ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with what the primary activities are in a business. The primary activities describe its core activity. For service businesses or trading businesses these primary activities are not really different; there too the people have purchasing, production, logistics, marketing, sales and service. When businesses are studied, analyzed or advised for example after a reorganization, a restructuring, a merger, a takeover or a downsizing it is important to distinguish the primary activities and the primary functions. It is the function of a business administration professional to find ways for primary activities to run better. Primary activities are transformation processes. Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services business based in Houston, Texas. Purchasing is an important part of the primary activities of every business. Smart purchasing is also important for service businesses. A production process consists of chains of supply points and processing stations, flows of goods, fabrication processes, assembly processes, and so forth.
