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Conclusion

Use the conclusion to:

1.Sum up

2.(Give recommendations if appropriate)

3.Thank your audience

4.Invite questions

The following table shows examples of language for each of these functions. You may need to modify the language as appropriate.

Questions

Questions are a good opportunity for you to interact with your audience. It may be helpful for you to try to predict what questions will be asked so that you can prepare your response in advance. You may wish to accept questions at any time during your presentation, or to keep a time for questions after your presentation. Normally, it's your decision, and you should make it clear during the introduction. Be polite with all questioners, even if they ask difficult questions. They are showing interest in what you have to say and they deserve attention. Sometimes you can reformulate a question. Or answer the question with another question. Or even ask for comment from the rest of the audience.

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BODY CARE

This case focuses on franchise operations. It provides a context for talking about advantages and disadvantages of franchising. The students start by reading and discussing the text about franchising.

After the case study the students will act out a meeting between investors and sales people selling a franchise operation.

As a follow-up activity students also may role play the hearing of the Mrs Tnz’s case in the court. For this the students are supplied with the special vocabulary.

File 1

Page 37. Exercise 1. 1) h; 2) a; 3) d; 4) c; 5) f; 6) g; 7) e; 8) I; 9) b; 10) j. Page 37. Exercise 2. 1) speechless; 2) airless; 3) humourless; 4) careless.

600sq foot

c)target gross profit 45%

d)Bank to provide 60% of total set up costs.

Page 41. Exercise 6. a.) lessee; b. payee; 3) guarantor; 4) employees; 5) lessor; 6) payers; 7) licensee. Page 43. Exercise 7. Toiletries, warehouse, outlet, common sense, to work on a franchise basis, oversight, phenomenal achievement, to retail, to revolutionize, to comment on smth, limitless potential, crucial, initial outlay, opening stock, to meet the requirements, franchise premium.

Exercise 8.

1) retail outlets; 2) at point of sale; 3) operation; 4) a ceiling; 5) ran; 6) decided against; 7) outlay; 8) oversight; 9) revolutionize; 10) lease.

File 2

Page 48. Exercise 3.

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of agreement, to cancel (terminate) the agreement, on the condition (understanding), to award franchise, to make some inquiries, back taxes, to be aware of.

Page 56. Exercise 2. 1) on; 2) at; 3) on; 4) with; 5) out of; 6) to; 7) to; 8) by; 9) in, by; 10) in; 11) on; 12) on; 13) out of, on, on; 14) for, in; 15) on; 16) in; 17) of, with.

Page 62. Role play

Teacher’s notes

Activity

Pairwork and groupwork: reading, speaking.

Aim

To act out a meeting between investors and salespeople selling a franchise operation.

Grammar and Functions

Asking and answering questions Conditionals

Talking about figures

Talking about advantages and disadvantage of operating on a franchise basis.

Vocabulary

Cost-cutting, CEO (Chief Executive Officer), re-engineering, layers of management, front-line workers, pay-off, middle managers, franchise, franchisee, franchiser, franchise holder, to resign a franchise, world leader, to maximize income, newsletter, real estate, toll-free line, bulk-buying, premises, to turn over, net profit, before taxes, store layout, one-off, non-refundable fee, to audit, core market;

vocabulary of the case.

Time

30 – 40 minutes

Procedure

1.Write the word franchise in the centre of the board.

2.Ask students to suggest examples of franchise operations such as MacDonalds, the Body Shop or Benetton.

3.Ask the students to give the definition of franchising.

4.Ask the students to suggest advantages and write them in the table. For example:

For the franchiser: low cost rapid expansion, improved customer recognition, higher income. For the franchisee: business knowledge, proven product, established image.

5.Divide the class into two groups: Investors and SuperSub salespeople. There should be two investors for every salesperson.

6.Set up the situation. A group of managers have been redundant by their company, PJ Foods. They are looking for a business to go into.

