35 Business

A

B Structuring a business

Business News in Brief

n Howard Green of M and Q is moving to Paris to head up1 the company’s new French operations. Green will also be looking after2 M and Q’s interests in Francophone Africa. n There are growing rumours, as yet unconfi rmed, that Scottish Mobiles is planning to buy out3 its rival Celtic Telecom. n 20-year-old pop star Anastasia is reported to have set her parents up4 with the restaurant business they have always dreamed of.

1 be in charge of (or, simply, head) 2 responsible for 3 buy a company (or part of a company) so that you own all of it 4 given them the money they need to start a business

Doing business

Here are some useful business collocations or common word combinations using phrasal verbs.

phrasal verb collocating words

aim sth at sb a product / programme / magazine at women / young people / students break into sth a new market / work in the media / Hollywood definition of phrasal verb

intend something to influence someone, or be noticed or bought by someone become involved in a type of business or activity that is diff icult to become involved in

bring in sb/sth or bring sb/sth in bring out sth or bring sth out deal in sth

firm up sth or firm sth up sign up sb or sign sb up turn out sth or turn sth out

turn over sth or turn sth over customers / clients / new business attract people, encouraging them to buy products or services

a new product / a book produce something to sell to the public

art / shares / drugs

buy and sell particular goods as a business arrangements / prices / details make something more definite or precise or less likely to change

a new employee / a model / a film star / a basketball player get someone to sign a document stating they will work for you

cars / films / computers make or produce something for sale

$6 million / £100,000 generate a specific amount of money in a particular period of time

Tip

When you come across a new phrasal verb in a business context – or indeed in any context – it can be useful to note it down with two or three collocating nouns.

35.1

35.2

35.3

Complete this radio interview using words from the box. Use each verb in the correct form only once, unless otherwise indicated.

aim deal firm set break head turn (use twice) look bring (use twice) buy

Interviewer Welcome to our weekly spot ‘The two-minute interview’. My guest this week is Gordon Flockheart, chairman and CEO of the Kiros group. Gordon Flockheart, you’ve (1) up several major companies during your long career, most recently the Kiros empire, which (2) over more than £500 million last year. What’s the secret of your success?

Flockheart Well, first and foremost, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my grandfather, who (3) me up in business at the young age of 24. Since then I have been very fortunate in getting the right people to (4) aft er my interests. Secondly, we (5) in high-value, luxury personal goods and we’ve succeeded in (6) into markets where other companies thought they had a monopoly. We’ve (7) out new products at the right time and at the right price, and we’ve (8) them at the higher end of the market.

Interviewer There are rumours that you would like to rivals, Lasaque. Any truth in that? (9) out one of your main

Flockheart We are in negotiations with Lasaque, there’s no secret about that, but nothing has been (10) up yet. The markets will just have to wait and see.

Interviewer There have also been rumours that you are considering selling off your clothing range and focusing on accessories and electronics. Is that true?

Flockheart No, that’s just a silly rumour! We’re actually (11) out more clothing

items than ever and have (12) in a lot of new customers thanks to

our latest range of menswear.

Interviewer There we must leave it. Gordon Flockheart, thank you.

Complete each of the sentences below with an object from the box. Put it in the correct place or places in the sentence.

10,000 pairs of shoes a new sports car modern art the USA arrangements the new department a young Brazilian footballer the lower end of the market

1 Our business has had lots of success in Europe, but now we’d like to break into. 2 Have you heard? Latifa has been asked to head up. 3 Arsenal has signed up. 4 Her father made his fortune by dealing in. 5 Get your people to call my people to firm up. 6 The new factory is already turning out a week. 7 The Alpha model is aimed at. 8 The company is planning to bring out soon.

Many phrasal verbs can have diff erent meanings in other contexts. Write two sentences illustrating two diff erent ways in which each of these phrasal verbs can be used. Use a dictionary if necessary.

set up break into bring in bring out turn out