Labor Cost

Total cost of employing workers (wages + benefits)

HR or Accounting

Labor Force

Total number of people employed or seeking work

HR or Economics

Labor Market

Supply and demand for labor within a region or sector

Economics

Labor Productivity

Output produced per unit of labor

Economics or HR

Labor Union

Organized group representing workers in negotiations

HR or Labor Relations

Laissez-Faire Leadership

Hands-off leadership style with minimal interference

Management

Lateral Hire

Hiring experienced employees from other organizations

HR

Launch Strategy

Plan for introducing a new product to market

Marketing or Strategy

Layoff

Termination of employment due to business needs

HR

Lead Generation

Process of attracting potential customers

Sales or Marketing

Lead Nurturing

Developing relationships with potential buyers through content and engagement

Marketing or Sales

Lead Time

Time between order placement and delivery

Operations

Leadership Development

Programs designed to grow managerial skills

HR or Talent Management

Lean Manufacturing

Production system focused on minimizing waste

Operations

Lean Six Sigma

Methodology combining lean efficiency and six sigma precision

Quality or Operations

Lean Startup

Business methodology focused on rapid testing and feedback

Entrepreneurship

Learning & Development (L&D)

Employee training and career growth programs

HR

Lease

Agreement for renting property or equipment

Legal or Real Estate

Legal Compliance

Adhering to laws and regulations relevant to business operations

Legal or Governance

Legal Entity

Organization recognized by law (e.g., LLC, Corp)

Legal or Structure

Legal Risk

Potential exposure to lawsuits or regulatory actions

Compliance

Letter of Credit

Bank guarantee for payment in international trade

Trade or Finance

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Preliminary agreement outlining terms of a future deal

Legal or M&A

Leverage

Using borrowed capital to increase potential return

Finance

Leveraged Buyout (LBO)

Acquisition using borrowed funds secured by target assets

Finance or M&A

Licensing

Authorization to use IP or brand in exchange for a fee

Legal or Business Development

Lien

Legal claim against assets to secure a debt

Legal or Finance

Lifetime Value (LTV)

Predicted net profit from a customer over their lifecycle

Marketing or Analytics

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Business structure protecting owners from personal liability

Legal or Structure

Line of Credit

Pre-approved borrowing limit from a lender

Finance

Liquid Assets

Assets that can be quickly converted to cash

Finance

Liquidity

Ability to meet short-term obligations using current assets

Finance

Liquidity Ratio

Measure of company’s ability to pay short-term obligations

Finance or Accounting

Listed Company

Business whose shares are traded on a public stock exchange

Finance

Listing (Stock Market)

Company’s shares being publicly traded on an exchange

Finance

Loan Agreement

Contract outlining terms of a loan

Legal or Finance

Local SEO

Optimizing online presence for local search results

Marketing

Location Strategy

Choosing business locations to optimize performance

Operations or Logistics

Logistics

Coordinating supply chain, transportation, and warehousing

Operations

Long Position

Holding a security in expectation of price increase

Finance or Investment

Long-Term Debt

Liabilities due after more than one year

Finance

Loss Carryforward

Applying a net operating loss to future taxable income

Tax or Accounting

Loss Leader

Product sold at a loss to attract customers

Marketing or Pricing

Loss Ratio

Ratio of claims paid to premiums earned

Insurance or Finance