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7.Divide the investors into pairs. Tell them they have received $50 000 each. Let the SuperSub salespeople work as a group.

8.Ask the students to read the texts. The two investors read the two newspaper stories. The salespeople receive the advertising flier plus the memo.

9.Allow 5-10 minutes for reading. Encourage them to discuss what they read with partners and to use dictionaries if they need to.

10.Ask the students to work in groups of three: each pair of investors meets a SuperSub salesperson.

11.Ask them to act out the first meeting. The investors should try and get as much information as possible. The salespeople should be as persuasive as possible. Allow

10– 15 minutes.

12.Once they have finished, ask which investor decided to go further with the idea and which were not interested. Talk about the reasons.

ORIENTAIR

This case is about an airline operating under the conditions of fierce competition. It provides a context for doing practice in writing business reports.

After the case study the students are given the assignment to write a report based on a survey.

File 1

Page 67. Exercise 1. a) 6, b) 6, c) 8, d) 7200

Exercise 2. Saturday flight, not Friday; Business Class (=C), not Economy Class (=Y) Page 68. Exercise 3. 1) a single ticket, 2) a round trip ticket, 3) the outward journey, 4) leave it (the date/booking) open, 5) an open-dated ticket

Page 70. Exercise 5. a) draw the attention of, b) healthy, c) at 61% of capacity, d) put forward, e) currently ( in the short term), f) win, g) circulate, h) operating, restraints, i) at the latest

Page 71. Exercise 6.

From: Tony Chan, Marketing Director To: Jimmy Mo, Marketing Manager Date: 26 July

Re (Subject): Customer Survey

Please have the results of the customer survey together with proposals for improving and selling services on European routes ready for circulation to Board members by August 3rd. Sorry to have to rush you, but the Managing Director is concerned about the loss of traffic on these routes.

File 2

Page 76. Exercise 2. a) survey, b) considered, c) majority, d) unexpected, e) outside, f) costly, g) in-flight, h) circumstances, i) unions, j) services, k) alternative, l) detail Page 77. Exercise 3. a) altogether, b) point out, c) prove, d) come back, e) likely

Exercise 4. b)

Page 79. Exercise 5. a) T, b) F, c) T, d) T, e) F

File 3

Page 82. The summary of Marsh’s arguments.

The Finance Department’s view is that the cost of the Marketing Department’s proposals will be too high. It will involve a major improvement on 38 flights per week, and incur extra staffing costs. The present budget is strictly controlled as the company is operating on tight financial margins on these routes.

Page 82. Exercise 2. a) European traffic, b) for the next twelve months, c) based on extra staff, 38 flights per week

Page 84. Exercise 4.

a)I was thinking we could start a family club.

b)I was thinking we might show the special videos.

c)I was thinking we could issue the game pack.

d)I was thinking we might introduce special menus.

e)I was thinking we could carry a selection of comics.

Page 87. Exercise 5. 1) in, 2) about, in, on, 3) of, 4) in, of, 5) for, for, 6) to, to, 7) at, on, 8) about, in, 9) with, in, 10) on, over, 11) at, 12) on, for, on, 13) within, at, 14) in, 15) up, 16) through.

Assignment 1, page 94

As your students may have difficulties in report writing, introduce to them the material below and ask them to find sample reports from any sources available. Before they start preparing their reports discuss in class possible subjects, the format, style and organization of a business report.

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REPORTS

Information plays a vital role in the business world. The purpose of a business report is to convey essential information in an organized, useful format. And despite technological advances, the ability to accumulate data, organize fact, and compose a readable text remains a highly marketable skill.

A well prepared business report will provide complete, accurate information about an aspect of a company’s operations. The subject of a report may vary from expenses to profits, production to sales, marketing trends to customer relations. The information provided by a report is often meant to influence decisions, to determine changes, improvements, or solutions to the problems. Therefore, the report must be clear, concise and readable.

