The Business Intermediate Answer Key – 1 Corporate culture 1 About business Work culture and – Studocu

1 Corporate culture

1 About business Work culture and placements

1 It depends on company culture. New employees need to try to work out

quickly what is expected in each of the three situations and to adjust to the
company culture as soon as they can. To start off though, it’s probably safest
to dress smartly, not be the first or the last to leave the office, maybe make
one or two contributions to a meeting, but more importantly to listen and
learn at first.

2

1 The experiment demonstrated how an unwritten rule is created.
2 Seven examples of unwritten rules:
– nobody should ever climb the ladder
– working long hours is more important than achieving results
– the boss is always right, even when he’s wrong
– if you’re not at your desk, you’re not working
– nobody complains, because nothing changes
– women, ethnic minorities and the over 50s are not promoted
– the customer is king, but don’t tell anyone, because management are
more interested in profi tability.
3 New staff quickly learn when their ideas and opinions are listened to
and valued, and when it’s better to keep them to themselves; which
assignments and aspects of their performance will be checked and
evaluated, and whose objectives and instructions they can safely ignore.
They learn from the way staff speak to management, to customers and
to each other, and from the differences between what is said, decided or
promised, and what actually gets done.

3

Suggested answers:
1 Organizations and companies can try to avoid negative unwritten rules
by respecting commitments, giving and listening to feedback, defi ning
and applying clear procedures, providing training to develop a positive
work culture.
2 A government department:
Offi ce etiquette: formal dress code, strict offi ce hours, infl exible, subject
to security constraints
Relationships with colleagues, management and clients / business
partners: hierarchical and formalized
Autonomy and initiative: limited, strict procedures for everything
A small public relations fi rm:
Offi ce etiquette: probably very informal, relaxed, fl exible, results-
orientated rather than time-conscious
Relationships with colleagues, management and clients / business
partners: friendly and participative, little or no visible hierarchy
Autonomy and initiative: wide, but must be justifi ed
A manufacturing company:
Answers will depend on national and corporate culture.
3 Answers will vary.

4

1 Alessandra was not accepted by her colleagues. David upset an intern.
2 Alessandra misunderstood the (unwritten) offi ce rules on working hours.
David assumed Monica would know to inform him she had a dentist’s
appointment, but she didn’t; Monica misinterpreted David’s friendliness
as changing the supervisor–intern relationship.

5

Students’ mistakes:
Alessandra’s story: didn’t ask about / was not sensitive to unwritten rules;
didn’t talk to colleagues
David’s story: took friendly culture at face value; didn’t accept criticism;
didn’t learn from the problem

Supervisors’ mistakes:
Alessandra’s story: didn’t tell student about unwritten rules; gave student too
much autonomy; didn’t make sure student met colleagues
David’s story: didn’t explain local work culture; didn’t keep enough distance
from intern; didn’t understand the intern’s confusion

6 Answers will vary.

1 Vocabulary Work organization and responsibility

1

Suggested answers:
1 foreman, supervisor, project leader, line manager, director (by
hierarchical status)
2 section, department, offi ce, branch, unit, subsidiary, division, company
(by size)
3 task, job, assignment, project (by importance)

2

David Darren = COO
Administration: Monica Overstreet is Offi ce Manager + two accountants
Marketing and Sales: Bertram Newman = Marketing and Sales Manager =
one art director, one PR offi cer and two salesmen
R&D: Douglas Pearson = R&D Manager + seven research scientists
Engineering: Herb Munroe = Program Manager + two software engineers
and one technical writer

IT and Technical Support: Roxane Pawle = IT Manager + one web developer
and two support engineers

3

1 Because Warndar is a small company.
2 Because Warndar is growing fast, so it’s going to change as they hire new
staff.
3 Because right now they don’t have an HR department as such.
4 The COO runs the business on a day-to-day basis. The CEO deals with
strategy and she’s on the board of the parent company.
5 Irysis is Warndar’s parent company. They took Warndar over a couple of
years ago.
6 He resigned when he was appointed Head of IT at a big consultancy fi rm
but was fi red after three months.
7 Research and Development, Engineering, and Marketing and Sales.
8 Doug Pearson coordinates development programmes; he liaises with
Marketing and Engineering.

4

1 c) 2 e) 3 d) 4 a) 5 b)
6 i) 7 h) 8 j) 9 f) 10 g)

5

1 alongside 2 under 3 as 4 at 5 in 6 on

1 Grammar Past tenses and advice structures

1

1 told 2 had fallen 3 was beginning / had begun
4 had given 5 called 6 had improved 7 had learnt
8 had closed 9 were rising 10 closed

2

1 ask 2 asking 3 asking 4 to ask 5 asking 6 ask
7 to ask 8 ask 9 to ask 10 to ask 11 asking 12 to ask
Strong recommendations: 1, 4, 7, 9, 12
Careful or friendly suggestions: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

3

1 The CEO did very well for himself. The CEO gave a party.
2 The CEO challenged his team. He showed the executives the pool.
3 There was a loud splash. Everyone followed the CEO to the barbecue.
4 The CFO swam for his life. Everyone arrived back at the pool.
5 The CFO reached the edge. The crocodiles tried to catch him.
6 A crocodile tried to bite the CFO. The CFO climbed out of the pool.

4

1 had done; was proudly showing
2 had built
3 had just started; was
4 turned around; ran back; was swimming
5 had almost caught; reached
6 had / ‘d just managed; heard

5

Student A:
1 c) 2 e) 3 d) 4 a) 5 b)
6 h) 7 i) 8 g) 9 j) 10 f)
Student B:
1 c) 2 d) 3 a) 4 b) 5 h) 6 g) 7 e) 8 f)

6

1 b) 2 d) 3 e) 4 c) 5 a)
6 g) 7 i) 8 j) 9 f) 10 h)
(7 h) and 10 i) are also possible)

1 Speaking Meetings – one-to-one

1

Answers depend on local and work cultures. Suggested answers:
1 In most English-speaking cultures, this is the norm, with the notable
exception of Africa, where superiors, and frequently peers, are addressed
by their surname. Use of the fi rst name is also unusual in much of Asia,
and in Germany.
2 Some cultures, like France, make a clear distinction between business
and personal life. Others, like the Swedish furniture company Ikea,
organize regular social events, where all levels of staff are expected to
mix freely.
3 In most Latin cultures, managers will expect subordinates to perform
tasks like making coffee. Some staff in Nordic cultures may be shocked
and even insulted by such a request.
4 This usually depends more on the type of work involved than on local
or work culture. Personal calls for staff in production may be very
unwelcome, whereas in departments like sales or marketing, where work
organization is more fl exible, there is usually no particular problem.
5 This is the case in many English-speaking and Nordic cultures, especially
in the USA. In Latin and Asian countries, the opposite is often true, with
a certain kudos or even machismo associated with working late.
6 This probably depends on the organization as much as on the culture: in
large scientifi c meetings, for example, the majority of attendees will not
be expected to speak.

