Unit 4

Word

Definition

Example

disruption

A significant change or disturbance that interrupts the normal course of events or processes

The new technology brought disruption to the traditional market

disruptor

A person, technology, or innovation that causes disruption by challenging existing norms or systems

The startup became a disruptor by introducing a revolutionary product

deal with

To handle or manage a situation or problem

We need to deal with these issues promptly to maintain progress

cause in

To instigate or bring about a particular result or effect

The changes in the industry caused an influx of new players

fragmented

Divided or broken into smaller, disconnected parts

The market is highly fragmented, with many small competitors

displace

To replace or move something or someone from its usual position or role

Automation can displace certain job roles but also create new opportunities

inject

To introduce or add something forcefully or suddenly into a situation

The company plans to inject innovation into their product lineup

abandon

To leave behind or give up on something entirely

They decided to abandon the outdated manufacturing process

mainstay

A central and reliable component or element of something

Renewable energy sources have become a mainstay in the power industry

agile

Quick and flexible in responding to changes or challenges

An agile approach allows us to adapt quickly to changing circumstances

dedicated

Committed and focused on a specific task or goal

A dedicated team was assigned to handle the project's technical challenges

reposition

To change the positioning or perception of something, often in marketing

The company aims to reposition itself as a leader in sustainability

consume

To use or utilize something, typically resources or information

Modern consumers tend to consume content through digital platforms

business landscape

The overall environment and conditions in which businesses operate

The evolving business landscape requires constant adaptation

digital transformation

The process of using digital technology to fundamentally change business operations and models

Digital transformation is crucial for established companies to remain competitive

disruptive innovation

An innovation that radically changes an industry or market, often by creating new solutions to existing problems

Disruptive innovation can reshape entire industries

established companies

Well-established and long-existing businesses

Established companies face the challenge of adapting to change

game changer

Something that has a significant and transformative impact on a situation or industry

The new technology was a game changer in the industry

venture fund

A fund that invests in startup companies and high-risk, high-reward ventures

The startup secured funding from a venture fund to expand

novel approach

An innovative or unique way of approaching a problem or task

Their novel approach to marketing garnered a lot of attention

fundraising strategy

A plan or approach for raising funds or capital for a specific purpose

The fundraising strategy involved crowdfunding and private investments

buzzword

A popular or trendy word or phrase used to describe a concept or idea

"Blockchain" has become a buzzword in the tech community

entrenched

Firmly established and difficult to change

The company was too entrenched in old practices to embrace change

brainstorming

A creative and collaborative process of generating ideas and solutions

During the brainstorming session, various ideas were explored

diversify

To expand or vary the range or variety of something

It's wise to diversify your investments to manage risk

drawback

A disadvantage or negative aspect of something

The drawback of the new system is its steep learning curve

vulnerable

Susceptible to harm or risk

The company's outdated software made them vulnerable to cyberattacks

assume

To take for granted or suppose something to be true without direct evidence

It's unwise to assume customer preferences without research

ad-blocking software

Software that prevents or blocks advertisements from being displayed on websites

Many users employ ad-blocking software to enhance their online experience

be tied to

To be connected or associated with something

The success of the project is tied to effective collaboration

revenue streams

Sources of income or revenue for a business or organization

They explored new revenue streams to increase profitability

reader-centric approach

An approach that focuses on meeting the needs and preferences of the reader or audience

A reader-centric approach ensures content is tailored to the audience

crunch time

A period of intense pressure or high demand, often leading to a deadline

As the deadline approaches, we're entering crunch time

tap into

To access or make use of a resource or opportunity

To succeed, businesses must tap into emerging trends

pitch in

To contribute or participate in a collective effort or task

Let's all pitch in to meet the project's tight deadline

off-the-wall

Unconventional or eccentric in a way that is unexpected or unusual

The off-the-wall idea turned out to be a stroke of genius

lagging behind

Falling behind or not keeping pace with others in a particular area

The company was lagging behind in adopting new technologies

tiered

Arranged in layers or levels of importance or quality

They offer tiered pricing plans to cater to different customer needs

throw up

To create or produce something quickly and without much thought

The unexpected problem can throw up new challenges for us

from resistance to acceptance

The process of moving from initial opposition to eventual approval or acceptance

Over time, attitudes shifted from resistance to acceptance

curve

A graphical representation of a relationship between two variables

Learning a new skill often involves a steep learning curve

supply chain management (SCM)

The management of the flow of goods, services, and information from raw material suppliers to end consumers

The increased demand revealed a bottleneck in the supply chain management

achieve consistent cost savings

To consistently reduce expenses and achieve savings over time

Their efforts led to achieving consistent cost savings

assign sb to do smth

To designate or allocate someone to perform a specific task or duty

I'll assign someone to handle the logistics for the event

be faced with a challenge

To encounter or confront a difficult or demanding situation

We were faced with the challenge of entering a competitive market

bottleneck

A point in a process where the flow or progress is slowed or restricted

The unexpected challenge created a bottleneck in production

customer requirements

The specific needs, expectations, or demands of customers

Understanding customer requirements is crucial for product development

future-proof

To design or plan something in a way that ensures it remains relevant and effective in the future

The new system is designed to be future-proof against technological changes

considerably

To a significant extent or degree

The new software will considerably improve efficiency