maximization vs step-up

maximization and step-up both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
maximization	Yes	No	No	No
step-up	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, step-up is a hypernym of maximization; that is, step-up is a word with a broader meaning than maximization:

maximization: the act of raising to the highest possible point or condition or position
step-up: the act of increasing something

Other hypernyms of maximization include increase.

maximization (noun)	step-up (noun)
the act of raising to the highest possible point or condition or position	the act of increasing something
the mathematical process of finding the maximum value of a function