Деловое администрирование (на английском языке)

the last year, our Research Department has tested a new prototype engine. Results so far look very promising. We have also invested heavily in a European technology programme which links industry with universities.

Vocabulary to increase – возрастать, увеличиваться

costs – затраты, издержки

to drop – снизиться, уменьшаться, падать to be up – повыситься

domestic consumer market – внутренний потребительский рынок competitive – конкурентный, конкурентоспособный

as compared with – по сравнению с

personnel development – работа с кадрами, отдел кадров promotion – продвижение по службе, повышение в звании opportunity – возможность

to recruit – нанимать, предоставлять работу staff members – штатные сотрудники

to retire – уходить на пенсию

to move into new areas – распространять на новые области quality assurance – гарантия качества

sales training – подготовка торгового персонала

it's no exaggeration to say... – не будет преувеличением сказать...

on the upgrade (upsurge) – на подъеме to make a contribution – делать вклад

to invest heavily – инвестировать значительный капитал

Company strategy

A business company is an institution established for the purpose of making profit. It's a big organisation which is operated by individuals. Their share of ownership is represented by shares. In order to operate successfully a company has to have its strategy. The company strategy must be flexible enough and take into consideration the changing market conditions. The main objective here is to gain a market share, and in order to achieve it, it's necessary to reduce prices. But if you reduce prices, your margins will be lower, and that will cut profits.

If you can slowly increase production, you will be able to cut unit costs though it seems to be a long-term prospect. Unit costs can come down if you invest in new plants and machines. Let's try to define the company strategy from the point of view of the market and manufacturing.

If you think that increased market share is the main objective in the company strategy, you are highly mistaken. First of all you should go in for a higher profitability. If you can upgrade the product, you are sure to get better prices and therefore higher profits.

You should bear in mind that the market is very competitive now. If you increase prices, whatever the quality, sales may drop rapidly. Let's look at the problems from the manufacturing view-point. If you can reduce costs in manufacturing, it'll put you in

a strong position and enable you to adapt to the market. The only way you can become flexible enough is to subcontract more of the production.

It means job losses if you do that, but the jobs which remain will be more secure.

Vocabulary

for the purpose of – с целью

share of ownership – доля собственника

to operate successfully – действовать успешно

to take into consideration – принимать во внимание, учесть main objective – основная цель

to gain – получать, приобретать, извлекать пользу to reduce (to cut) prices – понизить цены

margin – прибыль

to increase production – увеличить производство unit costs – стоимость изделия

to come down – уменьшаться, снижаться to be highly mistaken – глубоко ошибаться

to go in for higher profitability – стремиться к увеличению прибыльности to upgrade – повысить качество, совершенствовать

to bear in mind – помнить, иметь в виду

to enable smb. to do smth. – дать возможность кому-то что-то делать

to subcontract more of the production – заключать больше субдоговоров по линии производства

job losses – потеря рабочих мест

to be secure – быть стабильным, гарантированным

Answer the following questions.

1. What kind of institution is a business company? 2. What kind of strategy must a company have? 3. What does a company have to do in order to achieve the main objective? 4. Will you cut profits if you reduce prices? 5. In what way will you be able to cut unit costs? 6. What will become with unit costs if you invest in new plants and machines? 7. Is the increased market share the main objective in company strategy? 8. What's the main objective of the company strategy? 9. What can you expect if you upgrade the product? 10. What may happen if you increase prices whatever the quality? 11. What may happen if you reduce costs in manufacture? 12. Is it true that subcontracting more of the production means job losses? 13. Do you take it correctly by understanding that the jobs which remain after general job losses will be more secure?

I. Read this description of the shamrock organization. Where in the shamrock are you?

COMPANY VOCABULARY

The Shamrock Organisation

The Irish management thinker, Charles Handy, believes that the traditional company is dying. In his book, The Age of Unreason, he says that today more and more people are working in a ‘shamrock organisation’.

Advantages and disadvantages

1.Compare the shamrock organization with a traditional company. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a shamrock organization for the following?

Advantage Disadvantage

For the company …

For the core workers …

For the self-employed people …

For the flexible labour force …

2.Compare your lists with others in the class. Word families

1.How many words in this exercise can you find that are derived from this word.

Employment

Can you think of any other words in this word family?

2. Now, build word families for each of these words. (You can find some related

3. Compare your answers with others in the group.

A COMPANY REORGANIZATION

A traditional oil company has decided to reorganize as a shamrock organization in order to cut costs. Work in small groups and discuss these points. In each case, give your reasons.

1. Which of these jobs should you keep in the core?

What other jobs should be in the core?

2.Is it better to use self-employed workers or a flexible labour force to do the noncore jobs?

3. Which of these functions should you keep in the core?

4.Which non-core functions should be done by self-employed workers and which by flexible force?

