Unit I
The Manager’s role.
Ex.1. Read the text.
Our society is made up of all kinds of organizations, such as companies,
government departments, unions, hospitals, schools, libraries, and the like. In all
these organisations, there are people carrying out the work of a manager although
they do not have that title. The vice-chancellor of a university, the president of a
students’ union or a chief librarian are all managers. They have a responsibility to
use the resources of their organisation effectively and economically to achieve its
objectives.
A French industrialist, Henri Fayol, wrote in 1916 a classic definition of the
manager’s role. He said that to manage is « to forecast and plan, to organize, to
motivate, to direct and lead to coordinate and to control ».
In most companies, the activities of a manager depend on the level at which
he/she is working. Top managers, such as the chairmen and directors, will be more
involved in long range planning, policy making, and the relations of the company
with the outside world. They will be making decisions on the future of the
company, the sort of product lines it should develop, how it should face up to the
competition, whether it should diversify etc. These strategic decisions are part of
the planning function.
On the other hand, middle management and supervisors are generally
making the day-to-day decisions which help an organisation to run efficiently and
smoothly. They must respond the pressure of the job, which may mean dealing
with an unhappy customer, chasing up supplies, meeting an urgent order or sorting
out a technical problem. Managers at this level spend a great deal of time
communicating, coordinating and making decisions affecting the daily operation of
the organisation.
American writer, mr Peter Drucker has spelled out what managers do. In his
opinion, managers perform five basic operations. Firstly, managers set objectives.
They decide what these should be and how the organisation can achieve them. For
this task, they need analytical ability. Secondly, managers organise. They must
decide how the resources of the company are to be used, how the work is to be
classified and divided. Furthermore, they must select people for the work to be
done. For this, they not only need analytical ability but also understanding of
human beings. Their third task is to motivate and communicate effectively. They
must be able to get people to work as a team, and to be as productive as possible.
To do this, they will be communicating effectively with all levels of the
organisations – their superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. To succeed in this
task, managers need social skills. The fourth activity is measurement. Having set
targets and standards, managers have to measure the performance of the
organisation, and of its staff, in relation to those targets. Measuring requires
analytical ability. Finally, Peter Drucker says that managers develop people,
including themselves. They help to make people more productive, and to grow as
human beings. They make them bigger and richer persons.
In Peter Drucker’s view, successful managers are not necessarily people who
are liked or who get on well with others. They are people who command the
respect of workers, and who set high standards. Good managers need not be
geniuses but must bring character to the job. They are people of integrity, who will
look for that quality in others.
Ex.2. Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
carefully, not wastefully ( paragraph 1 )
expand the range of products (3)
operate (4)
resolving (4)
said in a clear, detailed way (5)
Ex.3. Managers set objectives. What is an objective? Give the examples of
objectives that sales, production and personnel managers might set.
Ex.4. Complete the following sentences using suitable words or phrases
from the box below.
Managing
director
Director
Senior executive
Middle manager
Junior executive
Colleague
Supervisor
Superior
Subordinate
Staff
Employee
Work-force
1.
The group of executives, working below the top managers are
generally called _______ .
2.
Valerie is an important person in our company. She is a member of the
Board of _______ .
3.
Peter, a recent university graduate, has been with the firm for a year.
He is at present a ______ and is being trained for a managerial position.
4.
Their _______ is expanding rapidly. They now have over 5,000
employees.
5.
At least 50% of our _______ have been with the company over ten
years.
6.
________ in an organisation generally have more fringe benefits than
lower-level managers.
7.
We are a small group in the Research and Development Department.
Fortunately, I get on well with all my _______ .
8.
Our telephone operators work under the direction of a ________ .
9.
I work under mr Brown. He’s my _______ .
10. Sheila and Tom work under my authority. I am their boss and they are
my _____.
11. I am responsible for ______ training and development.
12. A ______ is a person of high rank in an organisation, usually next in
importance to the Chairman.
Ex.5. Word building. Complete the following sentences with the correct
form of the words in italics.
1.
produce
a)
Our production of washing-machines increased by 5% last year.
b)
We have recently put on the market two new ______ .
c)
_______ per worker will increase with the introduction of the new
machines.
d)
Word processors have helped to make office workers more ______ .
e)
The company is well-known in the agricultural industry. It sells
mainly farm ______ - eggs, butter, milk, etc.
2.complete
a) Coca cola’s main ________ is Pepsi-Cola company.
b) We try to stay _______ by investing heavily in advertising and
promotion.
c) Our company’s main objective is to keep ahead of the _______.
3. plan
a) The meeting did not go as _______ .
b) Some projects take years of _______ .
c) Before asking a bank manager for money, it is wise to show him a
business________ .
4. analyse
a) Managers have to an ______ mind.
b) Our _______ showed that we needed to put more emphasis on marketing.
c) We must look at the problem ________ .
Ex.6. Complete the following sentences with the correct word or phrase (a,
b, c, d).
1.
Nowadays, I eat out at restaurants regularly and often go abroad for
holidays. My ……… is much higher than it used to be.
a) standard of living
b) cost of living
c) lifestyle
d) way of life.
2.
Wring reports is not a ………… that everyone enjoys.
a) duty
b) work
c) job
d) function.
3.
This machine uses much less fuel than the previous one. It is far more
………. .
a) sparing
b) economic
c) effective
d) economical.
4.
The management has worked out a ………… to improve our market
share.
a) strategy
b) policy
c) target
d) planning.
5.
Many of the …………. In the Personnel Department are part-time
workers.
a) staff
b) staffs
c) employers
d) personal.
6.
One of the company’s main………….. is to increase sales by 10% per
year.
a) designs
b) plans
c) purposes
d) objectives.
7.
Several machines have broken down. We won’t be able to
…………… an important order.
a) fill
b) meet
c) make
d) do.
Ex.7.Read the text
The prospective employee.
Moira Kelly has just graduated from university and wants to train for a
career in accountancy. She has applied to Granville, Thompson and Styles and has
been invited to an interview for one of two graduate trainee posts. Competition is
tough, and Moira is one of only six candidates to reach this stage. There are three
people on the interview panel: Jim Granville, Andrea Bradshaw and Jane Cove.
Jane: Hello, Moira. Thank you for taking the time to come and see us again.
Before we go any further, I’d like to introduce everyone here. Jim is the firm’s
senior partner, Andrea has just qualified and I’m responsible for Human
Resources. I’ll hand over to Jim first.
Jim: I’d like to repeat the welcome. We will use this opportunity to ask you
more about the information you’ve provided on your CV and to answer any
questions that you may have for us. My first question is to ask what you know
about our firm.
Moira: I saw your brochure in the university careers centre and was
impressed by what I read. I know you have some high-profile clients such as
Elecom plc and Stylehouse and your graduate scheme has been running for nearly
twenty years. I did talk to a couple of the big firms in February, but your scheme
struck me as the most suitable.
Andrea: Can you tell us what you find particularly attractive?
Moira: I like the idea of working for a smaller partnership as I feel it would
give me a wider range of experience. I would like to specialize later, perhaps in the
area of taxation.
