Because honestly, I can't really tell a difference.
Have you ever successfully decoded a message from your manager or a coworker that looked like this: Hey, FYI the ETA in your inbox is TBD but definitely by EOD. LMK thoughts on the new CRM report. Also, we have a new POC for EOY PTO requests. More to follow, but flagging so we can circle back.
If yes, congratulations. You are fluent in business speak. If no, you may be familiar with a similar message that lets you know to expect an email at the end of the day about customer relations and where to send your vacation requests.
(I put it through the translator for you).
Let's consider another domain. Baseball. Have you ever discussed the ERA or the WHIP of a starting pitcher on an MLB team?
If yes, congratulations. You just may be fluent in baseball statistics. If no, you may prefer the softer side of baseball like uniform switches and walk-up songs.
About Acronyms
No matter your cadence of yes and no answers to the questions above, chances are high that you understand the valuable role that acronyms play in our daily life. Whether saving a few seconds while sending a non-important text to a friend or making us seem a lot cooler and more "in the know" than we are, using acronyms is one way to make communication more efficient and beneficial.
The funny thing about acronyms is that they work because enough people believe that they work. Someone, at some point in the past, had to start the acronym. And if it is still in use today, that means that the acronym provided enough value to the users and survived the hostile throttle of linguistic natural selection. This fact is both scary and comforting.
It is scary because acronyms reflect a cultish form of in-group communication. They establish boundaries between those who know and those who do not know. Surely, the most cunning among us find means to decipher, such as Google or the polite ask of a wise friend. But even that mere action represents a power-shift, going from the unknowing to the knowing. Yet, it is comforting because anyone of us has the power to create something valuable that positively impacts the many people who use it.
So what does any of this have to do with business and baseball? The answer is everything.
Many a businessman would argue that accounting is the language of business in the same way that statistics is the language of baseball. Neither of these "languages" accounts for every aspect of the their respective industries. They do, however, offer a practical way to portray important information in streamlined, shareable ways.
If these "languages" existed purely as numbers on a page, they would be chaotic and unhelpful. That's where words come in. Words tell stories and provide labels that shape and organize data in meaningful ways. And this partnership is a petri dish for acronyms because there is so. much. data. Acronyms act as a heuristic, a mental shortcut, to categorize information and make decisions.
I've already made the case that conversational acronyms delineate between those who know and those who do not know about a topic. As someone who is involved in both business and baseball (as a working individual and a hopeful Phillies fan), I find the lines between the two worlds blurring, for better or for worse.
Business vs. Baseball: Acronym Awareness
Whether you are confident about the distinctions between each of the examples below or are taking preventative measures to avoid a catastrophic business-baseball blunder, here are some clarifying points about the languages of business and baseball.
MBA vs MLB
A Masters of Business Administration (MBA) is an advanced degree in the field of business. Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional sports organization in the US and Canada.
ROI vs RBI
A return on investment (ROI) is a calculation of expected value compared to cost. A run batted in (RBI) is a positive stat for a batter in baseball when a plate appearance results in a scored run.
DBA vs ERA
Registering a "doing business as" (DBA) is a way for a person to conduct business under a name other than his legal name. The earned run average (ERA) is a measure of how many runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings.
P&L vs P/PA
The profit and loss statement (P&L), also known as an income statement, is a financial report that shows revenues and expenses in a given amount of time. Pitches per plate appearance (P/PA) is an average of how many pitches a batter faces at the plate.
KPI vs. K/IP
A key performance indicator (KPI) is a metric of performance related to a specific objective. The number of strikeouts per innings pitched (K/IP) is another stat that evaluates a pitcher's performance, specifically through quantifying the average number of strikeouts thrown per inning.
SWOT vs. WAR
A strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis is a comprehensive framework for an organization to self-evaluate. The wins above replacement player (WAR) is a measure of a player's value defined by a number of wins he is worth compared to a replacement player.