THE SHAMROCK AND YOU

1.How close is your company to a shamrock organization? Describe the ways in which your companies use core workers, self-employed workers and flexible labour force.

2.In business world, which of the three groups do you think is growing most quickly? Give reasons for your opinion.

III.Do ‘Company’ quiz

1.It's so easy doing business with that company; they’re so __________ .

2. Rico World Coffees Ltd __________ the best coffee in the world.

3. Which of the following abbreviations is the odd one out?

4. Which of the following prefixes is used to change the word ‘professional’ to its opposite meaning, i.e. ‘amateur’?

investment, so I liked around for a __________ partner.

Read about companies. Discuss with your partner what company you want to work for and why.

COMPANIES

As Chinese proverb says, “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still”. Of course, everyone understands it in a different way, but in

particular these words can be attributed to enterprises or companies because the key thing for a long life of every company is development.

There is a great variety of companies, for example, a family-owned company, a multinational company, someone’s own company, etc. And a company can work in different sectors, such as telecommunications, engineering, retailing, tourism, banking and finance, pharmaceutical, food and drink and so on. There are different peculiarities in every sector, but there is no difference what sector the company works in, in general the aim of everyone is, in the long term, to make profits. And for that there are many things you need to get right.

A company should change, expand all the time and do well even at a difficult time for the industry. It needs to be highly competitive, to raise profits, to increase turnover and market share. Every company should all the time increase a range of items it produces, finance a number of new projects, open new subsidiaries and of course take care of their dedicated employees, because they are the most valuable asset of the company.

There are many reasons for being successful in business. Firstly, it’s important to have a very strong brand name, because it’s possible to build good reputation on its name. Secondly, it’s necessary to develop new models and to invest a lot of money in these models, because it helps a company to compete with other companies in this or another industry. Also it’s rather essential to give the products a very up-to-date look, to focus on styling and on the quality of the products. Then every big company has to create interest abroad, firstly in their key markets, those are the markets with volume sales. For that you have to set up subsidiaries and to have your own staff and local staff. In other markets a company should get very good distributors. So through those 2 routes, subsidiaries and distributors, a company can make a strong dealer network. The dealers should be very professional at marketing, strongly promote their products, be positive and enthusiastic about the company. They need to be people at a retailing level who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the product and who are able to sell it in the face of strong competition. Also it’s necessary for every company to draw up an investment plan in order to spend money in a rather rational way.

So, it’s obvious that it’s important to combine a lot of elements in order to be successful in business and to make profits in the long term.

Think of an ‘Ideal Company’ you want to work for. Discuss it with your partner.

1.Look at the criteria for an ideal company and choose the five most important and the five least important.

MY IDEAL COMPANY:

•has a female CEO

•gives six months’ paid maternity leave and one month paid paternity leave

•has a crèche facility

•has a good quality canteen

•gives equal pay to women and men

•gives employees a laptop computer and mobile phone for business and personal use

•has opportunities for promotion and personal development

•awards bonuses and gives fringe benefits to employees

•provides at least six weeks’ training a year

•has an annual staff party

•has a generous company pension scheme

•allows women with three children to retire at 55

•has a gym and sports facilities

•pays one month extra salary to employees who have a new baby or who get married

2.Make sentences about your ideal boss from the prompts below using the adverbs of frequency in the box. Then compare your sentences with a partner.

MY IDEAL BOSS:

•reads my e-mails

•lets me make personal calls at work

•takes me out to dinner

•has regular update meetings with me

•sends me on trips

•calls me by my first name

•phones me at home to discuss work •leaves me to get on with my work

•chats about his/her family and other non-work-related topics

•brings me coffee

•sets regular deadlines and targets

•lets me leave work early

•says thank you

•praises me

•gives me lots of responsibility

• lets me work from home

Role-play the situation in pairs.

Huawei company is one of the most successful companies in the world market. It has many subsidiaries all over the world. However, it is currently facing problems. Fewer people are buying Huawei phones nowadays because they believe that the phones are very fragile especially touchphones and multimedia phones; and they break more often than other phones. As a result, the demand for these phones has fallen and the income slowed sharply. The company manager of Shenzhen head office decided to hire PR agency to solve this problem.

Agenda

1.Length of contract

2.Payment terms

A sole proprietorship is a business owned and usually operated by a single individual. Its major characteristic is that the owner and the business are one and the same. In other words, the revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities of the sole proprietorship are the revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities of the owner. A sole proprietorship is also referred to as the proprietorship, single proprietorship, individual proprietorship, and individual enterprise.

A sole proprietorship is the oldest and most common form of ownership. Some examples include small retail stores, doctors' and lawyers' practices and restaurants.

A sole proprietorship is the easiest form of business to organize. The only legal requirements for starting such a business are a municipal license to operate a business and a registration license to ensure that two firms do not use the same name. The organization costs for these licenses are minimal.

