SUMMER 2015
BUSINESS
VOCABULARY
IN USE
ENGLISH
SEMESTER 6
Business across
cultures 1
Based on
Business Vocabulary in Use – Intermediate, Bill Mascull
YouTube Videos
Please use the book and the CD-ROM included for further reference, the rest of
the units and the provided exercises.
45 BUSINESS ACROSS CULTURES 1 - VOCABULARY
leadership
vedení, vůdcovství, vedoucí postavení, schopnost vést
culture
kultura
values
hodnoty
beliefs
víra, přesvědčení
business culture
kultura podnikání
company, corporate culture korporátní kultura, politika společnosti
long-hours culture
zvyk pracovat denně mnoho hodin
macho culture
hodnoty založené na mužských principech
sales culture
nejdůležitější hodnotou je prodej
learning culture
kultura, ve které důležitou hodnotou je získávání
nových vědomostí
enterprise culture
kultura, strategie podniku
stereotypes
stereotypy
cultural differences
kulturní rozdíly
power-distance
rozdíly mezi nadřízenými a podřízenými
low power-distance
malé rozdíly mezi nadřízenými a podřízenými
accessible
přístupný
approachable
přátelský
decision-making
rozhodování
team of equals
tým rovnocenných partnerů
high power-distance culture velké rozdíly mezi nadřízenými a podřízenými
distant
vzdálený
remote
zdrženlivý, nepřístupný
deference
úcta, podřízenost
hierarchical
hierarchická
management layers
úrovně managementu
forms of address
formy oslovování
be familiar
být s někým důvěrně známý
delayering
zbavování se jednotlivých úrovní ve vedení společnosti
chief executives
vedoucí výkonní pracovníci
CEO – Chief Executive Officer generální ředitel, výkonný ředitel
45 BUSINESS ACROSS CULTURES 1 – TEXT
A) Cultures and culture
is the “WAY WE DO THINGS ROUND HERE”. “Here” might mean a country, an area, a social
class or an organization such as a company or school. It includes values (things that people
think are important) and beliefs (things that people believe in).
We can talk about:
-
business culture
corporate culture
long-hours culture
macho culture
sales culture
learning culture
But you must also be careful about stereotypes (fixed ideas that may not be true).
B) Power and distance
A company’s culture depends to a large extent on the country it is based in. Geert Hofstede
is a world-famous expert on cultural differences. Power-distance is one of the important
cultural dimensions that he identifies.
Sweden is a low power-distance culture. Managers are accessible and approachable and
there is a tradition of employees being involved in decision-making as part of a team of
equals – everyone´s opinion is treated equally.
France is a high power-distance culture. Managers are usually more distant and remote.
Employees may feel quite distant from their managers and show a lot of deference – respect
– to them, following decisions but not participating in them.
The Swedish company is not very hierarchical, with only three management layers –
different levels. (see the scheme below = FLAT ORGANIZATION)
French companies are on the whole more hierarchical that Swedish ones, with more
management layers. (see the scheme below = TALL ORGANIZATION)
Deference and distance may be shown in language. Some languages have many forms of
address that you use to indicate how familiar you are with someone. In English, whether first
names or surnames are used can show distance.
45 BUSINESS ACROSS CULTURES 1 – ACTIVITIES
TASK 1:
Which word are missing? Put the expression back to the text. There is a KEY after the last
exercise.
respect to managers
are involved
depends
low power-distance
accessible
A company´s culture ____________________to a large extent on the country it is based in.
When we talk about cultural differences, power-distance is one of the important cultural
dimensions. For example, Sweden is a ______________________ culture. Managers are
_____________________ and approachable. Employees ______________________ in
decision-making as a part of a team of equals. On the other hand, France is a high powerdistance culture. Employees show a lot of __________________________. French
companies are more hierarchical that Swedish ones.
TASK 2:
Read the definitions from MACMILLANDICTIONARY.COM. You can check the website to
find related words.
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/stereotype_7#stereotyping
TASK 3:
Look at the stereotypes of some European nations as seen in general. Do you agree with
any of them?
Source: http://into-insider.de/2011/12/10/the-perfect-european-should-be/
TASK 4:
Watch the video called Cultural Dimension: low versus high power distance. It can help you
understand the terms HIGH and LOW POWER DISTANCE better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx2SV2bYSfU
TASK 5:
Watch the video about the Cultural Dimension Theory by Geert Hofstede. What are the
dimensions mentioned? You can find the PICTURE KEY below the last exercise.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Individualism vs. ______________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
PLAY THE VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNntW_DA0x0
KEY TO TASK 1:
A company´s culture depends to a large extent on the country it is based in. When we talk
about cultural differences, power-distance is one of the important cultural dimensions. For
example, Sweden is a low power-distance culture. Managers are accessible and
approachable. Employees are involved in decision-making as a part of a team of equals. On
the other hand, France is a high power-distance culture. Employees show a lot of respect to
managers. French companies are more hierarchical that Swedish ones.
KEY TO TASK 5:
45 REVISION - WHAT DO I REMEMBER?
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