Gazdasági szaknyelv I. 2012/2013-es tanév 1. félév

LGB_IT 030_1, tantárgykód

• Tanár: Vargáné Dr. Kiss Katalin • A kurzus célja: Az I. nyelv szaknyelvi előkészítő kurzusra épül. A gazdasági szaknyelv

témaköreinek elmélyítése, szóképzés és szókapcsolatok ismerete • Kötelező irodalom:

- Az oktató által az órán kiosztott fénymásolat valamint elektronikusan letölthető tansegédlet

• Ajánlott irodalom: Gazdasági nyelvvizsga-felkészítő sorozat alábbi kötetei - Homolya-Thiessen (2008): Topic by Topic. Budapest: Aula Kiadó - Hartai (2008): Be a good listener. Budapest: Aula Kiadó - Torkos, R. (2008): BizTerms. Budapest: Aula Kiadó. - Folyóiratok: The Budapest Sun, The Budapest Times, Newsweek - Internet: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ , http://edition.cnn.com/ ,

http://www.ft.com/home/europe

• Értékelés: 5 fokozatú érdemjegy • A kurzus teljesítésének feltétele:

1. Beadandó házi feladat: 2 oldalban egy vállalat profiljának, felépítésének, termékeinek és marketing stratégiájának a bemutatása. Benyújtási határidő: 2012. dec. 8. kathykis@sze.hu címre

2. Szóbeli vizsga az alábbi témakörökből: � A piac: jellemzők és szereplők � Vállalkozások fajtái és jellemzői, vállalatok: felépítése és menedzsment � Munkaerőpiac: toborzás � Munkaerőpiac: vállalati karcsúsítás, munkanélküliség � Marketing: Termékek jellemzői, marketing alapfogalmak � Marketing: Promóciós eszközök, reklámok, SWOT elemzés � Telekommunikáció: Az Internet és az elektronikus kereskedelem � Az elektronikus tansegédlet végén található szóképzéssel kapcsolatos

mondatsorozatból (megoldókulcs mellékelve) 15 mondatba történő behelyettesítés

UNIT 1: COMPANY STRUCTURE VOCABULARY The definition of structure:

the way an organisation, a system, a market is organised or put together (Longman Business English Dictionary)

DESCRIPTIONS OF COMPANY STRUCTURES

Company structure means the way a company is organised internally. It refers to relationships, responsibilities and authorities. The organisation chart – a table showing a company’s structure graphically contains a chain of command : who reports to whom, who is responsible for what. The company structure depends on the type of business activity, size, strategies, policies and the value of the people in the positions of power in the organisation.

In business there are different organisation forms depending on size, the number of owners, invested capital and liability. • Sole trader: One person sets up and runs the company. The person provides all the capital and has unlimited liability for business debts, even if this means selling personal assets.

• Partnership: A group of people provide the capital, set up the company and manage it together. There are two types of partnership:

a. Partners in an unlimited partnership are like sole traders – if the business fails, they are fully liable for the debts, and may even have to sell personal assets. b. In a limited partnership there can be sleeping partners who do not participate in the management of the company. They have unlimited liability – in the event of bankruptcy, they only lose their investment, not their personal assets.

• Limited company In a limited company (AmE corporation), the capital is divided into shares, which are held by shareholders. Shareholders have limited liability, but they can vote at the Annual General Meeting to elect the Board of Directors. There are two types of limited company:

a. In a private limited company , all shareholders must agree before any shares can be bought or sold. b. In a public limited company , shares are bought and sold freely, for example on the stock exchange.

Answer the questions. 1. What are most people’s personal assets? 2. How can a sole trader get the capital to set up a business? 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a sleeping partner? 4. What is the difference between a sleeping partner and a shareholder? 5. What are the advantages of a public limited company?

ORGANISATION CHART

Study the pattern sentences and describe the compan y chart below. • At the head is the President , or CEO. • Below the President is the Managing Director , who has overall responsibility for the

day-to-day running of the company. • The company is divided into different departments , each with its own director. The

Marketing and Sales department consists of the sales team and customer services. The Administration department also includes Personnel.

• We employ more than 2000 people worldwide. • The marketing department is made up of three units. • The Managing Director is assisted by the department heads.

COMPANY DEPARTMENTS

Many big firms have lots of different sections and it can be helpful to know which part of the company does what. Look at the following compan y departments. Which department does which job?

