1 The Business Upper Intermediate 1 Building a career 1.1 About business The education business 2 telemarketing, personal referrals, weekends at Harvard, mail shots, travelling shows 4 a 23,000 applications for the new academic year b 9% of applications were accepted c 80% ultimately decided to attend d 10% of admitted students came from abroad e 35 staff in Fitzsimmons’ team f $43,700 - the annual tab for tuition, room and board g $60,000 - parents who make less aren’t expected to pay h 8000 alumni volunteers 5 1 high school juniors’ names 2 70,000 or so letters 3 140 US cities 4 8,000 alumni volunteers 5 one to six 6 subcommittees 7 Professors, alumni, and students 8 a weekend, in April 6 a speaker 3 b speaker 1 c speaker 4 d speaker 2 1.2 Vocabulary Education and career 2 1 gain 2 acquire 3 improving 4 boosting 5 have 6 going to 7 making 8 receive 9 obtain 10 enhance 4 (Suggested answers) I worked in several departments and gained knowledge about all aspects of the business. I believe this job will allow me to acquire new skills and boost my earnings. My gap year in the States definitely improved my employability, and working for IBM certainly enhanced my CV. On my Business studies course I received tuition from practising managers and obtained experience on work placements. 5 1 finance 2 arrange 3 borrow 4 support 5 obtain 6 win 7 subsidize 7 Student A I wasn’t a very motivated student when I was younger, so I failed my exams in 1999 and had to retake them the following summer. I’d already decided I wanted to take a gap year then go to business school, so this time I completed all the coursework and revised thoroughly; I passed easily. I spent a year abroad as an assistant in a secondary school and then went to business school – I’d already applied and successfully attended an interview before resitting my exams. In my second year as an undergraduate, I spent a semester as an intern at Hewlett Packard, which was very rewarding. In fact, I went straight into a job at HP after I graduated the following June. They encouraged me to do a Master’s degree by correspondence – I just have to finish writing a dissertation. I need a break now, but I may take a sabbatical to study for an MBA in a few years’ time. Student B I wasn’t a very motivated student when I was younger, so I had to retake my exams in 2000 after I failed them the year before. I’d already decided that before going to business school I wanted to take a gap year. I passed easily because this time I completed all the coursework and revised thoroughly. I’d already applied and successfully attended an interview at a business school, so after resitting my exams I spent a year abroad as an assistant in a secondary school. I spent a semester as an intern at Hewlett Packard in my second year as an undergraduate, which was very rewarding. In fact, after I graduated the following June I went straight into a job at HP. I’m now writing a dissertation for a Master’s degree by correspondence which HP encouraged me to do. I may take a sabbatical to study for an MBA in a few years’ time, but I need a break first. 9 1 contacted 2 presented 3 recruited 4 trained 5 met 6 exceeded 7 designed 8 implemented 9 managed / motivated 10 motivated / managed 11 chaired 12 drew up 10 1 to be resting, to take a sabbatical 2 to be laid off, to be made redundant 3 to be promoted, to join a company 4 to quit, to give in your notice 5 to be on assignment, to be transferred 6 to be suspended, to be dismissed 11 1 He’s intending to quit his job because his company keeps giving him assignments in different countries. He needs to give in his notice three months before he can leave. 2 She was laid off when they modernized the company, then made redundant when they couldn’t find any work for her. 3 He’s been suspended for not wearing a safety helmet, but he thinks the company want to dismiss him. 4 He joined the company four years ago and has just been promoted. 5 She’s on secondment in Paris, and she’s being transferred to Vancouver. 6 He’s resting at the moment, and considering taking a sabbatical to write a book. 13 Name: Bob Name: Lucy Name: Mel Problem: Started up successful electronics company. Resigned when he disagreed with his CEO. Sell shares? What next? Problem: previously worked as researcher, teacher, then secretary. Fired for writing stories at work. Do creative writing course, or look for another job? Problem: Designed and sold product to local govt. when in high school. Drop out of prestigious business school to start own business? 1.3 Grammar Tense review 1 When I left school I wasn’t sure what to do next. I had applied for a place at university, but while I was revising for my exams I had already decided that I didn’t feel ready for university. I had read a lot about East Africa, and one day when I was watching a TV documentary about Ethiopia, I suddenly knew that that was where I was going. In fact it was while I was working with an NGO in Ethiopia that I became interested in business. 2 1 have just finished 2 am currently working 3 consider 4 has left 5 have agreed 6 have been designing 7 have been looking 8 seems 3 1 If I get the job, I will try to make myself available as soon as possible, but I wouldn’t be able to start immediately unless JPC agreed to let me go. 2 You see, if I make a commitment, I do my best to respect it. 3 If by any chance the job were based in Kenya, I would take it anyway, even though I’d prefer to use my Amharic. 4 In the short term, I hope (1) I’ll become a department manager quite quickly. I’ve learnt a lot about management on the MBA, and (2) I’m going to put the theory into practice as soon as I can. On the personal front, (3) I’m getting married next June; over the next couple of years my fiancé (4) is going to write TV and movie scripts, so (5) he is going to be totally mobile and happy to move as necessary. 