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- Further Conversation
Practice for Business People
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STEVE FLINDERS AND
SIMON SWEENEY
`I111` I!1!!. l1!I D!1I!I!

.
Business
English
Pair Work 2
Further Conversation
Practice for
Business People
Steve Flinders and Silon Sweeney.
SERIES EDITOR: NICK BRIEGER
. PENGUIN BOOKS
PENGUIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Books Ltd, 27 Wrghts Lane, London W8 5T, England
Penguin Books USA Inc., 375 Hudson Steet, New York, N 10014, USA
Penguin Books Austalia Ltd, Rngwood, Victoria, Austa
Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcor Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 3B2
Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd, 182-90 Wairau Road, Auckland 10, New Zealand
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offces: Hanondsworth, Middlesex, England
Published by Penguin Books 1998
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Text copyright Steve Finders and Simon Sweeney 1998
Dlustation Chris Chaist 1998
All rights reserved
The moral rights of the authors and of the illustator have been asserted
Te photograph on pages 33 and 103 (by Sandra Lousada) is reproduced couresy of Collections;
the photographs on p.52 (by Sandra Lousada, Paul Bryans and John Wender) are reproduced cour
tesy of Collections and the photographs on p. 122 (by George Wright, Anthea Sieveking and John
Cross) are reproduced courtesy of Collections and Baaby's Picture Library.
Pinted in England by William Clowes Limited, Beccles and London
Set in New Century Schoolbook and Helvetica
Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not,
by way of tade or otherise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherise circulated without the
publisher's prior consent in any for of binding or cover other than that in which it is publishe
and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent
purchaser
Photocopying notice
The pages in the book marked From Business English Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders and Simon
Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0, 0 COP I A 5 LEmay be photocopied fee of charge
for classroom use by the purchasing individual or instittion. Tis perission to copy does not
extend to branches or additional schools of an institution. All other copying is subject to pers
sion fom the publisher.
Acknowledgements
The publishers make grateful ackowledgement to York Associates for permission to reprduce
copyright material as follows:
1 ideas presented in the York Associates' video Communicating Stles by Derek Utley in Activit
17: Communicating Styles (ISBN 0 948333 62 6);
2 defnitions of cerain business terms in the glossary of this book taen fom Key Tens in
Personnel by Steve Flinders (ISBN 0 948333 46 4); and
3 notes on giving presentations adapted from The York Associates Teaching Business English
Handbook by Nh Brieger (ISBN 1 900991 07 1)
More details of all three titles are available from York Associates Publications, 116 Mickegate,
York YOI IJy England, tel: + 44 (0)1904'624246, fax: + 4 (0) 1904 646971, e-mail:
taining@yorkassoc.go-ed,com,
The authors and publishers would also like to thank:
Bob Dignen at York Associates for Activity 64: Troubleshooting;
Adrian Furham of the University College London Business Psychology Unit and regular
contibutor to The Financial Times, who invented the exercise type used in Activy 47:
Privatisation; and
Gunilla Ingels for providing the inspiration for Activity 40: Nerd management.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders in every case, Te publishers would be
interested to hear fom any not acknowledged here,
V
Contents
1
Introduction v
Teachers' Notes 1
Pair Work Activities
Ac/|v|g
Q
/u
p
en/A
Q
/u
p
en/B Ac/|v|g
Q
/u
p
en/A
Q
/u
p
en/B
1 Ice breaker 31 101 34 Management development 65 135
2 Active listening 32 102 35 Managing an investment portfolio 66 136
3 Advertising standards 33 103 36 Managing the future 67 137
4 Age in employment 34 104 37 Market share 68 138
5 Annual report 35 105 38 Micro-lending 69 139
6 Banks, lending and borowing 36 106 39 Negotiating a deal 70 140
7 Brand positioning 37 107 40 Nerd management 72 142
8 Budget negotiation 38 108 41 New product 73 143
9 Business anecdote 39 109 42 Performance appraisal 74 14
10 Business ethics 40 110 43 Personal presentaton 75 145
11 Business grammar 41 111 44 Personnel management 76 146
12 Business philosophy 42 112 45 Planning a meeting 77 147
13 Business and the environment 43 113 46 Pricing strategy 78 148
14 Business in the community 44 114 47 Privatization 79 149
15 Capital investment 45 115 48 Product management 80 150
16 Caeer advice 46 116 49 Product presentation 81 151
17 Communicating styles 47 117 50 Promotion 82 152
18 Competence development 48 118 51 Quiz 83 153
19 Competitive tendering 49 119 52' Recession 84 154
20 Conference organization 50 120 53 Relocation 85 155
21 Consumer movement 51 121 54 Reward 86 156
22 Consumer survey 52 122 55 Safety at work 87 157
23 Contract dispute 54 124 56 Shareholders' expectations 88 158
24 Corporate culture 55 125 57 Small talk 89 159
25 Creati ve thinking 56 126 58 Social arrangements 90 160
26 Ethical marketing 57 127 59 Socializing 91 161
27 Executi ve recruitment 58 128 60 Talking politics 1 92 162
28 Form flling 59 129 61 Talking politics 2 93 163
r
29 Homeworking 60 130 62 Top businesses 94 164
30 Industrial espionage 61 131 63 Training 95 165
31 Interational marketing 62 132 6 Troubleshooting 96 166
32 Job satisfaction 63 133 65 Utopia 97 167
33 Just-in-time management 6 134
Notes on Making Presentations 169
Glossary 172
P~ of Language Functions 176
Communication Skill Table 180
iii
I ntrod uction
To the teacher
Business English Pair Work 2 has been written in response to the demand for more fuency
practice activities. Its aim is to give foreign students of Business English, working in pairs, addi
tional classroom practice in communicative activities in order to develop fuency in communi
cation skills. As with its predecessor, Business English Pair Work 1, the material addresses a
wide range of adult themes from a variety of professional areas; however, most of the activities
do not require specialist knowledge. The activities have been designed in order to provide
communicative practice around:
business communication skills
key language functions
The material is completely independent of any course book and can, therefore, be used on any
Business English course.
Business English Pair Work 2 consists of sixty-five activities. The activities are in one book
containing:
teachers' notes
the role information for student A
the role information for student B
notes on making presentations
a glossary of business terms
an A-Z of language functions, together with sample exponents
a table showing the communication skiIl(s) practised in each activity.
Target learners
The activities are aimed at learners of Business English at intermediate level or above. All the
activities can be done by in-service learners: people who need English for their work. Most of
the activities can also be done in their existing form by pre-service learners: people training for
a career in the business world. The few remaining activities can be done by pre-service learn
ers afer minor adaptations have been made and explanations of key concepts have been given
by the teacher. The teachers' notes provide suggestions for lead-in activities to get pre-service
students thinking about business management areas; the glossary provides key words for the
managtment areas covered.
Description and organization
The book contains sixty-five pair work activities. These are arranged in alphabetical order by
title (see contents page), except for the Ice breaker, "hich comes first. The activities can be
done in any order and roles A and B can be taken by either person in the pair. All the infor
mation for each activity is given in the book. Each activity consists of:
a short introduction to set the scene and provide some background information about the business
theme
Student A's role (first part of the book)
v
Introduction
Student B's role (second part of the book).
Each activity focuses on a communication skill (see below), Therefore, we have shown for each
activity:
the communication skill to be practised
the language function(s) which may be drawn out.
All of the activities can be done in pairs; however, some of the discussion activities can also
be done in small groups.
Activity types
There are four main types of activities in the book:
Information gap:
These are activities in which students are asked to perform a task together; they fall into two
categories. In the first, one student has access to all the information and tries to impart it to
hislher partner. In the second, both students are given access to half the information and by work
ing together try to solve the whole problem.
Discussion and conversation:
These are activities designed to stimulate students to discuss a subject or subjects with their
partner, usually in order to reach agreement. These activities can ofen be done in small groups,
as well as by pairs.
Role play:
These are activities in which students are given specific roles to play in order to carry out a
task.
Simulation:
These are activities in which students play themselves but are given a definite task to do or are
put in a specific situation.
Communication skills
By doing the activities, students will practise:
presentations
phone calls
meetings and discussions
negotiations
social English in a professional context.
The materials are designed both to practise communication skills and deveiop effective commu
nication techniques. Thus they focus on both fuency and effectiveness.
vi
Introducton
How to use the book
The materials are not graded. Therefore you can choose an activity on the basis of theme or
communication skill.
Suggested procedure for the activity
1 Present the overall theme of the activity, focusing on key vocabulary for the topic.
2 Warm up class with lead-in questions in teachers' notes; focus on key vocabulary that will
be needed in the activity.
3 Divide the class into pairs.
4 Assign roles A and B.
5 Ask students to read the introduction.
6 Ask students to look at the information for their role. Make sure that they know what they
have to do and, if necessary, how long they have to do it.
7 Give students enough time to prepare. This is particularly important for some of the activi
ties, where students need to both absorb and understand the information before starting to
communicate.
S Monitor the pairs while they carry out the activity, prompting the use of functional expo
nents, if necessary.
Suggested procedure afer the activity
Feedback to the learner(s). Provide feedback for individuals, pairs, or the class on strengths
and weaknesses, appropriate usage and/or mistakes. Refer students to glossary for vocabu
lary items, where appropriate.
2 Feedback from the learer

s. For problem-solving activities, ask pairs to present their solu

tions. One technique which involves the whole class is as follows:
a) ask one pair to repeat the activity with another pair
b) ask one group of four to repeat the activity with another group
c) enlarge the group size each time, until a joint conclusion has been reached.
3 Follow-up activities. The teachers' notes provide ideas for follow-up activities which can be
done either in class or for homework.
Timing
r
.
ome activities can be short (about 10 minutes); others are likely to take longer, perhaps even
a whole lesson. There are no time limits on the activities, except those decided by the teacher
and the learners. However, you should agree and set time limits - both for preparation and for
the activity. Don't allow an activity to drag on for too long. Better a few minutes too short than
too long.
Additional resources
As some of the activities involve figures, a pocket calculator may be useful.
vii
.
Teachers
'
notes
T Ice breaker
Introduction
'Ice breakers' are short exercises for use with a new class
to help people get to know each other.
Lead-in
Ask why it is important to be abl e to:
1 introduce yourself and say what you do
2 ' break the ice' with strangers
3 ask poli te questions.
Method
1 With a group class, divide students i nto As and Bs.
There are two possible methods. Either Bs introduce
themselves, then As introduce themselves before Bs
ask all their questions and then As question Bs. Or
students take it in turns to ask a question.
2 Stress the importance of the two follow-up questions.
Explain this is how small talk develops and helps to build
relationships. The follow-up questions should help the
natural flow of the conversations.
3 Students need move on to a new topic only when one
topic has naturally dried up.
4 If the group is not too large, get students to walk around
so that all the As get to talk to all the Bs and vice versa.
Folow-up
1 Get students to practise tell i ng the whole group some
key information about themselves:
name
job title, responsibilities
company name, activity, location, etc.
Provide a model or elicit a good example from one
particular student. Explain the i mportance of being able
to clearly introduce oneself and talk about one's work,
responsibilities, company, etc.
Some specific research and thought mav be required to
r
ensure that all students have a good understanding of
their job title in English. Students could find out this
information before the next class, if they are not sure
now.
2 Get students to write short personal profles of them
selves or of their partners. The latter could provide a
collaborative effort between pairs.
Z Active l isteni ng
Introduction
This activi ty aims to raise students' awareness of the
i mportance of active li steni ng through practising this
necessary skill. It i s a test of how well students l isten; and
an exercise in encouraging them to look at the diferent
ways in which listeners can support speakers.
Lead-in
Ask the students:
1 if they are good listeners (they will naturally say that
they are!)
2 what makes a good listener
3 what makes an active listener. You could at

his point
show some sound-down video extracts of your own
choice with samples of good and bad listeners portrayed
in order to elicit more characteristics of active and inac
tive listening. You could al so do some warm-up prac
tice in summarizing by giving them some listening or
text-based input and then asking them for concise 20-30
second oral summaries of the input.
Method
I You may wish to brainstorm or pre-teach vocabulary
associated with downsizing.
2 With weaker students, you may furthermore wish to
invite them to contribute arguments for and against
downsizing as preparation for the activity.
3 Filming the activity on video could help with analysis
and feedback on the non-l i ngui sti c aspects of the
students' listening after the end of the activity.
Folow-up
I Get feedback from student A on the accuracy of student
B' s reporting and vice versa.
2 Discuss the degree of difficulty and usefulness of the
exercise.
This technique can be further practised using other activ
itits in this book; or in other general discussions which
you can organize yourself.
Teachers' notes
3 AdvOrlISIng SlndrdS
Illtrodllctioll
This role play is a potentially highly conflictive meeting
between a journalist and a representative of a company that
is under attack.
Lead-ill
Ask students if they think television programmes should
not be allowed to aHack companies and their products .
Method
I Begin with a discussion on body language and conflict!
avoiding conflict in discussion. Elicit examples of
aggressive body language (pointing. staring. thumping
the table, frowning, 'set' mouth/jaw, etc. Add to this
suggestions on what language is aggressive: direct,
accusing. blaming, personalizing discussion, elc. Elicit
ways to reduce the risk of a discussion becoming too
conflictive. Conflict can be reduced by keeping calm,
having a soft tone of voice, avoiding aggressive body
language, avoiding personal attacks, using indirect
rather than direct language, etc.
2 Givc students the necessary time to think about their
roles.
3 Put students into pairs.
4 A begins with criticism of the product and the claims
made for the product.
5 B responds defensively.
6 The argument continues in true television style ... but
try to avoid too much conflicl.
7 A nice option would be to video the interview so students
can watch it as if part of the eventual television
programme.
FollOW-III
If you have the resources, have your class make a video
documentary along the lines of this role play, including
interviews about various products. It could be part of an
on-going project.
2
4 AgO |nOmpIoymOnl
I"traduction
This is a topical subject in at least some advanced indus
trial societies and your students may well have their own
First- or second-hand experiences to recount.
Lead-ill
Briefly discuss how widespread 0_CI3H IS IIl fHC SOCIc
in which your students live and work. Also discuss briefly
why ageism exists.
Method
J Each parlner should try and convince the other (although
it may be wise to sound out opinions before the start
in order to find out which side each should take). If all
students are fervently anti-ageist and reluctant to take
student A's part, point out that ageism is widespread
and that it could be interesting to try and anticipate
some of the arguments used by recruiters who will not
consider older people, by playing this role.
2 Encourage all participants to think of their additional
arguments and to think of plenty of real life examples
to support their positions.
FollOW-lip
This is a subject where there can be a curious gap between
people's claims (not many people will admit to ageist alti
tudes) and the reality (there is serious discrimination
against older people in the labour market in many indus
trialized countries). The (British) Institute of Personnel and
Development is committed lO the removal of age discrim
ination in employment and documentation on the subject
can be obtained from the IPD, IPD House, Camp Road,
London SWI9 4UX, tel: 018 J 97 J 9000, fax: 0 1 8 J 263 3333.
5 AnnuI rOport
Itltroduction
Annual reports are a useful source of information on partic
ular companies and collectively represent a useful source
of authentic materials for teaching.
Lead-ill
Explain that all the categories listed in the activity have
been used in real annual reports. Then ask the students about
the functions and usefulness of annual reports. Invite opin
ions briefly on what should go into an annual report.
Method
Explain that the students must first of all invent 0 company
identity and then design an annual report for that company.
Z
4

Encourage students to tn about the objectives and likely

readers of the report and to produce a draft design which
would fulfl the objectives and satisfy the readership.
Folow-up
Afer students have reported back, look at the most recent
issue of the students' own annual report(s) (if they have
one). Also look at a range of other annual reports to
compare students' lists of contents with the real thing.
Annual reports are generally easy to obtain if you write
to any large company. The Financial Times newspaper
also operates a central service for ordering annual reports
at certain times of the year.
b Banks, lending and borrowing
Introduction
This role play is intended as a telephone conversation,
but could be a face-to-face meeting. If you and your class
decide that it is a telephone call, use internal l i nes, if
possible. If not, have students sit back-to-back so they
cannot see each other. They should go through the normal
stages of a telephone call, introducing each other, getting
through, stating the reason for the call, etc. The activity
involves an element of information transfer and a nego
tiation.
Lead-in
Ask why banks lend money and why they sometimes
refuse to do so.
(Answer: banks make money from the interest and other
fees associated with lending. They also support business
ventures. They sometimes refuse to lend money if they think
the business venture is not a good one and their money
may be at risk. )
Method
A has to telephone the bank and explain what he/she wants.
8 asks various questions and a negotiation follows.
Folow-up
1 The bank (8) should write a letter referring to the appli
cation and formally offer the loan with certain guaran
tees attached.
2 The client (A) can write a letter to the bank referring
to the application enquiries, asking for the loan, explain
i ng the ci rcumstances and accepti ng any agreed
conditions.
3 Alternatively, the client can change hislher opinion and
write a letter closing hi s/her account and declaring
his/her intention to change to a new bank.
Teachers' notes
7 Brand positioni ng
Introduction
This activity begins with a telephone call to arrange a
meeting and then the meeting itself. The topic is brand
positioning.
Lead-in
Discuss the terms brand, brand positioning and brand
identit. Illustrate the terms by referring to well-known
branded products.
Method
1 Allow some minutes for preparation.
2 A starts by telephoning to fix an appointment. 8 plays
hard to get. A has to explain the situation as B does not
know anything.
3 In the meeting 8 starts by summarizing the present
position and suggesting some action. A should counter
as diplomatically as possible . A and 8 should try to
persuade each other. In the end they reach a negotiated
agreement.
4 The negotiation should conclude with a clear summary
of what they plan to recommend to the Board.
Folow-up
1 Different negotiations will produce different results so
these can be compared between pairs or groups.
2 Pairs should produce a memo of their recommendations
for the Board.
b Budget negotiation
Introduction
This activity is based on a presentation by one side followed
by a discussion or negotiation. The parties are a gover
ment official anxious to keep public spending down and
a restorati on expert commissioned to save a famous
bUilding.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 what public spending is
2 why goverments like to keep public spending down
3 what things governments typically spend most on
4 what they spend least on
5 what national monuments they know
6 who pays to look after them.
Method
1 Refer to the notes on making presentations at the end
of this book.
3
Teachers' notes
2 Students work as As and Bs. Give them time to prepare
their roles. A i n particular needs to prepare hislher
presentation, putting key information on an overhead
transparency
d
r fip chart. It would be useful to put the
Gantt chart showing the project phases onto a visual.
3 A begins, explaining the project and supplying the infor
mation about costs. B takes notes and briefly prepares
a response. B should also i nterrupt and ask questions,
get clarifcation, etc.
4 The next stage is a negotiation during which both sides
aim to reach a agreement they can both feel happy with.
5 In extremis, no agreement will be possible.
6 The negotiation should conclude with a clear summary
of what has been agreed or a statement as to why agree
ment has not been possible.
Folow-up
A fax or letter summarizing and confirming the agree
ment would be useful.
9 Business anecdote
Introduction
Anecdotes often go on for too long. Preparing and struc
turing anecdotes can help keep them interesting and to the
point.
Lead-in
Before you start the activity:
1 give the students an example of a short anecdote (if
necessary teach the word ' anecdote' itself) and elicit
some key characteristics e. g. one subject, to the point,
avoiding extraneous detail and characters
2 brainstorm possible linking phrases like
That reminds me of something that happened to me
when . . .
That makes me think of an experience I once had
in . . .
It' s very humid today - just like the time I . . .
It' s so cold outside - it reminds me of when I . . .
Really? A similar thing happened to me in . . .
That' s interesting. I had a similar experience in . . .
You' l l never believe this but . . .
Did that really happen? . . .
Students can use these to introduce each new story. The
linking phrase does not have to be very meaningful as
long as it signals clearly that the other person is going
to take a tur at speaking.
Method
Give the students plenty of time to prepare: setting this
as a homework task will save time in the classroom. Since
you wi l l be unable to moni tor all the anecdotes from
several pairs, it could be useful to record each conversa
tion for analysis and later playback.
Folow-up
1 The obvious follow-up is to ask students to repeat the
whole exercise, but with the roles reversed so that each

partner has to repeat the other' s anecdotes with a degree

of accuracy satisfactory to the originator. This is a
excellent test of listening and gives further practice in
the skills discussed in Activity 2: Active Listening.
2 Students could also repeat or continue the activity with
their own suggestions for anecdote.
3 Students who know each very well could be invited to
score each other's anecdotes for interest and wit.
T0 Business ethics
Introduction
The activity is a discussion on the wider aspect of ethics
in business, looking at corporate strategy, not just market
ing methods. Naturally some controversial issues are
raised.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 what issues are involved in ethical considerations
2 why companies have to take an ethical position.
It may be better to leave the answers until after the activity.
The answer to the latter question is that increasingly ethi
cal questions do afect commercial realities: in the global
economy consumers may have more information and more
power. Also, as societies become richer, consumers becomE
more critical and more l ikely to adopt ethical standpoints
Method
I There are 16 issues listed. Students work in pairs ani
discuss them all, marking their own judgements accord
i ng to the scale.
2 There are alternative approaches:
a) Have learners work independently; then have a grou

discussion.
b) Have learners go around interviewing everyone j
the group to try to identify a group consensus on eac
point. This takes longer but is often the more comm'
nicative and stimulating method.
3 Afterwards, get pair or group feedback on the opi
ions expressed.
Folow-up
Choose a few of the items for extended discussion or
up a debate on the lines of Modern business cannot af( .
C
10 ignore the ethics or Ethics are all hypocrisy, or so
such uncontroversial title.
11 Business grammar
Introduction
This is a game to be played with students who you know
and who know each other reasonably well since, although
it has serious business and language aims in terms of
making testing demands on students' command of vocab
ulary, it may i nitially seem either frivolous or of-beam
to some.
Lead-in
You may wish first to test the idea with the whole group
by frst thinking of a high profile business (or politicall
media/etc.) personality and giving a list of nouns which
you associate with the person in question. Once they have
the idea, let them proceed as given in the main text.
Method
Go through the instructions in the book so that everyone
is clear about what to do. If you detect uncertainty, select
a pair to do a trial run in front of the class.
Follow-up
1 Students can write down for future reference all the
words they have heard and used, and apply the same
technique to other people - superiors, subordinates,
mentors, etc. as a exercise in vocabulary extension. You
can also transfer the technique to various business and
managerial concepts which you can brainstorm with
the class, for example: ' Which nouns/verbs/adjectives
do you associate with leadership?'
2 You can, of course, play the same game using non-
business as well as business people.
(The question about including such words in a CV is a
serious one since the authors can testify to having seen
such lists of 'power words' in real-life CVs. )
Teachers' notes
12 Business philosophy
Introduction
This is something of a wild card activity since it is obvi
ously very open-ended. You are also probably more likely
to try this exercise with a group with a well-established
dynamic. Nevertheless it is potentially a rewarding - and
lengthy! - activity which could lead to some useful, even
animated exchanges.
Lead-in
Before looking at the worksheet, as a scene setter, you could
write on the board: ' Business is . . . ' or even ' Business
. . . ' and invite each class member to brainstorm sentence
endings, but without allowing any comment either from
the group or from you.
Method
There are too many statements for one person to deal with
and so there are various ways in. which this material can
be used. Have a clear idea in advance of which approach
you want to adopt since this will affect how far you can
use it again with the same group in the future. Some alter
natives are:
Ask students to choose two or three statements only and
tell them to allocate an equal amount of time to each.
2 More directively, allocate a different statement to each
pair.
3 Get each student to choose three statements they agree
with and three they disagree with and to discuss them
in pairs.
If successful, this can be returned to from time to time as
an end-of-Iesson or middle-of-Iesson filler. As always in
discussion, don' t allow the activity to go on for too long:
cutting it off in i ts prime is a better classroom tactic than
allowing some people to get bored.
Follow-up
Good time management is also important during the phase
when pairr . eport back to the whole group. Since the
discussions will have been both

omplex and unstruc

tured, this stage will be a challenge to students' capacity
to summarize clearly, succinctly and fairly. You can also
add students' own statements of business philosophy to
the list.
5
Teachers' notes
13 UuSInOSS nd thO OnvIronmOnt
Introduction
The relationship between business and the environment is
likely to become a matter of increasing public concer and
debate in Ihe years to comc. It is important for business
people and busine5S students to discuss the issues and the
options available to them.
Lead-ill
Since the activity involves a potentially detailed and
comprehensive presentation as the first and second
stages (although you can be the judge of how long and
detailed they should be), the sLUdents should be given
plenty of time to prepare beforehand. They should be
encouraged to present the policies in their own words
by paraphrasing the text rmher than just reading through
the points; and to bring the presentation alive by provid
ing, above all, plenty of examples. Sec the back of the
book for notes on, and language for giving presentations.
2 Get each pair of students to agree on who is visiting
whom so that the host is able to welcome the guest
correctly (sec below). They should also choose a sector
for their own company - construction? retailing? - to
make the exchange more plausible.
Method
I Since this is a meeting, it should begin with the appro
priate pleasantries about the trip, the weather, etc. -
another opportunity for practice of Social English.
2 The presentations should be followed by a meeting
which, as far as possible with only two participants,
should be conducted realistically with an agenda, discus
sion, summary and a statement of the decisions taken.
FollOW-lip
I All the policies cited are real-lifc examples of practice
in various British companies.
2 For students who are especially interested in this area,
you can obtain more information from Business in the
Community (see Activity 14), which has a department
specifically concered with Business and the Environment.
6
14 UuSInOSS |n thO CommunIly
Illtroduction
More and more companies have some kind of community
policy: an unscientific survey by the authors found that

about a quarter of annual reports of major British compa-

nies included a reference to the company's community
role. One of them (United BiscuIts) cites 'the belief that
commercial success and social responsibility are inextri
cably linked'. It is a theme which has received little atten-
tion in Business English before now, but is a theme which
we believe many colleagues will be increasingly keen to
enlarge on in the future. All the cases in the activity are
based on authentic British examples.
Lead-ill
Ask students what image they have of business involve
ment in the community and what examples they can give,
either at first- or at second-hand. Do they have any direct
experience themselves? Do they accept the premise quoted
above about the relationship between commercial advan
tage and social responsibility? Or is this a British phenom
enon emanating from the British charitable tradition which
is unlikcly to develop elsewhere? (Note that the Japanese
,
company Sony also includes a section on its role in the
comlllunity in its annual report.)
Method
Once the students have read the three cases (for homework),
encourage them to paraphrase and explain each case rather
than just read them aloud. If you feel that they need prac
tice in paraphrasing, give them input in the form of short
written texts in which they have to identify the key sentence
and then fil the rest of the information into two short
sentences.
Follow-up
I Technical note: the Fun Run case is an example of wha1
is now knowll as CRM - Cause Related Marketing.
2 In Britain, Business in the Community is an organiza
,
tion which seeks to promote an active sense of svcia
responsibility in business organizations. InformatiOl
about its activities can be obtained from Business in th'
Community, 44 Baker Street. London WI M DH, teJ
44 (0) 1 71 224 1 600, fax + 44 (0) 1 71 486 1700.
I
15 Capital investment
Introduction
This involves a discussion of various options on how to
spend a budget. The discussion is about establishing
priorities.
Lead-in
Ask students what factors are important when one fixes
priorities: what is the most important factor behind deci
sions taken by companies? Is the profit motive what matters
most? Is it the only thing that matters?
Method
1 Initially students should study their notes and choose
their preferred way to spend the available money.
2 Then student B can present all his/her suggestions and
then A responds with his/her presentation. A discussion
follows.
3 The idea is to reach compromises and therefore agree
ment on what recommendations to make. There is poten
tial for conflict, but a solution has to be reached.
Follow-up
Each pair can summarize what they have agreed. A writ
ten memo could note the decisions taken.
16 Career advice
Introduction
In this activity, the students are required to operate in
something of a limbo between simulation and role play in
that they will probably be obliged to imagine that they are
either rather older or rather younger than they in fact are.
Lead-in
Begin by asking:
1 what a career is
2 how the notion of career has changed over the last ten
or twenty years
3 what, in very general terms, the students' own expec
tations of a career are or have become.
Method
You can put the students - in particular the 'older' student
- in the mood by, first of all, talking about some of the
details of their partly hypothetical careers, i.e. get each of
them to provide a brief summary of their respective career
histories to date before they actually begin the activity. Ask
them to think about their respective careers and make
notes on them for reference during the activity.
Teachers' notes
Follow-up
1 The students can reverse roles.
2 They can discuss other possible areas of guidance which
could be added to the list.
3 They can discuss how they approached/might have
approached the other role differently.
4 They can feed back to the whole class and you can see
whether there are any common traits emerging from
the different discussions.
This activity could also represent a lead-in to Activity 12:
Business Philosophy.
1 7 Communicating styles
Introduction
This activity aims to sensitize students to the fact that
diferent styles of communication tend to cut across nation
ality (e. g. that there are formal and informal Germans,
Americans, Japanese, and so on) and therefore may be a
useful perspective for increasing awareness of the fact
that, for example, both formal and informal styles may be
equally acceptable and legitimate.
Lead-in
You could begin by asking people to provide adjectives
or key words to describe their own nationality and then
ask how valid each of these words or expressions is for
the x hundred thousand or million people who share this
label with them.
Method
This activity offers many opportunities for discussion and
for sensitization to the existence of different styles of
communication; so be prepared to allow lots of discussion
both between partners during the activity and during the
feedback session of the whole class afterwards.
Follow-up
Having gone through the questionnaire, students may
well suggest their own add
.
ional sets of parameters. You
might prompt suggestions by asking them to com
p
lete
the sentence: 'Some people are too . . .' (in their commu
nication) and get someone also to give the opposite of
each term suggested.
2 The notion of no ' one right way' mentioned in the
students' intoduction to the activity has been extensively
developed by Fons Trompenaar in his book Riding the
Waves of Culture. Trainers wishing to go further into
the whole area of inter-cultural communication in busi
ness will fnd this title of value.
3 The York Associates' video Communicating Styles
signifcantly develops the ideas contained in this activity.
7
Teachers' notes
-
`
C
o
m
p
etence development
IntoduC
tion
Many
m
h

1
anagers currently see competence as a not too
e
h
av
t
l Y
bureaucratic way of, on the one hand, measuring
w a
people

h
th
h
In t
e organization can actually do; and, on
t
e
d
ot
T
e
r,
meas
U
ring what their jobs ideally require them
o 0
h
d
U
t
.
e
Illerence between the two sets is the compe-
ence
gap.
Lead-
in
Ask the
stud
t
.
ents to tn of a job they know and then, with-
?
U
t
s
d
a
Yl
ng
What the job is, to list the competences (see the
m ro
uctio
.
b h I
n to the activity for a definition) needed by the

d
0
f
d

r.
T he
others can first of all try and guess what
t
n
d
0
J
ob
it is. Alternatively you could provide each
h
s
.
u ent
h
With a job title on a card in order to get a good
Ierarc
ical
talk
h

.
Spread of jobs. Students might also want to
,t
IS tune
without identifying the job holder, about the
cO
d
m
t
P
h
et

nce gap they perceive, if any

, between the job
an
e
J
ob
hOlder.
Method
You m
ay
w' h
b
IS to sketch out some possible training costs
e
l
ore
e
mbark
.
st d
Ing on the activity itself, so that when the
b
u ents
co
me to negotiate the budget, their discussions
ear so
me
re
I r
. . . .
f I
d'
a
Ion to realIstIc trammg costs. The poten-
I
t
a ISa
gree
ment to be resolved is between the immedi
a e sup
.
.
e
n
Or
Who is impatient to have the new recruit

th
P
er
t
a
h?
nal
as
SOon as possible, and who has to pay for
e ra
Ining
.
'
and the HR manager who wants the new
t
re

ru
l
d
t p
rop
erly inducted into the company and properly
rame A
p
.
with th
P
O
X
l
Iate training costs (per week) together
b
.
P
O
SSIble
number of weeks' training required could
t
e
d
as In
the
table below, although, with more experienced
s u ents
'
t
h
th
.
,
I s
ould be interesting for them to come up with
elr oW
n p rogra
m
me and figures:
#
Folow-up
Having done this activity, the students could retur to the
real cases they were presenting before and present differ
ent cases one by one with the group as a whole obtaining
further information through questioning and then making
collective recommendations for the taining or develop
ment of the incumbent.
19 Competitive tendering
Introduction
This activity is a basic information transfer exercise that
is an effective vehicle for practising telephoning. If you
and your class decide that it is a telephone call, use inter
nal lines, if possible. If not, have students sit back-to
back so they cannot see each other. They should go through
the normal stages of a telephone call, introducing each
other, getting through, stating the reason for the call, etc.
Lead-in
Ensure that the context is understood and that the mean
ing of competitive tendering is clear.
Method
1 Give students time to fully understand their roles.
2 Set up the situation, either a phone call or a meeting.
3 A starts with some questions about the bid.
4 Once all the points have been dealt with, students should
summarize the items agreed, check that there is noth
ing more to be said now and then end the conversation.
This three part ending is important.
Folow-up
A fax or letter summarizing the conversation would be
useful.
Trai
g need
Internal I external Cost I week Weeks needed?
ProdU
ct

ran
ge knowledge Internal $750 0.5
8
ProdU
ct k
nOW
ledge Internal $1 250 2
C
o
m
p
a
ny k
nOw
ledge Internal $0* 1
C
ustO
l1
er focus Interal $750 0. 5
En
glis
h
External $3000 3
Inte
rcult
___
ural communication External $4000
otal
o . .

laxlmum training programme $16,250 8 weeks
:
All
e
l ploy
ees go through a basic induction programme varying between one and five days in length. The HR
epartl
ent Would presumably like the new recruit's programme to be longer rather than shorter.
20 Conference organization
Introduction
This is a fairly straightforward example of information
transfer but with an element of fantasy for the imagina
tive student: you want to encourage them to go for a really
successful and memorable conference.
Lead-in
The conference subject has deliberately been left unspec
ifed so that the students can decide on this themselves
before they start.
Method
Although some of the information has been supplied, each
student will ask the other questions which he/she will not
have anticipated so it is important for them to be ready to
improvise. You might want to present the situation in
general terms before actually looking at the description
of the activity itself in order to brainstorm the kinds of
question which might be asked in these circumstances.
This might elicit questions such as:
(for student As )
What experience have you had of organizing this kind
of conference?
What can I get for a budget of $10,000 per participant?
What can you do to make this conference a success/
memorable/different?
(for student Bs )
What is the aim of the conference?
Who will the top speakers be?
What kinds of conference room will you need? (Size?
Audio-visual equipment?)
How many participants will there be?
Will they be accompanied by their spouses/partners?
How long will the conference last?
What kind of budget are you working to?
You can leave these questions on the board while the
students read the description and then begin to prepare the
activity.
Follow-up
Once a preliminary idea of what is possible has been
developed on the phone, and the pairs have reported back,
each pair could be asked to cost a more detailed proposal
with more feedback on each one. There should be a lot of
discussion about what can be done for the money avail
able. Note in each case also, the size of the consultant's
fee!
Teachers' notes
21 Consumer movement
Introduction
This activity depends on an informal context to work most
efectively. As with other informal and social contexts, the
topic is there as the core of the activity but if the discus
sion wanders away into other areas and back again, so much
the better. If possible, provide props to help create the
informal atmosphere of a hotel lobby.
Lead-in
Ask students to brainstorm the relationship between
consumers and companies. Who is more powerful? Try to
build a mini-debate on how both consumers and compa
nies have power.
Method
1 From the lead-in above, try to divide the class into
those who basically think consumers do have power
(As) and those who basically think companies rule
everything (Bs). If the class do not divide reasonably
neatly, some students will need to role play an opinion
different from their own.
2 As begin by putting the case for consumer power.
3 Bs respond with counter-arguments.
4 The second part looks at how this power is manifested
- what media are available to consumers or what means
there are for companies to exert power over the consumers.
5 An alternative is to keep students in larger groups and
retain the debate format.
Follow-up
A brief piece of writing summarizing the respective strengths
and weaknesses of consumers and companies would be an
effective way to conclude the activity. This can be done in
pairs, groups or individually as a homework task.
22 Consumer survey

