Off-the-Job Training
1) Internal and external programs to develop a variety of skills and foster personal development away from the workplace.
2)The employee immediately begins his or her tasks and learns by doing, or watching others for a while and then imitates them.
2)The employee immediately begins his or her tasks and learns by doing, or watching others for a while and then imitates them.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Operating Budget
The plan of the various costs and expenses needed to operate the business, based on estimated annual revenues.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Operating Expenses
The various costs incurred in running a business, including rent, salaries, and utilities, in order to earn revenues.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Oral Communication
Oral Communication is one of nine Essential Skills. It is the ability to use speech to give and exchange thoughts and information.
Organizational Culture
Widely shared values within an organization, reflected in stories, traditions, and myths, that provide coherence and co-operation to achieve common goals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Organization Chart
A visual picture of an organization that shows who reports to whom.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Organizing
Designing the organizational structure, attracting people to the organization (staffing), and creating conditions and systems that ensure that everyone and everything work together to achieve the objectives of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Outcomes
Outcomes are changes, results, impacts or consequences of the project activity – generally focused on people. Outcomes can also be the result of a program or institutional change. Outcomes represent the impact that a project has on people, programs or institutions.
Outputs
Outputs are the direct products of a project.
Owners’ Equity
Investments in the company plus all net accumulated profits.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
P
Participative Management
Management style that involves employees in setting objectives and making decisions; democratic and laissez-faire leadership are forms of this type of management.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Partnership
A partnership is an association of two or more entities that have defined roles, responsibilities and financial contributions to a project. Partners could provide monetary and/or in-kind contributions that reflect a commitment to the success of the project. Partners to OLES projects are not eligible to receive fees for goods or services related to funded project activities.
Performance Appraisal
An evaluation of the performance level of employees against standards to make decisions about promotions, compensation, additional training, or firing.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Performance Indicators
Performance indicators are measurable indicators that demonstrate the achievement of an outcome. They enable decision-makers to assess progress towards the achievement of intended outputs, outcomes, goals, and objectives, and are chosen to reflect the critical success factors of a project.
Performance Measures
Performance measures describe how success in achieving the project goals will be measured and tracked. Performance measurement targets provide the quantifiable answer to the question: "How will we know when we've been successful in achieving our goal?"
Personal Selling
Face-to-face presentation and promotion of products and services plus searching out of prospects and providing follow-up service.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Phase
A phase is a grouping of activities in a project that are required to meet a major milestone by providing a significant deliverable. A project is broken down into a set of phases for monitoring and control purposes.
Phonemes
The distinct units of sound that distinguish one word from another.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Phonemic awareness
The ability to detect individual letter sounds.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Phonological awareness
The ability to hear and distinguish parts of speech such as syllables, rhymes and letter sounds.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Physical Distribution
The movement of goods and services from producer to industrial and consumer users.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Physical Distribution Manager
The person responsible for co-ordinating and integrating all movement of materials, including transportation, internal movement, and warehousing.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Physiological Needs
The needs for basic life-giving elements such as food, water, and shelter.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Piggybacking
The shipping of the cargo-carrying part of a truck on a railroad car or ship over long distances. This part of its journey results in the total trip having been made in the most efficient manner possible.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Pillars of learning
The UNESCO Commission on 21st Century Education, the OECD, and Canada’s provincial and territorial governments recognize four key pillars of learning:
- Learning To Know: involving the ability to learn independently, to synthesize information, to analyze critically and to reason
- Learning To Do: involving the development of effective work habits, self-directed learning skills, flexibility to respond to change, and the ability to earn income and attain occupational and career objectives
- Learning To Live Together: involving the development of social and civic responsibility, a tolerance and respect for the ideas and beliefs of others, as well as the ability to live and work with other people
- Learning To Be: involving the development of a sense of self-worth, personal initiative and responsibility, a sense of values and self-discipline, health and safety, and a sense of esthetics
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Pilot Project
A pilot project is an activity planned as a test or trial. Pilot projects are intended to demonstrate the feasibility and experimentation of an idea. The scope of a pilot project can be significantly expanded if deemed successful.
