Which term describes the act or process of combining two or more businesses into one?

• A. Merging
• B. Consolidation
• C. Amalgamation
• D. Acquisition

Answer: (A)

Merging describes the act of two or more businesses coming together to operate as one entity. It involves combining assets, liabilities, and operations under a single structure, with the goal of creating a single, unified company.

Consolidation can also lead to one entity, but it often means forming a new company from the original firms, rather than one firm simply absorbing another. Amalgamation is another term used in some places to describe a merger, essentially the same idea but with different regional usage. Acquisition, on the other hand, is about one company buying another and typically keeping its own identity or dissolving the target, rather than two firms becoming one.