Understanding the main points

Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Before taking a routine decision managers must collect a great deal of information.

2. When choosing an overseas agent most managers rely on their intuition.

3. When a firm dismisses one of its junior managers it is making a strategic decision.

4. Managers cannot always wait until they have all the necessary information taking important decisions.

5. The first thing managers must do when solving a problem is to collect all the facts.

6. Because of their company’s rules and policies managers may not be able to make certain actions in order to solve a problem

7. After collecting all of the necessary information managers have to identify the various actions they could take to solve a problem.

8. When important decisions have to be made managers need to use a systematic process of decision-making.

Vocabulary Focus

Ex. 1. Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as the following:

1. very important (paragraph 1)

2. immediately, without hesitation (2)

3. occurs, appears (5)

4. put, build, establish (5)

5. consider carefully, assess (5)

6. bear in mind consider, remember (7)

7. succeed in getting, win (7)

8. choices, possible courses of action (9)

9. increased (9)

10. take a middle course of action (11)

Ex.2. Collocation

make a decision

take a decision

take into account

solve a problem

The phrases above are examples of collocation. This refers to words which are frequently grouped together.

Complete the following sentences with appropriate verbs.

1. Although our company wants to expand rapidly, we must ……………. in mind that we have limited cash to do so.

2. It is important to ……………. into account all options before ……………. a decision.

3. The Financial Director has ……………. the conclusion that we must reduce costs by 10%.

4. Finally, the Chairman ………… his opinion about the matter. After we had listened to him, we were able to ………… to an agreement.

5. Patricia ………… an interesting suggestion at the meeting.

6. If we don’t come up with new products, we ………… the risk of falling behind our competitors.

7. Our chairman is too old for the job. Some of the directors have ………… pressure on him to resign.

8. The writer has ………… some recommendations in his report.

9. What conclusion have you ………… from the facts given in his letter?

10. I have ………… a great deal of thought to our financial problems.

11. After five hours’ negotiation, we finally ………… agreement.

12. I don’t want to ………… action until I’ve heard everyone’s opinion.

Ex. 3. Complete the following passage with the correct forms of the words in the box below.

arise (v)

rise (n)

rise (v)

raise (v)

A serious problem has ………… (1) in my company. Because the cost of living ………… (2) by 6% last year, management decided to …………… (3) the salaries of all the staff. For this reason, they gave everyone a …………… (4) of $10 a week. However, later on, they had to pay for this by …………… (5) the prices of all products by 10 %. Such a large …………… (6) in prices made our products uncompetitive. So now, management is talking of lowering our salaries again.

Ex. 4. Phrasal verbs with up

weigh up (paragraph 5)

step up (9)

Replace the words in italics in the following sentences with phrasal verbs from the box below.

weigh up bring up

take up (3 meanings) draw up

pick up step up

1. Before preparing the contract, may I go over one or two points again, please?

2. We have to increase our work-rate if we are going to get the accounts finished in time.

3. If I’m going to have any chance of becoming a member of the Board, I’ll have to start playing golf.

4. I’d like to mention the subject of expense claims at our next meeting.

5. (Chairman, at a meeting) Your point is interesting, Donna, but I’d like to discuss it later, if I may.

6. We must consider all the possibilities before we decide which market to enter.

7. I start my new appointment next month.

8. We didn’t get many orders last quarter but now sales have improved.