Introduction
This activity is a discussion in pairs leading to designing
a consumer survey on leisure interests. It can lead to actu
ally carrying out the survey.
Lead-in
Ask if students have ever been surveyed by market
researchers. Briefly discuss the question of survey design
so that students understand that surveys are normally very
restricted in the kind of questions they ask: yes/no answers,
mUltiple choice, etc. This is mainly so the results can be
collated easily. Results from surveys where answers require
a lot of writing are difficult to analyse (although such
9
Teachers' notes
qualitative surveys do have their value). For this exer
cise, students should use questions where the answers are
resticted, as in the examples given.
Method
1 Students work in pairs, frst of all deciding the ten core
leisure activities they want to include in the survey.
2 Then they design the questionnaire. This may take some
time and need some guidance fom you. Essentially, tell
students to keep it simple and limited to fequency, cost
and who with, for the ten activities the students agree
on, together with other questions on preferred holiday
choices and where the respondents live. If the stdents
want to add any other questions, they can do so, but may
need guidance from you.
3 They can put scales next to each leisure activity based
on how often the respondents have taken part in them,
how much they spend, who they do this with, etc.
4 When the questionnaires are ready, they should test
them, then modify them.
5 Finally they can make copies and run the survey on a
number of people.
Folow-up
C
ompile the results from the survey, analyse them and
present the results of the research.
23 Contract dispute
Introduction
This role play is a telephone call involving a negotiation
to settle a dispute over a contract. Alternatively, use a
telephone call at the beginning merely to arrange a meet
ing, stating the problem. As with other telephone activi
ties, use internal lines, if possible. If not, have students
sit back-to-back so they cannot see each other. They should
go through the normal stages of a telephone call, intro
ducing each other, getting through, stating the reason for
the call, etc. The actual negotiation could be a face-to-face
meeting.
Lead-in
Briefly ask what:
1 a distribution agreement is
2 a distribution agreement typically includes
(It refers to the supplier and an agent, who will sell goods
in a particular region under certain conditions. It prob
ably also speaks about prices and terms and support
services.)
Method
1 Give students two or three minutes to study their role
information. Remind them that it is not necessary for
1 0
them to understand every word in the contract, only the
general idea.
2 A telephones B and states the problem.
3 A should explain all the reasons why he/she is unhappy.
4 B should try to calm the situation and move to a better
fture.
Folow-up
Both parties can write a letter summarizing the result of
their discussion.
24 Corporate culture
Introduction
Another activity designed to be fun, but also to focus
students' attention on the relationship between organiza
tional culture and success, and to encourage them to think
about what to change, how much to change and how to
achieve it.
Lead-in
Ask the students to reflect on their working or study
environments:
1 If there were one thing they could change definitively,
what would it be?
2 If there were one thing they would do to make the orga-
nization more efective, what would it be?
Encourage them to think laterally, even outrageously, in
order to get them in the mood for the activity and get
everyone to respond to the ideas which are brainstormed.
Method
1 Students should first of all agree about what kind of
company - activity, turover, number of employees and
location - before they start on the activity.
2 They should be encouraged to add their own ideas
during the activity. In principle, the activity provides
for a dialogue between two sets of pre-prepared and
opposing views, but it is no cause for alarm if this
breaks down: the important thing is to get students talk
ing and thinking about what it is which will get people
to work together more productively and more success
fully.
Folow-up
1 Although the ideas in the activity collectively represent
a bizar e assortment of management practces, all of them
have been tried, and proven, individually, in one
company or another across the world: there is a link
between the seeming normality or abnormality of a
particular idea and the geographical proximity to
students' own culture of the originator of any given
idea.
8
2 A number of the concepts relating to building trust
within the workforce like, for example, employees
determining their own hours, relate to the culture of the
Brazilian engineering company, Semco, under its owner,
Ricardo Semler, which attracted a good deal of atten
tion in the business media in the mid-nineties.
3 One obvious focus for discussion is:
how easy it is to achieve change in an organization
whether some organizations are easier to change than
others
whether too much change can be counter-productive.
Many students will want to cite examples of organiza
tons forced into excessive and traumatic change while there
may also be others who will want to defend a general
climate of change.
Zb Creative thinking
Introduction
This is a brainstorm type discussion activity leading to an
option of an informal presentation of a new product idea,
in this case a magazine.
Lead-in
Ask students what magazines they read and what maga
zines they know about. Ask if they read any specialist
magazines for professional or hobby interest groups.
Method
1 Students work in pairs or in small groups.
2 They should brainstorm the type of magazine they want
to create; then go through all the various points on the
checklist.
3 Once they have the basic information, they can begin
preparing the best way to present it. Depending on how
much time you want to spend on this, it can be a fairly
short activity (but full of creative energy and enthusi
asm) or it can be quite a polished presentation.
4 Refer to notes on making presentations at the back of
the book.
5 Pairs or groups present their ideas.
6 You can award a prize to the most inspired concept.
Folow-up
1 Have students wri te some sampl e arti cles for the
magazine.
2 Actually create a class magazine based on the ideas put
forward from the group. Have everyone make at least
some kind of contribution. Offer special prizes for the
best and most entertaining contributions.
Teachers' notes
26 Ethical marketing
Introduction
This topic looks specifically at marketing methods rather
than at wider issues in business (see Activity 10: Business
Ethics). It includes a range of controversial issues.
Lead-in
Ask students if they think that 'anything goes' in business,
or that companies have a responsibility to give a good
example. In some cases, of course, the state already inter
venes and makes some things illegal.
Method
1 Students can work in pairs and note any specific
disagreements between them, especially where the order
ing 1 -1 5 is involved, which may be very diffcult to agree
on.
2 Here are some alternative approaches:
a) Students can consider the pints individually, decide
individually on a ranking from 1 to 1 5, then compare
their answers.
b) Have As and Bs interview each other.
c) After some moments marking the page individually,
open up a class discussion.
3 In some cases, some changes or conditions may be
added to the statements. Elicit any suggestions.
Folow-up
Have a full scale debate on marketing ethics based on the
proposition that Marketing is usually ethical or Marketing
rarely shows high ethical standards.
Z7 Executive recruitment
Introduction
This is a simple di scussion about the qualities needed in
a senior executive.
Lead-in
Ask students what skills they think are most important in
top managers. Brainstorm their answers and write them
on the board.
Method
1 Students work in pairs and order the qualities listed: from
most important to least important.
2 If they strongly di sagree on anything, they should note
the disagreement.
3 Finally, they should discuss what perks will help to
attract the best possibl e candidate for the job.
4 Pai rs give feedback to the group on their conclusions.
1 1
Teachers' notes
Follow-up
Look at real recruitment notices in business magazines and
newspapers. Identify any examples of qualities required
in applicants and any examples of perks that go with the
job.
28 Form fil l i ng
Introduction
Giving and taking down basic information is a prosaic
but essential skill for anyone communicating interation
ally, from the hotel guest to the transnational job appli
cant. This activity gives opportunities for practice in
spelling, number work, listening, cross-cultural explana
tions (in the case of mixed nationality pairs trying to
explain, for example, exam qualifcations to each other)
and so on. You may wish to use the activity as follow-up
to practice in one or more of these areas.
Lead-in
The purpose of the form has deliberately been left unspec
ifed so that the students themselves can choose whether
it is the first part of, e.g. a job application form, an insur
ance policy application, or other document. Once they
have decided, they can begin the role play appropriately.
Method
1 The activty will probably work better if you only issue
one sheet at a time (see Follow-up below) so that at least
one of the students does not see the form during the frst
run through. The weaker of the two should therefore ask
the questions frst.
,
2 Since the form is quite long, it may be advisable to set
a time limit (of twenty minutes each) on the activity to
discourage students from getting too bogged down in
the details of previous jobs or long-gone schooldays.
Follow-up
Each student (A and B) has the same information to allow
them each in tum to obtain information from the other,
making two separate activities.
1 2
r
29 Homeworklng
Introduction
There are quite big variations in acceptance of home
working from one country to another, and even from
one company to another, so this activity is a good way of
sounding out attitudes to what seems set to be a growing
long-term trend.
Lead-in
Establish that students understand the term and then ask
them:
I if they have direct experience of homeworking or if
they know anyone who has
2 how far homeworking is or would be culturally accept
able within the students
'
countries/professional areas/
sectors/companies.
This initial short discussion may also help you decide how
to allot roles.
Method
I Get the students to read through their own list of ideas
in the description and to prepare to present them.
2 Tell them to try and anticipate what the other students _
are going to say. Among the lists of arguments and
counter-arguments there are some which clearly mirror
each other, but since the order of points is not the same,
the students will need a certain agility in order to have
the right counter-argument ready at the right time. Hence
the importance of preparation.
3 Tell the students that once the discussion has actually
begun, they can put forard their own points in any order
they like but they should use all the arguments even
tually, including their own.
4 At the end of the discussion, you could ask pairs to actu
ally trace the order in which the points were raised and
to see whether any pairing of arguments was achieved,
e.g. between At and B7 (or B6), A2 and B4, A3 and
B2, A4 and B6, A5 and B3, AS and B5 . . .
Follow-up
Discuss the longer-term implications of homeworking.
For example, if people no longer need to travel in such
large numbers to a place of work, what implications thh
will have on:
I the shape of cities
2 family life
3 transport and communications.
This can lead to a more general discussion on the futun
of jobs as we currently know them, a theme which ties it
with ideas which could arise in Activity 1 6:
C
areer Advice
30 Industrial espionage
Introduction
This role play i nvolves two presentations and a fairly
conflictive and hostile negotiation. It is unlikely to result
in a friendly agreement.
Lead-in
Ask students:
I what industrial espionage is
2 if they know of any famous cases
3 if headhunting causes problems in this respect.
Method
I Students will need three to four minutes to prepare.
2 A gives a presentation, outlining hislher complaints.
3 B responds, perhaps after a short adjourment to prepare.
4 Some discussi on fol l ows i n an effort to reach a
settlement.
5 If no settlement is reached, they should say what the
next step will be.
Folow-up
Students can exchange formal letters summarizing the
meeting and outlining the next action to take.
31 International marketing
Introduction
This activity is a general discussion within a social context.
The social element will work better if you prepare a few
props, such as a tray and a couple of glasses and a drink
or two for each pair. This drama element will greatly help
the role playing element and add to the desired informal
ity of the language practice.
Lead-in
I Stress the informal context and remind learners that
while the topic for the discussion is i:'ierational market
ing, the informal context makes it very likely that the
conversation may easily wander away from the central
theme and then retur to it. This is typical of informal
conversation.
2 Ask students what experience they have of i nterna
tional business. If they have direct or professional expe
rience, elicit some comments on the advantages and
disadvantages of doing business internationally.
3 Refer to other activities in the book with a socializing
dimension, e. g. Activity 9: Busi ness Anecdote and
Activity 57: Small Talk.
Teachers' notes
Method
1 Allow time to prepare, during which students read their
notes.
2 A 'practice run' may be useful, i n which students may
look at their notes. After a rehearsal, they should be less
dependent on their notes.
3 Students should allow the conversation to be as infor
mal and wide-ranging as possible. It is important that
they are not tied to their notes, nor the order in the
book, nor any particular viewpoint. Emphasize that the
discussion should be flexible and wide-ranging.
Folow-up
Elicit general comments from the entire group on advan
tages and disadvantages of international business. What
do your group see as the most important advantages? Have
they identified any that are not included in the book?
3Z Job satisfaction
Introduction
You can encourage people to talk about their current levels
of job satisfaction, but also about satisfaction with past
jobs, and so on, for example, the best job I ever had, my
ideal job, etc.
Lead-in
Are people generally happy in their work? If so, what
makes them happy? If n04 why not? Stronger students may
go more or less straight into the activity. With others, you
may wish first of all to invite the group to brainstorm
their ideas about factors contributing to job satisfaction
before you give them copies of the activity itself. Once
they have the copies, you may also wish to go through the
list of factors with them in order to ensure that all the mean
ings of all the factors are clearly understood.
Method
It may help students if they first of all organize the points
into broader headings, for example, fnancial and non-
.
financial considerations. They can probably suggest other
broad categories themselves.
Folow-up
1 As with any exercise in prioriti zing. you can follow
the first pair work stage with a pyramid exercise -
asking two pairs to agree on a common order, and so
on until the class has agreed on a collective order of
priority.
2 You can then reveal the results of a survey of British
employees as follows (the figures i n brackets are the
percentage of respondents who believed the factor to
be either extremely important or important) :
1 3
Teachers' notes
1 Interesting, challenging work (87%)
2 Open, two-way communication (80%)
3 Opportunities for growth and development (77%)
4 Realistic perormance management (67%)
5 Secure employment (61 %)
6 The right balance between work and private life
(55%)
7 Involvement in decision-making (55%)
8 Performance-based pay (5 1 %)
9 Fair pay (39%)
l O Non-monetary rewards and recognition (39%)
1 1 Portable pension ( 1 4%)
12 Other ideas (5%)
33 Just-in-time management
Introduction
This role play is a telephone call involving a negotiation
to settle a problem over a delivery. Both sides are keen to
reach a friendly solution.
Lead-in
Briefy ask what is meant by 'Just-in-time management'
and why it is generally seen as 'a good thing' .
Method
I Put next Monday' s date in Article 6. 01 in the contract.
2 Give students two or three minutes to study their role
information. Remind them that it is not necessary for
them to understand every word in the contract, only
the general idea.
3 B telephones A and states the problem.
4 Together they have to work out the best possible solu
tion.
Folow-up
Both parties can write a fax or letter summarizing what
they have agreed.
1 4
34 Management development
Introduction
This exercise gives free rein to students to devise a train
ing programme which, they must argue, really would be
efective.
Lead-in
Encourage students to talk, frst of all, about their own expe
riences of training and development program es in the past.
Which ones are the most memorable and why? What makes
a good training or development programme? And for
personnel professionals, what is the diference between
'training' and 'development' ?
Method
The methodology for selecting the three final options has
deliberately been left undefined. Although the employee
choosing the programme is regarded as mature, the HR
manager may still feel that the company should have a say
in the choices made and so may wish, for example, to
systematize the choice by measuring the gap (see also
Activity 1 8: Competence Development) between what the
employee can do now and what he/she might need to be
able to do in the future.
Folow-up
1 You will thus be able to compare the methodologies
of the different HR managers during the feedback
session after the activity has been completed. You may
wish to have As and Bs reverse roles before
t
his.
2 Finally, ask students how the programme they have
devised can be evaluated for cost effectiveness.
- '
35 Managing an investment porolio
Introduction
The topic is formal but the situation is not: this is an infor
mal discussion between two friends i n a restaurant.
Introduce a fe-.
J
props to help with the atmosphere. You
could play the role of waiter, switching ,rom table to table
with drinks and questions like ' Is everything all right with
your meal, sir/madam?'
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 what an investment portfolio may be like
2 what people invest in
Answer: i t may contain a spread of investments in vari
ous sectors, industries, companies, countries, etc.
3 what they hope to achieve from having an investmen-
portfolio
.
Answer: profit, fun, interest
4 what managing an investment porfolio means.
Answer: checking its progress, keeping track of the
financial news and the performance of one's invest
ments, buying and selling investents, instructing one's
broker, etc.
Method
I Allow some preparation time, partly to discuss the lead
in questions and partly so students can understand their
notes. They can keep them with them to make a few
notes during the discussion.
2 Try to establish the context and the informality. Remind
students that they can go ' off the subject' as much as
they like. The role play will work all the better if you
can play up the restaurant feature.
3 At the end each pair should summarize what they have
agreed.
4 As an option, make copies of the financial press avail
able for students to identify likely good investments.
Follow-up
Especially enterprising students might like to take a regu
lar look at the financial press to monitor companies'
performances.
36 Managing the future
Introduction
This examination of the future can be rapidly developed
from a business application to a much more general view
of the future shape of the world in general.
Lead-in
The sector has been left open for the students to choose:
they can either choose their own organization or one they
know well or invent one. Sectors like oil, telecoms and
computing are obvious candidates if they need prompting.
Method
If students need any encouragement, you can invite them
to think about the impact of technological, demographic.
cultural and environmental (e.g. climatic) change on the
future shape of business.
Follow-up
This exercise can be repeated with the roles reversed: the
student who took the role of the journalist in the first
round can now take the role of the future watcher and
answer questions about what shape the world - and the
company - will be in fifteen or twenty years from now.
This activity could be a particularly rich source of follow
up writing.
Teachers' notes
37 Market share
Introduction
This activity provides opportunities for presentation skills
as well as a negotiation. The two parties begin from quite
diferent perspectives so they need to compromise to reach
ageement. It is possible there will be no agreement i which
case a decision can be postponed. See Follow-up below.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 why market share is important
2 why companies pay a lot of attention to their market
share
3 what is often a risk for smaller companies in competi
tive markets (answer: being taken over).
4 what are the possible actions for small companies that
are being squeezed by larger ones (answers: to compete
on quality and price - though the latter is difficult
because they may not be abl to make economies of
scale; to seek partnerships; to concentrate on special
ist areas of expertise - (niche markets) to invest in
expansion - a risky option).
Method
1 Each student presents the information on their respec
tive sectors. The pie chart information can be repro
duced on an overhead transparency for more effective
presentation. (Photocopy the figures, enlarging them
and transfer them onto an acetate).
2 Student A starts by summarizing the present position
for the schools market and suggesting some action,
especially the merger of the two sectors.
3 B should present the information on the Sports Centre
sector and counter A's suggestion as diplomatically as
possible. They should try to persuade each other and
in the end work towards a negotiated agreement.
4 Option: have two pairs work together, so creating teams
of As and Bs.
5 The negotiation should conclude with a clear summary
of what h

s been agreed.
Follow-up
1 If you carry out this activity in pairs and in some cases
no agreement is reached, add other individuals to the
pairs where there has been no agreement to contribute
more to the discussion and to push the group towards
agreement.
2 Write a letter summarizing the action agreed.
1 5
Teachers' notes
38 Micro-lending
Introduction
This is another activity (like, for example, the Business
in the Community and Business and the Environment
activities) which i s designed to help teachers of Business
English who are i nterested in using materials relating to
global issues of poverty, environment and so on in their
work (see Follow-up below). Micro-lending is currently
a fast-growing and successfl development in development
economics and the information in this activity is based on
actual success stories in Indonesia and Bolivia. It should
be of particular interest to students in banking; students
from developing countries; students with an interest in
development; and pre-service business students of all
kinds.
Lead-in
Ask students if they understand the term Micro-lending
or if they can guess what it might mean. Once they have
established that it relates to small-scale lending in the
developing world, ask them to reflect on how such a system
might work and what its advantages might be.
Method
Student Bs will need time to take in the information
presented to them. They should study the information
available and be encouraged to add to it in order to increase
the credibility of the situation. The role of student As will
be to obtain as much information as possible before decid
ing whether to advance the money or not.
Folow-up
I There should be class feedback on who decided what
and why. Ask how many As were convinced by Bs' argu
ments and then develop a more general discussion about
the feasibility of this approach.
2 If you are interested in getting more information about
micro-lending, contact the Consultative Group to Assist
the Poorest at CGAP Secretariat, The World Bank, 1 8 1 8
H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, tel: 202 473 9594,
fax: 202 522 3744, e-mail : cproject@worldbank.org.
3 Teachers of Business English interested in Global Issues
should join the Global Issues Special Interest Group
(GISIG) of the International Association of Teachers of
English as a Foreign Language. Contact GISIGJ IATEFL
at 3 Kingsdown Chambers, Kingsdown Park, Whitstable,
Kent, England CT5 20J, tel : + 44 (0) 1 227 276528, fax:
+44 (0) 1 227 27441 5.
1 6
39 Negotiating a deal
Introduction
This is a role play involving a buyer and a seller. Both want
the best deal possible, both will have to be flexible.
Lead-in
Ask pairs of students to work out a defnition of 'negoti
ation' . Elicit suggestions, highlight key words that occur
in diferent suggestions. Then perhaps offer a synthesis:
a negotiation is ' a communication process involving two
or more parties in which agreement is reached through
compromise' . The key elements are agreement and compro
mise.
Ask students what makes negotiations successful and
what causes them to break down. Negotiations typically
break down because the parties involved are unable to
compromise sufficiently - often for very good reasons.
Method
1 Student B should present the list of options available,
with some indication of the likely costs. There should
defnitely be flexibility in what B offers and he/she
should lead a discussion, where various ideas are put
forward and students have to support or criticize them,
depending on their notes and/or opinion. Either A can
present all hisler ideas and then B responds, or (better)
A presents one idea to which B responds until all items
have been discussed.
2 The idea is to reach compromises and therefore agree
ment on what recommendations to make. There is poten
tial for conflict, but a solution has to be reached.
3 This activity is a good example of one that could be
handled by a team of two or three negotiators on each
side. You could have students work in groups of four
or six. In this way, teams can work out a more detailed
strategy and call adjournments where appropriate to
re-focus their negotiating strategy.
4 The negotiation should conclude with a clear summary
of what has been agreed.
,.
5 It is conceivable that no agreement is reached.
Folow-up
1 Different negotiations will produce different results so
these can be compared between pairs or groups.
2 Set up another negotiation in which students work out
the context and parameters of a new role play. The
students should initially determine the basic subject
and aim of the negotiation and some key facts. Once
they divide into pairs or teams they can add specific
details which will only come out in the actual negoti
ation. Once the preparation is complete, the negotiation
can take place.

40 Nerd management
Intoduction
This is based on the true life case of a company's concer
about a group of employees working too hard. If neces
sary, explain that the case in fact derives from Scandinavia
where there are constaints on the number of hours employ
ees work, and where proposals for additional hours have
to be negotiated with trades unions. This is also broadly
true throughout the European Union. The authors would
be most interested to hear from Business English trainers
about other bizarre true life anecdotes.
Lead-in
Ask students if:
1 they are clear what a nerd is and if they recognize the
type
2 if they know any nerds
3 if their organization employs any
4 if they are a problem.
Method
Make it clear to students that the emphasis here is on
discussion. However, to give structure to the activity:
1 Get the students to read through the briefng for the activ
ity.
2 Tell them to agree on an agenda before they begin to
start the discussion. This could be:
Definition of the problem
Possible solutions
Decisions
Plan of action
Summary of meeting
3 The brainstorming part of the meeting (item 2) could
be managed by prioritizing the different ideas, perhaps
using a whiteboard.
Follow-up
Ask students if the case reminds them of anything simi
lar in their experience. Ask them if they have any expe
rience of other groups of employees who collectively
'enjoy' poor communication with the rest of the company.
What action was/could be taken in these other cases?
Teachers' notes
41 New product
Introduction
This is a light-hearted discussion activity leading to an
option of an informal presentation of a new product idea.
With group classes, it can be treated as a major project
leading to an Innovations Show (see below).
Lead-in
Ask students to let their imaginations run free: what new
product would revolutionize their lives? A virtual reality
car? A completely automated kitchen? A virtual reality
family? A robot to decorate the house while you are on
holiday? A television that follows you around? It may not
be necessary to offer such prompts but it may at least set
the not-too-serious tone.
Metlzod
I Students work in pairs or in small groups.
2 They should brainstorm on the type of product they
want to create, then go through all the various points
on the checklist.
3 Once they have the basic information, they can begin
preparing the best way to present it. Depending on how
much time you want to spend on this, it can be a fairly
superficial job (but full of creative energy and enthu
siasm) or it can be quite a polished presentation.
4 Pairs or groups present thei r ideas as a kind of
Innovations Show, with points awarded for the various
ideas.
5 Award a prize to the most inspired concept.
Follow-up
Have students write 'product reviews' .

1 7
Teachers' notes
42 POrormnCO ppr|S|
Introduction
Some form of appraisal is more and more common for
employees in business organizations, and appraisals involve
increasing numbers of line managers. Therefore in inter
national organizations, it is increasingly likely that any
manager with responsibility for other people will be
involved in appraisal processes which are carried out in
English.
The activity requires tact and diplomacy on the part of
the As, even if the Bs are role-playing rather than giving
a genuine self-assessment of themselves. Some briefing
and preparation is therefore desirable; as is role reversal
so that both students get the chance to play both roles
eventually.
Lead-ill
Ask students:
1 about their experiences of appraisal, as appraisee and/or
as appraiser
2 what type of appraisal system they favour.
Method
Explain that the student Bs are going to make real
assessments of their own performance (as employees,
students in higher/further education or whatever) or, if
(hey prefer, to role play a persona of their own inven
tion for the purposes of the activity. The role of the As
will therefore be essentially to facilitate, i.c. to struc
ture and guide the interview, to record the information
given, and to ensure through diplomatic questioning
and probing, that the self-assessment is an accurate and
realistic one. If Bs prefer to play a role, suggest or
brainstorm some possibilities, e.g. a sales manager in
a car company, a product manager in a pharmaceuticals
company . . .
2 Point out that the areas listed on the appraisal form are
deliberately ambiguous: what is revealing is the way each
appraisee interprets the meaning of each category.
3 Get student As to stan with the normal courtesies to be
expected at the beginning of any meeting, before lead
ing into the main business of the meeting, the proce
dures for which they should present and explain.
4 Since this is a one-way activity, you should allow time
for it to be repeated with the roles reversed.
FollOW-lip
Students can now:
develop their own critiques of appraisal systcms in
more detail
2 debate whether or not performance assessment related
pay should be part of the appraisal proccss
1 8
3 debate the merits of upward appraisal, where subordi
nates assess the performance of hierarchical superiors,
often through the use of anonymous questionnaires
4 debate the merits of 360 degree appraisal where the
appraisee is appraised collectively by superiors, subor
dinates and colleagues.
43 POrSon| prOSOntt|on
Introduction
This activity is an 0PPOItunity to prepare and present a 5-1 0
minute presentation. Students work i n pairs and provide
each other with a critical audience of one.
Lead-ill
Ask students what are the qualities of good presentations.
Have them recap on what they should think about in terms
of preparation, especially content, audience, visuals, struc
ture, good introduction, clear middle, strong end, and
effective handling of questions at the end. Refer to notes
on making presentations at the end of this book.
Method
1 Students spend a minute or so deciding which option
to take, then five minutes preparing. If elaborate visu
als are needed, a little more preparation lime could be
allowed.
2 As and Bs work together. It is important that the presen
ters stand lip to present.
3 The listener should offer constructive feedback on the
strengths and weaknesses of the presentation based on
the points identified earlier which mark good technique.
Students should tell each other whether they get the
job or not.
FollOW-lip
I Repeat the exercise to get a more polished performance.
Each student can perform their presentation for the
elllire group.
2 Alteratively, choose one of the other options.
V
3 These could be videoed for self evaluation, further feed
back and constructive criticism.

!
\i
t
'

'
44 Personnel management
Introduction
This exercise certainly ought to be of interest to person
nel managers themselves, who, as the defnition in the
activity suggests, often feel insecure about their role and
tend to agonize about what it is. However, the majority of
other employees will also have views - often strongly
held - about the role of the personnel people, and this
activity can be an opportunity for them to give vent to them.
Lead-in
Ask students what the personnel people in their organi
zation do, and what they think they should do. If neces
sary, ask them to think about previous generations of
personnel managers from their experience as well. Put the
results on the board. If there is a wide range of functions
and types, try, with the students' help, to categorize them
in some way.
Method
The pairs can incorporate the results of the initial discus
sion into the activity itself.
Encourage students to elaborate and enlarge on the roles
played by each type of personnel manager.
Folow-up
Concentrate, in particular, on the ways each pair has elab
orated on the roles played by each type, and even more
so on the other models proposed by the students themselves.
45 Planning a meeting
Introduction
This involves a discussion of various preliminary sugges
tions concerning a meeting to discuss company strategy.
Lead-in
Ask students about who takes decisions in companies: the
top manager alone, the top manager and one or two others,
INCOME
make large proft
offer special payment
terms to help cashfow
cover costs
SALES
build up sales
keep market share
move prices up and
down depending on
economic conditions
Teachers' notes
a board or a wider number of people down to workers and
part-time staff. Who is involved in planning decisions?
Method
1 A staightforward discussion, including description of
the graph and comment on what i t means for the
company. The idea is that the discussion leads to agree
ment on what type of meeting is required and what the
next steps should be.
2 There is some potential for conflict as A may be more
conservative, seeing less cause for alarm. B is more
ambitious perhaps and is more concerned about the
future for Pryam.
3 An option is to bring pairs together and make this a
discussion involving four people.
Folow-up
Each pair can summarize what they have decided to do.
A written memo could summarize the action required.
46 Pricing strategy
Introduction
The activity is a discussion, with an element of informa
tion exchange in the second part, where A and B have
different situations as prompts.
Lead-in
Ask students to suggest what managers have to think about
when setting prices. Elicit suggestions and write them on
the board.
Method
1 Students match the pricing factors under the four head
ings.
2 Then the students raise each of their given problems as
a discussion point. Together, they try to match each
one to the pricing factor(s) which are most relevant to
the particular situation and suggest possible solutions.
See Key below.
COMPETITION ETHICS
price at or near competition keep people in jobs
price below competitors avoid excessive profts
keep prices lower than
they could be
19
Teacher' notes
A's situations:
new lUxury product for an exclusive market - income
driven pricing: make a large proft;
too many competitors in a weak market - look at the
competition: price at or near competitors. But may also
be a time to look at sales: hold onto market share;
immediate fmancial problems for the company - income
factors will direct pricing policy: ofer special payment
terms;
temporary slowdown in the national economy - ethics:
try to keep people in work, or look at sales and try to
keep market share;
monopoly or near monopoly situation - either look at
ethics and not make excessive profits, or choose an
income-driven strategy: try to make maximum proft.
B' s situations:
market leader negotiating major government contract
- suggests pricing based on competition: a lower price
will get the contract;
big increase in costs for materials, components, etc. -
pricing will have to look at income, or profitability.
The company must cover costs and make enough proft.
expanding market - sales driven pricing strategy: try
to build up market share;
improving company reputation for quality, reliability,
service and value - same as above;
the company has recently been privatized - aim to make
a large proft for the shareholders.
Folow-up
Look at the pricing strategies of well-known companies
and their most successful brands.
47 Privatization
Introduction
This is a very open-ended type of activity, which will
depend a great deal on the participants' interest in poli
tics and current affairs. For those with a thirst for politi
cal debate, however, it is an original way to develop
discussion in an area which can be useful to practise in
relation to business socializing.
Lead-in
It is important to accept that the various terms will mean
different things to different people, particularly people
from different countries with different political cultures,
and yet different i nterpretations can actually fuel the
discussion as students seek to clarify what they under
stood by them. With a weaker group you may wish to
check through the lists for meaning before the activity
stas, although this weakens the impact because the element
of surprise is lost; or you can leave the students to debate
20
between them what the terms mean and then seek collec
tive clarification afterwards.
Method
The emphasis i n this activity should be on quick refexes
so that students answer almost intuitively rather than
reflectively. This means that the activity itself may be
done very quickly indeed. Follow-up scoring, clarifcation,
defning of terms and discussion will take much longer.
Folow-up
You can tell students who scored 9 or 1 0 'yes' answers
that they might be happy living in a libertarian commu
nity with its own private army somewhere in California;
and students who scored 9 or 10 ' no' answers that Karl
Marx would have been proud of them (unless this kind of
remark is sensitive in the environment in which you work).
The others probably fall somewhere within the accepted
political spectrum of most industrialized or industrializ
ing nations. You can together discuss whether it is possible
to link certain scores to different positions ( 'left-wing' ,
'right of centre' , etc. ) on the political spectrum.
48 Product management
Introduction
This activity can be approached, at a basic level, as a
simple exercise in fantasy; or, on the other hand, as a case
study - or rather a case-building activity - in which students
can draw up quite detailed plans for the project's design,
marketing, financing, and so on.
Lead-in
You should therefore be clear in your own mind how
detailed an approach you would like your students to
adopt: this will clearly be determined in part by their inter
est and experience. You can then i ndicate the level of
detail you expect in the amount of time you allow for the
activity: this could be anything from 1 5 minutes to a week!
Method
Although this is a book of pairwork exercises, you could
also vary the formula for this activity. Instead of having
pairs work through the whole activity on their own, you
could, for example:
I Get pairs to design the hotel, perhaps brainstorming
beforehand all the features which will attract its poten
tial clientele.
2 Feed back the results into the whole group and then get
a consensus on the shape of the project as a whole.
3 Then nominate new pairs to work from this blueprint
to develop marketing, financial, personnel plans, etc.
and a project schedule. Since these cannot be developed
in isolation, you may fnd that pairs begin arranging ad
hoc meetings with others in order to find out what they
are planning.
4 Have the specialist pairs now report back once more to
the whole group with a series of mini-presentations.
5 Have the group then collectively deliver its verdict on
the product, and on the feasibility of the project as
jointly defined.
You can also say that there are efectively no budgetary
restictions on initial investment on the project in its devel
opment stage although they are expected to break even
within the time specifed.
Folow-up
Students can write up any aspect of the project into a
report; or present in writing or orally a critique of the
project as a whole.
49 Product presentation
Introduction
This activity is an opportunity for a team presentation. It
is based on a role play using information on a multi
media communications system. For the purposes of the
exercise, this is fine, but the Follow-up suggestions below
are important.
Lead-in
Ask students to brainstorm on what makes presentations
good, including content, audience, visuals, structure,
good introduction, clear middle, strong end, and effective
handling of questions at the end. Knowledge, interest,
competence, enthusiasm and a clear voice can be added
too. Refer again to notes on making presentations on page
1 69 at the end of this book.
Method
1 Students should begin by preparing good visuals, perhaps
by photocopying, enlarging and transfering to an acetate
the details from the book, or similar product informa
tion from a magazine, including pictures, etc. Effective
visuals will greatly enhance the presentation.
2 Practice should follow, before the actual performance.
3 In a large class, try to get students to run various presen
tations simultaneously, a pair in each corner. Logistics
and equipment availability will affect whether this is
possible. Ideally, where they work in groups of four, each
pair acts as presenters and as audience once only.
4 Avoid a string of repeated performances as it will be
too boring.
5 Elicit feedback on the quality of the presentations.
Teacher' notes
Folow-up
Treat the activity above as an initial practice. Get students
to prepare new lO-minute presentations based on subjects
of their own choosing. Give them time to prepare their
subjects, to get visuals ready and then to practise. The prin
ciple of team or pair presentatons is a good one in the tain
ing context.
50 Promotion
Introduction
This role play involves a discussion of various suggestions
to help promote the services of a banking and finance
company.
Lead-in
Ask students about why promotion is so important. Get
them to suggest ways that companies promote themselves.
Ask about diferent types of promotion for different types
of consumer.
Method
1 Direct student B to begin the conversation, welcoming
A and asking how the new job is going. A should present
some ideas and each suggestion should generate some
discussion.
2 B should be supportive and constructive. At the end they
should reach agreement on what steps to take next.
3 Another option is to repeat the exercise with students
changing roles, perhaps varying the suggestions or
responses. This way both students in the pair get to
play the two different status roles.
Folow-up
Each pair can summarize what they have decided to do.
A written memo could summarize the action required.
21
Teacher' notes
51 Quiz
Intoduction
A quiz is essentially a teaching tool, as it is unlikely that
many students will know more than a small proportion of
the answers. However, it can work as a pair work exer
cise because the students can give each other the right
answers.
Lead-in
Explain that the test is quite hard but it is wide-ranging
and everyone will know some of the answers. Students
should talk about the answers and refer to similar things
that they do know about, e. g. ' I don' t know the capital of
Colombia but the capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires' .
This way the quiz can lead t o a lot of discussion.
Method
1 Students work in pairs.
2 First, they can test themselves on their own questions
and check the answers.
3 Then A asks B the questions on his/her sheet and then
tells B the answers.
4 Then B asks A their questions and then tells A the
answers.
5 At all times they can discuss the answers and talk about
related thi ngs.
Key
A Answers: l . b. 2. b. 3. c. 4. a. 5. c. (Porsche) 6. Indonesia 7. Changi
8. Venezuel a 9. France, Germany, Italy, Bel gi um, Luxembourg,
Netherlands; Uni ted Ki ngdom, Denmark, Irel and; Greece; Spai n,
Portugal ; Austri a. Sweden, Fi nl and 1 0. a. Bogota b. Seoul c. Ri ga
d. Bratislava I I . a. Art Museum, Madri d b. Rui ned Inca city, Peru
c. World's second highest mountain, Pakistan d. Finance and banking
centre, London.
B Answers: l .b. 2. a. 3. b. 4. a. 5. c. 6. 370,000,000 7. Schipol 8. Hong
Kong 9. Association of South East Asian Nations, General Agreement
on Tari ffs and Trade, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries,
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 1 0. Quito;
Riyadh; Brasilia; Lagos I I . Cali fornia, Dubli n, Rome, Hong Kong.
Folow-up
Pair of students can work together to design their own
quiz to ask other students. Make them similar to the tests
in the book.
22
52 Recession
Introduction
This activity is based on a discussion which looks for
solutions to a problem of a sharp fall in business. There
is a potential for conflict as the two roles, A and B, begin
from very diferent perspectives.
Lead-in
Ask students what a recession is and what the conse
quences are. Ask them to brainstorm what a company can
do when it finds itself afected by a recession.
Method
1 Student B starts by summarizing the present position
and suggesting some action. A should counter as diplo
matically as possible. Students should try to persuade
each other and in the end work towards a negotiated
agreement.
2 Students can use the information they have to give
mini-presentations as lead-ins to discussion.
3 An option here is to have two pairs work together so
creating teams of A and B.
4 The negotiation should conclude with a clear summary
of what has been agreed.
Folow-up
Different negotiations will produce different results so
these can be compared between pairs or groups.
53 Relocation
Introduction
This is a meeting to discuss a relocation plan. There is
potential for some conflict as the initial positions are some
way apart.
Lead-in
Ask students why companies sometimes relocate. What
factors are important in relocation decisions?
Method
1 Students work in pairs. They should see themselves as
the protagonists in a debate on the relocation question.
2 This role play will also work as a discussion between
four, where two other participants adopt initially neutral
positions and then come to a decision following the
discussion.
3 Participants should spend two to three minutes reading
their photocopies and preparing their positions.
4 A should begin with a presentation of the main argu
ments in favour of the relocation.
5 B (and others) respond with questions, or B may ofer
a formal presentation in response.
6 Discussion fol lows, then a decision.
7 If possible, end the meeting with a formal statement on
the decision agreed.
Folow-up
1 Students ca jointly write a report outlining the argu
ments raised during the meeting and summarizing the
agreement reached.
2 Alteratively, one party may prefer to write his/her
resignation letter.
54 Reward
Introduction
This activity is about:
1 reward
2 benefits - financial and non-fnancial
3 motivation - what makes people want to work.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 why they work (or for pre-service students, why they
want to work)
2 what makes other people work
3 how you motivate people to work: which conditions
motivate and which demotivate them.
Method
Some of the suggestions of A and B respectively are quite
closely related e.g. Christmas bonuses (B) and profit shar
ing (A), so that students will be encouraged to go into some
detail in order to defne terms, distinguish between the two,
and debate the merits of each. Proceed as follows:
1 Get the students to read through the briefng for the activ
ity.
2 Tell them to agree on an agenda before they begin the
brainstorming. This could be:
defnition of the problem
possible solutions. This stage could take the form of
a presentation by each student followed by discussion
decisions
plan of action
summary of meeting.
3 The brainstorming part of the meeting (item 2) could
be managed by prioritizing the different ideas, perhaps
using a whiteboard.
Folow-up
1 Note that all the ideas listed in the activity are offered
by one company or another in Britain today.
2 If no-one has already made the point, you can suggest
at the end that another approach is to reward people only
Teachers' notes
with money and scrap completely all other forms of
remuneration. This could fuel more general discussion
about how to motivate and reward people.
3 Point out also that reward alone is not a recipe for
creating a motivated workforce. What are the other
factors afecting motivation? The other important factor
to consider is return on i nvestment. Although the
implication is that this proftable company can afford
to invest some more in employee remuneration, you
can also ask the group if there are any ways of link
i ng reward strategies of this kind to a measurable
return.
55 Safety at work
Introduction
This activity is a wide-ranging 'brainstorm type' discus
sion. However an alternative treatment is to run it as an
individual brainstorm and a presentation task.
Lead-in
Ask about safety at work in a historical sense. How has
safety at work improved over the years?
Method
There are alternatives available. Either:
1 A straightforward pair work or group brainstorm
followed by discussion. Or
2 Pairs work together on brainstorming. They put ideas
on overhead transparencies or on a fip chart. Then they
present them to other pairs in an informal presentation.
Group discussion follows.
Either way, there should be two stages: presentation of the
risks, then presentation of suggested solutions.
Folow-up
1 Elicit a group overview of the main ways that health
and safety issues have improved or can still improve
in society at large.
2 Get individuals to look closely at their own work or study
situation and to identify health and safety issues that
could be improved.
23
#
Teacher' notes
56 Shareholders' expectations
Introduction
This role play is an opportunity for pairs of students to
give contrasting presentations and to discuss the differ
ences in view expressed by each of them.
Lead-in
Briefly raise the question of what shareholders expect
from their companies. Ask what happens to the profits
that companies make. Essentially profit disappears in one
of four ways:
1 tax
2 dividends to shareholders
3 bonuses and pay rises to directors
4 reinvestment in the company.
Method
1 Give students two to three minutes to understand their
roles. They may also like to photocopy and enlarge the
pictures and transfer them onto acetates for more effec
tive presentation. .
2 B starts by giving a presentation from the sharehold
ers' perspective. This should be followed by some ques
tions or objections from A.
3 Then A presents a different presentation, again with
questions or comments from B.
Folow-up
1 Have a brief class discussion on what is the best approach
to distributing profit in large companies.
2 Refer again to the various likely avenues for those prof
its and elicit comments on each of them, in particular
what does 'reinvesting in the company' mean? It can
mean buying up competitors, opening up new sites,
moving into new markets, etc. The general rule seems
to be that no company can ' stand still' .
24
57 Small talk
Introduction
This is a simple discussion activity designed to practise
small talk, so important in business relationships and espe
cially when socializing in a business context.
Lead-in
1 The essential point is that small talk feeds on the avail
able context: what has happened, what is evident and
what has just been said. Introduce the topic by empha
sizing this point.
2 Hi ghl i ght the i nappropri ateness of the fol l owi ng
exchanges:
A: It's good to see you
again.
B: Yes.
A: I' m glad to come back.
B: Let' s get down to work.
Method
A: I went to see a flm last
night.
B: We can go to my offce.
A: It was an English flm.
B: Shall I get you a taxi to
go to the airport?
1 Allow a minute to reflect on what the task involves.
2 Students should work in pairs, or in groups, milling
around speaking to diferent people.
3 Students will need to begin talking about a topic with
a phrase like ' Have you heard about . . . ?' or 'Isn' t it
bad news about . . . ' or ' Good to hear about . . . ' etc.
4 Each new topic should be discussed for a maximum of
two minutes.
Folow-up
1 Draw up a list of diferent topics and repeat the exer
cise another day.
2 Ask students to forget all about lists but to think of
their own lives and what surrounds them and to prac
tise small talk leading from these contexts. This is the
best practice of all.
58 Social arrangements
Introduction
This is a telephone conversation involving information
exchange and making arangements. Use internal lines, if
possible. If not, have students sit back-to-back so they
cannot see each other. They should go through the normal
stages of a telephone call, introducing each other, getting
through, stating the reason for the call, etc.
Lead-in
Briefly elicit views on the types of social activities that
are useful in a business context. You may also refer to those
which might be less suitable.
Method
1 A telephones to find out about B's arrival and confirm
arrangements.
2 Then A has to fnd out what kind of social activities could
be attractive and to work out a social programme around
B's wishes.
3 Some students may like to run through the activity once
as a rehearsal, before giving a better, more fuent version.
In any case, preparation time is useful.
4 The conversation should end with various confirma
tions.
5 A variation would be to fix the meeting in a different
city that both people know well. They can work out a
social itinerary to suit that city.
Follow-up
1 Both A and B can write a fax or letter confirming the
arrangements.
2 Use listings from the local press to talk about real local
entertainment.
Teachers' notes
59 Socializing
Introduction
Although some students can socialize happily and success
fully in English, there are many who feel more vulnera
ble outside the business meeting room than inside it. This
activity provides semi-structured practice which is useful
for this category of student in particular.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 what makes a successful socializer
2 whether there is any relation between language ability
and ease or success in social situations where English
is required
3 what they would like to be able to do better in social
situations
4 what they can do to do better in social situations.
Method
I Get the students to read through the briefng sheet.
2 Tell them that the aim is to achieve as natural a conver
sation as possible and that they should introduce their
own key words as unobtrusively as possible. Being able
to steer a conversation in the direction you want it to
go is an important language skill as well as a social skill
because you can then move the talk to an area where
you feel more confident.
3 During your observation of the activity, pay particular
attention to the way students signal the close to one part
of the conversation and the opening to another. You
can also make this one of the points for comment during
your feedback. If you then repeat the activity later on
- for example with other subjects - you can make this
a point for students to pay attention to themselves.
4 At the end of the activity, feedback on the relative
success or failure of each student and an attempt at
analysis of what happened can be useful in showing
students how to do better next time.
Follow-up
You can use this exercise type to get students to practise
speaking about other topics of your choice and make it a
regular filler activity in your classroom, or even to repeat
the activity using the same subjects: hopefully the students
will feel that their performances second time round were
an improvement on their first efforts.
25
Teacher' notes
60 Tal ki ng politics 1
Introduction
This activity is obviously of direct benefit to partners from
different countries, but can be just as useful as practice
for people of the same nationality since they will be in a
position to judge and make comments on the accuracy
and appropriateness of what they are told.
Lead-in
Stronger students will be able to launch into this with
little preparation so that you can concentrate on the feed
back stage after completion of the exercise. However,
with lower level students, it will be beneficial to brain
storm and pre-teach vocabulary and expressions for most,
if not all, of the question areas. Encourage students to
anticipate the words they will need. On the other hand, do
not provide new and possibly diffcult and obscure vocab
ulary indiscriminately. Get students to refect on what
could be the really necessary words, and try to provide only
a limited (and therefore manageable) core vocabulary
under each heading.
Method
1 Give students time to think about and to prepare what
they are going to say.
2 When they are ready, ask them to fnd ways of signalling
and linking the different stages of the discussion together,
for example:
Student A (closing) : ' Well I think those are the most
important points to do with the political parties. Now
I' d like to ask you about elections in your country. How
often . . . 1'
Folow-up
1 General discussion of the politics of a particular coun
try or of one or more countries compared
2 Various kinds of writing task
3 Reading comprehension based on a newspaper text
about a rele'nt country
4 Dictation of a similar text followed b

