Businesses are free to organize themselves in whatever way they see fit. However, there are general operational functions that most organizations compartmentalize into specific departments. There is always a degree of crossover, but these functions are distinct enough that they warrant separate designations.

The most common business operations are sales and marketing, research and development (R&D), finance and accounting, human resources (HR), information technology (IT), production, purchasing, and distribution. Not every business will need each one of these, and smaller organizations may combine some, but nearly all businesses perform the majority of these functions.