The Language of Small Business: A Complete Dictionary of Small Business Terms

Book by Trautmann, Carl O

Trautmann, a Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) volunteer, has designed this book specifically for the start-up businessperson. He concisely defines 2500 terms commonly encountered by entrepreneurs and provides cross references throughout. The last third of the book contains 13 self-help guides, four to 20 pages in length. The topics discussed in this brief self-help guide, which include writing a business plan, obtaining a business loan, and creating financial statements, receive more detailed treatment in hundreds of other titles. Furthermore, the bibliography is merely an annotated list of titles published by the publisher. Most reference collections should have other titles (e.g., J.M. Rosenberg's Dictionary of Business and Management, LJ 11/15/92) that adequately define the terms covered here. Despite its faults, public libraries experiencing strong demand for small business material might want this for their circulating collections.
Robert Kruthoffer, Lane P.L., Hamilton, Ohio
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Designed by the author, a member of the Service Corps of Retired Executives, as a glossary and self-help resource for small businesspeople, start-up entrepreneurs, and students of business theory, this book defines 2,500 commonly used business terms and practices. The second half of the book contains 13 self-help guides, including writing a business plan; filling out a personal financial statement; getting a business loan; preparing balance sheets and income statements; agencies, organizations, and people who provide help for small businesses; and start-up checklists to determine whether a potential entrepreneur has the temperament and wherewithal to start a business.

The small business focus is evident in the definitions, which are written in less specialized language than general business dictionaries. They include small business applications as examples (e.g., net is defined in terms of sales discounts, as well as in terms of net income; both inventory and take inventory are defined). Missing from this dictionary are many specialized terms from the fields of investing, economics, and business law, but it includes terms from the small business environment that more specialized dictionaries often leave out (e.g., Publication #583, unaudited). The self-help guides are helpful, but users will have to follow up with more detailed information such as the financial report information in the Irwin Business and Investment Almanac or the start-up information in Fallek's How to Set Up Your Own Small Business (1993).

Overall, this will be a useful first stop for people considering establishment of a business and for new business owners. It is recommended to public libraries and academic libraries that serve local business communities.