Business is the commercial, industrial or professional activity of individuals or groups that produce goods and services for sale or exchange. It may also include for-profit entities or non-profit organizations that fulfill a charitable mission or further a social cause. It may be conducted as a partnership, corporation, or other legal entity. Some businesses are small operations that sell a single product or service, while others are large enterprises with multiple product lines and global operations. A company can be described by the industry in which it operates — such as the real estate business, advertising business or mattress production business.
A business article is one that describes an aspect of the business world, usually in a newspaper or magazine. It is a way to help readers stay informed about what is happening in the business arena and how this might affect them. The articles can be informative or opinionated and are often accompanied by a photo or illustration. Creating a business article that attracts readers requires attention to detail, knowledge of the subject and understanding of the audience. It is important to have a clear purpose and focus for the article as well as an attractive headline that draws the reader in.
People have lost trust in the people running businesses. A recent poll revealed that 81% of Americans believe corporate executives don’t have their best interests in mind when making decisions that affect consumers and workers. There are many reasons for this. It could be personal greed, insufficient scrutiny of corporate affairs or an insensitivity or indifference to the opinions of the public. But it might be something deeper — a fundamental distortion of the culture that enraptured America for a generation, a belief that profit is the only measure of success and that corporations are the engine driving progress.
While the term “business” can apply to any type of commerce or enterprise, it is most commonly used to refer to an organization that engages in trade or a profession. A for-profit business does trade to make a profit, while a nonprofit does it to further a charitable mission. A business can be structured as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or other legal entity.
When discussing a specific kind of business, it is common to use terms like trade, commerce, industry and traffic to describe the activities that occur. Trade indicates the buying and selling of commodities, commerce implies financial transactions and transportation of merchandise, while industry refers to manufacturing or supplying goods on a commercial scale and traffic is the movement of products. A business should comply with laws and regulations in the locations it operates to avoid legal complications, such as paying taxes. It is also tasked with utilizing resources efficiently to maximize economic gain. A business plan is a document that details how a company will conduct its trade and achieve its goals. It can be in the form of a traditional paper or an online template.