HUMAN

RESOURCES PRODUCTION MARKETING FINANCE

Training Production Marketing Purchasing

Personnel Packaging Sales Accounts

Payroll Distribution Customer

Service

Fin.

Services

Quality Advertising

Maintenance

Board of Directors

CEO

Production Marketing Finance R&D HR

Market Research

Sales Advertising

Northern Region

Southern Region

Financial Managemen

t

Accounting

Which department

• Puts the product into boxes? • Pays wages and salaries? • Plans how to promote products? • Looks after the equipment? • Deals with complaints? • Manufactures the products? • Sends invoices to customers? • Arranges credit facilities? • Sends products to the customer? • Buys media space? • Recruits new staff?

Form ten business expressions from the words in the box. Use some words more than once.

Annual company exchange meeting private stock

Assets unlimited general trader public board

debts liability partner sleeping of

Business directors limited personal sole

DISCUSSION

Which of the words below can describe: 1. good qualities of an organisation 2. bad qualities of an organisation

professional impersonal cold caring disciplined

democratic decentralised paternal hierarchical welcoming

centralised slow-to-respond flat market-driven bureaucratic

TALKING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY

It's often necessary to present your company to vis itors, potential investors or partners, or new suppliers and clients. Here is som e useful vocabulary that will help you talk clearly, concisely and positively about wh at your company does. Study the expressions and do the task below.

GIVING THE HISTORY OF YOUR COMPANY • We were founded / set up / established in 1981. • We merged with X company in 1990. • We set up a subsidiary in the UK. • The subsidiary was sold off two years after and the remaining company was split into

five different divisions . • We floated on the stock exchange last year, and we are now listed on the London

Stock Exchange. TALKING ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• We make / produce packaging material. • We manufacture car engines. • We supply paper products.

• We launched a new washing powder last month. It has revolutionised the washing process. We have pioneered new ways of getting your clothes cleaner.

• We are researching new products for the home entertainment industry. We hope to roll them out early next year.

• We are developing new software for the internet. Our R&D department is working closely with our international partners.

COMPANY PERFORMANCE

• We are the market leaders in three countries. • We have expanded our operations. • Our company has grown by one-third. • We make annual profits of $1 million. • Our turnover is in excess of $2 million.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• I report to the Marketing Manager. • I deal with customer enquiries. • We work closely with the sales team, who are in charge of customer accounts. • We co-operate with our offices worldwide. • We have more than one branch in some countries. • We are responsible for our own markets. • The department heads are accountable to the Managing Director. • The HR Manager is involved in recruiting workforce.

(http://www.theenglishweb.com/articles/talking-about-your-company.php)

TASK

1. Writing

Write a company you know.

2. Talking

Describe the profile of two manufacturing companies and compare their organisation charts.

UNIT 2: DESCRIBING TRENDS PRESENTATION SKILLS

Graphs and charts, like those shown below, are ofte n used to present information and

data.

pie chart bar chart line graph

• A pie chart is a circle divided into segments. It is usually used to show percentages. • A bar chart is used to show how different sets of information compare. A bar chart is divided

into columns . • A graph is a diagram, usually a line or curve, which shows how two or more sets of numbers

or measurements are related. The names of the axes on a graph are the vertical axis and the horizontal axis. The vertical axis is sometimes called the y axis, and the horizontal axis is sometimes called the x axis. The types of lines used to present information on a graph: solid line___, dotted line …., broken line - - -

• A table is a set of facts and figures arranged in columns and rows.

When describing movements on a graph, we can use ve rbs to talk about upward, downward or horizontal movements.

Comment on what kind of movements verbs describe .

decline gain drop increase rocket plummet

double fall halve level off triple recover

decrease fluctuate improve peak rise Decide which picture should go into the box under e ach list of verbs.

decli ne decrease drop fall slide

climb rise increase

soar rocket climb rise increase

crash collapse plummet plunge

flatten out hold steady level off stabilise

bounce back rally recover

fluctuate

Describing degree of change: slight(ly) => substantial(ly; considerable, considerably; signifi cant(ly) => sharp(ly), dramatical(ly)

Choose the most appropriate option to complete each statement, which describes the tables, charts and graphs.

1. Car production shows a slight decline

a dramatic increase a slight increase

a dramatic decline

2. Production reached a peak and then fell down rapidly.

slumped and then reached a peak. reached a peak and then fell rapidly.

reached a peak rapidly and then fell.