questions/discus
sion
5 Question and answer sessions focusing on the country/ies
of each student i n turn
6 Exami nation of other constitutional questions not
covered in the activity.
26
61 Tal ki ng politics 2
Introduction
It could be particularly usefl to have cassette tape recorcers
available for this activity, to tape the discussions - see
Method below.
Lead-in
1 Role selection (of As and Bs) could require more atten
tion than usual, although' you may decide just to take
pot luck and allocate roles randomly.
2 Before they start, brainstorm suggestions for leading
into a political discussion: you might expect to elicit
phrases like 'Did you read about X in the paper the other
day, . . . 1'
Method
1 Think carefully about how much time to allow for the
discussion before you start (twenty minutes for a well
established group).
2 Students should begin with small talk and achieve a
smooth transition from this into the expression of seri
ous opinions.
3 The activity seems, to the students, to be a straightfor
ward political discussion, albeit one where the opinions
they express are not necessarily their own. However,
there is a sting in the tail since, at the end of the dfscus
sion, you will ask each of them to write down all: the
main arguments put forward by the other. In an abbre
viated re-run of the approach adopted in Activity 2:
Active Listening, each will verify how far the written
statements coincide with what he/she was actually trying
to say. If there is any mi smatch between what one
thought he/she was saying and what the other thought
he/she heard, it is probably worth going to some trou
ble to find out how and why it has come about: hence
the suggested use of the tape recorder.
Folow-up
See Follow-up to Talking Politics 1 .
62 Top businesses
Introduction
This activity focuses attention on the attributes of success
ful businesses.
Lead-in
As a warm-up with the whole group, you could ask some
brief introductory brainstorming questions along the lines
of 'What makes a successful company?' and then ' Which
company do you think has the best people policies' , 'Which
is the most innovative company you know?' , etc.
Method
1 Make sure that this does not degenerate into a simple
exercise in form filling by encouraging students to ask
for explanations and examples under each heading:
each student might ask one or two supplementary ques
tions under each heading, like:
Which company do you think has the best marketing?
And which aspect of marketing do you think they are
particularly strong in?
And what i mage do they think they are trying to
project in their advertising?
2 Stress that students are not obliged to name three compa
nies under every heading - they might only wish to
name one in several cases, but can name up to three,
particularly if they have several favourites under a
particular heading.
Folow-u
p
The kinds of responses which are given may afford quite
different model s of excellence and, if you are lucky, some
serious disagreement. If so, it will emerge during the group
feedback session afer each student has questioned the
other, and will in turn provide the opportunity for discus
sion of some fundamental questions about quality, strategy,
et al.
Teachers' notes
63 Training
Introduction
Training is your business. It is always interesting, there
fore, to hear what the clients for your services think about
the training function in general and about their previous
experiences of various kinds of training.
Lead-in
Ask students:
1 how important training is
2 how much their organizations are committed to train
ing
3 what makes training effective.
Method
No guidelines are given to the students themselves as to
how to structure their discussion and with the more orga
nized and aware, you can leave them to work out a proce
dure for themselves. If any students do have difficulties,
however, suggest that:
1 each start with a short presentation of main ideas before
2 they go into discussion and
3 attempt to reach agreement perhaps by prioritizing
ideas on a board or on paper.
Folow-up
Ask students about:
1 their conclusions, i n particular about their own sugges
tions
2 the training strategy of their companies
3 how training will change in the next ten, and twenty
years.
Note: for your information, corporate universities like
McDonalds (the Hamburger University) do exist and are
used for a wide range of training programmes for staff at
all levels.
27
Teachers' notes
64 Troubleshooting
Introduction
Thi s i s a very simple activity but one which can be
extremely effective with people from different compa
nies, from different parts of the same company or from
the same department; while business students can either
discuss work- or organization-related problems, or imag
i ne themselves in professional roles. The contributions
made by someone coming fresh to a business problem can
often be genuinely helpful, while it can also be therapeu
tic to have the opportunity to share a problem with some
one else. For those who are reluctant to talk too much
about their own work problems, there is always the possi
bility of inventing a problem or talking about someone
else's ! Students should ideally be given time to think of
a problem, for example, as homework.
Lead-in
Ask students what kinds of problem people typically meet
at work. See if it is possible to categorize them under
headings like delegation, time management, relations with
colleagues/superiors/suborainates, etc. Ask in a general way
about problems people have had in the past, perhaps giving
an example from your own past, before moving on to
setting up the activity itself.
Method
Explain that each student in turn should:
1 present the problem
2 answer any questions the partner may have to clarify
or to have more details
3 discuss the problem and invite suggestions
4 summarize the problem, the discussion and the main
suggestions or new ideas coming out of the discussion
5 thank the partner for hislher help.
You, meanwhile, should take notes on language, commu
nication and, if relevant, intercultural aspects of the
interaction while the activity is going on (see below).
r
Follow-up
Ask the students themselves how successful they consider
the meeting to have been, and how useful the activity was.
Then give feedback under one or more of the following
three headings:
1 Communication
How successfully did the students communicate?
Did communication break down at any point and, if
so, why?
Were clear decisions reached?
2 Inter-cultural (where applicable)
28
If communication failed or became confused at any
point, was it due to cultural misunderstandings?
(These can ofen be both diffcult to detect and easy to
misdiagnose, so take care, and omit i f you don' t feel
confdent about it)
3 Language
Give them l anguage feedback as appropriate. Many
students have high expectations about being corrected.
Point out the things which you thought they did well
as well as things which you think should be improved.
65 Utopia
Introduction
This is an (even more flippant than usual) activity to finish
the book with, but one to which creative students have the
opportunity to respond with verve and i magination and
possibly even some original political thinking.
Lead-in
Ask your students:
1 what they will think the worl will be like in a hundred
years' time
2 what a perfect world would be like
3 whether they think things are getting better or worse
4 what they would do if they had the chance to make the
world a much better place.
Method
Get the students to go through the usual preliminaries of
welcome and small talk, agreeing on an agenda and a time
for the duration of the meeting, etc. , before they go into
the main part of the activity.
Follow-up
Reporting back to the main group could be in the form of
short presentations with each partner taking responsibil
ity for half of the points on the list. You could do a grid
on the board which each pair could complete as it presented
in order to give a clear visual representation of the options
of all of the different pairs.
Student A
Materi al for
photocopyi ng
c HcKcH
(Introduci ng self and others; questioni ng; l i ki ng and
preferring)
P
breakers are shor activities to help people get to know each other at the beginning of a training
Irse.
roduce yourself. Say:
who you are
where you work and/or study
what you do/what your job is/what you study .
. d out the same from student B.
M ask student B about any of the following. Be SUe to ask at least two related follow-up
,stions on the same topic. This will help build up the conversation.
favourite means of transport
typical working day
preferred leisure activities
earliest business experience
worst business experience
best busi ness experience
favourite food
favourite ani mal .
she will ask you some questions too.
U START.
From BusirH!sS English Pair Work 2 ly SIeve Rindcrs and Simon Sweeney ( Penguin Books I998 F I C3CCCF lFLL 31
Z Vc L cN N ludODl A
(Sequenci ng; hesitating; expressing your amazement)
Active listening means listening - really listening - to the person you are talking with; and signalling
your support to that person by your expression (for example, smiling), by your body language (nodding
your head, eye contact . . .) and by what you say ('Yes', 'Uh-huh' . . .). Research shows that many
business people - men in particular - do not listen very much to what other people say.
You are going to discuss a controversial subject with student B. However, the rules of the activity
reqUlre you:
1 to take turns speaking and to wait until student B has fnished making a point
2 not to interrupt while student B is speaking
3 to summarize what student B has said before you make your own point.
The subject you are going to discuss is downsizing. You support the reduction of staff numbers in
companies and student B is against. You should make the following points during the discussion:
you must use each of these arguments in turn. You will need to add your own ideas and give your
own examples in support of the main argument each time:
1 Before downsizing, many companies employed many people who did not have
enough work to do
2 People in downsized companies work harder
3 Employees in downsized companies are closer to the customer and so give better
customer service
4 There are fewer layers of management in downsized companies, so communicatiOl
is better
5 Downsized companies are more effcient
6 Downsized companies are more proftable
7 Now add one or more arguments of your own.
STUDENT B WI LL START.
V
^Z From Ousincss English Pair Work 2by SlcW Flinders :l!1d Simon Sweeney Pinguin Books l998 FICTCCCF|Fb LL
VcH N NH ludODl A
(Bl ami ng; j udgi ng; questioning)
Advertising standards control what manufacturers can say about their products. The Adverising
Standards Authority in the UK checks advertising to make sure that it is honest, decent and legal.
Consumer protection agencies also work to protect consumers from false claims in advertising and
product promotion.
You work for a national television channel. You are making a programme on products which claim
to keep people looking young and healthy. Your special concern is skin care products. You have a
meeting with a manufacturer of Ju.uenene Gel. a skin care product which is supposed to stop skin
looking old.
You are interviewing the manufacturer of Ju.uenene Gel. You are concerned about the claims in the
following advertisement which has appeared i n doctors' clinics and in magazines:
keepsyourskin |ookingyoungondneo|tny
YOU:
Yecal.J tl/ZA!&
0 6ltdd-oJ Illuta ie.l/i//b
!T h,d Izal/a6.1!AI/b colll/
0OJ.I/b !I/1Ill/(
r011ta/l Vitclllll/b
.
/Jlf
.
J!/CI4
c ztoc/1/(ecaC 4
Clc/tted Olb aa//l10&
Ask your doctor or pharmacistJor ]uvenene Gel.
makes you look 20 years younger, Grandma'
think that there are a lot of exaggerated claims for Juvenene Gel
think that there is no evidence that it reduces wrinkles or stops ski n thi nni ng
have heard that some people developed white marks on thei r ski n with regular use of
Juvenene Gel
want to know what ' al l natural i ngredients' means
thi nk the manufacturer pays doctors to advertise the product
believe that the product has not been tested at al l , either on ani mal s or people
think that good skin is really about genetics and a good diet
think the product is basically useless - and expensive.
YOU START.
From Business Englih Pair Work ?hy StC\'C Flinders and Simon S\\CCIlC)' OI\:nl!uin Books 1998 F I 0 3tCIIl 7 FIP
4 c N cMLYMcN ludODl A
(Knowi ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; urging)
In many countries, the job market is not kind to older people. When older people lose their jobs, it is
ofen very dificult for them to find others. Ageism is discrimination against older people for no other
reason than that they are old.
You and student B have been holding recruitment interviews to fnd someone to fll a vacant posi
tion in your company. You have together shortlisted two candidates who, you agree, both have the
potential to do the job well. However, one candidate is thirty years older than the other and you
disagree about whether the older or the younger applicant should be appointed. You want to
recruit the younger candidate because young people:
are cheaper
don't expect a big pension
are less likely to talk back when given orders
have more energy
give the company a better (more youthful) image
are more flexible: they have not developed fixed habits
have better health
can be developed to fit into the company's culture more easily
bring new blood and new ideas into the company.
Persuade student B that you are right.
STUDENT B WILL START.
x
34 From us|ucsxEnglish P;lir Work 2 by Steve Flinders :nti Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P HOi 0 COP I A bLL
?
b
NNUL HcH tudODtA
(Sequenci ng; obl i gi ng; judgi ng)
A company's annual report provides shareholders with all the important details of the company's
financial performance for the year including the profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash fow
statement. Some annual reports give these details, a short report from the chairman and little else.
Others give a great deal of additional information about the company and its operations.
You and student B have the job of designing and producing your company's annual report. So frst
you must give your company an identity: fll in the details in the box below together.
Comp.my name: n + + & + & + + + n & + + + n + + + Annual turnover: & & & & & & + . & + & + .
Company location(s): + + & + & = + + + + Number of employees:
Main products | services: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Main markets:
You agree that the report should contain the Chairman's Report, the Financial Report and a
Report of Operations. You must now decide which six of the following features to include as well:
1 A company profle (its main activities, markets and places where it operates)
2 The company's history
3 Corporate ambitions (the future strategy and business objectives of the company)
4 The company's values (e.g. its mission statement)
5 Customers (service to customers, customer profles)
6 Employees (internal communication, training policy and spending, etc.)
7 The company in the community (donations to charities, charitable activities of employees)
8 The company and the environment
9 Profiles of the members of the Board of Directors
10 Report of the remuneration committee on directors' pay
11 The company's policy on diversity (equal opportunities for women and policy on recruitment of
members of ethnic minorities, etc.).
There is also space for photographs of two of the following:
- the Directors - products/services
- employees - customers
Discuss with student A which six items to include and which photographs.
STUDENT B WI LL START.
From Buincss English Pair Work 2 by StC\'C Flindcn; and Simon Sweene) Penguin !looks 1998 F I 0'0 C CF |FbLL 35
NK, LcN N N HHW N ludODlA
(Questi oni ng; measuring and calculati ng; forecasting)
Cash fow is movement of money into a company from sales (income) and movement out
(expenditure). Problems arise when there is not enough income to cover costs.
Telephone your bank manager at Credit Bank International to explain a short-term cash crisis
affecting your business. Ask for an increase in your overdraft to cover the next three months.
Here is some background information which you can give to your bank manager:
present overdraft with eBI : $1 0,000
work-in-progress: $50,000
short-term extra borrowing required: $5,000
expected income over next three months: $30,000
outgoings over next three months: $35,000
Cashfow forecast (dollars):
Month I Month 2 Month 3
opening balance income expenditure opening balance income expenditure opening balance income expenditure
5.000 5.000 1 5.000 -5.000 1 0.000 1 0.000 -5,000 1 5,000 1 0,000
closing balance -5,000 closing balance -5,000 closing balance 0
Other information:
YOU:
have a furher $5000 borrowed from another lender - but your bank does not know this
think the busi ness is goi ng well
have a lot of orders
do not want to borrow too much because of hi gh i nterest payments.
YOU START.
lnmBusjncs En.lish Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders mSimon Sweeney I l'cnguin Hook I99R P H 0 - 0 COP I A 6 L E
1
HN N N ludODlA
(Tel l i ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; urging)
Brand positioning is the set of characteristics which makes a product diferent from other prducts on
the market. Clear positioning helps to make a product attractive to a target group of consumers. With
clear positioning, a brand then establishes its identity. This determines what consumers think about a
product.
You work for a cosmetics manufacturer. You are part of a discussion group which must produce
recommendations to the Board on ways to establish a clear brand positioning for your hair care
products. A survey of consumer attitudes to your products produced the following results,
summarized in a memo:
PJLPPLNL^|PP\N
KC. Hair Care Products - Market survey
Icn}range - market perception is that it i s an old product for older people
Most Lcn}products associated wi th problems - not solutions, e.g. medical
treatment for di fficult hair, dandruff, greasy hair, dry hair, bad skin, etc.
1 Telephone a colleague. Tell him/her:
- about the report
- that he/she is one of the new discussion group set up to discuss it
- explain that you have to meet
- arrange a time to discuss the report
2 In the meeting, suggest the following action. Reach decisions on what to do.
YOU:
think the research shows that the positioning has been a complete failure
want a new marketing campai gn aimed at younger consumers
want to rename the product range (suggest a name if you can)
need endorsement from a famous youth role model from sport or television (suggest
possible names)
suggest a major television commercial as a product launch
insist on dropping the term medicated treatment from the packaging.
YOU START.
From Ilusiness English Pair Work ?by SIC\c Flinders :md Simon \\'ccl1cy Penguin Books |998 F I 0 C CCFI A 6 L E 37
Uc NcN
(Questi oni ng; negotiati ng; measuring and calculating)
Negotiating a budget is the process of reaching agreement on how much money should be spent on a
particular project or activity For example, a marketing manager may look for a certain level of financial
support to launch a new product.
You are responsible for a project to restore a historic monument. You need a large amount of
money from the Ministry of National Heritage. You have to present the Project Plan below, and
explain the costs, to a government offcial.
Phase I Phase I I Phase I I I Phase IV Phase V Phase VI
I ni tial Preparation of Work Deconstruction Repairs Reconstruction
studies workshop planning
Months
1 6 1 2 1 8 24 36
Present the budget plan:
Employment of five of the world's best experts in medieval reconstruction to
manage the work [Sx $SO,OOO per year) total $ZSO,OOO
Permanent staff of ten restorerslspecial ists ( l O x $JO,OOOper' year x | .S years) total $4SO,OOO
Team of ten semi-skill ed labourers for' the final 1 8 months
( l O x $2O,OOO per year x ' .S year's) total $JOO,OOO
Miscellaneous research and study costs total $JOO,OOO
Travel. accommodation, subsistence costs total $JOO,OOO
Total budget: $2. | n
YOU:
can accept some economies but argue that the budget cannot be greatly reduced
can accept reductions of between 1 5-30%, but no more
must keep to time estimates
try hard to keep the fi nal figure as close to $2.1 m as possible
can resign if you get much less than $1 .6m!
YOU START
38 l!H Buincss English |.iirYU ?oy Slel'e II\C. and `III\CU Sweeney Pcnluin Bonks 1913 P HOi 0 COP IFB L E
r

U Nc Ncc ludODlA
(Sequencing; emphasizing)
An anecdote is a short story about something which really happened to you or to someone else. Being
able to relate anecdotes which are interesting or funny is an important skill and a useful aspect of
business socializing.
You and student B are going to tell each other a series of short anecdotes. You will each tell a short
anecdote in turn.
Since you are going to start, you should fnd a natural conversational way to lead into the frst
story. You should also fnd a way to lead on from student B's stories into your other stories each
time.
Your anecdotes should tend, if possible, to be about work-related experiences rather than
experiences in your private life. Do not spend more than two (or, exceptionally) three minutes
maximum on any one anecdote.
YOU should talk about:
the most difficult business trip you've ever been on
the most memorable thing about your first job
the strangest boss you've ever had
the worst hotel you've ever stayed i n_
YOU START_
From Business English Pair Work 2by SICve Flinders and Sil1lon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 - 0 COP IFbLL 39
T U Nc cH ludODl A
(Judgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing; vetoing)
Business ethics are concered with issues of morality in commercial decision making. Ethical questions
include the relationship between business and the environment, between companies and their
employees, product types, quality pricing and many other aspects of business.
Together with a colleague, categorize the following commercial practices using a scale from 1-5:
1 acceptable in any circumstances
2 " usually acceptable
3 " depends on situation
4 " usually unacceptable
5 " always unacceptable
Give reasons for your decisions. Note any particular disagreements between you and student B.
manufacturing and sel l i ng arms
headhunting key people from rival companies
hacking into other companies' computer systems to get key market information
employing only young, single school leavers because they are cheap
bui l di ng a new factory in an environmentally sensitive area
multinational companies employing cheap labour in poorer countries
trading with companies which employ chi l dren as cheap labour
tel l i ng lies i n negotiations i n order to get a better deal for your side
trading in countries where the state routinely and systematically denies basic
human rights to non-violent prisoners of conscience
using animal s to test cosmetics
usi ng animal s to test drugs for the treatment of chronic i l l nesses i n people
using rare hardwoods from tropical rain forests to make luxury furniture
usi ng i l legal i mmi grants as cheap labour
increasing the salaries of senior managers by 50% in the same year as 20% of
the workers are made redundant
dropping your prices to force competitors out of the market and bui l di ng up a
domi nant market share before increasing prices again
fi xi ng your prices with your competitors to keep them artificially hi gh.
STUDENT B WILL START
= I.. ..-.-4 I\th I:ttt :|?bvScvc t| l5and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 TO COP I A 8 L E
T T U Nc HMMH ludODlA
(Introduci ng self and others)
Grammar is the set of language rules for combining words into sentences. Words are classified as
being nouns, verbs, adjectives and so on. Some management development consultants advise their
clients to think of themselves in terms of action verbs, for example, ACT LEAD . . . These sometimes
appear listed in people's CVs.
You are going to play a business grammar game in three parts with student B. You will need to
prepare for the game before you play.
First, think of three famous business people who student B will know. If you work in the same
feld or in the same organization, you can choose someone from the same profession or company.
Before you play, write down:
1 six nouns about the first business person
2 six verbs about the second
3 six adjectives about the third.
In round one, start by giving your frst noun and then getting the frst noun from student B.
Continue until you have all the nouns. You can make a guess about the identity of student B's
business person at any time. If you have not guessed correctly by the time you have all six words,
then you have to think of three more nouns about the person when you fnd out who it is.
Repeat the sequence for rounds two and three.
When you have fnished, you can suggest nouns, verbs and adjectives for yourself or for student B.
Will you put them into your CV?!
YOU START.
r
From Business English P:lir Work 2 hySieve Flinders l11d Simon Sweeney P.nl!uin l3ook 19<R P H (3 I I$ l7 l
T Z U Nc H LHY ludODl A
(Agreei ng/disagreei ng; permitti ng; vetoing)
A philosophy is a set of beliefs about the meaning of the universe and of human life. A business
philosophy is a system of ideas about the meaning and the role of business - an attempt to give
answers to questions like: What is business? and What is business for?
Discuss these statements with student B. Which do you agree with and which do you disagree
with?
Business is to make a profit for the company's shareholders.
Busi ness is for the benefit of all the company's stakeholders.
Busi ness is for the benefit of the whole community.
Busi ness destroys communities.
Busi ness brings out the worst in people.
Busi ness destroys the natural environment.
Business is about risk.
Busi ness i s about challenge.
Business i s fun.
Busi ness is the best possible way to self-fulfilment.
Business makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Business must be regulated by the state.
You have to be ruthless to succeed in business.
Now tell student B what your own philosophy of business is.
YOU START.
42 From Business English Pair Work 2 by Sl\e Flmdcrs :md Simon Sweeney Pcnguin Boks 1998 PH CTCCOP IFbLL

T U Nc NHc cNV HNMcN ludODlA

(Sequenci ng; j udgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Businesses, like people, cannot operate without a natural environment - including clean air, clean earh
and clean water - to sustain them. And more and more businesses are recognizing that helping the
environment a) can be good for the company's public image, and b) can help profits.
You and student B work for different companies. You each have an important role in the
development of your company's environmental policy. You are going to meet in order to exchange
policy ideas.
You will first make a short presentation of some of the main features of your company's policy.
These are as follows:
1 A member of the Board has specific responsibility for the company's
environmental pol icy.
2 You pay a specialist consultancy to do an annual environmental audit of the
company's activity, resulting i n an annual environmental balance sheet.
3 As a result of this, you have developed an environmental management system
whi ch covers the activities of the whole company.
4 Al l company vehicles now run on unleaded petrol.
5 Your company provides sponsorship for projects run by the World Wi l dl ife Fund
and several other environmental protection organizations.
6 You have l aunched a company-wide campaign to reduce the energy bi l l by 1 0%.
You are gi vi ng prizes to good energy-saVing ideas from empl oyees.
7 You have started a pilot project in one subsidiary i n whi ch empl oyees are given
a set of environmental targets and are appraised in relation to them.
8 All new offices and factories built by your company are extremely energy
efficient.
9 Add two more of your own ideas.
Organize these points under some main headings such as General Policy, Energy, Recycling,
Animal Protection, and so on.
When you have fnished, listen to student B's presentation of hislher company's environmental
practices. Then discuss which ones could be useful for you to adopt and which you do not think are
feasible.
YOU START.
From Busincs English P:lir Work 2 by Stcve Flinders :md Simon SW<CIICY PengLiin Books |998 FIC3CCCF lFbLb q_
T 4 U Nc N Hc MMUNY ludODlA
(Sequencing; urgi ng; forecasting)
More and more companies recognize that there can be a business advantage in developing a socially
responsible image. Businesses which give money or resources to the community also recognize that
they have a responsibilty not just to their shareholders or to their employees but have a wider
responsibility to all the people in the community in which they are based.
You and student B have the job of deciding how your company - a leading national food retailer
with supermarkets in every big town in the country - can make a real contribution to the community.
You have each shortlisted three projects, each of which costs about the same, but your budget is
limited to only two of them. Describe in your own words your three projects below, then listen to
details of student B's three projects, then discuss which two to recommend to your Board. You can
choose any two of the six.
N/1' N/.cN |cN
The company could organize a national fun run day with 5-kilometre runs taking place at the same time in all
major population centres. Your company would handle all the registrations and logistics, with the objective of
having many thousands of people, young and old, talking part in the run. All participants would receive a
teeshirt with the company logo on the front. at the end of the run. Participants would ask friends and rela
tives to give money. which would then go to charities identified by the company. The National Fun Run would
receive widespread coverage in the local and national press and on radio and television.
'|/|' 1/.N/1' N
The head office of your company is i n the commercial quarter of a large city. close to an area with many social
problems associated with poor housing and high unemployment. A number of charities which have the infra
structure and the expertise to deal with these problems are active in the area. Their representatives have told
you that the donation of a large sum of money (like the sum you have in your budget) would enable them to
make a major impact on the area. They are very keen for you to help them.