PIRLS
Progress in Reading Literacy Study undertaken by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement in 2001, focusing on the acquisition of reading literacy of Grade 4 students.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
PISA
Stands for Programme for International Student Assessment, which is an internationally standardized assessment that was jointly developed by participating countries and administered to15-year-olds in schools. The survey was implemented in 43 countries in the first assessment in 2000, in 41 countries in the second assessment in 2003 and in 57 countries in the third assessment in 2006. Tests are typically administered to between 4,500 and 10,000 students in each country.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Planning
Anticipating future trends and determining the best strategies and tactics to achieve goals and objectives of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Planning
Planning is the process of establishing and maintaining the definition of the scope of a project, the way the project will be performed (procedures and tasks), roles and responsibilities and the time and cost estimates. It is the process of identifying the means, resources and actions necessary to accomplish an objective.
Price Leadership
Procedure by which all the competitors in the industry follow the pricing practices of one or more dominant firms.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Primary Data
Results from doing your own research.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is a process of identifying, assessing and recognizing what a person knows and can do. The process can take various forms and the outcomes can be used for a large number of purposes relevant to the goals of individuals, labour market partners (including unions), and society at large. PLAR may allow an individual to get some form of recognition for the skills and knowledge he/she has. PLAR should give equal value to learning and skills whether they come from school, community work, on-the-job training or other life experiences.
Private Accountant
An employee who carries out managerial and financial accounting functions for his or her employer.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Private Corporations
Corporations that are not allowed to issue stock to the public, so their shares are not listed on stock exchanges and are limited to 50 or fewer shareholders.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Privatization
The process of government selling crown corporations.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product
Any physical good, service, or idea that satisfies a want or need.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Differentiation
The attempt to create product perceptions in the minds of consumers so that one product seems superior to others.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Production
The creation of goods and services using the factors of production: land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship, and information.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Production and Operations Management
Activities of managers to create goods and services.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Production Goods
Industrial goods such as grain and steel that enter into the final product.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Production Orientation
Business focuses on producing goods rather than marketing them.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Productivity
The total output of goods and services in a given period of time divided by work hours (output per work hour).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Life Cycle
The four-stage theoretical depiction of the process from birth to death of a product class: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Line
A group of products that are physically similar or are intended for a similar market.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Manager
Co-ordinates all the marketing efforts for a particular product (or product line) or brand.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Mix
The combination of product lines offered by a manufacturer.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Product Modification
Technique used to extend the life cycle of mature products by changing the product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Professional Fees
Professional fees are fees related to project evaluation, project management, legal, financial auditing, translation, or for any other administrative expertise not available through the organization or its partners.
Program
A series of courses leading toward a degree, diploma or certificate. Formal programs include high-school completion programs, registered apprenticeship, trade and vocational programs, college, CEGEP and university programs. In 2002, nearly one in four of those who participated in formal, job-related training took a program.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
A method for analysing the tasks involved in completing a given project, estimating the time needed to complete each task, and identifying the minimum time needed to complete the project.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Promotion
An attempt by marketers to persuade others to buy their products or services.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Prose
Understanding prose requires the knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from texts including editorials, news stories, brochures and instruction manuals.
Public Relations
The management function that evaluates public attitudes, develops policies and procedures consistent with the public interest, and takes steps to earn public understanding and acceptance.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Pull Strategy
Use of promotional tools to motivate consumers to request products from stores.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Pupil-teacher ratio
The enrolment of pupils at a given period of time, divided by the full-time-equivalent number of certificated education professionals (teachers, administrators, counsellors, etc.) serving these pupils during the same period.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Push Strategy
Use of promotional tools to convince wholesalers and retailers to stock and sell merchandise.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Q
Quality Circle
A small group that voluntarily performs quality control activities within the workshop to which they belong.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Quality Control
The measurement of products and services against set standards.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
R
Random Sample
A sample in which all people have an equal chance of being selected to be part of the representative group.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Ratio Analysis
A way to analyze financial statements in greater depth by comparing results with the previous year’s, the budget, and competing firms’ results.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Rational Decision-Making Model
Consists of six steps: (1) define the problem, (2) determine and collect needed information, (3) develop alternatives, (4) decide which alternative is best and also ethically acceptable, (5) implement the decision and (6) determine whether the decision was a good one and follow up.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Reading literacy
The ability to understand, use and reflect on written texts in order to achieve goals, develop knowledge or potential, and participate effectively in society.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Reading Text
Reading text is one of the nine Essential Skills. It entails reading material in the form of sentences or paragraphs.