Jane: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Moira: I would like to see myself progressing up the career ladder, perhaps
as a junior partner.
Jim: What particular skills have you acquired that you’ll bring tour firm?
Moira: I’m good at detail and have developed a flair for tracking down
inconsistencies. I also have good listening skills which I consider to be important
in accountancy.
The questions continue for another thirty minutes.
Jane: Do you have any questions for us, Moira?
Moira: Yes, I would like to know when you expect to be making your
decision.
Jane: We’re seeing all the candidates today and will be in a position to
make a decision tomorrow. You’ll hear from me by Friday whether you have been
successful or not.
Moira: That’s great. I will be back at my parents’ address from Sunday if
you need to contact me there.
Jane: Thank you for attending.
Vocabulary.
apply (for a job)
Accountancy
Attend (an interview)
Be in a position to do sth.
Be invited to
Be responsible for sth.
Before we go any further
Candidate, applicant
Career ladder
CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Competition
Develop a flair (for sth.)
Graduate
Graduate trainee posts
High-profile client
Hand over
Human Resources
Inconsistency
Interview (for a job)
Interview panel
Junior partner
Post, job
Progress up the career ladder
Prospective employee
Provide
Qualify
Подавать заявление о приёме
на работу
Бухгалтерский учёт
Посещать
собеседование,
интервью
Быть в состоянии, иметь
возможность ч-л. делать
Быть приглашенным куда-л.
Быть ответственным за ч.-л.
Прежде чем мы приступим к
собеседованию
Претендент, кандидат
Служебная лестница
Резюме
Конкуренция
Развить способности к ч.-л.
Выпускник вуза; окончить
вуз.
Вакансии для практикантов
Влиятельный клиент
Передать слово к.-л.
Отдел кадров
Непоследовательность,
противоречие
Проходить,
проводить
собеседование
Комиссия
Младший партнёр
Должность, пост, работа
Продвигаться по служебной
лестнице
Потенциальный сотрудник
Предоставлять
Получить диплом
Range of experience
Reach a stage
Scheme
Senior partner
Skills and experience
Strike sb. As
Suitable
Taxation
Tough
Track down
Train for a career
Опыт
Дойти до определённого этапа
Программа
Старший партнёр
Навыки и опыт
Производить впечатление
Подходящий
Налогообложение
Жёсткая (о конкуренции)
Обнаруживать,
находить,
выявлять
Обучаться, готовить себя к
карьере.
Ex.8. Give the words in full.
1.
Moira Kelly, a g……..e, is one of the c…….s being interviewed for a
trainee p……..t.
2.
She has p…….d information about herself on her CV.
3.
Moira would like to acquire a wider r…….e of e……e and to
specialize later in the a……a of t……n.
4.
Jim Granville asks her what s……s she has acquired.
5.
Moira is a good listener and she has a f…….r for t……g down i……s.
6.
One of the interviewers tells her that she will hear by Friday w……r
she has been s……l.
7.
I would like to see myself p……..g up the c…….r ladder, perhaps as a
j…..r p…….r.
8.
I like the i….a of working for a smaller p………p.
9.
I know you have some h….-……e clients as Elecom plc and
Stylehouse.
10. Jim is the firm’s s…….r p…….r, Andrea has just qualified and I’m
r……e for Human R……..s.
Ex.9. Organize the interview panel. How many people will it consist of?
What people should take part in it and why?








Mr. Roger Carter, Microwave Systems.
Mrs. Petra Cusimano, Finance, Personnel and Administration.
Ms. Sileen Nardo, Teleflex Ltd.
Ms. June Hesketh, Marketing and Sales.
Mr. David Ellingham, Production.
Mrs. Brigitte Svensson, Deputy Managing Director.
Ms. Emma Wood, Cable Systems.
Mr. Richard Baldwin, President and Chief Executive Officer.


Dr. Kevin Higgins, Research and Development.
Mr. Dale Crosby, Vice President.
Ex.10. Imagine you are a university graduate, answer the questions of the
interview panel instead of Moira.
Ex.11. Fill in the application form.
Application for a graduate trainee
scheme
The information you provide here will help us select candidates for the
interview stage. We are looking for evidence of your experience and ability in
these areas which may have been acquired during your time at school or
university.
Leadership skills (e.g. Have you
…………………………………
ever taken responsibility for organizing ………
an event?)
Ability to think and plan
…………………………………
strategically (e.g. On what basis did ………
you select your course at university?)
Analytical skills (e.g. Tell us
…………………………………
how you approach a problem.)
………
Communication
skills
(e.g.
…………………………………
Dealing with difficult people, resolving ………
disputes.)
Public speaking (e.g. Have you
…………………………………
ever given a presentation to a group of ………
people?)
Ability to work as of team (e.g.
…………………………………
Please tell us about any groups you ………
have belonged to and what role you
played within them.)
Vocabulary
Ability
Acquire
Analytical skills
Approach
Candidate selection
Dispute
Evidence
Leadership skills
Способность, умение
Приобретать
Аналитические навыки
Подходить
Отбор кандидатов
Спор
Доказательство
Навыки руководителя
Презентация
Разрешить спор
Стратегическое мышление
Брать на себя ответственность
Presentation
Resolve a dispute
Strategic thinking
Take responsibility for sth.
за ч-л
Находить
общий
язык,
приспосабливаться, подходить
Fit in
Ex.12.Number the following competencies in order of importance for
business communication.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Analytical skills
Being adaptable
Being well-organized
Decision-making
Fitting in
Interpersonal skills
Leadership skills
Strategic thinking
Taking responsibility for sth.
Taking the initiative
Working as part of team
Working independently
Unit II
Decision-making.
Ex.1. Read the text.
In carrying out management functions, such as planning, organising,
motivating and controlling, a manager will be continually making decisions.
Decision-making is a key management responsibility.
Some decisions are of routine kind. They are decisions which are made
fairly quickly, and are based on judgment. Because a manager is experienced, he
knows what to do in certain situations. He does not have to think too much before
taking action. For example, a supervisor in a supermarket may decide, on the spot,
to give a refund to a customer who has brought back a product. The manager does
not have to gather a great deal of additional information before making the
decision.
Other decisions are rather intuitive ones. They are not really rational. The
manager may have a hunch or a gut feeling that a certain course of action is the
right one. He will follow that hunch and act accordingly. Thus, when looking for
an agent in an overseas market, a sales manger may have several companies to
choose from. However, he may go for one organization simply because he feels
that it would be the most suitable agent. He may think that the chemistry between
the two firms is right. Such a decision is based on hunch, rather than rational
thought.
Many decisions are more difficult to make since they involve problemsolving. Very often, they are strategic decisions involving major courses of action
which will affect the future direction of the enterprise. To make good decisions, the
manager should be able to select, rationally, a course of action. In practice,
decisions are usually made in circumstances which are not ideal. They must be
made quickly, with insufficient information. It is probably rare that a manager can
make an entirely rational decision.