5 usually present simple currently present continuous always present simple at present present continuous at the moment present continuous often present simple 6 ever present perfect in past simple never present perfect ago past simple already present perfect (not) yet present perfect when past simple just present perfect since / for present perfect last past simple Answer key 2 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 8 a He’s not doing very much at the moment; he’s job-hunting. b He worked for ITC for twenty years. c He was made redundant. d He has just got back from Nepal; he has been working on a book. e She worked in several firms, and became a specialist in downsizing. f She’s currently managing a subsidiary up north. g She’s going to move down to London soon. h Jess is taking over as group CEO of Morgan-Hoenshell, the company which made Fraser redundant. 1.4 Speaking Giving reasons in interviews 2 1 Ruth 2 Anaïs 3 Anaïs 4 Ruth 5 Ruth 6 Anaïs 7 Ruth 8 Anaïs 3 Introducing a point 1, 4, 7 Seeing both sides 3, 8 Combining reasons 5, 9 Adding ideas 2, 6, 10 4 1 not only but also Besides / In addition / What’s more 2 in addition Besides 3 For one thing for another besides / in addition / what’s more 1 Why did you change your last job? 2 Why did you move to this part of the world? 3 Why do you play badminton? 1.5 Writing Cover letters 1 Do Ask directly for an interview. Follow the AIDA model used in advertising – attention, interest, desire, action. Don’t Start your letter ‘Dear Sir or Madam’. Write a formal introduction in the first paragraph. Write at least 400 words. Use sophisticated language to make a good impression. 2 1 exceeded 2 broken 3 obtained 4 developed 5 trained 6 modernized 7 doubled 8 capture 9 optimize 10 present 3 request action 4 give details of the applicant’s accomplishments 2 get the reader’s attention 1 relate the applicant to the company, showing why the company should hire her 3 4 1 my outgoing personality d a strong candidate. makes me 2 I recently graduated h from the University of Oregon. 3 I served as j president of the debating society. 4 I attended school i in Michigan, Arizona and Oregon. 5 I supported myself g by working in radio advertising sales. 6 Jobs such as bartending a my formal education. enhanced 7 I have the skills to embark on e a career in insurance brokering. 8 I would like very much to f talk with you. 9 I will follow up this letter with c a phone call. 10 I can arrange a time b to meet with you. 1.6 Case study Mangalia Business School 2 Strengths: new school private school excellent reputation for quality on the Black Sea coast – pleasant environment close to the Romanian Business Centre climate and cultural heritage well-equipped campus comfortable accommodation internationally recognized undergraduate and Master’s degrees executive education faculty recruited from successful companies international placements Weaknesses: new school private school in southeast Romania reputation for quality only in Central and Eastern Europe, not worldwide accommodation for 300 students – small faculty recruited from Central Europe, not worldwide placements in Central Europe only low proportion of MBA students only 5% executive education – probably the most profitable sector low international student intake 3 1 The alternatives MBS is facing are either to lose students or to take risks and invest. 2 Radu Ionescu expects help in making a plan. 3 Ion Bumbescu has offered sponsorship on condition that the name changes. 2 Information 2.1 About business IT solutions 2 b 3 1 d 2 a 3 c 4 b 4 5 New technology allows anyone to produce professional results. 6 Because expectations increase, workload expands. 7 Changing jobs won’t help because the problem is the same everywhere. 6 Speaker 1 against Speaker 2 for Speaker 3 against Speaker 4 against 7 Speaker 1 d Speaker 2 b Speaker 3 a Speaker 4 c 2.2 Vocabulary Information systems and communication 2 a bit more expensive S a whole lot more expensive L considerably more expensive L far more expensive L marginally more expensive S infinitely more expensive L slightly more expensive S somewhat more expensive S 4 1 A server is considerably more reliable, far quieter, and a whole lot more powerful than a PC. 2 A laptop is a whole lot bigger, considerably more powerful, and somewhat more expensive than a palmtop. 3 A suite is far more useful than a single application because it comprises several applications. 4 A patch is far less common than a plug-in because it’s used to correct a software problem. A plug-in is used to provide additional features for an application, so it’s a lot more frequently used. 5 A bug is just a software error, whereas a virus deliberately damages or hijacks software. So a virus is infinitely more dangerous. 6 A crash is considerably less serious than a hard disk failure. A crash is a software failure, so you only lose any information you haven’t saved. A hard disk failure is a hardware failure, so you may lose all the information you have saved. Make regular backups to external media, it’s a whole lot safer! 3 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 7 An intranet is one organization’s network: the Internet is the world-wide network shared by billions of users, so it’s infinitely bigger. 8 A workgroup is a collection of workstations that are linked together, so it’s far bigger than a single workstation. 