ROI or Return on Investment is a very popular measure that is used to determine the value and efficiency of a particular investment in comparison to an array of other investments. Return on investment has become very popular in the business world because of how simple and versatile the calculation is. In short, if an investment does not show a positive ROI than it should be passed up for another opportunity that shows a positive ROI.

The general calculation for ROI is as follows:

ROI = (Gain From Investment – Cost of Investment) / (Cost of Investment)

Be aware that ROI is not a set in stone calculation, it can be modified for many different situations. For example, ROI does not always calculate for future gains from a situation as the cost of gaining a client. One client could bring a $100 present gain from a $50 investment, but the gain from the investment over the next five years could result in a profit of $5000 or more. It's hard for ROI to calculate this percentage due to the fact that the formula does not have the ability to calculate unearned profit or income.

Return on investment is often used in the world of accounting to calculate whether a potential investment or business decision is worth undertaking. The decision makers, executives, and managers of many large companies strive to improve ROI by increasing profits, reducing costs, and maximizing gains.

In the last ten years, ROI has gained much popularity for influencing many asset purchase decisions such as fleet vehicles or equipment to operate a business. ROI has also been used in determining whether or not it was profitable for a company to invest in a marketing or advertising plan. Traditional investment decisions have also been influenced by ROI to determine whether or not the management of stock portfolios, 401ks, and IRA's will have a positive ROI for the company.

ROI is a very versatile term in the business world that can be used for virtually any sector of business in America today. The next time you are thinking about investing in a particular business, stock, mutual fund, marketing, or advertising venture try calculating the total ROI of the investment to determine whether it is worth your money, time, and effort. If the ROI is showing a positive percentage, then chances are it is a good decision. If the ROI is showing a negative percentage then you may want to step back and re-think the decision you are about to make. Business owners all over the world use their ROI percentage to tweak, change, and reform their business process.

While ROI is a very effective and beneficial percentage, most average business professionals do not take into effect inflation, depreciation, or future market conditions. Be sure to consult an economist professional before making any serious decision to your business or income.

In the future we see this handy equation only growing in popularity as more and more often business professionals all around the world are trying to save time and money.