3. Costs of production held steady and then rose substantially.

rose substantially and then held steady. rose steadily and then stabilised.

held substantially and then stabilised.

Coffee sales have increased dramatically.

decreased slightly. increased slightly.

decreased dramatically.

(From: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/languages/resource/english/graphs/tren.htm)

UNIT 3: MANAGEMENT

LEAD-IN What do you think makes a good manager? Which four of the following qualities do you think are the most important?

• being decisive • being efficient • being friendly • being able to communicate with people • being able to motivate and inspire and lead people • being authoritative • being competent • being persuasive • having good ideas

VOCABULARY

The following nouns describe an ideal manager's abi lities. Can you change them into adjectives?

talent enthusiasm energy ambition

drive flexibility commitment motivation

Which adjectives below describe the positive and ne gative aspects of someone’s character?

decisive charismatic impulsive balanced energetic ruthless

passionate straight careful motivating flexible informal

accessible uncaring lunatic moderate aggressive thoughtful

Answer the following questions. • What makes a great leader? Write down a list of characteristics. • Are there differences between men and women as leaders? • What makes a bad boss? • What is the difference between a manager and a leader? •

Complete the following sentences about managers’ ta sks with these words.

achieved board of directors communicate innovations manageable

performance resources setting supervise

1. Managers have to decide how to be best allocate the human, physical and capital … available to them.

2. Managers – logically – have to make sure that the job and tasks given to their subordinates are ….

3. There is no point in … objectives if you don’t … them to your staff. 4. Managers have to … their subordinates, and to measure, and try to improve, their …. 5. Managers have to check whether objectives and targets are being …. 6. A top manager whose performance is unsatisfactory can be dismissed by the company’s

…. 7. Top managers are responsible for the …that will allow a company to adapt to the changing

world.

Match up the verbs and the nouns to form word partn erships.

1. allocate a. decisions 2. communicate b. information 3. develop c. jobs 4. make d. objectives 5. measure e. people 6. motivate f. performance 7. perform g. resources 8. set h. strategies 9. supervise i. subordinates

Which of the following factors do you consider can be used best for motivating workforce?

good labour relations job security good working conditions adequate wage or salary and benefits challenging, interesting and creative job

responsibility contact with people opportunities to travel holidays

UNIT 4: APPLYING FOR A JOB

VOCABULARY

Assessment Evaluation of one's abilities Apply Submit an application for a job or position

Background Education - qualifications - experience

Bonus Additional payment to an employee as an incentive or reward

Curriculum Vitae Summary of one's education and experience to date; résumé

Dismiss Discharge from employment; (to fire, to sack, to let go)

Employee Person who works for a firm or company Employer Person or firm who employs people Fire To dismiss from a job.

Fringe benefits Advantages offered in addition to salary (life insurance, retirement scheme, company car, etc.). Also called "perks".

Interview Oral examination of an applicant for employment

Make redundant Dismiss for economic reasons

Maternity leave Period of absence for a female employee when having a baby

Notice Advance warning of intention to leave one's job - to give or hand in one's resignation

Personnel People who work for a firm or company (employees)

Personnel officer Manager responsible for recruitment, training and welfare of personnel (employees)

Promotion Advancement in rank or position in the company

Prospects Opportunities for success or promotion in a career

Recruit Look for and hire personnel Resign Leave a job voluntarily Retire Leave employment because of age

Sick leave Absence because of illness - to be on sick leave

Staff People who work for a firm or department; employees

Strength Strong characteristic or particular ability

Strike To go on strike: to stop working in protest against something

Take on Employ or hire

Trainee Person being trained for a job e.g. a trainee salesman

Training course A course of study to prepare for a job e.g. a computer course

Unemployment benefits

Payments made by the state to an unemployed person

Vacancy A position to be filled Weakness A lack of ability or a shortcoming in character

http://www.learn-english-today.com/business-english /employment-vocabulary.html Which benefits do you think would be most attractiv e to someone who has just finished their studies and is looking for their first job? C hoose from the list below and rank them according the order of importance.

responsibility a competitive salary business trips

a permanent contract rapid promotion challenging tasks

bonus scheme in-house trainings READING

Read the recruitment brochure and fill in the missi ng words from the box ability certificate course degree development experience

hands-on knowledge qualifications skills trainee training

1. Our school-leaver trainee programme aims to teach key … such as word processing and bookkeeping.

2. Although he lacks formal … such as a university degree, he came through the ranks due to his … to take on new ideas and to manage people. Now he’s one of our best managers.

