We’ve seen it again and again – especially in an era of rapid-growth from garage start-up to corporate giant. Companies start out lean and mean and hungry. Their founders have a great idea and a vision that evolves through hard work, innovative products, and eventually an IPO into a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the NASDAQ Composite.

We hear them all the time. We use them, sometimes without giving them a second thought. Over time, some become part of the corporate lingo, while others vanish and are replaced by new ones. They are known as corporate “buzzwords” – words or phrases that invade corporate culture and are seen to echo popular sentiments or trends. So reports The New York Times.