Indicating priorities

Our first priority will be to contact our customers.

It’s also essential that we brief (инструктировать) our suppliers on …

Defining roles and delegating

I’d like you to prepare a report.

Could you please liaise with Sales and Marketing?

Motivating the team

It’s a challenge, but it’s always an opportunity to develop the business.

We’ll all benefit because new orders will follow.

Reporting back

I’d like you to keep me up-to-date by e-mail.

I’d like to have your report by Tuesday.

I suggest we set up another meeting in two week’s time.

Role play the situation.

Take turns to be the team leader. Use expressions from the list of phrases given above.

You are senior managers at a computer graphics company. Your business has expanded rapidly: your workforce has doubled from 60 to 120 in two years. You urgently need to move from your small city-center location to a new suburban development area with bigger offices.

Hold a meeting to discuss what needs to be done, and by whom. For example: drawing up a schedule; liaising with a union; informing customers and suppliers; keeping staff informed; dealing with negative feelings; hiring a removal company. Then draw up an action plan to ensure that the move goes smoothly.

Case study Orbit Records: Discus ideas to recover a failing music retailer.

Background

Orbit Records was founded in London 20 years ago, and now has 12 large stores in the UK and five in Germany. The company grew at a fast rate because it had a successful marketing strategy. The stores offer a wide range of CDs which they sell at reasonable prices. Their record stores carry over 80,000 titles – about three times more than their main competitors. What’s more, if a customer asks for a CD which is not in stock, the store will get it for a customer within two weeks, if it’s available.

About two years ago, Orbit stores diversified into selling computer games, videos, tee-shirts, adventure holidays, concert tickets, books and comics. Not all the new areas were profitable, and as a result the company’s profits fell sharply.

A change of leadership

After the founder of Orbit Records died, a new Chief Executive, Sheldon Drake, took over. However, he failed because he lacked leadership qualities. He was unable to develop a strategy for improving profits and had no clear vision of where the company was going. Also, he did not communicate well with employees, who started to lose confidence in the business. They began to worry about losing their jobs and their morale suffered.

Three months ago, Sheldon drake resigned, and his place was taken by someone from outside the company.

Tasks of new Chief Executive

One of the new CE’s main tasks is to motivate staff and raise morale, so that staff will be more productive. He has asked Personnel to carry out a survey of staff attitudes. Questionnaires were sent to all employees below senior management level. The results are on the chart.

He has also jotted down ideas for raising motivation and morale, and has asked employees to do the same. The best ideas will be implemented throughout the company.

Staff attitudes (%) Yes No Don’t know

1. Do you feel you participate fully in decision-

making? 12 70 18

2. Do you feel ‘valued’ by the company? 48 46 6

3. Do you understand the company’s objectives

and overall strategy? 16 20 64

4. Do you have enough contact with senior

management? 18 50 32

5. Do you have enough opportunities to express

your ideas / make suggestions? 42 26 30

6. Are you paid adequately? 48 45 7

7. Do you think you will be working for this

company in five years’ time? 25 14 61

8. Do you have enough opportunities to meet

each other socially? 55 42 3

Chief Executive ideas

1. Build morale through teamwork outside the office – in sports activities. Form company teams for soccer, basketball, squash, etc. Get employees to participate in inter-company competitions, e.g. athletics, swimming events and so on.

2. Introduce regular staff meetings which will enable staff at all levels to participate in decision-making.

3. Set up regular small-group meetings to share ideas, develop plans and help prepare budgets. Also, start an ‘Employee of the Month’ scheme. Everyone has to nominate someone, giving reasons why they should be nominated.

4. Make sure that the CE gets out of his office frequently during the first year and drops in on staff at different Orbit stores.

5. Encourage staff through meetings and a newsletter (to be edited on a monthly rotating basis by different senior managers) to give ideas and suggestions. There would be cash rewards for the best ideas.

6. Set up a profit-sharing scheme for all employees related to increased productivity and profits.

7. Cancel the end-of-year bonus scheme. Spend some money instead on a spectacular Christmas dinner and party at a luxurious hotel.

8. Organize one-to-one meetings with senior managers to build morale and generate ideas. Agree targets and objectives with senior managers, who share them with other staff members at regular seminars.

9. Have an open-door policy in every store. Employees can see the managers whenever they are available.

10.Create career development plans for all staff, which would involve consultations with each employee.

Task

1. Work in small groups. Choose six ideas from the Chief Executive’s list which you think would be worth implementing. Note down the reasons for your choices.

Think of three other ideas, which are not on the list, for improving staff motivation and morale.

2. Meet as one group and discuss your ideas, giving reasons for your choices.

3. As one group, try to agree on the six best ideas (from the Chief Executive’s and your own list) which should be put into effect.

Contents

1. Unit 1. The manager’s role ………………………….. 1 – 10

2. Unit 2. Company structure ……….. …………………10 – 22

3. Unit 3. Recruitment …………………………………..22 – 31

4. Unit 4. Planning and Strategy ………………………. 31 – 51

5. Unit 5. Decision-making ……………………………. 51 – 61

6. Unit 6. Goal-setting …………………………………. 61 – 69

7. Unit 7. Motivation and performance appraisal ………. 69 – 82

8. Unit 8. Leadership and international business styles … 82 – 91

Sources

1. David Cotton “Keys to Management”, 1997

2. David Cotton, David Falvey, Simon Kent “Market Leader”, 2000

3. Ian MacKenzie “English for Business Studies”, 1999

4. Ian MacKenzie “Management and Marketing”, 1997

5. David Cotton, Sue Robbins “Business Class”, 1997

6. John Morrison Milne “Business Language Practice”, 1994

7. Graham Tullis, Tonya Trappe “New Insights into Business”, 2001

8. В.Д. Рыжков “Менеджмент. Деловой Английский язык”, 2003

9. У. Руделиус и др. “Маркетинг”, 2001

Keys to exercises

Unit 1 The manager’s role

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 7

1 – allocate resources 2 – communicate information 3 – develop subordinates

4 – make decisions 5 – measure performance 6 – motivate people 7 – perform jobs 8 – set objectives / strategies 9 – supervise subordinates / people

