Discussion

1. When is self-insurance a practical idea?

2. Can you be protected against all risks by buying insurance?

3. If you were the owner of a business that was subject to all risks listed in the text, which ones would you try to eliminate, which ones would you absorb and which ones would you shift to an insurance company?

4. Express your opinion on the role/significance of good management in coping with the risks.

Unit 11. Managing people

Assignment 1. Learn the following terms:

entrepreneur recruit recruiting maintain work force hire applicant position description job specification perform seek out applicants fee classified sections of newspapers referral application form furnish the personnel manager applicant’s aptitudes reference on-the-job training employee manual upgrading go bust upturn in profits decline declining sales collapse avoid bankruptcy late shift

предприниматель набирать, комплектовать набор, комплектование поддерживать, сохранять рабочая сила; число работающих; численность рабочих и служащих нанимать, брать на работу кандидат, претендент описание должности квалификационные требования выполнять, исполнять искать кандидатов (претендентов) плата классифицированные разделы газет упоминание, ссылка бланк заявления снабжать менеджера по кадрам склонности претендента рекомендация, отзыв; поручитель обучение по месту работы учебное пособие служащего повышение квалификации разориться, обанкротиться подъем в прибыли падать, понижаться; падение, спад, снижение сокращающийся сбыт (продажа) крах, крушение избежать банкротства ночная смена

Assignment 2. Practice the pronunciation of the following words:

entrepreneur, personnel, to recruit, efficient, to ensure, opportunity, employee, to hire, qualified, job requirements, experience, personality, candidate, essential, applicant, basis, specification, practice, supplier, private, agency, classified, beneficial, specific, announcement, referral, associate, judgement, qualification, to conduct an interview, interviewer, ease, to encourage, to clarify, to base a decision, aptitude, attitude, suitability, nature, reference, orientation, manual, plus, organized instruction, situation, adult, educational program, trainee, quality, special technical university courses.

Assignment 3. Read and translate the text:

TEXT

If the small business entrepreneur is going to have a growing and successful business, that person must understand how to manage one of the business’s most important resources, people.

The main objective of the personnel function is to recruit and maintain an efficient work force. This calls for the effective management of people, ensuring a good relationship between people and fostering opportunities for individual development. The finding and keeping of good employees is not easy.

A small business owner should aim to hire those individuals who are best qualified to fill the job requirements. The education, experience and personality of each candidate must be carefully considered. The selection of effective personnel is essential if a business is to grow and prosper. Before selecting an employee, the following points need to be considered:

- A description of the job to be fulfilled.

- A source of applicants.

- A basis for selecting the best candidate.

- A training program for the individual after hiring.

Position description has two parts. The first is a job description, which includes the main tasks and responsibilities of the position. The second part is called the job specification. This part defines the education, work experience, skills and abilities the individual must have in order to perform the job effectively.

Sources of employees. It is better to seek out applicants for employment rather than wait for them to come to your business. Recruiting is the practice of actively seeking workers rather than waiting for them to come to you. A number of sources of possible workers are:

- Suppliers are good source of possible applicants.

- Private and public employment agencies, usually for a fee, can help to find the right applicant.

- High schools, vocational and technical schools, business schools and colleges offer assistance to employers.

- “Help Wanted” advertisements for applicants in the classified section of newspapers are beneficial, but they must be specific about the job requirements.

- Additional sources of personnel include radio and television announcements and referrals from your employees, your friends, business associates and customers.

The application form. Application forms should fit the needs of the company and conform to the law. Their purpose is to furnish the personnel manager with enough information about applicants so that a judgement as to their qualifications for a job can be made. Only questions referring to a person’s ability to perform a job are permissible.

The employment interview. Before conducting an interview, the interviewer should become familiar with the application. Then the applicant should be put at ease and encouraged to discuss items on the application which need to be clarified. The interviewer should take enough time to obtain information on which to base a decision.

Testing the applicant. Many forms of tests are used to determine an applicant’s aptitudes, attitudes, skills and suitability for employment. The nature of the work to be performed determines the type of test to be used.

References. Before deciding to hire an individual, the references which have been provided should be checked. References are persons who have known the applicant for some time and their information may be helpful.

Employee training includes any activity that provides information or the development of skills that improves the employee’s performance.

Training usually either on-the-job or formal. On-the-job training an employee usually receives after being hired is an orientation to the company and the job. This training may consist of an employee manual plus some information provided by the employee’s boss. Formal training refers to organized instruction in a workshop or classroom situation. One of the best sources for the small business employer can be found in adult educational programs. These programs benefit both the employer and trainee as they are of high quality and are usually free. Other forms of education, such as special or technical university courses, are sometimes useful in upgrading specific employees.

