ABC Analysis
Applied in the context of inventory, it's a determination of the relative ratios between the number of items and the currency value of the items purchased on a repetitive basis. 10-20% of the items ('A' class) account for 70-80% of the consumption, the next 15-25% ('B' class) account for 10-20% of the consumption and the balance 65-75% ('C' class) account for 5-10% of the consumption. 'A' class items are closely monitored

Absolute Advantage
A competitive strength enjoyed by a party as a result of a natural endowment or other natural gifts that other parties do not have

Acceptance
The intentional indication of an offeree to be bound by the terms of an offer

Acceptance Testing
A statistical quality control technique used to evaluate the overall condition of a given lot by inspecting only a sample, drawn randomly from the lot

Accessorial Charges
Costs that carriers usually charge in addition to the transportation cost. They include single shipment, inside delivery, loading ,unloading , notification and storage and redelivery charges.

Administered Price
A price determined by certain policies rather than by the competitive forces of the marketplace. For example, prices of sugarcane etc. in India is determined by the government rather than the market forces of demand and supply

AD Valorem Rate
Customs duty charged in terms of percentage on the value of goods that are dutiable, irrespective of quality, weight, or any other considerations. The ad valorem rates of duty are ascertained from the invoice
 

Activity Based Costing
A method for calculating indirect costs, based on the activities that drive cost. This is in contrast to the classical accounting methods which pool and arbitrarily allocate indirect cost

Accounting System
The grouping of records and procedures that find out, record, classify and report information about the financial position and operations of an organisation

Acculturation
The process of becoming familiar with another culture. It helps in conducting transnational businesses

Acknowledgement
A written communication used to inform the buyer by the supplier that the supplier has accepted the purchase order placed on him. An acknowledgement thus creates a bilateral contract as long as the terms of the acknowledgement are not significantly different from those of the purchase order

Acquisition Cost
Acquisition costs are the total costs associated with the acquisition of a material. Such costs include costs towards ordering, transportation, handling , inventory holding etc. It is noted in the context of the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)

Acquisition Process
The sequential activities involved in obtaining necessary inputs for an organization is the Acquisition process. It includes determination of need, communication of need, identification of potential sources, invitation and consideration of bids, placement of the Purchase Order, receipt and inspection and making payment

Advance Payment
Payments in advance of delivery for a mutually agreed amounts or for specified percentage of the purchase price that buyer shall pay to the seller

Advance Shipping Notice
A standardized Electronic Data Interchange form detailing an inbound shipment to a receiving location (consignee)

Advanced charges
The amount of freight or other charges on a shipment advanced by one carrier to another, or to the shipper, to be collected from the consignee

Agency
It's a legal entity denoting the legal relationship that exists between two parties by which one is authorised to perform or transact specified business activities for the other

Agent
A person or an organisation authorised to act for another person or organisationin dealings with a third party
 

Air Waybill
A document used for shipment of air freight by national and international air carriers and declares therein the commodities shipped, shipping instructions and shipping costs.

Anticipated Inventories
Those stocks that are accumulated for a well defined future need. they differ from buffer (safety) stocks in that they are committed to specific future plans

ASP
Application Service Provider is an organisation that provides software applications over the internet.

Application Package
A system of programs designed to assist in specific applications

Approved list
It is a list of vendors maintained by an organisation for those vendors which meet the set criteria of the organisation for supply of materials and/ or services. It's also known as list of registered vendors

Arbitrage
It implies purchasing a security , commodity or currency in one market with the intention of financial gain. In international currency transactions, profits can be made by simultaneous buying and selling one or more than one currency. In arbitrage it's the aberrations in the market that is taken advantage of

Arbitration
A means of settling disputes between parties in which an outsider acts as a an arbitrator who acts as a fact finder and decision maker. The parties agree to abide by the decision of the arbitrator

Assignment
A transfer of a right or title to another party. It is mostly related to Bill of lading that involves transfer of rights, title and interest by means of endorsement

ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nation is an organisation formed in 1967 to promote economic growth, social progress, cultural development and peace in southeast Asia. Member countries include Brunei, Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malayasia, Mayanmar, Phillipines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Assignment
A transfer of a right or title to another party. It is commonly used with a bill of lading that involves transfer of rights, title and interest by means of endorsement. Such endorsement gives, to the party named, the title to the property covered by the bill of lading.