7 Some organizations welcome and even encourage junior staff to suggest
improvements; this is usually less well accepted in smaller companies,
where the management feel more personally involved and responsible for
the way things are done.
8 Some companies have a policy of not hiring couples and will more or
less actively dissuade staff from entering romantic relationships. Other
companies accept that relationships will occur, but when they do, will
move the partners to separate parts of the organization. In extreme cases,
one member of the couple may be asked to resign.

2

Version 1: impatient, fi rm, authoritative, threatening, frank and possibly
objective and dogmatic
Version 2: objective, a good listener, diplomatic, friendly, understanding,
insincere and possibly weak

3

In Version 1, Simon’s language is direct, with short, simple sentences; in
Version 2, it is diplomatic, with longer, more complex phrases.

4

Version 1:
1 You mustn’t talk about your colleagues like that.
2 Yes, but she had a good reason to refuse.
3 You won’t get results from people like Maureen if you’re rude.
4 You apologize, or there’ll be trouble.
Version 2:
1 I think perhaps you should be more careful about how you talk about
your colleagues.
2 You might want to think about why she couldn’t help you.
3 Don’t you think you might get better results from people like Maureen by
being a little more diplomatic?
4 Why don’t you ask Maureen to have a coffee with you, and just clear the
air?

5

Modals would, could and might:
You might want to …
Wouldn’t you agree that …?
You could maybe …
Wouldn’t it be better to …?
You’d do better to …

Introductory phrases:
I think perhaps …
It seems to me that …
Actually, I think …
You could maybe …

Negative questions:
Don’t you think …?
Wouldn’t you agree that …?
Wouldn’t it be better to …?
Why don’t you …?

6

Suggested answers:
1 Wouldn’t it be better not to disturb your co-workers?
2 It seems to me that you need to prioritize if you want to meet deadlines.
3 You might want to delegate more if you want to fi nish the job.
4 I think perhaps you shouldn’t eat at your desk.
5 You’d do better not to make personal calls at work.
6 Actually, I think if you ignore your colleagues, you can’t expect them to
help.
7 Wouldn’t you agree that you should take care of your life-work balance if
you don’t want to get ill?

7

1 I hear you had a problem.
2 Perhaps you should be more careful.
3 You ought to do the same.
4 I appreciate that you work hard.
5 I didn’t mean to be rude.
6 It can happen to anyone

1 Writing A placement report

1

Suggested answer:
It will contain information about his work experience, colleagues and
managers, the company, the department(s) he worked in and what he
learned while he was at the company. It will be written in a formal style.

2

3 Observations about the company
5 Appendix
1 Introduction
4 Professional achievements
2 Experience from work placement

3

4 Conclusions
2 Analysis of successes and failures
1 Objectives of the internship
2 Details of your responsibilities
4 Analysis of what you learned
3 Evaluation of the company as a potential employer
4 Suggestions for the future
1 Description of the company and how it is organized
1 Practical details about the placement
3 Description of the company’s culture and policies

4

1 under the supervision of Mr Geoffrey Thomson
2 customers were contacted by telephone
3 it became clear that
4 The order of the items was therefore modifi ed …
5 To obtain a similar result through media campaigns would cost millions.
6 most impressive
7 was a major challenge.
8 Fortunately, I was able to apply the knowledge I had acquired in
marketing in year two of my degree …
9 the results of my study were extremely well received

5

Suggested answers:

• three months near Birmingham at a place called Diftco – they export
  construction equipment
• It was all right
• a bit crazy there – people worked really hard, sometimes from eight in
  the morning to nine or ten in the evening
• in charge of preparing shipping documents
• did international trade last semester – it helped a lot to understand what
  was going on
• Boss was very strict. But, OK – she didn’t scream at me when I did
  something wrong.
• once sent a container to Austria instead of Australia
• really strong accent – I didn’t understand half of what he said
• sophisticated automatic system
• can’t ever completely eliminate human error
• good placement for fi rst-years, but second-years should have more
  management responsibility
• was hoping to get some management experience, but I mostly worked
  alone
• I learned quite a lot in three months
• wouldn’t like to work there

6

Model answer:

I was employed for three months at Diftco, near Birmingham, under the
supervision of Ms Witten. The objective of the internship was to gain
management experience in an industrial environment. Diftco exports
construction equipment and is one of the most profi table fi rms in the
region.
I worked in the Export Offi ce most of time, where I was in charge of
preparing shipping documents. I was also responsible for checking
containers in the warehouse, where the equipment is assembled and
packed. I successfully learnt to use the automatic bar code system used
in the warehouse. This is a sophisticated automatic system, which assigns
a code and a position to every component in the warehouse. However,
it was interesting to discover that even such a sophisticated tool can
never completely eliminate human error. Perhaps the most valuable
lesson I learnt was to double-check information. The importance of
careful checking was emphasized when I unfortunately sent a container
to Austria instead of Australia, because I had misunderstood my
correspondent on the telephone.
The company is successful and well organized, with a very motivated,
hard-working and dedicated staff. However, I feel I would be more
effective in an environment with more variety and less routine
paperwork. One area of the company’s activity leaves room for
improvement, and that is the problem of waste in the warehouse. A more
systematic policy of recycling would help to solve this problem.
The course module in international trade studied last semester was
extremely valuable in understanding how a company like Diftco works.
Thanks to this preparation, I was able to establish a good rapport
with the export staff. On the other hand, communication with the
warehousemen was much more diffi cult, mainly because many of them
do not speak English.
Overall, the internship was a positive experience, which allowed me to
gain signifi cant experience in three months. However, I mostly worked
alone and therefore did not achieve the goal of acquiring management
experience. A placement at Diftco would be most valuable for fi rst-year
students; second-year students would benefi t from a position with greater
management responsibility.

Appendix: A Daily journal, B Copies of letters to and from Ms Witten,
supervisor

10

Suggested answers:

• The customer is always right.
• Make the customer feel valued and important.
• Be courteous and friendly at all times.
• Give customers what they want.
• Always deliver what you promise.
• Pay attention to detail.
• Deal with problems quickly and effi ciently.
• Choose the right people to do the job.
• Train your customer service staff to the highest standards.
• Don’t stand still – keep reviewing what you do and how you do it.

2 Grammar Asking questions and giving instructions

1

1 can I / may I
2 is it / is that
3 would you
4 do I / can I / will I
5 did you
6 was it
7 have you
8 do I
9 you don’t
10 could you / can you / would you
11 can you / could you / will you
12 will I have / do I have / do I need
13 You needn’t / You don’t have to / You don’t / You won’t
14 you might have / you might need / you may have / you may need /
you’ll have / you’ll need / you have / you need

2

a USB memory stick

3

1 Is it advertised on TV?
2 Do you use it for work?
3 Would you fi nd one in every offi ce?
4 Can you put it in your pocket?
5 Did it exist ten years ago?
6 Does it use electricity?
7 Do you use it to speak to people?
8 Is there a connection with computers?
9 Does it cost more than $30?
10 Has it replaced the fl oppy disk?

5

2 Can you fax me the details?
4 Would you mind faxing me the details?
5 Do you think you could possibly fax me the details, please?
1 Fax me the details, will you?
3 Could you fax me the details, please?
6 I was wondering if you would have any objection to faxing me the
details?

6

e) No, no problem.
The negative is appropriate for 2 and 6, but not for the others.

8

1 don’t 6 ’ll need to / ‘ll have to
2 ’ll need to / ’ll have to / ‘ll need to 7 don’t
3 needn’t / don’t have to 8 needn’t / don’t have to
4 Don’t 9 don’t
5 might have to 10 needn’t / don’t have to

2 Speaking Dealing with problems by telephone

2

1 The customer can’t import spreadsheets into a Superword document.
2 The operator promises to ask the spreadsheet specialist to call back in a
few minutes.

3

1 Please hold the line.
2 Dean speaking.
3 How can I help you?
4 What exactly seems to be the problem?
5 It’s not a very good line.
6 Could you speak up a little?
7 I’ll put you through to …
8 The number’s busy.
9 Could I ask her to get back to you?
10 So, you’re on …
11 Could I have your name please?
12 Not at all.

4

1 Suggested answer:
Helpline: Superword helpline. Hold the line, please … Thank you for
holding. May I help you?
Customer: Yes, I’m afraid I’m having a problem with your program.
Helpline: I’m sorry to hear that. Let me sort that out for you.
Customer: Yes, I’d appreciate that.
Helpline: All right. What sort of problems are you having?
Customer: Well, I can’t print PDF fi les.
Helpline: Sorry? I’m afraid it’s not a very good line. Could you speak up
a bit?
Customer: Oh sorry, yes. Is this better? I was just saying that I can’t print
PDF fi les.
Helpline: I see. In that case, I think it would be best to speak to our PDF
expert.
Customer: All right, can you put me through?
Helpline: Well, I’m afraid he’s not available at the moment but I can ask
him to call you back. When would be convenient for you?
Customer: Tomorrow morning?
Helpline: That would be fi ne. On this number, Mrs, er,…?
Customer: Gearhirt. Jamila Gearhirt.
Helpline: Could you spell that please?
Customer: Yes, of course. That’s G-E-A-R-H-I-R-T.
Helpline: All right, Mrs Gearhirt. Tomorrow morning at about 9 o’clock,
then?
Customer: Yes, that’s perfect. Thank you very much.
Helpline: You’re welcome. Goodbye.
3 Suggested answer:
Helpline: Good afternoon. May I help you?
Customer: Oh, hello. Is that Autosales?
Helpline: Yes, sir. Pamela speaking. How can I help you?
Customer: Oh, good. Well, I’m calling about the new car I bought last
week. It won’t start.
Helpline: Oh, I’m very sorry to hear that. It must be very annoying for
you.
Customer: Well, can you do something about it?
Helpline: I’m afraid the mechanics are all out to lunch right now, sir.
Customer: Well, can I leave a message?
Helpline: Yes of course. Could I have your name please?
Customer: It’s McCready. Alistair McCready.
Helpline: Ah, yes, Mr McCready. All right, I’ll make sure someone calls
you back fi rst thing after lunch.
Customer: All right. Well, I’ll be expecting your call. Goodbye.
Helpline: Goodbye, Mr McCready.

5

1 The customer can’t use WordPerfect because there is a power outage.
2 The operator tells the customer to take his computer back to the store
because he is too stupid to own a computer.

6

A Explaining the problem
I’m having trouble with WordPerfect.
It doesn’t work.
It won’t accept anything when I type.
Nothing happens.
I can’t type anything.
B Diagnosing the causes
Was it working properly before that?
What does your screen look like now?
Have you tried hitting ‘Escape’?
Did you quit WordPerfect?
Can you move the cursor around?
Does your monitor have a power indicator?
C Giving instructions
Could you look on the back of the monitor?
Now you just have to follow the cord to the plug.
I need you to look back there again.
I’d like you to go and get them.
Then I want you to take it back to the store.
D Promising help
I’ll have someone call the electricity company.

7

Have you installed any new software? B
I’ll get our technical expert to help you. D
I’m having diffi culty connecting to the Internet. A
It keeps crashing. A
You’ll have to adjust the settings in the control panel. C
We’ll get back to you in a couple of hours. D
What happens if you press ‘Control’ – ‘Alt’ – ‘Delete’? B
I’ll have a technician call as soon as possible. D

8

1 a) down b) down c) up d) up e) up f) down
9 See Recordings.

2 Writing Formal and informal correspondence

1

Suggested answer:
Depending on the language, typical features which distinguish formal from
informal or neutral styles are: use of titles or specifi c form of address, use of
polite / familiar 2nd person pronoun, absence / use of 1st person pronoun,
absence / use of conventional polite expressions, use of indirect / direct
style, use of formal / informal vocabulary, absence / use of contractions, use
of references, reference to previous correspondence, length of sentences,
layout constraints.

2

1 a customer service department 4
a senior colleague 3
a junior colleague 1
a customer 2

2

Formal messages: 1, 2
Neutral / informal messages: 3, 4

3

Formal Neutral / Informal
Greeting Dear Ms Reckett, Hi James,
Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Miss Roebotham,
Opening I am writing with regard to Thanks for your mail.
I am writing to enquire about Re your email …
Requests I was wondering if you
could…?

Give me a ring …

I would be very grateful if
you could…

Can you just …?

Closing I would very much
appreciate any help

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your help. Don’t hesitate to get back
to me
Salutation Yours sincerely, Cheers,
Yours faithfully, Regards,

4

1 James has adapted to Margaret’s informal style after confi rming that she
remembers him from the party.
Max has switched to Miss Roebotham’s formal style after discovering
that she is not in fact an old friend.
2 Suggested answers:
Email 5:
Thanks … ‡ Thank you …
Cheers ‡ Yours sincerely
Email 6:
I would be very grateful if you could … ‡ Can you …
I would like to express my gratitude for … ‡ Thanks for …
Email 7:
I’ve attached … ‡ Please fi nd attached …
Hope this helps. ‡ Do not hesitate to contact us again if you need any
further information.
Email 8:
I was wondering if you would mind coming … ‡ Could you come / Why
don’t you come …?
Yours sincerely ‡ Best wishes

2 Case study Cybertartan Software

1

Suggested answers:
Customers can make a complaint, send a product back to the manufacturer,
refuse to buy specifi c products or use specifi c shops, etc.

2

1 customer satisfaction, recruitment problems, high staff turnover, need to
reduce costs
2 Customers are dissatisfi ed because there aren’t enough advisers and
because they are kept on hold to increase call charges; more money
rather than less is required to recruit and keep good staff.

3

1 T

2 F

3 F (average call 12 minutes @ £0 / minute = £6: cost of call = £4)
4 D (it depends – perhaps not if hold time is reduced)
5 T
6 F (only ‘very dissatisfi ed’ tripled)
7 T (cost only fourth in top 5)

4

the shift system

5

1 This leads to high staff turnover.
2 Supervisers have to be strict about punctuality and breaks.
3 Punctuality is a problem.
4 Advisers can’t personalize their work space.
5 Customers need more help; there are more calls than the centre can
answer, so advisers have to make calls as short as possible.
6 Advisers have to read out instructions from the manual; explaining
things they don’t understand themselves is not satisfying.
7 There is no chance of employing women with children.

3 Products and packaging

3 About business Packaging

1

Issues for consideration:
Packaging should protect the product whilst in transport, display the
product to its advantage on the shelf, resist pilfering (e. be large enough to
prevent the small product being hidden in a pocket), be a practical shape for
transport and storage, carry text for instructions, etc.

2

1 He thinks packaging is the best way to communicate the difference that
makes your product the best choice.
2 New China Packaging uses cross-functional ‘task forces’ to develop
packaging concepts.

3

1 T 2 F 3 F 4 T 5 T

6 F 7 T 8 T 9 F 10 T

4

1 a) HR (for) b) Sales (against)
2 Suggested answers:
R&D: ‘The benefi ts are similar to those in packaging design: knowing
customer needs, production constraints and fi nancial priorities helps
engineers produce better products.’ (for)
Training: ‘They might perhaps be useful in designing programmes,
but not in delivering them; attendees prefer to have a single contact.’
(against)
IT: ‘They’re very useful in determining the exact needs of users and
administrators at all levels, as well as the fi nancial and technical
constraints.’ (for)

5

1 ‘Wrap rage’ is a new term used to describe the irritation and loss of
self-control experienced when struggling to open wrapping / product
packaging.
2 It’s especially prevalent amongst seniors: 70% of over 50s experience
wrap rage-related injuries.
3 It’s triggered by sterile food packs, child- or pilfer-proof packaging, ring-
pull cans, price tags and overpackaging.
4 There is pressure on manufacturers to meet stringent protection
standards at low cost.

6

Suggested answers:
1 to decrease the amount of stock that disappears from shops because it is
stolen by customers or staff
2 the factors which most often cause people to become frustrated and
irritated with packaging
3 people can even lose their temper trying to remove labels with prices
from some products
4 something which enrages people who feel strongly about ecology
5 after a long period of discouragement there are signs of hope
6 Basically, unless they respond, they’ll lose customers.

7

Suggested answers:
1 Most commonly used materials are plastic and cardboard or paperboard.
Paperboard is cheap, recyclable, easy to print on, plastic is more versatile
and more secure. Other materials such as metal, glass and wood are
unlikely to be used for this type of product.
2 and 3 Anything is possible, but preferably not a standard, rectangular box
with pale or dark colours and small photos and print.

3 Vocabulary Specifications and features

1

The most likely chronological order:
6 Beta test the product by users in typical situations
5 Conduct market studies to test the concept
8 Launch the product
4 Draw sketches and build mockups
7 Go into production
3 Draw up specifi cations for the product
1 Generate new ideas in focus groups and brainstorming meetings
2 Screen out unfeasible or unprofi table ideas

3

2 OpenOffi ce 1 gives you everything you’d expect in offi ce software.
3 You can publish your work in Portable Document Format (PDF), and
release your graphics in Flash (SWF) format – without needing any
additional software.
4 If you’re used to using other offi ce suites – such as Microsoft Offi ce
– you’ll be completely at home with …
5 You can of course continue to use your old Microsoft Offi ce fi les without
any problems …
6 You can easily integrate images and charts in documents …
7 Use built-in charting tools to generate impressive 2-D and 3-D charts.
8 … produce everything from simple diagrams to dynamic 3-D illustrations
and special effects.

4

Suggested answers:
2 You can download this amazing audio manager software – free!
3 You can run Creole Audio Manager without problems on any Mac or PC
computer.
4 You can search for music on the Internet, download it and organize your
music fi les on your computer.
5 Listen to radio and watch TV online.
6 Creole lets you burn your favourite music onto CDs.
7 If you’re used to using other audio players, you’ll be completely at home
with the Creole Audio Manager – it is really easy to use.
8 You can even display song lyrics and sing along in Karaoke mode!

5

Model answer:

The music lover’s favourite player
Over 30 million people all over the world already use Earworm players.
Now there’s an even better way to listen to music: the Earworm2. It’s
smaller, lighter and even stronger than the original Earworm, and has
more memory for more music. And, believe it or not, we’ve actually
reduced the price!
Now better than ever
The Earworm2 gives you everything you ever wanted from a portable
music player. It’s so compact (no bigger than a credit card) that you can
slide it into the smallest pocket or purse. An enormous 40GB of memory
means that you can take your complete music collection everywhere you
go – up to 20,000 songs!
Forget about compatibility problems
If you’re used to downloading your music fi les on a PC, that’s fi ne. If you
prefer the Mac, there’s no problem. You can play all your favourite music
formats; whether they’re from subscription services or P2P exchanges,
the Earworm2 can handle them all!
What’s new in Earworm2?
You’ll love the attention-grabbing new design with its funky fl uorescent
colours. Shake it, rock it, rattle and roll it; with its shockproof
aluminium case, anywhere you can go, the Earworm2 will go too. It’s
even water-resistant for singing in the rain!
The Earworm2 gives you an enormous 40 gigabytes of storage space, so
you can take all the music you’ll ever need with you. Pack up to 20,
songs into an amazingly small space; the Earworm2 is only 9 cm long
by 5 cm wide and just 1 cm thick. And as it weighs only 245 g, it’s so
light you won’t even notice it’s in your pocket. With the latest battery
technology, you can listen all day and all night for up to 30 hours non-
stop.
When you want to hear something new, just switch on the built-in FM
radio; if inspiration hits you while you’re on the road, record your future
number one with the Earworm2’s built-in mic.
Playing and organizing your fi les has never been so easy; everything
is displayed so clearly on the Earworm2’s large 4 x 3 cm LCD screen,
you’ll be completely at home after just a few minutes. And the Earworm
comes with a two year guarantee, giving you real peace of mind.
Try it today
We’re so sure you’ll love Earworm2 that we’re offering a two week,
no quibble, money back guarantee. Try the Earworm2 for two weeks;
if you’re not one hundred per cent satisfi ed, we promise to give you a
full refund with no questions asked. What do you have to lose? Try the
Earworm2 today!

3 Case study Big Jack’s Pizza

1

Suggested answer: Students will mention well-known fast-food chains like
MacDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut; type and amount of
food, pricing, quality, speed of delivery, availability, convenience, etc.

2

1 A pizza franchise with 23 restaurants in Hong Kong with take-out and
home-delivery activities.
2 Three: Billie, Mick and Jack Jr.
3 The President & CEO (and presumably the son of the founder, Big
Jack).

4 Value: large pizzas at low prices.
5 Less than one third.
6 Attracting new franchisees.
7 Loss of market share to international majors.
8 Convenience – proximity of stores and 24/7 delivery service.
9 The banal product.
10 A new range of pizzas, new promotional ideas, a new logo and colour
scheme, a new box

3

1 To introduce a new range of fusion cuisine pizzas.
2 To bring in brand-building and packaging consultants.

4

1 new names
2 relaunch
3 specials
4 BOGOF
5 two-pizza box
6 gourmet club
7 feature national cuisines each month
8 compose and order by Internet
9 change logo and colours
10 more exciting box
Jack likes 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10.

5

1 b) 2 d) 3 a) 4 g) 5 c)
6 h) 7 e) 8 f) 9 j) 10 i)

4 Careers

4 About business Career choices

2

1 Ten years ago, you specialized in one area and did the same job all
your life. Companies were also more responsible for their employees.
Nowadays, you tend to change jobs more often and you are responsible
for creating your own career.
2 A vocation or calling is something that’s right for you, something you
have to listen out for.
A career is a line of work, and you can have several of these in your
working life.
A job refers to whatever you are doing and whoever is employing you at
the moment.

3

1 a) Ten or fi fteen years ago, a social contract went along with a job.
Companies accepted certain responsibilities for their people.
b) Today that contract is completely different. You are responsible for
creating your own career.
2 These days, trying to describe what your job will be beyond twelve to
eighteen months from now is very dicey.

4

1 F 2 T 3 F 4 T

6

1 tip 4 2 tip 7

7

Suggested answers:
Tip 1 Take time to identify what motivates you.
Tip 2 Brainstorm ways to integrate what motivates you into your life.
Tip 3 Ask other people for advice about things you are interested in.
Tip 5 Identify your obstacles and the reasons why they prevent you from
reaching your goals.
Tip 6 Surround yourself with people who can help and support you.
Tip 8 Make a practical, structured action plan.
Tip 9 Start taking action as soon as possible.
Tip 10 Make a visible commitment to achieving your goal.

4 Vocabulary Careers, personal skills and qualities

1

Answers depend on personal values. Suggested answers in terms of probable
fi nancial value:
1 free accommodation
2 company car
3 pension plan
4 free medical insurance
5 luncheon vouchers
6 profi t-sharing
7 stock options
8 Christmas bonus
9 sports and social facilities

2

1 Before graduating, Josef Gutkind applied for jobs in twenty companies.
4 Josef was offered a position as a management trainee.
3 He attended a second interview conducted by a panel of managers.
7 He found a new job, but was dismissed after arguing with his boss.
5 Two years later he was appointed logistics manager.
2 He was short-listed for a second interview at Wilson Brothers.
8 While he was unemployed Josef studied for a master’s degree.
6 When Wilson’s got into diffi culties, Josef was made redundant.
10 In his early fi fties he took a sabbatical to write a book.
12 He retired from business and now lives in the South of France.
9 Thanks to his enhanced CV, Josef was hired by a fi rm of consultants.
11 The book was a best-seller, and Josef resigned from the fi rm.

3

1 Could you tell me exactly why you were dismissed from OQP?
2 Was that before or after you were appointed quality manager?
3 After the factory closed, was it diffi cult to fi nd a new job?
4 Have you applied for jobs in other companies in the area?
5 Would you be available to attend a second interview next week?
6 How would you feel if we offered you a position as a product manager?

4

1 short-listed 2 hired 3 on sabbatical 4 dismissed
5 resign 6 made redundant 7 unemployed 8 retire

5

1 b) 2 a) 3 d) 4 e) 5 c)
6 h) 7 i) 8 f) 9 j) 10 g)

6

1 I enjoy taking initiative, and I keep my promises; when I make a
commitment to a project I always deliver.
2 I have a lot of experience in working closely with both product
development and sales teams, and can adapt to their different working
styles.
3 I have excellent organizational skills, and I hate being late – so I have no
problem with working to strict deadlines.
4 I liaise with government offi cials: fortunately, I possess strong negotiating
skills.
5 I’m used to managing a busy workload; I’m good at multitasking, and
coping with pressure is no problem.
6 I often take on ownership of projects with multi-million dollar budgets.
7 I believe I can make a valuable contribution to any work group.
8 I’m a good listener, so I build good working relationships with
colleagues.

7

a) Are you able to take responsibility? 1, 6
b) Are you a good communicator? 4, 8
c) Are you a good time manager? 3, 5
d) Are you a good team worker? 2, 7

8

Rachel Ratcliff + Paul Stevens + Michael Diegel – Shane Garney –

9

Rachel Ratcliff Michael Diegel Shane Garney
Problem thinking about
resigning

new hire;
under-performing

wants more money;
has a better offer
Causes ambitious , no
opportunities

motivation, or
doesn’t have
potential

getting greedy;
over-ambitious;
father is a senator
Possible
solutions

transfer her to
Germany; send her
on an MBA

warning; move him
East to an easier
job

give him a small
raise; say no

4 Grammar Present tenses

1

Jane Houseman considers herself a happy woman. Based in London, she
works as a project manager for Arbol Oil, a South American oil company
which is expanding rapidly, especially in the Far East. Jane loves travelling;
at the moment she is working on a project in China, which means she fl ies
out to Beijing about once a month. She already speaks fl uent Spanish, and
she is learning Chinese. She doesn’t meet the two other project managers
in her department very often, because they are fi nishing a project in Saudi
Arabia, but they all get on very well and talk two or three times a week by
telephone. Jane is also following an MBA course; she submits coursework
by email and attends three intensive weeks per year in London. Financially,
Jane feels very lucky: right now, she is earning twice what most of her friends
from university are bringing home, and the company is paying for her MBA.
In many ways, Jane believes she has the perfect job.

2

1 has been 2 left 3 worked 4 has never regretted
5 immediately put 6 has received 7 was 8 called
9 arrived 10 has already worked 11 invited 12 has just asked

3

1a has preferred 1b has been looking
2a has just paid 2b has been hoping
3a has been trying 3b has repeatedly postponed
4a has been playing 4b has never occurred
5a has sometimes wondered 5b has been thinking
6a hasn’t been spending 6b has already had

4

Suggested answers:
1 Ms Bianco or Mr Green, assuming he spoke Spanish in CA and FL. Mr
Salmon hasn’t graduated yet.
2 Miss Rose or Mrs Grey (but she hasn’t worked in marketing).
3 Mr Schwarz, Mr Braun scored C-.
4 Miss Plum, assuming she spoke French in Quebec.
5 Miss Rose or Ms Violeta.
6 Ms Bianco (if she wasn’t chosen for 1) or Mr Da Silva.

5

Suggested answers:
1 He’s just been offered a job. / He’s been having an interview.
2 They’ve just passed their exams. / They’ve just been looking at the exam
results.
3 She’s interviewed 17 candidates. / She’s been interviewing since 8.
4 He’s just run ten kilometres. / He’s been doing recruitment tests.
5 Jon has failed his exams.
6 They haven’t decided which candidate to choose. / They’ve been
discussing candidates.
7 Nick hasn’t fi nished his CV. / He’s been working on his CV for a long
time.
8 Paula has just been to an interview. / She’s attended 27 interviews.
9 Mr Singh has spilt coffee over the interviewer’s papers.
10 Sally has written 100 job applications. / She’s been writing job
applications since this morning.

4 Speaking Job interviews

1

Answers will vary.