When a complex problem arises, like where to locate a factory or which new
products to develop, the manager has to collect facts and weigh up courses of
action. He must be systematic in dealing with a problem. A useful approach to this
sort of decision-making is as follows: the process consists of four phases: 1)
defining the problem; 2) analyzing and collecting information; 3) working out
options; 4) deciding on the best solution.
As a first step, the manager must identify and define the problem. And it is
important that he does not mistake the symptoms of a problem for the real problem
he must solve. Consider the case of a department store which finds that profits are
falling and sales decreasing rapidly. The falling profits and sales are symptoms of a
problem. The manager must ask himself what the store’s real problem is. Does the
store have the wrong image? Is it selling the wrong goods? Or the right goods at
the wrong prices? Are its costs higher than they should be?
At this early stage, the manger must also take into account the rules and
principles of the company which may affect the final decision. These factors will
limit the solution of the problem. One company may have a policy of buying goods
only from home suppliers; another firm might be against making special payments
to secure the contract. Rules and polices like these act as constraints, limiting the
action of the decision-taker.
The second step is to analyse the problem and decide what additional
information is necessary before a decision can be taken. Getting the facts is
essential in decision-making. However, the manager will rarely have all the
knowledge he needs. This is one reason why making decisions involves a degree of
risk. It is manager’s job to minimize the risk.
Once the problem has been defined and the facts collected, the manager
should consider the options available for solving it. This is necessary because there
are usually several ways of solving a problem. In the case of a department store,
the management may decide that the store has the wrong image. New products
could be introduced and existing lines dropped; advertising could be stepped up;
the sore might be modernized and refurbished or customer service might be
improved.
It is worth noting that, in some situations, one of the options may be to take
no actions at all.
Before making a decision, the manager will carefully assess the potions,
considering the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Having done this, he
will have to take a decision. Perhaps, he will compromise, using more than one
option. Thus, the manager of the department store may solve his problem by
making changes in the product range, increasing advertising, and improving the
interior of the store.
Vocabulary
Carry out
Decision-making
Experience
Supervisor
Customer
Product
Sales manager
Involve
Affect
Enterprise
Circumstance
Arise
Weigh up
Define
Work out
Take into account
Supplier
Hire
Personnel
Degree of risk
Выполнять
Принятие решений
Опыт
Контролёр
Покупатель, потребитель
Продукт, изделие, продукция,
результат, плоды
Менеджер по продажам
Включать в себя
Действовать, влиять
Предприятие
Обстоятельство
Возникать, появляться
Взвешивать, отвешивать
Определить
Вырабатывать
Принимать
во
внимание
(расчёт)
Поставщик
Нанимать, принимать на работу
Персонал,
личный
состав,
кадры
Степень риска
Advantages and disadvantages
Problem-solving
Rational decision
Overseas market
Преимущества и недостатки
Решение проблем
Рациональное
(оптимальное)
решение
Зарубежные рынки
Ex.2. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Put “+” or “
–“ in a box.
1.
Before taking a routine decision managers must collect a great deal of
information.
2.
When choosing an overseas agent most managers rely on their
intuition.
3.
When a firm dismisses one of its junior managers it is making a
strategic decision.
4.
Managers cannot always wait until they have all the necessary
information before taking important decisions.
5.
The first thing managers must do when solving a problem is to collect
all the facts.
6.
Because of their company’s rules and policies managers may not be
able to take certain actions in order to solve a problem.
7.
After collecting all of the necessary information managers have to
identify the various actions they could take to solve a problem.
8.
When important decisions have to be made managers need to use a
systematic process of decision-making.
Ex.3. Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
very important (paragraph 1)
immediately, without hesitation (2)
occurs, appears (5)
put, build, establish (5)
consider carefully, assess (5)
bear in mind, consider, remember (7)
choices, possible courses of action (9)
increased (9)
take a middle course of action (11)
Ex.4. Find in the text and translate the collocations and complete the
following sentences with appropriate verbs.
Make a decision
Take a decision
Take into account
Solve a problem
1.
Although our company wants to expand rapidly, we must __________
in mind that we have limited cash to do so.
2.
It is important to _________ into account al options before ________
a decision.
3.
The Financial Director has _________ the conclusion that we must
reduce costs by 10%.
4.
Finally, the Chairman ________ his opinion about the matter. After
we had listened to him, we were able to ________ to an agreement.
5.
Patricia _______ an interesting suggestion at the meeting.
6.
If we don’t come up with new products, we _______ the risk of falling
behind our competitors.
7.
Our chairman is too old for the job. Some of the directors have
________ pressure on him to resign.
8.
The writer has _________ some recommendations in his report.
9.
What conclusion have you _________ from the facts given in his
letter?
10. I have ________ a great deal of thought to our financial problems.
11. I don’t want to ________ action until I’ve heard everyone’s opinion.
12. After five hours’ negotiation, we finally _________ agreement.
Ex.5. Complete the following passage with the correct forms of the words
below.
arise (v.)
rise (n.)
rise (v.)
raise (v.)
A serious problem has _______ (1) in my company. Because the cost of
living ______ (2) by 6% last year, management decided to ______ (3) the salaries
of all the staff. For this reason, they gave everyone a ______ (4) of £10 a week.
However, later on, they had to pay for this by ______ (5) the prices of all our
products by 10%. Such a large ______ (6) in prices made our products
uncompetitive. So now, management is talking of lowering our salaries again!
Ex.6. Making a presentation.
David Sibley is the new Executive Director of the Yorkshire and
Humberside Development Association in the north of England. The work of the
Association is to encourage British and overseas companies to set up factories in
the area. This region of England needs more business and industry so that more
employment opportunities will be provided for young people living in the area.
In David Sibley’s office at the moment are the Managing Director and
Production Manager of a company. They are about to tell Sibley about their
company’s activities.
Choose the parts and roleplay the situation.
Ex.7. Read the dialogue.
Managing the crisis.
The board of Elecom plc has been having a rough time lately. The share
price has plummeted, the financial director has been suspended and a former
employee is taking the company to an employment tribunal. On top of this, there is
the threat of industrial action. Help may be at hand in the guise of public relations
specialist, Colin Payne.
Ray: So you see, Colin, we have a bit of an image problem at the moment!
Colin: Yes, I’ve been following your share price this week. The City
certainly
appears to have got the jitters.
Ray: That’s always the first place it shows. We need to bring the value back
up to
last year’s level before it goes into a downward spiral. Last night’s
AGM
was a public relations disaster. It was a mistake not to call you in
beforehand. Now it’s a case of urgent damage limitation!
Colin: We need to divert attention long enough to give you time to sort
things out.
Remember, the public has a short memory. We need to highlight
something
positive about Elecom that will enhance your reputation.
Ray: There are two thing we could use. The first is the opening of our new
call
centre on Tyneside. The second is the launch of our free Internet
service.
Colin: So you have job creation and public service in one hit. How much is
known
about these plans?
Ray: Very little. The location for the call centre was only approved this
morning.
Obviously there’s been speculation while we’ve been researching
locations.
Colin: How many jobs will it create?
Ray: We plan to start with 200 and expand it to 1 000 within three years.