5 1 upgrade 2 crashing 3 went down 4 deleted 5 installed 6 downloaded 7 setting up 8 enter 6 1 install 2 goes down 3 enter 4 delete 5 crash 6 set up 7 upgrade 8 download 7 Speaker 1 d Speaker 2 f Speaker 3 b Speaker 4 h Speaker 5 a Speaker 6 g Speaker 7 c Speaker 8 e 8 1 ring 2 an update 3 touch 4 back 5 loop 6 know 7 posted 8 in 9 1 get back to you 2 keep me in the loop 3 let you know 4 keep me posted 5 fill me in 6 get in touch with 7 give you an update 8 give me a ring 10 asap CEO needs Web meeting available in all departments asap urgent fifteen new laptops needed - HP’s special offer ends tomorrow abstract of presentation for New York conference Marketing’s Internet connection is down again medium priority Cara re voice recognition CEO’s assistant wants WiFi low priority sound card drivers for Marvin (President’s nephew!) Ebony Brooks re backup software appointments application information from database vendors 2.3 Grammar Comparing solutions and getting help 1 A Cruxoe’s software is really pricey; it’s far more expensive than Frydae’s! B Yes, but Frydae’s applications don’t have nearly as many features. C My Internet connection is 16 Mega – it’s a lot faster than yours. D Yes, mine is only 8 Mega; it’s only half as fast as yours. E Why don’t you get a budget desktop? Just as fast, and only half the price. F Yes, it’s true the big brands can be twice as expensive. G Why pay several times as much for a laser printer when an inkjet will do the job? H Well, maybe inkjets only cost a fraction of the price, but it’s the cartridges that really add up. I Why do you insist on buying PCs? They’re a lot less reliable than Macs. J Basically because there’s infinitely more software available. 2 1 worse 2 better 3 farthest / furthest 4 worst 5 most imaginative 6 farther / further 7 more honourable … more useful 8 less unlikely 9 best 3 1 How do I switch this computer on? / How do I switch on this computer? 2 Will you please turn that printer off? / Will you turn off that printer, please? 3 Can you tell me where the on / off switch is? 4 Do you know which room the meeting will be in? 5 Could you tell me what I should open this attachment with? 6 Would you mind sending me an email just to test my new address? 7 I wonder if you’d mind my asking you a small favour? 8 Do you think you could let me know whether he will be attending or not? / whether or not he will be attending? 4 1 more beautiful than 2 better and better 3 as positive as 4 more rapidly than 5 more and more quickly 6 slower 7 bulkier 8 less generous 9 higher than 10 less expensive than 5 1 c 2 d 3 b 4 a 6 The older I get, the more generous I become. The more money you earn, the more tax you pay. The harder you work, the more you enjoy your holidays. The more I look at you, the more beautiful you seem. The longer the wait, the more you’ll enjoy the food when it comes. 7 1 a 2 a 3 c 4 a 5 b 2.4 Speaking Telephoning 3 1 impolite: colleagues from different departments 2 polite: managers in a large company 3 too polite: acquaintances 4 informal: friends 4 1 Kelly wants last year’s billing figures for her customer. Tabetha wants to know how to set up a WiFi connection on a laptop. Erich wants a copy of the slides Lauren showed at the conference. Mike wants to borrow Russell’s laptop for the weekend. 2 Lorenzo can’t help because he’s too busy. Cory can’t help because she doesn’t know much about it. Lauren can’t help because her hard disk crashed last week and she lost everything. Russell can’t help because he’s got some really important data on his laptop, and the anti-virus isn’t up to date (and perhaps he doesn’t trust Mike). 3 Cory and Tabetha talk about the weather and playing tennis (conversation 2). Russell and Mike talk about the weekend and the match on Saturday (conversation 4). 5 1 I need you to give me… 2 I’d like to help you, but… 3 Have you got a couple of minutes? 4 Do you happen to know how to…? 5 I wish I could help you, but… 6 Anyway, I won’t keep you any longer, 7 I was wondering if I could ask you a favour? 8 Do you think you could possibly send me…? 9 Normally I’d be glad to help, but… 10 I mustn’t take up any more of your time. 11 Any chance I could...? 12 The thing is... 13 Anyway, I’d better get on. 6 checking the other person can speak now: 3, 7 requesting help: 1, 4, 8, 11 refusing help: 2, 5, 9, 12 ending the call: 6, 10, 13 7 A Hello Blake, Alex here. B Oh, hello Alex. How’s it going? A Fine thanks. I’m not disturbing you, am I? B No problem. I was just going to have a break anyway. A I wanted to ask you a favour. Do you think you could show me how to use the new HR software? B Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t know much about it actually. A Oh I see. Never mind. I’ll ask someone from IT. Thanks anyway. B OK. But just let me know if there’s anything I can do. A Thanks. Anyway, I won’t keep you any longer. Bye for now. B OK, bye. C Hello, it’s Chris here. I’m not disturbing you, am I? D Oh, hi Chris. No, not at all. What can I do for you? C I’m just calling to ask if you’d mind doing me a favour, actually. D Go ahead. C Well, do you think I could possibly borrow your copy of Office 2007? I need to re-install it, and I can’t find mine. 4 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate D Ah, well that’s a bit difficult, I’m afraid. The thing is, we’re not supposed to have more than one copy per licence number. They’re getting very tough on piracy these days. C Oh I see. Well, never mind, I thought I’d ask just in case. Anyway, I won’t keep you from your work. Thanks. D OK Chris. Bye. E Hi. It’s me. Sorry to bother you – you wouldn’t happen to have the new IP address, would you? F Hang on a sec – yeah, here it is. 1.161.19.248. E Brilliant. Thanks a million. F You’re welcome. E OK then, I’ll let you get back to work. Thanks a lot. Bye. 2.5 Writing Memos 1 staff don’t feel concerned by management issues notices don’t catch the reader’s attention documents are not reader-friendly, or even hostile there are too many memos staff feel any change is a concession to management 2 1 a document that you send to people inside the company 2 to get people to do something 3 we often send them by email 4 to plan, organize and edit your ideas carefully 5 tells you clearly what you have to do and when you have to do it 6 to help you write effective memos 3 4, 2, 1, 3 4 1 j 2 i 3 e 4 g 5 c 6 f 7 a 8 d 9 b 10 h 5 We realize that there is currently not enough parking space on the site, and we are making plans to solve the problem. The main difficulty at the moment is the area next to the logistics warehouse. If there was a fire, it would be very difficult for emergency vehicles to reach the fuel tanks behind the building. We must keep access roads to all buildings clear. Please remember that cars should only be parked in the official car parks. As from Monday 14 August we regret that we will have to remove any cars parked on access roads. Thank you for your cooperation. 