Деловой иностранный язык

Juniper Ltd

Task 16. Reading 6

Getting started

? Work in groups of three and discuss what managers do, what their responsibilities are.

? Is controlling the only function of a manager? Can you think of other functions?

? Now read the text, check your ideas and title the text.

So you fancy yourself as a manager? You are not alone in having that ambition. What does it mean to be a manager? I suppose the first thought that comes to mind is that a manager gives orders and tells other people what to do. That is partly true. But it is not quite as simple as that. In fact, managers have to take orders as much as anyone else. The term ‘executive’ actually implies executing orders –orders perhaps not under their power to influence.

Every business has to decide where it is going. What it is trying to achieve. Words like objectives and targets are used in management theory. Whether these targets are related to items such as sales or budgets, they are broken down into sub-targets as they go further down the organisational hierarchy. The managers at the various levels in the structure are given these targets or objectives to achieve. Sometimes they are given considerable freedom to achieve the targets in the way they see the best. Sometimes their independence is limited, perhaps very limited.

Subject to these constraints a manager has certain clear-cut functions. First, he has to plan, to look ahead, to anticipate. When you drive a car you look as far ahead as you can to see what hazards lie ahead. If you see some children playing in the road ahead you start to slow down, check your breaks are working and generally watch for trouble. What would you think of a driver who-kept his eyes on the road – six feet in front of his bonnet? A manager who is able to anticipate problems has more chance of coping with them.

Another function of managers is to control. We have already seen that managers are expected to achieve targets of some sort or another. The manager has to keep these targets clearly in mind when he is involved in the decision-making process. Progress towards the targets needs to be monitored and any deviations corrected. It is a bit like the captain of a liner sailing across the Atlantic to New York. Every now and again he will check to see whether or not the ship is on course. If it is beginning to drift to port or starboard he has to bring it back onto course. That is what we mean by control.

Managers are expected to get results of one sort or another, in one way or another, but they get their results through people. The manager of the England football team never kicks a ball in an international football match, but he is expected to get the best out of his team. Everyone in the team is expected to co-operate to get the ball in the back of the opposing team’s net. All have to be persuaded to pull together – in the same direction. In management terminology this called co-ordination.

Task 17. Writing 3

Read the text thoroughly again, extract the main idea and make a summary (100 words). Use the high-lighted words in your summary. List the duties of a manager. Think if it is necessary to include different examples (such as about the English football team) into your summary. Consult Writing References, see Appendix I p. 131.

Task 18. Reading 7

Getting started

? Work in groups of three and discuss what can influence the demand of goods and why companies sometimes have to switch from one aspect of business to another.

? Is it possible to stay competitive for a long time? What measures can be taken in order to satisfy consumers and enjoy the fruits of the business?

? Now skim the text, check your ideas and choose the best title for it, give reasons for your choice.

? Consult Vocabulary p. 141.

A A way to success

B Fast changeable demand

C Technologies vs market stability

In order to be successful a firm has to identify unsatisfied needs within society and then proceed to satisfy them. Some would say businesses create needs by various forms of advertising, in order to satisfy them subsequently. Examples of this are the frivolous demand for chocolate Easter eggs and greetings cards and flowers for Mothers’ Day.

The main difficulty facing businesses, however, is that their markets are constantly changing. Consider the firms which were making gas mantles in the early years of the twentieth century. Their future looked assured. London and all other western cities were lit by gaslight. Then came the switch to electricity and gas mantles had become museum pieces almost overnight. There was a similar situation with the textile called rayon. Up to the middle of the twentieth century it was the fashion for western ladies to wear rayon stockings. Then nylon was developed and the market for rayon stockings completely disappeared. At the present time we are seeing typewriters giving way to electric typewriters – giving way to word processors, and we wonder what the next in line is. Likewise accounting machines gave way to mainframe computers which are now being revolutionised by the microchip. Markets and technologies are forever changing and the successful business is the one which can keep abreast of the changes.

The moral for the modern firm is to be forward looking, anticipating and projecting trends, forestalling problems by foreseeing them. Questions need to be constantly posed. What are we producing now? What should we be producing next? What changes need to be made? What are our competitors up to – at home and overseas? What is happening to the markets for our goods? Should we be diversifying our products? Where do they stand in their life cycles? What resources (including human resources) do we need to carry out our plans and how are we going to obtain these resources? To survive in business we need to be eternally vigilant, flexible, and competitive and keep pace with technologies.

Task 19. Comprehension 1

Read the text again and decide if the statements are true (T), false (F) or doesn’t say (DS) – there is no information in the text.

1. Society demands from companies to satisfy their needs.

2. Constantly changing markets cause problems for the businesses.

3. There are a lot of examples that demonstrate how innovations influence the production of goods.

4. The success of a company depends on careful planning.

5. Companies should rely only on a current situation and produce what they produce without foreseeing future trends.

Task 20. Writing 4

Study the situation in Beauty Unlimited and write a report. Consult Writing References, see Appendix III p. 134.

You are the Personnel Assistant to Sally Forster, Personnel Director at Beauty Unlimited. It has been suggested that the company set up a suggestion scheme whereby employees are encouraged to put forward their ideas for improving any aspect of the work. Mrs Forster has indicated that she would be prepared to ask the directors for a contribution of up to $10,000 in the first twelve months of the scheme and she is now asking you to write a brief but formal report (up to 200 words) indicating the likely value of the scheme to the company. She is envisaging setting up a special committee to vet any proposals put forward but admits she has an open mind on the subject at present. She is hoping you will come through with some ideas.

There are approximately 500 workers employed at the factory. Most of them are women under the age of 30. The company uses mass production techniques to produce a range of beauty aids from hair dyes to cleansing creams.

Task 21. Writing 5

Complete the following sentences using your own words:

? Businesses will flourish …

? An aspiring manager should learn …

? Businesses are often affected by situations …

? By anticipating problems …

? The decision-making process …

? If we can minimise our costs …

? The good manager is one who …

? The most valuable subordinate is the one who …

? When a business is faced with falling sales it can either …

? If only one member of staff can be promoted …

? If a member of staff is consistently late …

Task 22. Vocabulary 5