Colin: Will it mean job losses anywhere else?
Ray: None whatsoever.
Colin: And what about the Internet service?
Ray: It’s a combined offer to customers: free Internet access and reduced
price
local calls.
Colin: I think we should promote both those items to maximum effect. I’ll
draft a
press release and we can discuss timing. Are you free at twelve?
Crisis management is one aspect of public relations that has a high
profile in many leading organizations. Deciding on a comprehensive strategy
that can be applied in the event of a crisis, will allow senior management to
concentrate on tackling the problem rather than simply fire-fighting. A
carefully planned and properly executed crisis management plan may make all
the difference!
Vocabulary.
Take industrial action
Beforehand
Board
Damage limitation
Disaster
Divert attention
Downward
Enhance one’s reputation
Former employee
In the guise of
Job creation
Limitation
Plummet
Public service
Press release
Have a rough time
Get the jitters
Share price
Be suspended
Threat(of)
Timing
Employment tribunal
None whatsoever
Crisis management
Предпринимать
действия
против администрации
Заранее
Правление, совет директоров
Ограничение ущерба
Бедствие, катастрофа
Отвлекать внимание
Начинать снижаться
Способствовать
созданию
благоприятного имиджа компании
Бывший сотрудник
В лице
Создание рабочих мест
Ограничение
Резко падать
Обслуживание населения
Пресс-релиз (сообщение для
прессы)
Переживать сложный период
Нервничать,
трястись
от
страха
Цена акции
Отстранить кого-л от работы
Угроза (чего-либо)
Выбор времени
Суд
(для
разрешения
конфликтов с работодателем)
Нисколько, никакой
Управление кризисом
Properly executed
Have a high profile
Tackle
Выполненный
надлежащим
образом
Быть на виду; привлекать
серьёзное внимание
Решать; заниматься
Ex.8. Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
Elecom’s share price has ………..recently.
a) plummeted
b) pretended
2) It’s now a case of urgent damage …………..!
a) sophistication
b) limitation
3) A public relations specialist is going to help Elecom avoid further ………
2)
.
a) disaster
b) dependence
4) He suggests highlighting something positive about the company
to………its
reputation.
a) alarm
b) enhance
5) Elecom’s new call centre and free internet service represent job creation
and
public service in one ………. .
a) hit
b) battle
6) The public relation expert is going to promote both items, starting with a
……. .
a) press release
b) price tag
Ex.9. Discussing points.

What is Colin Payne?

What do PR specialists do?

What ways of managing the crisis can you offer?

Should every organization or company have PR specialist? Why?
Explain your opinion.
Ex.10. Make an announcement of a new Elecom call centre.
Unit III
Top management – planning and strategy.
Ex.1. Read the text
The top management of a company has certain unique responsibilities. One
of their key tasks is to make major decisions affecting the future of the
organisation. These strategic decisions determine where the company is going and
how it will get there. For example, top managers must decide which markets to
enter and which to pull out of; how expansion is to be financed; whether new
products will be developed within the organisation or aquired by buying other
companies. These and other such decisions shape a company’s future.
Before doing any kind of strategic planning, the management must be sure
of one thing. They must decide what is the mission and purpose of their business.
They also need to decide what it should be in the future. In other words, they must
know why the business exists and what its main purpose is. Deciding the mission
and purpose is the foundation of any planning exercise.
Two examples will make this point clear – one British, the other American.
Most people have heard of Marks and Spencer, one of the biggest and most
successful retailers in the world. Michael Marks opened his first penny bazaar in
1884, in Leeds, England. Ten years later there were nine market stores, and Marks
had taken into partnership Tom Spencer, the cashier of one of his suppliers. In
1926 Marks and Tom Spencer became a public company. At that point, they could
have rested on their laurels! However, around that time, they developed a clear
idea of Marks and Spencer’s mission and purpose. Their later success was founded
on this idea. They decided that the company was in business to provide goods of
excellent quality, at reasonable prices, to customers from the working and middle
classes. Providing value for money was their mission and purpose. One of the
strategies they used was to concentrate on selling clothing and textiles. Later on,
food products were added as a major line of business.
Having decided on its mission and purpose, an organisation will have
worked out certain more specific objectives. For example, a car firm may have the
objective of producing and marketing new models of cars in the medium –price
range. Another objective may be to increase its market share by 10% in the next
five years. As soon as it has established its more specific , medium-term
objectives, the company can draw up a corporate plan. Its purpose is to indicate the
strategies the management will use to achieve its objectives.
However, before deciding strategies, the planners have to look at the
company’s present performance, and at any external factors which might affect its
future. To do this, it carries out an analysis, sometimes called a SWOT analysis
(strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats). First, the organisation examines
the current performance, assessing its strengths and weaknesses. It looks at
performance indicators like market share, sales revenue, output and productivity. It
also examines its resources – financial, human, products and facilities. Next, the
company looks at external factors, from the point of view of opportunities and
threats. It is trying to assess technological, social, economic, political trends in the
markets where it is competing. It also examines the activities of competitors.
Having completed the SWOT analysis, the company can now evaluate its
objectives and perhaps work out new ones. They will ask themselves questions
such as: Are we producing the right products? What growth rate should we aim at
in the next five years? Which new markets should we break into?
The remaining task is to develop appropriate strategies to achieve the
objectives. The organisation decides what actions it will take and how it will
provide the resources to support those actions. One strategy may be to build a new
factory to increase production capacity. To finance this, the company may develop
another strategy, the issuing of new shares to the public.
Company planning and strategic decision-making are key activities of top
management. Once they have been carried out, objectives and targets can be set at
a lower levels in the organisation.
Vocabulary
Top management
Responsibility
To make decisions
To determine
To pull out of
Expansion
Purpose
Retailer
Cashier
Goods
Work out
To increase
To indicate
To achieve
To examine
Current performance
Market share
Sales revenue
To compete
Competitor
To evaluate
Руководитель высшего звена
Ответственность, обязанность
Принимать решения
Определять
Вытащить, выйти
Расширение
Цель, задача
Розничный торговец
Кассир
Товары
Вырабатывать
Увеличить
Показать, отобразить
Достигать
Исследовать, проверять
Текущая деятельность, выполнение
Доля рынка, акция
Годовой доход от продаж
Конкурировать, соревноваться
Конкурент
Оценивать
To remain
To develop
Appropriate
To provide
Production capacity
To issue shares
To carry out
To set targets
Оставаться, оставлять
Развивать(ся)
Подходящий, соответствующий
Обеспечивать, снабжать
Объём производства
Выпускать акции
Выполнять
Ставить цели
Ex.2. What, in your opinion, is the mission and purpose of the following
organisation?








Coca Cola
International Business Machines
Sony
American Express
Rolls Royce
McDonald’s
Yves St Laurent
Walt Disney Productions
Ex.3. Explain the difference between a strategy and an objective.
Ex.4. Complete the following sentences using suitable items from the box
below.
product-line
sales revenue
product range
market share
growth-rate
production capacity
resources productivity
???
1.
