II. Complete the open dialogue and learn it by heart

C.	…
D.	As far as I am concerned Europe was the scene of frequent and bloody wars for centuries.
C.	…
D.	The matter is that a number of European leaders became convinced that the only way to secure a lasting peace between their countries was to unite them economically and politically.
C.	…
D.	As far as I remember the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed integrating the coal and steel industries of Western Europe.
C.	…
D.	To my mind the European Coal and Steel Community was set up, with six members.
C.	…
D.	I don't think so. In the early days the focus was on a common commercial policy for coal and steel and a common agricultural policy.
C.	…
D.	On the contrary the ECSC was such a success that, within a few years, these same six countries decided to go further and integrate other sectors of their economies.
C.	…
D.	As far as I know they signed the Treaties of Rome in 1957.
C.	…
D.	I'm of the same opinion. The EEC has grown in size with successive waves of accessions.

UNIT 6

BUSINESS MEETINGS

BEFORE YOU READ

Answer these questions

1. What is a meeting? What are the peculiarities of a business meeting?

2. What forms of meetings do you know? What do they differ in?

READING TASKS

A. Understanding main points

Read the text below about business meetings and answer these questions, beginning your answers with the fol­lowing phrases: as a rule …; to tell the truth …; as far as I know …; the matter is that …; as far as I remember …; as far as I am concerned …; frankly/strictly speak­ing …; to make a long story short …

1. What will the charisma and skill of the chairperson decide?

2. Will a good chairperson insist that when any members speak their remarks are addressed to the chair? Why?

3. Whose side should the chairperson take in any dispute? Why?

4. What does the committee allow people from different departments and spe­cialisms to do?

5. When can voting take place? What is the procedure of making the proposition?

6. Why is the wording of the resolution very important?

7. What do you know about such form of meeting as a command meeting? Are these meetings comparable with the committee meetings? Why?

8. What meetings are the most important ones from the workers' point of view?

9. On what basis are trade unions meetings conducted? What other meetings are conducted on the same basis?

10. In what way will the good chair­person bring the members into the discussion at an appropriate moment?

B. Understanding details

Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text. Give your reason using the fol­lowing phrases: as a matter of fact ...; I don't think so …; I'm of the same opinion …; in my opinion …; on the contrary …; strictly speaking ...; to my mind ...

1. A committee normally comprises between two and thirty members.

2. The effectiveness of any committee is inevitably determined by the actions of its members.

3. The charisma and skill of the chairperson will decide how much work the committee does and whether relationships are harmonious or strained.

4. A good chairperson will never insist that when any members speak their remarks are addressed to the chair.

5. The chairperson should take one of the sides in any dispute.

6. It is never possible for a management to delegate the responsibility for making decisions to committees.

7. The wording of the resolution is not important at all.

8. Some managers have command meetings on an irregular basis.

9. From the workers' point of view perhaps the most important meetings are regional and national executive committee ones.

10. The good chair­person will spot the difficulties being encountered and bring these members into the discussion at an appropriate moment.

BUSINESS MEETINGS

A committee normally comprises between three and twenty members. It is headed by a chairperson who has the power to control the discussion. The effectiveness of any committee is inevitably determined by the actions of its chair­person. He or she will be expected to identify the problem for the committee members, consider the available facts with them, encourage them to express their views and be responsible for compliance with the technicalities.

The charisma and skill of the chairperson will decide to a large extent how much work the committee does and whether relationships are harmonious or strained. A good chairperson will insist that when any members speak their remarks are addressed to the chair. This is not simply a matter of extending courtesy to the chairperson. The chairperson is deemed impartial and should not take sides in any dispute other than with regard to a matter of procedure. Disagreements will be less personal when the arguments have to go through an intermediary and there will be less chance of per­sonality clashes.

The use of a committee in business can be advocated whenever the normal chain of com­mand is inappropriate. The committee allows people from different departments and spe­cialisms to come together to deal with problems of common concern. They also allow people from different levels in the organizational hierarchy to meet and confer, for example in a joint consultation committee where representatives from the management side can consult directly with worker representatives.

The committee is essentially a communication device. The problem in a large organization is to ensure a two-way flow of instructions downwards and feedback upwards. It is often possible for a management to delegate the responsibility for making decisions in non-critical areas to committees, though it is important to remember that the Board of Directors at the apex of the organizational hierarchy is also a committee and functions accordingly. Minutes are required to be kept of the decisions taken at the meetings which become a record of the business transacted and the decisions reached. The proceedings are required to follow the order set out in the agenda which is distributed to the members before the meeting.

Under no circumstances can voting take place unless a quorum is present. The quorum will be laid down in the committee's terms of reference. One of the members will normally make the proposition and will then need to find a seconder – someone who supports it. The wording of the resolution is very important as the committee will be bound by it if more than a half of the members present vote in favour. The only way a member can avoid the collective responsibility for the decision is by resigning.

Another form of meeting used in business is what is sometimes described as a 'command meeting'. In this case the manager calls his subordinates together and uses the occasion either to tell them what he wants from them or to listen and exchange ideas with them. It is a very effective way of ensuring that the team is kept fully informed. Some managers have these meetings on a regular basis, say every Friday afternoon at three o'clock, so that the coming week's programme can be discussed. The meeting can coincide with a tea break and this gives the group an opportunity to socialize before getting down to the serious business. These meetings are in no way comparable with the committee meetings since they are very much a vehicle for the individual manager. He can use the time to sell ideas to his team, seek their aid in finding solutions to problems, or simply inform and instruct them.

From the workers' point of view perhaps the most important meetings are those conducted by their trade unions. As well as the local branch meetings there are regional and national executive committee meetings which are all conducted on a formal basis. Shop stewards committees operate at factory level and play an important role in communicating workers' grievances to management.

In any meeting there will be some members who find it easy to interpose their argu­ments. Others will find it more difficult. It may be a matter of experience in committees, strength of character, age and status compared to other members. The good chair­person will spot the difficulties being encountered and bring these members into the discussion at an appropriate moment.