6 To: All staff From: Chris Webster, Department Manager Date: today’s date Subject: Computer upgrades We are implementing a new system for computer upgrades which will enable everyone in the department to get the equipment they need. As you know, we’ve been seriously over budget in the last two years; consequently some people didn’t get an urgent upgrade, while other people got equipment they didn’t really need. Could you please complete the attached evaluation of your computing needs for the next two years? This will help us to budget for buying new equipment in advance. Please return your evaluation to me by email as soon as possible, not later than the end of September. Thank you for your help. 8 To: Managers From: A N Employee Date: 23/07/07 Subject: Suggestion for IT conference The IT Conference is an important opportunity for the company to keep up to date with developments and plan our IT needs. I suggest that a conference take place 9–10 August in the Roxburgh Hotel, Cheltenham. The two-day conference will follow this rough schedule. Day One Review of the current year Guest speaker 1 Technology fair Day Two Guest speaker 2 Presentations by staff Planning for 2008–2010 I have priced the venue, catering, and speaker fees. This proposal will cost $550 per person – a saving of $150 on last year. If you confirm this budget, I will start organizing this event. 2.6 Case study Meteor Bank 1 more mistakes L younger, more dynamic teams L increased productivity U improved customer service U better promotion prospects L more overtime L higher training costs L higher salary costs U better morale U 2 resistance to change, unhappiness with the new manager / with new methods / new management style / new tasks, being pushed into retirement or resignation 3 1 Joseph Ikpeba wrote to express his concern that the real causes of staff turnover and system downtime were not being understood or dealt with. 2 He wants Astrid Kuhn to speak to the people involved and hold an executive committee meeting to decide how to deal with the problems. 3 Saul Finlay has been appointed as IT Manager, and IT staff, new hires, departures and downtime have increased significantly. 4 Increasing downtime could be due to increased volume, inadequate hardware or software, or increased operator error (too many inexperienced operators). Increasing departures suggest unhappiness with working conditions. 4 Tonye Ameobi HR Manager, Lagos Vincent Bonvalet IT Manager, Meteor Ivory Coast Opinion of Saul Bright, very ambitious Too ambitious, empire building Mistakes He has irritated some of his colleagues Computer system too centralized Successes He has increased transactions by 40% Increased our capacity Solutions recommended Invest in new equipment Decentralize systems Kehinde Ojukwu Senior Systems Administrator, IT department, Lagos Joseph Ikpeba Operations Manager Opinion of Saul A very demanding manager Nice young man Mistakes He has made the job too hard Not understanding the work culture Successes He has raised salaries Getting rid of some of the old staff Solutions recommended Recruit more staff Outsource our IT services 3 Quality 3.1 About business What quality means 3 1 g 2 d 3 a 4 e 5 h 6 f 7 b not needed c 4 1 False. Western companies have closed the gap but are still behind the Japanese in terms of quality. 2 True. 3 False. The ability to produce reliable products was a possible source of long-term competitive advantage. 4 False. All the staff must be involved and senior management must understand quality processes and how they work. 5 False. Quality analysis may help to solve some performance problems but it has not replaced the need for common sense. 6 True. 5 a craze b struggle c take for granted d stuff e traps f fads g sour h marvel 6 He talks about fridges and washing machines. 7 1 a limited time 2 upgrade 3 spare parts and labour time 4 recycle 5 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 3.2 Vocabulary Quality and standards 2 The marketing manager: Quality means meeting the customer’s needs and expectations. The design engineer: Quality is designing and producing reliable products that do what they’re supposed to do. The process engineer: Quality means delivering products or services to customers faster, better and cheaper. Quality auditors: Quality is the correct application of procedures and standards. The end-user: Quality means that goods are not defective or damaged. 3 1 End-user 2 Process engineer 3 Auditor 4 1 auditors 2 specifications 3 tolerances 4 standardized 5 reliable / unreliable 6 improvement 7 compliance 8 satisfaction 5 + tough, durable, reliable, heavy-duty – fragile, shoddy, flawed, cracked, poorly designed, flimsy, scratched + / – disposable 7 1 e 2 b 3 a 4 c 5 d 6 i 7 j 8 g 9 f 10 h 8 1 resource management 2 design fault 3 customer expectations 4 continuous improvement 5 technical specifications 6 industry standard 7 measurable objectives 8 statutory requirements 9 best practice 10 quality assurance 3.3 Grammar Passive structures and have something done 1 1 is being serviced 2 is serviced 3 was being repaired 4 has already been checked 5 will be mended 6 was replaced 7 hadn’t been used 8 be dismantled 9 was installed 10 haven’t been trained 11 is being organized 12 was last serviced 2 1 Is the photocopier being serviced at the moment? 2 Was it repaired last Tuesday? 3 Do you think it will be mended by next week? 4 When was the old one replaced? 5 Had it been used correctly? 6 Have you been trained to operate it? 7 Is some training being organized at the moment? 8 When was it last serviced? 3 1 It should be fixed! 2 The procedure could be rewritten. 3 A mistake must have been made. 4 I might have been informed! 5 It can’t have been deleted! 