c'' /./c' 1
One of your competitors has agreed to a social audit by an outside consultant. This is a report on how far
your company scores on a range of social measures. for example, employees' pay and conditions. considera
tion for the environment, opportunities for women and members of ethnic mi norities. internal and external
communication and handling complai nts. Although the report on your competitor was sometimes critical, it
seems to have benefited from the exercise. The investigation by the auditors takes several weeks. Is your
company brave enough to go through the same thing?
YOU START.
qq
From Business English Pair Work 2 by Sle\'c Aindm and Simon S\\eency Penguin Boks |998 FICCCCF IFbLb
1 b L NVcMcN ludODlA
(Measuring and cal cul ati ng; negotiati ng; presenting)
Capital investment is spending on fed assets which will help a company to produce products or
services. Examples are property new buildings, machinery and computer hardware.
Your company has made increased profts in the past three years but the production facilities are
poor and outdated. Soon your profts will fall rapidly because of increased competition.
With student B - a colleague - choose from the following list of spending options. The cost (in
dollars) is given on the right. Decide on the best way to spend the available budget of $950,000.
You cannot implement all the options.
You have both made a separate preliminary study of the probable effects on the company of the
different options. You have made some handwritten notes which are under each option. Make a
presentation outlining your priorities.
YOU:
1 Buy land next to present plant and install new equipment
Good optio,: 50% illCAwse ill pwdlctiity i. UOlA yerus. CeAY U!eib! - i. !olg teAl" o
uu
m
,\OSSiOC potelltio! UO' illCAwsed PWdliCti011 witR itRe. ilmestl ellt: o!so illCAwse ill !alld o!lle
is dy
2 Upgrade existing machinery
Good optiol - but p,obob!y bettCA OuteA optio. 1 Ros bWI CDI!eted.
3 Install new computer hardware and software
..Abso!lltdy IeeesSOAY U oqU pOSSib!. r'\Jediote p,oductiity bellebits.
4 Landscape the entire area to improve appearance
)ot justibiOb!. )ot a t,ue capitO! i.estl>\e<tt.
5 Build new warehouse to improve storage of raw materials, components
and finished products.
Bette to eOIIge O.deillg o"d p.oductioll ,,etRods to "illote st.
6 Change to a new state-of-the-art production system that would not need
additional land or buildings, or much rebuilding
Good optio" but CDUW put Oil eu!y ,axill,UI" I\it o. p,oductio" poteltiO!. litt! AOh1
UO. exM gwllltR.
7 Rebuild half of existing buildings and install 50% new machinery
)ot tRe best !llg-te1\\ optio" but CUW wo witR otRe i"lOeJAeiltS.
8 Improve offce buildings and some administration facilities
CCAtaill!y useuu! - but depellds O\ otRCA cRoices. So",e p,oductiity belehits.
think you do not have to spend al l the money in the first year
are happy to be flexible if the arguments are good ones.
STUDENT B WILL START.
$600,000
$300,000
$100,000
$100,000
$200,000
$750,000
$500,000
$200,000
From Business English P:lir Work ?hy SIcve Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 F I C3CCCFIFb |L q
T HccHV c ludODlA
(Sequencing; j udgi ng; regretting)
Career advice is information given by specialists to people to help them make choices about which
professional direction to take in the future. It is particularly useful for young people while still at school,
or in higher or further education, but can also be important to people in mid-career especially if they
have lost their job or are in danger of losing it. However, it is also important to think about the changing
idea of the 'career'. In the past, a business person could have a life-long career within one business
organization. Today we do not expect to have only one employer during our lifetime, and more and
more people find themselves working as freelancers working for several employers at the same time.
You are sixty years old. You are coming to the end of a successful career in business, during which
you have seen many changes in the world of business and in the world in general. Student B, on
the other hand, is just starting out on hislher business career. He/she has been assigned to your
department for training and development and you are now in discussion about ways in which
he/she can develop his/her career.
YOU think it could be interesting for student B to hear about:
the mistakes you have learnt from in your own career
the important career choices which you yourself have faced i n the past
the qual ities which make a good manager
your personal do's and don'ts of business
the way you thi nk busi ness wi l l change in the future
what qualities older people look for i n the young in the work environment.
YOU START.
46 From BusincH English P;lir Work 2 by OCVL Flinders ud Simon Sweeney Pcnguill Oooks 98 FH 0'0 CCF lFb|L
T 1 MMUN N YLc ludODlA
(Questi oni ng; l i ki ng and preferring)
Successful communication is of central importance in interational business today but very often
communication is dificult because people in diferent jobs and companies or frm other countries, have
diferent ways of looking at the world. People have diferent styles of communication. This activity
encourages the participants to look at their own styles of communication and to fd out about each
other's.
You are going to complete a questionnaire about student B's styles of communication. Using the
descriptions below the box, ask himlher how far helshe thinks helshe has e.g. (for number 3) a
formal or an informal style of communication and then tick the right box. For example, if student
B thinks helshe is very informal, you will tick box 3 or 4 on the informal side; if helshe thinks
helshe is a little formal, you will tick box 1 or 2 on the formal side. Encourage himlher to think
about examples of how helshe reacts in different situations.
Styles of communication
(Ask student B: ) Where on the scale do you position yourself for each of the following statements?
4 3 2 I 0 I 2 3 4
Sensitive Safe
Systematic Organic
Formal Informal
Directive Participative
Dense language Simple langu<lge
Direct Indirect
Stressed Relaxed
Involved Detached
Statements
1 Sens itive: you prefer to get to know quite quickly about the personal details of people you meet
Safe: you prefer not to discuss personal details with people who you have just met
2 Systematic: you prefer a very structured approach to communication
Organic: you prefer communication to develop naturally without thinking too much about
structure or time
3 Formal: you prefer a traditional approach to dress, clothing, language and posture
Informal: you prefer a more relaxed, familial' approach to dress, clothing, language and posture
4 DireCtive: you prefer to take the initiative in communication and have others follow your lead
Participative: you prefer to consult, listen and build up a consensus among participants
5 Dense language: you prefer to give information of a specialized kind as effciently as possible
Simple language: you prefer to give information of a specialized kind in as accessible a way to
all listeners as possible
6 Direct: you prefer business communication to be only about the business in hand
Indirect: you prefer, in business communication, to be able to spend time in social conversation
and touch on other subjects not directly related to the business in hand
7 Stressed: you prefer to generate energy to indicate the urgency of a situation
Relaxed: you prefer to play down the impact of a situation, no matter how urgent
8 Involved: you prefer to show your emotional attachment to the issues under discussion
Detached: you prefer to separate your feelings from the issues under discussion
The styles of communication parameters presented in this activity nre reproduced with kind permission of the author and publishers fromthe video
training l)lIck Ccnmt:ticti:tSt_|es by Derek Ut]lY. Jlublished by York Associntus. J IG i\!ickJegnte. YOI'k Y0I lJY, U!x. ISU?0948333626
Wl1en you have both asked each other all the questions, compare and discuss your answers.
YOU START.
From l3usim:ss Eng|ishPair Work 2by$tcvc F|:ndctsuHO $imon$wccacylcouioBooks 1998 P H 0 ,0 COP I A f L E q(
T MccNc cVcMcN ludODlA
(Knowi ng; forecasti ng; correcting)
Competence is the ability to do something to an acceptable standard. Competence is normally gained
through a combination of knowledge, experience and expertise. In business, competence is something
that individuals apply to their work and share with others, for the benefit of the company as a whole.
Competence needs to be eficiently exploited. Also, the best companies usually have a strategy for
developing the level of competence in their staf.
You are the Marketing Manager of a fast-growing and successful European software company with
worldwide sales. You have recently recruited a young sales and marketing representative to work
on the launch of a new software product for the international market. The Human Resources
Department has put the new recruit through a series of interviews and exercises to assess the
need for training and to give the department information which will be useful in planning your
new recruit's future career development.
The HR department has produced the information below for this person and you are now going to
meet the company's HR Manager (student B) to defne a training plan for the new member of your
team. You need to agree on:
content of the training programme and priorities - you feel that product knowl
edge and Engli sh are the main priorities and that the rest can be learnt on the
job
time scale - you need your new recruit to be available ful l-time one month after
appointment
budget - the money comes out of your department's training budget: you do
not wish to spend more than $1 0,000 total on the programme.
Key: I Basic level
Competence
Marketing and sales
Software knowledge
Product range knowledge
Product knowledge
Project management
Company knowledge
Customer orientation
English
Communication
Approach to change
Teamwork
Cultural awareness
2 Good level
Job requires
4
3
4
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
2
4
3 Very good level 4 Outstanding level
I ncumbent possesses
4
4
3
2
3
2
2
3
4
3
2
Although you recognize that long-term competence development is important for all staff, you aTe
quite impatient to have the assistant operational and available as soon as possible for the job in
hand.
With student B, draw up a detailed training programme for the new recruit.
STUDENT B WILL START.
v ...:.... c..-tt I!.i+ Mr |S|c.|hucjundSimon Sweeney OPenguin Bo|> I998 FIC3CC CF IFbLL
T McVc cNcH N
ludODlA
(Negotiati ng; forecasting; obliging)
Competitive tendering is where an individual, a company or a grup of companies responds to an
announcement asking for ofers to do work on a major project. Usually several offers (or tenders, or
bids) are received and the contract is given to the ofer which looks the best in terms of quality and
price.
Your company is interested in tendering for the work advertised below. In either a telephone
conversation or in a preliminary meeting with 'rasmar & Cie, discuss what you can offer and
what you have to do.
Here is a copy of the advertisement. It asks for tenders to run a dry port in France. Decide if this
contact is by phone or face to face.
YOU:
1t08m0t L| 0
LLL|h bl o
Trasmar & Cie (the sponsor) invite offers for the operation of a container handling centre
at Mare-la-Vallee, France.
The container port will be the centre of a European import and export network, linking the
sea porrs of Calais, Hamburg, La Rochelle, Rotterdam, Genoa, Marseilles, La Rochelle and
Bilbao with each other and with major European population centres such as Milan, Paris, the
Ruhr Valley and London.
Individuals or companies i nterested in participating in the competition should send for
details to the Projects Control Offcer, Trasmar & Cie, Rue des Vieilles Vignes B. P. 8O,
Croissy-Beaubourg, 77425 Mare-la-Vallee Cedex 2, FRANCE. Tel . ( I ) 56;686;
want to know if one single company must be responsible for runni ng the port
prefer a co-ordinating role, using sub-contractors
wpnt to know what kind of experience successful tenderers wi l l probably have
have expertise in rai l. freight management
want to know the deadline for bi ds
would l i ke more information in English
want to know if this i s a genui ne call for bids or if the company has al ready decided who wi ll
get the contract
want to know if a multinational partnershi p could be given the contract
have colleagues in Scandinavia and in Italy who could work with you in the management of
the port.
YOU START.
From Business English P:tir Work 2by $tC\"C Flinders and Simon Sweeney I\:nguin Books 1998 FIC3CCCF lFLb 49
Z NcHcNc HNZN
ludODlA
(Questi oni ng; knowi ng; hesitating)
A conference is an event attended by a number of people - frm a fairly small number in the case of a
company sales conference, up to several thousand. A good conference helps people working in the
same field to lear about the latest developments and to network with fellow professionals. In an in
company conference, a company can communicate important messages to selected employees and
perhaps reward them through the choice of an interesting or exotic location. A successful conference
needs a great deal of careful planning and detailed organization.
You work for a large international company. You are responsible for the success of a forthcoming
conference which will be attended by nearly all the company's senior management world-wide -
about a hundred people. The objectives of the conference are:
to inform delegates about future developments in your i ndustry
to debate the company's future
to define and communicate corporate objectives to the senior management
team
to bui l d an international team.
You are therefore looking for an agency which can organize this extremely important event. You
have been recommended an agency specializing in conference organization of this kind and are
now going to call the agency head (student B).
The conference will last two and a half days, from Friday lunchtime to Sunday evening with
participants leaving on Monday morning. You want a location where they can combine work and
relaxation. Spouses will not be present. You have a clear idea about which outside speakers to
invite, although most of the speakers and seminar leaders will themselves be members of the
senior management team. You are working to a budget of about $10, 000 per participant, all
inclusive.
YOU want to know about your contact's experience in this feld and would like preliminary
details of:
possible location
travel arrangements
approximate price
conference facilities
organization of guest speakers
entertainment.
By the end of the call, you would like to have an initial idea of what kind of conference could be
organized for the sum you have in mind.
YOU START.
50
From Business English Pair Work 2 by Steve Ainders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books I998 FICCCCF lFbL E
ZT NUMcH MVcMcN
(Greeti ngs and farewel ls; judging;
agreeing/disagreeing)
The consumer movement is a general term for all the ways in which consumers infuence companies
and their decisions. Consumers can afect both marketing decisions and company ethics.
Thgether with student B, imagine you are having a drink together in the lobby of a hotel. Discuss
the infuence of consumers on company decisions.
Together with your colleague, decide on three ways in which the consumer movement has most
infuenced companies. Use the notes below to help build up a discussion.
YOU:
thi nk every decision a company makes i s the result of pressure from consumers
thi nk pricing decisions are obviously affected by consumers' behaviour
make a link between consumers' opinions and ethical decisions - for example:
- testing products on ani mal s
- dumpi ng, e.g. sel l i ng bad products i n poor markets
- fur coats (they are not so popular any more)
- making excessive profits
- using cheap labour (it is difficult to employ cheap labour now)
- banni ng trades uni ons (it is unacceptable to ban workers' organizations)
- making products that are bui l t to fall to pieces (most products are good
quality nowadays)
generally believe that consumers have forced higher standards
thi nk that most busi ness is hi ghl y ethical.
Also, discuss the ways in which consumers manage to get their message through to companies.
Here are some possible ways:
buyi ng/not buyi:'\g the product
di rect contact with the producer
writing letters
talking with friends
joi ni ng consumer groups
participating i n action campaigns/protests.
STUDENT B WILL START.
ZZ NUMcHUHVcY P
(Judgi ng; l i king and preferring; agreeing/disagreeing)
Consumer surveys are designed to help companies understand the wants and needs of consumers.
This helps companies to provide goods and services that consumers wibuy. Survey design is
important: a well designed and well executed survey can produce interesting and useful results.
You work for a market research organization. Together with a colleague, design a survey to fnd
out the following information about the way people spend their free time.
52 From Business English P:lir Wurk 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney p(Onguin Books |998 F I CCCCFIFblb
ZZ NUMcHUHVcY ludODlA
Continued . . .
YOU:
need to decide ten popul ar leisure activities as your research base
favour a method based on i ndicating how often in the past 1 2 months the respondent has
partici pated in a particular activity. So, in the questionnaire, have a l i ne l i ke this:
Say how often you have participated in the following leisure activities in the past 12 months.
Then list the ten activities.
offer a selection of possible answers, such as: never, 0-3 times, 4-6 times, 7-9 times, 10 or
more times.
favour a question asking about holiday choices as well, as this i s a si gnificant leisure
indi cator.
Together with student B, you must:
1 Agree the ten leisure activities that are your research base.
2 Reach an agreement with him/her on the design of the questionnaire. Here is an example of
part of the questionnaire:
Say how often you have partici pated in the following leisure activities in the past 1 2 months.
I Fishing never, 0-3 times,
2 Golf never, 0-3 times,
J Theatre never, 0-3 times,
3 Actually draft the questionnaire.
4 Practise it on each other.
5 Improve it.
6 Use it on other people.
STUDENT B WILL START.
7
46 times, Z- times, 1 0 or more times.
46 times, Z- times, 1 0 or more times.
46 times, Z- times, 1 0 or more times.
From Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flindw; ;md Simon S W ccu)~Pcnuin Books 1998 F I CTCCCFlFtLL j
Z NH Uc
(Negotiati ng; vetoi ng; measuring and calculating)
Legal contracts are formal documents containing agreements between pat1ies who work together in
a business relationship. The language sometimes seems complex to non-specialists, but for law
professionals, it is specially designed to make it easy to resolve any problems.
You work for Gayev Polska, a Polish distributor of pumps and accessories. You have a contract to
sell products for a Kluivert nv, a Dutch manufacturer. You are not happy with the relationship.
Telephone Kluivert to discuss the problem. Here is part of the contract between your two
compames:
Distribution Agreement
This agreement is made and entered into D|January 3 V . . by and between Gaycv Polska (Poland) having its
registered offce at Warsaw, hereinafter referred to as GAYEV, and Kluivert |1 having its registered offce at
Zwolle, Netherlands, hereinafter refelTcd ID as KLUIVERT, on the other side.
1.Territories and products
Section . KLUIVERT hereby appoints GAYEV its exclusive distributor in Poland and the Czech Republic, here
inafter referred to as 'the territory'. for the sale of all KLUIVERT presently as well as in the future manufnclured
goods such as pumps, screw compressors, compressor packages as well as all accessories and spare parts related
thereto. hereinafter referred to as 'the products'.
Z. Legal situation of the distributor
Section 2. GAYEV will buy and sell the products in its own name and for its own account. It will act as an inde
pendent trader as regards both KLUIVERT and its customers.
Section 2.2 KLUIVERT undertakes to sell the products within the territory only to GAYEV Olnd shall not appoint
any other agent or distributor for the products in the territory.
Section 2. KLUIVERT undertakes to refer al l customers within the territory, who arc enquiring ,bout the prod
ucts, to GAYEY.
Section 2.+ GAYEV is entitled to sell the products in countries outside the territory. The same rights with regard to
the teritory apply to all KLUTVERT's agents and distributors outside the territory.
. Prices and conditions of payment
Section . l KLUIVERT shall sell the products !DGAYEV according to the price list issued by KLUIVERT and
applicable !D all European distributors of the KLUIVERT nv group and being effective at the time of GAYEV's
order, presently according to Schedule L.
Section .2 KLUIVERT reserves the right to change its prices by giving written notice of days in advance.
Section . Payment for the products purchased by GAYEV sh:tll be made 2 in cash on delivery and by
signed draft V days after deli very.
Section .+ KLUIVERT will buy back unsold stock at !b of cost within days of cancellation of this agreement.
You want to stop business with Kluivert because:
you have heard Kluivert are exporting products direct to Polish customers
colleagues in Hungary and Sweden say they have bought the products more cheaply than you
can - so you think you have been paying too much
Kluivert have not supported you with brochures, advertising material,
S
tc.
YOU:
want compensation for having paid more than other distributors (art. 3.01 )
have $20,000 of unsold stock that you want Kluivert to buy back (art. 3.04)
want further compensation for lost business i n Poland and the Czech Republ i c - as Kl ui vert
have sold di rectly to customers (art. 2.02, art. 2.03).
YOU START.

From Busincs English Pair Work 2 by Olc\` FtindcJ and Simon S\(cncy OPenguin Books |998 FIC3CC CF I FtLb
Z4 HHc ULUHc
ludODlA
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; expressing your amazement)
The culture of a company is the set of beliefs, values, attitudes and organizational characteristics which
make it unique. Some managers and business observers believe that changing the culture of an
organization can lead to significant improvements in its business performance.
You and student B woke up this morning to fnd yourselves in charge of a large interational
corporation. Unfortunately it is losing a lot of money. You both feel that a major transformation of
the culture of the company is needed and so you have fxed a meeting together to discuss this. In
preparation for the meeting, you have jotted the following ideas down on a piece of scrap paper.
Present them to student B and together agree which ones to implement.
:

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STUDENT 8 WILL START.
~
From Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney l'cnguin Books |998 FIC3 CCCF lFB |b 55
Zb Hc VcH NK N
A
(Sequenci ng; urgi ng; knowing)
Creative thinking is a method companies use to find solutions to problems. For example, companies
are always looking for new ways to increase business, either through launching new products and
services or by taking existing ideas into new markets. In evety case, original and creative thought is
vital. In this activity you will get some practice.
Together with student B, you have decided to create a new magazine. Decide on a promotion
strategy for the magazine based on the kind of product it will be, who the target readers will be,
what special features it will have.
First, decide the following:
the basic type of magazine (fashi onllifestyle, sports, leisure and entertainment,
current affairs and pOlitics, food and drink, business, specialist, professional,
etc.)
typical reader profile
frequency: weekly, monthly, etc.
cover price
the name
market coverage: local, regional, national, international
sale: subscription, news-stands, publ i c places, etc.
special features
regular contents
writers, guests, journal ists
competiti on: rival magazines, newspapers, other media
target advertisers
quality: basic, average, hi gh quality (gl ossy, colour photographs, etc.)
design
sponsors
promotional ideas
launch pl an.
Then design a promotional presentation for the magazine. Here is a basic outline for a four-part
presentation:
1 Type of magazine, title, key characteristics.
2 Market: readers and advertisers.
3 Contents: what is in the magazine, key topics, writers, use of photographs, etc.
4 Marketing plan: how you will launch, advertise and sell the magazine.
With student B, decide which sections you will present and which sections helshe will present.
STUDENT B WI LL START.
56 From Business EIllish Pair Work 2 by SIc\' Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 FICCCCFIFL|E
Z cHL MHKc N
StudentP
(Judgi ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; vetoing)
Ethical marketing is providing a product or serice in a way which considers not only the consumers
and the users of the product, but also the general public, the wider needs of society and the
environment.
Together with student B, decide on a reasonable ethical position on the 15 issues below.
Identify specifc conditions which you could add to the issues that would make them especially
acceptable, or unacceptable.
Student B has the same list. Mark each item on a scale from 1-5, where 1 " absolutely acceptable
to 5 absolutely unacceptable. Then together order the entire list from 1-15 according to impor
tance, where 1 the most important.
marketing toy guns in a country just after a war
selling foods high in sugar and salt
selling not very effective drugs to treat diseases
marketing sweets and sweet snacks to children
marketing sweet alcoholic drinks to children
marketing cigarettes in poor countries
selling for $120 shoes made in poor countries by workers paid $1 a shoe
creating price wars to force competitors out of the market
selling customers expensive insurance that it is 95% certain they won't need
offering 'free' credit for 12 months but then hitting customers with very
expensive repayment terms
using sexual stereotypes to sell products
using overtly sexual images to sell products
7
making products with in-built obsolescence (they will soon not' do the job)
charging the highest price the consumer will pay for the lowest quality the
consumer will accept
using violent images to sell products to children.
YOU START_
From 1usiness English !';lir Work 2 by SIC\<C Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books [998 F I CCC CF lFtLL (
Z1 cAcUVc HcHUMcN ludODlA
(Sequenci ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; hesitating)
Executive recruitment concers attracting the best quality people to the top positions in leading
companies. Top managers need a range of skills and experience. They also expect good salaries and
plenty of perks. Perks are additional benefits ofered to senior executives, such as bonuses, shares,
good pensions, top health care insurance, cars, housirig advantages, school fees, etc.
You and student B both work for an executive recruitment agency. You have been asked to select
candidates for a new post as Chief Executive of a recently privatized national energy company. You
have placed the following advertisement in top national newspapers:
lJt| CDJl LJ8 LCm
[
JD
/
| DC.
LI `L\
Top salry with bonles and aditional benets
Are you a high quality executive with experience i n industry
and senior management? Do you have an international
profle? Are you ambitious and dedicated to success?
If so, write for details to:
Eecutive Recruitment, Mansion Gardens,
London CI 5OR
To help you choose the best candidates, here are 14 statements about the qualities needed in the
person chosen for the job advertised above. Together with student B, rank them from most impor
tant to least important.
knowledge of the gas industry
good contacts with the government
ability to get on well with other senior managers
ability to get on well with employees
understanding the needs of shareholders
having a vision of the strategic plan for a major energy company
willingness to sack employees to increase efciency
enthusiasm for extremely high salaries for chief executives
ability to deal with the press and the television
youth, dynamism and energy
ability to work 16 hours a day 365 days a year
enthusiasm for long holidays and short working weeks for top executives
enthusiasm for perks for top managers and chief executives, e. g. houses, cars, private jet, etc.
a sense that making a proft is the only reason to run a business.
Finally, decide with student B a list of perks that you think the person you recruit should be
offered.
STUDENT 8 WILL START.
58 From Business English P:!;r Work 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Hooks 1998 FICCCCFIFbLb
r
Z HM LL N
ludODlA
(Questi oni ng; sequenci ng)
Forms are oficial documents containing questions and spaces for answers.
You have to take student B's details. Com plete the form below as fully as possible.
Today's date: ...................................................................... Form completed by: ........................................................ +
Family name: First name(s): .
Date of birth: Nationality: ............... ++
Place of birth: ................................................................. + Marital status: ..................... ............................................... =
Home address: ............................................ ................... . Home telephone: ............................................................. ..
Home fax: ............................................................................ +
Home e-mail: " ........+......+...++.+ +..++.++.+.+.+.+...+.+.+.++&++++
Company: ............................................... + Company activity: ......................................................... +
Work address: .............................. . Work telephone:
Work f: .......................... ............................... .................. +
Work e-mail: ............... ....................................................... .
Job title: .............................................. ........................ . Started current job on: .................................................. +
DepartmenrJdivision:
Main responsibilities:
2 ................................................................................................................................ ..
Previous posts:
2
3
4
Education:
I .................... .+
2 ..................... +
3 ............. .................................................... ............................................................... .
4 ............. ......... . . ....... . ............................. ..
Position
Institution
Organization Dates
Qualifications Dates
3 .. +++&+++++=+=+++++=+++++.++=+=++.=...++=+++.+++.+++.++++++++++++++ ++++&++++&++++&+++++=+=+++.+~++++=+=+++&&=++&++&++=++=.+&+++++++++++&=&+&+&++=+&+++=++
4 ............................. .................................................................................. .
Languages: ................... .......................................................................................................................................................... +
Leisure interests:
YOU START.
From Busincss Englih Pair Work 2 by S!C\'c Flinders uU Simon Sweeney Penguiu Books 1998 FICCC CF IFL|L
Z HMcWHK N ludODlA
(Liking and preferri ng; urging; correcti ng)
More and more people work from home. They may be self-employed freelancers with a bedroom
converted into an ofice, or they may be part- or full-time employees of business organizations which
find that basing people at home helps reduce costs. There are various other names for homeworkers,
including teleworker, telecommuter and remote worker.
You work from home and you enjoy doing so. You are going to discuss the pros and cons of home
working with student B who is not so sure.
YOU think:
1 You have more autonomy when you work at home. For example, you can choose
your own hours.
2 There i s no di rect supervision. You don't have a boss breathing down your neck al l
the time.
3 You feel comfortable working in the environment of your own home.
4 You work more productively and efficiently because there are fewer of the typical
interruptions which are always a problem i n the workplace.
S Vou are happy to be away from the gossip and routine of the workplace.
6 Vou save money because you don't have to buy clothes especially for the office; and
you save on lunches, too.
7 Vou don't have to go through all the hassle of travel l i ng to work by car or by publ i c
transport.
S Vour employer saves money too through reduced rents and other overheads so it
makes the company more profitable.
Give two more points of your own.
Convert student B to your view.
VOU START.
l~n Un+t- ~no:<\ luI\ OI 2 bv SIC\"C Flinders and Simon Swccnc)' ( I'enguin Hooks l998 FICCCCFIFb|b
C
NUH L c Nc ludODlA
(Obl i gi ng; permitti ng; decl i ni ng/rejecting)
Industrial espionage is where a company illegally obtains secrets from a competitor. This is a serious
crime and can be punished with imprisonment or can lead to one company paying another large sums
in compensation.
Lee Maasman was a senior production manager in your company, Fedor Inc. He suddenly left the
company last year and joined your main competitor, Axam Ltd. Now you are convinced that he
took with him not only fve junior colleagues from the same department who also left, but also
secret plans for a new generation of products.
You have a meeting with Axam to try to resolve the problem before you go to court - an expensive
option but certainly one you may have to take. In the meeting, make a short presentation outlining
your case. Axam will reply to what you say. Then discuss possible solutions or the next step in the
dispute.
YOU:
are convinced that Maasman took secret pl ans because new Axam products contain
i mportant features that had been developed by your Research & Development team
also thi nk he took i mportant customer information, especially about the South American
market, i ncl udi ng customer lists and pricing agreements
have suddenly lost a lot of South American business
want $3bn i n compensation
want a formal apology to be recorded i n the newspapers
are prepared to go to court if Axam do not meet your demands
may accept a compromise in terms of the compensation figure.
YOU START.
From Business English P:lir Wr|?by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin oo| I998 F I CCCCFIFt|L [|
T NcHN NL MHKc N
(Greetings and farewel ls; agreeing/disagreei ng;
urgi ng)
S!udentP
Interational marketing is the promotion and sale of goods and services across national frontiers. Large
trade blocks with hundreds of millions of potential consumers have opened up huge new markets as
trade within and between these blocks ofers increasing potential for growth.
Imagine you meet student B socially. During an evening together you talk about international
marketing. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of doing business across national frontiers.
Below are some advantages and some disadvantages. Student B has a different list. Perhaps you
can think of others too.
Discuss student B's suggestions, agreeing and disagreeing - depending on your view.
Also, offer to get student B a iink.
Talk about what plans you may have for the evening.
ADVANTAGES OF I NTERNATIONAL
MARKETING
more customers/consumers
longer production runs leading to
cost savings
economies of scale
lower prices
improves international relations
STUDENT B WILL START.
DISADVANTAGES OF
INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
language barriers
cost of setting up sales networks
lower prices
higher communication costs
currency conversion problems
62 From Business English Pair Work 2by SIC\'C f1indcn and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books |998 F IC3CCCFlFbLb
Z J N ludODlA
(Judgi ng; sequenci ng; expressing your amazement)
If you have job satisfaction, you are happy in your work. Some job satisfaction is important to most
people in employment, although not everyone has it. Which factors contribute most to satisfaction at
work is a subject of great debate.
You and student B are going to discuss job satisfaction - what it is, how far you have it, and how
you get it. To help you in your discussion, you are going to discuss an order of priority for the
following factors which can contribute to job satisfaction: i.e. which of them you agree is the most
important, the second most important, and so on, down to the least important.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Open, two-way communication
Realistic performance management
The right balance between work and private life
Performance-related pay
Non-monetary rewards and recognition
Portable pension
Interesting, challenging work
Fair pay
Involvement in decision-making
Secure employment
Opportunities for growth and development
Think of three more factors.
& + + . +
+ + .
s s s s
+ e a e e
s + s s s
s
s s s s
+ e e e e
+ + +
& + + + e
+ e e
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . =
1 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 + e + + + + + + + + + e e e e e e + + + e + + + + + e e e e + + + + + + e + + + + + + + + + + + +
YOU START.
From Business English Pair Work 2by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books I998 F IC3CC CF lFbLb [_
JU- N- McMNcMcN ludODl A
(Negotiati ng; obl i gi ng; forecasting)
Just-in-time management (JIT) is a system of controlling production and delivery schedules so that
goods are finished and are delivered at the moment that they are needed. This eliminates storage
costs. Both suppliers and producers benefit from efective JIT management. Contracts often include
penalties where scheduling agreements are brken.
Your company, Edil Fabricat S. A. is a manufacturer of prefabricated industl'ial buildings. Your
ultramodern and sophisticated production plant is designed to operate a Justintime system of
manufacturing and supply. This is an important part of all your contracts with suppliers and with
customers. Here is an extract from your contract with student B's company, FDR Auto Ltd.
Section 6: Delivery schedule
Article 6.0 I Edil Fabricat will make del ivery of the finished bui l dings on . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (next Monday).
Article 6.02 The buyer will be responsibl e for the preparation of the site. Such
preparation will be compl eted on or before the above date so that installation
work can begin i mmedi ately.
Article 6.03 Any delay in delivery will result in a I % reduction on the total invoice
for every day that the del ivery is delayed.
Article 6.04 Any delay in the preparation of the site wi l l result in a I % addition to
the invoice for every day that del ivery is del ayed.
You receive a phone call from student B, who has a problem. Agree a solution.
YOU:
refer to the relevant part of the contract
explain how your company is committed to a Just-in-time management system
dc' not have much spare storage space
explain the extra costs [up to $1 500 per day)that you have to meet in storing the finished
goods, reschedul i ng installation technicians, etc.
do not want to lose future work with FDR Auto
cannot afford to store the goods for long without FDR paying the penalty
remind student B that the invoice total is $300,000: the penalty would be $3,000 per day
can compromise, but need a commitment on when the goods can be del i vered
would l i ke to renegotiate payment terms, with half the outstandi ng amount payable now and
the rest on delivery i nstead of 90 days after delivery.
STUDENT B WILL START.
64 From Business English Pair Work 2 by Stcve Flinders :md Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P IC- CCCFI A B L b
4 MNcMcN cVcLMcN
ludODlA
(Questioning; permitti ng; l i ki ng and preferri ng)
Companies try to improve the quality of their managers in many ways. Some examples are:
education and training
coaching and mentoring
job rotation and secondment
job enlargement.
These are all forms of management development.
Your company has selected you for three months' training at a top business school. You are going
to meet a member of your company's human resources team (student B) in order to discuss the
content of your programme.
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 by SIC\'C Flinders ;nd Simon Sweeney Penguin Books |998 FI C"CC CF |FbLL [
b MN N N NVcMcN
HL
(Greetings and farewel l s; sequenci ng; urgi ng)
ludODl A
An investment portfolio is the assorment of shareholdings, funds, deposit accounts and insurances
held by an individual or group of individuals in the hope that together they increase in value. If they do
add value over time, they will provide improved security and wealth for the investor.
Together with student B you have decided to create a joint investment portfolio. In an informal
meeting in a restaurant, discuss the best ways to manage your investments. Decide how you will
work together and any specifc action you will take. Because you are in a restaurant, include
comments on the meal, your drinks, the restaurant itself, etc.
Agree or disagree with student B's suggestions. Reach compromises where necessary. The
important thing is to reach agreement.
YOU:
want a maximum amount for any single investment
thi nk home, pension and i nsurance must be the first priorities
want a reliable broker to buy and sell investments on your behalf
want to look at alternative brokers and choose the best one
recommend selling anything that shows a fall of 1 0%
suggest spreading the i ni ti al i nvestment of about $1 0,000 over about ten companies, so
about $1 ,000 per company
recommend spreading the i nvestments over di fferent i ndustrial sectors
suggest a regular meeting - say every first and third Thursday of the month - to study the
i nvestments and check progress.
Use the following to outline your fnal plans.
First priorities
i.
iL
iii.
Initial outlay
STUDENT B WILL START.
Typical regular
investment
Ways to spread risk
i.
ii.
iii.
Professional
assistance
Selling strategy
Managing the portfolio
66 From Business English Pair Work 2by Ste"e Flimlcrs unJSimon Sweeney Penguin ~:|sI998 FIC7CCCF |Fb|b
?
MN N Hc UUHc ludODlA
(Forecasti ng; measuring and calculati ng; judgi ng)
Most big companies have not lived very long: only a few are more than a hundred years old. Some big
companies think a lot about the future. Companies in the oil sector in particular try to answer the
question of what they wi do in a world without oil. Some of them have think-tanks which try to guess
what the world will be like in the future. In this way they can define a strategy which will help them
survive in conditions quite diferent from those of today
You work in the strategic planning unit of a large, successful, mature company. Your job is to
assess business conditions ten years from now. A journalist from the company's in-house magazine
is going to interview you about your expectations.
YOU should think about:
products
markets
customers
competition
prices
empl oyees (profiles, trai ni ng)
size
growth
communications
and more generally:
the economic environment
the political environment
and finally:
how the company wi l l get from here to there.
STUDENT B WILL START.
From l311sines English Pair Work 2by Steve rlil1drs and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books |998 FIC3CCCF I A E L E
67
1 MHKc HHc ludODl A
(Sequenci ng; forecasti ng; judging)
Market share is the par of a total market that one company controls. For example Kellogg's has had
the largest market share in the breakfast cereal market for many years. It is the market leader.
You and student B work in the marketing department of Achilles Sports. You have a meeting to
discuss your company's market share in two major areas: sports equipment for schools and for
sports centres.
Present the information below, on the schools market, to student B. Then helshe will tell you about
the market for sports centres.
Then discuss ways to improve your market share in both areas and decide on fve key
action points.
Achi ll es
1 0%
Others
22%
Klipper
14%
Sasha
2 1 %
1_. 1. Marhet share {or sale of sports equipment to schools
Notes: 1 Others includes six other companies each with 2-4% market share.
2 Achilles market share has increased from 8% to 10% in one year.
3 Total company annual turnover is $15m.
YOU:
thi nk Achilles shoul d attempt to buy some of the smaller producers and so take control of a
large part of the 22% Others sector
suggest a cost benefit analysis to identify the advantages of buyi ng smaller
competitors
suggest sponsoring nationwide sports competitions in schools
suggest borrowing $10m from the bank
know that your turnover for school sports equipment last year was $10m
thi nk the two sectors (schools and sports centres) should merge thei r activities.
YOU START.
68 From Business English PairWork 2by Slc\'e Flindas and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books I998 F l CCCCF I A 6 L E
4
M H-LcN N
(Questioni ng; sequencing; judgi ng)
Micro-lending is the lending of small sums of money to poor people in developing countries. It is
proving to be a very efective way of stimulating economic activity in very poor communities. Banks
specializing in micro-lending are also becoming more and more numerous in developing countries.
You work for an international agency specializing in giving fnancial advice to micro-lending
institutions. You have been approached by the owner of a small bank (student B) which specializes
in micro lending in a developing country. Helshe needs a capital injection to fnance expansion of
the expanding business. You would like to have information about the following:
student B's background
number of borrowers
number of savers
profle of clientele
minimum sizes of loan provided
types of colla teral
types of fnancial instrument (e.g. lotteries)
the size of the injection being requested
what the money would be used for.
YOU are not in a position to make a fnal decision at this preliminary stage but you listen to what
student B has to tell you, then decide whether to reject the request or whether to recommend
moving the process on to the next stage.
YOU START.
International banks

Micro-lending institutions
J
Local cl ients
1
From Business English Pair Work 2by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books |998 FICCC CF lFbLL I0
d Nc N cL ludODlA
(Negotiati ng; vetoi ng; permitting)
Win/win negotiating involves finding the best possible agreement to the advantage of both sides in a
negotiation. In most commercial negotiations, the best results leave everyone feeling happy that a fair
deal has been reached, which ofers both sides important benefits.
Your company is renovating an old country house and converting it into a new Head Offce. As well
as the house itself, you need to turn the gardens into a tidy and attractive state. At the moment,
the gardens are overgrown and full of rubbish on one side and covered in concrete on the other.
You have a budget of $50,000 to spend on renovating the gardens. You have a meeting with a
contractor, Willow & Beech Ltd, to discuss what can be done. The picture shows what you would
like:


70
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,'" " .....
LAWN
AREA
t *
".

