Английский язык. Перевод, межкультурная коммуникация и интерпретация языка СМИ. Учебное пособие

«The state on the whole is by far not the most effective owner but must be present in a certain set of critically important companies», Medvedev told reporters.

He said the state needed to preserve control of assets such as Gazprom and the nuclear and defense industries. «Everything else can be bought and sold as one likes», he said.

Putin’s drive to strengthen state control while removing key barriers for investment has made the role of the state in the economy a key issue ahead of 2008, as investors seek any clues to the thinking of possible successors.

Moscow political salons are awash with rumors about who will succeed Putin and nervousness about the possibility of a battle emerging between competing clans for the Kremlin’s crown.

Medvedev’s competitors, analysts say, could include Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, also a deputy prime minister, and Russian Railways chief Vladimir Yakunin.

A lawyer who studied in the same department as Putin at Leningrad State University, Medvedev declined to comment on whether he would take part in the 2008 elections and steered clear of political questions.

Putin has put Medvedev in charge of four priority «national projects» on health care, education, housing and agriculture. But Medvedev has complained that officials have been dragging their feet.

The Kremlin’s drive to boost state control over the oil and gas sector, seen by senior officials as one of Russia’s few remaining tickets to the top table of world politics, has raised concerns that Putin has turned away from market reforms.

Foreign companies have faced problems getting a foothold in the oil, gas and engineering sectors, while the state has taken control of automobile and media companies.

«I hope that such processes carry an explainable and predictable character. And it does not mean that those assets that have become state property cannot be sold in three to five years», Medvedev said.

The government said Friday that the Cabinet would study how the activities of major Western companies affected national security.

A Cabinet meeting on Thursday ordered the economy and energy ministries and the Russian Academy of Sciences to submit a report on the issue in the third quarter of 2006, the government said in a statement.

St Petersburg Times, 06.06.06

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RUSSIA, KAZAKHSTAN CUT DEAL

Associated Press

The presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan agreed Monday at the Group of Eight summit to create a joint venture to process natural gas from Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak gas field.

Under the terms of the deal, both countries would have an equal share in the venture, which will expand the capacity of the Soviet-built Orenburg refinery.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the project – which envisages an annual output of at least 15 billion cubic meters – a «humble but important» contribution to energy security, the central theme of Russia’s G-8 presidency.

«We are entering a very important alliance», Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. «It is a major step forward».

The deal comes as competition for Kazakhstan’s energy resources intensifies. Vice President Dick Cheney paid a high-profile visit to the country in May to lobby for American energy interests.

The Karachaganak field is one of the crown jewels of Kazakhstan’s hydrocarbon riches.

St Petersburg Times, 18.07.06

PORT EXPORTS

St. Petersburg – Port Primorsk in the Leningrad Oblast increased oil exports by 23 percent in the first two months of 2007 compared to the same period last year, Interfax reported Tuesday.

Spetsmornefteport Primorsk, a subsidiary of AK Transneft, exported over 12 million tons of oil. The port served 248 ships. Last year the company exported about 60 million tons of oil – a 15 percent increase of 2005 figures.

St Petersburg Times, 16.03.2007

PORT TURNOVER

St Petersburg – The Sea Port of St Petersburg increased foreign turnover by 35 percent in January-February compared to the same period last year, Interfax reported Wednesday.

The port processed 7.9 million tons of freight. Shipment of coal increased by 2.5 times up to 332,000 tons, crops – by 73 percent up to 80,100 tons and mineral fertilizers – by 37 percent up to 780,700 tons.

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Container freights increased by 23 percent up to 2.45 million tons. The port served 1,897 ships.

St Petersburg Times, 16.03.2007

STERH PARK

St. Petersburg – Sterh corporation has invested $ 23 million into the construction of a new 60 hectares logistic park, Interfax reported Wednesday.

The park, located at the junction of Vyborgskoye Shosse and the city’s ring-road, will start operating in May 2007. It will offer freight storage, processing and customs registration services.

St Petersburg Times, 23.03.2007

ELECTRIC OPENING

St. Petersburg – Electronics retail chain Moidodyr will open five new stores in St. Petersburg this year, investing about $ 1.5 million into the project, RBC reported Friday.

At the same time the company plans to close two or three unprofitable stores in the city. The new stores will be twice as large, occupying 400 to 500 square meters. The first store will open in April on Leninsky Prospekt.

The company currently operates over 20 stores. Last year the company recorded a net loss.

