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c.the markets they are in.

2.If a company improves its cash generation

d.it increases its sales revenue.

e.it has cash available at all times.

f.it invests more in its business.

3.If a company disposes of an asset, it

g.values it.

h.keeps it.

i.sells it.

4.If companies have an authoritarian way of management

j.the management give responsibility to workers at lower levels.

k.the management keep tight control over everyone and everything.

l.the management have many ways of communicating with employees.

5.If you stitch two materials together, you

m.separate them.

n.cut them.

o.join them.

B. Listen to the first part of the interview and make notes. Answer the questions.

1. Before developing a strategy, the management thought about five things. What are they?

2. Their strategy consisted of three simple steps. What are they?

C. Now listen to the second part of the interview. Which of the trends below are mentioned.

1.Companies are becoming more international.

2.Employees are becoming more valued by management.

3.Employees are working more in teams.

4.Management are having more control over staff.

5.Management are changing their style.

D. Answer these questions.

1.What strategies impress Marjorie Scardino?

2.What three points does she make about Coca-Cola’s strategy?

Language focus

1.Match up the words from the left with the words from the right to make word partnerships. Translate them into Russian.

2. a. Match the phrase, describing a position of a company, with their definitions

b. Match the terms meaning different strategies, which companies may use, with their definitions.

1) a takeover

2) a joint venture

3) a merger

4) an alliance

3. Complete the following sentences using suitable words given below.

1.A well-known advertising agency aims to achieve a _____ of 20% a year.

2.This ____ is unprofitable. We’ll have to discontinue it.

3.Companies like Unilever and IBM have huge financial ____ .

4.By re-organizing the work of office staff, you can often increase their ____ .

5.We’re a small firm, so we aren’t able to offer a wide ____.

6.Most of Shell Oil’s ____ comes from overseas subsidiaries.

7.By extending our factory, we have been able to expand our ____ .

8.With the help of their cheap, high-quality word-processor, the Amstrad company were able to greatly increase their ____ in the UK.

4.Phrasal verbs.

Answer the following questions in any way you wish using the verbs in

brackets.

1.What does a firm often have to do if it is not successful in a market? (pull out)

2.What do you do if your main competitor is doing better than you in the market? (work out)

3.After you have made a deal with an overseas agent, what do you usually do?

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(draw up)

4. How can you find out if there will be a demand for a product you wish to develop? (carry out0

5.What can you do if the demand for your products in your home market is saturated? (break into)

5.Complete the following passage with the correct form of the words below. Retell the text. Reveal its main idea.

The problems of small high-tech firms have attracted a lot of attention recently. Research shows that many of these firms are (1) ____ by talented, creative scientists. Their owners have no trouble with coming up with (2) ____ products but they often can’t build on their early success.

One reason for this is that they don’t have much management (3)____ . Therefore, they are unable to develop the (4)____ which are necessary for their company’s growth. They (5)____ to develop products, and don’t think about how to market them.

When they do try to sell their products, they spend too much time to gain the (6)____

of potential customers. Another mistake they make is to underprice their products so that they have no (7)____ for future development.

Once the firms begin to grow, their owners (8)____the future costs of developing and marketing new products. Lack of financial (9)____ is a major weakness of such companies. It is difficult for high-tech firms to attract the right (10)____ because they cannot offer the same job security as a large organization.

The high-tech firm can get round some of these problems by developing a specialist image. It can aim at a particular (11)____ of the market. Customers then start seeking out this firm, so its (12)____ are reduced. The only (13)____ is that it may take some time before customers accept the firm’s new technology.

As soon as high-tech business has reached a certain size, it will be a good idea to (14)____ professional management. The founder of the firm can then (15)____

responsibilities for activities like marketing and finance. If a high-tech firm needs money very badly, it may arrange a (16)____with a larger company. It will offer that company exclusive (17)____ to its technology.

Enthusiasm, bright ideas, (18)____ capital and technology are not enough to ensure success. Basic management (19)____ – especially financial and marketing ones – are also vital.

6. Read the following case study and then answer the questions

Richard Thomas, a brilliant electronic engineer, left the company he had worked with for ten years in order to set up his own business. He felt there was a gap in the market for low-priced computer components.

Richard’s bank manager was impressed by his experience and by the business plan he presented. An overdraft facility of $25, 000 was quickly arranged. This, together