ISO Certification

International standards for quality management

Quality or Compliance

Import

Bringing goods into a country for sale

Trade or Economics

In-Kind Contribution

Non-cash contribution (e.g., goods, services)

Finance or Grants

Incentive

Reward intended to motivate performance

HR or Sales

Incentive Plan

Structured rewards system based on performance

HR or Compensation

Inclusive Workplace

Environment welcoming diverse backgrounds

HR or DEI

Income Tax

Government levy on business or personal earnings

Tax or Finance

Incorporation

Process of forming a legal corporation

Legal or Structure

Incremental Cost

Additional cost from increasing production or operations

Accounting

Incremental Innovation

Small, continuous improvements to existing products/processes

Innovation

Indemnity

Protection against loss or damage

Legal or Contracts

Independent Contractor

Non-employee hired to perform specific tasks

Legal or HR

Indirect Costs

Costs not directly tied to production (e.g., rent)

Accounting

Industrial Organization

Study of how industries function and compete

Economics or Business

Industry Analysis

Evaluating the competitive environment of a market

Strategy or Research

Industry Benchmark

Standard used to measure performance

Strategy or Analytics

Industry Standards

Established norms guiding performance and quality

Operations or Compliance

Inflation

Rise in prices reducing purchasing power

Economics

Inflation-Adjusted Return

Return accounting for the effects of inflation

Investment

Information Asymmetry

One party has more/better information than another

Economics

Information Technology (IT)

Use of computers and systems to manage business data

Technology or Operations

Infrastructure

Basic systems needed for a business to function

Operations

Initial Investment

Upfront capital required for a business or project

Finance

Initial Public Offering (IPO)

First time a company sells shares to the public

Finance or Equity

Innovation

Introduction of new ideas or improvements

Strategy or Technology

Input Tax Credit

Refundable tax credit for business inputs

Tax or Accounting

Insider Information

Confidential corporate data not publicly disclosed

Legal or Compliance

Insider Trading

Illegal trading based on confidential information

Legal or Finance

Insolvency

Inability to pay debts as they come due

Finance or Legal

Institutional Investor

Entity investing large sums (e.g., pension fund, insurance firm)

Finance

Integration

Merging systems or departments for efficiency

Operations or Strategy

Intellectual Capital

Value of a company’s knowledge-based assets

Strategy or HR

Intellectual Property (IP)

Legal rights to inventions, designs, or brands

Legal or Innovation

Interest Coverage Ratio

Measure of ability to pay interest on debt

Finance

Interest Rate

Percentage charged on borrowed money or earned on savings

Finance

Interim Report

Financial statements covering a period less than a full fiscal year

Finance or Reporting

Internal Audit

Internal check of systems, controls, and procedures

Compliance

Internal Communication

Flow of information within an organization

HR or Management

Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

Metric to evaluate profitability of investments

Finance or Investment

International Business

Operations across national borders

Strategy or Global Trade

International Trade

Exchange of goods and services between countries

Economics

Interpersonal Skills

Ability to interact effectively with others

HR or Soft Skills

Intrapreneurship

Entrepreneurial activity within a company

Innovation or HR

Inventory

Goods held for sale or production

Operations

Inventory Management

Monitoring and controlling stock levels

Logistics or Operations

Inventory Turnover

Rate at which inventory is sold and replaced

Finance or Operations

Investment

Allocation of money with the expectation of returns

Finance

Investment Portfolio

Collection of assets owned by an investor

Finance

Investor Relations (IR)

Managing communication between company and investors

Finance or Communications

Invoice

Bill issued to a customer for goods or services

Accounting or Operations

Invoice Financing

Using unpaid invoices to get quick funding

Finance