Recruitment
The set of activities used to obtain a sufficient number of the right people at the right time to select those who best meet the needs of the organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Replacement Workers
Management’s name for strikebreakers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Responsibility
The obligation of a person to complete a given task.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Retained Earnings
The amount left after a company distributes some of its net income (profit) to shareholders in the form of dividends.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Return on investment (ROI)
Return on investment is the ratio of money gained or lost (whether realized or unrealized) on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or net income/loss. The money invested may be referred to as the asset, capital, principal, or the cost basis of the investment.
Reverse Discrimination
The feeling of unfairness unprotected groups may have when protected groups are given preference in hiring and promoting.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Rule of 72
Divide the rate of increase of any activity into 72 to get the number of years it takes for the result of that activity to double.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Rural/urban
The division between people who live in urban environments and those who do not. Rural inhabitants often have less access to learning resources that are common in urban environments.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
S
Safety Needs
The need for peace and security.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Sales Orientation
Firms focus on promoting their products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Sales Promotion
The promotional tool that stimulates consumer purchasing and dealer interest by means of short-term activities (displays, shows, exhibitions, and contests, etc.).
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Sample
A representative group of a market population.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Schedule
The project timeline, identifying the dates (absolute or relative to a start date) that project tasks will begin and completed, resources will be required and upon which milestones will be reached.
Scientific Management
The study of workers to find the most efficient way of doing things and then teaching people those techniques.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Scope
The project scope is defined in terms of three dimensions-product, project and impact. Product scope is the full set of features and functions to be provided as a result of the project. Project scope is the work that has to be done to deliver the product. Impact scope is the depth and breadth of involvement by, and effect on, the performing and client organizations.
Seasonal Unemployment
Unemployment that occurs where the demand for labour varies over the year.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Secondary Data
Already-published research information from journals, trade associations, the government, information services, libraries, and other sources.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Self-Actualization Needs
The needs for achievement and to be all you can be.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Self-directed learning
Informal training or self-directed learning refers to activities such as: seeking advice from someone knowledgeable; using the Internet or other software; observing someone performing a task; consulting books or manuals; or teaching yourself different ways of doing certain tasks.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Self-Esteem Needs
The need for self-confidence and status.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Service Contract
A service contract is an agreement between a recipient and a contractor (second party) in which the contractor agrees to provide directly with goods or services at an agreed price. It is subject to GST/HST payments over and above the contracted costs. Examples of direct services or goods received by recipients include contracts with external service providers for such services as translation, evaluation, audits, or professional services. It could also involve the hiring of consultants for staff training, providing workshops, or organizing forums.
Service Sector
Produces services – like financial, information, marketing, health, recreational, or repair services – not goods.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Manufacturing
Small Enterprises: Less than 100 employees and Less than $CDN $5M in sales
Medium Enterprises: 100-500 employees and $CDN 5-20M in sales.
Services
Small Enterprises: Less than 50 employees and Less than CDN$5M in sales
Medium Enterprises 50-500 employees and CDN$5-20M in sales.
Small Enterprises: Less than 100 employees and Less than $CDN $5M in sales
Medium Enterprises: 100-500 employees and $CDN 5-20M in sales.
Services
Small Enterprises: Less than 50 employees and Less than CDN$5M in sales
Medium Enterprises 50-500 employees and CDN$5-20M in sales.