St Petersburg Times, 27.03.2007

SBERBANK LOANS

St. Petersburg – Sberbank Northwest granted 48 loans of over 450 million rubles ($ 17.25 million) total value to small companies in Janu- ary-March within its program for financing small business, Prime-Tass reported Monday.

According to the program, City Hall compensates a part of borrowers’ expenses and provides guarantees to banks.

Last year Sberbank Northwest issued 141 such loans of over 410 million rubles ($ 15.72 million) to small companies. The total volume of loans to small companies accounted for 62.6 billion rubles ($ 2.4 billion).

St Petersburg Times, 27.03.2007

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TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTIONS GET A REPRIEVE

By Yekaterina Dranitsyna, staff writer

City Hall has amended a decree that could have eliminated a considerable number of small retail enterprises, had it been enacted in its initial wording. The decree limited the maximum size of temporary pavilions erected in the city, and stated that any premises located on municipal land that do not conform to these limits should be demolished as soon as the rent agreement for a land plot expires.

«Over 1,000 pavilions in the city do not meet the requirements defined in the city government’s decree no. 1398. It could put an end to the operation of small enterprises and reduce the quality of services for citizens», Dmitry Bykov, deputy chairman of the committee for economic development, industrial policy and trade, said Tuesday in a statement.

The decree, which was approved in October last year, limited the maximum height of temporary pavilions to four meters. A maximum area of 150 square meters was announced for shopping pavilions, a maximum of 18 square meters for kiosks, 400 square meters for catering pavilions, 300 square meters for warehouses, 150 square meters for car service centers and 18 square meters for ox garages.

«According to the latest amendments to the decree, it would not apply to existing pavilions. It would only concern new premises that are being constructed at the moment», Bykov said.

However, the local business community had criticized not only the retrospective application of the decree, but also the limits and requirements that were introduced.

«Pavilions with a height exceeding four meters are not permitted. This height restriction makes the use of popular light metal frames impossible. The only solution is heavy beams. However beams require foundations, which are prohibited in temporary pavilions», Alexander Doronin, chairman of the St. Petersburg Union of Small Enterprises said, commenting on the decree at the 5th St. Petersburg Small Enterprises Forum.

«The four-meter height limit will eliminate small service centers and car-washes. A limit of 150 square meters on the total area renders such enterprises pointless. A four-meter tall warehouse is economically unprofitable and technically useless», Doronin said.

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Doronin also criticized the inconsistency of the local legislature. «How can small businesses develop and trust the authorities, when every decree reverses the requirements of the previous one?» he asked.

«I agree that St. Petersburg should look like a European city. But how can entrepreneurs provide European standards, when they have to spend 30,000 rubles per square meter on construction and 15,000 rubles per square meter on interior, when they only have a short-term rental agreement and no guarantees, and they see the inconsistency of the actions of the city administration?»

Small business currently accounts for about 20 percent of retail turnover in the city. Doronin forecasted that its share would decrease over the next few years in favor of large retail chains and malls.

St Petersburg Times, 08.02.08

КУРЕНИЕ

Немецкий бизнесмен объявил о создании новой авиакомпании, на всех рейсах которой будет разрешено курить. Компания

Smintair, расшифровывающаяся как Smokers’ International Airways, планирует начать работу в октябре 2006 года. Впрочем, пока Smintair будет обслуживать только одно направление: Дюссельдорф – Токио. Билеты на «курящий самолет» будут стоить несколько дороже, чем обычные.

Хроника, 30 июня 2006 (по материалам The Telegraph)

ALSO FOR: MEN AND WOMEN

В НАШЕЙ СТРАНЕ БОЛЬШЕ, ЧЕМ ГДЕ-ЛИБО, ЖЕНЩИН-МЕНЕДЖЕРОВ

Россия занимает первое место по количеству женщин, работающих в сфере управления.

Второе место заняли Филиппины, на третьем – США. Самые низкие результаты были зарегистрированы в Японии и Нидерландах. В Японии женщины представляют только 8% руководящего состава, в Нидерландах – 9%. Между тем российские феминистки утверждают, что наши женщины почти не имеют постов в высших эшелонах власти, что не они руководят компаниями, что традиционно женские отрасли – самые бедные и что повышают по службе в основном мужчин.

Этолог Виктор Дольник (Зоологический институт РАН) считает, что роли мужчин и женщин обусловлены биологически. Ска-

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жем, у высших приматов самцы охраняют территорию, дерутся с конкурентами, устанавливают иерархические отношения. Но тем человек и отличается от обезьяны, что может бороться с инстинктами. Вот и эмансипированные современные женщины конкурируют с мужчинами за место под солнцем и встраиваются в мужскую иерархию. Дается это не всем.

