Routledge Dictionary of Economics, 3rd Edition

U

U-form (L2)

The unitary form of business enterprise organized in the traditional way of dividing it up according to function. This is an appropriate structure for smaller enterprises; for larger organizations, a U-form imposes high communication costs.

See also: H-form; M-form; X-form

U hypothesis (O4)

A view of the income distribution of less developed countries advanced by KUZNETS and others that the share of NATIONAL INCOME going to the poorest part of the population declines at the start of economic development and rises only in the later stages of development, often because of a change in government policies to help the poor. The income distribution often changes over time in this way because development has taken the form of industrialization ...