4 1 c 2 a 3 b 5 1 Production 2 Sales 3 Stock 4 Production 5 Logistics 6 Stock 6 1 The wrong fitting was put on the pumps. 2 Production wasn’t given enough warning. 3 Two different parts were sent together at the last minute. 4 The difference wasn’t spotted. 5 It was decided to reduce stock movements. 6 A delivery was sent late. 7 1 In future, we will have the parts delivered separately. 2 Airbridge will be asked for earlier warning of any changes. 3 Birgit will have the parts checked. 4 The Stock Department must be briefed. 5 Airbridge will be given a discount on their next order. 6 We will have the procedures checked by an independent auditor. 3.4 Speaking Delivering presentations 2 1 Excessive jargon and acronyms 2 Speed: too fast 3 Inappropriate pauses 4 Incorrect vocabulary 3 1 e 2 d 3 f 4 a 5 g 6 c 7 b 4 The graph represents ‘Part failure rate per ten thousand’. Marc interprets the figures and highlights the problem that needs to be tackled. 6 Marc follows the ‘rules’ of good presenting. He doesn’t speak too fast and he pauses in appropriate places. He uses some jargon but he takes care to explain it. He varies sentence length but avoids using very long sentences. He uses the right collocations (word combinations). Finally, he checks to see if listeners are following and he uses signposting language. 7 1 shows 2 As 3 way 4 words 5 basically 6 clear 7 covers 8 look 3.5 Writing Procedures and instructions 2 1 c 2 e 3 f 4 a 5 b 6 d 3 1 Don’t 2 Do 3 Do 4 Don’t 5 Don’t 6 Do 7 Do 8 Do 9 Do 10 Do 4 They break all the Dos and Don’ts, except perhaps for 4. 5 Bookcase assembly instructions 1 Check the packet contains all the items in the parts list. 2 Assemble the bookcase flat on the floor. 3 Begin by fitting wooden pegs in the four holes in each shelf. 4 Screw the five shelves to the side panels, with the rounded edge towards the front. 5 Slide the back panel into place in the grooves at the rear of the side panels. 6 Fit the top and bottom panels and screw them down. 6 1 She calls Max because she knows he bought the same TV stand and she has lost her assembly instructions. 2 He tells her what parts she should have. 3 He promises to send her written assembly instructions by email. 7 1 top panel, 4 pegs, 2 side panels, 8 screws, 1 cross bar, 4 castor wheels, 1 shelf 8 1 side panel 2 cross bar 3 pegs 4 top panel 5 shelf 6 screws 7 castor wheels 9 TV Stand Assembly Instructions 1 Put the four pegs in the holes in the cross bar. 2 Assemble the cross bar and the two end panels. 3 Place the top panel on the cross bar and screw it in place with four screws. 4 Fix the shelf in place with the remaining four screws. 5 Insert the four castor wheels in the holes in the side panels. 6 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 3.6 Care Study Zaluski Strawberries 1 1 False – strawberries are rich in Vitamin C and are high in fibre. 2 True 3 False – the USA is the biggest producer of strawberries in the world. 4 True 5 True 6 True 7 True 8 Nobody is certain about the real origins of the name. 9 True 2 1 A consumer would probably want strawberries that are clean, ripe, bright red all over, firm, sweet, not bruised and not decayed. 2 Because Schuurman have just upgraded to refrigerated display units and they want to be sure that incoming fruit is of top quality, to extend shelf life and reduce wastage. 3 Hank Batten’s email speaks of ‘industry best practices’, implying that Schuurman have a modern, proactive approach to quality, while Zaluski’s website promotes the traditional side of production. 4 She will probably want to contact Zaluski to see what can be done to improve quality. 3 She wants to fix a date for a supplier audit, sooner rather than later! 4 Suzanne will certainly need to investigate the facts relating to all the key factors listed under each bullet point. 5 1 picking bonus 2 training 3 10 cm 4 three or four 5 three degrees 6 records 7 training 8 bonus 9 refrigeration system 10 two or three 6 The main areas of improvement that should be covered are the following: train the pickers and pay bonuses based on fruit quality, not just quantity reduce the depth of trays to five centimetres reduce the transport time from the field to the cooler (one hour maximum) cool berries to 0–1 °C keep records of cooler and storage shed temperatures train packers and pay bonuses for good packing check the refrigeration system on each truck monitor the phasing-out of nitrogen fertilizers 4 Feedback 4.1 About business The project team 2 A dam b project approval h river diversion 3 1 Geological survey 2 Land purchase 3 River diversion 4 Dam construction 4 1 walking around in blindfolds navigating rope courses sitting cross-legged on the floor with paper and crayons illustrating ‘life paths’ 2 companies don’t think about how effective teams are actually built employees usually don’t complain about silly team-building efforts, whether out of apathy or for fear of being labelled ‘anti-team’ people don’t want to offend well-meaning team-building practitioners 5 1 d 2 c 3 a 4 b 6 a Lack of leadership b No clear objective c No common plan d Lack of an open and honest atmosphere 7 1 The basic principle of the game is for one team to hit the ball so that it touches the ground on the opposing team’s side of the net, or so that the opposing team is unable to return the ball. 2 Volleyball has often been called the ultimate team sport because a team is only as strong as its weakest player. Unlike other sports where the objective is to keep possession of the ball, in volleyball a team can target the weakest member of the opposing team in the hope that they will be unable to return the ball. The main lesson for project management is that teamwork is essential if a common target (like winning in volleyball) is to be reached. The whole team has to work together and cover for any deficiencies of weaker members. 3 The need to share common goals, to work together to achieve these goals, to give mutual support and encouragement and to ‘play in harmony’. 