".
1!
t} .. &
",' "''
POND
It, .
LAWN
AREA
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."
" ,
From l3usincss English Pair Work 2 by SIC\'C Flinders lind Simon Sweeney Penguin Books |998 F I CCCCFIFLLb
" "".
1
Nc N cL
Continued . . .
YOU:
do not want to tell the contractor how much money you have budgeted
want to spend less than $50,000 if possible
would like a wood, with deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves i n autumn)
want the new gardens to be very attractive to wildlife, with lots of trees
would like a pond i n one corner of the gardens
need car parking space in front of the house
would l i ke a variety of flower beds for bushes and shrubs
need the work to be completed inside six weeks
need the new trees to be at least three years old when planted
would like a large greenhouse and a shed to keep garden tools.
Continue the negotiation until you and student B are both more or less both happy with the
agreement reached.
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 hy SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin ooks |998 F I CCC CF I A e L E
7 1
4 NcH MNcMcN SludentA
(Tel l i ng; agreeing/disagreeing; emphasizing)
'Nerd' is a slang term for someone - ofen a young white unmarried male - who seems to prefer
computers to people. Nerds typically spend hours in front of the computer screen -programming,
surfing the Interet or playing computer games - and, as a result, eat poor quality ljunk) food, dress
badly and are not very good at communicating with other people. (This activity is based on a real case
from a major European company)
Your company has a problem: its nerds are working too hard. The twenty staff who work in the
computer maintenance and development department are becoming more and more unpopular with
other staff because:
they do not seem to be interested in anything apart from computers so they don't have any
contact with people in other departments
they work very long hoUl's (up to 70 O 80 hoUls a week - there are even stories that some of
them sleep overnight in their offces): tills is creating problems with the unions; there is also
growing management concern about burnout
when other staff members ask for technical advice, they either do not understand the answers
they get from the nerds or are made to feel stupid.
You and student B work in a department which uses computers a lot and therefore depends a
great deal on the nerds. Your boss has given you the joint responsibility for dealing with the nerd
problem. You are to spend 20% of yOUl' time on this project. You have a nerd budget. Note that all
previous efforts to socialize the staff of this department have failed. There is also the danger that
unhappy nerds will leave the company and join a competitor. However, you have the full support of
management to go ahead with whatever policy you think will work. Here are some of your ideas
about how to improve the situation:
In theory, there are strict l i mits on overtime for employees, agreed with the uni on. At the
moment, the head of the department prefers to pay the fines rather than keep to the rules.
You wi l l discuss with the head of the computer department how to keep closer to the rules
which the rest of the company fol lows i n future.
You wi l l ensure that there are always fresh flowers in the computer department's offices.
You wi l l form and serve on a committee which undertakes to redecorate and refurbish the
department's offices.
You wi l l talk frankly to staff members about personal hygiene.
You will start an extensive programme of team bui l di ng whh all staff members which i nvolves
partiCipation on an intensive team bui l di ng course, followed by regular team ' building
sessions involving people from this and other departments.
You will open subscriptions to several men's fashion magazines for the department.
You wi l l open subscriptions to several healthy living magazines for the department.
Add your own suggestions.
Compare your ideas with student B's and agree on a strategy for improving the situation.
YOU START.
(_ Frolll l3uincss English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders :Ud Simon Sweeney Penguill 6Is |998 FICCCCF |FLLL
4T NcW HU
(Questi oni ng; forecasting; judging)
Eighty per cent of new products fail. Ofen the product itself is a good one, but the marketing is a
failure. Great creative energy can be wasted if the marketing plan that goes with it is poor Here you
have the opportunity to work on a great product and a great marketing plan.
Together with student B, design a new product for the busy modern man, woman or family. You
have to invent a product that everyone (or almost everyone) will want. Then work out a marketing
strategy. Here are some ideas to help you.
The product
Think of any new household object that will improve people's quality of life (it can
be large or small, simple or complex).
What is it for?
What does it look like? (Draw it)
What is it made of
Why is it unique?
How does it work?
The target consumer
Who will be the typical user(s) of the product?
Is it for everyone, or for specialists?
Is it an everyday product or is it exclusive?
The marketing strategy
How are you going to promote and sell the product?
How much money do you need to manufacture, promote and sell the product?
Who is going to sponsor the development of the product?
How much will it sell for?
Where do you plan to sell it?
What special after sales support or follow up will there be to establish links with
your customers?
The future
How will the product develop?
What new products will be.'dded to the range?
Possible problems
Can you think of any possible problems which may prevent your idea from
being a fantastic success?
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work2by Steve Flinders and SmonSwccucyPenguin Books |998 F I CCCCFI A 6 L E
73
4Z cHHMNc HL tudODtA
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; regretting)
Appraisal, or assessment as it is sometimes called, is the measurement or evaluation of an employee's
job performance. This ofen takes the form of an annual appraisal interiew between an employee and
his or her superior. In some companies, the result of the interiew will influence how much the
employee is paid: this is called perormance-related pay.
You are student B's personnel manager. Employees in yOul' company are invited to self-assess
themselves as part of the overall appraisal process. You are going to facilitate this stage in the
process for himlher. You both have a copy of the form below which you will now complete together.
Student B will either play him/herself and give an assessment of hislher performance in hislher
own job in the real world: or he/she will invent a job and a personality and role play the activity.
Employee name ............................................................. Review manager ............................................. .
Job title eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee=eeee=eeee+eeee Review period ................................................. e
Department . . ... . ..... ... . . .. . . .. . . . .......................................... Date ............................ ...................................... e
Use this sheet to give your rating for each area. Use a separate sheet for notes.
Rating scale: I Less than acceptable standard
2 Acceptable standard
3 Good standard
4 Very good standard
5 Outstanding standard
During the review period, how do you think you performed in each of the following areas?
Discuss your choices with your review manager.
Achievement of professional objectives I 2 3 4 5
Achievement of personal objectives I 2 3 4 5
Market awareness I 2 3 4 5
Customer focus I 2 3 4 5
Quality I 2 3 4 5
COmmitment I 2 3 4 5
^
PI I 2 3 4 5
Organiation I 2 3 4 5
Communication I 2 3 4 5
Leadership I 2 3 4 5
Initiative I 2 3 4 5
Team work I 2 3 4 5
Overall rating of your contribution and performance I 2 3 4 5
Which areas do you think need the most attention following the review period?
YOU START.
74 From Business English Pair Wor|2by Sten Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin oo|s|998 FICTCCCFIFbLL
4 cHNL HccN N tudODtA
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; questioning)
Personal presentations are ofen an essential part of applying for a job. Together with the curriculum
vitae, job applicants may be asked to give a presentation of their individual qualities and the expertise
that they would bring to the new position. This might include plans and ideas if ofered the job.
You and student B have to make personal presentations as part of applying for a new job - or keep
your present job. Look at the following alteratives:
a job currently advertised in a newspaper or magazine - you have to find an example
your present job - think what skills and expertise are necessary for your present job
your boss's job - again, think what skills are required
a complete fantasy job - think of an exciting position that it would be interesting to apply for.
Work out the details (employer, location, qualifications and experience needed, special
responsibilities, salary, etc.), for one of the above positions. Then prepare a short presentation
(5-10 minutes) to deliver to student B as part of your job application.
YOU:
have to thi nk of the personal qual ities that the job requires
must thi nk about the experience the job requires
have to decide what special qual ities you have that make you the right person for the job
have to pl an and organize your presentation effectively
divide the presentation i nto three or four parts.
When you are ready, first listen to a similar presentation by student B. As you listen, interrupt
twice to ask for repetition or clarifcation.
Evaluate the presentation with a mark from 1 (excellent) to 5 (very bad) in terms of:
organizationl clarity interest visual efect overal
structure efectiveness
I 2 3 4 5 I 2 3 4 5 I 2 3 /r 5 I 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
After the presentation:
ask two questions
give feedback and the results of your evaluation
say if helshe gets the job.
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2by Steve Aindcrs ;md Simon Swccnc) Penguin Books l998 F I C3CC CF I A 6 L E 7.1
44 cHNNcL MNcMcN tudODtA
(Sequenci ng; j udgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
The status and role of personnel (or human resources, which is efectively the same thing)
management is unsure. In some countries, personnel management hardly exists; and even in the
advanced economies, the personnel function can be very diferent from one company to the next.
Some personnel departments are strong, some are weak; in some companies the function is highly
centralized, in others it is highly decentralized.
What is the role of the personnel department in your company, or a company you know?
What should the role of the personnel department ideally be? Look at the following list of different
types of personnel function with student B, who has the same list; and decide:
a) which one(s) come(s) closest to what you have at the moment
b) which one(s) you would like to have.
YOU START.
1 THE SPECIALIST ADVISER. A semi-legal role: onl y personnel has the
specialist knowledge and expertise i n areas like employment law, job
evaluation, etc.
2 THE GUARDIAN OF THE CORPORATE CONSCIENCE. The department's
mai n concern is for fairness and the defence of employee interests
against a senior management which is concerned much with efficiency
and little with communication.
3 THE I NDUSTRIAL RELATI ONS FIREFIGHTER. Dealing with the unions.
4 THE BUSI NESS MANAGER. Managing human resources i n the same
way as the Finance Manager manages financial reso:rces, i.e. in the
most efficient and profitable way possible.
S THE ADMI NI STRATOR. Doing the paperwork - on pay, absence,
hol idays, sick leave, and so on.
G THE CHANGE AGENT. The main agent for creati ng cultural and
organizational change within the company.
7 THE INTERNAL CONSULTANT. Providing support to l ine managers in
the 'people management' aspects of their jobs.
8 THE TRASH CAN. The department does any job it can persuade other
managers to give up, and ali the jobs that no one else wants to do.
g OR you may have another model to propose.
([
From Business English Pair Work 2by Steve Flinders :md Simon Sweeney Penguin Boob |998 FICTCCCF I A bLL
4b LNN N Mcc N
(Urging; expressing your amazement;
decl i ni ng/rejecti ng)
Planning a meeting is concerned with deciding:
the objectives of the meeting
who can best contribute to achieving those objectives
tudODtA
the physical and logistical organization that is necessary to make sure the meeting is a success.
Together with a senior colleague in a medium-sized manufacturing company, Pryam Ltd., you have
to plan a meeting to review company operations. Decide on the steps necessary in planning the
meeting.
Background information:
your company makes electrical components
you employ 250 people on two factory sites
there are 15 senior managers, ten of whom are directors of the company
there are a further 20 non-executive managers
The graph below shows Pryam sales over the past ten years and compares perfoi-mance with three
leading competitors.
^ + =
+ =
+
=
+
+.
=
=

w
YOU:
==& & = = &

"
w " * * * * *
w
w'
m '
w
Seedor
Peta
KLD
suggest informal discussions with all colleagues at senior mana,'ement level to identify
issues that shoul d be on the agenda for the meeting
thi nk a top level management inquiry is all that is necessary at this stage - a wider'meeting
would give the impression of a crisis
think a weekend away in a top hotel would be the best environment for the meeting
suggest an independent consultant should be invited to chair the meeting and make
recommendations
are prepared to compromise on some or all of the above provided the arguments presented
are convincing.
STUDENT 8 WILL START.
From Husincss English PuirWork2by Slcve Flinders and Simon Sweeney " Penguin Hooks I998 F I CC CCF I A 6 L E
77
4 H N HcY tudODtA
(Judgi ng; measuri ng and calculati ng; forecasti ng)
Fixing a price is a key management decision. If a product is too expensive it does not win enough sales '
and the company loses money. If a product is too cheap, possible profit is lost.
Discuss pricing strategy with student B. Group the following eleven pricing factors under the foU
headings in the table.
cover costs b move prices up and down 8 keep prices lower than they
depending on economic should be
conditions
2 avoid excess profits 6 keep people in jobs 9 keep market share
3
make large profit 7 build up sales 1 0 price below competitors
4
price at or near competition I I ofer special payment terms to
help cash flow
INCOME SALES COMPETITION ETHICS
Now look at the situations below. Decide with student B which factors above are the most
important in these situations. He/she has a different set of situations.
new lUXUry product for an exclusive market
too many competitors in a weak market
i mmediate financial problems for the company
temporary slowdown in the national economy
monopoly or near monopoly situation.
STUDENT B WILL START.
7R
From Busines Enclish P:ir Work 2 by SIeve Flinders :ld Simon Sweeney Icnpuinl1ook 1998 FIC CCCFI A e Lb
41 HVZ N tudODtA
(Judgi ng; hesitating)
Since the British Conservative goverment began to privatize nationalized industres in the early 19805,
the selling of state assets has become popular worldwide, with goverments of all political colours keen
to reduce the role of the state and to reduce state spending.
You and student B are going to test each other's political refexes. First of all, dictate to himlher
the following terms. He/she should write them down in the space provided on the sheet.
1 electricity 7 preschools (0-5 years)
2 water 8 universities
3 telecommunications 9 police
4 the national airline 10 pensIOns
5 motorways 11 hospitals
6 bus services 12 banks
Now tell himlher to go through the list quickly:
If he/she is for the privatization of the area, he/she should circle YES
If he/she is against the privatization of the area, he/she should circle NO
If he/she thinks that a mix of state and private ownership is best, he/she should circle BOTH
If he/she doesn't know or has no opinion, he/she should circle the question mark: ?
It is important to do the exercise quickly and not to spend too much time thinking about the
answer. When student A has fnished, it's your turn to do the same using the space below.
YES NO BOTH
2 YES NO BOTH
3 YES NO BOTH
4 YES NO BOTH
5 YES NO BOTH
6 YES NO BOTH
7 YES NO BOTH
8 YES NO BOTH
9 YES NO BOTH
1 0 YES NO BOTH
" YES NO BOTH
1 2 YES NO BOTH
Now you should add up your total of YES, NO, BOTH and ? and compare your totals with student
B's. Discuss and compare your individual choices and discuss how far your reactions differ.
YOU START.
From Business English I)air Work 2by Steve Flinders ;Ud Simon Sweeney ~ Penguin Books 1998 FI CCCCFIA e LL (
4 HU MNcMcN tudODtA
(Judgi ng; knowi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Although product management is primarily a marketing function, it ofers the manager the opportunity to
contribute in various ways to the development of a new product or service. Product management can
involve active paricipation in most aspects of the development of a new product, including design,
financing, production, marketing, sales and human resources.
Your billionaire friend is so impressed with the business ability of you and student B that he has
asked you to take responsibility for his latest business venture. He wants you to design, build and
promote a hotel for the mega-rich in the location of your choice. You will have a share of the profts
from the venture and, of course, a special cut-price rate when you stay in the hotel yourself.
You are therefore going to discuss with student B, the hotel's:
location
size
facilities and special attractions
staffing.
You must also defne the general outline of a marketing policy to advertise and promote the new
hotel worldwide.
You should together prepare a report for your friend. Note that the hotel MUST be proftable
within two years of opening.
YOU START.
80 From Business English Pair Work 2 by SI(\'C Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Boks |998 FICTCCCF I A 6 L E

4 HU HccN N
(Sequenci ng; measuring and calcul ati ng; forecasting)
Multimedia is the term given to information technology products which combine conventional computer
hardware and sofware products with newer technologies. It includes CO ROM for interactive and
sound-based communication as well as access to exteral networks and the Interet.
You and student B work for a multimeiia communications company. You have to plan for a
meeting with a potentially important customer - a local university with 50,000 students on
seven different campuses. Together with student B, use the information below to make a joint
presentation in which you explain the benefits of your products.
You have to divide up the information and present approximately half each. Divide the presenta
tion into different parts, for example:
introduction (systems available)
key benefts to students
brief description of each system
prIces
payment terms.
Prepare and practise the joint presentation together. Suggest ways that each of you can improve
your presentation. Repeat it if you like.
INTEX Multimedia
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XT I 0000: 'fastest system on the market' Computer World magazine
XT8000
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14" monitor
1 6 Bit stereo sound. quad speed CD Rom and stereo speakers system
64 bit integrated graphics uses I Mb RAM; upgradable to 2 Mb RAM for enhanced picture resolution
upgradability to 200M Hz Pentium
FREE Fax/data/Internet 1 4.4 BAST modem convening PC to Fax machine; full Internet capability
latest quality Microsoft Windows/Office software for word processing, spreadsheets. drawing and design,
desktop publishing, etc.
XT8000 PLUS Superdrive 4 $ 1 395
Same as above, plus 1 5" monitor, faster 33. 6 modem and 8 speed CD Rom
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Same as XT8000 plus 1 5" screen, faster 1 0000 processor, 32 Mb RAM, larger hard disk, faster 33. 6 modem.
faster 8 speed CD Rom
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Printer options: WordChief Colour Inkjet ($495) or TRUMPET high quality Laser Printer ($695)
3 ways to pay:
I . Paywith order by banker's order for 5% discount, or by credit card.
2. Six months free credit: pay 20% depOSit, then nothing for six months. Pay rest in a single payment.
3. Payover three years: Pay just 1 0% deposit then pay balance by monthly instalments.
Supplied with ideal applications for student use:
Internet access, word processing, graphics, spreadsheets, database architecture. self study packages, library database, guided
learning software, research tools, foreign language packages and MORE!!!
STUDENT 8 WILL START.
From lusiness English Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders nd Simon Sweeney @ Penguin l300ks 1998 F I C3CCCF I A bL E 8 1
x
b HM N tudODt A
(Urgi ng; correcti ng; forecasting)
Promotion is the range of marketing activities designed to increase consumer awareness of a company
and its products and to improve sales performance. Examples are advertising, packaging, trade fairs,
in-store displays and competitions.
You are a new employee responsible for marketing in a medium-sized retail bank. You have special
responsibility for increasing business with young people. You have a meeting with your branch
manager to discuss your ideas.
In a meeting with your colleague, fnd out hislher reaction to the following ideas and try to get
support for specifc action that you can take.
partnership with local colleges and universities to promote your company to their students
partnership with local music shops to offer gift vouchers for buying CDs and tapes
sponsorship of arts events such as theatre, concerts, exhibitions
sponsorship of sports events such as local athletics, tennis and golf clubs
association with schools to promote school events and fundraising opportunities
offering special savings accounts to school children and students.
YOU:
thi nk local initiatives at branch level are the best way to promote the company
have experience of promoting products to young people through your previous job (with a
clothing retailer)
believe Head Office woul d support your ideas
do not think mass television advertising is appropriate for your bank
want to prioritize the next steps you can take
think the cost of the promotions you are suggesting wi l l produce a big i ncrease in market
share - but you are not able to say by how much
think detailed market research would be a waste of money.
STUDENT B WILL START.
82 From Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flindm and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books I998 FIC3 CCCFI A [ L E
bT U Z tudODlA
(Questi oni ng; correcting)
You can lear things from a quiz. Ask student B the questions below. Then he/she will ask you some
diferent questions.
The answers are given below. Give student B 10 points for every right answer.
1 The headquarters of the Ford Motor Company are in
2 McDonald's has a lot of fast food restaurants around the
world. How many?
3 Grand Metropolitan and Guinness merged their
operations. When?
4 Which is the world's biggest selling and
best-known beer?
5 A 911 is what?
6 What is the world's fourth largest country by population?
7 What's the name of Singapore's airport?
8 Which country's airline is Viasa Airlines?
9 Name the 15 members of the European Union (1997)
10 Name the capital city of
11 What and where are the following famous places?
a. New York
b. Detroit
c. Chicago
a. 50,000
b. 16,000
c. 250,000
a. 1980
b. 1992
c. 1 997
a. Budweiser
b. Pils
c. Heineken
a. an aeroplane
b. a beer
c. a car
a. Colombia
b. South Korea
c. Latvia
d. Slovakia
a. The Prado
b. Machu-Picchu
c. K2
d. The City
YOU START.
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From Uusiness English P3ir Work 2 bySieve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books |998 F I CCC CFI A 6 L E
83
bZ Hcc N tudODtA
(Judgi ng; obl i gi ng; forecasting)
A recession is an economic condition afecting a country or an industry where sales, prices and profits
fall as demand decreases. The result is a fall in output. Companies afected by recession ofen lay of
employees, so unemployment rises.
You work for a medium-sized manufacturing company that makes high quality and relatively
expensive building materials. The company employs 900 people in a city with a population of
50,000. You have a sales and distribution network across several neighbouring countries.
Unfortunately, all your main markets are affected by a recession, now in its second year.
With a colleague, decide what to do. Make a list of some key actions to take.
YOU:
are absolutely opposed to making workers redundant as you thi nk the recession wi l l pass
and you will need them back again soon
thi nk redundancy would also be expensive: many of your workers have been with the
company a long time and they are protected by employment law
also want to protect your excellent reputation locally and to stay loyal to the city where the
company i s based
thi nk that i n an extreme situation, you could accept putting workers on short time working -
for example a four-day week
suggest that for now, production workers transfer to housekeeping jobs such as painting,
landscaping and bui l di ng projects
are proud of your reputation for hi gh quality products and do not l i ke the idea of discounting
or price cutting
thi nk that cutting prices makes it difficult to put them up again.
STUDENT B WILL START_
84 From Busmess LogIihlairWrk2by SIC\\! Rinders and Simon 5wecocyPcoguookx |998 PH C3CCOP I A 6 L E
b HcL N tudODtA
(Negotiating; measuring and calculati ng; forecasting)
Relocation is moving a factory or company site to another place. The decision to relocate may be taken
as a par of a strategic plan to expand the business, to save costs, to increase the profile of the
company or to move closer to important markets.
Your company makes sports and leisurewear products. For ffty years you have been based in the
home town of the founder and former managing director of the company, Ben King. Now the next
generation of the family own the company and it is expanding rapidly.
The board of directors is meeting to discuss a proposal to relocate the company to Rotaronga where
labour costs are much lower. Discuss the issues involved with another director. Try to reach
agreement on what the company should do.
YOU:
know that labour costs i n Rotaronga are 5% of those i n your country
believe that the relocation wi l l be good news for the people of Rotaronga
see a trend in your i ndustry towards relocating to low wage economies
think that i n four years' time the productivity of the new plant would be ten times higher than
the existing plant
believe shareholders wi l l support the change
believe that global competition makes the move essential
expect the existing plant to become less profitable because of rising costs
thi nk the sale of the present site would pay for the creation of the new one.
If you reach agreement, prepare a joint presentation of your new position.
YOU START.
From l3usincss English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flindm :lnd Simon Sweeney " Penguin Books 1998 PH 0'0 COP lA e L E 85
b4 HcWH StudODtA
(Liking and preferri ng; sequencing;
agreeing/disagreeing)
There are many reasons why people work - because they need to, for self-esteem, to achieve personal
or professional ambitions, and so on. However, financial and non-financial rewards are, for most
people, the most important sources of motivation. A good reward system is an essential feature of any
business organization.
Your company is doing well, but the results of employee surveys tell you that your people are not
happy with the current system of incentives. You and student B have to fnd a solution to the
current state of demotivation. You are now going to meet together to brainstorm some ideas.
Here are some possibilities:
Staff parties. Throw a company party once in a while i n an exotic location. for
example. in a medieval castle. or a major city museum or art gallery.
2 Prizes. For the most creative or innovative team in the company: rewarded by a
weekend away/l unch in a foreign capital . . .
3 Profit sharing. In relation to length of service. as a reward for loyalty.
4 Discounts. Offered to employees by local companies advertising in your company's
magazine.
5 Cheap tickets. For local theatre. ballet. opera and concerts.
6 long service awards. To employees who reach fifteen years of service.
7 Team rewards. For team effort and achievements.
8 Other ideas . . . '
YOU START.
86 Frcm Busincs Eng|ih PaitWor| 2by S:ee HindcrsaodSimco SwcncyOPcoguio Bcoks 1998 P H OI 0 COP 1 A 6 L E
bb cY WHK A
(Judging; obl i gi ng; correcti ng)
Safety at work is normally associated with industrial workplaces, where individuals can be at risk from
doing dangerous tasks, or working with dangerous equipment or materials. But safety at work is ofen
just as important in comfortable ofices and even when working from home.
Brainstorm a list of problems or issues concerned with health and safety at work under the six
headings below. Then suggest solutions or safety measures for each one.
travel work at home office work
industrial environment chemical/pharmaceutical agricultural environment
environment
Z
Finally, if you could change just two things to make your working day safer, what would you do?
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business Eng|ish PairWork ?byStcvc Rinders andSimcnSecncyPcnguin Books |998 PH 0 10 C OP I A e L E
87
b HHcHLcH cAc N tudODt A
(Forecasti ng; urgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Shareholders' expectations sometimes conflict with management objectives in large public companies.
Shareholders may be used to large and regular dividends, especially if sales are good. Management
may have different priorities, concered with long-term planning. There may be a choice between
paying shareholders large dividends or making long-term capital investment.
Your company, Telco, has just published its annual report showing a 10% increase in net profts
and a 5% increase in market share. In previous years, Telco has always given shareholders
increased dividends following good results. Make a short presentation to Telco senior management
about investment priorities and strategic objectives. Ask for a new investment-oriented culture in
the company, not a shareholder-oriented approach.
Here are two graphs showing sales performance and profts over ten years:
Fig. 1 Sales performance Fig. 2 Net profits
YOU:
are actually not so optimistic about the future
thi nk two competitors are major threats in the future.
Fig. 3 compares their sales performance and yours over ten years:
Fig. 3 Telco, Abacus and TCC Sales
-
a . .
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. . .

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-
-*
-*
.
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think dividends to shareholders should be cut by 50%
want a massive i ncrease in R & D spending
w
=
. . . . . . . . Telco
@ @@ @ Abacus
mTCC
see the market as becoming more global and more competitive
thi nk Telco needs a much stronger international profile
want an i mproved sales network and new corporate offices in the USA
think that within ten years Telco will be a small company - or will be taken over - unless the
company changes its approach.
believe Telco's market share i s smaller and rising more slowly than Abacus and TCC.
STUDENT B WILL START.
88 From Business English Pair Work 2 by Stcve Flinders ;lnd Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 - 0 COP 1
A E L E

b1 MLLLK
(Greetings and farewel l s; hesitating; expressing your
amazement)
tudODtA
Small talk is a vital part of doing business. It shows an ability to get on with people. Small talk helps
business partners get to know each other. Topics for small talk can come from the immediate
environment, the news, or from conversation. The art of small talk is to make conversation about that
topic.
Use the prompts below to develop small talk. Student B has the same list of prompts. Together,
you should develop a conversation of no more than two minutes for the prompts below. See the
example.
1 You know that yesterday a private helicopter crashed nearby.
A: You heard about the helicopter crash yesterday?
B: Yes, it was very bad. Why did it crash?
A: I think it was a mechanical problem ... the radio said it was ...
B: But the weather was very bad too ...
A: Yes, it was raining ...
B: Have you ever been in a helicopter?
2 A local newspaper has reported a rise in tourists visiting the region.
3 A top banker has suddenly left his post to join the competition.
4 A local factory has announced 400 new jobs.
5 Ten people have died in a food poisoning scandal.
6 The heating and air conditioning system has broken down.
7 There are painters and decorators around painting and decorating the place.
8 It has not rained for over three months.
9 There's a wonderful ceramic bowl on the table full of different types of fruit.
10 A hotel hadAo be evacuated in the night because of a fault in the fre alarm.
YOU START.
From Business English P;ir Work 2bySieve Flinders :nd Simon Sweeney Pcoguio Boks !998 PH 0 ,0 COP 1 A 1 L E
89
b LHHNcMcN
(Greeti ngs and farewells; introducing self and others;
questi oni ng)
tudODtA
Socializing is an imporant aspect of many business relationships. Ofen the ability to get on well with
people at a personal level is a significant factor in establishing good business partnerships. Receiving
visitors and providing some hospitality is therefore a significant feature of many business meetings.
Student B is going to visit you for a three-day (Wednesday-Friday) business meeting. Telephone
himlher to make arrangements for hislher arrival. In addition, offer some social activities during
the visit. Find out how much free time he/she will have and what social activities would be
attractive. Finally, using your knowledge of your home town or city, suggest some things that
you could do together. If student B likes your suggestions, work out a programme of social
entertainment and/or tourism for the visit.
In addition, consider the following information:
YOU:
can meet your visitor on arrival
have to tell your visitor whi ch hotel he/she wi l l be stayi ng i n
have to discuss business on three mornings, but i n the afternoons you are free
are not sure if your visitor has any other commitments
must be sure that the activities you offer wi l l be appropriate and attractive to your visitor
can suggest some other friends or COlleagues who may join you for one or two activities
(such as a meal in a restaurant)
need to know if your visitor especial l y l i kes or disli kes certai n foods.
YOU START.
90 From Businc,s Englbh P:Jir Work 2 by StC\'C Flinders and Simon Sweeney ! Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 , 0 C
O
P I A 6 L E
E
b L Z N tudODtA
(Welcomi ng; greetings and farewells; introduci ng self)
Sociali zing is an essential business skil. It is imporant for successful business relationships. And yet
many business people find socializing, particularly in a foreign language, more dificult than the more
formal aspects of their interational work. Part of the problem is vocabulary: you may know the
vocabulary you need for your job but not the vocabulary you need for general conversation. Another
part of the prblem is that you cannot always control or predict what people are going to talk about
when they are socializing.
You are going to practise talking in a social context with student B. You are going to talk to each
other for fve minutes (one of you should be timekeeper) and during the exercise you should cover
each of the following subjects:
1 the weather
2 travel and transport
3 cmema
Under each heading you must use all of the following words or expressions:
The weather Travel and transport Cinema
rain delay star
sunny train horror
minus five jet lag di rector
global warming luggage moving
DO NOT tell student B what your tasks are.
Student B has different subjects to introduce, and different words and expressions to use, so at the
same time, you should be thinking about what they are.
At the end of the activity, tell each other which subjects and which words and expressions you
think the other had to introduce. See how many you each identify. The ideal result is:
to successfully introduce al l your subjects and all your words and expressions
to successfully identify student 8's subjects
for neither of you to i dentjy each other's words and expressi ons: this means that you
introduced them al l into the conversation quite naturally and without drawing any particular
attention to them!
.
STUDENT 8 WILL START.
From Business Ln_l ish PiIrWoik 2b)SIeve F|ndcrsand Simon Sweeney @ Pcngun Books I8 PH 0" 0 COP I A f L E
91
LK N L T tudODtA
(Questi oni ng; sequenci ng; hesitating)
Politics does not have to be a taboo subject. On the contrar it is one of the most obvious subjects for
discussion when you want to get to know someone from another country and to find out more about
where they come from. Initially it is safest to put the emphasis on political institutions rather than on
policies; and on asking questions, listening and learing about the politics of other countries, rather
than giving your own opinions.
You are going to practise asking questions about the political arrangements in student B's country
and giving information about your own country.
You are going to take it in turn to ask questions about different aspects of each other's national
politics. You will each ask for information in four different areas. Spend three or four minutes
replying to student B's enquiries.
You want to know about:
1 the main political parties
2 central government and the civil service
3 the Head of State
4 the current government and its policies.
Ask questions like:
Political parties
What are the main political parties?
Who are their leaders?
What are their main policies?
Plus three more of your own questions.
Central government and the civil service
Is your civil service politically neutral?
How are top civil servants appointed?
Is central government stronger than local government?
Plus three more of your own questions.
The Head of State
Who is the Head of State?
How is he/she appointed/elected?
How much political power does the Head of State have?
Plus three more of your own questions.
The current government and its policies
How long has the current government been in power?
What are its main policies?
Does the government have the support of most of the people?
Plus three more of your own questions.
YOU START.
92 FromBusiness Eog|ishPiirWorI2byS1eve Flinders aodSimooSwceocylcogu|oooIs 1998 PH 0,.0 COP I A 6 L E
T LK N L Z tudODtA
(Judgi ng; obl i gi ng; sequencing)
Once you have established that it is in fact possible to exchange political information usefully and
politely (see Talking Politics 1), then you can begin to exchange political ideas as well. But as in all real
communication, listening is as important as talking, and talking points should be about learing, not
scoring points.
You have a clear set of opinions (see below). You are going to argue i n favour of as many of the
following as possible during the time the teacher gives you. You will, of course, give reasons for
your Vlews.
YOU favour:
1 low taxation
2 a progressive reduction in the role of government
3 as little government interference in business as possible
4 l i mited state support for the unemployed
5 environmental costs to be treated like any other cost
6 private transport
7 tough sentences for criminals
8 private health care easing the pressure on the state health service.
STUDENT 8 WILL START.
FromBusiocssEng|ish lairWork2byStcvc FindcrsandSimooS nyOPcnuin Boo|v 1998 PH 0'0 C OP I A 6 L b _
Z U Ncc
tudODtA
(Questi oni ng; l i ki ng and preferri ng; forecasting)
What makes a successful business? Is it simply a question of making large prof? Or is it to do with
the quality of its prducts or services? Or its ability to define and follow a long-term strategy? Or is it a
mixture of all these things? Certainly some companies are consistently admired by many managers
because of their ability to excel across a range of diferent areas of business management.
You are going to take it in turns to use the following questionnaire to fnd out which companies
student B most admires. You may wish to ask him/her to give reasons for his/her choices.
Using the scale 1-4, (1 " very good, 2 excellent, 3 " outstanding, 4 world-beating), ask student
B to identify the companies which, in hislher opinion, excel in each of the following areas. He/she
can name one, two or three companies per area. When you have completed the questions, add up
the points for the most frequently named company to identify the one with the most points -
student B's all-round top business.
Which one, two or three companies do you think excel in each of the following areas?
Company 1 Company 2 Company 3
Qual ity of products/servi ces
Vi si on
I nnovation
Customer focus
Fi nanci al management
Strategy
Marketing
7
Environmental awareness
Peopl e management
The company which scores highest is:
The company which scores second highest is:
YOU START.
94 From Uusiness English P:lir Work 2 by SIeve Ailldc and Simon S\ccncy Penguin Boks 1998 P H O"O COP I A f L E
H N N tudODtA
(Judgi ng; forecasti ng; emphasizing)
'Training' is teaching people something quite specific, for example skills or knowledge for their work;
'education' is a more general term for the learing process. Education typically takes place in schools,
colleges and universities. Companies typically have training rather than education departments.
You are the company's new Human Resources Manager. The Managing Director (student B) is new
too. You both believe passionately in the importance of training and you are going to meet for
lunch for an initial exchange of ideas. You have jotted down on the back of an envelope some ideas
for the shape of the company's training programme in the future. (They don't necessarily form a
coherent plan - they are simply a basis for brainstorming.) You are going to discuss them with
your MD and agree on a draft set of principles and an action plan.
YOU think the company could:
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Add two more of your own ideas.
STUDENT B WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2by S!c\'e Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Boks 1998 PH 0 jOe 0 P I A 6 L E
95
4 HULcHN tudODt A
(Questi oni ng; j udgi ng; sequencing)
A troubleshooter is someone who steps in to solve a problem. A troubleshooting meeting is one where
the participants deal with and ofer solutions to one or more problems.
You and student B are going to take it in turns to lead a business meeting. In the frst part of the
meeting, you will present a real business problem which you have faced or which you are facing at
the moment. Mter your presentation, student B will probably ask you some questions in order to
get a fuller understanding of the situation. You will then discuss the problem together, student B
will suggest a possible solution or alternative approach, and fnally, you will summarize the
meeting and student B's main suggestions. Then you will reverse roles, student B will present
a business problem and you will help him or her fnd an answer to the problem.
Possible areas of focus are:
qual ity
customer satisfaction
employee morale
employee performance
poor sales.
YOU START.
96 From Business English PairWor|2 byStee Fiodets and Simco Swccncy PcuguinBooks 1998 PH 0 jOe 0 P I A L E
b U
!udODlA
(Forecasti ng; vetoi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
A Utopia is a perect society Social engineering is taking measures which will lead to social change.
It is now well into the twenty-frst century and social engineering is easier than it used to be. You
and student B, both acknowledged experts in the feld, have a grant from the World Council CN. C.)
to devise a new political, social and economic system for a small country which until now has been
rather badly managed. You are now going to have an initial planning meeting with student B in
order to produce a draft development plan. Among other things you are going to decide:
W. C. SOC I AL E NG I NE E RI NG DEVELOPMENT PLAN STAGE 1 NOTEPAD
Size of popul ation
Gender bal ance ( %age men/women)
Urban/rural popul ation bal ance
Optimal popul ati on for capi tal city/other
major cities/important towns
Form of government
System of economi c management
Mai n sources of government revenue
Main areas of government expendi ture
Pri nci pal i ndustries/servi ces
Level of unempl oyment
Mai n features of educati on system
Mai n features of health system
Mai n features of transport system
x
Foreign pol i cy
Defence pol i cy
Environment pol i cy
YOU START.
Frm Iusinc.s Englih flair Work 2 by 5I\ I|iiiJcianISimon Sweene) Penguin Boks t99R P H 0'0 COP I A bLb (
Materi al for
photocopyi ng
T c HcKcH
(Introduci ng self and others; questi oni ng; l i ki ng and
preferring)
ludODl B
Ice breakers are short activities to help people get to know each other at the beginning of a training
course.
Introduce yourself. Say:
who you are
where you work and/or study
what you do/what your job is/what you study.
Find out the same from student A.
Then ask student A about any of the following. Be sure to ask at least two related follow-up
questions on the same topic. This will help build up the conversation.
best ever hol i day
favourite place
typical working day
fi rst ever job
school and college experience
hopes and expectations in work
family
favourite dri nk
preferred season of the year.
He/she will ask you some questions too.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
Frm BuinlS English Pair Work 2 by S!I!\'e Flinders :md Simon Sweeney Penguin Bmk 1998 PH 0 TOe 0 P I A 6 L E I 0 I
Z Vc L cN N
ludODl B
(Sequenci ng; hesitati ng; expressing your amazement)
Active lstening means listening - really listening - to the person you are talking with; and signalling
your suppor to that person by your expression (for example, smiling), by your body language (nodding
your head, eye contact . . . ) and by what you say ('Yes', 'Uh-huh' . . . ). Research shows that many
business people - men in paricular - do not listen very much to what other people say.
You are going to discuss a controversial subject with student A. However, the rules of the activity
reqUlre you:
1 to take turns speaking and to wait until student A has fnished making a point
2 not to interrupt while student A is speaking
3 to summarize what student A has said before you make your own point.
The subject you are going to discuss is downsizing. You are against the reduction of staff numbers
in companies and student A supports it. You should make the following points during the discussion:
you must use each of these arguments in turn. You will need to add your own ideas and give your
own examples in support of the main argument each time:
1 Before downsizing, many companies were much more enjoyable, relaxed places to
work in
2 People in downsized companies are often very unhappy and insecure
3 Employees in downsized companies are often overworked, do not know their
customers because they have too much work and therefore give poor customer
serVIce
4 There are fewer layers of management in downsized companies so communication is
worse because there is no middle management to manage communication upwards
and downwards
5 Downsized companies are less effcient
6 Downsized companies are less proftable because they lose business through
inefficiency
7 Now add one or more arguments of your own.
YOU START.
102 From Business English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Swccnc)' OPenguin Books 1 98 PH 0 - 0 COP IF6 L E
7
VcH N NH
(Bl ami ng; j udgi ng; questioning)
Adverising standards control what manufacturers can say about their products. The Advertising
Standards Authorit in the UK checks advertising to make sure that it is honest, decent and legal.
Consumer protection agencies also work to protect consumers from false claims in adverising and
product promotion.
Your company makes skin care and beauty products. You have agreed to an interview with a tele
vision channel about products designed to keep people looking young and healthy.
You make a product called Juvenene Gel and have produced the following advertisement. It has
appeared in doctors' clinics and in magazines:
St e ye
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YOU:
couctulAle
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Ask your doctor or pharmacist for ]ovonono Gol.
I makes you look 20 years younger, Grandma'
have conducted many internal tests on the product with a hi gh level of success
have had many letters from satisfied users all over the country saying that Juvenene Gel
reduces wrinkles and stops ski n thi nning
know that doctors have also approved the product and that they are not paid to say so
accept that some people develop temporary side effects
produce the Gel i n a package with advice to stop using it if there is an 'al lergic reaction'.
can guarantee that no chemicals are used in the manufacture
cannot say what the recipe is - it is a secret - as is the recipe for Coca Cola
need to keep cal m with the i nterviewer
continue to defend your product and your company.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
F:or Business English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders :md Simon Sweeney Pengnin Books 1998 P H 0 jOe 0 P I A B L E I 03
4 c N cMLYMcN
ludODlB
(Knowi ng; agreeing/disagreeing; urging)
In many countries, the job market is not kind to older people. When older people lose their jobs, it is
ofen very dificult for them to find others. Ageism is discrimination against older people for no other
reason than that they are old.
You and student A have been holding recruitment interviews to fnd someone to fll a vacant posi
tion in your company. You have together shortlisted two candidates who, you agree, both have the
potential to do the job well. However, one candidate is thirty years older than the other and you
disagree about whether the older or the younger applicant should be appointed. You want to
recruit the older candidate because old people:
have more realistic salary expectations
are more respectful of authority
have more experience
are harder-working
are better with customers
are more reliable
are more mature
have lower absence records
are better ambassadors for the company.
Persuade student A that you are right.
YOU START.
1 04 From Business English P:lir Wurk 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A 6 L E
2
b NNUL HcH
(Sequencing; obl i gi ng; judgi ng)
A company's annual report provides shareholders with al/ the important details of the company's
financial perormance for the year including the profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash fow
statement. Some annual reports give these details, a shor report from the chairman and little else.
Others give a great deal of additional information about the company and its operations.
You and student A have the job of designing and producing your company's annual report. So frst
you must give your company an identity: fll in the details in the box below together.
Company name: . . Annual turnover: . . . . . . . . . +
Company location(s): . . . . Number of employees:
Main products | services: Main markets: . .
You agree that the report should contain the Chairman's Report, the Financial Report and a
Report of Operations. You must now decide which six of the following features to include as well:
1 A company profle (its main activities, markets and places where it operates)
2 The company's history
3 Corporate ambitions (the future strategy and business objectives of the company)
4 The company's values (e.g. its mission statement)
5 Customers (service to customers, customer profles)
6 Employees (internal communication, training policy and spending, etc.)
7 The company in the community (donations to charities, charitable activities of employees)
8 The company and the environment
9 Profles of the members of the Board of Directors
10 Report of the remuneration committee on directors' pay
11 The company's policy on diversity (equal opportunities for women and policy on recruitment of
members of ethnic minorities, etc.).
There is also space for photographs of two of the following:
- the Directors - products/services
- employees - customers
Discuss with student B which six items to include and which photographs.
YOU START.
From Business English Pair Vor|2by Sieve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1 998 P H 0 0 COP I A E L L ]
05