3. The degree … you study at university is likely to decide the sort of job you do afterwards. However, whatever you study, it’s always useful to have a university ….

4. At the end of the four-week training course, you will receive a … . The course aims to give you a thorough … of the company’s activities and the skills to do your job competently. However, there are a lot of things which you can only learn with …, and this takes a lot of time.

5. He has excellent qualifications, and with our policy of professional … and on-the-job training, he will also certainly become one of our high fliers. In fact, next week he’s going on management … course.

6. As a … computer technician, his training course is much more … than theoretical.

(from Brook-Hart G. (2006): Business Benchmark. Cambridge: CUP. p.10-11)

DESCRIBING CANDIDATES ’ ABILITY

A Human Resources Manager has drawn up a shortlist of applicants he feels would be suitable for a vacancy in his company. Look at the descriptions of the candidates he plans to invite for interview.

• Hamed has a can-do attitude and is able to meet deadlines • Tomoko is a self-starter who can work on her own initiative • Ivan is able to multi-task and has a proven track record • Li is an effective team player with a customer-focused approach • Cristina is numerate and computer literate

Explain the following phrases. • to have a can-do attitude • to be a self-starter • to multi-task • to have a proven track record • to be numerate

Find the word or phrase described by the definition s. • to be good at figures • to co-operate with colleagues • to work on one’s own • to finish a job on time • to be computer literate • to have a good rapport with clients • to have a history of success • to have a positive approach • to have IT skills • to cope with several jobs at the same time THE SELECTION PROCESS

When a firm wants to fill a vacancy, it will go thr ough certain procedures to find a suitable employee. This is called a 'selection proc ess'. This text describes a typical selection process, but in the wrong order! Put the sentences into their correct places so that the paragraph makes sense.

1. Next, appointment are arranged 2. and applications are received 3. The candidates on the list are interviewed again, 4. and suitable candidates are invited for interview. 5. A job offer is made to the successful candidate, 6. and applicants are interviewed. 7. and one of them is selected. 8. These are sorted 9. After that, a final short-list is drawn up, 10. Firstly, a vacancy is advertised 11. and finally, an employment contract is signed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page4.shtml

Match the verbs with their noun partners.

to arrange a candidate

to sign applicants

to draw up a short list

to select a contract

to interview appointments

UNIT 5: MARKETING

‘The most distinctive skill of professional marketers is their ability to create, maintain, protect and enhance brands.’ P. Kotler

LEAD-IN

List some of your favourite brands. Then answer the se questions. • Are they national or international brands? • What image and qualities does each one have? • Do the products have anything in common? • How loyal are you to the brands you have chosen? • If you don’t buy branded goods, explain why.

What are the advantages of branded goods for manufa cturers and consumers? According to a recent survey the following brands b elong to the world’s top ten. Which do you think is number one? Rank the others in orde r.

Marlboro Ford General Electric IBM Microsoft Coca- Cola

Look at the word partnerships with the word brand and write sentences with them. luxury brand, classic brand, brand awareness, brand image, brand stretching, brand loyalty, brand leader, brand manager (From Cotton D. – Falvey D. – Kent S. (2005): Market Leader Intermediate Business English.

Longman. p.14-15)

VOCABULARY

Marketing – Sales

After-sales service Service that continues after the sale of a product (maintenance, etc.).

Agent Person or company that acts for another and provides a specified service.

B2B e-commerce Business to business e-commerce: use of commercial networks, online product catalogues and other online resources to obtain better prices and reach new customers.

B2C e-commerce Business to consumer e-commerce: online sale of goods and services directly to consumers.

Benchmarking Comparing one's products to those of competitors in order to improve quality and performance.

Buyer 1) Any person who makes a purchase. 2) A person employed to choose and buy stock for a company.

Cash refund offer Offer to pay back part of the purchase price of a product to customers who send a "proof of purchase" to the manufacturer.

Chain store Two or more shops or outlets that have the same owner and sell similar lines of merchandise.

Client A person who buys services or advice from a lawyer, an accountant or other professional.

Close Finalise a deal or sale.

Convenience store Small shop located near a residential area that opens long hours, seven days a week.

Customer A person who buys something from a shop or business.

Coupon Certificate that gives customers a saving when they purchase a specific product.

Deal A business transaction.