4.2 Vocabulary Managing people and projects 1 a The maverick b The leader c The workaholic d The bully e The team player 2 The bully: aggressive, impatient, over-critical The team player: cooperative, easy-going, friendly, helpful The leader: charismatic, confident, decisive, motivating The workaholic: anxious, obsessive, stressed The maverick: independent, individual, single-minded, unpredictable 3 Anna: the maverick Bjorn: the workaholic Katia: the team player 4 Anna: independent, single-minded, selfish Bjorn: stressed, organized, obsessive Katia: friendly, easy-going, helpful, cooperative 5 1 f 2 h 3 e 4 c 5 a 6 d 7 g 8 b 6 1 b 2 d 3 e 4 a 5 c 7 a End-users b Sponsor c Project manager d Key stakeholders e Project team members 8 1 meet 2 reach 3 establish 4 set 5 achieve 6 fix 7 miss 8 stick to 4.3 Grammar Regrets, speculation and habits 1 1 shouldn’t have chosen 2 could have predicted 3 should have put 4 would have done 5 might have been 6 would she have listened 7 ought to have been taken 8 must have wasted 9 wouldn’t be 10 could have made 2 1 If we had given Murray a different role, he wouldn’t have resigned. 2 If we had not been in such a rush, we would have made a better choice. 3 If the users had been listened to, their views would have been taken into account. 4 We would not have wasted one month if we had asked the right questions in the first place. 5 If we had got the project approval earlier, we would have been able to start correctly. 6 We would not have had all these problems if we had made the right decisions! 7 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 3 1 used to give 2 get used to working 3 used to be 4 didn’t use to come 5 used to make 6 was / wasn’t used to using 7 am still not used to typing 4 Kim regrets her decisions more. 5 1 could have had 2 could have earned 3 should have stayed 4 should have studied 5 should have left 6 could have lived 6 a If Grant had stayed at the accountancy firm he would have earned a lot more money. b If Kim had studied to become a vet, she would have been happier. c If Grant hadn’t become a farmer, he would have had a much more stressful life. d If Kim had helped Grant start his farm, they might have got married! 7 Past: earn a lot of money, work in London, work under pressure Now: work with animals, run my own business, have a slow pace of life 8 He used to earn a lot of money. He didn’t use to work / He’s used to working with animals. He used to work in London. He didn’t use to run / He’s used to running his own business. He didn’t use to have / He’s used to having a slow pace of life. He used to work under pressure. 4.4 Speaking Coaching 1 1 Probably b: explain how their performance was less than expected, set new objectives and deadlines, and supervise the employee more closely. 2 Probably d: ask the employee to analyse their own performance and the reasons why it has fallen below their usual standards, and try to find out if there is a problem; remind them of what you expect from them, and temporarily set and check shorter-term goals. 3 Probably h: congratulate them on their performance, and give them longer-term goals, more autonomy, and more freedom to take the initiative. 4 Probably i: thank them for their hard work, and perhaps give a bonus, a promotion or wider responsibility. 2 Interview 1 1 Objective: to reprimand Rafael 2 Rafael upset Mr Baitan 3 Rafael probably feels confused and resentful because he doesn’t understand what he has done wrong Interview 2 1 Objective: to praise Rafael 2 Rafael covered for Maria 3 Rafael probably feels confused because he has been praised for covering for Maria and reprimanded for not wearing a tie and not switching off the computer 3 Interview 1: Constructive criticism Interview 2: Recognizing merit 4 Mrs Gomez’ criticism is not constructive, she doesn’t state the facts or elicit the causes of the problem, she doesn’t give Rafael any chance to comment, she doesn’t set objectives, she mixes giving criticism and recognizing merit, she doesn’t specify the qualities she appreciates or the positive consequences of Rafael’s behaviour. 5 1 contact – set the scene 2 conclusion – consequences 3 praise – facts or results 4 praise – personal qualities 5 conclusion – keep the interview short 6 and 7 1 Could I have a word with you in my office? 2 Can you tell me exactly what happened with Mr Baitan on Friday? 3 Do you have any ideas as to why Mr Baitan was quite so upset? 4 Do you realize that this kind of problem can have serious consequences? 5 So what do you think we can do to make sure this situation doesn’t happen again? 6 So, before you go, can I just summarize what we have agreed? 8 1 Do you realize that we risk losing Mr Baitan’s business if we don’t find a solution? 2 Do you think you should ask for help next time you have a problem? 3 Do you think you should’ve called me on my mobile? 4 Do you agree that this wouldn’t have happened if you’d been more flexible? 5 Do you realize that you should’ve remembered that the customer is always right? 4.5 Writing Reports 1 Employer: reviewing progress, setting achievable goals, identifying strengths and weaknesses, encouraging communication. Employee: discussing rewards, planning training, stating career objectives. 2 1 Title 2 Executive summary 3 Introduction 4 Procedure 5 Findings 6 Conclusions 7 Recommendations 3 Paragraphs beginning: 1 A survey … 2 The Management Committee … 3 Firstly, Webwide Consulting … 4 Three main areas of concern … 5 In conclusion … 6 1 We should … 4 1 Executive summary: A survey … Introduction: The Management Committee … Procedure: Firstly, Webwide Consulting … Findings: Three main areas of concern … Conclusion: In conclusion … Recommendations: 1 We should … 2 Suggested answers: Bullet points, numbers, letters 5 a next b for example c moreover d due to, therefore e finally, to sum up, overall 6 1 Therefore 2 Next 3 Moreover 4 due to 5 Overall 6 due to 7 for example 7 We held interviews … We took this decision … we gathered information … External consultants carried out a survey … We recommend … The individual interviews revealed three main areas of concern. 