group

group group [gruːp] noun [countable]

1. also group of companies ORGANIZATIONS a large business organization that consists of several companies that all have the same owner:

• Burmah Castrol, the lubricants group

• the sale of the Rover Group to BMW

• a dramatic surge in group profits

• the group chairman

2. several people or things considered together — see also control group, newsgroup

ˈbuzz group MARKETING

one of several small groups of people that a bigger group is divided into, in order to discuss what they think about a subject, for example on a training course :

• Buzz groups are an excellent way of promoting discussion during training sessions.

conˈsumer group ORGANIZATIONS

an organization for protecting the interests and rights of consumers:

• Consumer groups say that alliances between airlines could push up fares.

ˈfocus group

MARKETING a group of consumers brought together by a company to help it do market research. The consumers are asked to discuss their feelings and opinions about products, advertisements, companies etc:

• Consumers in focus groups told us they felt way too pressured in carpet stores.

ˈincome group

MARKETING people who earn similar amounts of money, especially when considered as a social group for purposes of marketing, public opinion etc:

• Even among people in the same income group, those with less education were much less healthy.

ˈpeer group

1. a group of companies or products that can be compared because they are similar in a number of ways:

• The stock isn't significantly more expensive than others in its peer group.

2. a group of people who influence each other because they are the same age, have the same job, social position etc:

• Trainees can discuss the job with their peer group at an induction day.

• Peer group pressure (= the influence that people like you have on you ) is effective when selling ideas.

ˈreference group

MARKETING a group of people that someone feels part of or would like to be part of:

• In this 16-24 age range, the reference group can be all-powerful in influencing purchase behaviour.

ˌspecial ˈinterest group

abbreviation SIG a group of people who all share the same aims, especially one that tries to influence government policy on a particular issue:

• special-interest groups, such as the American Insurance Association and the National Venture Capital Association

* * *

group UK US /gruːp/ noun

► [C] (also group of companies) a business that contains several different companies: »

Under the group's final salary pension scheme, his pension is increased for every year he served.

»

a television/banking/construction group

»

group accounts/sales

→ See Note COMPANY(Cf. ↑company)

► a number of people or things that are put together or considered as a single thing: group of sth »

This deal has been backed by a group of external investors.

»

This group of drugs are known as taxanes.

»

I want someone who is going to work in a group.

»

a group discussion/interview/assignment

→ See also ACTION GROUP(Cf. ↑action group), AGE GROUP(Cf. ↑age group), BUZZ GROUP(Cf. ↑buzz group), CONSUMER GROUP(Cf. ↑consumer group), CONTROL GROUP(Cf. ↑control group), FOCUS GROUP(Cf. ↑focus group), INCOME GROUP(Cf. ↑income group), INTEREST GROUP(Cf. ↑interest group), INVESTOR GROUP(Cf. ↑investor group), NEWSGROUP(Cf. ↑newsgroup), PEER GROUP(Cf. ↑peer group), PRESSURE GROUP(Cf. ↑pressure group), REFERENCE GROUP(Cf. ↑reference group), TARGET GROUP(Cf. ↑target group), TEST GROUP(Cf. ↑test group), T-GROUP(Cf. ↑T-group), WORKGROUP(Cf. ↑workgroup)