Immigration has affected the U.S. economy by increasing the supply of both skilled and unskilled labor, elevating demand for lowcost retail consumer goods and services, and suppressing labor costs.

The criminal act of identity theft costs Americans and American businesses millions of dollars per year in losses, legal fees, and investigations and fosters distrust between consumers and businesses.

Iacocca led Ford Motor Company during the pinnacle of the American auto industry during the 1960’s, and he saved Chrysler Motors from bankruptcy during the 1970’s.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a nongovernmental worldwide federation whose mission is to promote the development of standardization (have weights, measures, etc., conform to a standard). The ISO believes standardization facilitates the international exchange of goods and SERVICES; its efforts result in international agreements reducing or eliminating technical barriers to global trade.

See REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, INVITATION TO BID.

Investment clubs are a popular way for Americans to learn about and become involved in STOCK MARKET investing. In an investment club, members agree to contribute a set amount of MONEY each month, often $50; review and evaluate stock choices; and make INVESTMENT decisions based on member voting.

Investment banking, also called I-banking, refers to the financial services provided by investment bankers. Until 1933, commercial banks participated in activities that are now purely investment-banking activities, such as UNDERWRITING.

Investment can refer to either economic investment or financial investment. Economic investment is the purchase of new productive ASSETS—buildings, equipment, computers, etc.—that are used to produce goods and SERVICES. Financial investment is the use of CAPITAL (MONEY) to generate hoped-for PROFITS. Financial investment includes the purchase of shares of stock in a company, other securities, or assets with the goal of selling them at a higher price.

Inventory control is the management of raw materials, work in process, and final goods.

Interviewing job candidates is an important part of any business organization’s efforts to succeed and prosper. From an employer’s perspective, numerous issues and legal concerns are involved in business interviewing. From a job candidate’s perspective, interviewing is a skill that can be developed for successful hiring.

The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was established in 1887 to regulate surface transportation in the United States as a response to market manipulation and control of railroads during the American Industrial Revolution. The ICC was the first regulatory commission in U.S. history, but from 1887 until 1906 it had little control over the transportation industry.

Business internships are opportunities for students to experience working in a company or industry; they can be paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time, and can last a semester, a summer, or a year.

Internet surveys provide an efficient and inexpensive means of collecting marketing information from a large number of people. Internet surveys are often used to collect demographic information and viewer opinions regarding products, services, or core issues. Researchers may either post SURVEYS on websites or e-mail them to potential respondents. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages to the use of INTERNET and e-mail surveys.

Internet marketing is the use of the INTERNET to promote, distribute, and price goods and SERVICES for target audiences. While uses of the Internet are constantly changing, several successful Internet marketing models are evolving to facilitate E-COMMERCE and E-BUSINESS.

The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) is an organization that takes Internet FRAUD complaints from consumers and reports cases to authorities for investigation. The IFCC is a joint project between the National White Collar Crime Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The center maintains a database tracking Internet fraud complaints and biannually publishes and publicizes INTERNET fraud activities.

The complex matrix of globally connected computer networks known today as the Internet is the product of past national-defense projects whose goals were to keep the United States ahead in the cold war’s arms race. Following the 1957 launch of the Soviet Union’s first satellite, Sputnik I, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) created the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), which would develop a nationwide communications network to help protect the United States against nuclear attacks from space.

The United States International Trade Commission, created by an act of Congress as the U.S. Tariff Commission in 1916, is an independent bipartisan commission that investigates matters of trade.

See ISO STANDARDS.

In 1945, 45 countries established The International Monetary Fund (IMF) to 1. promote international monetary cooperation 2. expand and balance international trade 3. promote currency-exchange stability 4. establish a system of international exchange payments 5. make resources available to assist countries having BALANCE OF PAYMENTS difficulties

International marketing is marketing products and SERVICES to customers outside a company’s home country. It is important to both businesses and countries and involves a variety of strategy issues, laws, and other considerations. International marketing is as old as civilization.

International management is the process of applying MANAGEMENT concepts and techniques in a multinational, multicultural environment. Large, medium, and small firms are seeing increasingly more of their overall revenue coming from overseas markets. International management is changing rapidly, due in part to the fact that managers are increasing their contact with other countries as foreign INVESTMENT and trade are increasing and TRADE BARRIERS among countries continue to fall.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a global international labor association with a primary goal of improving working conditions, living standards, and equitable treatment of workers in all nations. Most of the major industrialized countries in the world, including the United States, are members of the ILO, which was created in 1919 at the Versailles peace conference, ending World War I.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an alliance of 26 nations created in the 1970s to ensure energy security for its members. The United States, Japan, Korea, and most European countries are members of the IEA, which works in conjunction with the ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD).

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a major industrial UNION in the United States with a long and contentious history. Created in 1903, with Cornelius Shea elected as president, the Teamsters Union grew to represent over 1 million workers.