Ex. 2 p. 8

1 – set, communicate 2 – middle managers 3 – staff 4 – junior executive

5 – work force / staff 6 – performance 7 – staff 8 – senior executives

9 – colleagues 10 – supervisor 11 – superior 12 – subordinate 13 – subordinate’s

14 – managing director 15 – innovations

Unit 2 Company structure

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 19

1 – g 2 – c 3 – l 4 – o 5 – i 6 – p 7 – s 8 – f 9 – m 10 – a 11 – q 12 – n

13 – b 14 – r 15 – j 16 – e

Ex. 2 p. 19

1 – functions 2 – delegate 3 – innovate 4 – control 5 – autonomy 6 – innovative

7 – authorized 8 – initiative

Unit 3 Recruitment

Language focus

Ex. 1 p.27

1 – a 2 – c 3 – a 4 – a 5 – c 6 – a 7 – b 8 – b 9 – b 10 – a 11 – c 12 – b

13 – b

Ex. 2 p. 27

1 – b 2 – f 3 – e 4 – h 5 – c 6 – g 7 – a 8 – d

Ex. 3 p.28

1 – apprentice 2 – graduate 3 – trainee 4 – traineeship 5 – job rotation program

6 – high flier

Unit 4 Planning and strategy

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 38

1 – j 2 – f 3 – h 4 – e 5 – g 6 – a 7 – m 8 – d 9 – c 10 – k 11 – l 12 – i

13 – b

Ex. 2 p. 38

a) 1 – b 2 – a 3 – d 4 – c

b) 1 – d 2 – b 3 – a 4 – c

Ex. 3 p. 38

1 – growth rate 2 – product line 3 – resources 4 – productivity 5 – product range

6 – sales revenue 7 – market share 8 – production capacity

Ex. 5 p. 39

1 – set up 2 – innovate 3 – expertise 4 – strategy 5 – are in a rush 6 – trust

7 – finance 8 – underestimate 9 – planning 10 – personnel 11 – segment

12 – marketing costs 13 – drawback 14 – bring in 15 – delegate 16 – link-up

17 – rights 18 – venture 19 – skills

Unit 5 Decision-making

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 54

1 – h 2 – i 3 – j 4 – r 5 – n 6 – p 7 – q 8 – m 9 – b 10 – k 11 – s 12 – c

13 – t 14 – l 15 – d 16 – e 17 – f 18 – a 19 – g 20 – o

Ex. 3 p.55

1 – report to 2 – concentrated on 3 – believe in 4 – resulted in 5 – depends on

6 – belong to 7 – benefit from 8 – contribute to

Ex. 4 p.56

1 – keep / bear 2 – take, making 3 – made 4 – put forward, come 5 – put forward

6 – take 7 – made 8 – made 9 – drawn / made 10 – put 11 – reached 12 – take

Ex. 5 p. 56

1 – arisen 2 – rose 3 – raise 4 – rise 5 – raising 6 – rise

Ex. 8 make / do p. 57

1 – make an appointment 2 – do a favour 3 – doing research 4 – make an effort

5 – make a decision 6 – doing better / making progress 7 – doing repairs

8 – do business, make money 9 – made mistakes 10 – make choice

11 – make a speech 12 – make a trip 13 – made a complaint 14 – does good

15 – do research / work 16 – made suggestion 17 – money, make 18 – plans, made

Unit 6 Goal-setting

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 65

1 – l 2 – h 3 – n 4 - b 5 – o 6 – g 7 – p 8 – a 9 – m 10 – e 11 – c 12 – i

13 – k 14 – j 15 – d 16 – f

Ex. 2 p.65

1 – performance 2 – progress 3 – achieving 4 – report 5 – feedback 6 – objective

7 – role 8 – stage 9 – reach 10 – view

Ex. 3 p.65

emphasis – stress; features – aspects; expensive – costly; costs – expenses; defects – deficiency; getting rid of – scrapping; warranty – guarantee; goodwill – loyalty; current – present; installing – setting up; resenting – disliking;

lifetime – permanent; to attain – to achieve.

Unit 7 Motivation and performance appraisal

Motivation

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 72

1 – f 2 – m 3 – d 4 – g 5 – n 6 – l 7 – k 8 – c 9 – j 10 – a 11 – e 12 – b 13 – i 14 – h

Ex.2 p.73

1 – inconclusive 2 – dissatisfied 3 – irresponsible 4 – unpopular 5 – disrespectful

6 – insecured 7 – anti / unsocial 8 – inefficient

Performance appraisal

Language focus

Ex. 1 p.75

1 – p 2 – j 3 – h 4 – c 5 – f 6 – k 7 – n 8 – a 9 – l 10 – o 11 – q 12 – i

13 – m 14 – g 15 – d 16 – b 17 – e

Unit 8 Leadership and international business styles

Language focus

Ex. 1 p. 83

1 – d 2 – f 3 – g 4 – j 5 – l 6 – i 7 – k 8 – m 9 – b 10 – c 11 – e 12 – h

13 – a

Ex. 5 p. 85

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

Audio scripts