Unit 2. What is Crisis? Crisis definition

 

Pre-Text Exercises

2.1.1 Memorize the following words and word-groups from the texts:

 

definition – определение;

to dummy up tight(зд.) – сжиматься от страха;

to occur – случаться, происходить;

safety – безопасность;

threat – угроза;

property – собственность, имущество;

common – общий, общепринятый;

well-being – материальное благополучие;

to exact a toll on – вызывать потери, унести жизни;

to exact a cost – требовать расходов;

more often than not – чаще всего, в большинстве случаев;

simultaneously – одновременно;

to handle oneself – вести себя, управлять собой;

with regard to – в отношении, что касается.

 

2.1.2 Practise the reading of the following words:

 

-major;

-occur;

-purpose;

-whole;

-toll;

-threaten;

-precise;

-unfortunately;

-although;

-tremendous;

-simultaneously.

 

2.1.3 State what parts of speech the following words belong to and what words they are derived from:

 

Model: earn – verb; earnings – noun pl.

 

- pressed;

- threaten;

- completely;

- unfortunately;

- abnormal;

- certainly;

- decision;

- unpredictable.

 

2.1.4 Review the meaning of the following verbs. Consult the dictionary if necessary:

 

- to decide;

- to harm;

- to destroy;

- to vary;

- to flee;

- to contain;

- to offer;

- to fight.

 

2.1.5 Translate the following words and word-groups into Russian:

 

a) decision, short decision time, to make a decision, a series of decisions;

b) to explain, explanation, to offer an explanation, explanatory;

c) to act, action, a course of action, action plan, to work out an action plan.

d) potential(n) – in potential, to realize a potential, potential(adj), potentially.

e) threat, a major threat, threaten, threatening;

f) to predict, to predict a crisis, prediction, predictable, unpredictable.

 

2.1.6 Refresh your grammar. Translate the following sentences paying attention to reflexive pronouns

 

- It is a true test of what we are, how we handle ourselves in the middle of a crisis.

- The good news is we can prepare ourselves in principle for a crisis.

- She was trying to calm the people hurt in the accident but I noticed she herself was very upset.

- The company defended itself from the oncoming crisis.

- The company CEO will speak about crisis management strategies.

- The manager must take responsibility for the critical situation himself.

 

Text A What is Crisis?

2.2.1 Text A. What is Crisis? Read the text, translate it and be ready to give the crisis definition

 

The word crisis comes from the Greek krisis meaning “decision”. “We’ve all been there. Those moments when we’re pressed in an instant to decide a course of action. Move to the left or move to the right. Fight or flee. Offer an explanation or dummy up tight”.

It’s a true test of what we are, either as a company or a person, how we handle ourselves in the middle of a crisis. The bad news is we never know for sure how we’ll do until it’s test time. The good news is we can prepare ourselves in principle.

At this point, it is important to say a few words about the definition of a crisis. Definitions are only really important with regard to the purpose they serve. Unfortunately, it is not possible to give definition of a crisis any more than it is possible to predict with complete certainty how a crisis will occur, when it will occur and why. The most common definitions are:

- a crisis is an abnormal situation which threatens the operation, safety and reputation of the whole of an organization;

- a crisis is a major unpredictable event that threatens to harm the whole of an organization.

Although the definitions can vary greatly, three elements are common to most of them: (a) threat to the whole organization; (b) the element of surprise or shock; and (c) a short decision time. If something affects or threatens only a small part of an organization, it may not be a major crisis.

In order for a major crisis to occur, it must exact a major toll on human lives, property, financial earnings, the reputations, and the general health and well-being of an organization. More often than not, these occur simultaneously. That is a major crisis is something that “cannot be completely contained within the walls of an organization”. Although they are rare, a few crises have the potential to destroy a whole organization. And, as recent experience has shown, a major crisis can exact a tremendous financial cost, potentially in the billons of dollars.