A well-known advertising agency aims to achieve a ………… of
20%
a year.
2.
This ……… is unprofitable. We’ll have to discontinue it.
3.
Companies like Unilever and IBM have huge financial ……….. .
4.
By re-organising the work of office staff, you can often increase their
……… .
5.
We’re a small firm, so we aren’t able to offer a wide ………… .
6.
Most of Shell Oil’s ………. comes from overseas subsidiaries.
7.
By extending our factory, we have been able to expand our ………… .
8.
With the help of their cheap, high-quality word-processor, the Amstrad
company were able to greatly increase their ………… in the UK.
Ex.5. Answer the following questions in any way you wish using the
phrasal verbs in brackets.
1.
What does a firm often have to do if it is not successful in a market? (pull
out)
2.
What do you do if your main competitor is doing better than you in the
market? (work out)
3.
After you have made a deal with an overseas agent, what do you usually do?
(draw up)
4.
How can you find out if there will be a demand for a product you wish to
develop? (carry out)
5.
What can you do if the demand for your products in your home market is
saturated? (break into)
Ex.6. Use the following job titles to complete the chart: Trainee
Programmer, Director of Operations (board member), Junior Accountant, Sales,
Sales Manager.
Chairman
Chief
Operating
Officer (board
member)
Personal
er)
Assistant
Business
Development
Director (board
member)
Head of
sales
2
Business
Development
Executive
Admin
Assistant
Admin
Assistant
Human
Resources
Director (board
member)
Head of
Marketing
Head of
HR
Marketing
Manager
HR
Manager
London
Marketing
Executive
HR
officer
Business
Developme
nt
Executive
Marketing
Executive
Admin
Assistant
HR
Assistant
Finance
Director
(board member)
HR
officer
1
Head of
Finance
HR
Manager
Regions
Senior
Account
ant
3
Director of
Information
Services
(board member)
Head of
Operations
Customer
Service
Manager
Customer
Service
Supervisor
Technical
Service
Manager
Technical
Service
Supervisor
Head of
Information
Services
Systems
Engineer
Program
mer
Program
mer
Admin
Assistant
HR
Assistant
Account
ants
Clerk
Customer
Service
Agent
Technical
Service
Agent
4
Systems
Analyst
Trainee
Program
mer
Ex.7. Read the dialogue.
Coopers is in financial trouble.
In six months, Coopers Limited’s overdraft has risen from ₤250,000 to
₤1.5 million. Although the company has plenty of ongoing work and a steady
steam of enquiries, recent bad debts have amounted to more than ₤750,000. High
interest rates are compounding the problem. Eric Wolton is in an urgent meeting
called by the bank manager, Richard Kerr.
Richard: It’s getting too serious, Eric, we can’t continue to support this level
of
overdraft any longer. We’re going to have to take action.
Eric:
What kind of action?
Richard: We’re considering an administration order.
Eric:
What! You’re going to call in the receiver? You can’t pull the plug
on us like that! Look at our order book! Look at the money that is due to us!
We’re tendering for three jobs at the moment with a total value of ₤4 million and
we have a regular contract with Stylehouse who are increasing their retail outlets.
Richard: Look we don’t want to do this either, but you’ve got to look at it
from the bank’s point of view. Your debt is escalating to the point where we no
longer feel that your assets can cover it.
Eric:
Coopers is a solid firm. We employ fifty staff. We’ve been going
since 1894. We have a lot of goodwill and we’re an important part of the
community.
Richard: And you also have a high level of debt. Let’s face it, Eric, those
bad debts haven’t done you any favours and it’s difficult to see how you are going
to recoup the loss.
Eric:
We certainly won’t recoup it if you wind us up! There has to be
another solution. What about increasing my personal guarantee?
Richard: Eric, you’ve already mortgaged your house. You need to think
carefully before offering any additional security.
Eric:
I can’t just let the bank destroy my business. There has to be
another way!
Richard: There might be another alternative. You could call in an insolvency
practitioner and agree a company voluntary arrangement.
Eric:
Which involves what?
Richard: If you can reach agreement with your creditors to accept less than
you owe them, you might have a chance to improve your cash flow while you
collect your own debts.
Eric:
I don’t see that I have much alternative.
Vocabulary.
Administration order
Решение (суда) о назначении
администратора; распоряжение об
администрировании
Amount to
Voluntary arrangement
Compound (a problem)
Creditor
Destroy
Do sb. A favour
Enquiry (inquiry Am)
Escalate (a debt)
Goodwill
Insolvency practitioner
Interest rate
Let’s face it
Mortgage smth.
Overdraft
Point of view
Pull the plug on smth.
To call in the receiver
Recoup
Steady stream
Tender (for a job)
Составлять (сумму)
Добровольное соглашение
Осложнять
Кредитор
Разрушать, уничтожать
Сделать одолжение, оказать
любезность
Запрос, спрос
Расти, увеличиваться
Опыт деловых связей, престиж
и репутация компании
Специалист
по
неплатёжеспособности
Процентная ставка
Признайся…/Согласись…(разг.
)
Закладывать
Овердрафт (нехватка денег на
счёте)
Точка зрения
Положить конец чему-либо
Назначить
исполнителя
процесса банкротства
Возмещать
Непрерывный приток (поток)
Подавать заявку на подряд
Ex.8. Order the statements to reflect the contents of the dialogue.
a.
Eric does not want the bank to destroy his business, however, and he
wonders if there is another way to save it.
b.
Richard finally suggests that an insolvency practitioner is called in and
a company voluntary arrangement agreed.
c.
Although there is a plenty of ongoing work and a steady stream of
enquiries, Coopers is in financial trouble.
d.
Despite this, Richard says that Coopers’ debt is escalating to the point
where it cannot be covered by Coopers’ assets.
e.
It is so serious that the bank manager, Richard Kerr, tells Eric Wolton
that the bank is considering an administration order.
f.
Eric does not agree with the bank calling in the receiver and he points
out that Coopers is for example, tendering for three jobs with a total value of ₤4
million.
1…. 2…. 3…. 4…. 5…. 6…..
Ex. 9. Help Eric Wolton to convince the bank manager not to call in the
receiver. Find arguments.
☻ Adopting the ostrich position!
Some businesses people ignore problems in the hope that they will
simply go away. An administrative receiver who was once called in to a retail
chemist, found half-empty shelves with outdated stock, electricity disconnection
notices and correspondence that had been waiting to be mailed – for the past ten
years!
Chemist – аптекарь
Disconnection notice – уведомление об отключении
Ostrich – страус
Outdated stock – устаревший товар
Unit IV
Arguing the case for the euro.
Ex.1. Read the dialog.
Two work colleagues are having a drink in the pub when one of them
spots a newspaper headline: “Britain to join euro?”
Luke: It would a terrible thing for Britain to join!
Heather: Why do you say that? I think it would bring great benefits. We are
in Europe after all, and it would open up all kinds of business options.
Luke: Name one!
Heather: An enlarged European market would lead to tougher competition.
