Business English | MBA in the USA

Words of the Week – Quiz!

February 22nd, 2010

I love this image of the "confused businsswoman." I bought it at iStockphoto.com.

MSN Careers showcased a "work lingo" quiz today, and I thought it would be fun to use it for Words of the Week. We’ve covered most of these since MBA in the USA went live in 2008. . . . → Read More: Words of the Week – Quiz!

Words of the Week – augmented reality

February 16th, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dvdmerwe/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Augmented reality is the process of overlaying the virtual world on top of the physical world through technology. Brandon demonstrated it for me the other night using an iPhone application that identified our location and overlaid a map to local restaurants on top of the view . . . → Read More: Words of the Week – augmented reality

Words of the Week – Net/Net

February 8th, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oberazzi/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Net/Net is an updated version of the bottom line, meaning the end result. Typically, it comes at the end of a statement someone is adding to a discussion. For example, if an MBA is walking their boss through their opinion on a proposal, they might conclude . . . → Read More: Words of the Week – Net/Net

Words of the Week – take a stab at

February 1st, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bretarnett/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

To take a stab at means to attempt to complete a task without significant guidance.

You’ll hear this term most often in team situations. A team leader delegating a task might say, “Why don’t you take a stab at it? If you have questions, I’ll . . . → Read More: Words of the Week – take a stab at

Words of the Week – no brainer

January 25th, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/curious_zed/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A no brainer is something that is such a good idea, it seems obvious.

For example, a marketer working on a product targeting teenagers might recommend running a coupon offer during the back-to-school shopping season. Their manager would probably respond, “That’s a no brainer. We make money . . . → Read More: Words of the Week – no brainer

Words of the Week | eye-opening experience

January 18th, 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wakimita/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

An eye-opening experience causes you to discover something that may change your course of action. Last week, while emailing with a prospective MBA student, I recommended exploring General Management programs in addition to a very focused option. I said, “Learning the principles of management is . . . → Read More: Words of the Week | eye-opening experience