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Business is a general term that casts a wide net in the world. Essentially, "business" refers to any commercial enterprise entered into for profit. Traditionally, it has implied the manufacture and sale of goods, but a more expansive definition includes the exchange of services, information or expertise for profit, as well as non-profit institutions.

There are thousands of types of businesses and dozens of ways to categorize them. Manufacture, retail sales, the service industry, agriculture, finance, utilities, transportation — all are generally-recognized, top-level categories of business, under which fall scores of specialties, services and companies, each presenting opportunities for jobs, occupations and careers.

Since there are so many types of business, there are numerous routes to engaging in a career in business. On-the-job training and apprenticeship are two traditional pathways, but the most common modern method is to first obtain a good education. Business schools are located everywhere, and online courses are available to virtually anyone at any time in any location. Business majors first study essential techniques and principles, such as accounting and marketing, then move on to specific applied practices of management, sales and marketing, business administration and organization, finance, business law and ethics, human resources, and many other areas of study.

Regardless of the area of business in which one intends to specialize, a strong education in the field will prove a great advantage.

Business Degrees
While no degree is necessary for many entry level jobs in the world of business, the farther one wishes to climb up the corporate or company ladder, the greater the necessity for a business degree. Degrees in business can run from certificates, indicating competency in some specific function, to Ph.D.s, and cover every level in between.

One of the most popular and useful degrees in the realm of business is the MBA (Master of Business Administration). MBA programs train students in competence in a number of essential business techniques, as well as how to apply this theory to the practical necessities of the work environment. An increasing number of management positions require candidates to hold an MBA, making it a virtual career necessity. Not only do MBA degrees move careers forward, they also pay off in increased salaries for those who have earned them.

There are many different programs of MBA studies available, and these can result in a number of different degrees, from a general degree applicable to numerous types of businesses and industries to degrees in highly specialized disciplines. In a typical two-year MBA program, the first year is spent studying a wide range of subjects and the second year is devoted to a specialization.

Degree Programs and Careers in Business
Business can be divided up into numerous types, areas, and concentrations, each with its own specific focus and further specializations. Among the most common divisions and most popular categories of business are:

Accounting and Finance
Accounting is an administrative function in which the costs, expenditures, and overall financial performance of a company or business are systematically recorded, compiled, summarized and analyzed in order to ensure financial control and to help guide decisions regarding the management of the company. Accounting specialties can include bookkeeping, systems design, and analysis and interpretation of financial information, among others.

Finance is the branch of economics that deals with managing money in all its forms, including capital and stocks, credit and debt, income and expenditures, investments and other assets. Finance degrees prepare the student to effectively manage the finances of businesses, including planning, risk analysis and developing strategies for optimum growth.

Advertising
Advertising is the communication of a message or the promotion of a product or service to a targeted audience through various forms of media. The goal of advertising is to increase awareness of a product and inform a targeted audience of its benefits, thereby increasing sales of the product and ultimately leading to profits for the company.

Business Administration
Business Administration is a general term denoting the managing of business assets in an effective manner, whether the assets are human resources, finances, or materials. A degree in general Business Administration trains the student in essential management and business techniques which can be generally applied to virtually any business.

E-Commerce/E-Business
The Internet has opened up entirely new avenues of sales and marketing, requiring newly developed techniques to expose potential customers to these products and services. E-Commerce courses educate the student in these new techniques and explain how to adapt traditional techniques to Internet business.

Financial Planning
Within the general field of financial planning there are two specific types of occupations. Individuals who need advice and assistance in planning for their financial future call on financial planners to advise them. Financial analysts work for businesses such as banks and insurance companies, helping them and their clients with investment decisions.

Financial Management
Financial managers oversee the budgets, investments, and cash-management strategies of the companies for which they work. They institute financial plans and policies, prepare financial reports, monitor cash flow, and hire and manage staff. They may supervise all financial matters throughout one or more departments within a company.

Hospitality and Tourism
The leisure industry is experiencing an explosion of growth all around the world. Courses and degrees in this field impart valuable knowledge and skills in many forms of guest services and traveler assistance, from functional management of hotels or restaurants to travel arrangement; from human resources to marketing; and many more.

Human Resources
Human Resources, also known simply as "HR," is the department of a company responsible for managing employees. This includes recruitment and hiring of personnel, payroll, organization and administration of benefits (such as medical and insurance benefits), layoffs and severance packages, firing, and numerous other personnel problems and issues. Since these vital services can require an in-depth knowledge of laws and regulations at all levels of government, as well as a thorough understanding of the company goals and culture, extensive training in the range of duties and their application is available through several degree programs.

International Business
As businesses continue to expand their reach globally, they must consider local economies, cultures, languages and traditions, as well as the often complex laws and regulations regarding international trade. A concentration in international business educates the student in the numerous and various laws, cultural differences, languages and techniques necessary to effectively operate, or function within, a multinational business.

Management
In general, management refers to the upper level personnel of an organization responsible for establishing, organizing, mobilizing, guiding and strategizing the organization's resources to attain its goals. Graduate and post-graduate training in management imparts the theoretical and practical techniques of various management theories, including decision-making, organization, resource utilization, tracking and evaluating success, motivation and delegation, effective communication, and many other skills necessary for overseeing a complicated business or organization.

Marketing and Sales
Both the marketing and sales disciplines involve getting products or services into the hands of consumers. While sales courses present the various theories and techniques of the actual wholesale or retail transaction, marketing concentrates on the theoretical and applied techniques of creating an image of the product that will attract consumers and inspire purchases. This includes coordinating research, communication, design, psychology, pricing, promotion, advertising, merchandising, and many additional disciplines.

Organizational Management
Organizational management generally refers to the management of human resources from the individual, team, organization, and global perspectives. As corporations grow and expand internationally, there is an increasing need for organizations to understand how to manage their business on a cross-cultural level.

Project Management
Project management refers to the planning, organizing, and managing of specific business projects. Project managers set goals, define budgets, create schedules, and coordinate the activities of various individuals and departments, all in an effort to complete the work of a given initiative on time and on or under budget.

Public Relations
While an advertising agency communicates a company's message to a targeted audience, a public relations agency communicates that message to the press. PR professionals speak on behalf of their client, often pitching story ideas to the press, writing press releases, and creating press kits.

Risk Management
Risk managers identify and analyze the financial risks posed to organizations and businesses in order to minimize the potential for loss and increase the potential for success and therefore profit. Through research and testing, risk managers help to determine the steps a company needs to take in order to reduce risk and emphasize gain.

Financial Outlook for Careers in Business
Business covers such a wide range of occupations that there will always be opportunities at every level of industry, for every level of education, at every conceivable salary, from minimum wage to the multi-million dollar salaries commanded by corporate CEOs.

According to statistics compiled by BizStats.com, there are more than 25 million U.S. business entities filing income tax returns, and that figure has been growing about two percent per year. This includes more than five million corporations of various sizes. Collectively, U.S. business entities posted over $ 20 trillion in annual revenue in 2003, and in 2001 sold more than $10 trillion worth of goods and services.

Some areas of business and industry are currently outperforming others, however, in terms of growth and career opportunities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for instance, employment in administrative and support services is predicted to grow by 31 percent during the next decade, elevating this area, particularly employment services, to the position of one of the fastest expanding employment areas today, as well as one of the areas in which the most jobs will be found. Retail jobs are predicted to grow by about 11 percent; managerial positions and financial positions by 14.4 percent; and sales positions are expected to grow by nearly ten percent, creating the largest number of new jobs in any occupation. Employment opportunities in the hospitality sphere, specifically food services, are forecast to grow by as much as 16.5 percent between now and 2014