The format of a business report may vary, from a brief informal report intended for in-house use to a voluminous formal report intended for national public distribution. Some reports consist entirely of prose while others consist of statistics, and still other reports may employ a combination of prose, tables, charts and graphs.

The style of a report depends upon the audience. An informal report to be read only by close associates may be worded personally; in such a report ‘I’ or ‘we’ is acceptable. A formal report, on the other hand, must be impersonal and expressed entirely in the third person. Note the difference:

Informal: I recommend that the spring campaign concentrate on newspaper and television advertising.

Formal: It is recommended that the spring campaign concentrate on newspaper and television advertising.

Informal: After discussing the matter with our department managers, we came up with the following information.

Formal: The following report in based upon information provided by the managers of Accounting, Marketing, Personnel and Advertising Departments.

Whether formal or informal, however, the wording of the report should be simple and direct.

Business reports are frequently divided into five types:

1)A Record Report merely states facts, describing the status of a company or of a division of a company at a particular point in time.

2)A Progress Report also states facts, tracing developments that have occurred over a period of time.

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3)A Statistical Report presents numerical data, usually in the form of charts, tables and graphs.

4)An Investigative Report is based on a study or investigation of a particular situation or issue. Such a report presents the newly accumulated data; it may also analyze the data.

5)A Recommendation Report is an investigative report taken one step further, providing specific recommendations based on the information provided.

There are three important rules to keep in mind when preparing any business report:

Cite your sources. Always let your reader know where your information comes from so that it may be verified.

Date your report. Business is volatile; facts and situations change daily, if not hourly. Your information could become outdated very quickly.

Always keep a copy of your report for your own reference.

INFORMAL REPORTS

The informal report is the most common form of business report. It is usually short, five pages or fewer, and is generally drafted in the form of a memo, or a variation of a memo. Sometimes, if sent to someone outside the company, the informal report may be written as a letter.

The tone and style of an informal report will vary according to the subject and audience. But whether friendly or impersonal, a report must always be worded with courtesy and tact. An informal report must often be prepared quickly, requiring that information be gathered more casually and scientifically than for a formal report. Nevertheless, no matter how minor the topic nor how short the time must be thorough and factual.

The best approach to accumulating data is to begin by defining your purpose. If you can express precisely the reason for your report, you will know what information to look for.

Once your data is assembled, the second phase of report writing is organization. You must arrange your facts in a logical sequence that can be easily followed.

Finally, the nature of your data and your system of organization will determine your form of presentation. If your report calls for prose, organize your paragraphs:

First paragraph: Present the main idea clearly and concisely.

Middle paragraph: Develop the main point with supporting details and information.

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Consolidated Statement of Income

(In thousands, except per share)

For the three months

Ended September 30

Note: (*) Income per share of common stock has been calculated after deduction for preferred stock dividend requirements of $,03 per share of common stock for the three months ended September 30.

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FORMAL REPORTS

A formal report is not only longer, but more thorough than an informal report. It requires more extensive information gathering and is presented in a more stylized format. It is always presented objectively and relies on extensive details for documentation.

As for informal reports, begin preparing your report by pinpoint ting your topic. State the problem to be solved as precisely as you can. Then decide what information is needed to solve that problem and the techniques required to gather that information. Typical methods of information gathering include library research, surveys, interviews and experimentation.

When your investigation is complete and your data is collected, you must organize and analyze the facts. Your interpretation may or may not be included in the final version of the report, but your own understanding and grasp of the material is essential before you begin to write.

When finished, your formal report will consist of the following parts:

1.TITLE Page: This page will include the title of the report as well as the name of the person who prepared the report, the name of the person to whom it was prepared, and the date on which it was completed. The title page, therefore, will contain a great deal of white space.

2.TABLE OF CONTENTS: This page will be outlined in advance, but it must be typed last. It consists of a list of all the headings and subheadings in the report and the number of the page on which each section begins.