8 Lou wants you to write the first draft of the Annual appraisal review report. 9 Annual Appraisal Scheme Review Introduction An annual appraisal scheme was set up last year to improve staff motivation and communication within the company. We planned a review of the scheme after one year. Procedure Line managers ran appraisal interviews in December. Amongst other questions, staff were asked for their feedback on the scheme. Findings The feedback was mostly positive. The main criticisms of the scheme were that the interviews were too short (just 45 minutes) and that there was a lack of ‘objective measurement of performance’. 8 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate Conclusions The appraisal interview scheme should be maintained but with some minor adjustments. Recommendations Run one-hour appraisal interviews this year, subject to: 1 the development of more objective performance indicators (F Berger to report back in January), and 2 the final approval of the Board of Directors. 4.6 Case study Trident overseas 2 1 Petrol prices are fixed by the government in many African countries. 2 Because quality of service, and not petrol prices, is the crucial factor in attracting customers. 3 Some of them are very good, but many get things done by shouting at their staff. 4 Some are owned by independent dealers and some directly by Trident. 5 He has just been on a three-day fact-finding trip to the Lamu district. 6 The Lamu district development project is behind schedule and in a mess. 3 Sales manager District managers Sales reps Dealers Young Dealers Forecourt staff Mechanics 5 1 customers 2 friends and relatives 3 nephew 4 leave 5 recruitment 6 support 7 deadlines 8 female 9 stop 10 quit 5 Selling more 5.1 About business Selling more 2 1 Viral web ads spread from computer user to computer user. 2 Advertising has shifted from television and print media to the Internet, and has started to try to entertain its audience. 3 More difficult. 3 1 The amount of money Ed Robinson spent on producing his first video clip. 2 The amount Robinson’s company now charges to create a successful ad. 3 The number of friends Robinson sent his first clip to. 4 The number of hits Robinson’s website received in three months. 5 The value of the viral marketing advertising pie. 6 The number of videos YouTube shows per day. 4 1 T 2 T 3 F 4 T 5 F 6 F 5 They disagree about the benefits of viral advertising. 6 1 remember 2 less impact 3 small proportion 4 increased sales 5 pay more attention 5.2 Vocabulary The marketing mix 2 1 Price, Promotion, Product and Placement 2 Customer Solution, Cost, Convenience, Communication 3 how well the components of the mix blend together 4 how the mix must be adapted to changes in the business environment, the organization’s resources and the product life cycle 3 1 This is probably not a very coherent mix as the customers of this type of salon probably prefer to travel by car rather than by underground; it suggests that the franchise has not done its market research properly. 2 This seems a sensible mix dynamic since cassette manufacturers face a declining market where market share is being captured by mp3 players. This kind of distribution minimizes costs and allows a product at the end of its life cycle to improve its profit margin. 3 This mix seems incoherent since the majority of readers of women’s fashion magazines are probably not ecologists, do not wear T-shirts, and are not men, thus excluding a large market segment. The company needs to find media which are better suited to developing its market niche. 4 Not a coherent mix, since the product is B2B, not for the general public, and poor mix dynamics, as few executives still write business letters. The company need to conduct a market study to determine whether there is any demand for this service. 5 The mix is probably coherent, as a majority of football fans are male, i.e. the same segment of the population as most video gamers (teenagers and young men) and buyers (fathers and grandfathers). 4 1 e 2 a 3 b 4 f 5 d 6 c 5 1 advertising 2 direct marketing 3 e-marketing 4 undercover marketing 5 publicity 6 viral marketing 6 1 segmentation 2 declining 3 niche 4 share 5 research 6 study 7 leader 8 flood 9 bring 10 enter 7 1 This is one of the most effective ways of increasing sales volume, for all sorts of different products – anything from soft drinks to mobile phones. The idea is to persuade customers to purchase two items at a 50% discount. Because there’s no reduction in the price for one item, the apparent ‘full value’ of the product is maintained. So customers have the impression that they’re getting something ‘for free’. 2 Inkjet printers are a good example of loss leaders. The actual printer is sold so cheaply that the manufacturer loses money on it – but the customer is then forced to buy that manufacturer’s high-priced ink cartridges and special paper. 3 Tying is often seen in electronics, in video games, for example, where games consoles will only run software licensed by the console manufacturer, so customers are forced to buy their games and nobody else’s. 4 Cashback is a term which is used in various contexts to refer to schemes in which customers receive money, in the form of cash or otherwise, during transactions in which the main movement of money is in the other direction. For example, some big chain stores have a debit card which allows shoppers to receive cash along with their goods when they pay by debit card. And some credit card companies have a similar credit card, where they pay the customer a small amount for each use of the card. Then of course there are the rebates that customers get with loyalty programs or by sending receipts or proofs of purchase to the manufacturer – the kind of thing you often find on cereal packets or chocolate bars. 5 Bundling involves offering several products for sale as one combined product. This strategy is very common in the software business, where for example you can bundle a word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database into a single office suite – and in the fast food industry, in which multiple items are combined into a complete meal. 5.3 Grammar Questions for persuading 1 1 don’t they? 2 is it? 3 don’t they? 4 will it? 5 would you? 6 didn’t we? 7 wasn’t she? 8 should I? 2 1 b 2 c 3 a 4 b 5 c 6 a 7 c 8 c 3 2 Wouldn’t it 3 Don’t you 4 Aren’t you 5 Wouldn’t it 6 Isn’t 7 Have you 8 Don’t you 9 Didn’t they 9 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 4 a information b agreement 5 1 rise 2 fall 6 1 I 2 P 3 I 4 P 5 P 6 I 7 P 8 I 7 1 could you? 2 could we? 3 don’t we? 4 do you? 5 did you? 6 didn’t we? 7 is there? 