NK, LcN N N HHW N

ludODlB
(Questi oni ng; measuring and calculating; forecasti ng)
Cash fow is movement of money into a company from sales (income) and movement out
(expenditure). Problems arise when there is not enough income to cover costs.
You work for Credit Bank International. A small business customer telephones you with a cashfow
problem. Find out what the customer wants and get as much information as possible.
Find out:
present borrowing
expected income
expected expenditure
extra borrowing requi rement
level of confidence about present business
Find out information to complete the following Cashfow forecast:
Cashfow forecast (dollars):
Month I Month 2 Month 3
opening balance income expenditure opening balance income expenditure opening balance income expenditure
closing balance closing balance closing balance
YOU:
hope the customer has no other borrowing from other sources
do not think an extra $5} 500 is enough because the customer is budgeting to have no money
at al l after the three-month period
thi nk that a short-term (three-month) loan is expensive unless i t is absolutely certai n that
more lending wi l l not be required at the end of the three-month period
thi nk a six-month loan of $1 0,000 would be more sensible
need guarantees of work-in-progress, especially after the three-month period
need additional security before providing extra lending, e.g. the borrower's house
at the end, tell the client to come in to the bank to discuss the matter further and/or fi l l out
the necessary forms.
STUDENT A WILL START.
h Frol1l l3usincss English Pair Work 2 by S:ceFlinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0'0 COP I A 6 L E
7

1
HN N N ludODl B
(Tel l i ng; agreeing/disagreeing; urging)
Brand positioning is the set of characteristics which makes a product diferent from other prducts on
the market. Clear positioning helps to make a product attractive to a target group of consumers. With
clear positioning, a brand then establishes its identity. This determines what consumers think about a
product.
You work for a cosmetics manufacturer.
1 A colleague telephones you with news of a survey on consumer attitudes to your Leaf range of
shampoos and conditioners. When student A telephones you:
fnd out what it is about
say you are extremely busy
ask when he/she wants to come to see you
agree a time, but it is diffcult for you, as you have many appointments.
2 Later, in your meeting to discuss the report, try to reach a decision on what to do.
YOU:
thi nk the Leaf range is qui te successful with its present brand identity
suggest ways to bui l d on the results of the survey to i mprove Leaf sales
suggest an entirely new range to appeal to younger consumers - a new range with a
completely different brand identity
think you can use almost the same product as the Leaf range, but with different colours,
name and packaging
suggest a new name for the new range
are worried about the cost of a massive advertising campaign
think TV advertising is the best way to sell hair care products - but it is also the most
expensive
thi nk that magazine advertising would be much cheaper.
Discuss ideas with your colleague and decide on a minimum of ten key actions to take.
r
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 by SI<\I Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A LE I 07
Uc NcN tudODt B
(Questi oni ng; negotiati ng; measuring and cal cul ati ng)
Negotiating a budget is the process of reaching agreement on how much money should be spent on a
particular project or activity. For example. a marketing manager may look for a certain level of financial
support to launch a new prduct.
You are a government offcial responsible for National Heritage. You have to agree a budget for the
restoration of a historic monument. The goverment is trying to save money: there is an absolute
limit of $1. 6m for this project. Do not tell student A what this limit is. Ty to get him/her to reduce
the costs for the project.
First, listen to hislher explanation of the different stages of the project. Ask questions.
Then ask for a detailed costs estimate. Ask for clarifcation where necessary.
YOU:
must remember that you are not an expert in restoration but you have to control government
spending
thi nk it will not take three years to complete the project
want a maxi mum of three managers to run the project
thi nk fewer workers coul d be employed - or for less time
thi nk there can be savings i n research and study costs
insist on lower costs for travel, accommodation and subsistence
try to agree a lower budget for the project.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 08 From usiness English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Uks I8 P HOT 0 COP I A 6 L E
Z
U Nc Ncc
tudODt B
(Sequenci ng; emphasizing)
An anecdote is a short story about something which really happened to you or to someone else. Being
able to relate anecdotes which are interesting or funny is an important skill and a useful aspect of
business socializing.
You and student A are going to tell each other a series of short anecdotes. You will each tell a short
anecdote in turn.
You should fnd a natural conversational way to lead on from student A's story into your own story
each time.
Your anecdotes should tend, if possible, to be about work-related experiences rather than
experiences in your private life. Do not spend more than two (or, exceptionally) three minutes
maximum on any one anecdote.
YOU should talk about:
the rudest person you've ever met i n your business life
the worst travel delay you've ever had
the best moment in your busi ness career so far
the worst service you've ever had.
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 F I 0. 0 COP I A 6 L E I 09
T U Nc cH
ludODlB
(Judgi ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; vetoing)
Business ethics are concered with issues of morality in commercial decision making. Ethical questions
include the relationship between business and the environment, between companies and their
employees, product types, quality pricing and many other aspects of business.
Together with a colleague, categorize the following commercial practices lsing a scale from 1-5:
1 " acceptable in any circumstances
2 " usually acceptable
3 " depends on situation
4 " usually unacceptable
5 " always unacceptable
Give reasons for your decisions. Note any particular disagreements between you and student A.
YOU START.
manufacturing and selling arms
headhunting key people from rival companies
hacking into other companies' computer systems to get key market information
employing onl y young, single school leavers because they are cheap
bui l di ng a new factory i n an environmentally sensitive area
multinational companies employing cheap labour in poorer countries
tradi ng with companies which employ chi l dren as cheap labour
tel l i ng lies i n negotiations i n order to get a better deal for your si de
trading i n countries where the state routinely and systematically deni es basic
human rights to non-violent prisoners of conscience
using ani mal s to test cosmetics
using ani mal s to test drugs for the treatment of chronic i l lnesses in people
using rare hardwoods from tropical rain )orests to make l uxury furniture
using illegal i mmi grants as cheap labour
increasing the salaries of senior managers by 50% in the same year as 20% of
the workers are made redundant
dropping your prices to force competitors out of the market and bui l di ng up a
dominant market share before increasing prices again
fixing your prices with your competitors to keep them artificially hi gh.
1 1 0 From Busincs Engli,h P;lir Work 2 by SCeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0'0 COP I A E L E
I
T T
U Nc HMMH ludODl B
(Introduci ng self and others)
Grammar is the set of language rules for combining words into sentences. Words are classified as
being nouns, verbs, adjectives and so on. Some management development consultants advise their
clients to think of themselves in terms of action verbs, for example, ACT LEAD . . . These sometimes
appear listed in people's CVs.
You are going to play a business grammar game in three parts with student A. You will need to
prepare for the game before you play.
First, think of three famous business people who student A will know. If you work in the same
feld or in the same organization, you can choose someone from the same profession or company.
Before you play, write down:
1 six nouns about the first business person
2 six verbs about the second
3 six adjectives about the third.
In round one, student A will start by giving you hislher frst noun and then getting your frst
noun from you. Continue until you have all the nouns. You can make a guess about the identity
of student A's business person at any time. If you have not guessed correctly by the time you have
all six words, then you have to think of three more nouns about the person when you fnd out who
it is.
Repeat the sequence for rounds two and three.
When you have finished, you can suggest nouns, verbs and adjectives for yourself or for student A.
Will you put them into your CV?!
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 by $tc"e Rindcrs and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 198 P H 0,. 0 COP I A 6 L E
I I I
T Z U Nc H LHY ludODl B
(Agreeing/di sagreei ng; permitti ng; vetoing)
A philosophy is a set of beliefs about the meaning of the universe and of human life. A business
philosophy is a system of ideas about the meaning and the role of business - an attempt to give
answers to questions like: What is business? and What is business for?
Discuss these statements with student A. Which do you agree with and which do you disagree
with?
Business is to make a profit for the company's shareholders.
Busi ness is for the benefit of all the company's stakeholders.
Busi ness is for the benefit of the whole community.
Business destroys communities.
Business brings out the worst in people.
Busi ness destroys the natural environment.
Business is about risk.
Busi ness is about challenge.
Busi ness is fun.
Busi ness is the best possible way to self-fulfilment.
Business makes the rich richer and the poor poorer.
Business must be regulated by the state.
You have to be ruthless to succeed i n business.
Now tell student A what your own philosophy of business is.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
1 1 2 From Business English Pair Work 2 by SIC\ Flinders :md Simon Sweeney Penguin 6|- I998 P H 0'0 COP I A 6 L E
2
T U Nc NHc cNV HNMcN ludODl B
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Businesses, like people, cannot operate without a natural environment - including clean air, clean earth
and clean water - to sustain them. And more and more businesses are recognising that helping the
environment a) can be good for the company's public image, and b) can help profits.
You and student A work for different companies. You each have an important role in the
development of your company's environmental policy. You are going to meet in order to exchange
policy ideas.
You will frst listen to a short presentation of some of the main features of student A's company's
policy.
You will then make your own presentation of features of your own company's practices. These are
as follows:
1 Your company has a written statement on environmental policy whi ch is issued
to al l employees, mai n customers, suppliers, etc.
2 You have appoi nted an environmental consultant who monitors the company's
environmental performance and reports to the company's environmental
management committee on a regular basis.
3 You organize regular meetings with your own buyers and also with your
suppl iers to l ook for ways of reducing the environmental costs of your
supply chai n.
4 You have a company-wide scheme for the recycl i ng of used paper, gl ass, metal
and batteries.
5 Managers travel l i ng on busi ness inside the country are encouraged, wherever
possible, to travel by train rather than by car.
6 The company's heavy goods vehicles have al l been fitted with speed l i miters so
that they consume less fuel.
7 You now use only recycled materials i n your packaging.
8 You have launched a trai ni ng programme i n environmental policy whi ch,
eventually, al l employees wi l l follow.
9 Add two more of your own ide."s.
Organize these points under some main headings such as General Policy, Energy, Recycling,
Animal Protection, and so on.
When you have both fnished, discuss which of student A's company's practices could be useful for
you to adopt and which you do not think are feasible.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
From Business English Pair Work ?by SIC\'C Flnders and Simon Sweeney ( Penguin Books 19)8 F I C3CCCF|FtLE
1 1 3
T 4 U Nc NHc MMUNY
(Sequenci ng; urgi ng; forecasting)
ludODl B
More and more companies recognize that there can be a business advantage in developing a socially
responsible image. Businesses which give money or resources to the community also recognize that
they have a responsibility not just to their shareholders or to their employees but have a wider
responsibility to all the people in the community in which they are based.
You and student A have the job of deciding how your company - a leading national food retailer
with supermarkets in every big town in the country - can make a real contribution to the community.
You have each shortlisted three projects, each of which costs about the same, but your budget is
limited to only two of them. First student A will present his/her three projects, then you should
describe in your own words your three projects below, then you should discuss which two to recom
mend to your Board. You can choose any two of the six.
1|/Ncc||| NCc|c|1| cc
The company's head office is located near an inner city area where there are many social problems. These prob
lems are in part due to a shortage of local talent and expertise - the abler members of the community tend
to leave to get jobs elsewhere. Your company has the resources and the ability to provide leadership and
dynamism by seconding some of your own managers to roles within the community for l imited periods of time.
There are two sugestions under this heading:
The secondment of three of your best young managers to full-time jobs within local housing or
social welfare organizations for up to two years;
2 The creation of regular contact between a group of your senior managers and local community
leaders (head teachers, local authority workers, charity organizers) so that the latter can get free
business and management advice from the former.
././1| \| '\
This project involves your employees at grass roots level. Local groups of employees would form to discuss
amongst themselves how they could best help their own community. Each group would suggest ideas to a
committee at head offce. If the committee j udges that the idea is a good one, then it gives money to the local
group to launch the project.
'1\||.`/.1`
The final project is a scheme to give vouchers to customers who spend more than a certain amount during a
visit to any of your stores. The customer can give the vouchers to any school and when the school has
collected a certain number of vouchers, it can return them to your company and receive in exchange a free
computer or some other computer hardware or software product of its choice.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 14 From Business English Pair Work 2 byS|ccFlinders tndSimon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 PH 0 TOe 0 P I A e L E
T b L NVcMcN ludODl B
(Measuring and calculating; negotiating; presenting)
Capital investment is spending on fed assets which will help a company to produce prducts or
seNices. Examples are property, new buildings, machinery and computer hardware.
Your company has made increased profts in the past three years but the production facilities are
poor and outdated. Soon your profts will faU rapidly because of increased competition.
With student A a colleague - choose from the following list of spending options. The cost (in
dollars) is given on the right. Decide on the best way to spend the available budget of $950,000.
You cannot have all the options.
You have both made a separate preliminary study of the probable effects on the company of the
different options. You have made some handwritten notes which are under each option. Make a
presentation outlining your priorities.
YOU:
1 Buy land next to present plant and install new equipment
Qisk optiOIl: 50% illCease ill poductiUit ill io WAS, but s1", illCAease H\ tRe /ilSt
t"'o WAS . . ea!/ suddetl dop itl pw/its cuW be disastwUS.
2 Upgrade existing machinery
Good opHotl - cReap "'itR qUick bele/its to pwductiuit.
3 Install new computer hardware and software
es, p,esetlt /OCi!iHes O1C UC poo,.
4 Landscape the entire area to improve appearance
Good io' ep1ees mid io' public i'Aoge
5 Build new warehouse to improve storage of raw materials, components
and fnished products.
Good idea os p,eset\t stowge ioc.i!itie OAe bod.
6 Change to a new state-of-the-art production system that would not need
additional land or buildings, or much rebuilding
2xce!!etlt optiOt\: i" \I" ediote! ciletitiUe.
7 Rebuild half of existing buildings and install 50% new machinery
Good optiotl but ",ouW ot\/ ocRiwe Ro!/ o/ tRe t\eeesOA ",odw\izotiotl.
8 Improve offce buildings and some administration facilities
CVCA good /o, i"'IpWUilg wo'kit\g COtlditiotS: Row ",ucR pwductiuit beUJ/lt?
$600,000
$300,000
$100,000
$100,000
$200,000
$750,000
$500,0.0
$200,000
think you need i mmediate i mprovements i n as many areas as possible to i ncrease
productivity
are happy to be flexible i f the arguments are good ones.
YOU START.
Fmm!\usnss Lng|ish lairWurI 2byStcve FIndc:md SimuoSwccncy DPcngvioBooks 1998 F I CTC CCFI A 6 L L | ]
T HccHV c
tudODt B
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; regretting)
Career advice is information given by specialists to people to help them make choices about which
professional direction to take in the future. It is particularly useful for young people while stil at school,
or in higher or furher education, but can also be important to people
'
in mid-career especially i they
have lost their job or are in danger of losing it. However it is also important to think about the changing
idea of the 'career'. In the past, a business person could have a life-long career within one business
organization. Today we do not expect to have only one employer during our lifetime, and more and
more people find themselves working as freelancers working for several employers at the same time.
You are just starting out on your business career and you have been assigned to student A's
department for training and development. Student A is sixty years old and is coming to the end of
a successful career in business during which he/she has seen many changes in the world of busi
ness and in the world in general. You are now in discussion about ways in which you can develop
your career.
YOU would like student A's opinion about:
how to manage a career in an age of flatter organizations with far fewer promotion prospects
the best ki nd of training you can have for a career in busi ness
the most i mportant ski l l s a manager needs
which languages to learn
what ki nd of computer ski l l s it is most i mportant to have
whether it is i mportant to work abroad, and if so, where and for how l ong
whi ch companies or i ndi vidual s student A proposes as models to l earn from.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 1 6 From Business English Pair Work 2 by Slcve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books I998 FI0'0 C OP I A 6 L E
8
T 1 MMUN N YLc ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; l i ki ng and preferring)
Successful communication is of central importance in interational business today but very ofen
communication is dificult because people in diferent jobs and companies or from other countries, have
diferent ways of looking at the world. People have different styles of communication. This activity
encourages the participants to look at their own styles of communication and to find out about each
other's.
You are going to complete a questionnaire about student A's styles of communication. Using the
descriptions below the box, ask him/her how far he/she thinks he/she has e. g. (for number 3) a
formal or an informal style of communication and then tick the right box. For example, if student
A thinks he/she is very informal, you will tick box 3 or 4 on the informal side; if he/she thinks
he/she is a little formal, you will tick box 1 or 2 on the formal side. Encourage him/her to think
about examples of how he/she reacts in different situations.
Styles of comrnication
(Ask student A:) Where on the scale do you position yourself for each of the following statements?
4 3 2 I 0 I 2 3 4
Sensitive Safe
Systematic OrganiC
Formal Informal
Directive Participative
Dense language Simple language
Direct Indirect
Stressed Relaxed
Involved Detached
Statements
1 Sensitive: you prefer to get to know quite quickly about the personal details of people you meet
Safe: you prefer not to discuss personal details with people who you have just met
2 Systematic: you prefer a very structured approach to communication
Organic: you prefer communication to develop naturally without thinking too much about
structure O1 time
3 Formal: you prefer a traditional approach to dress, clothing, language and posture
Informal: you prefer a more relaxed, familiar approach to dress, clothing, language and posture
4 Directive: you prefer to take the initiative in communication and have others follow your lead
Participative: you prefer to consult, listen and build up a consensus amC' r'1g participants
5 Dense language: you prefer to give information of a specialized kind as effciently as possible
Simple language: you prefer to give information of a specialized kind in as accessible a wayto
all listeners as possible
6 Direct: you prefer business communication to be only about the business in hand
Indirect: you prefer, in business communication, to be able to spend time in social conversation
and touch on other subjects not directly related to the business in hand
7 Stressed: you prefer to generate energy to indicate the urgency of a situation
Relaxed: you prefer to play down the impact of a situation, no matter how urgent
8 Involved: you prefer to show your emotional attachment to the issues under discussion
Detached: you prefer to separate your feelings from the issues under discussion
The styles of comlllunic:ltion Ilarameters presented in this activity are reproduced with kind permission of the uuthor lind publishers from the video
training pack Cmmuiriro!inyb|)|cs by Derek Utley, Illiblishcd by York Associates, llG ?Iicklcgn\e, York YOI lJY, UK, ISBN 0 948333626
When you have both asked each other all the questions, compare and discuss your answers.
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Ilusiness English Pair Work 2 by SlCI'C Flindcrs and Simon Swecncy Pcnguin Books 1998 P H 0 ,.0 COP I A 6 L E
1 17
T MccNc cVcLMcN
ludODl B
(Knowi ng; forecasti ng; correcting)
Competence is the ability to do something to an acceptable standard. Competence is normally gained
through a combination of knowledge, experience and expertise. In business, competence is something
that individuals apply to their work and share with others, for the benefit of the company as a whole.
Competence needs to be efficiently exploited. Also, the best companies usually have a strategy for
developing the level of competence in their staf.
You are the Human Resources Manager in a fast-growing and successful software company. You
are going to meet a marketing team leader (student A) who is responsible for a young sales and
marketing representative who has recently joined the company. Student A needs the new recruit
to work on the launch of a new software product for the international market. You have put the
new recruit through a series of interviews and exercises to assess her need for training and to give
you information which will be useful in planning her future career development. You have
produced the information below for this person and you are now going to meet the person's imme
diate superior (student A) to defne a training plan. You need to agree on:
content of the training programme and priorities - you feel that the company's
success i s bui l t on the shared values of its employees whi ch comes from
strong initial orientation of new empl oyees and that it i s i mportant for the new
recruit to have plenty of time to learn about the company as well as its products
ti me scale - you thi nk that the main trai ni ng needs can be achieved i n two
months
budget - the money comes out of your partner's training budget: you estimate
that the costs, i ncl udi ng two weeks' intensive language training in the UK, wi l l
be about $1 7,000_ Since this is a key appointment, you mi ght be persuaded to
offer some financial support to the programme_
Key: I Basic level
Competence
Marketing and sales
Software knowledge
Product range knowledge
Product knowledge
Project management
Company knowledge
Customer orientation
English
Communication
Approach to change
Teamwork
Cultural awareness
2 Good level
Job requires
4
3
4
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
2
4
3 Very good level 4 Outstanding level
I ncumbent possesses
4
4
3
2
3
I
2
2
3
4
3
2
You know that although student A recognizes that long-term competence development is important -
for all staff, helshe is quite impatient to have the assistant operational and available as soon as
possible for the job in hand.
With student A, draw up a detailed training programme for the new recruit.
YOU START.
I J 8 From Business English Pair Work 2 by$I<\( Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 PH 0,.0 COP I A E L L
T McVccNcH N ludODl B
(Negotiati ng; forecasti ng; obligi ng)
Competitive tendering is where an individual, a company or a group of companies responds to an
announcement asking for ofers to do work on a major project. Usually several ofers (or tenders, or
bids) are received and the contract is given to the ofer which looks the best in terms of quality and
price.
Your company, Trasmar & Cie, is looking for a contractor to run a container distribution centre in
France. You have published the advertisement below. You have either a telephone conversation or
a preliminary meeting with a company that is considering making a bid. Decide if this contact is
by phone or face to face.
YOU:
1t08m0t L| 0
LLL|hbl o
Trasmar & Cie (the sponsor) invite offers for the operation of a container handling centre
at Marne-la-Vallee, France.
The container port will be the centre of a European import and export network, linking the
sea ports of Calais, Hamburg, La Rochelle, Rotterdam, Genoa, Marseilles, La Rochelle and
Bilbao with each other and with major European population centres such as Milan, Paris, the
Ruhr Valley and London.
Individuals or companies i nterested i n participating in the competition should send for
details ro the Projects Control Offcer, Trasmar & Cie, Rue des Vieilles Vignes B. P 8O,
Croissy-Beaubourg, 774?5Marne-la-Vallee Cedex ?,FRACE. Tel. I ) 56;686;
i nsi st that the contract wi l l be given to onl y one representative, responsible for al l the work
accept that the successful bi d may involve sub-contracting parts of the project, or be a joint
venture from a partnershi p specially set up for this purpose
expect the successful bi d to come from a company experienced i n transport manager'ent,
especially road, rai l and sea transport
want to know what ki nd of experience this applicant has
would like to know more about any potential partners that could be involved
have to receive bids within six weeks, i n tripl icate (three copies), presented i n person to
Trasmar & Cie
have to receive bids written in French and in Engl i sh
promise to post al l necessary information in English: fi nd out where you have to send i t
insist that the call for bids is genuine.
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English P;lir Work 2by StC\'c Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A ( L E
1 1 9
Z NcHcNc HNZ N
ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; knowi ng; hesitating)
A conference is an event attended by a number of people - from a fairly small number in the case of
a company sales conference, up to several thousand. A good conference helps people working in the
same field to lear about the latest developments and to network with fellow professionals. In an
in-company conference, a company can communicate important messages to selected employees
nd perhaps reward them through the choice of an interesting or exotic location. A successful
conference needs a great deal of careful planning and detailed organization.
You run an agency which specializes in the organization of conferences, senior management
seminars and corporate special events. You are about to receive a telephone call from a potential
client (student A), who wants to know more about your services. You have some experience of
other companies in the same sector.
In order to be able to answer some of student A's questions, you need to know about his/her
company and the kind of event which needs to be organized. You also need to know:
the number and profile of participants. Spouses?
the ki nd of location he/she has i n mi nd: place, type of hotel, leisure facilities,
etc.
duration and dates
budget
conference facilities: number and size of conference rooms, ti metable, coffee
breaks, audi o-visual/computer/multimedia facilities, etc.
food and entertainment.
Note that you do not normally organize travel if the participants are coming from a large number
of different locations. You also prefer to leave the organization of guest speakers to the client.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 20 From Business English Pair Work 2 b) Slc\c Flinders lind Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 PH 0 TOe 0 P IFe L E
' T NUMcH MVcMcN
(Greetings and farewel l s; judgi ng;
agreeing/disagreeing)
StudentB
rhe consumer movement is a general term for all the ways in which consumers infuence companies
Ind their decisions. Consumers can affect both marketing decisions and company ethics.
rogether with student A, imagine you are having a drink together in the lobby of U hotel. Discuss
:he infuence of consumers on company decisions. Use the notes below to help bui l d up U discus
;lOn.
YOU:
basically have a very different vi ew to student A - you thi nk consumers have l ittle i nfl uence
think every decision a company makes is a commercial decision
think busi nesses are there to make a profit
think that companies fix prices, not consumers: for example, clothing and fashi on items,
jewellery, perfume, luxury items are often hi ghl y over-priced
thi nk the media l i kes us to believe that ethical considerations are i mportant
thi nk consumers want to believe that ethical decisions are i mportant, but in fact they are not:
for example:
-there i s a lot of testing products on animals
- dumpi ng, e.g. sel l i ng bad products i n poor markets, is still common
- fur coats are sti l l popular
- thousands of companies make excessive profits
- many companies use cheap labour
- i n many work places there are no workers' organizations
- making products that are bui l t to fall to pieces is still common.
Also, discuss the ways in which companies keep control of consumers:
advertising
power with political and media forces
keeping prices hi gh
sel l i ng products that are bad for people
using up the world's resources
forcing people to work for a living
propaganda/sel l i ng a message.
YOU START.
+ ==~~ ~ 7.+ .l ) QQ r j CCCCFI FbL

1 21
ZZ NUMcH UHVcY ludODl B
(Judgi ng; l i ki ng and preferri ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Consumer surveys are designed to help com{anies understand the wants and needs of consumers so
that they can provide goods and services that consumers wilbuy. Survey design is important: a wel
designed and well executed survey can produce interesting and useful results.
You work for a market research organization. Together with a colleague, design a survey to fnd
out the following information about the way people spend their free time.
1 22 From Business English Pair Work 2 by Slovc Aindcrs :md Simon Sweene)' OPenguin Books |998 P H 0'0 COP I A B L E

T
ZZ NUMcHUHVcY ludODl B
Continued . . .
YOU:
need to decide ten popul ar l ei sure activities as your research base
would l i ke to include questions on how much money people normally spend on activities
they engage i n. Incl ude a question like:
Say how much you spend in a typical year on particular leisure activities. Offer a choice of
answers from Under $10 to a much larger amount.
would also like to find out who people spend their leisure time with. Again, offer choices. For
example, Choose from work colleagues, other friends, family, etc.
would l i ke to i ncl ude questions on where the respondents live, because this wi l l affect their
leisure activities, e.g. city, town, country, etc.
Together with student B, you must:
1 Agree the ten leisure activities that are the base of your research.
2 Reach an agreement with him/her on the design of the questionnaire. Here is an example of
part of the questionnaire:
Say how much you spend in a typical year on particular leisure activities.
I Fishing $0-| 0 $| | -30
2 Gol f $0-| 0 $ | |-30
J Theatre $0-| 0 $ | |-30
3 Actually draft the questionnaire.
4 Practise it on each other.
5 Improve it.
6 Use it on other people.
YOU START.
$3 | -| 00 $ | 0| -300 More than $300
$3 | -| 00 $| 0 | -300 More than $300
$3 | -| 00 $| 0 | -300 More than $300
|n:mBusiness Englbh Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flintlcrl andSilllOIl Sweeney@ Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 ,.0 C OP I A B L E
1 23
Z NH Uc tudODtB
(Negotiati ng; vetoi ng; measuring and calculati ng)
Legal contracts are formal documents containing agreements between parties who work together in
a business relationship. The language sometimes seems complex to non-specialists, but for law
professionals, it is specially designed to make it easy to resolve any problems.
You are from Kluivert nY, a Dutch manufacturer of pumps, compressors and accessories. You have
an agreement with Gayev Polska, a Polish distributor. Gayev Polska telephones you. Here is part
of the contract:
Distribution Agreement
This agreement is made and entered into on Jmluary b V .. . by and between Gayev Polska (poland) having its
registered office at Warsaw, hereinafter referred to as GAYEV, and Kluivcrt nY, having its registered ofce at
Zwolle, Netherlands, hereinafter referred to as KLUIVERT, on the other side.
1. Territories and products
Section .I KLUIVERT hereby appoints GAYEV its exclusive distributor in Poland and the Czech Republic, here
inafter referrcd ID as 'the territor', for the sale of all KLUIVERT presently as well as in the future manufactured
goods such as pumps, screw compressors. compressor packages as well as all accessories and spare parts related
thereto, hereinafter referred to as 'thc products' .
Z. LCg:'ll situation of the distributor
Section 2. GAYEV will buy and sell the products in its own name and for its own nccounl. It will act as an inde
pendent trader as regards both KLUIVERT and its customers.
Section 2.2 KLUIVERT undertakes to sell the products within the territory only to GAYEV and shall not appoint
any other agent or distributor for the products in the territor.
Section 2. KLUTVERT undcrakes to refer all customers within the territory, who are enquiring about the prod
UCl8, to GA YEV.
Section 2. GAYEV is entitled to sell the products ill cOllntries outside the territor. The same rights with regard to
the territory apply to all KLUIVERT's agents and distributors olltside the territory.
. Prices :md conditions of payment
Section 3.0 I KLUTVERT shall sell the products to GAYEV according to the price list issued by KLUlVERT and
applicable to all European distributors of the KLUIVERT nv group and being effective al the time of GAYEV's
order. presently according to Schedule L.
Section .2 KLUIVERT reser\'cs the right to change its prices by giving written notice of Vdays in advnnce.
Section . Payment for the products purchased by GAYEV shall be made 2 in cash on delivery and by
signed draft Vdays after delivery.
Section .+ KLUIVERT will buy back unsold stock at !b of cost within days of cancellation of this agreement.
Your company wants to continue to work with Gayev.
YOU:
have not exported di rectly to Polish or Czech customers, but other agents may have sol d
goods to tho.>e countries (see art. 2, 04 i n the contract).
do sel l goods to other agents at discounted prices because of very bi g orders
can offer discounts of up to 1 0% to Gayev if they increase their orders
do not feel any contractual obl igation to send publicity materials (art. 2. 01)
want a new working relationshi p - this could include more sales support
do not want to pay any compensation relating to past activities, but you can offer a better
deal for the future
can offer to visit Gayev if things are going badly on the telephone
would like to set up a new and better working relationship with Gayev.
STUDENT A WILL START,
1 24 From Business English Pair Work 2 by SlCI'C Flimtcr, :md Simon Sweeney Penguin Boh 199! P HOT 0 COP I A 6 LE

Z4 HHc ULUHc ludODl B

(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; expressing your amazement)
The culture of a company is the set of beliefs, values, attitudes and organizational characteristics which
make it unique. Some managers and business observers believe that changing the culture of an
organization can lead to significant improvements in its business performance.
You and student A woke up this morning to fnd yourselves in charge of a large international
corporation. Unfortunately it is losing a lot of money. You both feel that a major transformation of
the culture of the company is needed and so you have fed a meeting together to discuss this. In
preparation for the meeting, you have jotted the following ideas down on a piece of scrap paper.
Present them to student A and together agree which ones to implement.