3.INTRODUCTION: It is a statement of three specific facts:

a.The purpose of your report (what the report demonstrates or proves);

b.The scope of your report (what the report does and does not include);

c.The method by which you gathered your information.

4.SUMMARY: This section is a concise statement of the main points covered in the report.

5.BODY: This is the essence of your report. It is the organized presentation of the data you have accumulated.

6.CONCLUSION: This is an objective statement of what the report has shown.

7.RECOMMENDATIONS: These should be made, when called for, on the basis of the facts included in the report. They should flow logically from the objective conclusion.

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8.APPENDIX: This section consists of supplementary information, often in the form of graphs and charts, which does not fit into the body of the rep[ort but which is essential to substantiate the data.

9.BIBLIOGRAPHY: A listing of references used in preparing the report is required whenever printed material has been consulted. Entries are listed alphabetically by author’s last name.

Formal report (title page)

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN OFFICE MACHINES

Formal report (introduction)

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to examine the latest advances in office machine technology in order to determine what, if any, capital improvements should be made in the office equipment of the ANDMAR Corporation.

This report does not consider security systems of the fire detection and control devices.

The information for this report was gathered from information supplied by the National

Office Machines Dealers Association as well as from articles in several issues of Secretary’s

Press, Executive World, and Management Review.

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Formal report (summary)

Summary

This report shows that, because of increasing emphasis on the use of very large-scale integrated circuits, major changes are anticipated in office machines during the next decade. These changes will primarily involve:

1.executive, as opposed to central, word-processing stations;

2.high-speed and intelligent copiers;

3.computers of increased speed, reliability, and memory capacity;

4.electronic printing calculators.

Formal report (conclusion and recommendations)

Conclusion and recommendations

On the basis of the data in this report, it can be concluded that:

1.The installation of word-processing stations increases the productivity of secretaries and the efficiency of executives.

2.High-speed copiers maximize cost-effectiveness when used on a departmental basis.

3.Programmable electronic calculators function at a fraction of the cost of electronic adding machines.

From these conclusions, it is, therefore, recommended that:

1.An in-depth investigation of currently available word-processing systems be conducted to determine the cost and feasibility of installing such equipment.

2.A cost analysis be made to compare the copiers presently in use at ANDMAR versus alternatives now on the market.

3.The services of an electronic calculator system sales specialist be engaged to determine the equipment best suited to ANDMAR’s particular application.

So, the main stages of report writing can be best arranged in the following order:

1.Collect the relevant material.

2.Consider the purpose of your report: who is it for, why does he or she wants it, how will he or she use it.

3.Summarize the aim and emphasis of the report in one sentence.

4.Decide what information is important and what is irrelevant.

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5.Arrange the points of information in a logical sequence and in order of importance. Make rough notes.

6.Draft a working plan on separate sheet of paper.

7.Decide where you might need illustrations and diagrams.

8.Write the introduction: state the subject, state the purpose, and summarize the findings.

9.Write the body of the report.

10.Write the conclusion and recommendations.

11.Summarize the report in a sentence.

12.Examine the draft. Does it do what the report is expected to do?

13.Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation and style.

14.Read the text aloud to yourself, or better, to someone else.

15.Check your illustrations.

16.Ask someone else to look critically at your draft.

When preparing your report remember that it is important in any writing – and especially in businessto be clear about the aims and purposes of your writing. In order that your reader can make sense of what you have written, follow these “Golden Rules”:

They are easy to remember – as easy as A, B, C!

After the students read the material check the comprehension by asking the following questions:

1.What is the purpose of a business report?

2.What does the style of a report depend on?

3.What are the main types of reports?

4.How can you organize an informal report?

5.What are the parts of a formal report?

6.What are the main stages of preparing of a report?

It will be very useful for the students to do practice in writing informal reports. Prepare the worksheets for them with the following practice.

A.Read the following memo and think about the intentions of the Managing Director.

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From: The Managing Director

To: Personnel Manager

Date: 27 April, 1998.

Subject: Installation of coffee machines.