Notes to the text:

1. to be going + инфинитив – намереваться, собираться что-л. сделать

2. to call for – требовать

3. to foster opportunities – создавать возможности

4. to fill job requirements – соответствовать требованиям к работе

5. need to be considered – необходимо рассмотреть

6. in order to – чтобы

7. rather than – а не; скорее чем

8. a number of – ряд, некоторое количество

9. to offer assistance to smb – предлагать помощь кому-либо

10. to fit the needs – соответствовать нуждам (потребностям)

11. to conform to the law – соответствовать закону

12. so that – с тем чтобы

13. as to – что касается

14. to conduct an interview – вести интервью (собеседование)

15. to put at ease – приободрить, успокоить

16. to base a decision – обосновывать решение

17. either … or – или … или, либо … либо

18. both … and … - как … , так и …

19. such as – такой как

20. trainee – проходящий подготовку, обучение; стажер, практикант

Assignment 4. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the main objective of the personnel function?

2. What factors about each candidate must be carefully considered?

3. What points should be considered before selecting an employee?

4. Two parts of position description are mentioned in the text. What are they?

5. What are sources of possible workers?

6. The employment interview, testing the applicant and references, which one of these three is more effective? What would you prefer if you were a personnel manager?

7. Is employee training necessary only for an employee or for a firm, or for both of them?

8. What are the forms of employees’ upgrading?

Assignment 5. Fill in the gaps with the words and expressions from the text.

1. If the small business … is going to have a growing and successful business, that person must understand how to … one of the business’s most important resources, people.

2. A small business … should aim to … those individuals who are best qualified to … the … … .

3. … is the practice of actively seeking workers rather than waiting for them to come to you.

4. … … should fit the needs of the company and … to the … .

5. Then the … should be put at ease and encouraged to discuss items on the … which need to be clarified.

6. Before deciding to … an individual, the … which have been provided should be checked.

7. … … includes any activity that provides information or the development of skills that improves the employee’s performance.

8. Other forms of education, such as special or technical university courses, are sometimes useful in … specific employees.

Assignment 6. Match the words with their definitions.

applicant, specification, fee, personnel, to manage,

personnel manager, interview, aptitude, to train

1. The entire body of persons employed by an organization, as opposed to material.

2. Natural ability or cleverness suited to a particular kind of work or activity.

3. A person who applies for employment.

4. A very detailed written statement giving a description of the form and content of an article or commodity, or the process by which something is produced.

5. To direct, control, take charge of (a business or organization).

6. A meeting, especially of two or of only a few persons to do business, or to decide whether one of the persons is fit for a post.

7. A manager responsible for all matters concerning the employment of factory workers, office staff.

8. A payment for a piece of professional advice or for some special service.

9. To teach somebody a skill, occupation or profession.

Assignment 7. Supply the sentences with the missing words.

employment, applicant, objectives, qualification, skills,

purposes, requirement, experience, performed, training

1. The ceremony was … at the same time in nineteen other countries.

2. One of the … you need in advertising is a fertile mind.

3. He has retired from regular … .

4. Math is no longer a prime … for a career in accounting.

5. There was a long waiting list of … for jobs.

6. He attended evening … courses on advertising making.

7. She’s had nine months’ … .

8. They acted with great … and conviction.

9. Complete secrecy was essential in our … .

10. If this policy is reversed we shall never achieve our … .

Assignment 8. Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs either in the Past Indefinite or Past Perfect.

1. We (want) not to see the accounts because we (see) already them.

2. When the figures (arrive), they (draft) already twice.

3. The office (be) very quiet when I (visit) it. Everybody (go) home.

4. The company (publish) some excellent results last year. Later, it (go) bust.

5. The company (report) an upturn in profits last month. Earlier in the year, it (announce) declining sales.

6. There (be) two major collapses last week. Both companies (try) to avoid bankruptcy.

Assignment 9. Complete the following sentences by putting in it, they, there with an appropriate part of the verb to be:

1. … important first to determine the level of detail on which the activities to complete the task will be based.

2. In the project we did last year … a clear need to develop an overall work.

3. When this activity has been completed, … time for the next activity to start.

4. … no other way that the network can be developed.

5. As I said before, … all the activities or stages necessary to complete the project.

6. … some important general guidelines to follow when drawing a network.

7. You need to decide … before next Monday if you want to work the early shift or the late shift.

8. If you had looked, you would have seen that … places on the chart for all the activities.

Assignment 10. Find the Gerund, the Participle and the Infinitive in the text and define their functions.