Мужчины могут сами давать женщинам место в своей иерархии. Это может происходить в стабильном обществе. Там это проходит без проблем и конфликтов, как в некоторых западных странах. Но как только в обществе начинаются волнения, женщины возвращаются к своей подчиненной роли. Каково нынешнее состояние нашего общества? Промежуточное.

По данным опроса: Девять процентов мужчин считают женщин хорошими руководителями

Метро, 18.04.06 (По материалам: Финансовые известия)

ВЛАСТИ ПОБОРЮТСЯ С ИНФЛЯЦИЕЙ

Правительство РФ рассчитывает в 2006 году удержать инфляцию на уровне 9%. Вице-премьер Александр Жуков заявил, что оно продолжит жесткую бюджетную политику. По мнению чиновника, несмотря на высокие показатели инфляции в начале года, которые уже привели к критике кабинета министров, ее удастся замедлить. Согласно прогнозу Жукова, в 2007 году инфляция будет находиться в пределах 6–7.5 %, а в 2008 не превысит 5%.

Метро, вт, 14.03.06

МОБИЛЬНИКИ – НА РАСПРОДАЖУ

Власти решили, что делать с контрабандными мобильниками, которые лежат на складах таможенников, а их хранение обходится в 15 тысяч рублей в сутки. Установлены минимальные цены на них: за телефон Lart – 5 рублей 16 копеек, Philips – 55,53 рубля.

Нескольким компаниям поручено организовать продажу. При этом цена может быть любой, но не ниже минимума.

Метро, вт, 14.03.06

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ALSO FOR: MEN AND WOMEN

ТРЕТЬ МАЛОГО БИЗНЕСА В ПИТЕРЕ – В ЖЕНСКИХ РУКАХ

Особенно активны дамы в социальной сфере

ВПетербурге скоро может быть создан Клуб деловых женщин. Идея основать такую неформальную организацию родилась на встрече губернатора Валентины Матвиенко с женщинамипредпринимателями накануне 8 марта.

По статистике, женщины Петербурга более образованны и во многих отраслях ведут бизнес успешнее мужчин.

ВСанкт-Петербурге численность экономически активного населения, по данным исследования Госкомстата, составляет 2624 тысяч человек, в том числе 1351 тысяча женщин (51,5%).

Под термином «женский бизнес» в России имеется в виду только то, что фирмой руководит женщина и именно она принимает все управленческие решения и несет за них полную ответственность.

Если на крупных предприятиях мало кому из женщин удается пробиться на руководящие посты, то среди управляющих небольшими фирмами женщин намного больше. По данным Комитета по статистике, 31% предприятий малого и среднего бизнеса возглавляется дамами.

«Женские» предприятия чаще всего открываются в таких сферах, как бытовые услуги и социальная помощь семье, образовательные услуги, помощь в социальной адаптации, издательские услуги, полиграфия, производство одежды и продуктов пиния, медицина, отдых, туризм, оздоровительные консалтинговые услуги.

Метро, 20.03.07 (По материалам ИА BISHELP)

СТРАХОВАНИЕ ЖИЗНИ ВОЕННОСЛУЖАЩИХ

Штатский Джонс был назначен в армейский учебный центр, где он должен был просвещать рекрутов по поводу различных правительственных обязательств перед ними, особенно о Страховании Жизни Военнослужащих (СЖВ). Вскоре после этого лейтенант центра заметил, что Джонс имеет почти 100% продажу страховок СЖВ, чего раньше никогда не бывало. Лейтенант сел в конце заполненной рекрутами комнаты и стал слушать торговую подачу Джонса. Джонс объяснил новым рекрутам основы СЖВ, а затем сказал: «Если у вас есть СЖВ и вы пошли в бой и погибли, прави-

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тельство обязано выплатить вашим наследникам $ 200,000. Если у вас нет СЖВ и вы пошли в бой и погибли, правительство обязано выплатить вашим наследникам максимум всего лишь $ 6,000».

«А теперь, – сказал он в заключение, – как вы думаете, кого они пошлют в бой первыми?»

