Textos

“ Bond prices jumped on the heels of the National Association of Purchasing Management report [which] showed surprising weakness in the nation’s manufacturing sector. The NAPM October index fell to 46.8%.” (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 2, 1995, p. C1)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS AUTO-MATED QUOTATIONS (NASDAQ). Computerized market for securi-ties of smaller companies in the United States.

NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION (NCUA). Federal agency supervising credit unions in the United States.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH (NIH). Federally funded cen-ter for health-related research.

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD (NLRB). The NLRB administers the National Labor Relations Act (1935), which prohibited employers and employees from engaging in unfair labor practices.

NECK AND NECK (TO BE). In close competition.

“ Dreyer’s is now neck and neck with Unilever Plc.’s Breyers in the premium-priced— $4.50 per half gallon— ice cream market, each with around 12%.” (Forbes, Aug. 14, 1995, p. 42)

NEGATIVE CASH FLOW. A business situation requiring more cash than it produces from existing sales.

NEGAWATT. The conservation of electrical power. The term was coined by Amory Lovins, leader of the Snowmass Institute and critic of govern-ment energy policies that encourage production rather than conservation.

NERVE. Self-importance; willingness to take risks.

“ Investment opportunities abound in today’s bank merger wave and so do the risks. If an investor has the nerve for it, the obvious way to play bank mergers is to identify those with low P/Es in good markets and wait until they get swallowed up at a premium.” (Fortune, Aug. 14, 1995, p. 48)

NEST EGG. Funds set aside for a specific purpose, often for retirement.

134 NARROWING THE SPREAD

“ In the past, he said, investors looked at their BLUE-CHIP invest-ments as a combination nest egg and income-generating vehicle.” (Wall Street Journal, March 25, 1995, p. A5)

NET. Amount left after expenses and taxes.

NET ASSET VALUE (NAV). The value per share of a mutual fund; the total assets of a company less liabilities and intangible assets, divided by the number of shares outstanding.

NETIQUETTE. Internet etiquette.

“ Direct marketers seeking to maximize the World Wide Web and Internet for commercial purposes should heed to the generally accepted rules of ‘Netiquette’ if they don’t want to end up on the Blacklist of Internet Advertisers.” (DM News, May 20, 1996, p. 1)

NET THIRTY. The balance is due in thirty days.

“ The advertisers pay 50% when they order and 50% net 30 days.”

(Folio, May 1, 1994, p. 9)

NETWORKING. Building friends and contacts.

NEWBIE. Someone new to an online computer network.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. New competitor.

NEW DEAL. The economic programs of the Franklin Roosevelt admini-stration (1932– 1945). Elected during the height of the Great Depression, Roosevelt enacted numerous social and economic programs, including Social Security, the Works Project Administration (WPA), and the Civil-ian Conservation Corps (CCC).

NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES (NICs). Developing coun-tries that pursue an outward-oriented market strategy. The original NICs included Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. Based on their success, many other countries are pursuing similar strategies.

NEWT. Referring to or related to Newt Gingrich.

“ Newt Portfolio, stocks that would do well with the policies Congress-man Gingrich advocates.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 14, 1995, p. C1) NICE GUYS FINISH LAST. Look out for yourself (Leo Durocher, fa-mous baseball manager).

NICKEL-AND-DIME (TO). Small amounts; quibble over minor issues.

NICKEL-AND-DIME (TO) 135

“ Compared to what has been done in the past, the theft . . . is nickel-and-dime stuff.” (Far Eastern Economic Review, Jan. 27, 1994, p. 34) NICHE MARKETING. Marketing strategy of serving a unique (often small) market segment. Niche marketing is considered a step toward RELATIONSHIP MARKETING, because it reinforces the concept that companies must anticipate and satisfy customer needs.

NIELSEN. A C. Nielsen rating of the number of households watching a television program.

“ It is argued that the sooner a Nielsen or ARBITRON of the Internet emerges, the faster the billion-dollar commercial potential of the inter-active era will be unleashed.” (Brandweek, Sept. 25, 1995, p. IQ38) NIFTY. Creative, well done.

911. (Pronounced nine-one-one); Emergency telephone number in the United States.

NINE-TO-FIVE. A regular day job, usually salaried.

NINTH INNING. At the last moment (baseball).

Even though Schwab, based in San Francisco, is getting into the 401(k) game in the ninth inning, its arrival is sure to ruffle some competitors, especially given Schwab’s reputation for low-cost service.”

(Wall Street Journal, April 3, 1996, p. C1) NITTY GRITTY. Most basic parts.

“ The prestigious Zagat Surveys measure the nitty-gritty of U.S.

restaurants.” (Nation’s Restaurant News, Aug. 21, 1995, p. 18) NO-BRAINER. An easy decision.

“ You want people to see an ad once with significant impact, and of course as close to the point-of-purchase as possible. But that’s a no-brainer.” (Leah Martin, Eller Media, 1996)

NO CEILING. No limit.

“ In a Vietnamese joint venture, the foreign party is required to contribute at least 30% of the legal capital, but there is no ceiling on the foreign party’s equity contribution.” (Law & Policy in International Business, 1994, p. 481)

NO-FRILLS. Without any extra features. See also VANILLA MODEL.

136 NICHE MARKETING

“ Air travelers on the new no-frills EuroBelgian Airlines Express will get no meals, no newspapers, and no connecting flights.” (Business Week, Nov. 28, 1994, p. 72)

NO LOAD. Without any added fees.

NOLO CONTENDERE. Choosing not to contest (Latin), as in a legal dispute. Many Americans first learned the term when Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned from office in 1973, pleading nolo contendere to charges of tax evasion.

NON-ACCELERATING INFLATION RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT