2
UNIT
ESSENTIALS
Business, Finance and Marketing
The organisation of business 026 Business organizations can be distinguished by how they are owned. Private sector organizations are owned by private individuals. They include: •• sole traders •• partnerships •• private and public limited companies •• co-operatives •• franchises. Businesses must constantly change to keep up with the times. They can expand to increase profits and sales through mergers, acquisitions, take-overs and joint-ventures. If they find that their national COMPETENCES markets are too small for them they can switch some production ►► finding and choosing the to foreign countries and become right information on the multinational companies. Internet To respond to changing economic ►► identifying the advantages situations they may have to find new and disadvantages of ways to compete on the market: specific types of business start-ups, microbusinesses organization and making and coworking are examples of relevant suggestions innovative ways of doing business. ►► giving an oral presentation ►► writing a report
EXPANSION
Case study • Sole trader or partnership? • Multinationals
Press files • Business starts at school in this golden age for young founders • Game on: what happens to video startups that make millions on kickstarter?
WARMING UP 1 Answer the questions, then check your scores at the end.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
?
1 What job would you like?
A job you really like even if you don’t make a lot of money. b A job you don’t particularly like but that pays very well. c A steady job.
a
2 Do you like working alone?
If I need to. b Never. c Always.
a
3 You’ve been asked to do something difficult. You a try to do everything by yourself. b ask other people for advice. c don’t do the difficult parts and focus on the easy ones. 4 Where do you want to be
in ten years’ time? a I want to see my product or service used by thousands of people. b I want to be happy. c I want to be sitting on a beach.
5 You’re studying at home
but find it difficult. What do you do? a Have a rest and then start again. b Stop and do something different. c Keep trying.
6 Do you like taking risks?
Often. Never. c Only if I have to.
a b
7 Do your friends ask you to
organize events or activities? a Sometimes. b Always. c Never.
8 If you were left a large
amount of money, what would you do? a Buy a house. b Invest it in something you’ve always wanted to do. c Buy all the things you’ve always wanted.
SCORE CHART Questions 1-2 Questions 3-4 Questions 5-6 Questions 7-8
a = 5 a = 5 a = 2 a = 2
b = 0 b = 2 b = 0 b = 5
Add up your total number of points. The maximum is 40.
102
c=2 c=0 c=5 c=0
What your score means 26-40 You have all the personal qualities to start your own business. 13-25 You could do well in your own business, but you might be happier working for a company. 0-12 You need to reasses your personal characteristics if you want to get a job!
Business, Finance and Marketing UNIT
2 The organisation of business
VOCABULARY 2 Match each word / expression with their definition. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
share sleeping partner asset stock market liability employ merger raw material shareholders
a a person who invests in a business but doesn't take an active part in managing it b a person's or organization's responsibility for payment of debts c material in its natural condition d people who share the ownership of a company e provide work f something that belongs to an individual / business and has value g the fall in cost of production per unit as output increases h the place where stocks and shares are sold and bought i when two or more companies join together to form a bigger company
3 Use the correct form of one of the words / expressions in Exercise 2 to complete the sentences.
Multinationals usually (1) large numbers of people who work in different countries. The cost of (2) such as oil and cotton has gone up in the past few months. BGS and Seleca Consulting have announced that a (3) agreement has been reached between the two companies. (4) prices fell after the company announced the profits had been below market expectations. (5) meet annually to hear reports on the company's business situation. The London Stock Exchange is Europe's largest (6).
4 Which verb CANNOT be used with these nouns? 1 run / invest / set up a business 2 provide / contribute / make capital 3 go / make / be bankrupt 4 do / raise / lose money
5 make / produce / do goods 6 locate / sell / move production 7 buy / train / recruit staff 8 take over / buy / make a company
103
The organization of business The six forms of business organizations in the private sector are: • sole traders • partnerships • private limited companies • public limited companies • co-operatives • franchises sole trader ditta individuale unlimited liability responsabilità illimitata partnership società unlimited partnership società a nome collettivo – S.n.c limited partnership società in accomandita semplice
Sole traders A sole trader is a business owned and controlled by one person who is entirely responsible for his own business debts, that is to say he has unlimited liability. The owner of a sole trader has complete control over his business and can keep all the profits. However, if the business fails he can lose all his personal assets and he must provide all capital, which means that the sources of finance are limited. He can take all decisions quickly, but doesn't have anyone to share the workload or ideas with. He can take all decisions quickly, but doesn't have anyone to share the workload or ideas with. Partnership A partnership is a business agreement between two or more people to own and run a business together. The partners will contribute to the initial capital and share the responsibility for managing that business. There are two types of partnership. ► In an unlimited partnership, all partners are liable for the debts of any of the other partners. This means that if the business goes bankrupt, they can lose all their personal assets. ► In a limited partnership some partners only contribute capital to the business, andplay little or no part in its day to day
5 Complete the table using the information given in the two texts above. Can you think of other advantages and disadvantages? Advantages
Disadvantages
Sole traders
Partnerships
6 Competence Builder Work in pairs. Imagine you want to start your own
business. Which form of organization would you choose? Give reasons for your choice.
104
Franchising Franchising was first introduced in the
2
,
026 Listen and complete the text with the missing information.
8 Competence Builder Work in pairs / groups. Decide which of the sentences below describe the advantages of buying a franchise and which highlight the disadvantages. Report your decision to the rest of the class.
The organisation of business
but it has now become an extremely widespread form of business operation. The franchisor, usually an existing with an established market, offers the franchisee, a person or a group of people, the right to use its trade and make or sell its products in a particular . The benefit for a franchisor is that he has to invest relatively capital in distribution outlets. He also receives an initial from the franchisee and a percentage of his profits. Franchisees receive the shop furniture in the company style, support, training and commercial advice from the . They are their own bosses and have responsibility for running the company. They don’t need to invest in advertising campaigns if the trade name of the franchisor’s business is a well-known one.
7
UNIT DOSSIER
Business, Finance and Marketing
franchisor chi concede il franchising franchisee il concessionario del franchising
•• Limited role of business owners. The franchisor will decide most aspects of business. •• Greater chance of success as the product has a secure place in the market. •• Cost of buying a franchise could be high. •• Better chance of solving problems as they may have been overcome in other franchises, •• Sell a brand name which is advertised nationally. •• Banks may be more willing to lend money to a well known franchise. •• Franchising agreement may be withdrawn. •• Can't sell the business without the franchiser's agreement
9 Competence Builder Look at the logos of these franchisers. Work in groups of three / four and discuss the questions.
•• Make a list under three columns headed 'Fast food", "Retail" and "Services". •• Which is the largest sector? Why do you think is so? •• Which of these firms are located in your area?
105
FOCUS ON FUNCTIONS
19
go digital
026
Mark Dobson and Clare Elliot are coworkers. Today they are meeting Jason Fry, a potential new coworker. Watch the video and complete the dialogue. Mark Hi John. I’m Mark Dobson.
Cultural awareness In many countries people shake hands when they first meet. In Japan people bow from the waist. In China people usually nod their heads and smile. In Arab countries, do not offer to shake hands with the opposite sex.
John Hello Mark. Mark This is Clare Elliot. Have you two met
?
John No, we haven’t, but we’ve exchanged a lot of emails. It’s nice to put a to a face. Clare Hello John. It’s great to finally meet you in person. Did you have finding us? John Not at all, the
on your website were very clear.
Mark Please have a seat. Would you like coffee, water ?
to drink? Tea,
Socialising
106
Greetings and responding
Introducing someone else and responding
•• Hello, ... Nice / Good / Great to see you again. •• Hello, ... Nice / Good / Great to meet you. •• Hi, ... how are you? / How's everything going? ► Fine, thanks ► Not too bad, thanks! ► Can’t complain!
•• Can I introduce you to Ms Johnson? ► Pleased to meet you. ► How do you do •• Jane, have you met Paul? ► No, actually we haven’t. ► Actually, yes we have. •• I’d like to introduce you to John Clark, our head of Marketing. ► Please, call me John.
Introducing yourself
Making small talk and responding
•• I'm from ... / I'm with .... / I work for (company) •• I'm in ... / I'm in charge of ... / I'm responsible for ... •• I work with ...
•• How was your flight / journey? ► It was good, thanks. •• Did you have any trouble finding us? ► Not at all, the directions on your website were very clear. •• Can I get you something to drink? ► Yes, please. I’d love a coffee. •• Have you been here before? ► No, this is my first time. ► Actually, no, I’ve been here a few times.
Business, Finance and Marketing Language Box.
Student B
Student C
You are meeting B, a client you have spoken to on the phone several times, but have never met before. Welcome him / her to the company and introduce B to C, saying what his / her job is. After making small talk offer B and C something to drink.
You are visiting A at his / her company. You have spoken to on the phone several times, but have never met before. He / she introduces you to C: respond to introduction and answer his / her questions. Reply to A when he / she offers you something to drink.
You are meeting B, a new customer. A will introduce you to him / her. Respond to introduction and make small talk (journey, location, company). Reply to A when he / she offers you something to drink.
2 The organisation of business
Student A
UNIT
20 Work in groups of three. Role-play the situation. Use the expression in the
FOCUS ON GRAMMAR Simple Past vs Present perfect We use the Past Simple We use the Past Simple to describe completed actions that took place in the past and have no connection with the present. We frequently use a time expression to refer to a definite moment in the past.
•• I had an early start this morning. •• I moved to Derby when I finished university. •• We met two years ago. •• Clare joined the company last August.
We use the Present Perfect when we are thinking of a period of time continuing up to the present.
•• I've been there for a couple of year. •• She's been in charge of production since 2014.
to talk about our life experience
•• We've exchanged a lot of emails. •• Have you two met before?
to talk about present results of past actions.
•• Our e-mail address has changed.
with ever / never / just / already / yet / so far
• • I've just had a cup of tea.
21 Complete Mark Zuckeberg's biography with the Simple Past or the Present Perfect of the verbs in brackets.
Mark Zuckerberg was born in 1984 in New York and (1 co-found) the socialnetworking website Facebook when he was at university, the user base of which (2 grow) to more than 250 million people, making him a billionaire. When he was at Harvard he (3 build) a program called CourseMatch, which helped students choose their classes based on the course selections of other users. He also (4 invent) Facemash, which compared the pictures of two students on campus and allowed users to vote on which one was more attractive. Since amassing his huge fortune, Zuckerberg (5 use) his millions to fund a variety of philanthropic causes. Since 2010, Time magazine (6 name) Zuckerberg among the 100 wealthiest and most influential people in the world. In 2012 he married Priscilla Chan: they (7 be) together since 2003, the year they (8 meet) at university. All in all, Zuckerberg leads a pretty modest life, considering all of the billions he is worth: he wears the same gray Facebook T-shirt almost every day.
107
y Case Stud
1 Going into E-commerce BACKGROUND ► Mountain Sports is a company that produces mountaineeing equipment and other outdoor clothing. It has many high street shops, but has recently seen a decline in sales. Fewer people are visiting its shops and demand for its products is falling. Most of its customers are passionate hikers and climbers, so the company now wants to appeal to a wider range of customers who like casual, sports wear. The solution could be in selling their products online.
COMPETENCES • reading and analysing data • discussing about various issues related to e-commerce and making suggestions
1 Work in groups of three / four. Look at the line graph and the pie chart. Discuss the points given below.
•• the advantages and disadvantages of selling the different types of products online; •• the impact that the decision to sell online will have on goods in term of their price; •• the additional costs involved, especially IT costs; •• the types of potential customers that could be reached.
Sales 2015
Sales 2010-2015 11 89 24 77 18 24
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 100
COMPETENCES • writing a document illustrating various issues related to e-commerce and making suggestions
108
150
200
250
300
350
400
2 With your group, write a proposal document to the CEO of the company in which you illustrate what has emerged form your discussion.
450
UNIT
y Case Stud
2 Cross-cultural Briefings
2 The organisation of business
BACKGROUND ► A group of managers from the UK will shortly be visiting the company you work for. During their visit, they wil have meetings with managers and be entartained at restaurants. They are also planning to do some shopping and excursions. You have been asked to hold a culture briefing in which you will inform the visitors about aspects of business culture and other important aspects of daily life in your country.
Why hold cross-cultural briefings? • To conduct successful business in another country. • To learn how culture affects business deals. • To gain an advantage over competitors in a particular market. • To prepare staff for overseas business visits. • To improve cultural understanding and communication in a multicultural workplace.
What is covered in a cross-cultural briefing? General Information Geography, People, Housing, Education, Services, Driving and
Transport, Shopping, Time and Leisure, Food, Drink and Travel Communication Social Courtesies, First Encounters, Non-verbal Communication.
How does one use "Yes" and "No"? What are popular topics of conversation? Etiquette Hospitality, Dress Rules, and Gift Giving
How do men and women dress in business and on social occasions? Are you expected to exchange business cards / gifts? Behaviour Do people use first or family names and titles when they address each
other? Do they shake hands? Do they like a lot of personal space? Doing Business Punctuality, Status, Means of Communication
How important is punctuality? Is a person's status important? What are the usual business hours? What is the usual time for a business lunch? How long does it last?
1 Digital literacy
Work in groups of three / four. Search the Internet for more information about the question and topics given above.
2 Prepare a short oral introduction which would be useful for the visitors, following the suggestions below.
Use the topics and questions given above to structure your talk. Which things they would find most useful to know? Are there any other information you would include?
COMPETENCES • finding and choosing the right information on the Internet
COMPETENCES • prepare a cross-cultural briefing
109
EXAM PRACTICE WRITTEN EXAM
1 Choose the correct answers. 1 What proportion of UK workers are employed in service industries? a 75% c 85% b 80% d 90% 2 Which country does the UK export most goods to? a France c Ireland b Germany d USA 3 Where is the traditional base of the wool industry in the UK? a Birmingham c Leeds-Bradford b Edinburgh d Manchester 4 Which term describes the replacement of human workers by the use of technology? a automation c outsourcing b downsizing d redundancy 5 What percentage of world GDP is produced by the USA? a about 15% c about 25% b about 20% d about 30% 6 When did the USA become the leading industrial nation in the world? a mid 19th century c after World War 2 b early 20th century d late 20th century 7 Which industry is the American Mid-West traditionally famous for? a chemicals c iron and steel b electronics d textiles 8 Which country does the USA buy most goods from? a Canada c Japan b China d Mexico
2 Answer these questions using two or three sentences.
1 Where are the main industrial areas in Britain? 2 Where is Britain’s fishing industry located? Why has it declined? 3 What are financial services? Where are the most important centres for these services in the UK? 4 Which part of the USA is its traditional industrial heartland? How is this changing? 5 Where are the most important food processing industries in the USA? Why are they located in these particular areas? 6 Where is Silicon Valley and what is it famous for? 7 What are “subprime mortgages” and how did they help to cause the Credit Crunch crisis? 8 What was the “sovereign debt crisis” that happened after the 2008 Credit Crunch?
ORAL EXAM
3 Compare the information in the table below
regarding Italian exports and imports with the situation in the UK and the USA. Point out similarities and differences between the three countries. Imports: Total $450 billion
Exports: Total $500 billion
machinery, transport equipment, oil, coal, food products, chemicals, cotton
motor vehicles, machinery, fruit and vegetables, wine, chemicals, textiles, clothing
from Germany 15.5% France 8.9% China 6.7% Netherlands 6.1% Spain 4.7%
to Germany 12.6% France 11% USA 6.7% Switzerland 5.1% UK 5.1%
4 Describe the NAFTA agreement, answering the following questions.
- Which countries are involved? - What is the purpose of the agreement? - What positive effects has it had? - Who is opposed to the agreement and why?
112
CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE
UNIT DOSSIER
Business, Finance and Marketing
2
1 A franchisor / franchisee is a business that sells the right to use a business idea. 2 Hiring more staff is an example of external / internal growth. 3 In a company with unlimited liability the shareholders / owners have the legal responsibility to settle debts. 4 Economies of scale result in lower / higher unit costs. 5 The internet has contributed to the growth of coworking / micro businesses. 6 Members of a cooperative share the profits equally / on the basis of how much money they put into the business. / 6 points
The organisation of business
1 Underline the correct option.
2 The table below lists how different companies types are organized. Complete the table with the missing information.
Ownership
Control
Source of finance
Sole trader
Liability
Profits to
unlimited
Partnership Ltd
shareholders
Plc Co-operative Franchise / 14 points
3 Translate into English. 1 Una società in accomandita semplice è formata da due o più azionisti che ricevono parte dei profitti della società come dividendi e sono finanziariamente responsabili solo in proporzione al loro investimento iniziale. 2 Un concessionario di franchising ha maggiori possibilità di successo perché il prodotto che vende è di solito ben conosciuto edè già affermato sul mercato. 3 La maggior parte delle aziende si espandono internamente, cioè producono di più e di conseguenza assumono più personale o aprono più negozi. 4 Alcune società spostano la produzione in paesi dove il costo dei salari è più basso o per evitare barriere commerciali che i paesi istituiscono per limitare le importazioni di merce. 5 Una microimpresa è una società che impiega meno di dieci persone e ha un fatturato inferiore ai due milioni di Euro.
6 L’organigramma di un’azienda dà informazioni sulla struttura interna di una società. 7 Le società per azioni sono quotate in borsa e possono essere vendute senza alcuna restrizione. 8 Il reparto risorse umane di una società è responsabile per l’assunzione e la formazione del personale. / 16 points
TOTAL
/ 25 points
Self-assessment de 20 à 25 points ¡ vous pouvez passer à l’unité suivante de 15 à 20 points ¡ revenez sur vos doutes moins de 15 points ¡ révisez l’unité
113
CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1 Underline the correct option. 1 A franchisor / franchisee is a business that sells the right to use a business idea. 2 Hiring more staff is an example of external / internal growth. 3 In a company with unlimited liability the shareholders / owners have the legal responsibility to settle debts. 4 Economies of scale result in lower / higher unit costs. 5 The internet has contributed to the growth of coworking / micro businesses. 6 Members of a cooperative share the profits equally / on the basis of how much money they put into the business. / 6 points
2 The table below lists how different companies types are organized. Complete the table with the missing information.
Ownership
Control
Source of finance
Sole trader
Liability
Profits to
unlimited
Partnership Ltd
shareholders
Plc Co-operative Franchise / 14 points
3 Translate into English. 1 Una società in accomandita semplice è formata da due o più azionisti che ricevono parte dei profitti della società come dividendi e sono finanziariamente responsabili solo in proporzione al loro investimento iniziale. 2 Un concessionario di franchising ha maggiori possibilità di successo perché il prodotto che vende è di solito ben conosciuto edè già affermato sul mercato. 3 La maggior parte delle aziende si espandono internamente, cioè producono di più e di conseguenza assumono più personale o aprono più negozi. 4 Alcune società spostano la produzione in paesi dove il costo dei salari è più basso o per evitare barriere commerciali che i paesi istituiscono per limitare le importazioni di merce. 5 Una microimpresa è una società che impiega meno di dieci persone e ha un fatturato inferiore ai due milioni di Euro.
6 L’organigramma di un’azienda dà informazioni sulla struttura interna di una società. 7 Le società per azioni sono quotate in borsa e possono essere vendute senza alcuna restrizione. 8 Il reparto risorse umane di una società è responsabile per l’assunzione e la formazione del personale. / 16 points
TOTAL
Self-assessment de 20 à 25 points ¡ vous pouvez passer à l’unité suivante de 15 à 20 points ¡ revenez sur vos doutes moins de 15 points ¡ révisez l’unité
114
/ 25 points
CHECK YOUR COMPETENCES
UNIT DOSSIER
Business, Finance and Marketing
2
your answers fully.What proportion of UK workers are employed in service industries?
1 A small group of lawyers wish to set up in business together. Their professional association does not allow lawyers to have limited liability. 2 A group of workers have lost their jobs. They agree to put up some of their savings together to buy an old factory to produce goods similar to those they were making. They want everyone to have equal rights in the new business. 3 A business with many hotels and restaurants is planning to expand abroad. They will need a substantial amount of money to finance this expansion. They will also need to appoint expert managers to run the business overseas. 4 A young student is planning to offer his services to neighbours as a gardener.
The organisation of business
1 Which forms of organization do you think is most suitable for each of the following situations? Explain
2 Read these two viewpoints about co-operatives. Prepare to explain to the class which viewpoint do you agree with, explaining why.
Cooperatives are a great idea because everyone is equal and all the profit is shared between the workers.
Cooperatives will never work because there is no leader in charge and some workers will always work harder than others,and threfore deserve more money
3 Project Work in groups of three / four. Follow the instructions below. •• Search the Internet and find examples of sole traders working in the area where you live. •• Put the names of the companies in three columns: one for those in the primary sector, one for those in the secondary sector and one for those in the tertiary sector. – Which of the columns has the most businesses in? Explain why you think so. – Do these businesses sell products or services? – Are they big companies or are they likely to be micro-enterprises? •• Looking at the business names you have collected locally, what sort of business do you think it is missing in your area? Explain how you would set about starting this business. – Would you like to work on your own? – Have you got all the necessary skills to manage the business? – Where would you find the money to star your business? – Write a short report in which you illustrate the results of your work.
Self-assessment
Now I can...
with difficulty
well
quite well
•• finding and choosing the right information and data on the Internet •• identifying the advantages and disadvantages of specific types of business organization and making relevant suggestions •• giving an oral presentation •• writing a report
115
READING ENQUIRIES AND POSITIVES REPLIES
A
bipbop.market@bipbop.com 15 septembre 2016 Salon TMC de Bruxelles tmc.lebel@mcbruxelles.com
Dear Sir/ Madam, We have seen your advertisement in the Office Week Newsletter and would like to enquire about your line of personalised office stationary. We are a leading office supplies chain and would be glad to include your personalised office stationary as an article in our range. We would be grateful if you could send us your complete new catalogue and price list for this season as well as a sample of your personalised office stationary. Could you please also inform us of any special discounts you are willing to grant and state the conditions required for these discounts (e.g. discount amount and minimum purchase)? We look forward to receiving your reply Best Regards The Office Outfitters
B
bipbop.market@bipbop.com 15 septembre 2016 Salon TMC de Bruxelles tmc.lebel@mcbruxelles.com
Dear The Office Outfitters, Thank you for your enquiry about our personalised office stationary. We are delighted to hear that you are interested in including our product in your range. We will send you our new e-catalogue together with the updated price list and also a variety of samples made for different clients. We usually grant a 15% discount on any order over 100 pieces of personalised stationary and an additional 5% discount on orders over 150 pieces of stationary. Please let us know what you think of our catalogue and our samples. Best regards The Stationer’s Stop
1 Read the e-mails and aswer the questions. 1 What type of business do The Office Outfitters own? 2 What product or service do they want? 3 What do they want to receive? 4 What information do they want to receive?
116
5 What type of catalogue with The Office Outfitters send? 6 How many samples will be sent? 7 What discount would be given to an order of 120 pieces? 8 What discount would be given to an order of 200 pieces?
SPEAKING
UNIT DOSSIER
Business communication
12
CUSTOMER
SUPPLIER
Good morning, I’d like some information about…( product / article)
Of course, what would you like to know?
What about delivery times?
We can deliver by / within…
Could you tell me about payment terms / discounts / availability?
We require payment by… / We can give you a ...% discount / The article is/ isn’t in stock.
Can you send me a sample / your catalogue / your price list?
Sure, no problem.
Enquiries and orders
Standard Phrases
1 Francois Dupont from Francois’ Furniture has listened to Madeleine Carrey’s message and calls her back. Follow the instructions and role-play the dialogue. Francois Dupont Introduce yourself as the Sales Manager of Francois’ Furniture. Say you received the message and ask what information is needed. Madeleine Carrey Introduce yourself as the Purchasing Manager from Ezy Engineering who is looking to buy office furniture for the new office building. Say you’d like some information about office workstations. Ask what information she’d like to know. Explain that you need 200 new workstations. Ask about availability. Say you have enough workstations in stock. Ask about a discount for 200 pieces Say there is a 15% discount if she buys 200 pieces. Ask about payment terms Say payment is by 30 days after delivery. Ask about delivery times. Confirm you can deliver 10 days from the receipt of the order. Thank him and say you will email the order today.
3 Read the role cards and role-play the dialogue. Jodie Sawyer
Giacomo Merano
Call one of your suppliers to enquire about their Iron Man Transformer toy. You would like to know: •• If they have immediate availability of 500 pieces; •• If you can have a discount; •• If there are any samples of new products of the same brand you can purchase as this product is selling very well; •• If there are any other special offers at the moment
Your client calls to enquire about the Iron Man Transformer toy. Tell her that: •• You have immediate availability of the 500 pieces; •• You can give a 15% discount only if payment is made on delivery; •• Propose the newly Iron Man MINI Transformer toy and say you will send a sample out that week; •• Say you will send out the special offer catalogue with the sample
117
FOCUS ON VOCABULARY Enquiries and replies as agreed / as requested
come d’accordo / come richiesto
place an order
fare un ordine
available / availability
disponibile / disponibilità
be prepared / ready / willing to
essere disposto a
budget
budget
price list
listino dei prezzi
catalogue
catalogo
product range / line
linea di prodotti
chain
catena
propose
proporre
condition
condizione
purchase order
ordine di acquisto
delivery
consegna
quote
preventivo
before / upon delivery
prima della consegna / alla consegna
refund
rimborso
discount
sconto
request
richiesta
enquiry
richiesta di informazione
require
richiedere
grant / give / allow
concedere
samples
campioni
invoice
fattura
shipping
spedizione
loyal client
cliente fedele
sold out
esaurito
loyalty discount
sconto fedeltà
special offers
promozioni
payment
pagamento
stock
merce
piece / article / item / unit
pezzo
supplier
fornitore
1 Insert the correct word from the table. Samples | loyal client | conditions | payment | propose | price list | place an order 1 I would like to our new line of products to you today. 2 As you have been a with us for many years, we would be happy to give you a 10% discount. 3 Please can you tell me your policy, do I pay before delivery on upon delivery? 4 I’m sorry but I didn’t receive the , I would like to see them to know your product. 5 I will happily send you out our in the mail. Can you give me your office address? 6 Good morning I’d like to for 100 Mp3 players, are they available? 7 Hello, do you have any of the new models? 8 Can you please tell me the of purchase of your products?
2 Replace the underlined words with their synonyms. 1 I am sending you the price list as agreed. 2 We don’t grant discounts to new customers. 3 I am a very loyal client so I’d like to know about any discounts you have. 4 The product is not good quality so we are prepared for customer complaints. 5 Would you like me to present you our new product range. 6 Can you please tell me if the shipping cost is included in the price? 7 The per piece price is approximately 10 Euros.
118
Business communication 12 Enquiries and orders
1 As we are not happy with our current s can you please send us the catalogue of your new product range? 2 I’d like to make an e about the advertisement I saw on your website. 3 We r payment no later than 30 days after shipment, this is our policy. 4 I need to check with our production department about the product a . 5 Please come to our offices to make a q for your services. 6 We made the delivery early this morning to the secretary together with the i for payment at the end of the month. 7 Did you see our new c for this season? It has many new products. 8 There isn’t enough money left in the b to buy new equipment.
UNIT
3 Complete with the words from the table. The first letters are given.
4 Insert the correct word from the table. Samples | loyal client | conditions | payment | propose | price list | place an order 1 I would like to our new line of products to you today. 2 As you have been a with us for many years, we would be happy to give you a 10% discount. 3 Please can you tell me your policy, do I pay before delivery on upon delivery? 4 I’m sorry but I didn’t receive the , I would like to see them to know your product. 5 I will happily send you out our in the mail. Can you give me your office address? 6 Hello, do you have any of the new models?
5 Replace the underlined words with their synonyms. 1 I am sending you the price list as agreed. 2 We don’t grant discounts to new customers. 3 I am a very loyal client so I’d like to know about any discounts you have. 4 The product is not good quality so we are prepared for customer complaints. 5 Would you like me to present you our new product range. 6 Can you please tell me if the shipping cost is included in the price? 7 The per piece price is approximately 10 Euros.
6 Complete with the words from the table. The first letters are given. 1 As we are not happy with our current s can you please send us the catalogue of your new product range? 2 I’d like to make an e about the advertisement I saw on your website. 3 We r payment no later than 30 days after shipment, this is our policy. 4 I need to check with our production department about the product a . 5 Please come to our offices to make a q for your services.
119
FOCUS ON PHRASEOLOGY Enquiries Source of Information •• We have seen your advertisement/ newsletter/ catalogue / website and would like to make an enquiry about your new line of air conditioners. •• Your company was recommended to us by Juanita Kishesh, one of our suppliers. •• During the trade fair I saw one of your samples and I am interested in knowing more about it. Company information (optional) •• We are dealers / retailers / wholesalers/ suppliers of bathroom furniture and think there is a market for the items you manufacture. •• We have over 25 years experience in selling. these products, you can learn about us more from our website. Requests •• (Could you) Please send us / let us have your catalogue / price list / a sample. •• We would like some information regarding technical details of this item as well as some promotional material. •• We would be glad/ pleased if you could let us have information about the means of payment you require •• grateful to receive information about your discount rates / special offers. •• We would like to discuss your terms in person, would it be possible to meet with one of your representatives / agents to discuss the product line further and make a quote •• Please let us know if you grant/ you are willing to give a special discount on trial orders Closing •• We look forward to hearing from you / meeting you soon / your reply. •• Hoping for a prompt reply from you. •• We thank you for your attention and hope to hear from you shortly. •• A prompt reply would be appreciated. •• If we find your terms competitive and your products satisfactory, we will send you a trial order shortly.
1 Use the sentences from the Enquiries section to write an enquiry following these instructions.
•• You are a Hungarian wholesale supplier of baby products and baby care products. You saw a catalogue for the Polish baby feeding chair manufacturer at a trade fair. The Polish manufacturer has over 10 years experience in manufacturing baby products. •• You would like to receive technical details, the price and a sample of the Polish baby feeding chair. •• You would like to know about special offers, means of payment and delivery terms. •• You look forward to receiving a prompt reply regarding your questions.
2 Use the sentences from the Enquiries section to write an enquiry following these instructions.
•• You are a Hungarian wholesale supplier of baby products and baby care products. You saw a catalogue for the Polish baby feeding chair manufacturer at a trade fair. The Polish manufacturer has over 10 years experience. •• You would like to receive technical details, the price and a sample of the Polish baby feeding chair. •• You would like to know about special offers, means of payment and delivery terms.
120
Business communication UNIT
12
Replies to enquiries •• We can provide a discount of … •• We are delighted to inform you that… •• Our usual payment conditions are…
Reply to Requests POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
•• We can provide a discount of … •• We are delighted to inform you that… •• Our usual payment conditions are…
•• We regret to inform you that… •• Unfortunately we cannot provide a special discount / different payment conditions
enclosures & dispatches
counteroffer
•• Please find attached/ enclosed •• We have sent you a sample/ a catalogue / a price list
•• As a replacement / alternative we would like to suggest/ propose… •• Please let us know if this would be satisfactory
closing
closing
Enquiries and orders
Reference to Enquiry
•• If you have any further questions or queries please do not •• We apologise for the inconvenience caused •• Please advise us if you are interested in this alternative hesitate to contact us •• We look forward to doing business together proposal
FOCUS ON GRAMMAR Simple Past vs Present perfect We use the Past Simple to describe completed actions that took place in the past and have no connection with the present. We frequently use a time expression to refer to a definite moment in the past.
•• I had an early start this morning. •• I moved to Derby when I finished university. •• We met two years ago. •• Clare joined the company last August.
3 Complete the sentences with the correct prepositions. 1 We have a special just you today! 2 I’m sorry but we have that product, is there something else you would like to see? 3 We would like to this new product your company, as you have been loyal to us for many years. 4 The unit price the stainless steel pans is 69 Euros a piece. 5 Our company wishes to place an 100 pairs of the new Sportstar shoes. 6 We all parts of the world for a cost of 10% of the total product price. 7 I’m interested your new product line. 8 I would like to complain about the increase prices of your products.
121
The UK at work (1) The UK, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, was the leading world economy for much of the 19th century. In the 20th century it experienced a period of relative decline and was overtaken by other countries. Since the 1990s economic performance has improved.
Agriculture UK farms only employ about 1% of workers but produce about 60% of the nation's food. In general the lowland areas to the south and east of the country are more fertile and produce more crops* especially wheat and barley. The upland areas to the north and west are used more for raising sheep and cattle. About 12% of the land is forest, mainly in Scotland and Wales. Fishing is an important industry along the North Sea coast. However, a decline in fish stocks and competition from foreign fishing fleets have led to a big reduction in the number of fishermen.
Energy and mining Large deposits of coal and iron ore in the north of England, south Wales and central Scotland, helped make the UK the first industrial nation in the world. However most of these mines have now closed down and the UK imports these raw materials. The UK has benefitted from North Sea oil and gas for the last 30 years but these deposits are diminishing and the country is increasingly dependent on imports for its energy. The UK generates about two thirds of its electricity from fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) and about 20% from nuclear power. In an attempt to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, there are plans to increase production from renewable sources, especially wind power, and to build new nuclear power stations. Sources of electricity (UK) Gas 27% Oil 1% Nuclear 20%
Vocabulary box Match each word from the text with the correct translation. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
crop wheat barley cattle stock iron ore renewable healthcare
a. bestiame b. coltura c. grano d. minerale di ferro e. orzo f. rinnovabile g. riserva h. sanità
122
Wind 10% Other renewables 6%
1 Do you know these British companies? What kind of business are they each involved in? What other British companies do you know? What do they do?
2 Read the information and answer the questions. 1 What proportion of the British workforce is employed in agriculture? 2 Why has the UK fishing industry declined in recent decades? 3 In which parts of the UK was coal-mining once a major industry? 4 What proportion of energy in the UK does not come from fossil fuels? 5 Why is London considered to be one of the world's financial capitals? 6 What has happened to many small, family-run shops in the UK?
UNIT DOSSIER
Culture insights
3 Economics
Service industries About four out of five British workers are employed in a wide variety of services. The following industries are particularly significant.
Financial services This sector, which includes banking and insurance, is a major employer. London is one of the world's great financial capitals, with the biggest insurance industry and the largest number of foreign banks. Lloyds of London is the centre of world insurance and the London Stock Exchange is one of the principal international financial markets. Other key centres for finance are Edinburgh and Leeds. Other business services have also expanded significantly, including management consultancy, advertising, market research and computer systems. Tourism (hotels, restaurants etc.): Income from foreign tourists has increased by 30% over the last 5 years and 3.1 million jobs are dependent on tourism.
Outside London, popular areas for tourism include the West Country (Devon and Cornwall), the Lake District in northern England, North Wales and the Scottish Highlands. Historic cities (Oxford, Bath, York, Edinburgh) and seaside resorts (Torquay, Bournemouth, Brighton, Blackpool) are also major attractions.
Retailing Large chain stores, such as Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury, are dominant. Smaller individually-owned shops have difficulty in competing with the big chains and are disappearing. Services in the fields of healthcare, education, local government, arts and entertainment also employ large numbers of people.
3 Are the following sentences true or false? Explain why, referring to words in the text.
1 The UK imports less than half of the food it consumes. 2 The most productive agricultural regions in the UK are in the north. 3 Britain first became an industrial nation because it had deposits of oil and gas. 4 The British government wants to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels. 5 The vast majority of British workers are employed in services. 6 The financial services industry is concentrated exclusively in London.
T F T F T F T F T F T F
4 Prepare a short report describing the service sector in the UK. Mention: •• the proportion of people employed in services as a whole; •• some particularly important service industries in the UK; •• where these industries are located.
weblink www.cia.gov (World Factbook) www.wikipedia.org www.oecd.org
5 Write a paragraph (about 100 words) describing changes in energy sources in the UK. Mention:
•• where the UK used to get most of its energy from; •• what the energy situation is now;
123
Working in a globalised world 026
weblink www.naftanow.org
In 1994 the leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to establish a free trade area between them. Since then trade and investment have grown at over 10% per year and there were hopes to extend the agreement to cover South America too. However, in recent years, Nafta has come under attack in all three countries, especially from trade unions, farmers and organizations to protect the environment. American trade unions say that millions of manufacturing jobs in the USA have been lost because US companies have moved factories to Mexico to take advantage of lower wages and weaker protection of workers' rights. Environmental groups say that it is more difficult to control pollution and food safety standards in poorer countries like Mexico. NAFTA includes regulations on environmental and labour problems but critics say that they are too weak. Many Mexicans, on the other hand, suspect that Americans are using safety regulations as an excuse to block cheap imports. They accuse the USA of interference and bullying. Mexican farmers are also worried about allowing imports of corn from highly efficient US farms, which could wipe out local production. In Canada, too, there are worries about growing pressure in the USA to protect its own industries. For example, the Americans have imposed a $5 billion tariff on Canadian timber, accusing the Canadian government of unfairly supporting their own local timber industry. The USA has continued this policy in spite of the fact that the World Trade Organization issued a judgement in favour of Canada. In the present atmosphere any extension of NAFTA to other Latin American countries seems very unlikely.
1 Read the article and fill in the table. Vocabulary box Match each word from the text with the correct translation.
Year of foundation
Member states
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Objective
Possible future development
establish trade union environment pollution wipe out issue
a. ambiente b. eliminare c. inquinamento d. istituire e. pronunciare f. sindacato
124
NAFTA
2 Explain why‌ 1 some economists think that NAFTA has been a success. 2 US trade unions are against NAFTA. 3 US environmental groups oppose NAFTA. 4 Mexicans are suspicious of the USA's concern about safety regulations. 5 many Mexican farmers are against NAFTA. 6 the USA is involved in a trade dispute with Canada. 7 there probably won't be an extension of NAFTA to include South America.
(adapted from BBC News)
NAFTA comes under attack
1 Why were Piktex in difficulty? 2 How is the firm doing now?
3
3 Why did she lose her job? 4 What does she do now?
Economics
Piktex is an American company which makes digital cameras. It was founded ten years ago in Springfield, Massachusetts. Last year the company closed its factory in Springfield and opened a new one in Monterrey, Mexico.
UNIT DOSSIER
Piktex is moving to Mexico
Culture insights
Stuar t
Occupation:
5 Why is she pleased? 6 What project is she involved in?
r Jennife : upation
4
Margaret Occupation:
11 What has he just bought? 12 How does he feel about it?
Nanc y
O cc
7 What work did he use to do? 8 Why is he pleased with his new job?
9 Where exactly does she work? 10 How is her business doing?
O cc u p a
tion:
Luis
Brian
Occupation:
Occupation:
026   Read the information about an American company and then listen to 6 people who have been affected by their decision to relocate to Mexico. Note the occupation of each person and answer the questions (1-12).
5 Competence Builder  Talk about the situation at Piktex and the decision to move to Mexico. Who are the winners and losers in this case? Do you know of similar cases in Italy?
6 How globalised are you? Write down the names of the following. Compare lists with other students. How many of your choices are Italian? Where are the others from?
1 your mobile phone 2 your computer 3 the car you would like to have
4 your favourite TV show 5 the last film you saw 6 your favourite singer / group
125