Department store A large shop or store that carries a wide variety of product lines.

Direct investment Entering a foreign market by setting up assembly or manufacturing facilities in that country.

Discount A reduction in price.

E-commerce Buying and selling by electronic means, primarily on the Internet.

E-marketing Promotion of products and services over the Internet.

Extranet A network that connects a company with its suppliers and distributors.

Follow-up To maintain contact after the sale to ensure customer satisfaction.

Franchise

Association between a manufacturer or wholesaler (franchiser) and an independent business person (franchisee) who buys the right to own and operate a unit in the franchise system.

Guarantee A promise that a product will be repaired or replaced if faulty.

Intranet A network that connects people within a company to each other.

Joint Venture A way of entering a foreign market by joining with a foreign company to manufacture or market a product or service.

Market leader The company with the largest market share in an industry.

Mark up The percentage of the price of a product added to cost to reach a selling price.

Opinion leader Person within a reference who, because of competence, knowledge, or other characteristics, exerts influence on others.

Packaging Designing and producing the container or wrapper for a product.

Product Anything that can be offered on the market, usually for sale.

Product line A group of products that are closely related. Prospect A potential customer.

Representative A sales representative is a person who represents and sells for a company.

Retail To sell in small quantities, as in a shop, directly to the consumers.

Shopping centre Group of shops or retail businesses developed and managed as a unit.

Telephone marketing Using the telephone to sell directly to customers.

Trade fair An exhibition at which companies in a specific industry

can show or demonstrate their products

Viral marketing The Internet version of word-of-mouth marketing - email messages that customers pass on to friends.

Wholesale To sell goods and services to those buying for resale (e.g. a shop) or for business use.

(http://www.learn-english-today.com/business-english/marketing-sales-vocabulary.html)

VOCABULARY

Advertising

Advertisement Item of publicity to promote a product or service in newspapers, magazines, on TV etc.

Advertising agency

Marketing services firm that assists companies in planning advertisements

AIDA Attention, Interest, Desire, Action - the aim of all advertising

Benefit Advantage of a product or service

Billboard Signboard for advertising posters

Broadsheet Newspaper printed in a large format.

Campaign Organized course or plan of action

Circulation Average number of copies of newspapers or magazines sold over a period of time

Classified ads Small advertisements in newspapers or magazines, divided into categories.

Commercial Advertisement on radio or TV

Coupon Part of a printed advertisement to be used to order goods or samples

Direct mail Advertisement sent by post to prospective customers Doub le-page spread

Advertisement printed across two pages in a newspaper or magazine

Editing Reviewing or rewriting in order to make suitable for publication.

Eye-catcher Something that particularly attracts one's attention

Features Special characteristics of a product Generic advertising

Advertising for a whole sector, such as tourism, rather than a specific product

Hoarding Wooden structure, or signboard, used to carry advertisements

Hype Excessive or intensive publicity; exaggerated claims made in advertising.

Jingle Catchy tune, with a short simple rhyme, used to promote a product.

Key words Informative words chosen to indicate the content of a document

Launch To start an action in order to introduce something (e.g. a new product)

Mailshot Piece of advertising material sent to potential customers by post

Mass media The main means of mass communication (newspapers,

TV & radio)

Plug Favourable publicity in the media for a commercial product (e.g. a book)

Poster Large sheet of paper used in advertising

Prime time Hours on radio & TV with the largest audience, usually the evening

Promote Use advertising and publicity to try to increase sales of a product

Roadside signs Large panels along roads and motorways used for outdoor advertising.

Slogan Phrase used to advertise a product, or to identify a company or organization.

Slot Specific time in a broadcasting schedule allotted for a commercial

Sound bite Short extract from a recorded interview or speech.

Spam Unsolicited advertising sent through the internet as an email message

Spot Position of a commercial in a radio programme or TV schedule.

Tabloid Newspaper printed in small format, usually with a lot of photographs.

Target Objective; what is aimed at

U.S.P. Unique Selling Proposition; a declaration of what makes a product different

Write copy Write a text to be printed or spoken in an advertisement or a commercial.