There would be more transparency in business and reduced costs…
Luke: You cant count the small saving on currency transactions as reduced
costs. Imagine the cost to the country if we had to bail out Germany or Spain!
Heather: I don’t think that’s likely to happen
Luke: Who’s to say? Anyway, we are psychologically closer to the States
and we shouldn’t forget it. Our ties to the dollar have always served us well.
Heather: I think our ties to Europe are much stronger than you imagine and I
don’t just mean geographically.
Luke:
Well, you could say we are tied to Brussels! Every new law that
comes along means more regulation for Britain. Do this, don’t do that. Monetary
union would just compound that.
Heather: Can you not see any of the advantages that have come out of our
links with Europe?
Luke: Not really, no.
Heather: Greater stability, economic growth. We couldn’t have created the
Airbus on our own. We wouldn’t have freedom to move around Europe. If we
hadn’t joined, we would be very isolated by now…
Luke: I bet you’re also in favour of a single European state!
Heather: Actually no, I think it’s important for each member state to retain
its identity.
Luke:
But don’t you see – a single currency means a single state! We
would lose control of our economic sovereignty.
Heather: I think that’s a huge exaggeration.
Luke: If Europe got hold of the pound, what would we have? I’ll tell you
what: higher taxes, more regulations and an interest rate decided in…
Heather: … which of course would be far worse than an interest rate decided
by the Bank of England! I’m going to the bar before they call time. Same again?
Vocabulary
Bail out
Call time
Argue the case for/against smth
Count (smth) as (smth)
Enlarged
Exaggeration
Monetary union
Spot
Tie
Who’s to say?
Вносить залог
Объявлять о прекращении приёма
заказов (перед закрытием)
Приводить доводы в пользу/против
чего-либо
Считать, рассматривать
Увеличенный, расширенный
Преувеличение
Валютный союз
Увидеть
Связь
Кто это может знать?
Ex.2. Suggest the English equivalents of the Russian words in brackets.
1. There has been a lot of arguing the (доводы)………….. both for and
against the euro.
2. Some people believe an (расширенный) ……………… market would
bring great benefits, such as tougher competition.
3. Some also maintain that the (преимущества)……………. That have
come out of Britain’s links with Europe are greater stability and economic growth.
4. Others, however, claim that (валютный союз) …………… may mean
being tied to Brussels and any new rules and regulations.
☻ Pound or euro?
A country currency is an emotional subject! It is now unclear whether the
UK public, left to its own devices, would have had any strong objection to
monetary union. Political parties have used it as a tool in their campaigns and the
press have been zealous in whipping up support for the pound as a symbol of
national identity. Logical arguments for and against are lost in wave of hysteria.
Leave smth to his/her own devices – предоставить кого-л самому себе
Objection – возражение
Wave – волна
Whip up – подстегнуть
Zealous – рьяный, ревностный
Ex.3. Match to form collocations.
1. whip up
a with another company
2. merge
3. strip
4. set up
5. consider
6. grant
7. raise
8. levy
b a proposal
c taxes
d in business
e an invoice
f assets
g support
h a patent
Additional Material.
1. Curriculum vitae (CV).
CV (curriculum vitae) is a document giving details of your qualifications
and the jobs you have had in the past that you send to someone when you are
applying for a job (Am E – resume).
Your CV (Curriculum Vitae)
1. Always type it on unlined white paper, preferably a single sheet.
2. Write your name, address and telephone number.
3. Put your health record, date of birth and marital status.
4. In the next section, note down your education. Put any qualifications on
the next line.
5. Next, detail your work history, starting with your most recent job. Give
dates and describe your duties.
6. List hobbies and interests and put extra information in a separate section.
7. End by saying that two referees are available on request – not naming
them leaves you free to choose the best ones for particular jobs. Remember the
longer an application, the less it has of being read.
8. Never send a photo-copied letter – it looks like you don’t care.
9. Always be positive and never apologize for being You.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
NAME
ADDRESS
DATE/PLACE OF BIRTH
NATIONALITY
EDUCATION
LANGUAGES
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
INTERESTS
Bob Edward Bateman
28 Grow Road in West Clapham UK
9TH September 1988, London
British Father British, Mother French
Ripton County School
Grant College of Further Education
University of Everton
English. French
2 years of a translator for publisher of
dictionaries
Reading, traveling, art.
RESUME
1. NAME/SURNAME
Mariana Smirnova
2. AGE
14 October, 1974
3. MARITAL STATUS
Single
4. CONTACT TELEPHONE
412 70 81
5. LANGUAGES
6. EDUCATION
7.
COURSES
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
English – fluent – translating,
interpreting and negotiating skills
German - basic
A four-year student at the evening
department of the institute of Foreign
Relations (MGIMO)
AND
1994 – 1995
Typing and computer courses
1994 – 1995
Interpreting courses
8. WORK EXPERIENCE
9. SALARY HISTORY
10. COMPUTER SKILLS
11. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
1992 – 1995
JSC. Poliphondis Securities
Assistant General Director
1995
MADI
Institute
(Automobile
Institute, Economics Department)
Translator/Interpreter,
Office
Assistant
$700 per month including lunch
Word for Windows, EXCEL,
Norton Commander
1. Oral and written translation
2. Travel arrangement
3. Meeting and negotiation
arrangement
4. Business letters and contracts
making
5. Carrying out administrative
duties about the office
6.
Working
with
clients,
12.
QUALITIES
marketing experience
INTERPERSONAL
Energetic,
well-organized,
flexible, honest, responsible, intelligent
2. Dressing for success – female style
1. Answer the following questions:
a) What are the factors that influence the clothing habits of women?
b) Are dresses or suits more appropriate for businesswomen?
c) What colours should a businesswoman wear?
d) What is the function of the handbag, women’s favourite accessory?
e) What kind of perfume, jewellery, make-up and hairstyle suits a
businesswoman best?
2. Read the text and compare your answers with the information given in the
text:
UNDERLYING SYMBOLISM. Given all the historical, psychological,
cultural, and social factors that impinge on the personal dress habits of women,
there is as yet, no clear-cut solution to the problem ambitious women must face in
investing a suitable costume for their business role. The most important
consideration for women is the underlying symbolism of clothing. In business you
are not dressing to express your personal taste; you are dressing in a costume
which should be designed to have an impact. If your clothes don’t convey the
message that you are competent, able, ambitious, self-confident, reliable, and
authoritative, nothing you say or do will overcome the negative signals emanating
from your apparel.
The
most
important
women………………………………………..…
considerations
for
BE AWARE OF THE UNIFORM CONCEPT. An amazing number of
women dress wholly at variance with the “uniform” of their male associates. Your
first prerequisite is to study the attire of men in your department or company. For
instance, if the important men wear dark, conservative suits with white shirts and
rep ties, you do not ‘fit in’ if you are partial to busy prints, exuberant colours,
extravagant hats, mod fashions, or lacy, frilly blouses. You may be a genius at that
business but probably you will never make it far up that hierarchical ladder. On the
other hand, if you work for a go-go company where hard-driving male executives
have adopted high-style Italian jeans, expensive leather boots and suede jackets as
a trend-setting uniform, you are an eyesore if you appear in inconspicuous navy
knits with sedate pumps and a string of pearls.