 

2.2.2 Before reading the text learn some new words and word-groups:

 

prone to – предрасположенный к чему-либо;

to anticipate – ожидать, предвидеть;

in place – на месте;

to require – требовать, нуждаться в чем либо;

to head off a crisis – препятствовать, преграждать путь кризису.

once – как только.

 

2.2.3 Text B. What Is Different about Today's World? Read the text and say why man-made crises escalated in the last twenty years

 

What is it about our modern information/industrial society that makes it more prone to crises? And, in particular, why have man-made crises escalated especially in the last twenty years? The vast majority of organizations and institutions have not been designed to anticipate crises or to manage them effectively once they have occurred. Neither the mechanisms nor the basic skills are in place for effective CM. Most fundamental of all, the managers and executives of most organizations and institutions still do not understand the "new management and thinking skills" required to head off crises. CM is broader than dealing with crises alone. It provides a unique and critical perspective on the new management skills and the new types of organizations that will be required in the twenty-first century.

 

2.2.4 Translate the following sentences into Russian paying attention to the meaning of the word “most”

 

- Most fundamental of all, the managers and executives of most organizations still do not understand the new management and thinking skills.

- Most oil companies have emergency plans that they test every year.

- Most likely the plan addresses the situations that pose the most dangerous threats.

- Most organizations only consider at most one or two categories of crises.

 

2.2.5 Give English equivalents of the following:

 

- в частности, в особенности;

- огромное большинство;

- иметь дело (только) с кризисами;

- обеспечить реальную перспективу;

- как только …

 

2.2.6 Comment on the use of Present Perfect forms in the text

 

Assignments to Text A

 

2.3.1 Which of the statements is incorrect?

 

- Three elements are common to most definitions of crisis.

- Only a few crises have the potential to destroy a whole organization.

- A major crisis can be completely contained within the walls of an organization.

- The word crisis comes from the Greek krisis.

 

2.3.2 Answer the following questions

 

1) How can a crisis be defined?

2) What are the three elements common to most definitions of crisis.

3) Why is it not possible to predict with complete certainty how, when or why a crisis will occur?

4) What is a major crisis?

5) What aspects of an organization does a major crisis affect?

 

 

2.3.3 Find in the text the sentences close in meaning to the following ones

 

-There are moments in a crisis when we have to decide very quickly what we must do.

-A crisis shows clearly what we are like as people or as a company, and how we behave in the crisis.

-If a serious crisis happens, it results in great losses of people.

-A serious crisis can demand a very great amount of money.

 

2.3.4 Give English equivalents for the following words or word-groups:

 

- полная уверенность;

- чаще всего;

- опыт последних лет;

- дать точное определение;

- угрожать работе организации;

- вся организация;

- одновременно;

- непременно, несомненно.

 

2.3.5 Make up sentences with the following word-groups based on the text. Be ready to use them while discussing the text:

 

- a test time;

- to decide a course of action;

- to harm an organization;

- a common element;

- an unpredictable event.

 

2.3.6 Match the words to their definitions. One item has been done for you

 

1) operation; 2) to flee; 3) major; 4) to predict; 5) simultaneously; 6) earnings; 7) to vary; 8) to harm.

a) the amount of money one is paid for the work he/she has done; b) to change or to be different; c) at exactly the same time; d) to injure or damage physically; e) an action or a way of doing sth; f) to run away from danger; g) more important or serious than others of the same type; h) to say that an event will happen in the future.

 

2.3.7 Translate the following sentences into English using the vocabulary of the text

 

- Кризис – это очень трудная и опасная ситуация. Кризисы часто непредсказуемы и требуют быстрых решений.

- Эта статья описывает несколько потенциальных кризисов, которые могут случиться в организациях.

- В условиях экономического кризиса многим коммерческим банкам угрожает банкротство.

- Наш регион имеет огромный потенциал для экономического развития.

- Кризис повлиял на работу всех отраслей промышленности.