2

1 expresses the wish to make a long-term commitment? A
2 give concrete examples from their experience? B, C, D, E
3 ask questions to make sure they answer the interviewer’s question? B, E
4 structures the answer in two parts? C
5 turns a question about a negative point into an opportunity to emphasize
a positive quality? D

3

Do you mean, how do I …?
That’s a diffi cult question to answer; let’s just say that …
I think there are two important aspects to this question.
Take …, for instance.
Does that answer your question?

4

1 I applied what I learned.
2 I’m able to cope with being unpopular.
3 I see myself as a top performing employee in a leading company.
4 I plan to gain experience and learn new skills.
5 I would be ready to move up to a position with more responsibility.
6 I realized that knowing how well you’re doing is essential to staying
motivated.
7 I’m aware that there are areas that I can improve on.
8 I don’t feel that I have any signifi cant weaknesses.
9 I would say that organization is one of my strengths.
10 I managed to fi nish the project on time.

5

a) What are your strengths and weaknesses? 1
b) Why do you want to work for us? 2
c) What is your greatest achievement? 1
d) How do you make sure things get done? 1
e) Why do you want to leave your present job? 2
f) Tell me about a time when you successfully handled a diffi cult situation.
1
g) What sort of environment would you prefer not to work in? 2
h) What are the most diffi cult kinds of decisions for you to make? 1

4 Writing A CV

1

The ‘correct’ answers to all of these are ‘it depends’. There are valid
arguments for both sides of each case.
1 Stating your objective will help employers decide if your CV is relevant,
and gives the impression of a focussed candidate. On the other hand,
it may mean you are not considered for other equally interesting and
suitable positions.

3

Suggested answers:
1 A supplier is taking an order.
2 A buyer is trying to bring the price down.
3 A buyer is asking for a bigger discount.
4 A seller is rejecting a proposal.
5 Someone is saying that availability is open to / subject to negotiation.
6 A seller is asking the buyer to pay / to put down a deposit.
7 A customer is refusing to extend a deadline / is complaining that a
supplier has missed a deadline.
8 A negotiator is seeking / offering a compromise.

4

1 fi ve hundred at 12 euros a box
2 two and a half thousand
3 an extra two per cent
4 fi ve or six weeks a year
5 We usually ask for 20 per cent now.

5

4 The customer prices similar products on other sites.
10 The product is shipped to the customer’s address by mail or express
carrier.
12 The seller exchanges the product or gives a refund.
6 The customer goes to the check-out and pays by credit card.
7 The website records the transaction and generates an invoice.
5 The customer selects a product and places it in a cart.
11 The customer sends the faulty product back under guarantee.
8 The customer’s credit card account is debited.
2 The customer clicks on the link to the seller’s site.
1 The prospective customer looks up the product on a search engine.
3 The customer browses the site and identifi es the product which interests
him.
9 The website sends an instruction to the warehouse to ship the product.

6

1 a) product b) site c) product d) credit
2 a) transaction b) invoices c) refunds d) product e) link

7

1 get to work
2 pointed out the benefi ts
3 the issues you’d like to discuss
4 clarify your remarks
5 summarize the situation
6 make an offer
7 work out a compromise
8 consider alternative solutions
9 break for lunch
10 fi nd common ground

5 Grammar Conditionals and recommendations

Internet Research

‘In business, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.’
Chester L Karrass, author of ‘The Negotiating Game’

‘My father said: You must never try to make all the money that’s in a deal.
Let the other fellow make some money too, because if you have a reputation
for always making all the money, you won’t have many deals.’
J Paul Getty

‘If you are going to fi ght, don’t let them talk you into negotiating. But, if you
are going to negotiate, don’t let them talk you into fi ghting.’
Abraham Lincoln

1

1 would go 2 don’t go 3 won’t go 4 went
5 would you go 6 go 7 doesn’t go 8 will you go

2

1 a) possible 2 c) sure 3 b) probable

3

1 providing 2 unless 3 only if

4

1 What options would you recommend me?
2 I suggest you to take the dust-proof control unit: it’s specially designed
for industrial environments.
3 Would you advise me choosing the 750W or the 1,000W motor?
4 We generally suggest you allowing for a little extra power.
5 We recommend you not exceeding 9,000 rpm in the fi rst two weeks.
6 I would advise that you to check the oil level at least once a week.
7 Our parent company recommends it that we do not buy from non-ISO-
certifi ed suppliers.
8 In that case, I would suggest your Quality Manager to visit us before
placing an order.

5

2 Our production manager is willing to make the changes, providing you
supply a prototype.

3 We are reluctant to consider a larger discount, unless you pay in
advance.
4 We would be prepared to sponsor the exhibition but only if we had a
large stand in the entrance hall.
5 Unless we can get the sub-components in time, it will be impossible to
meet the deadline.
6 As long as several other top CEOs were present, our President would
agree to attend.

7

(P) tennis tournament with customer
(J) run exhibition stand in Kazakhstan
(J) conference in Madagascar team-building course in Siberia
presentation to 2,000 shareholders relocate call centre mgr to India
(P) take holiday in August
(J) take holiday in January
open offi ce at 6am close offi ce at 10pm
supervise intern for six months share offi ce with PR Manager

5 Speaking Negotiations – bargaining

1

Negotiations can generally be categorized as win-lose, lose-lose, or win-win.

2

1 Harry Petersen’s company sells sheet music.
2 The package includes website design, building and management,
processing sales, dealing with payments and logistics.
3 Harry intends to deliver products electronically as PDF fi les.
4 Holman will charge a monthly fee.
5 Harry will have no capital investment to make, no new staff to hire,
no overheads, and a small monthly fee to pay compared to the money
coming in.
6 The next step is to defi ne exactly what Harry wants the site to do.

3

Harry says no. He rejects all Ingrid’s proposals and doesn’t try to negotiate.

4

1 Harry negotiates and offers a compromise.
2 Ingrid will bring down the monthly fee if Harry signs a three-year
contract.
She will guarantee a maximum down time of 24 hours per month if
Harry chooses the platinum service level.
She will have the site up and running by next month if Harry pays a
year’s fees in advance.
3 Harry agrees to pay six months in advance and sign a three-year contract.
Ingrid agrees to have the site online in two months, bring the monthly
fee down 5% and include the platinum service.
4 Ingrid avoids the question of penalties by saying nobody has penalty
clauses and producing a bottle of champagne.

5

1 I might possibly be able to bring it down a little, but only if we had a
three-year contract.
2 I’d be reluctant to agree to a three-year contract, unless you could
guarantee a maximum down time of 24 hours per month.
3 … so we’re happy to guarantee less than 24 hours per month, as long as
you choose our platinum service level.
4 I suppose we could do it, providing you paid a year’s fees in advance.
5 … let’s split the difference.
6 I can pay six months in advance on condition that you have the site
online in two months.
7 … if you can just sign – here, here and here – I’ll open the champagne.