The
first
prerequisite
is…………………………………………...
for
a
business
woman
DRESSES VERSUS SUITS. There is a feeling of defencelessness or
nakedness about dresses when all the men in the room wear jackets. When you
think in terms of symbolism, it seems quite obvious that a man’s jacket is his
‘mantle of authority’. The first thing a man does when preparing for a business
meeting or visiting his boss is to don his suit jacket. Many women executives
unconsciously adopt this idea. Some wear dress costumes with a matching or
contrasting jacket; others wear sleeveless tunics which seem to serve the same
purpose. At any rate, a separate jacket or shoulder mantle of some nature (like a
shirt over a T-shirt or turtleneck sweater) gives a feeling of strength and control to
women’s appearance.
A woman who hopes to manage affairs and exert authority must avoid any
kind of dresses which portray her as weak or indecisive. The ‘little girl’ look is
anathema – pinafores, ruffles, cute prints, clinging fabric and feminine frills will
contradict any effort to be viewed as forceful.
A shoulder mantle
of……………………………….
of
some
The
type
of
clothing
wear…………………………………..
nature
serves
businesswomen
the
should
purpose
not
SKIRT SUITS VERSUS PANTS SUITS. There doesn’t seem to be any
difference whether a woman chooses skirts or pants to go with her jacketed
costume as long as the skirt is appropriate for her daily activities. Before buying
your skirt, walk around in it to make sure you can get into a car, mount the bus
steps, climb stairs, or get on the commuter train without looking awkward,
ungainly, or inept. A clumsy or mincing gait suggests that such a person may be
clumsy or inept in other ways. Test it in a mirror and see if it rides up above your
knees when you sit down. If your skirt distracts your own attention and observers’
attention from the business matter under discussion, it is not acceptable as a work
uniform.
Once a woman starts wearing pants suits she finds it very difficult to go
back to skirts and dresses. They give absolute freedom of motion, allow you to run
or bend over without adopting all the female contortions that impede physical
movement. But they must fit perfectly; you should feel as comfortable in them as
in a second skin.
A
skirt
is
acceptable
if…………………………………………..
as
a
work
uniform
only
COLOURS ARE AMBIVALENT. M ost businessmen find that dark blues,
greys, pinstripes, and subtle plaids convey the symbol of authority most
effectively. However, women executives can probably exert a stronger impression
with their distinctive colours or patterns that men cannot get away with. No man
could wear a red suit, for instance, but a woman dressed in the red colour spectrum
has a definite air of confidence and assurance. Any such powerful colours must be
counteracted with blending and softening and scarves.
Powerful
colours……………………………………………………………………………
WEAR SHOES YOU CAN WALK IN. Foot-crippling shoes have long
contributed to keeping women in their place. A serious business cannot be delayed
just because and executive’s feel hurt. Urban businessmen do a lot of walking
around, and women executives must be ready to join them and keep up with them.
BUY CLOTHES WITH POCKETS AND DUMP YOUR BURDENSOME
HANDBAG. There’s no denying that women need handbags to transport keys,
money, cheque books, glasses, make-up, cigarettes, credit cards, note-books, and
assorted sundries between home and office. Nevertheless, there are powerful
reasons not to drag encumbrance all over a business office, especially to meetings.
The typical male outfit contains an average of nine pockets, while women’s
clothes usually have none or no adequate ones, thereby forcing women to carry a
hampering weight in the form of exterior hand baggage.
So get rid of the physical and psychological handicap of a handbag; slip your
money, papers, comb and lipstick in your pockets. To be able to do this, insist that
all your clothes have functional pockets and not cheap imitation flaps. No- pockets
is an inferiority symbol.
Do you think a handbag is functional or burdensome? Give
reasons………………………………………………………………………………………..
BE CAREFUL ABOUT UNIQUELY FEMALE ACCESSRIES. There’s
one cardinal rule: don’t wear anything that jingles, wiggles, clanks or glitters.
Executive insignia are silent, understated and unobtrusive-never sexy.
JEWELLERY. Dangling earrings, charm bracelets, chain collections or
garish, attention-getting items that distract listeners from what you are saying or
ordering will dilute any woman’s authority image. Men seldom have a wardrobe
of decorations; they stick to one or two favourites that look (and are) expensive,
and wear them repeatedly. So women should avoid wearing junk and select with
care whatever they put on.
PERFUME. Save if for after-work hours when in can perform its function
of making you a desirable sex object. Whether cheap or expensive, perfume is
overpowering and headachy in a small office or a closed conference room.
MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLES. Remember that your make-up and hairdo
must hold up under all the exigencies of a business day without excessive
attention. It goes without saying that all touch-ups, including lipstick, must be done
in private. Naturalness, as opposed to painted artificiality, is the aim.
3. Decide which of the following statements are true or false:
TRUE
FALSE
1) You should be aware of the underlying symbolism
of your clothing.
O
O
2) In business you dress to express personal taste.
O
O
3) It is provocative for female staff to wear trousers at
work.
O
O
4) Women should always wear feminine attire.
O
O
5) Women should avoid garish colours like red.
O
O
6) Always choose high heels to set off shape of your legs. O
O
7) The bigger your handbag the better.
O
O
8) Have a great variety of jewellery to call attention
to yourself.
O
O
9) Always wear your boss’ favourite perfume.
O
O
10) Your make-up should not show.
O
O
4. Whether you agree with the author or not, compare your wardrobe and
clothing
habits with the one advised by the author as successful for
businesswomen.
3. Planning strategies.
1. Guess how the others in the group manage their time; who plans in terms
of hours, days, weeks, months, years or even a life-time? Put the names of your
classmates, your teacher and yourself where you think appropriate.
HOURS
……
……….
……
……….
……
……….
……
……….
DAYS
……
………
……
………
……
………
……
………
WEEKS
……
……..
……
……..
……
……..
……
………
MONTHS
……
…….
……
…….
……
……..
……
……..
YEARS
……
…….
……
…….
……
…….
……
……..
LIFETIME
……
…….
……
…….
……
…….
2. Compare your table with your partner.
3. Ask other students in the group and do the survey:
1) The planning strategy of the majority of the group is
a) short-term
b) long-term
2) The number of people who plan in terms of hours:
days:
weeks:
months:
a life-time:
3) I usually manage my time……………………………………. ahead.
4) I do so
a) on purpose
b) because I just cannot help it
c) …………………………….
4. Fill in the chart.
PLANNING
STRATEGY
Short-term
planning
Long-term
planning
ADVANTAGES
Flexible
…………………………….
…………………………….
…………………………….
DISADVANTAGES
Lack of perspective
…………………………….
…………………………….
…………………………….
Higher success rate
Lose sight of both the
……………………………. forest and the trees
…………………………….
……………………………..
…………………………….
……………………………..
……………………………..
5. Compare your ideas first with your partner, then with the group. Compare
the statistics you have done on the time management practice of the group with the
theory conclusions you have just come to.
