Tell your partner the following news by retelling the text.

Unpleasant News

1. There was a telex for me from Mr. Fox in which he said he wouldn’t be able to attend our conference. It’s a great because he is the main speaker. we had to change the agenda. as for other speakers, they confirmed their participation and submitted their papers.

2. According to the latest information Macdonald’s Co has run bankrupt. It’s incredible! There were no signs of the coming bankruptcy. I don’t know all the details, but I’m expecting a call from the company. They promised to keep me in the know. as soon as I get some additional information, I’ll let you know immediately.(немедленно дам вам знать)

ACT OUT THESE SITUATIONS

1. You’ve come to the Ministry of Foreign Relations to see Mr. Belov and negotiate the purchase of an electric display system. You’d like to discuss the commercial side of the transaction and clarify the question of prices for some articles. Speak to Mr. Belov.

2. You’ve come to the Trade Delegation to discuss with Mr. Belov some business matters. Tell him you’d like to look through his catalogues. Also tell him that you are going to buy Lada-cars from him. Ask him whether they are producing this type of cars now. Give a high assessment to the cars, and say you’ve received a lot of orders from your customers.

3. You’ve come to the London Tool Company to see Mr. London and sign a contract form on the tools his company is producing. Tell him you’d like to make a big purchase and want to have a 2% (per cent) discount. Tell him his tools are of high quality, they meet modern requirements and in great demand on the world market. say you are interested in buying them.

4. Phone to Mr. Blake and Co office. Tell the Secretary you’d like to speak to Mr. Blake. say you’ve got an enquiry for chemical equipment and you’d like to have his latest catalogues. Speak about the date and the time of your next meeting to discuss some particulars of the deal.

5. You’ve come to the Bridges and Company Bank Office. address the secretary. Tell her you’d like to see Mr. Bridges. Say you have an appointment with Mr. Bridges today at 10.30. Tell her you gave a call yesterday and made the necessary arrangements.

6. You’ve come to see Mr. Bridges and talk to him on some urgent matter. ask the secretary whether you can see Mr. Bridges. ask for permission to wait for him there. Some lime later when Mr. Bridges appears, introduce yourself. Tell him you’ve come to establish business contacts with his company. say you are going to build a new plant but you are short of money, and want to have a credit (to make a loan), long term and low interest.

7. You’ve come to see Mr. Candel, President of plc (public limited company). Ask the secretary whether Mr. Candel is in and can receive you. Enter his office and greet him, saying that you are glad to see him. Tell him you’d like to discuss some particulars concerning your joint venture. You want to clarify some technical and financial matters.

8. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to take an interview from him. Ask him about his business schedule, the amount of time he usually spends in his office and at home; ask him about his working hours; what usually does at home; whether he is engaged in any asocial activities; if so, at the expense of what time he carries out his social activities.

9. You are professor of management. You are examining me, a student of the Royal Institute of Public Administration. Ask me questions about management, its aims, principles, stages, and stages of a decision-making process.

10. According to the official announcement on TV Parkers & Co has run bankrupt. Tell the news to Mr. Pickering, your superior. Express your regret. Say it is really surprising because not long ago the company seemed to be prospering. Tell Mr. Pickering you are expecting a call with all details and you’ll keep him in the know.

11. You see Mr. Dixon talking to his colleagues during a coffee break. Express your apologies and ask him whether he can spare you a few minutes. you want to have a word with him about the new project. Apologize and express your disagreement with the technical characteristics of the project presented to you. Besides that, say you have strong doubts as to the overall value of the project estimated at 5 million pounds.

12. You’ve come to Mr. Robertson’s office for a business meeting. Greet his secretary and report your arrival. Then enter Mr. Robertson’s office upon the secretary’s invitation. Introduce yourself (You are Senior Manager of the Russian-British joint venture Intercom). Say you’ve got a number of questions relating to the financial status of the enterprise.

13. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to ask him to help you with advertising. Ask him whether he can provide you with catalogues, leaflets and other advertising materials. ask him whether he can share the expenses on your publications (publicity expenses) in the journals.

14. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to discuss the problem of payment for the goods you are buying from his firm. At the same time you tell him that you’ve found a number of defects in the goods his firm is producing. Ask him to reconsider the amount of pay on the ground of your calculation taking into consideration the damages you suffer because of those defects.

15. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to discuss a draft of an agreement and the amount of transaction for the first year of sales; you are proposed the sum of 150.000 roubles/pounds. Tell him you can’t agree to his proposal, because, you are afraid, you won’t be able to realize this sum. Ask him to change the sum.

16. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to discuss the Buyers’ complaint about a delay in the delivery of goods which are urgent. Tell him you are entitled to claim compensation, and you’ll lose no time in putting the claim unless Mr. Johnson takes the necessary measures to improve the situation. Tell him that you expect him to reach a speedy solution of the matter.

17. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s office to discuss the price problem. Tell him you can’t sign a contract at the price offered because it’s too high. Besides, you like to buy a new model PC. Since you are going to make a big purchase you want to get at least 2% discount.

18. You’ve come to Mr. Johnson’s to bring up the matter of the guarantee period for the machines which you have bought from Johnson’s Co. Ask him since when the guarantee period begins and say that you would like the guarantee period to be longer, if it is possible.

 

 

TOPIc: MANAGER

Text I

The Manager: Role and Responsibilities

Managers are coordinators of economic activities in business organizations. Coordination of group efforts is an essential function in a company, and whoever acts as a coordinator is a manager.

Managers do not perform physical tasks which are necessary to produce and sell the gods and services that are the output of the company. All this is done by workers and employees. On the other hand, the latter would be unable to achieve the goal of the organization without the guiding hand of management.

There are literally thousands of decisions in a company about what is to be done, who is to do it and how it is to be done. It is managers who make these decisions and see that they are implemented.

The duties of a manager include: the determination of the best form of organization, development of a control system, budgeting and forecasting, marketing and sales policies, effective performance of the sales staff, development of improved methods for the planning and control of ordering, handling and sorting out of the materials and supplies, determination of wages and salaries, the establishment of incentives for good performance.

The work of managers is, by no means, confined to manufacturing industries. It is indispensable in offices, banks, mercantile establishment, ensurance agencies and other similar activities.

Speaking about personal qualities of a manager it should be noted that he/she needs energy, good judgement, a sense of reality and a sense of social responsibility. He/she must be persistent in getting at the root of a matter, quick in grasping things and in reaction, and operationally efficient.

A manager must be professionally well educated and be knowledgeable in the field of psychology, sociology, management, economics and modern type of business running policy.

Questions

1. Why are manager considered to be coordinators?

2. Do manger perform physical tasks which are necessary to produce and sell goods and services?

3. Can the organisation achieve its goal without the guiding hand of management?

4. What are the decisions which are made in any company about?

5. Who makes these decisions?

6. What do the duties of a manager include?

7. In what organisations is the work of managers indispensable?

8. What personal qualities should a manager possess (have)?

9. Must a manager be professionally well educated?

10. In what fields must a manager be knowledgeable?

 

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