8 could you? 8 1 rise 2 fall 3 fall 4 rise 5 rise 6 fall 7 fall 8 rise 9 asking tag questions, answer yes or no. 11 1 Don’t they deserve more than grabbing a hamburger or eating a sandwich at their desks? 2 Haven’t they earned the right to sit down to a proper meal in a restaurant? 3 Isn’t there a better way to keep them satisfied and motivated all afternoon? 4 Don’t you know that not being able to eat properly is one of the main reasons staff quit their jobs? 5 Wouldn’t your staff appreciate receiving luncheon vouchers as part of their compensation? 6 Wouldn’t you like to actually save money because luncheon vouchers are tax deductible? 7 Won’t it be nice to do something positive for every employee? 5.4 Speaking Dealing with objections 2 a Salesperson 2 criticizes the competition. b Salesperson 3 gives in to pressure. c Salesperson 1 overreacts and threatens the customer. 3 1 Use the ‘feel, felt, found’ formula to answer objections – conversation 2 2 Redirect the objection to obtain more information – conversation 3 3 Welcome objections and try to establish agreement – conversation 1 4 I understand how you feel. Like you, several customers felt that this was more than they wanted to spend. However, they soon found they were saving money. So tell me, is the membership fee the only reason you’re not ready to sign up now? So, if I could postpone your first payment to next year, would you be ready to sign up today? I know exactly what you mean. It’s a big decision to make, isn’t it? I understand. We all want to get a product we can actually use, don’t we? 5 1 Are you comfortable with that? 2 Have I answered your question? 3 Would that make sense? 6 1 b 2 d 3 a 4 c 5 g 6 e 7 h 8 f 7 1 Is the freeze the only reason you’re not ready to order today? 2 I’m glad you mentioned that. It’s difficult to understand why one supplier is 20% more expensive than another, isn’t it? But have you asked yourself why there’s such a large difference? 3 I understand how you feel. A lot of our customers felt the same way before they tried the product. But after they adopted it, they found it surprisingly robust. 4 If I could show you how you could pay less for insurance on a new car than on your old car, would that make you feel better about it? 5 You’re probably asking yourself if Head Office might block the deal. We’ll be happy to meet them and explain why it’s a good choice. Are you comfortable with that? 6 Do you mean that you’ll choose the supplier who delivers the fastest? 5.5 Writing Mailshots and sales letters 2 1 Hook 2 Promise 3 Benefits 4 Credentials 5 Action 6 PS 3 1 Action 2 Credentials 3 Promise 4 PS 5 Benefits 6 Hook 4 1 Hook 2 Action 3 Credentials 4 Action 5 Hook 6 PS 7 Promise 8 Benefits 5 Watch, listen and read – verbs on DVD, in the car, or on your PC – preposition + noun whoever you are, wherever you are and whenever you want – conjunctions leading companies, large, medium and small – adjectives 6 1 students, teachers and writers 2 fitter, healthier and stronger 3 improve productivity, save time and increase profitability 4 plan, prepare and deliver 5 improved handling, a redesigned cockpit and a host of options 6 In less than an hour you’ll be able to start using Homearchitect® software; in less than a day you’ll be designing your own interiors, and in less than a week you’ll be producing professional quality plans and blueprints. 7 save for a new house, plan for your retirement and take advantage of tax deductions. 8 how to handle difficult customers, how to deal with complaints and how to build customer loyalty 5.6 Case study Backchat communications 2 1 Thomas Ibanez is frustrated because he can’t contact Jung Jun, which makes it more difficult to run the delivery service. 2 In the courier business ‘time is money’ because customers pay for fast delivery of urgent packages, and the faster a driver delivers, the more customers he can serve. 3 Jung Jun’s phone is on voicemail, perhaps because he has a battery problem, or he has switched it off while speaking to a customer or while having a break, or because he is out of range of a transmitter, or because it has broken down. 4 Mobile phones with geopositioning would mean the office would be able to know exactly where drivers were at any moment. 3 1 Because they have longer line rental time and include more sophisticated handsets. 2 Because it helps them to manage their future cash flow. 3 a The Hi-tech plan, if they need geopositioning. b and c All opinions are possible. 4 1 Thomas Ibanez 2 Office Manager 3 200 4 Bluetooth headsets 5 email 6 more sophisticated 7 geopositioning system 8 the mp3 player and TV 9 watching TV 10 playing video games 10 Answer key The Business Upper Intermediate 6 New Business 6.1 About business Self-financing 2 The author recommends ‘doing it yourself’, i.e. raising capital from sources such as friends and family, savings, credit cards, second mortgages and so on. 3 1 N 2 Y 3 N 4 N 5 Y 6 Y 7 N 4 1 d 2 g 3 b 4 e 5 a 6 f Not needed c 5 He thinks that most people underestimate the cost of starting a new business and will eventually need to approach a venture capitalist, a business angel or a bank. His attitude to do-it-yourselfers could be described as dismissive or amused. 6 1 commitment 2 ski...