6

Tentative offers Counteroffers Firm offers Compromising
I might consider
reducing the
price if you
increased your
order.
1

It would be
diffi cult for me
to increase my
order unless you
guaranteed the
price for two
years.
2
4

I am ready to
sign a contract
today if you can
guarantee the
price for two
years.
3
6
7

Would you
agree to a
compromise?
Is that an
acceptable
compromise?
5

The second conditional ( if + past … would ) is used in tentative offers and
counteroffers to make a hypothetical, exploratory offer with no commitment.
The fi rst conditional ( if + present … will ) is used in fi rm offers to express a
defi nite commitment.

7

1 I might possibly be able to bring it down a little, but only if we had a
three-year contract.
2 I might consider reducing the price , if you increased your order.
3 I’d be reluctant to agree to a three-year contract, unless you could
guarantee a maximum down time of 24 hours per month.

5 Writing A proposal

2

1 The proposal is for a merchant account for an e-business.
2 Prestige and respect for Mr Bellows e-business; transparent control of
sales, cash-fl ow and administration fees; independent power of decision
on refunds; low charges.
3 $12 per month, minimum transaction fees of $10.
4 Because PZpay has more than 1,800 satisfi ed members in 26 countries.

3

3 Solution
4 Benefi ts
5 Introduction
8 Conclusion
6 Qualifi cations & references
5 Process & schedule
2 Needs / background
7 Costs

4

Suggested answers:
1 If you would like to see similar projects we have managed, we would be
pleased to put you in touch with some of our customers.
2 In the unlikely event that you were less than 100% satisfi ed with the
result, we would offer a full refund.
3 Should you require on-site support, our engineers are available seven
days a week.
4 If you would like to see some examples of our work, I would be
delighted to organize a demonstration on your premises.
5 In the unlikely event of a breakdown, we would provide a replacement
while your server was repaired.
6 Should you require greater capacity, our engineers can perform an
upgrade on-site.
7 If you wish to place an order, we require a deposit of 25%.

5

Model answer:

Dear Ms Nash-Williams,
Thank you for taking the time to talk to me by telephone today. As
agreed, please fi nd below a proposal for a ‘MaxiMedia’ website, which I
believe will increase your traffi c and sales dramatically.
Your current website is out of date and unable to compete with your
competitors’ sites. You are looking for an exciting, interactive site which
will attract teenagers and improve sales of your posters.
We recommend our ‘MaxiMedia Experience’ range of interactive sites,
which incorporate music and video presentations. If you subsequently
required online games, you would be able to upgrade to the ‘MaxiMedia
Gamer’ range with no additional set-up fee.
A ‘MaxiMedia’ site will increase traffi c to your e-business, since teenage
customers will enjoy exciting music and video on your website. In
addition, they will be able to download thumbnails of your posters and
free ringtones. In the unlikely event of a technical diffi culty, MaxiMedia
guarantee to solve the problem within two hours. Our charges are
amongst the lowest on the market, meaning that your business will be
more profi table from day one.
We provide a complete, ready-to-use website installed on your server.
Please allow 30 days for development and installation. Should you
encounter any diffi culties, our helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week to assist you.
With more than 400 satisfi ed customers and several design awards,
MaxiMedia is one of the top site designers in over the country. I will be
happy to put you in contact with other MaxiMedia customers in your
area.
The design fee for a ‘MaxiMedia Experience’ site is just 3,000, with
monthly technical support fees of only 15. You will fi nd full details of
our terms and conditions in the attached quotation.
We look forward to meeting you to discuss design options: I will call you
next week to fi x a date. Should you have further questions, please feel
free to call me on 0800 113 647.
Sincerely yours,

5 Case study St John’s Beach Club

2

1 The top ten performing sales reps and their partners.
2 No. (‘As usual …’)
3 The memo was sent in the third quarter, to encourage sales reps to make
an extra effort in Q4.
4 Suggested answer: corporate clients, young, active professional people
with available income and a taste for luxury

3

1 False. ‘Shall we use my offi ce?’ ‘No, here is fi ne.’
2 False. Loretta doesn’t have the time.
3 True. Loretta has asked him (i. told him) to allocate the budget.

4 True. $26,500 + 5% is almost $28,000.
5 False. He is going to get one of their best negotiators to negotiate with a
couple of travel agents.
6 True. Ten reps + partners + Malcolm and his wife, + maybe two more
reps + partners.
7 False. A week, plus perhaps a couple more nights.

4

Suggested answers:
1 Loretta would get to know the sales team better if she went on the trip.
2 If they only talked to one travel agent, they might not get such a good
deal.
3 Loretta thinks the agents may give a free upgrade if they use the full
budget.
4 If they can negotiate a really good package, Malcolm would like to take
one or two more sales reps along.
5 They’ll stay longer than a week if they can squeeze more nights out of the
budget.

6 Company and community

6 About business Corporate social responsibility

1

Suggested answers:
Employees, customers, shareholders, the community
Shareholders generally want profi tability, which is usually in confl ict with
employees’ and sometimes customers and the community’s interests.
Employees and the community want jobs, which may confl ict with the
customer’s wish for low prices.
The community would like companies to be socially responsible and
ecologically neutral, which may confl ict with growth, job creation and mass
production to achieve low prices and profi tability.

2

customers and end-users (doctors, nurses and patients)
employees
the community
stockholders

3

This is a matter of personal opinion and political sympathies. The following
points may arise in discussion:
1 Today, prices for health care products are regulated by government in
many countries.
2 Companies whose profi ts are perceived as being excessive attract
criticism, principally from the media.
3 Many Western governments have implemented minimum wage
legislation, and labour tribunals decide disputes over compensation.
4 Perhaps a distinction should be made between justice, as defi ned by the
judiciary, and ethics, as defi ned by philosophers and the community.
5 Using tax specialists to fi nd the most favourable way to apply tax laws
defi ned by government is generally considered ‘fair’; exploiting tax
loopholes might be judged ‘unfair’ by the media and the community.
6 This seems to be decided by stockholders themselves, and can cause the
problems discussed by Marc Gunther below.

4

Suggested answers:
The core dilemma in points 1-3 is where to draw the line.
1 Disaster relief, the Red Cross, Aids research, soup kitchens, holidays for
underprivileged children, churches, museums, orchestras, sports clubs
2 Hospitals, orphanages, shelters for the homeless, parks and gardens,
zoos, tennis courts, art galleries
3 Eliminate pollution from manufacturing, use only recyclable materials,
use clean vehicles and machinery, encourage employees to use public
transport
4–6 are completely subjective and all views are valid.

5

Part 1:
1 look after the environment
2 avoid exploiting developing countries
3 environmental groups
4 company owners
5 everyone who works there
6 global warming
7 planting trees to offset their emissions
8 gasoline powered cars
9 hybrid vehicles
Part 2:
1 profi tability (bottom-line considerations), recruitment
2 They want their jobs to have meaning. They want to make the world a
better place.
3 employee fi rst, customer second, shareholder third
4 Happy employees will attract customers, the business will work and
shareholders will benefi t
5 If a customer argues with an employee, the assumption is that the
employee is right and the customer is wrong.

