A guaranteed investment contract (GIC), also referred to as a guaranteed income contract, is a contract between an insurance company and a pension plan (i.e., 401(k) plan) or corporate profit-sharing plan that guarantees a specific rate of return on the invested capital over the life of the agreement.

Growth stocks are COMMON STOCK equities in companies perceived by investors as having above-average currentand projected-earnings growth. These stocks typically have very high price-earnings ratios and very low DIVIDEND yields; they have higher BETA COEFFICIENT ratios and are riskier INVESTMENTS, with greater upside and downside potential. The counter-investment strategy is value stocks.

See INCOME STATEMENT, GROSS MARGIN.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the estimated market value (the price paid for goods and services) of all final goods and services produced in a country in a year.

Green marketing is the PRODUCTION, promotion, and reclamation of environmentally sensitive PRODUCTS. Green marketing includes a variety of activities and strategies, including recycling, pollution control and reduction, product development, POSITIONING, and reclamation systems.

Green cards are immigrant VISAS giving foreigners permanent-resident status in the United States. Unlike visas, which are granted for a specific length of time to engage in specific business activities, green cards allow non-U.S. citizens to reside in the country indefinitely.

The Great Depression (1929–41) was the most severe period of economic decline in the history of the United States. During the Great Depression, U.S. output declined by one-third, the unemployment rate reached 25 percent, the STOCK MARKET declined by 40 percent, and over 9,000 banks failed.

Gray (or parallel) markets are markets where legitimate (as opposed to counterfeit) trademarked goods are distributed and sold through unauthorized channels. Many U.S. manufacturers license their technology and BRANDS to companies in other countries.

In business and economics, graphs are used to convey information and ideas quickly. The most frequently used types are line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts. Typical line graphs include time-series and cause-and-effect relationship graphs. As a matter of convention, time-series graphs put time on the horizontal axis and whatever is being compared over time on the vertical axis.

Government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) are government-created institutions designed to close perceived gaps in the country’s capital markets for agriculture and housing.

The Government National Mortgage Association, better known as Ginnie Mae, is a government-owned CORPORATION that primarily provides INSURANCE for MORTGAGEs originating through Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration (VA) government-loan programs.

The government debt, also referred to as the federal, public, or national debt, is the cumulated sum of outstanding IOUs that a government owes its creditors. In the United States, the government debt refers to indebtedness of the federal government. (State governments have balanced-budget laws limiting or prohibiting the state government from running persistent budget deficits and creating a state-owed debt.)

A going concern is an established business with a developed clientele and/or reputation. Because the business is “up and running” and has a following, such a business, if sold, will command a price higher than the BOOK VALUE of its ASSETS as listed on its BALANCE SHEET.

In business, goal setting—the establishment of personal or professional objectives—can be an individual or organizational activity. Managers often use goal setting as a means of motivating employees. Many MANAGEMENT writers provide guidelines for people or groups attempting to set goals.

Global shares are COMMON STOCK shares that trade in multiple currencies around the world. Introduced in 1998 with the merger of DaimlerChrysler, global shares are an alternative to American depository receipts (ADRs), which are indirect holdings of stock in a foreign company.

Globalization is an economic and cultural process in which countries are increasingly integrated through economic and political connections. Globalization began to grow after World War II, when falling TARIFFs and more efficient means of air travel promoted both an expansion and a reliance on world trade.

While there are many definitions of the term glass ceiling, the DEPARTMENT OF LABOR has concluded that it is most clearly defined as those artificial barriers based on attitudinal or organizational bias that prevent qualified individuals from advancing upward in their organization into MANAGEMENT-level positions.

See GOVERNMENT NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION.

A Gini ratio is a measure of the distribution of INCOME in an economy. A Gini ratio (also called Gini coefficient) can range between 0 and 1. Zero means all families have the same income; 1 means one family has all of the income. Gini ratios are used in conjunction with LORENZ CURVEs.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is a major purchasing agent for the federal government. The GSA was created in 1949 through the consolidation of four small agencies involved in PURCHASING services, space, and PRODUCTs to support the activities of federal employees.

A double-entry system of accounting (now called FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING) was first described in 1494 by a Franciscan monk, Fra Luca Pacioli, living in the Tuscany region of Italy. As a result of his extensive treatment of the doubleentry system, then known also as the Venetian system, Pacioli is regarded as the father of accounting.

See WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) investigates problems and issues for members of Congress. The GAO examines the use of public funds, evaluates federal programs and activities, and provides analyses, options, recommendations, and other assistance to Congress.

Gap analysis is a managerial tool used to compare a company’s performance or customer expectations with current outcomes. It is used both in product MANAGEMENT and SERVICES marketing to evaluate and improve business performance.