YOU START.
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From Business English Pair Work 2b) StC\C Flinders and Simon Sweeney " Pengnin Books 1998 P HOT 0 COP I A B L E
125
Zb Hc VcH NK N
ludODlB
(Sequenci ng; urgi ng; knowing)
Creative thinking is a method companies use to find solutions to problems. For example, companies
are always looking for new ways to increase business, either through launching new products and
services or by taking existing ideas into new markets. In evelJ case, original and creative thought is
vital. In this activity you will get some practice.
Together with student A, you have decided to create a new magazine. Decide on a promotion
strategy for the magazine based on the kind of product it will be, who the target readers will be,
what special features it will have.
First, decide the following:
the basic type of magazine (fashion/lifestyle, sports, l ei sure and entertai nment,
current affairs and politics, food and drink, business, specialist, professional,
etc.)
typical reader profile
frequency: weekly, monthly, etc.
cover price
the name
market coverage: local, regional, national, international
sale: subscription, news-stands, public places, etc.
special features
regular contents
writers, guests, journalists
competition: rival magazines, newspapers, other media
target advertisers
quality: basic, average, hi gh quality (glossy, colour photographs, etc.)
design
sponsors
r
promotional ideas
l aunch pl an.
Then design a promotional presentation for the magazine. Here is a basic outline for a four-part
presentation:
1 Type of magazine, title, key characteristics.
2 Market: readers and advertisers
3 Contents: what is in the magazine, key topics, writers, use of photographs, etc.
4 Marketing plan: how you will launch, advertise and sell the magazine.
With student A, decide which sections you will present and which sections helshe will present.
YOU START.
1 26 From Businc.s English Pair WOlk 2 by SIeve Flinders :md Simon Sweeney " Penguin look 1998 PH 0'0 COP I A 6 L E
Z cH L MHKc N
ludODl B
(Judgi ng; agreeing/disagreei ng; vetoing)
Ethical marketing is providing a prduct or service in a way which considers not only the consumers
and the users of the product, but also the general public, the wider needs of society and the
environment.
Together with student A, decide on a reasonable ethical position on the 1 5 issues below.
Identify specifc conditions which you could add to the issues that would make them especially
acceptable, or unacceptable.
Student A has the same list. Mark each item on a scale from 1-5, where 1 absolutely acceptable
to 5 absolutely unacceptable. Then together order the entire list from 1-15 according to impor
tance, where 1 the most important.
marketing toy guns in a country just after a war
selling foods high in sugar and salt
selling not very effective drugs to treat diseases
marketing sweets and sweet snacks to children
marketing sweet alcoholic drinks to children
marketing cigarettes in poor countries
selling for $120 shoes made in poor countries by workers paid $1 a shoe
creating price wars to force competitors out of the market
selling customers expensive insurance that it is 95% certain they won't need
offering 'free' credit for 12 months but then hitting customers with very
expensive repayment terms
using sexual stereotypes to sell products
using overtly sexual images to sell products
making products with in-built obsolescence (they will soon not do the job)
charging the highest price the consumer will pay for the lowest quality the
consumer will accept
using violent images to sell products to children
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flinders :md Simon Sweeney @ Penguin Books l998 P H 0 ,.0 C OP I A 6 L E
127
Z1 cAcU Vc HcHUMcN
ludODl B
(Sequenci ng; agreeing/disagreeing; hesitating)
Executive recruitment concers attracting the best quality people to the top positions in leading
companies. Top managers need a range of skills and experience. They also expect good salaries and
plenty of perks. Perks are additional benefits ofered to senior executives, such as bonuses, shares,
good pensions, top health care insurance, cars, housing advantages, school fees, etc.
You and student A both work for an executive recruitment agency. You have been asked to select
candidates for a new post as Chief Executive of a recently privatized national energy company. YOl
have placed the following advertisement in top national newspapers:
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Top salmy with bO/luses and additional benefts
Are you a high qualiry executive with experience in industry
and senior management? Do you have an interational
profle? Are you ambitious and dedicated to success?
If so, write for details to:
Executive Recruitment, Mansion Gardens,
London CI 5OR
To help you choose the best candidates, here are 14 statements about the qualities needed in
the person chosen for the job advertised above. Together with student A, rank them from most
important to least important.
knowledge of the gas industry
good contacts with the government
ability to get on well with other senior managers
ability to get on well with employees
understanding the needs of shareholders
having a vision of the strategic plan for a major energy company
willingness to sack employees to increalJ efficiency
enthusiasm for extremely high salaries
'
for chief executives
ability to deal with the press and the television
youth, dynamism and energy
ability to work 16 hours a day 365 days a year
enthusiasm for long holidays and short working weeks for top executives
enthusiasm for perks for top managers and chief executives, e. g. houses, cars, private jet, etc.
a sense that making a proft is the only reason to run a business.
Finally, decide with student A a list of perks that you think the person you recruit should be
offered.
YOU START.
1 28 From l3usi"ss English Pair Work 2by 5[1'\'1' Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Iloks 1998 PH 0 - 0 COP I A e L E
Z HM LL N ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; sequencing)
Forms are ofcial documents containing questions and spaces for answers.
You have to take student A's details. Complete the form below as fully as possible.
Today's date: ....... ........................................ .................... + Form completed by: ........................................................ &
Family name: First name(s): ...................................................................... .
Date of birth: ............................................... .................... Nationality: ........................................................ +<
Place of birth: ................. .............................. ................. + Marital status: ..................................................................... .
Home address: ............... = Home telephone: ............................................................. <+
Home fax: . .. .. . ..... ... .......... .. ....... ....... . . +........ .... ....+...+.... .
Home e-mail: ...................................................................... .
Company: ...................................................... +< ......... Company activity: ............................................................. =
Work address: ................. Work telephone:
Work fax: .......................................................................... ..
Work e-mail: ...................................................................... <+
Job title: ........................................................... ................. .+ Started current job on: .................................................. +
Departmentldivision: ................................. +
Main responsibilities:
2 ... ..... . ............................................................. .......................................................... <<
3 ....................... . .. . . .................................................................................................... =<
4 . . . .................. . . . . . . .................................................................... y .. + ..++.. ..+....... y ...=++==== <
Previous posts: Position Organization Dates
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2 ............................... .+
3 ............. .................. ................... ........................ ................... ..... . . . . ................................................................................... =+
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Education: Institution
. ................................................. +
2
3
4
Languages: .......... .. ................ .
Leisure interests: ................... =
STUDENT A WILL START.
Qualifications Dates
from BuiTh!SS ET1gJih P:liT Work 2 by Stevc FliT1dc .WQ Simon $WCCllCY Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 TOe 0 P I A 6 L E
1 29
Z HMcWHK N
ludODl B
(Liking and preferri ng; urging; correcting)
More and more people work from home. They may be self-employed freelancers with a bedroom
converted into an ofice, or they may be part- or full-time employees of business organizations which
find that basing people at home helps reduce costs. There are various other names for home workers,
including teleworker telecommuter and remote worker.
You are going to discuss the pros and cons of homeworking with student A who works from home.
You, on the other hand, have worked at home a little and did not enjoy it: you prefer to work in an
offce.
YOU think:
1 Working at home is lonely. You miss the company and the stimulation of colleagues.
2 You also feel claustrophobic when you are at home all day. You miss the city centre
and the chance to go out at lunchtime.
3 You also feel isolated from what is going on in the company. You feel marginalized
and out of touch. You have less influence over decisions. You miss the gossip.
4 The result of working flexible hours at home i s that you always feel you are ' on call'.
Because you sometimes work i n the evening, people call you i n the evening about
work. You have no privacy.
5 Your 'office' at home is not as comfortable and well-equipped as the offices at work.
6 You have to do a lot of reporting - filling in boring forms and so on - to prove that
you've done what you're supposed to have done.
7 There are too many di stractions at home - children who need attention, odd jobs to
do: it's difficult to find the self-disci pl ine to resist them.
S You're not sure about the insurance and legal position for people working from home.
Give two more points of your own.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
7
1 30 From Businss English Pair \\ork 2 bv SIC\ Flin( qp,] jp,,,, \Q,; q D; .... 1 , J . 4 < * < * * ^ * ~
|
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NUH L c Nc
tudODt B
(Obl i gi ng; permitti ng; declini ng/rejecting)
Industrial espionage is where a company illegally obtains secrets from a competitor. This is a serious
crime and can be punished with imprisonment or can lead to one company paying another large sums
in compensation.
Last year your company, Aam Ltd, recruited Lee Maasman as Chief Executive of Production. He
came to Axam from your main competitor, Fedor Inc. Some of his former colleagues have also come
to work for Axam. Your company is doing very well and has produced a new range of products.
You now have a meeting with Fedor Inc. , who are very unhappy about Mr Maasman's move. Listen
to what Fedor have to say, then make a short presentation in response. In your presentation,
explain the following:
Axam's market position
Axam is i n a much stronger market position
It is becoming the dominant player in the i ndustry
It is expanding rapidly in South America and i n other markets
Recruitment
naturally people l i ke to work for a strong, progressive company
your company pays much higher salaries
Mr Maasman has a much better position
hi s five colleagues also have better salaries
In the discussion that follows
YOU:
reject the accusations
want to know the evidence for these accusations
refuse to pay any compensation
7
might consider a smal l sum (say $50,000 to keep Fodor quiet - they woul d have to sign an
agreement not to bring any action against Axam)
.
can promise to talk to Mr Maasman - but you think he wi l l l augh about it
accept that he di d bring expertise and knowledge, but no documents or information on
computer disks
think si mi larities between your products and Fodor plans are a coincidence
think Fodor are angry because they have lost top people and market share
are prepared to sue Fodor for libel if they make these accusations publ i c.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
D:H Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flinders :and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 Toe 0 P I A e L E 1 3 1
T NcHN NL MHKc N tudODt B
(Greetings and farewel l s; agreeing/disagreei ng;
urgi ng)
Interational marketing is the promotion and sale of goods and serices across national frontiers. Large
trade blocks with hundreds of millions of potential consumers have opened up huge new markets as
trade within and between these blocks ofers increasing potential for growth.
Imagine you meet student A socially. During an evening together you talk about international
marketing. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of doing business across national frontiers.
Below are some advantages and some disadvantages. Student A has a different list. Perhaps you
can think of others too.
Discuss student A's suggestions, agreeing and disagreeing - depending on your view.
Suggest you go out tomorrow evening as well.
Invite himlher to have a meal with you.
ADVANTAGES OF I NTERNATIONAL
MARKETING
more interesting, better career possibilities
opportunities to set up trans-national
partnerships, joint ventures, etc.
easier to recruit top people
better quality products
helps economic growth, jobs
YOU START.
DISADVANTAGES OF
I NTERNATIONAL MARKETING
more competition
need for more market research - higher
costs
less personal producer/customer
relationship
increased administration and bureaucracy
more training needed
Y
1 32 From Business Eliglish Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney " Penguin Books 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A [ L E
Z J N
(Judgi ng; sequenci ng; expressing your amazement)
If you have job satisfaction, you are happy in your work. Some job satisfaction is imporant to most
people in employment, although not everyone has it. Which factors contribute most to satisfaction at
work is a subject of great debate.
You and student A are going to discuss job satisfaction - what it is, how far you have it, and how
you get it. To help you in your discussion, you are going to discuss an order of priority for the
following factors which can contribute to job satisfaction: i.e. which of them you agree is the most
important, the second most important, and so on, down to the least important.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
IO
11
Open, two-way communication
Realistic performance management
The right balance between work and private life
Performance-related pay
Non-monetary rewards and recognition
Portable pension
Interesting, challenging work
Fair pay
Involvement in decision-making
Secure employment
Opportunities for growth and development
Think of three more factors.
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+ + + + + +
+ , +
+ e e e e
+ a a a
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+ e a e a +
+ + + + +
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14 + < e . a a e e e s e s s e e e e e e e e + + e e e e e s e + e e e a a e e a e e e e + e e e e & e e +
STUDENT A WILL START.
|rumus:ncss|ng|ish lairWork2byS:cvcFIiodcrsandSimooSwccocylcngo|oooks 1998 PH 0 - 0 COP I A tL E
133
JU N- McMNcMcN
ludODl B
(Negotiati ng; obl i gi ng; forecasting)
Just-in-time management (JIT is a system of controlling production and delivery schedules so. that
goods are finished and are delivered at the moment that they are needed. This eliminates storage
costs. Both suppliers and prducers benefit from efective JIT management. Contracts ofen include
penalties where scheduling agreements are broken.
Your company, FDR Auto Ltd, has asked Edil Fabricat S.A. to supply you with a range of
prefabricated industrial buildings. Unfortunately, because of internal problems, you are not ready
to receive the buildings on the agreed date. The site preparation has not been completed. Ideally,
you need another two weeks. Telephone EF to explain the problem. Ty to reach an agreement on
what to do.
Here is an extract from your contract with Edil Fabricat:
YOU:
Section 6: Delivery schedule
Article 6.0 I Edil Fabricat will make del ivery of the finished bUi l dings on . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (nex Mondoy).
Article 6.02 The buyer will be responsible for the preparation of the site. Such
preparation will be completed on or before the above date so that installation
work can begin i mmediately.
Article 6.03 Any delay in del ivery will result in a I % reduction on the total invoice
for every day that the delivery is delayed.
Article 6.04 Any delay in the preparation of the site wil l result in a I % addition to
the invoice for every day that delivery is delayed.
explain that you need about two weeks to prepare the site
may be able to reduce thi s by up to 3 days by employing outside contractors
would l i ke EF to store the bui l di ngs until you are ready
agreed a total invoice with EF for $300,000
accept that under the contract you are liable to pay 1 4 x $3000 $42,000
cannot afford this much - it would be a disaster for you and your company
r
may contract EF to do more work for you in the future as you are bui l di ng a new plant in
another city next year
need a compromise, perhaps based on paying part of the i nvoice early and not 90 days after l .
delivery as agreed.
YOU START.
1 34
From Business Ellgli. h I\tir Work 2 by S1eve Flinders ami Simon Sweeney Penguin 1I11{)k. 1998 P H 0'0 C OP I A 6 L E
4 MNcMcN cVcLMcN
ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; permitti ng; l i king and preferring)
Companies try to improve the quality of their managers in many ways. Some examples are:
education and training
coaching and mentoring
job rotation and secondment
job enlargement.
These are all forms of management development.
You work in human resources. Your company has selected student A for three months' training
at a top business school. You are going to talk to him/her about the content of the three-month
training programme. You know that the company considers student A to be a mature employee
who can make his/her own decisions about the COlU'se. Your job is to go through the options on your
checklist below and fnd out which ones student A would most like to do. Although you should go
through the whole list, note that the fnal choice is limited to three modules. He/she must give
convincing reasons for hisfher preferences.
The course modules are:
1 General management
2 Finance
3 Accountancy
4 Sales and marketing
5 Manufacturing technology
6 LT. for the moder manager
7 Supply chain management
8 Project management
9 Quality
10 Customer focus
11 Leadership
12 Team building
13 Creativity
14 Business ethics
15 Business and the environment
YOU START.
From Business English P'lir Work 2 by Sieve Flindcr- and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 TO C OP I A B L E '
b MN N N NVcMcN
HL
tudODtB
(Greetings and farewel l s; sequencing; urgi ng)
An investment portfolio is the assortment of shareholdings, funds, deposit accounts and insurances
held by an individual or group of individuals in the hope that together they increase in value. If they do
add value over time, they wiprovide improved security and wealth for the investor.
Together with student A you have decided to create a joint investment portfolio. In an informal
meeting in a restaurant, discuss the best ways to manage your investments. Decide on the
basic rules for your activity and decide any specific action you will take. Because you are in a
restauant, include comments on the meal, your drinks, the restaurant itself, etc.
Agree or disagree with student A's suggestions. Reach compromises where necessary. The
important thing is to reach agreement.
YOU:
want to spread the risk over several different investments, preferring many small i nvestments
to a few large ones
suggest starti ng with an initial investment of about $6,000
recommend sel l i ng any investment showing growth of 20%
recommend having your investments i n different countries and continents
suggest regular readi ng of the financial press and investment magazines.
Use the following to outline your fnal plans.
First priorities
i.
ii.
iii.
Initial outlay
YOU START.
Typical regular
investment
Ways to spread risk
i.
ii.
iii.
Professional
assiscance
Selling strategy
Managing the portfolio
1 36 From Ilusincss Englih Pair Work 2 by Stcvt: Flinders ami Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 191K PH 0, 0 COP I A e L E

MN N Hc UUHc
ludODl B
(Forecasti ng; measuring and calculati ng; judgi ng)
Most big companies have not lived very long: only a few are more than a hundred years old. Some big
companies think a lot about the future. Companies in the oil sector in particular try to answer the
question of what they will do in a world without oil. Some of them have think-tanks which try to guess
what the world will be like in the future. In this way they can define a strategy which will help them
survive in conditions quite diferent from those of today.
You are a journalist with the in-house magazine of a large, successful, matm'e company. You are
going to interview a member of the company's strategic planning unit (student A) about hisfher
assessment of business conditions ten years from now.
YOU are going to ask about:
products
markets
customers
competition
prices
empl oyees (profiles, trai ni ng)
size
growth
communi cations
and more generally:
the economic environment
the political environment
and fnally:
how the company wi l l get from here to there.
YOU START.
From Business English P:ir Work 2 by SIc\c Flimlcr' .i:idSimon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 TO COP I A 6 LL lJ
1 MHKc HHc tudODt B
(Sequenci ng; forecasting; j udgi ng)
Market share is the part of a total market that one company contrls. For example Kellogg's has had
the largest market share in the breakfast cereal market for many years. It is the market leader.
You and student A work in the marketing department of Achilles Sports. You have a meeting to
discuss your company's market share in two major areas: sports equipment for schools and for
sports centres.
Listen to student A telling you about the market for schools. Then you present the information
below, about the sports centres market.
Then discuss ways to improve your market share in both areas and decide on fve key action
points.
Klipper
24%
Others l O%
Sasha
1 5%
Frede
4 1 %
l@. J. Mar/et share for sale of sports equipment to sports centres
Notes: 1 Others includes three other companies with 3-4% market share.
2 Achilles market share has been 10% for the past three years.
3 Total company annual turnover is $15m.
YOU:
( thi nk Achilles shoul d attempt to form a partnership wi th Sasha to create a major force to
challenge Frodo
thi nk the cost of buying the smaller companies would be too hi gh, as they onl y have a small
market share
do not thi nk sponsoring nationwide sports competitions is effective except for large
companies like Frodo (or Achi l les and Sasha combined)
know that you are al ready borrowing $5m from the bank and do not thi nk you can borrow
more (except together with Sasha)
know that your turnover for sports centre equipment last year was $4m
think the two sectors (schools and sports centres) shoul d stay separate as each market
needs hi ghl y focused marketing.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 38 Frm Business English Pair Work 2hy StC\C Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 i 0 COP I A 6 L E
M H-LcN N ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; sequencing; j udging)
Micro-lending is the lending of small sums of money to poor people in developing countries. It is
proving to be a vel) efective way of stimulating economic activity in vel) poor communities. Banks
specializing in micr-lending are also becoming more and more numerous in developing countries.
You are the founder and owner of a bank which specializes in micro-lending i n a developing
country. You want money to fnance your continuing expansion and you are now going to have a
preliminary meeting with the representative of an international agency specialising in giving
financial advice to micro-lending institutions (student A). He/she will ask you about yourself and
your work before deciding whether to recommend moving your request for a loan to the next stage
in the process. You can use the information below plus information that you may yourself wish to
add in order to achieve your objective of persuading student A of the credibility of your operation.
You and your husband/wife were originally very poor yourselves but you now own a bank. You frst
of all managed to save a small amount of money and then built up your capital by making
short-term loans with daily repayment schedules to people you knew and whom you visited every
day by bicycle. You immediately re-Ient the capital. You still use the same basic methods except
that now you have employees who visit your borrowers and savers in the same way, serving as
mobile branches. Your bank is fnancially sustainable, you know your markets very well, you pay
careful attention to your customers (there are very few defaults) and you keep costs to a minimum.
About half of your clients work in the urban informal sector. The other half live in villages. 84% of
your loans go to women. In the cities, you often lend to self-employed people - tailors, taxi-drivers,
shoe-shiners, street sellers of various kinds who use their tiny loans to expand their own
businesses. Many of your rural loans are used to fnance housing construction or development of
safe drinlGng water and sanitation. Loans start at $80. The average size of loan is $140. You issue
loans from $100 to 'solidarity groups' - groups of people who take joint responsibility for the
repayment. You accept unusual forms of collateral, for example family jewellery. You also accept
deposits with average savings now at $260 per account.
You have adopted a number of fnancial instruments which you feel are appropriate to your
customers, for example a lottery. All holders of deposits over a certain size receive free tickets for
the draws which take place four times a year: the prizes are popular things like a motorcycle or H
car and help to attract more borrowers, as well as giving you an opportunity to educate more
people in basic banking practices.
You currently reach about 65,000 borrowers and aim to reach another 30,000 borrowers in the ."ext
fve years. Your current assets amount to $28m. You would like a loan of $lOm to fnance this
expansion.
STUDENT A WILL START.
From usincs LogIishPairWcrk2byStcvcFiod JodSi::.ooSwccneyOPcngvin o:|s I998 P H 0 ,0 COP I A 1 L E 1 39
Nc N cL
ludODlB
(Negotiati ng; vetoi ng; permitting)
Win/win negotiating involves finding the best possible agreement to the advantage of both sides in a
negotiation. In most commercial negotiations, the best results leave everyone feeling happy that a fair
deal has been reached, which ofers both sides important benefits.
Your company, Willow & Beech Ltd, are specialists in landscape gardening. You have been asked to
renovate the gardens of an old country house which is being converted into a company Head Offce.
Here is a plan showing what you can do, together with some prices and specifc notes.
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1
140 FromBusincssEn|ishPairWork2byStcvcFindersandSimonSwccncyOPcnuio Boks 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A 6 L E
"9
v\
Nc N cL
Continued . . .
PRICE ESTIMTES:
Clearance and site preparation (1 week)
New top soil
50 three- and four-year-old deciduous trees for wood:
50 other similar trees
Large pond preparation
Small pond preparation
Stream with pump driving water between ponds
Shrubs, bushes
Large heated/air conditioned greenhouse with electricity
Garden shed (for tools, etc)
Workshop with electricity, heating/air conditioning
Labour costs: twenty man weeks (two men for 10 weeks)
TOTAL
YOU:
may need to explain that three-year-old trees are not very big
see the ponds as essential to attracting wi l dl ife
can offer some flexibility on prices
need 1 0 weeks to do the work
thi nk a workshop wi l l be essential for a garden of this size
can offer a 1 0% reduction if these terms are accepted:
25% on signature of contract
25% half way through completion
50% on completion of work
accept that the terms are negotiable.
$ 15,000
$8,000
$5, 000
$5,000
$5,000
$3,000
$5,000
$1, 000
$4,000
$3,000
$8,000
$20,000
$82,000
Continue the negotiation until you and student A are both more or less happy with the agreement
reached.
YOU START_
|:omBusncssLng|shPairWork 2byStcc|Iindc:s:UH. SimonSwccncyPcngoinooks |98 P H 0 , 0 C OP I A e L E
141
4 NcH MNcMcN
ludODl B
(Tel l i ng; agreei ng/disagreeing; emphasizing)
'Nerd' is a slang term for someone - ofen a young white unmarried male - who seems to prefer
computers to people. Nerds typically spend hours in front of the computer screen -programming,
surfing the Intemet or playing computer games - and, as a result, eat poor quality lunk) food, dress
badly and are not very good at communicating with other people. (This activity is based on a real case
from a major European company.
Your company has a problem: its nerds are working too hard. The twenty staff who work in the
computer maintenance and development department are becoming more and more unpopular with
other staff because:
they do not seem to be interested in anything apart from computers so have no social contact
with anyone in other departments
they work very long hours (up to 70 or 80 hours a week - there are even stories that some of
them sleep overnight in their offces): this is creating problems with the unions; there is also
growing management concern about burnout
when other staff members ask for technical advice, they either do not understand the answers
they get from the nerds or are made to feel stupid.
You and student A work in a department which uses computers a lot and therefore depends a
great deal on the nerds. Your boss has given you the joint responsibility for dealing with the nerd
problem. You are to spend 20% of your time on this project. You have a nerd budget. Note that all
previous efforts to socialize the staff of this department have failed. There is also the danger that
unhappy nerds will leave the company and join a competitor. However, you have the full support of
management to go ahead with whatever policy you think will work. Here are some of your ideas
about how to improve the situation:
You wi l l take al l the nerds away every six months for a weekend i n an attractive location,
where you will mix company briefings with relaxation activities.
You wil l use part of your budget to buy the staff new clothes and take them shopping to
men's clothing stores.
You wil l create a new compulsory weekly session when everyone meets for a beer every
Friday afternoon.
You will take the whole department out for a meal once a month: attendance wi l l be
compul sory.
You wi: , introduce a daily aerobics class at 9 o'clock every weekday morning.
You wi l l send all staff menibers on communications training courses which involve practising
telephoning and meetings skills with audio and video feedback.
You wil l organize general knowledge quiz evenings with staff once a month - questions on
computers wi l l be banned.
Add your own suggestions.
Compare your ideas with student A's and agree on a strategy for improving the situation.
STUDENT A WILL START.
142 From Bu.ines English PrrWcrk 2by Stcve Flinders :ld Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 PH 0 ,0 COP I A B L E
I
4T NcW HU tudODt B
(Questi oni ng; forecasting; j udging)
Eighty per cent of new products fail. Ofen the product itself is a good one, but the marketing is a
failure. Great creative energy can be wasted if the marketing plan that goes with it is poor. Here you
have the opportunity to work on a great product and a great marketing plan.
Together with student A, design a new product for the busy modern man, woman or family. You
have to invent a product that everyone (almost everyone) will want. Then work out a marketing
strategy. Here are some ideas to help you.
The product
Think of any new household object that will improve people's quality of life (it can be
large or small, simple or complex).
What is it for?
What does it look like? (Draw it)
What is it made of?
Why is it unique?
How does it work?
The target consumer
Who will be the typical user(s) of the product?
Is it for everyone, or for specialists?
Is it an everyday product or is it exclusive?
The marketing strategy
How are you going to promote and sell the product?
How much money do you need to manufacture, promote and sell the product?
Who is going to sponsor the development of the product?
How much will it sell for?
Where do you plan to sell it?
What special after sales support or follow up will there be to establish links with your
customers?
The future
How will the product develop?
What new products will be added to the range?
Possible problems
Can you think of any possible problems which may prevent your idea from being a most
fantastic success?
YOU START.
From Business English Pair Work 2 by Steve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 P H 0'0 COP I A e L E 143
4Z cHHMNc HL
ludODl B
(Sequenci ng; judgi ng; regretting)
Appraisal, or assessment as it is sometimes called, is the measurement or evaluation of an employee's
job perormance. This ofen takes the form of an annual appraisal interview between an employee and
his or her superior. In some companies, the result of the interview will infuence how much the
employee is paid: this is called perormance-related pay.
Student A is the personnel manager of the company where you work. All employees are invited to
self.assess themselves as part of the overall appraisal process. Your personnel manager is there
fore going to go through this stage in the process with you. You both have a copy of the form below
which you will now complete together. You can either play yourself and give your assessment of
your performance in your own job in the real world: or, if you prefer, you can invent a job and a
personality for yourself and role play the activity.
Employee name ........................................... . . + ..... . + . ..... .. Review manager . .... . . . . . . . . . ~. .. . . ... . . ... . . ... .... . . .. . . ..
Job title ......................................................... . + +. +. . .+ .+ . ~ ~ ~ ~ Review period . . .......... . . . .. . . . ...+ + + .. .+ . .. . . ..~ . .. +. +. . . .
Department ................................................. . . . . . . . . . + . . + . . . . Date . . . + . + ... . . .. . ..... .. +.... ... . . .. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . .. . . . . .. . .... . . ...
Use this sheet to give your rating for ea ch area. Use a separate sheet for notes.
Rating scale: Less than acceptable st
2 Acceptable standard
3 Good standard
4 Very good standard
5 Outstanding standard
andard
hink you performed in each of the following areas? During the review period, how do you t
Discuss your choices with your review m
Achievement of professional objectiv
Achievement of personal objectives
Market awareness
Customer focus
Quality
Commitment ,
Planning
Organization
Communication
Leadership
Itiative
Team work
anager.
es
Overall rating of your contribution a nd performance
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
I 2 3 4
Which areas do you think need the mos t attention following the review period?
W
STUDENT A WILL START.
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
1 4 From nusino" Enlih P;lir \Vorl 2by Slc\,e Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Booh |998 F H CCCCFI A B L E
4 cHNL HccN N
(Sequenci ng; j udgi ng; questioning)
Personal presentations are often an essential part of applying for a job. Together with the curriculum
vitae, job applicants may be asked to give a presentation of their individual qualities and the expertise
that they would bring to the new position. This might include plans and ideas if ofered the job.
You and student A have to make personal presentations as part of applying for a new job - or keep
your present job. Look at the following alternatives:
a job currently advertised in a newspaper or magazine - you have to fnd an example
your present job - think what skills and expertise are necessary for your present job
your boss's job - again, think what skills are required
a complete fantasy job - think of an exciting position that it would be interesting to apply for.
Work out the details (employer, location, qualifcations and experience needed, special
responsibilities, salary, etc. ), for one of the above positions. Then prepare a short presentation
(5-10 minutes) to deliver to student A as part of your job application.
YOU:
have to thi nk of the personal qual ities that the job requi res
must thi nk about the experience the job requires
have to decide what special qual ities you have that make you the right person for the job
have to plan and organize your presentation effectively
divide the presentation into three or four parts.
W11en you are ready, make your presentation to student A. He/she will decide if you get the job.
Then listen to student A' s presentation. As you listen, interrupt twice to ask for repetition or
clarification.
Evaluate the presentation with a mark from 1 (excellent) to 5 (very bad) in terms of:
ctgun|zut|cnl c|ut|ty |ntetest .|sud|e[ect c.etu||
sttuctute e[ect|.eness
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
After the presentation:
ask two questions
give feedback and the results of your evaluation
say if he/she gets the job.
YOU START.
From Businc.s English Pair Wurk 2 by `\CYV Flinders uHG `IHOH Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 P H 0 ,0 COP I A e L E 145
44 cHNNcLMNcMcN
ludODl B
(Sequenci ng; j udgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
The status and role of personnel (or human resources, which is efectively the same thing) ,
management is unsure. In some countries, personnel management hardly exists; and even in the
advanced economies, the personnel function can be very diferent from one company to the next.
Some personnel departments are strng, some are weak; in some companies the function is highly
centralized, in others it is highly decentralized.
What is the role of the personnel department in your company, or a company you know?
What should the role of the personnel department ideally be? Look at the following list of different
types of personnel function with student A, who has the same list; and decide:
a) which one(s) come(s) closest to what you have at the moment
b) which one(s) you would like to have.
1 THE SPECIALIST ADVISER. A semi-legal role: only personnel has the
specialist knowledge and expertise i n areas like employment law, job
evaluation, etc.
2 THE GUARDI AN OF THE CORPORATE CONSCIENCE. The department's
mai n concern is for fairness and the defence of employee i nterests
against a senior management which is concerned much with efficiency
and little with communication.
3 THE I NDUSTRIAL RELATIONS FIREFIGHTER. Dealing with the uni ons.
4 THE BUSI NESS MANAGER. Managing human resources i n the same
way as the Finance Manager manages financial resources, i.e. i n the
most efficient and profitable way possible.
S THE ADMINI STRATOR. Doing the paperwork - on pay, absence,
hol i days, sick leave, and so on.
6 THE CHANGE AGENT. The main agent for creating cultural and
organizational change within the company.
7 THE INTERNAL CONSULTANT. Providing support to l i ne managers i n
the 'people management' aspects of their jobs.
8 THE TRASH CAN. The department does any job i t can persuade other
managers to give up, and all the jobs that no one else wants to do.
g OR you may have anoher model to propose.
STUDENT A WILL START.
146 From 8usinssLngI|shPairWorI 2bySicvc| |ndcrsandS|monSwccncyOPcnvinook !998 FICTCC CFIA 6 L E
4b LNN N Mcc N
(Urging; expressi ng your amazement;
decl i ni ng/rejecting)
Planning a meeting is concered with deciding:
the objectives of the meeting
who can best contribute to achieving those objectives
!udODt B
the physical and logistical organization that is necessary to make sure the meeting is a success.
Together with a senior colleague in a medium-sized manufacturing company, Pryam Ltd, you have
to plan a meeting to review company operations. Decide on the steps necessary in planning the
meeting.
Background information:
your company makes electrical components
you employ 250 people on two factory sites
there are 15 senior managers, ten of whom are directors of the company
there are a further 20 non-executive managers
The graph below shows sales over the past ten years and compares performance of Pryam and
three leading competitors.
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YOU:
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Peta
Pryam
KLD
think the graph shows that Pryam is in serious danger of losing its market position, leaving
just two companies
suggest widest possible consultation at all levels from top level management to workers to
identify issues that shoul d be on the agenda for the meeting
r
thi nk empl Cyees' representatives should be included in the meeting
recommend that smal l commiUees be set up in different departments to make
recommendations
think all empl oyees shoul d receive a letter saying what is happeni ng and why
expect the pl anni ng procedure, i ncl udi ng the meeting of committees, to take at least six
weeks
thi nk the eventual meeting shoul d be on company premises
thi nk that empl oyees who attend the meeting should be paid to do so
want a preliminary report to senior management with a plan of action and a timetable leading
up to the eventual meeting
are prepared to compromise on some or all of the above provided the arguments presented
are convincing.
YOU START.
Fmlll Business English flair Work 2 by Slcve Flinders and Simun Sweeney Penguin ooks l998 F I 0' 0 CCFI A B L E 147
4 H N HcY
ludODlB
(Judgi ng; measuri ng and calculating; forecasting)
Fixing a price is a key management decision. If a product is too expensive it does not win enough sales
and the company loses money If a product is too cheap, possible profit is lost.
Discuss pricing strategy with student A. Group the following eleven pricing factors under the four
headings in the table.
cover costs 5 move prices up and down 8 keep prices lower than they
depending on economic should be
conditions
2 avoid excess profits 6 keep people in jobs 9 keep market share
3 make large profit 7 build up sales 1 0 price below competitors
4 price at or near competition I I ofer special payment terms to
help cash flow
I NCOME SALES COMPETITION ETHICS
Now look at the situations below. Decide with studen-: A which factors above are the most
important in fxing prices in these situations. Helshe has a different set cf situations.
YOU START.
market leader negotiating major government contract
bi g i ncrease i n costs for materials, components, etc.
expanding market
improving company reputation for qual ity, reliabil ity, service and value
the company has recently been privatized.
148 From Business English P:lir Work 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon SwccncyOPenguin Books 1998 PH 0 10 C OP I A E L E
41 H V Z N
tudODt B
(Judgi ng; hesitating)
Since the British Conserative goverment began to privatize nationalized industries in the early 1980s,
the selling of state assets has become popular worldwide, with goverments of all political colours keen
to reduce the role of the state and to reduce state spending.
You and student A are going to test each other's political refexes. First of all, write down the
twelve terms which he/she dictates to you in the space numbered 1-12 below.
YES NO BOTH
2 YES NO BOTH
3 YES NO BOTH
4 YES NO BOTH
5 YES NO BOTH
6 YES NO BOTH
7 YES NO BOTH
8 YES NO BOTH
9 YES NO BOTH
1 0 YES NO BOTH
I I YES NO BOTH
1 2 YES NO BOTH
Now go through the list quickly:
If you are for the privatization of the area circle YES
If you are against the privatization of the area, circle NO
If you think that a mix of state and private ownership is the best answer, circle BOTH
If you don't know or have no opinion, circle the question mark: ?
It is important to do the exercise quickly and not to spend too much time thinking about the
answer. When you have fnished, it's your turn to dictate the terms below to student A:
1 oil, gas and p6.'01
2 nuclear power
3 mail
4 railways
5 road transport
6 coach services
7
8
9
10
11
12
iron and steel
schools
prisons
armed services
doctors
. .
Insurance companIes
When student A has also circled YES, NO, BOTH or ? for each term, both of you add up your total
of 'yes', 'no', 'both' and '?' and compare your totals with each other. Discuss and compare your indi
vidual choices and discuss how far your reactions differ.
STUDENT A WI LL START.
From Business English PairWor|2by StC\'C Flindcr and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 P H C3CCOP I A 6 L E
149
4 HU MNcMcN
tudODt B
(Judgi ng; knowi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Although product management is primariy a marketing function, it ofers the manager the opportunit to
contribute in various ways to the development of a new product or service. Product management can
involve active participation in most aspects of the development of a new product, including design,
financing, production, marketing, sales and human resources.
Your billionaire friend is so impressed with the business ability of you and student A that he has
asked you to take responsibility for his latest business venture. He wants you to design, build and
promote a hotel for the megarich in the location of your choice. You will have a share of the profts
from the venture and, of course, a special cut price rate when you stay in the hotel yourself.
You are therefore going to discuss with student A, the hotel's:
location
size
facilities and special attractions
staffing.
You must also defne the general outline of a marketing policy to advertise and promote the new
hotel worldwide.
You should together prepare a report for your friend. Note that the hotel MUST be proftable
within two years of opening.
STUDENT A WILL START.
7
1 50 From Businc1S English P;lir Wok 2 by Stcve Flintkrs and Simon Sweeney OPenguin Books 1998 PH 0, 0 COP I A E L E
4 HU HccNN
tudODt B
(Sequenci ng; measuring and calculating; forecasting)
Multimedia is the term given to information technology products which combine conventional computer
hardware and sofware products with newer technologies. It includes CD Rom for interactive and
sound-based communication as well as access to exteral networks and the Interet.
Your and student A work for a multi-media communications company. You have to plan for a
meeting with a possibly very important customer - a local university with 50,000 students on
seven different campuses. Together with student A, use the information below to make a joint
presentation in which you explain the benefits of your products.
You have to divide up the information and present approximately half each. Divide the
presentation into different parts, for example:
introduction (systems available)
key benefts to students
brief description of each system
prIces
payment terms.
Prepare and practise the joint presentation together. Suggest ways that each of you can improve
your presentation. Repeat it if you like.
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FREE Fax/data/Internet 1 4.4 BAST modem converting PC to fax machine; full Internet capability
latest quality Microsoft Windows/Office software for word processing. spreadsheets. drawing and design.
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2. Six months free credit pay 20% deposit. then nothing for six months. Pay rest in a single payment.
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Supplied with ideal applications for student use:
Internet access. word processing. graphics. spreadsheets. database architecture, self study packages. li brary database. guided
learning software, research tools. foreign language packages and MORE!!!
YOU START.
FmmBuimssEnglish Pair Work 2by SCe\e Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Boks 1998 P H 0'0 COP IFbLE
1 51
b HM N
tudODt B
(Urgi ng; correcti ng; forecasting)
Promotion is the range of marketing activities designed to increase consumer awareness of a company
'
and its products and to improve sales performance. Examples are adverising, packaging, trade fairs,
in-store displays and competitions.
You are a local branch manager of a medium-sized retail bank. You have a meeting with a new
employee who is responsible for marketing. He/she is working on ways to increase business with
young people. You have a meeting to discuss ideas.
In the meeting, fnd out your new colleague's suggestions. Agree or disagree and make alternative
suggestions. Together decide what to do next.
YOU:
thi nk your larger competitors already domi nate the local col leges and uni versities
are worried about the costs of free offers to young people
thi nk sponsorship of local arts and sports events could be a good idea
suggest youth groups in general
thi nk schools themselves might not like to create commercial l i nks with a banking and
finance company
know that many schools already run savings schemes for their pupi l s
suggest that market research is needed
thi nk Head Office shoul d be responsible for marketing initiatives
thi nk national television advertising is the best way to i ncrease busi ness with young people -
this is a Head Office responsibil ity
want your colleague to produce a report for Head Office outl i ni ng suggestions.
YOU START.
1 52 Frcii: Business English Pair Work 2by Slcve Flinders and Simun Sweeney CPenguin Books 1998 PH 0 0 COP I A 6 LE
bT U Z
ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; correcting)
You can lear things from a quiz. Student A will ask you some questions. Then you ask the questions
below.
The answers are given below. Give student A 10 points for every right answer.
1 The headquarters of Levi Strauss, the jeans company, is in a. New York
b. San Francisco
c. Pittsburgh
2 Microsoft profts in 1994-5 were a. $1. 45 billion
b. $9. 6 billion
c. $0. 75 billion
3 The biro pen was invented by a Hungarian, Laszlo Biro, in a. 1928
b. 1943
c. 1961
4 Who owns Jaguar? a. Ford
b. Rolls Royce
c. British Aerospace
5 The telecommunications giant Nokia is a. Swedish
b. Japanese
c. Finnish
6 What is the population of the European Union at the end of the millennium?
7 What is the name of Amsterdam's airport?
8 Where is the Head Ofce of Cathay Pacifc?
9 What do the following acronyms stand for?
10 Name the capital cities of these countries.
11 Where are the following famous places?
STUDENT A WILL START.
a. ASEAN
b. GATT
c. OPEC
d. OEeD
a. Ecuador
b. Saudi Arabia
c. Brazil
d. Nigeria
a. Yosemite National Park
b. Phoenix Park
c. The Forum
d. Happy Valley
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From Business English Pair Work 2by SIeve Flil1llcr and Simon Sweeney Penguin Books 1998 FIC CCCF1 A 6 L E 153
bZ Hcc N tudODt B
(Judgi ng; obl i gi ng; forecasting)
A recession is an economic condition afecting a country or an industry where sales, prices and profits ,
fall as demand decreases. The result is a fall in output. Companies afected by recession ofen lay of
employees, so unemployment rises.
You work for a medium-sized manufacturing company that makes high quality and fairly
expensive building materials. The company employs 900 people in a city with a population of
50,000. You have a sales and distribution network across several neighbouring countries.
Unfortunately, all your main markets are affected by a recession, now in its second year.
With a colleague, decide what to do. Make a list of some key action to take.
YOU:
thi nk you shoul d lay off half the workers immediately as this is goi ng to be a l ong recession
and you are losing money
thi nk that when busi ness returns to normal, you can hi re new workers on new contracts at
lower wages
think short time working is another option, e.g. putting workers on half time contracts
thi nk buil ding up stock and selling it cheaply in new more distant markets are possible
options
believe that dropping your prices would force lower quality competitors to close. This would
increase your market share
think the company should rel ocate to a cheaper part of the country. The present site is very
valuable.
YOU START.
1 54 FromBusiocssEogIishPairWor| 2 b StevcF|iodcrsaodSimooSwccucyOPcovioBooks 1998 F I C3CCCF I A e L E
b HcL N
5tudent B
(Negotiati ng; measuri ng and calculati ng; forecasti ng)
Relocation is moving a factory or company site to another place. The decision to relocate may be taken
as a par of a strategic plan to expand the business, to save costs, to increase the profile of the
company or to move closer to important markets.
Your company makes sports and leisurewear products. For ffty years you have been based in the
home town of the founder and former managing director of the company, Ben King. Now the next
generation of the family own the company and it is expanding rapidly.
The board of directors is meeting to discuss a proposal to relocate the company to Rotaronga where
labour costs are much lower. Discuss the issues involved with another director. Try to reach
agreement on what the company should do.
YOU:
oppose the relocation
have all your mai n markets near your present site
have extensive sales networks based on the present manufacturing position
think local people deserve better than the closure of a major local employer
believe that expansion overseas is possible without the need to close the present plant
object on moral grounds to relocating to countries with very low wages
accept that some production coul d move overseas
want to find other ways to reduce costs
accept that redundancies wi l l be necessary
think that closure costs woul d be very high
thi nk student A is underestimating the relocation costs and overesti mating the value of the
present site
do not want to waste recent i nvestments in the present site
believe i nvestors wi l l not support the company's plan to relocate.
If you reach agreement, prepare a joint presentation of your new position.r
STUDENT A WILL START.
F:omusinss Eoy|ih lairWork2 by S|c\c Iinuc:.mu Smon SwcncyOPragoin ooks I998 FICTCC CFI A e L E ISS
b4 HcWH
(Liking and preferring; sequencing;
agreeing/disagreeing)
ODl B
There are many reasons why people work - because they need to, for self-esteem, to achieve personal
or professional ambitions, and so on. However, financial and non-financial rewards are, for most
people, the most imporant sources of motivation. A good reward system is an essential feature of any
business organization.
Your company is doing well, but the results of employee surveys tell you that your people are not
happy with the current system of incentives. You and student A have to fnd a solution to the
current state of demotivation. You are now going to meet together to brainstorm some ideas.
Here are some possibilities:
Speakers. Invite famous speakers to come to the company and talk to the staff: for
example, popljazz/classical musicians to talk about their work and then give a short
performance, or film actors or other stars chosen by the staf themselves.
2 Christmas bonuses. For everyone with more than one year's service.
3 Discounts. Large discounts on the company's own products or services.
4 Hol iday centres. Company-owned, where employees can take cheap hol idays i n
the country or by the sea.
5 Health and beauty. Offer free chi ropody, dental and hairdressing services to
employees.
6 Bi rthday cheques or vouchers. To current and retired employees.
7 Training. Overseas language training courses as a 'thank you' for special
achievement.
8 Other ideas . . . ?
STUDENT A WI LL START.
156 From Business English Pair WorI 2bySieve Flinders and Simon SWLney Penguin Books |998 P H 0 ,0 COP I A 6 L E
2

bb cY WHK ludODl B
(Judgi ng; obl i gi ng; correcting)
Safety at work is normally associated with industrial workplaces, where individuals can be at risk from
doing dangerous tasks, or working with dangerous equipment or materials. But safety at work is ofen
just as important in comforable ofices and even when working from home.
Brainstorm a list of problems or issues concerned with health and safety at work under the six
headings below. Then suggest solutions or safety measures for each one.
travel work at home ofice work
.
industrial environment chemicallpharmaceutical agricultural environment
environment

