CL4 Listening Exam 3 – Level B1
Prof. Peter Cullen
January 2008
Text
Listen to the following text about motivation and management.
In any company, internal and external factors influence the effectiveness of any
reward and punishment. Both gains and losses have greater effect on employees who
work as a team. What do we mean by internal and external factors? Internal factors
are things from within the company that influence an employees motivation towards
his or her job. These can be company structures or company policy. They might be
things like salary or pay scale, expected hours of work, amount of vacation time, or the
boss’s personality! It is important that directors explain company structures and
policy clearly so that all employees in the department understand the business culture
of their working environment. Clear communication on structural and policy issues
can save a lot of headache in the office!
Of the factors mentioned above, personality is the most difficult to deal with.
Everybody is different, and everybody has different approaches to work,
communication, problems solving, punctuality, and socialisation. A good director
knows how to moderate these differences so that all of his or her employees perform at
an acceptable level for the company’s objectives. This creates a real team environment
in which employees can use their different skills to divide up work logically and
effectively. Management economists are becoming increasingly aware that individual
skills and knowledge are fundamental to companies because they give value added to
performance and business relationships. This value added is called intellectual
capital.
One of the fundamental problems with the use of intellectual capital in a
company, is that individuals with particular skills often require greater reward for
their work. After they have spent some time working for the company, employees who
feel they are particularly good at their job, or would be particularly good at another job
in the same company, usually expect to get a pay raise or a promotion. Many people
ask about pay and promotion scales when they are hired.
When employees feel that their skills are not properly rewarded by the
company, they may begin to look for another job. At this time, external factors become
increasingly important. Friends and family may suggest that an employee begin
looking for a different job, or a job in another company. If problems of pay and
promotion are not addressed by the department director, they risk upsetting their
employees and motivating them to leave the company. In any group, including teams,
people with more extroverted personalities strongly influence the group environment.
It is important for directors to recognise this so they do not lose key employees. This
greatly damages the team, hurts the legitimacy of the department’s management, and
may cause more employees to look for other jobs.
The Guildford Business Communications school offers workshops on team
management for company directors and managers. For more information visit their
website at www.gbcs.info.com, or call their front desk at 0044 571 3459.
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Listening Exam 3 – Level B1
Prof. Peter Cullen
January 2008
______/30
___________________________________________
Name, Date, and Registration Number
Questions: You do not have to use complete sentences! This is a listening
exam. SIMPLE AND CORRECT IS BETTER THAN COMPLICATED AND
WRONG.
1. What things might be considered internal factors of motivation?
2. What two things give value added to performance and business relationships?
3. What do employees who are particularly good at their job usually expect?
4. How do company directors risk upsetting their employees?
5. Who can you contact for workshops on team management? What are their
phone number and web-site address?
______/20
True or False: Write “True” or “False” in the space next to each statement
1. Only losses greatly effect employees who work as a team. ________________
2. It is important that directors explain company structures and policy clearly so
employees understand the business culture of their director. ________________
3. Macro-economists are becoming increasingly aware that individual skills and
knowledge are fundamental to companies._______________
4. One problem with the intellectual capital is that individuals with particular skills
often require greater reward for their work.._________________
5. Directors must recognise that extroverted people strongly influence the group.
________________
______/10
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Listening Exam 3 – Level B1
Prof. Peter Cullen
January 2008
Answer Sheet
1. What things might be considered internal factors of motivation?
salary or pay scale, expected hours of work, amount of vacation time, or the
boss’s personality!.
2. What two things give value added to performance and business relationships?
individual skills and knowledge
3. What do employees who are particularly good at their job usually expect?
A raise or promotion
4. How do company directors risk upsetting their employees?
If problems of pay and promotion are not addressed by the department director,
they risk upsetting their employees and motivating them to leave the company.
5. Who can you contact for workshops on team management? What are their
phone number and web-site address?
The Guildford Business Communications school offers workshops on team
management for company directors and managers. For more information visit
their website at www.gbcs.info.com, or call their front desk at 0044 571 3459.
True or False: Write “True” or “False” in the space next to each statement
F
F
T
T
T
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