DERIVATIVE Definition

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DERIVATIVE is a transaction or contract whose value depends on or, as the name implies, derives from the value of underlying assets such as stock, bonds, mortgages, market indices, or foreign currencies. One party with exposure to unwanted risk can pass some or all of the risk to a second party. The first party can assume a different risk from a second party, pay the second party to assume the risk, or, as is often the case, create a combination. Derivatives are normally used to control exposure or risk. See DERIVATIVE CONTRACT.

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OPEN-BOOK CREDIT is a form of trade credit in which sellers ship merchandise on faith that payment will be forthcoming.

GOAL is the milestone the organization aims to achieve that evolves from strategic issues or operational improvement planning. They transform strategic issues into specific performance targets that impact the entire organization, or operational improvement that is more localized in nature. They can be qualitative or quantitative. Dependent upon usage, GOALS are general in nature, while OBJECTIVES are specific, measurable and time-based. In some organizations, the meanings for GOAL and OBJECTIVE are reversed.

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