SOP
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Standard operating procedure |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Business & Finance, Education & Academia, Technology & Computing |
SOP has three meanings. The most common are Standard operating procedure (management & strategy) and Statement of purpose (academic); it can also stand for Same-origin policy.
Meanings of SOP at a glance
| # | SOP stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard operating procedure | Business & Finance › Management & Strategy |
| 2 | Statement of purpose | Education & Academia › Academic |
| 3 | Same-origin policy | Technology & Computing › Internet & Web |
1. Standard operating procedure
Business & Finance · Management & Strategy Abbreviations · also used in the military
Written step-by-step instructions describing how to carry out a routine task consistently and safely, such as closing a store, onboarding a supplier or cleaning lab equipment. SOPs reduce errors and training time, and in regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, food and aviation they are required documents that auditors inspect.
Example: Per the SOP, every refund over $500 needs a second approver before it is processed in the system.
Plural SOPs. In everyday speech "standard operating procedure" also means the usual way of doing something, as in "Delays are SOP at this airport." SOPs are typically controlled documents with a version number, an owner and a review date. In US drug manufacturing, written procedures are required under the FDA's current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) regulations.
2. Statement of purpose
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Essay for graduate school applications that explains an applicant's academic background, research interests, career goals and reasons for choosing a particular program, usually one to two pages. Admissions committees use it to judge fit with faculty and preparedness for research.
Example: My SOP names three faculty members whose research on soil microbiomes matches my interests.
It differs from a personal statement, which focuses on personal background and motivation; some programs request both. International applicants in India and China often call it the SOP even when a program asks for a "personal statement". Outside education, SOP means standard operating procedure.
3. Same-origin policy
Technology & Computing · Internet & Web Abbreviations
The browser's core security rule that a script loaded by one origin, meaning the combination of scheme, host and port, cannot read data belonging to another origin. It stops a malicious page from reading your webmail or bank pages open in another tab.
Example: Because of the SOP, the iframe's script can't read the parent page's DOM.
Introduced in Netscape Navigator 2.0 in 1995 alongside JavaScript. https://example.com and http://example.com count as different origins because the scheme differs. CORS and postMessage are sanctioned ways to relax the policy. In business, SOP usually means standard operating procedure.
Related abbreviations
More management & strategy abbreviations
- SMART – Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound
- SMB – Small and midsize business
- SME – Small and medium-sized enterprise
- SOM – Serviceable obtainable market
- SPC – Statistical process control
- SSC – Shared services center
- SWOT – Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
- TAM – Total addressable market
See all 92 management & strategy abbreviations →