B2B vs. 2B
A business-to-business (B2B) transaction happens between two businesses as opposed to a business and consumer. The number of doubles (2B) that a hitter in baseball has refers to how many times the batter reached second base off of one hit (without error or attempted put-outs).
IPO vs. LOB
The initial public offering (IPO) is the point at which a private company lists shares on a stock exchange, turning public. Left on base (LOB) is a measure of how many runners remain on base after a batter makes an out.
GAAP vs. OBP
The generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are a standardized set of accounting rules and procedures. The on-base percentage (OBP) is a measure of how often a batter reaches base.
PTO vs. TP
Paid time off (PTO) is time taken off from work during which you still receive pay from your employer. A triple play (TP) is a single defensive play in which three outs are recorded.
EOD vs. ROE
An abbreviation for the end of day (EOD) is common for internal business communications. When a batter reaches a base on error (ROE), it does not count as a hit.
RFP vs. RPA
A request for proposal (RFP) is compilation of a project's scope and needs that is shared with other entities to elicit a bid. The run producing average (RPA) is a measure of a player's offensive performance.
GTM vs. GM
A business's go-to-market (GTM) strategy is the action-plan of how a company will introduce their product or service to target customers. The general manager (GM) of a professional baseball team has multiple responsibilities including controlling player transactions and coaching personnel.
VP vs. BP
A company vice president (VP) is definitely above the new intern on the corporate ladder. Batting practice (BP) before a game is when each team practices hitting.
WACC vs. WHIP
The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is a financial metric that represents the rate a company expects to pay to support its business. The walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) is a common stat that denotes a pitcher's performance.
PIP vs. P/IP
A performance improvement plan (PIP) is a structured development map assigned to underperforming employees. Measuring pitches per inning pitched (P/IP) is a measure of the efficiency of a pitcher.
OOO vs. 3 Outs
With many companies integrating hybrid work structures, communicating that you are out of office (OOO) can be helpful for coordination purposes. Getting three outs means that its time for the offense and defense to switch sides in baseball.
Wildcards
Here are some acronyms that find homes in both the business and baseball worlds.
IP
Intellectual property or innings pitched
MVP
Minimum viable product or most valuable player
SBA
Small Business Administration or stolen bases allowed
HR
Human resources or home run
GDP
Gross domestic product or grounded into double play
LTV
Lifetime value (customer or player
Extra Innings
In addition to these acronyms (and many more), I can't help but notice another place where the languages of business and baseball overlap: figures of speech. Only here, I find a sadder tale. One of an unfair power dynamic.
I believe the business world (and our general lifestyle, to be honest) has poached many a saying from baseball without the slightest regard for reciprocity. Consider a normal day in which any number of the following phrases can be heard thrown about the American workplace:
That presentation was a home run. That's a long run for a short slide. This deadline came out of left field. My manager just threw me a curveball. At least we went down swinging. Let's cover our bases. Don't drop the ball. Let's schedule a touch-base (TB) meeting.
I have to imagine that baseball players and baseball-adjacent professionals do not use standard office cliches in the same way. But, maybe they do? Perhaps, I am wrong, and the mundane office life is exactly the metaphorical fodder necessary to explain the seemingly unexplainable to the rest of the outside, non-baseball world.
That pitch was a real cubicle.
Or when a shortstop makes an error, possibly his first thought is "Man, I really hit 'reply all' on that one."
(If Trea Turner ever turns corporate, there is a strong chance he learns that the emotions of a bumbled ground out in a playoff game do not hold a candle to the inevitable embarrassment and frustration that follow an ill-directed email action.)
I shall end my foray in the complicated linguistics of baseball and business here. My final advice is to pick business or to pick baseball, but do not choose both. Unless, of course, you seek perpetual confusion and loathe spelling contents. Then do both.
In that case you can join the audacious crowd of business professionals who willingly acronymize their life away for the love of the game.
FTLOTG.
Thanks for reading!
~Katherine
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