The board is thinking of installing automatic coffee machines in the offices of each division. Before we do this we need to know:

1.how much use our staff will make of them;

2.how many we would need;

3.whether time now used for making coffee would be saved.

Can you provide us with your views on:

how the staff will react to the idea and how we can deal with union on the matter.

If possible, I would like to receive your report before the next Board Meeting on 1 June.

B. Look at the following report which was written after receiving the above memo from the MD. Do you think the report is what the MD asked for? How effective do you think the report is?

Report on coffee-making and breaks

It is very interesting that the coffee making habits of our employees have been noticed by other people in the company. It appears that the time taken up by the making of coffee could be put to more productive use. We have also known for several years that there have been a number of problems connected with the motivation of our workforce, but the role played by coffee-drinking has so far not been clarified.

In one or two departments, staff seem to talk about nothing else but about coffee breaks: how long is till the break, whose turn is to make it, etc. This unfortunate development has been discussed with the heads of department in my division on several occasions. They believe the subject of automated coffee machines; one for each department for example, is not very popular with a large number of staff. The staff think that the company would be trying to make money out of them. So I think there is a grave danger that the actions of the management could be misunderstood.

Nonetheless, I feel that we should try and limit the coffee-breaks. We should try to prevent the staff from gathering around the coffee-making area and chattering for so long. I wonder if you have heard of the experience of our American sister company. They have a central coffee-making facility for all the divisional offices. This is then brought to the staff at their desks. In this way there is no need for a break. In theory this is surely one way of making working time more efficient.

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STAR-LINE

This case is about the company selling top quality fashion jewellery. It provides the context for talking about money and payments.

After the case study the students act out a meeting between a creditor and a late payer.

File 1

Page 98. Mme Calvet’s letters.

1.We still have not received payment of our invoice. This invoice is now three week overdue. Therefore, please ensure that we receive payment by return.

2.In spite of writing to you several times, we still have not received payment of our invoice. This invoice is now long overdue. We must insist, therefore, that we receive payment by return.

Page 98. The letter to Christine Calvet.

The errors are:

a.In date, name of the month should be typed in full.

b.The letter should start “Dear Mme Calvet”

c.The letter should end “Yours sincerely” as person is addressed by name at bottom of the letter.

d.Position in company should come under name at bottom of letter.

e.The title (Mr) should come before the name at the bottom of the letter.

Trade creditors $120 000

Page 103. Exercise 2. Turnover a); Net profit a); Capital reserves b); Current assets b); Net assets b); Gross profit a).

Page 106. Exercise 4. b).

Page 106. Exercise 5. 1f, 2h, 3a, 4i, 5c, 6j, 7e, 8d, 9b, 10g.

Page 106. Exercise 6. a) F321 388, b) 21st February 19.., c) F368 249, d) Invoice K5420, e) F468 200, f) F895 220.

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File 3

Page 108. Exercise 1. a) bring, b) else, c) fine, d) hear, e) serious, f) Fine, g) hoping, h) had, i) take, j) sure.

Page 113. Exercise 6. a), c), e)

Page 113. Application dated: 27th May

Description of goods: Jewellery

Value: $895 220

Origin: France

Reasons: Goods earn foreign currency

Revision

Page 114. Exercise 1. 1) for, 2) for, 3) by, 4) of, in, for, in, 5) at, on, of, 6) in, of, 7)to, 8) down to, 9) out of, 10) on, at, of, per, 11) on, 12) in, in.

Page 118. Assignment 1. Activity

Pair work: reading, speaking.

Aim

To act out a meeting between a creditor and a late payer.

Grammar and function

Conditionals, modal verbs

Talking about money and payments.

Vocabulary

overdue, bill, invoice, to charge interest, to reduce the balance, extension, to raise money;

vocabulary of the case.

Time

10 – 20 minutes

Procedure

1. Tell the students that they are going to act out a meeting concerned with late payment of a bill.