Метро, 05.03.08

ЧЕРЕЗ ДВЕ НЕДЕЛИ АМЕРИКЕ ГРОЗИТ БОЛЬШОЙ ДЕФОЛТ

Накаждогоамериканцаприходитсяпо28 тысячдолларовдолга. Глава Минфина США Джон Сноу объявил о возможности технического дефолта по правительственному долгу США к концу марта. Если это все-таки произойдет, то основными виновниками окажутся конгрессмены. США уверенно лидируют как по размеру экономики, так и по размеру долга. На поддержание армии чиновников, на ведение войны в Ираке, на смелые инициативы Буша по снижению налогов, а также на хорошее соцобеспече-

ние нужны гигантские средства.

В случае если финансисты из администрации США объявят дефолт, это приведет к ужасным последствиям.

Рухнет внутренний рынок облигаций США, размер которого составляет около 13 триллионов долларов.

Метро, 9 марта 2006 (по материалам Ассошиейтид Пресс)

8.1. Основы бизнеса

(The foundation of business)

Business consists of all profit-seeking activities and enterprises that provide goods and services necessary to an economic system. Some businesses produce tangible products, such as automobiles, breakfast cereals, and computer chips. Others provide services, such as insurance, car rentals, or lodging. Business is the economic pulse of a nation, the means through which society’s living standards improve. Profits are a primary mechanism for accomplishing these goals. Accountants and business people define profits as the difference between a company’s revenues (receipts) and expenses (expenditures). Profits are rewards received by successful business people who take the risks involved in business.

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Besides earning profits, successful businesses also seek to meet their social and ethical responsibilities. This means businesses must be responsible in their dealings with employees, consumers, suppliers, competitors, government, and the general public if they are to succeed in the long run.

8.2. The private enterprise system

Most US businesses, large or small, belong to what is called the private enterprise system, in which success or failure is determined by how well they match and counter the offerings of competitors. Competition is the struggle among businesses for consumer acceptance. Sales and profits are the yardsticks by which such acceptance is measured.

The business world can provide numerous examples of firms that were once successful but failed to continue satisfying consumer demands. Competition assures that, over the long run, firms that satisfy consumer demands will be successful and those that do not will be replaced.

In the private enterprise system, firms must continually adjust their strategies, product offerings, service standards, and operating procedures or else competitors may gain larger shares of the industry’s sales and profits.

Competition is a critical mechanism for guaranteeing that the private enterprise system will continue to offer goods and services that provide high living standards and sophisticated lifestyles. Few business organizations escape the influence of competition.

Competition is the key to capitalism, the economic system based on private ownership and the allocation of resources by market forces. Adam Smith, the great theoretician of capitalism, noted that the system has four important features: private property, freedom of choice, freedom of competition, and freedom from government interference.

PRIVATE PROPERTY AND PROFIT

The base of free enterprise is private property. The ownership of property allows to control one’s own destiny, rather than to have important decisions made by someone else. In this way, private property strengthens individualism and preserves free choice.

Property and profits are closely linked. Profit is a payment made to owners who use their property for productive purposes. A free market economy tends to draw all property into productive use because it is

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the principal way to make profits. Profits thus become a powerful incentive for property owners to use their property in ways that contribute not just to their personal welfare, but to the well-being of others in society. For making this kind of contribution, property owners are rewarded with profits.

FACTORS OF PRODUCTION

The private enterprise system requires certain inputs if it is to operate effectively. Economists call these inputs factors of production. Not all enterprises require exactly the same combination of elements. Each business has its own mix of the four factors of production: natural resources, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship.

Natural resources refer to everything used as a productive input in its natural state, including agricultural land, building sites, forests, and mineral deposits. Natural resources are basic resources required in any economic system.

Labour is a critical input to the private enterprise system. The term refers to anyone who works for a business, from the company president to a production manager, sales representative, or an assembly-line worker.

Capital is defined as the funds necessary to finance the operation of a business. These funds can be provided in the form of investments, profits, or loans. They are used to build factories, buy raw materials, and hire employees.

Entrepreneurship is taking risks in order to start and operate a business. As mentioned above, an entrepreneur is a risk taker in the private enterprise system. In some instances, the entrepreneur actively manages the business; in others, this responsibility is delegated to an employee, such as a salaried manager.

All four factors of production must receive a financial return if they are to be used in private enterprise system.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

There are many reasons why individuals start business. Some would rather work for themselves, while others hope that something they have invented will make them rich. What they all have in common is the itch known as entrepreneurship. The entrepreneur is a person who starts a business and takes the financial and personal risks involved in keeping it going. Successful ones tend to be hard-working, self-confident people willing to take well-calculated risks.

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