10. In pairs discuss the following:

1. Why the job of a manager is hard.

2. Functions of an individual manager.

3. If there is any risk in manager’s job.

Additional texts text a

11. Read the text and entitle it:

Management responsibilities are very complex but first of all a manager must understand the business and the basis of finance, money, risk because his/her key roles are still –operation and finance. Effective managers should

• maintain and improve operations in production;

• understand what the business is about;

• monitor and control the use of resources.

Managers should be able to

- plan and organize his/her own and others work;

- create and maintain productive working conditions;

- select a style of management according to the situation.

A manager should also set clear objectives for himself and others. All this helps to enhance team effectiveness.

So, if you want to be an effective manager you should develop your personal and interpersonal skills which are demonstrated by all successful managers and which help them to achieve results through other people – staff, colleagues and senior managers and to handle difficult situations.

12. Look through the text again and pick out all the terms dealing with management.

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13. In groups, discuss the following questions:

1. What are basic responsibilities of a manager?

2. What should an effective manager do?

3. Should a manager set tasks only for himself or for others?

4. Why should a manager develop his personal and interpersonal skills?

5. What helps to enhance team effectiveness?

TEXT B

14. Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. What are common features in British and Japanese systems of management?

2. Which system is more flexible?

3. Is the problem of natural or cultural norms important?

4. Who has better understanding of management process?

5. Why should we study different systems of management?

Managers in Britain and Japan

At first glance, the British companies look like their Japanese colleagues not their compatriots. As for age of the first management appointment, about 90% managers in the banks (Mitsui and Natwest) had to wait until 30 for their first appointment, whereas in the supermarkets (Tesco and Jusco) all of the British and a majority of Japanese managers had achieved their first appointment before 30. However, in other areas such as career mobility, Japanese managers still operate on a one-company lifetime employment system.

The problem of cultural or national norms is very important, for example, in Japan, where the development of subordinates plays a great role in promotion of managers and for them the basic system of management is clear, stable and widely recognized. In contrast, most British managers think that the process is unclear.

So we are interested in management systems of other countries because we can learn some new information, share our experience and make progress in business.

15. Try to guess the meaning of the following words. Use the dictionary if you need.

appointment n borrow v compatriot n employment n glance/view n majority promotion n recognize v stable a whereas widely adv

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