A sole proprietorship can be dissolved as easily as it can be started. A sole proprietorship can terminate on the death of the owner, when a creditor files for bankruptcy, or when the owner ceases doing business.

A sole proprietorship offers the owner freedom and flexibility in making decisions. Major policies can be changed according to the owner's wishes because the firm does not operate under a rigid charter. Because there are no others to consult, the owner has absolute control over the use of the company's resources. As mentioned earlier, the financial condition of the firm is the same as the financial condition of the owner. Because of this situation, the owner is legally liable for all debts of the company. If the assets of the firm cannot cover all the liabilities, the sole proprietor must pay these debts from his or her own pocket. Some proprietors try to protect themselves by selling assets such as their houses and automobiles to their spouses. A sole proprietorship, dependent on its size and provision for succession, may have difficulty in obtaining capital because lenders are leery of giving money to only one person who is pledged to repay. A proprietorship has a limited life, being terminated on the death, bankruptcy, insanity, imprisonment, retirement, or whim of the owner.

Partnerships

A partnership is an unincorporated enterprise owned by two or more individuals. A partnership agreement, oral or written, expresses the rights and obligations of each partner. For example, one partner may have the financial resources to start the business while the other partner may possess the management skills to operate the firm. There are three types of partnerships: general partnerships, limited partnerships, and joint ventures. The most common form is the general partnership, often used by lawyers, doctors, dentists, and chartered accountants. Partnerships, like sole proprietorships, are easy to start up. Registration details vary by province, but usually entail obtaining a license and registering the company name. Partners' interests can be protected by formulation of an "Agreement of Partnership". This agreement specifies all the details of the partnership.

Complementary management skills are a major advantage of partnerships. Consequently partnerships are stronger entity and can attract new employees more easily than proprietorships.

The stronger entity also makes it easier for partnerships to raise additional capital. Lenders are often more willing to advance money to partnerships because all of the partners are subject to unlimited financial liability.

The major disadvantage of partnerships is that partners, like sole proprietors, are legally liable for all debts of the firm. In partnerships, the unlimited liability is both joint and personal. Partners are also legally responsible for actions of other partners. Partnerships are not as easy to dissolve as sole proprietorships.

Limited companies

Limited companies, unlike proprietorships or partnerships, are created by law and are separate from the people who own and manage them. Limited companies are also referred to as corporations. In limited companies, ownership is represented by shares of stock. The owners, at an annual meeting, elect a board of directors which has the responsibility of appointing company officers and setting the enterprise's objectives.

Limited companies are the least risky from an owner's point of view. Corporations can raise larger amounts of capital than proprietorships or partnerships through the addition of new investors or through better borrowing power. Limited companies do not end with the death of owners.

It is more expensive and complicated to establish corporations than proprietorships or partnerships. A charter, which requires the services of a lawyer, must be obtained through provincial governments or the federal government. In addition to legal costs, a firm is charged incorporation fees for its charter by the authorizing government.

Limited companies are subject to federal and provincial income taxes. Dividends to shareholders are also taxed on an individual basis.

With diverse ownerships, corporations do not enjoy the secrecy that proprietorships and partnerships have. A company must send each shareholder an annual report detailing the financial condition of the firm.

Match the words in the left column with the definitions in the right column.

e) It means going into business for oneself.

Answer these questions using the active vocabulary of the text.

1.What are the three traditional forms of business?

2.What is a sole proprietorship?

3.What is the owner of the company legally liable for?

4.How do any proprietors try to protect themselves?

5.Why may a sole proprietorship have difficulty in obtaining capital?

6.What is a partnership?

7.What are three types of partnerships?

8.What is a major advantage of partnership?

9.Are all of the partners subject to unlimited financial liabilities?

10.What is a major disadvantage of partnership?

11.How are limited companies created?

12.Who is represented by shares of stock in limited companies?

13.Do limited companies end with the death of owners?

14.Is it more expensive and complicated to establish corporations? Why?

15.What must a company send each shareholder?

Read the text again and decide whether these statements are true (T) or false

(F).

1.The financial condition of the firm is the same as the financial condition of the owner.

2.The sole proprietor mustn’t pay debts from his or her own pockets.

3.A sole proprietorship doesn’t have any difficulty in obtaining capital.

4.A partnership is an unincorporated enterprise owned by two or more individuals.

5.There are three types of partnerships: general partnerships, limited partnerships and joint venture.

6.Complementary management skills are a minor advantage of partnerships.

7.In partnerships the limited liabilities are both joint and personal.

8.Limited companies are not created by law and are not separate from the people who own and manage them.

9.Limited companies end with the death of owners.

10.Limited companies are subject to federal and provincial income taxes.

Text: A Successful Company

PRE-READING TASK

What is the key to success in business? Make up some rules!

Before you read the article below, match these words to their definitions. a benchmark

sth that is not successful a challenge

easy to see or understand a failure

at the present time a temptation