GETTING THINGS DONE
6. Tick the answer you think is correct. Discuss your answer after reading
the text.
1) The skills required to be an effective manager and an effective managee
are
the same.
2) Managers are usually effective as managees.
3) To succeed in management as a career, it is not sufficient to excel as a
manager.
7. The paragraphs of the text are mixed up. Read the text and put the
paragraphs in
the correct order.
A.
And yet upon the answer – and upon the remedy – may hinge the
differences between career success and failure for these same managers.
B. Of all the objective sources of your time management problems –
namely, your boss, your peers, your subordinates – your boss is the principal one.
C. Although the term management has many valid definitions, this one is
widely used: management is getting things done through others. In this definition
“others” obviously refers to the manager’s immediate subordinates. If your boss
happens to come to his/her mind when his/her eyes light upon that word “others”.
D. “Where is my time going today?”
Tens of thousands of managers are asking this of their secretaries
around quitting time every day. Because these dedicated and perceptive assistants
typically want to hold their jobs, they won’t risk an honest reply.
The
order
of
the
1…………………………………………………...
paragraphs
is:
2…………………………………………………...
3…………………………………………………...
4…………………………………………………...
8. Read the text and put the paragraphs in the correct order.
WORKING AT HOME
A. Driving to work on Monday morning, you quickly reviewed once again
your day’s schedule, your week’s tactical outline and the month’s scenario. You
entered your office at 8:30 a.m., sat down behind your desk for last-minute
inspiration. Before you got down to work you took in the aphorism on the opposite
wall: “PLAN YOUR WORK, THEN WORK YOUR PLAN.” You had already
done the first part: you were ready now to drive into the last part.
B. To illustrate this, let us imagine that you are a manager with a few years’
experience. You know that the management process consists of planning,
organizing, reading, coordinating and controlling.
C. First your mind went quickly through tomorrow’s (Monday’s) scenario.
This was easy, because you had spent the last hour before quitting time on Friday
getting organized for Monday. What you ended up with was not a plan for Monday
but a very tight schedule.
D. One Sunday afternoon you were doing the planning part of the process
in your living room with the TV set tuned to a programme you were ignoring.
Your spouse was down the street gossiping with the neighbours, your youngsters
were up the street ‘doing their thing’, and you were making the most of your
solitude to do some planning.
E. Next your mind scanned the entire week. You knew better than to
schedule that far ahead, for Murphy’s three famous laws would have made a
shambles of it. But you did have a tactical plan for getting a number of issues
squared away that had been hanging fire for too long. Finally, your mind, like a
radar beam, scanned the entire upcoming month. This, you recognize, is long-range
planning, in which one can easily lose sight of both the forest and the trees.
The
order
of
the
paragraphs
is:
1…………………………………………………...
2…………………………………………………...
3…………………………………………………...
4…………………………………………………...
5…………………………………………………...
4. Making the right decision.
PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Agree or disagree with the following:
One of Shakespeare’s characters says: “I have but a woman’s reason. I
think him so because I think him so.”
Would you agree that women’s reason is intuitive whereas men are said to
be more logical of the two sexes?
Yes,
because……………………………………………………………………………………
No,
since………………………………………………………………………………………..
Well,
it
depends………………………………………………………………………..
all
2. Work with your partner and try to agree on three arguments for and
against the
Shakespearean heroine’s statement.
PROS
1…………………………………
………
2…………………………………
………
3…………………………………
………
CONS
1…………………………………
……..
2…………………………………
……..
3…………………………………
……..
3. Choose an answer or supply one to your liking.
1) Imagine you are suffering from emotional stress; should you
a) think logically
b) trust your intuition
c)
…………………………………………………………………………………
2) You have had a nasty dream that your plane will crash; should you
a) transfer to another flight
b) ignore your dream
c)…………………………………………………………………………………
3) As a business person, should you be
a) intuitive
b) rational
c)…………………………………………………………………………………
4) Instinct, flair, and intuition are
a) much the same
b) very different
c)…………………………………………………………………………………
4. Read the text and compare your answers with the information given in the
text.
Decades of business school education have conditioned managers to reach
for rational, logical and quantifiable decisions in the development of their business.
For all the benefits this scientific foundation has brought to modern organization
theory, some analysts deplore the other side of this trend – the relegation of human
intuition to a distant backseat.
Conventional managers are often deterred from recognizing and using their
own intuitive powers because they feel that intuition is not intellectually
respectable. The cult of the rational manager has an iron grip on such minds.
Intuition is the power or faculty of immediately apprehending that
something is the case.
Apparently it is done without intervention of any reasoning process. There is
no deductive or inductive step-by-step reasoning, no conscious of the situation, no
employment of the imagination – just a quick and ready insight – “I just know”.
Managers
need
to
develop
their
intuition
because………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………
Sherlock Holmes personifies the thinker who relies primarily on looking
carefully at the evidence and drawing correct deductions from the premises –
establishing the truth of the matter, and only then deciding what to do. That is one
strategy.
But the intuitive person does not seem to follow that rule. His mind tells him
instantly what must have happened or who committed the murder.
In practice, it is not a question of either/or. A Sherlock Holmes may work
logically for a time and then suddenly have an intuition, or conversely, an intuitive
person may be equipped with formidable powers of analysis which he habitually
brings to bear upon his intuition.
The
two
phases
in
are……………………………………………………
decision
making
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………..
But
in
practice………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………..
If you are now inclined to be more aware and to give more status to intuition
in thinking, you have already taken the first step towards making better use of it.
The next is to learn to trust your intuitive powers. That does not mean always, nor
does it mean occasionally, because one cannot generalize about how often. But you
should be prepared to give your intuition the benefit of the doubt; you should build
up a warm and friendly relationship to that part of your mind which is prepared to
offer you this unique service.
Far from being a marginal and outdated endowment, as the rational manager
believes, intuition is central to the way successful thinkers work. It is the
apparently unconscious ability to pick out from various possibilities the actual way
in which a process does or could work; or it may be an early recognition from
below the conscious level that one is on the right track; or again it may be the fair
to select problems or lines of enquiry which are both important and soluble.
These results matter equally to the manager in his/her field. Therefore,
encourage intuition in yourself. Become more aware of it. Be more receptive
to its often faint whisper. Always subject its promptings, however, to
evaluation. Granted that safeguard, intuition can save you a great deal of
time.
CONTENTS
UNIT I .......................................................................................................................... 1
THE MANAGER’S ROLE. .......................................................................................... 1
UNIT II ......................................................................................................................... 8
DECISION-MAKING. .................................................................................................. 8
UNIT III ...................................................................................................................... 15
TOP MANAGEMENT – PLANNING AND STRATEGY. ........................................... 16
UNIT IV ..................................................................................................................... 24
ARGUING THE CASE FOR THE EURO. ................................................................. 24
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. ........................................................................................ 27
1. Curriculum vitae (CV). ................................................................................................................................... 27
2. Dressing for success – female style ................................................................................................................. 29
3. Planning strategies........................................................................................................................................... 33
4. Making the right decision. .............................................................................................................................. 36