Finally, if you could change just two things to make your working day safer, what would you do?
YOU START.
b HHcHLcH cAc N
tudODtB
(Forecasti ng; urgi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
Shareholders' expectations sometimes conflict with management objectives in large public companies .
Shareholders may be used to large and regular dividends, especially if sales are good. Management
may have diferent priorities, concered with long-term planning. There may be a choice between
paying shareholders large dividends or making long-term capital investment.
Your company, Telco, has just published its annual report showing a 10% increase in net profts
and a 5% increase in market share. Make a short presentation to senior management in your
company praising the splendid results and looking forward to an equally successful future. Say yOl
think increased dividends for shareholders will bring in new investment in the company and
reward existing shareholders.
Here is a graph showing increased dividends to shareholders and improving share price over the
past ten years:
Fig. 1 Share price improvement Fig. 2 Dividends to shareholders
YOU:
thi nk shareholders deserve the increasing dividends
think that increasing the dividend further will guarantee that more new i nvestors put money
into the company
expect enough money to be left for the necessary capital investments
are very optimistic about the future
are del ighted with your i ncreased market share, shown here:
Fig. 3 Telco market share fve years ago Fig. 4 'elco market share now
thi nk dividends to shareholders should be increased by 25%
do not thi nk it is necessary to i nvest money i n new bui l di ngs.
YOU START.
1 58 Fromos|ocssLoyIishPairWor| 2byS:ccF|iodcrsaouSimooSwccocylcoyuioooks I998 PH 0 jOe 0 P I A B L E

b1
MLLLK
(Greeti ngs and farewells; hesitating; expressi ng your
amazement)
ludODl B
Small talk is a vital part of doing business. It shows an ability to get on with people. Small talk helps
business partners get to know each other. Topics for small talk can come from the immediate
environment, the news, or from conversation. The ar of small talk is to make conversation about that
topic.
Use the prompts below to develop small talk. Student A has the same list of prompts. Thgether,
you should develop a conversation of no more than two minutes for the prompts below. See the
example.
1 You know that yesterday a private helicopter crashed nearby.
A: You heard about the helicopter crash yesterday?
B: Yes, it was very bad. Why did it crash?
A: I think it was a mechanical problem ... the radio said it was ...
B: But the weather was very bad too ...
A: Yes, it was rining ...
B: Have you ever been in a helicopter?
2 A local newspaper has reported a rise in tourists visiting the region.
3 A top banker has suddenly left his post to join the competition.
4 A local factory has announced 400 new jobs.
5 Ten people have died in a food poisoning scandal.
6 The heating and air conditioning system has broken down.
7 There are painters and decorators around painting and decorating the place.
8 It has not rained for over three months.
9 There's a wonderful ceramic bowl on the table full of different types of fruit.
10 A hotel had to be evacuated in the night because of a fault in the fre alarm.
STUDENT A WILL START.
From BusincssEngIish|airWorI 2by Stcvc MindcnandSimon5wccocyO Inuinook> I998 FICCC CF I A L E 1 59
b LHHNcMcN
(Greetings and farewel ls; introducing self and others;
questioning)
ludODl B
Socializing is an imporant aspect of many business relationships. Often the ability to get on well with
people at a personal level is a significant factor in establishing good business partnerships. Receiving
visitors and providing some hospitality is therefore a significant feature of many business meetings.
You are planning a business trip to student A's home town/city. You have a three-day meeting
(Wednesday-Friday) with hisfher company. Student A is going to telephone you to make some
arrangements.
YOU:
cannot arrive before 7 p.m. on Tuesday and wi l l probably be very tired on arrival
do not have any other commitments, except on the Thursday afternoon when you have to
take part i n a teleconference from your hotel
would like some social activities, including some tourism and perhaps cultural entertai nment
- say what you prefer
have to leave early on Saturday morning.
STUDENT A WILL START.
160 Frm Business English Pair Work 2 bySIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney Penguin Uook l998 FICCCCFI FLL E

b L Z N
ludODl B
(Welcomi ng; greeti ngs and farewel ls; introduci ng self)
Socializing is an essential business skill. It is important for successful business relationships. And yet
many business people find socializing, particularly in a foreign language, more dificult than the more
formal aspects of their interational work. Part of the problem is vocabulary: you may know the
vocabulary you need for your job but not the vocabulary you need for general conversation. Another
part of the problem is that you cannot always control or predict what people are going to talk about
when they are socializing.
You are going to practise talking in a social context with student A. You are going to talk to each
other for fve minutes (one of you should be timekeeper) and during the exercise you should cover
each of the following subjects:
1 family and friends
2 sport
3 holidays
Under each heading you must use all of the following words or expressions:
Family and friends Sport Hol idays
get on well result beach
partner keep fit museum
colleague profeSSional remote
divorced stadi um bored
DO NOT tell student A what your tasks are.
Student A has different subjects to introduce, and different words and expressions to use, so at the
same time, you should be thinking about what they are.
At the end of the activity, tell each other which subjects and which words and expressions you
think the other had to introduce. See how many you each identify. The ideal result is:
to successful l y introduce al l your subjects and all your words and expressions
to successfully identify student A's subjects
for neither of you to identify each other's words and expressi ons: thi s means that you
i ntroduced them all into the conversation quite naturally and without drawing any particular
attention to them!
YOU START.
From Business English Pair Wmk 2 by StC\c Flinders ,lld Simon Sweeney ' Penguin ks I998 FIC CCCFIF6 L E 1 61
LK N L T tudODt B
(Questi oni ng; sequencing; hesitating)
Politics does not have to be a taboo subject. On the contrar it is one of the most obvious subjects for
'
discussion when you want to get to know someone from another country and to find out more about
where they come from. Initially it is safest to put the emphasis on political institutions rather than on
policies; and on asking questions, listening and learing about the poltics of other countres, rather
than giving your own opinions.
You are going to practise asking questions about the political arrangements in student A's country
and giving information about your own country.
You are going to take it in turn to ask questions about different aspects of each other's national
politics. You will each ask for information in four different areas. Spend three or four minutes
replying to student A's enquiries.
You want to know about:
1 parliament and elections
2 regional and local government
3 justice
4 political trends.
Ask questions like:
Parliament and elections
How many chambers does the Parliament have?
How are their members elected to it?
How often are elections held?
Plus three more of your own questions.
Regional and local government
Is regional or local government stronger than central government?
Are there any parts of the country with more political autonomy than others?
Is the trend toward greater localization or centralization of government?
Plus three more of your own questions.
Justice
., What is the country's highest court?
How are senior j udges appointed?
What is the relationship between the judicial system and the government?
Plus three more of your own questions.
Political trends
What are the main issues which concern people in your country today?
Is the political system well adapted to the needs of the modern world?
Are there plans to change the constitution in any way?
Plus three more of your own questions.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 62 FmmBusincssEnglish Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney ( Penuin mksI998 F I CCCCF I A aL E

T LK N L Z
tudODt B
(Judgi ng; obligi ng; sequencing)
Once you have established that it is in fact possible to exchange political information usefully and
politely (see Talking Politics 1), then you can begin to exchange political ideas as well. But as in all real
communication, listening is as important as talking, and talking points should be about learing, not
scoring points.
You have a clear set of opinions (see below). You are going to argue in favour of as many of the
following as possible during the time the teacher gives you. You will, of course, give reasons for
your VIews.
YOU favour:
YOU START.
1 hi gh taxation
2 strong central and local government
3 government support for business and a government pl an for busi ness
4 extended State commitment to helping the unemployed
5 a comprehensive government policy to protect the environment
6 public transport
7 a campaign against drugs (as a main cause of cri mi nality)
8 a strong national health service.
From Dusiness Englih Pair Work 2 by SIeve rlindcl andSimon Sweeney OPenguin Books I998 F I C3CCCF I A 6 L E I n
Z U Ncc
lud!
(Questi oni ng; l i ki ng and preferring; forecasti ng)
What makes a successful business? Is it simply a question of making large profits? Or is it to do with
the quality of its products or services? Or its abilit to define and folow a long-term strategy? Or is it a
mixture of all these things? Certainly some companies are consistently admired by many managers
because of their ability to excel across a range of diferent areas of business management.
You are going to take it in turns to use the following questionnaire to fnd out which companies
student A most admires. You may wish to ask himlher to give reasons for his/her choices.
Using the scale 1-4, (1 very good, 2 excellent, 3 " outstanding, 4 " world-beating), ask student
A to identify the companies which, in hislher opinion, excel in each of the following areas. He/she
can name one, two or three companies per area. When you have completed the questions, add up
the points for the most frequently named company to identify the one with the most points -
student A's all-round top business.
Which one, two or three companies do you think excel in each of the following areas?
Company 1 Company 2 Company 3
Qual i ty of products/services
Vision
I nnovation
Customer focus
Fi nanci al management
Strategy
Marketing
r
Environmental awareness
Peopl e management
The company which scores highest is:
The company which scores second highest is:
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 64 From Business English Pair Wok 2 by SIeve Flinders and Simon Sweeney OPenguin looks I998 F I 0'0 CCP l7P

H N N
ludODl B
(Judgi ng; forecasti ng; emphasizing)
'Training' is teaching people something quite specif, for example skills or knowledge for their work;
'education' is a more general term for the learing process. Education typically takes place in schools,
coleges and universities. Companies typically have training rather than education departments.
You are the company's new Managing Director. The Human Resources Manager (student A) is new
too. You both believe passionately in the importance of training and you are going to meet for
lunch for an initial exchange of ideas. You have jotted down on the back of an envelope some ideas
for the shape of the company's training programme in the future. (They don't necessarily form a
coherent plan - they are simply a basis for brainstorming.) You are going to discuss them with
your HR Manager and agree on a draft set of principles and an action plan.
YOU think the company could:
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4 IEAIE TAl I1 1C. Lvt@0t cou|0 J4hou|0 0o ht4. |I to|t cA n |t4 hoO
ht@ |tAr H ht@ OtII |t4 ~or clItcttI@ A 0 Htr rAtnt@ OtII co4 |t44.
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r4ttn@.
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t~I0@t4 c4 hfr A Uou A 0 Lt4 Iro~ ht OorK ttrttnct -Ihttr ~ort 4ttor
coIItt @ut.
Add two more of your own ideas.
YOU START.
|romBusiocssEog|ish|ai:Work2 bySiee F||odcrs aod Simoo Swccncy|cogvin BIs I998 F I 0'0 CCF lFLL E 165
4 HULcH N
ludODl B
(Questi oni ng; judgi ng; sequencing)
A troubleshooter is someone who steps in to solve a problem. A troubleshooting meeting is one where
the participants deal with and ofer solutions to one or more problems.
You and student A are going to take it in turns to lead a business meeting. In the frst part of the
meeting, student A will present a real business problem which he/she has faced or which he/she
is facing at the moment. After the presentation, you will probably ask some questions in order to
get a fuller understanding of the situation. You will then discuss the problem together, you will
suggest a possible solution or alternative approach, and finally, student A will summarize the
meeting and your main suggestions. Then you will reverse roles, you will present a business
problem and student A will help you to fnd an answer to the problem.
Possible areas of focus are:
quality
customer satisfaction
employee morale
employee performance
poor sales.
STUDENT A WILL START.
1 66 From l3usines English Pair Work 2 by SIeve Flinders :lnd Simon Sweeney Penguin Books l998 FIC CCCFIA 6 L E
b U ludODl B
(Forecasti ng; vetoi ng; agreeing/disagreeing)
A Utopia is a perfect society. Social engineering is taking measures which will lead to social change.
It is now well into the twenty-frst century and social engineering is easier than it used to be. You
and student A, both acknowledged experts in the feld, have a grant from the World Council e C. )
to devise a new political, social and economic system for a small country which until now has been
rather badly managed. You are now going to have an initial planning meeting with student A in
order to produce a draft development plan. Among other things you are going to decide:
W. C. SOCI AL E NG I NE E RI NG DEVELOPMENT PLAN STAG E 1 NOTEPAD
Size of popul ati on
Gender bal ance (%age men/women)
Urban/rural popul ation bal ance
Optimal population for capital city/other
major cities/important towns
Form of government
System of economi c management
Mai n sources of government revenue
Mai n areas of government expenditure
Pri nci pal i ndustries/services
Level of unempl oyment
Mai n features of education system
Mai n features of health system
Mai n features of tr::i l sport system
Forei gn pol i cy
Defence pol i cy
Environment pol icy
STUDENT A WILL START.
From Business English Pair Work 2by Stcvc Flim.rs :md Simoll Swccncy Penguin Books 1998 P H 0 jOe 0 P I A 6 L E 1 67
Notes on Maki ng Presentati ons
A number of the activities i n this book involve presentations. Here are some guidelines
for doing tis in English.
.
Giving a good presentation means paying attention to:
Content
Tere should be the right quantity of information.
It should be pitched at the right level for the audience.
Structure
It should be well organized, with a clear beginning, middle and ending.
Te organization should be transparent so that the audience can see the beginning, the
middle and the ending.
Delivery
You should vary the variety and tempo of your voice to hold the audience's interest.
Your body language should signal confdence, openness and involvement.
You should maintain good eye contact with the audience.
You should make efective use of visual aids to reinforce your message.
Language
You should check details of the gramar, vocabulary and pronunciation of your
presentation to make sure you get the message across.
You should think about the kind of language that will help people remember what you
have said.
The main building blocks of your presentation will be as follows:
Opening: introduce yourself and your presenttion
Outline tl k
Present main body divided into parts (frst, second, third)
Summarize main message
Conclude talk
Invite questions/discussion
There are some aspects of makng a presentation which need special attention. Here are some
language suggestions for each of them. As a speaker moves through hisler presentation, it
is vital to signal to the audience what he/she is going to do - to give a 'commentary' on
recent and planned progress, so that the listeners know exactly where they are. The follow
ing list is not complete, and will not be suitable for the personality of ever speaker. Students
should explore te range of phrases and, in te light of te subject of their talk, the style they
prefer.
1 69
Notes on Making Presentations
Introducng yoursel and your prentati
on
Good morng/aferoon, ladies ad gentemen.
My name is _ and I am responsible for _ here at _ .
I' d like to talk to you today about _ .
Outlng the talk
I' ve divided my t into fve main pas:
First(ly) . . . second(ly) . . . third(ly) . . . fourth . . . fnaly
Ground ru
l
es
If you have any questions . . .
. . . please feel free to interpt.
. . . I' ll be glad to answer them at the end of my t.
Starting your frst part
To sta with . . .
First of all, then . . .
Firstly, . . .
Let me begin by saying . . .
Finishing a part
Well, that's all I have to say about . . .
So that, then, is . . .
Now we' ve dealt with . . .
Starting a new part
Let's move on now to . . .
The next point I' d like to make is . . .
Next we come to . . .
Tring now to . . .
Referring back
As I mentioned ealier . . .
If you remember, I said at the beginning . . .
Referring forward
As we will see later, . . .
Introducing your last point
And fnally, . . .
Lastly, . . .
Sumarizing
So now, I' d just like to summarize the main points.
Let me sum up.
Concluding
I conclusion, . . .
Well, that brings me to the end of my talk.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you for listening.
1 70
Notes on Making Presentations
Invtng questons and coment
And now, if you have any questons, I' ll be glad to answer them.
Does anyone have any questions or comments?
Now we have time for some discussion.
Any comments or questions on the points I' ve talked about?
Checking that the questioner i satisfed
Does that answer your queston?
I hope that answers your question.
Inviting further quetions
Are there any more questions?
Ending
If there are no more questions or points to raise, I' d like to thank you for your attention.
There are no short cuts to making a good presentation. But preparation and practice will
take you a long way towards performing this important skill well. Preparation gives you
the confdence to communicate what you want to say efectively. Practice also helps you
to improve your perfonance in general, and in particular your time management.
1 71
Glossary
Agent Someone who sells goods or serices for a prQducer of tose goods or serices.
Appraise To measure the perorace of someone, give feedback on the perorce of
someone.
Audit A detailed analysis of an imporant feature of an oranizaton. Auditors, the people
who ca y out audits, usually write reports and may make recommendatons for changes
to be made. Examples: a fnancial audit, a management audit, a laguage audit.
Balance sheet A statement showing the fnancial positon of a company at a pacular
tme.
Benchmark To do a survey of competing organizatons to measur 'best practice' with
the objective of then improving on their perforance. For example, a survey of the
personnel fnction in an industy might measure the number of personnel staf as a
percentage of the workorce, the amount spent on taining per employee, the rate and cost
of stfturover, salary costs as a percentage of operating costs, and so on.
Bid A ofer, usually to do work at a given price.
Board (of Directors) (ma British company) Te comittee of shareholders'
representatives to which the company's Chief Executve Ofcer is answerable.
Borrow To have money from someone (e.g. a ba) for a limited period, normally paying
interest.
Broker Someone who buys and sells investments, insurance, etc.
Budget The amount of money planned for spending on a pacula project.
Bum-out An employee experiences bum-out when he/she works so hard for so long that
he/she can no longer continue at the same demanding pace as before.
Charit A organization for helping people in need.
Civil service People employed in goverent depaents.
Claim Something said about someone or something, often contoversial.
Client A customer, especially of a service.
Competence The ability to do something to an acceptable standard.
Collateral Something ofered by somebody as a guaantee that they will pay back a loan.
Compensation Money paid to reduce the costs, pain or oter negatve consequences of
an action.
Competiton, competitors Other companies who ae trying to sell their goods to the
same consumers.
Component A manufactured part used in mang a larger manufactured product.
Compromise To come to an agreement at a point somewhere beteen the two starting
positions.
Conumer Someone who buys goods or services.
Contractor An individual or an organization contcted to do some work.
Core business The main or cental business of a company.
Cost benefts analysis A study into te relative costs and income associated with a given
project.
Coverage The amount of reporing of an event by the media.
Currency Money denomination, eg, Yen, Dolla.
Discount A percentage or amount taen of te standard prce.
Distribution Movement of goods from producer to consumer andor user.
Diversity Managing a workforce where employees of diferent genders, etnic origins,
social backgrounds and so on, are all equally valued.
Dividend A regular payment as a proporton of profts paid to shareholders.
Donation A gift of money, clotes or food, ofen to a chaty.
Downsize To reduce the size of an organization's workorce, cut jobs.
Economy of scale A cost saving achieved by workng in bigger quantities.
Endorsement A statement by a leading autority tat someting is good.
Exclusive Luxury, high qUality.
Expand To increase, get bigger.
1 72
b
4
Glossar
Firfghter A manager who solves serious problems within te organizaton a and when
tey aise.
Freeze To stop, block or hold at the same level a before.
Fronter The border between two states.
Global Worldwide.
Growth The extent to which a business or an economy expands.
Hack To illegally access data in an organization's computer network.
Headhunting Ofering a job to a very competent individual who presently works for
a competitor.
Heavy goods vehicle Big lorry or tuck.
Housekeeping Maintenance, or keeping up order, condition and generally tidy
appearance.
Implement To put into efect.
Information technology (IT) Computer hadware and sofware.
Infrastructure The basic structures and facilities which an organization needs in order to
function, for example buildings, administrative systems, electicity and so on.
Injection Money put into a company or a project.
Invest To put money into something.
Joint Shared, 50-50, equal.
Joint venture A patnership between two companies who decide to work together on a
specifc project.
Landscape To design and create gardens according to a plan.
Layer An administrative level in an organization. For example, a lean organization might
have only three or four layers between the most senior manager and the bottom grade
employee .
Lend To let someone have money for a limted period, on which usually they pay interest.
Logistics A general term for the planning and administation of a routine activity or a
special project.
Logo A symbol used by a company as a sign for everyone to identify it by. Shell,
McDonald's, Mercedez Benz and Coca-Cola all have logos which are recognized world
wide.
Low wage economy A country where wages are traditionally low and normally skill and
education levels are low too.
Market share The proportion of the total maket contolled by a particular supplier.
Media Newspapers, radio, television.
Mentoring Mentoring is when an experienced professional person agrees to help you
with your professional development by meeting with you regularly, giving you advice and
telling you what they have leat about the job in their own careers.
Merge To join together.
Monopoly The only supplier in a particular market.
Nation-wide All over the country.
Outgoings Costs, expenses.
*
Outsource Outsourcing is when an organization stops employing peple to do a certain
job like cleaning and instead gives the responsibility for providing the service to another
company which specialises in this activity. Common examples of outsourcing are canteen
services, security and taining.
Overdraft Borowing fom a bank, negative amount of money in a curent account.
Overheads The regular or fxed costs of running a business like insurance, water,
electricity and rent.
Partnership A group of two or more individuals or companies who have decided to work
together.
Pension The money you get on a regula (weekly or monthly) basis from the state or your
employer or from a prvate fund, afer you retire.
Performance-related pay A scheme which makes part of what employees ea depend
on how well their bosses (or, sometmes, their colleagues or customers) think they are
working.
173
Glossar
P
erks Special benefts and bonuses that go with top jobs.
P
ersona
l h
Ygiene Keeping youself, your teeth, hair and clothes clean.
Pil
ot project
A ta period for a project to test whether the idea actualy works before
implementing it completely.
Pl
ant A factor, manufacturing facility.
P
or
t
abl
e pe
nsion A pension plan which you can take with you when you move fom one
company to
another. (See also: Pension.)
P
re
l
iminary First or ealy ideas or attempts.
Pri
vatized
Sold by the goverent to private investors, so becoming a private company
instead of a state company.
P
roduct
iv
it
y
The relationship between output and costs, where high output relative to
costs means high productivity.
P
ubl
ic spending Money that a goverment spends on health, education, defence,
transpor, welfae, etc.
P
unctua
l
it Being on time.
Ques
tionnaire A set of questions presented as pa of a survey into what people do,
tn, want, prefer, etc.
Recession A general decline or under-perforance of the economy in a stated
geographical
aea.
Redundant
Out of work, unemployed.
R
egstra
tion
You register for something, for example a sporing event, when you say that
you want to take pa, usualy by flling in a form.
Re
l
oca
t
e To
move to another place, especially a factor or company.
Remunera
ti
on The tot of all the pay and benefts you receive fom your employer.
Remunera
t
ion committee A commitee of members of the Board of Directors which
decides the p
ay of the senior managers of a company.
Ren
t
The regula payment you make for the use of a building, land, equipment, etc.
Respondent
Someone who answers questions in a survey or questionnaire.
Re
t
ai
l
To sell to the general public.
Re
v
enue Money coming in to the business.
S
ack T
o make a worker redundant.
S
ales performance How well products or services sell.
Second To transfer employees temporaly to another pa of te organization or to lend
them to anot
her organization for a cerain period of time. (Pronunciation note: the stess
falls on the second syllable.)
Securit
y A for of guaantee, especially for a loan.
Sh
are A d
OCument recording a pa ownership in a company and worh a sum of money.
The value of
the shae depends on the number of shaes in the company, the performance
of the company and the total assets of the company.
Share price
The value at a given time of shaes in a company.
Shareh
o
l
der
Someone who owns shaes in a company (and so is a part owner of the
company).
Sh
or
tlis
t
To select a small number of applicants for a job - usually no more than six -
from a lager number.
Sit
e A place where a factory is located.
S
kill Ability,
special technical aptitude.
S
ponsorshi
p Money paid by a company to a social, sporing or cultural event, or organi
zation, to pro
mote that event but also to advertise the nae of the company paying the
money.
St
a
f
The personnel or workforce of a company.
St
akeho
lde
r Anyone who has some interest in encouraging the success of a business, for
exa
m
ple shar
eholders, employees and their families, suppliers and customers.
St
ate-of
-
th
e
-ar
t The most modem solution of its kind.
St
ock Goods
held in storage ready for use or sale.
St
ra
tegy A p
lan, method or way to achieve what is desired.
Subsidiary
A company which is contolled by another one.
1 74

Glossar
S
uppli
er The producer of goods or services.
S
upply chain Te system which gets all the things to a company which it needs to make
a product; and which gets the product to a place where its customers can buy it.
Surv
ey A study to fnd out what people tn, like, want, etc.
Tender A bid, an ofer.
Trno
ver The tota money received through sales.
Voucher A piece of paper which you can exchange for certain goods or services, for
example luncheon vouchers, which you can use instead of money to get lunch in certain
restaurants.
Work-in-progress Work which has been contacted but not yet invoiced .
1 75
A-Z of Language Functions
This glossa gives some exponents for key fnctons indicated afer the actvity tite. I is
intended only as a quick reference to the knd of language practice a pacula actvity
might generate. Teachers may wish to elicit or provide frther exponents of a specifc
fnction before beginning an activity.
Agreeingdisagreeing
I agree with you/that.
Up to a point, I agree with youthat.
(I' m afaid) I disagree with you/that.
Blaming
It's your fault.
You're responsible for . . .
You shouldn't have done/said that.
Correcting
I tn you' ve made a mistake there. It's not . . .
That's not quite right. I said . . .
Decliningrejecting (an o
fer)
No, thanks.
I' m sorry but I can't accept that.
I' m afaid that's unacceptable.
I couldn't possibly accept that.
Emphasizing
The following words add emphasis:
real(ly) e.g. that's really wonderfl
absolute(ly) e.g. it was an absolute miracle
indeed e.g. their service was very good indeed
Forecasting
The goods are bound to arve tomorow.
The goods are likely to arrive tomorrow.
The goods may arrive tomorow.
The goods are unlikely to arve tomorrow.
The goods can 't possibly arve tomorow.
Greetings and farewells
Greetings for frst meeting
Hello, how do you do?
Nice to meet you.
Greetings for second and
subsequent meetings
Nice to see you again. How are you?
1 76
Reply
How do you do?
Nice to meet you, too.
Reply
Very well, thanks. And you?
Fine thanks. And you?
Not too bad, thanks. And you?
Not too good, I' m afaid.
Awfl/dreadfl/terble
(between fends).

A-Z of Language Functions

Farewells Reply
Nice meeting you (again) . Nice meeting you (again), too.
Hesit
ating
Actually, . . .
Basically, . . .
You see . . .
You kow . . .
It's like this, you see . . .
Introducing self and o
thers
May I introduce myself. My name's . . .
And may I introduce my colleagues. This is . . .
Judging
I' m convinced/sure/positive . . .
I thinkelieve/feel . . .
I tend to think . . .
I' m inclined to feel . . .
Knowing
I know we sent the goods.
I think we sent the goods.
I doubt if we sent the goods.
Liking and preferring
I like visiting clients. ( I enjoy it)
I like to visit clients in their ofces. ( It is approprate)
I would like (you) to send that fax as soon as possible.
I prefer workng in my ofce to travelling abroad.
I' d rather work in my ofce than travel abroad.
Measuring and calcula
ting
I you add the fgures together, you get . . .
If you take the total time and subtract . . . , you get . . .
Let's see what we get if we divide/multiply . . . by . . .
Negotiating
Let's discuss the terms of the contract.
I' d like to settle the disagreement between us.
I think we can accept this contract if you . . .
Obliging (see also vetoing)
1 To be obliged to do something.
We must fnd a way of solving the cashfow problems.
Do we have to do what he says? Isn't there an alterative?
2 To oblige someone to do something.
These cashfow problems require us to look at our payment policy.
(require/force/compeVoblige someone to do something)
The problems have made us re-evaluate our current practices.
Permitting
You may take as much time as you need.
You are allowed/permitted to look at the answers now.
May/might I make a comment at this point?
Do you mind if I . . .
1 77
A-Z of Language Functions
Quetioning
Could you tell me . . .
I'd like to kow . . .
I wonder if you could tell me . . .
Do you happen to kow . . .
Regrtting
It's a (great) shame/pity that . . .
I' m sor to hear tat . . .
I' m aaid that . . .
Unfortunately, . . .
S
equencing
Firstfrst of a1/initially/to start wit
Second/secondly
Thenafer thatnext/subsequently
Finally
Telling
I told him tat . . .
I said (to him) that . . .
I informed them about . . .
I explained to him about . . .
I reported to them that . . .
Urging
We should make a decision soon.
You ought to review the situaton.
I suggest that you check your records.
I (would) advise you to check your records.
Vetoing (see also obliging)
1 To be obliged not to do something.
You mustn' t/may not give this information to anyone outside the company.
You are not allowed/permitted to . . .
2 To oblige someone not to do something.
The regulations prohibit us fom giving this information to anyone outside the company.
Welcoming
Welcome to . . .
It's a pleasure to welcome you to . . .
We ae ver pleased to have you with us.
()Xpresing Your amaZement (and other emotions)
Amazement
This is a surprse!
I'm ver surprised that . . .
Fearlorr
I'm wored about . . .
I' m concered tat . . .
1 78
Gratitude
I' m very gratefl to you for . . .
It was ver knd of you to . . .
Sympathy
I' m very sorr about . . .
Indi erence
It doesn' t matter.
I don't mid.
I don't cae.
A-Z of Language Functions
179
-
O
I Communi cati on Ski l l Tabl e

Prentaton Phone call Meetingdcusion Negotation Social English

1 Ice breaker x x
2 Active listening x
3 Advertising standards x
4 Age in employment x
5 Annua report x
6 Banks, lending and borowing x x
7 Brand positioning x x
8 Budget negotiation x x
9 Business anecdote x
1 0 Business ethics x
1 1 Business gramma x
12 Business philosophy x
1 3 Business and the environment x x
14 Business in the community x x x
1 5 Capital investment x x
1 6 Caeer advice x
1 7 Communicatng styles x x
1 8 Competence development x
1 9 Compettive tendering
)
x x
20 Conference organization x x
21 Consumer movement x x
22 Consumer survey x
23 Contact dispute x x x
24 Cororate culture x x
25 Creative thinking x
26 Ethical maketing x
27 Executve recruitent x
28 For flling x
29 Homeworking x
30 Idustal espionage x x
3 1 Interational maketing x x
,
t
'W
&
t 0
t o
,I
32 Job satisfaction x
33 Just-in-time management x x
34 Management development x
35 Managing the fture x x
36 Managing an investment portfolio
37 Maket shae x x
38 Micro-lending x
39 Negotiating a deal x x
40 Nerd management x
41 New product x
42 Performance appraisal x
43 Personal presentation x
4 Personnel management x
45 Planning a meeting x x
46 Prcing stategy x
47 Privatizaton x
48 Poduct management x
49 Product presentation x x
50 Pomotion x
5 1 Quiz x
52 Recession x
53 Relocaton x x
54 Rewad x
55 Saety at work x
56 Shareholders' expectations x x
57 Small talk x x
58 Social a angements x x
59 Socializing x x x
60 Talking politics 1 x
61 Talking politics 2
62 Top businesses x
63 Training x
64 Troubleshooting x
-
65 Utopia x
O
I
Business English Pair Wr/ z gives i ntermediate students of Busi ness Engli sh further usef
practice i n communi cat i on ski lls. As i n Busilless English Pair Hur there arc four types
exercise: i nformati on gap, di scussi on, role-play and si mul ati on. Al l the exercise wor ig
pletely new and there i s i ntensi ve work on wri ti ng reports, negoti at i ng budgets and con r
consumer surveys, t rai ni ng. and executive recrui t ment . There are al so special activi ties L
smal l t al k, soci al arrangcments, tel l i ng anecdotes and exchangi ng opi ni ons, and soci al izi l
Pai r \\ ork exercises are i deal for practice and confidence i n busi ness communicatioll . Al l
exercises are phot ocopi abl e and they can easi l y be used by pre-service or i n-service st udel
Bllsiness English Pair Wrk 2 cont ai ns:
O new st i mul at i ng pai r work act i vi ti es
exercises l or st udent A and B i n the same book
detai led Teacher's Notes
an A-Z of l anguage functi ons
a tabl e sho\\' i ng the communicat i ons practised i n each act i \ i t y
a glossary of busi ness terms
BlI.lille.IS English P({ir Wrk : is an i deal i ngredi ent i n any Business Engl i sh course and Ll
used to suppl ement any course material .
Al so publ i shed: Bllsiness Ellglish Pair " tiil l Stcve Fl i nders and Si mon S\\cene.
Cover phOtograph VC.LJPP Howellfelegraph Colour library

PENGUIN