Small Business
A business that is independently operated, not dominant in its field, and meets certain standards of size in terms of employees and annual receipts.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Social Needs
The need to feel loved, accepted, and part of the group.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Societal Orientation
Includes a consumer orientation, but adds programs designed to improve the community, protect the environment, and satisfy other social goals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Stakeholder
Stakeholder is a person, group or organization who can have an influence on or will be influenced by the project or its outcomes.
Statistical significance
Is a measure of how likely it is that the reported result or difference was obtained by chance. For example, a result that is significant at the .05 level, the likelihood that the result was obtained by chance is less than five times out of 100. If the result of difference was significant at the .01 level, the result or difference was likely to have occurred less than one out of 100 times.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Strategic Planning
Process of determining the major goals of the organization and the policies and strategies for obtaining and using resources to achieve those goals.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Student–teacher ratio
See pupil–teacher ratio.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Supervisory (First-Line) Management
First level of management above employees; includes people directly responsible for assigning specific jobs to employees and evaluating their daily performance.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Supply
The quantity of products that manufacturers or owners are willing to sell at different prices at a specific time.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Supply Chain Management
The overall process of minimizing inventory and moving goods through the channel faster by using computers to improve communications among the channel members.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Supply Curve
Line on a graph which shows the relationship between price and quantity supplied.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Support Goods
Industrial goods such as accessory equipment and supplies that are used to assist in the production of other products.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Survey Method
Direct questioning of people to gather facts, opinions, or other information.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Survival rates
The proportion of new entrants to a specified level of education who successfully complete their first qualification.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Sustainable Development
Economic development that meets the development needs of the present without endangering the external environment of future generations.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
T
Thinking Skills
“Thinking Skills” is one of nine essential skills. It is the process of evaluating ideas or information to reach a rational decision. There are six sub-skills, including problem-solving, decision making, critical thinking, job task planning and organizing, significant use of memory and finding information.
Third Party Recipient or Sponsor
A person or organization that has signed a transfer agreement with a recipient under the terms and conditions of a master agreement between the recipient and the federal government.
Top Management
Highest level of management, consisting of the president, vice-president, and other key company executives who develop strategic plans.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Preventive maintenance with total participation of the personnel operating the equipment.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Total Quality Management (TQM)
Satisfying customers by building in and ensuring quality from all departments in an organization.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Training and Development
All attempts to improve employee performance through learning.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Truck Jobber
A small, limited-function wholesaler that delivers goods by truck to retailers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
U
Underrepresented Worker
Underrepresented workers can included, but are not limited to women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, older workers, youth, and newcomers) with long-standing patterns of high unemployment, lower than average pay rates and concentration in low status jobs.
Underutilization/Underutilized Worker
Individuals possessing skills and/or training that exceeds the responsibilities of their current job; and associated impacts on the economy (the cost of underutilizing immigrant skills in Canada has been estimated at $2.4 billion (in 1996 dollars each year).
Unlimited Liability
The responsibility of a business’s owners for all of the debts of the business, making the personal assets of the owners vulnerable to claims against the business; sole proprietors and general partners have unlimited liability.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Utility
Value- or want-satisfying ability that is added to products by organizations because the products are made more useful or accessible to consumers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
V
Vocational programs
Programs that prepare participants for direct entry, without further training, into specific occupations.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Volume Segmentation
Divides the market into user categories: heavy, medium, light, and nonusers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
W
Wages
Includes the wages for all of the applicant organization’s staff working on project activities. Each full-time and part-time position should be broken down by job position. Renumeration of employees of other organizations (such as consultants, suppliers, in-kind contributions by partners, etc.) should not be included in Wages but rather the Professional Fees category.
Web-based learning
The use of the Internet and Internet technologies to pursue an organized program of studies.
Source: Canadian Council on Learning
Wholesaler
A marketing middleman that sells to organizations and individuals, but not to final customers.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Word-of-Mouth Promotion
Consumers talking about products they have liked or disliked.
Source: Understanding Canadian Business
Working with Others
Working with Others, one of nine Essential Skills, is the act of employees working with others to carry out their tasks.
Writing
Writing is one of nine Essential Skills. It is the ability to write text and write in documents, such as filing in forms, and non-paper-based writing such as on a computer.
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