integration

integration in‧te‧gra‧tion [ˌɪntˈgreɪʆn] noun [uncountable]

1. the combining of two or more organizations, activities etc so that they become more effective, make better profits etc:

• The important achievement of the European Union is economic integration, but political integration is doubtful.

2. ECONOMICS when a company obtains control of its suppliers, customers, or competitors, resulting in fewer companies in an industry:

• Following the merger, further integration of the European packaging industry is inevitable.

ˌbackward inteˈgration ECONOMICS

when a company obtains control of its suppliers, or starts performing the same business activities as them:

• Horizon Tours are taking backward integration even further by not only operating their own airline but also developing hotels in the Mediterranean.

ˌforward inteˈgration ECONOMICS

when a company obtains control of its customers, or starts performing the same business activities as them:

• Television is booming in India, and there is potential for forward integration by film companies.

horiˌzontal inteˈgration ECONOMICS

when a company obtains control of its competitors:

• The Federal Communications Commission will rule soon on horizontal integration by cable TV operators.

ˌvertical inteˈgration ECONOMICS

when a company controls all the different stages in making and selling a particular product:

• Critics say the company's vertical integration gives it an unfair advantage.

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integration UK US /ˌɪntɪˈgreɪʃ^ən/ noun [U]

► the process of combining two or more things into one: integration across sth »

We need to reduce the differences between local units, with the aim of greater integration across markets.

integration between sth and sth »

How can we achieve a higher level of integration between our company and our supply-chain partners?

integration into sth »

The book examines China's integration into the global economy.

integration (of sth) with sth »

One of the company's weaknesses is poor integration of business processes with information systems.

close/smooth/total integration »

The new database will mean smoother integration with suppliers.

► the process of becoming part of a group of people: integration (of sb) into sth »

The purpose of the induction program is to encourage the integration of new staff into the team.

integration with sth »

The manager assesses other aspects of a new employee's development, such as social integration with colleagues.

→ See also BACKWARD INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑backward integration), COMPUTER TELEPHONY INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑computer telephony integration), DATA INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑data integration), ECONOMIC INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑economic integration), ENTERPRISE APPLICATION INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑Enterprise Application Integration), FORWARD INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑forward integration), GLOBAL INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑global integration), HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION STRATEGY(Cf. ↑horizontal integration strategy), HR INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑HR integration), KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑knowledge integration), HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑horizontal integration), MARKET INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑market integration), VERTICAL INTEGRATION(Cf. ↑vertical integration), VERTICAL INTEGRATION STRATEGY(Cf. ↑vertical integration strategy)