Прочитайте диалоги и воспроизведите их в парах:

1. A: What position do you occupy in your firm, Mr. Black?

В: I've been the Head of the Personnel department since the foundation of the company.

A: That's a very responsible job, I must say. It's a well-known fact that the success of any company depends largely on its personnel and management.

В: You are absolutely right. It's a matter of great importance for us too as we are an advertizing company and pay much attention to public relations.

A: How do you choose suitable people?

В: As a rule we hire experienced and ambitious personnel with fluent English and good organizational and computer skills.

A: Do you sign individual agreements with your employees?

В: We do. The duties and responsibilities of each employee are defined in his agreement.

A: Is the activity of your Russian employees governed by Russian legislation?

В: On the whole it is but there are special arrangements with respect to their salaries and leaves.

_____________________

position должность, to occupy занимать, to pay attention to уделять внимание, public relations связь с общественностью, ambitious целеустремленный, computer skills навыки работы на компьютере, with respect to в отношении, legislation законодательство

 

2. On marketing

A: As far as I understand marketing is not a simple thing, is it?

B: You are right. We can speak of two meanings of marketing now: a traditional one, as a sales function, and a later one as "philosophy of business".

A: Moreover, the "philosophy of business" idea is developing too, isn't it?

B: It is. Before it meant mainly production and sales. Now it's a

marketing mix.

A: Ah, yes, the four “P”s – product, price, place and promotion. And all that comes into them.

B: Quite so. Study and research in many fields – before during and after production, market forecasts, active sales promotion efforts.

A: That means carrying out all kinds of studies and research.

B: And requires highly qualified staff, a lot of computers and a big budget.

A: Well, if you want profit you have to calculate it and work for it.

___________________________

meaning значение, sales function функция, обеспечивающая сбыт; marketing mix система маркетинговых мероприятий, study изучение, research исследование, sales promotion мероприятия по рекламе (продвижению) продукта, budget бюджет

 

5. Переведите текст с помощью словаря. Выделите основную идею текста:

 

THE TARGET MARKET

The marketing strategies of determining product, price, placement, and promotion are not planned in isolation. Marketing analysts often look at a combination of these four factors. This combination of the four P's is known as the marketing mix. The elements of the marketing mix focus on the consumer. In order to develop a successful marketing mix, researchers first ask two important questions: Who is going to buy the product? What is the potential to sell this product?

The group of customers or consumers who will probably buy the product is known as the target market. The company directs its marketing efforts toward this group of potential customers who form the target market. Once market researchers have determined the target market they wish to appeal to, the company can develop an appropriate mix of product, price, placement, and promotion.

The company attempts to match consumer needs or mold consumer desires to the product being offered. For example, if the target market is “middle-class teenagers”, the marketing mix might consist of the following:

Product: blue jeans

Price: with the market

Placement: department store

Promotion: advertisements on a “pop music radio station”

A successful marketing mix depends on the knowledge about consumers and their buying habits gained through market research as well as correct identification of the target market. Strategies of product, price, placement, and promotion are blended in order to reach a chosen group of consumers.

UNIT 19. BUSINESS ETHICS

 

Vocabulary

 

conduct – поведение application – применение face – сталкиваться issue – вопрос, проблема stem – возникать, происходить arise – возникать fairness – справедливость honesty – честность concern – вопрос, дело obey – выполнять, повиноваться refrain – воздерживаться deceive – обманывать misrepresent – представлять в ложном свете intimidate – запугивать coworker – сотрудник, коллега behaviour – поведение obligation – обязательство

mutual – общий, совместный occur – появляться payment – оплата influence – повлиять mislead – вводить в заблуждение exert pressure – оказывать давление boost – повышать expect – надеяться reliable – надежный, прочный treat – обращаться hire – нанимать respond – реагировать prosecute – преследовать в судебном порядке payoff – оплата bribe – взятка avoid – избегать stick – придерживаться

 

BUSINESS ETHICS

Ethics is the system of moral principles, rules of conduct and morality of choices that individuals make.

Business ethics is the application of moral standards to business situations. Business ethics has become a matter of public concern.

All business people face ethical issues daily, and they stem from a variety of sources. Although some types of issues arise infrequently, others occur regularly. Let's take a closer look at several ethical issues:

1. Fairness and Honesty. Fairness and honesty in business are two important ethical concerns. Besides obeying all laws and regulations, business people should refrain from deceiving, misrepresenting or intimidating others.

2. Organizational Relationships. Relationships with customers and

coworkers often create ethical problems – since confidential information should be secret and all obligations should be honoured. Unethical behaviour in these areas includes not meeting one's obligations in a mutual agreement, and pressuring others to behave unethically.

3. Conflict of Interest. Conflict of interest results, when a business person takes advantage of a situation for his or her own personal interest rather than for the employer's or organization's interest. Such conflict may occur when payments and gifts make their way into business deals. A wise rule to remember is that anything given to a person that might unfairly influence that person's business decision is a bribe, and all bribes are unethical.

4. Communications. Business communications, especially advertising, can present ethical questions. False and misleading advertising is illegal and unethical, and it can infuriate customers. Sponsors of advertisement aimed at children must be especially careful to avoid misleading messages.

5. Relationships. Business ethics involves relationships between a firm and its investors, customers, employees, creditors, and competitors. Each group has specific concerns, and each exerts some type of pressure on management.

Investors want management to make financial decisions that will boost sales, profits, and returns on their investments.

Customers expect a firm's products to be safe, reliable, and reasonably priced.

Employees want to be treated fairly in hiring, promotion, and compensation.

Creditors require bills to be paid in time and the accounting information furnished by the firm to be accurate.

Competitors expect the firm's marketing activities to portray its products truthfully.

6. Business ethics. Although there are exceptions, it is relatively easy for management to respond in an ethical manner when business is good and profit is high. Expanding international trade has also led to an ethical dilemma for many firms operating in countries where bribes and payoffs are an accepted part of business. In the U.S. government agencies have prosecuted several companies for "illegal payoffs".

7. Ethics. When no company policy exists, a quick check if behaviour is ethical is to see if others – coworkers, customers, suppliers, and the like – approve of it. Openness will often create trust and help build solid business relationships.

8. Ethics and Etiquette. There is some difference between business ethics and etiquette. Etiquette means rules for formal relations or polite social behaviour among people in a society or a profession.

If you are a manager you should stick to the following rules in your everyday activities.

Don't order, ask and be polite.

Remember that people work with you, not for you. They like to be treated as associates, not slaves.

Keep your promises, both important and less important promises.

Criticize, if you must, only in private – and do it objectively. Never criticize anyone in public or in anger.

You should say "Good morning" when you come in and "Please" and "Thank you" at every opportunity.

 

1. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту:

1. What is ethics?

2. Give the definition of business ethics.

3. What are two important ethical concerns?

4. What does unethical behavior in relationships with customers and coworkers include?

5. Do you think it is ethical to give bribes, gifts and payments that might unfairly influence other person's business decisions?

6. What can you say about false and misleading advertising?

7. What do employees want in their relationships with management?

8. When is it easier for management to respond in an ethical manner – when business is good and profit is high or when profit is declining?

9. Why is effective prosecution of “illegal payoffs” difficult in international trade?  

10. State three general sets of factors that influence the ethics of decision making.

11. State the difference between ethics and etiquette. 

12. Should a manager stick to certain rules of etiquette in his everyday activities? 

13. Which rules are the most important to your opinion?