6

1 That brings us to the next point on the agenda.
2 I tend to think that we need …
3 I see your point, but you can’t just sack someone…
4 Don’t you think that everyone should have a second chance?
5 I think we’re getting side-tracked here.
6 Could I just come in here?
7 Do you have any views on this issue?
8 When you say this issue, do you mean our policy on gifts?

7

Giving an opinion Asking for opinions Managing the discussion
In my opinion …
It seems to me that …
I feel strongly that …
I tend to think that …

What’s your feeling?
Would you agree?
Do you have any
views on …?

Do we all agree on that,
then?
Perhaps we should break
for coffee.
Could we come back to
this later?
That brings us to the next
point on the agenda.
I think we’re getting side-
tracked.

Disagreeing
tactfully

Interrupting Asking for
clarifi cation

Persuading

I agree up to a
point, but … I’m
afraid I can’t
agree. I see your
point, but …

Sorry, but could I
just say …?
Sorry to
interrupt, but …
Could I just
come in here?

So are you
saying that …?
Sorry, I don’t see
what you mean.
When you say …
, do you mean
…?

Isn’t it the
case that …?
Wouldn’t you
agree that …?
Don’t you think
that …?

6 Writing Reports and minutes

1

Companies often rely on the local workforce, so it’s in their best interests
to invest in the community so that they have a happy, committed and
loyal workforce. It will also raise their profi le with local councilors and
government which could be useful for them.

2

Suggested answers:
but: however, although
and: in addition, also
so: therefore, this means
say / tell: inform, explain, etc.
think: imagine, believe, etc.

3

1 Arguments for:
benefi ts to the company’s image justifi ed more active and extensive
support, in particular after the recent diffi cult negotiations
substantial benefi ts in terms of motivation and job satisfaction
a positive effect on expansion of our manufacturing facilities and
recruitment of our workforce locally.
need for good relations with local communities
benefi ts in developing team spirit.

Arguments against:
group policy is to give encouragement but only limited fi nancial support
concerns about the size of the investment and the project’s impact on
productivity
risks involved for production, for example, absenteeism and quality
issues
the project could become an excuse to take time off work

2 a) Head Offi ce decided to support Mirratec’s decision
b) Mirratec decided to approve the project.

4

Function Linking words
addition besides, moreover, in addition, furthermore
conclusion lastly, in conclusion, fi nally
consequence so, therefore, consequently
contrast but, however, even so
equivalence that is to say, namely, in other words
example for instance, such as, for example
generalization in most cases, as a rule, on the whole
highlighting mainly, chiefl y, in particular, especially
stating the obvious of course, naturally, obviously, clearly
summary to sum up, overall, in brief

5

Suggested answers:
Josiah Wedgewood was a pioneer in social responsibility, building a village
for his workforce. In addition , his products combined technology with
classical culture.
More than a century later, George Cadbury developed social housing for his
chocolate factory workers. Consequently , Cadbury’s became one of Britain’s
most respected companies. Both men were pioneers of corporate social
responsibility. However , they were also accused of paternalism.
Today, sustainable development policies aim to manage the effects of
business on employees, the community, and especially on the environment.
Multinationals like Shell are focusing on the idea of being good neighbours,
in particular by consulting local stakeholders before beginning new projects
which may affect them.

6

• it was felt that employee involvement in the project would bring
  substantial benefi ts
• it is thought that the
• it is recommended that the company should contribute 50% of the
  funding
• it is hoped that department managers will be able to reduce staff
  workloads
• it is believed that the community and the company will derive numerous
  benefi ts
• It is expected that an ongoing close relationship with the community will
  have a positive effect

7

1 Christopher agreed that productivity was a concern.
2 Christopher stressed that only a small number of staff would be directly
involved.
3 Christopher claimed that most department managers didn’t expect any
problems.
4 Christopher reported that there was a similar project in Greece where
they had actually improved productivity.
5 Christopher suggested that team spirit would be much better when the
community centre had been built.

6 Case study Phoenix

2

Suggested answers:
1 Depending on how high-tech their equipment is, it may be very clinical
and relatively clean, or very dirty, dusty, heavy, noisy, unpleasant and
dangerous.
2 The company tries to present itself as a responsible member of the
community, protecting the environment by providing a valuable service,
and applying an ethical code of fair practice in its dealings with all its
partners.

3

1 Port Katherine is a good choice for Phoenix because:
a) It’s close to Perth.
b) It’s far enough away not to attract too much attention from the
environmentalists.
c) The population is only about three and half thousand, so there
shouldn’t be too much local resistance.
d) The local authorities are desperate to attract new business and jobs to
the area.
2 For the Planning Department, Site A is likely to be politically sensitive,
but is conveniently close to the highway on the edge of town.
Site B will probably produce the most income for the community and
seems to have no major disadvantages.
Site C would involve major demolition and road-building work, so is less
suitable.
For the Residents’ Association, Site A is a problem because it’s close to a
school.
Site B seems to be a good choice as it will not disturb residents.
Site C may involve a lot of demolition and building, which could disrupt
residents’ lives in the town centre.
For Phoenix, Site A is the best: it’s close to the highway, the price for the
land is reasonable and it’s a nice fl at site to build on. The disadvantage is
that it’s right next to the local school.
Site B is on a business park, but it’s a bit expensive, and taxes will be
higher.
Site C is an old factory site near the harbour in the town centre. Access
would be a problem, unless they built a new road, and they’d have to
demolish the old building.
3 ‘Operation Charm and Diplomacy’ is an attempt to establish good
relations with the local community by stressing the company’s
environmentally friendly ethics and mission statement in order to
outweigh the disadvantages and break down resistance in people’s
minds.

4

Group A: Port Katherine Planning Department
1 The email is from Duncan Gillespie, one of the Mayor’s staff.
2 Your role is to organize and chair the meeting, and to try to fi nd an
agreement which suits everyone.
3 It’s important to keep the residents happy because the elections are
coming up soon. If they are unhappy, the Mayor may not be re-elected.
4 The project is important because the town desperately needs new jobs
and investment.
5 Site B is the best choice for fi nancial reasons.
Group B: Port Katherine Residents’ Association
1 Members feel strongly about preserving the environment and the safety
of their children.
2 Demonstrations, protests, lobbying, sabotage?
3 Because the elections are approaching and the mayor wants to be
popular.
4 Ideally, you would prefer the centre not to be in Port Katherine at all.
The industrial environment of Site C seems to be the best choice.
5 Make sure Site A is not chosen.
Group C: Phoenix
1 Make friends and sell the benefi ts of the recycling centre.
2 Improving facilities at the school, redeveloping the port area in the town
centre, attracting new businesses to the business park?
3 To develop the largest recycling centre on the continent.
4 Site A is the best if the residents’ resistance can be overcome. Site B is
possible but more expensive. Site C depends on the town agreeing to
build a new road.
5 The cost argument against Site B may not receive much sympathy from
the residents and the authorities; the contamination argument is delicate
and may increase resistance to the project.

The cost for the town of a new road is probably a good argument to use
against site C. The disruption