(http://www.learn-english-today.com/business-english/advertising-vocabulary.html)

ROLE-PLAY

You work on the creative team in the marketing depa rtment of a large multinational company. The company has decided that it is time to launch a shampoo which has been very successful in the United States and Canada. Th e target customers for this shampoo, called Provocation in the US and Canada ar e young women aged 12-25. Your job is to prepare a promotional campaign for t he launch. You should

• brainstorm ideas for possible promotional activities • evaluate the ideas and decide which ones you want to use • produce a plan of action • compare your plans with other creative teams

Unit 6: SWOT analysis – Case studies

CASE STUDY: THE BENSON GROUP

BACKGROUND Benson Inc., the department store group built its first store in 1952. It now owns ten stores in the southern region of the United States, and two in Ontario, Canada. All the stores are on prime sites in the high streets of major cities. The group head office is in Petersville. PROBLEMS Recently, Benson’s performance has been extremely disappointing. Two years ago, pre-tax profits had fallen to just $225m. This year, profits are expected to be down yet again. Sales per employee are also much lower than the industry’s average. • Competition Fortunately for Benson, it still has a number of loyal customers who would not think of shopping elsewhere. However, the Group is facing a fierce competition from Hi-Mark and up-and-coming Levinson Brothers. Hi-Mark is well-established, with a clearly defined up-market image. It has a reputation for selling good quality merchandise but at high prices. Levinson Brothers set up its first store seven years ago, since then it has expanded fast. It has now eight stores located in big cities. Levinson Brother’s target consumer is the 16-25 wage-earner. Nevertheless, it attracts to its stores people of all ages and from all income groups. • Aggressive marketing campaign on behalf of Levinson Brothers Levinson Brother’s marketing is more aggressive and effective than that of its two main competitors. It often cuts prices, and even offers goods at give-away prices to get people into its stores. It advertises heavily in local newspapers, and on local television. Its special promotions are often accompanied by a great deal of razzmatazz. Its share price stands a $12 – its highest rating this year. Even so, the share is still probably a good buy for investors. • Bad business strategy In order to compete more effectively, Benson changed its business strategy about eighteen months ago. It began to rent space to outside firms on a concessionary basis. Almost 20% of its stores’ space was rented to selected companies from outside the organisation. Unfortunately, this strategy has not been too successful. Several firms renting space complain that their sales have been poor.

• Bad facelift of shops Benson’s stores were redecorated some months ago. This facelift has met with mixed reactions from its customers. The customers complain that departments are not grouped together in a logical manner. As a result, shoppers get tired of looking for the goods they want. • Investors do not trust the firm any more At present, it looks very much as if Benson has lost its dynamism and sense of purpose. Investors holding shares in the group might be well advised to sell. • The lack of clear image One-of Benson’s biggest problems is that it lacks a clear image. Although some well-off customers have stuck to Benson through thick and thin, many others have moved on and now shop at High-Mark. These customers seem to prefer Hi-Mark’s tasteful decor and high-priced, exclusive goods. • The products sold do not appeal to younger buyers. Younger buyers prefer the self-service, down-market approach of Levinson Brothers – Benson’s other main rival. Both Hi-Mark and Levinson Brothers are profitable organisations. • Profitable competitors High Mark’s strategy is, essentially, to maintain good profit margins on all its merchandise. Levinson Brothers, on the other hand, aim for high volume and lower margins. • Rising costs Rising costs have been the main cause of Benson’s low profits. Stock levels tend to be high, but very often goods are not available when required by customers. At present they are kept in warehouses at each store. • Service in the stores has turned bad It is believed that staff turnover and absenteeism are too high. BENSON’S FUTURE Unless Benson’s management takes action soon to revive the group’s fortunes, it would seem that the outlook for the organisation is bleak.

Task

• You are members of Benson’s marketing team. Hold an informal meeting to discuss its

problems. Make a SWOT analysis and decide what actions are necessary to keep

pace with competition and return the profitability of the group.

• Write a memo for the attention of Benson’s Managing Director, Charles Brown.

Summarise what action you agreed to take at the meeting to solve Benson’s problems.

Explain your reasons.

SWOT ANALYSIS TEMPLATE Situation being analysed: _________________________________________________________________ Criteria examples Advantages of proposition? Capabilities? Competitive advantages? USP's (unique selling points)? Resources, Assets, People? Experience, knowledge, data? Financial reserves, likely returns? Marketing - reach, distribution, awareness? Innovative aspects? Location and geographical? Price, value, quality? Accreditations, qualifications, certifications? Processes, systems, IT, communications? Cultural, attitudinal, behavioural? Management cover, succession? Philosophy and values?

Strengths Weaknesses Criteria examples Disadvantages of proposition? Gaps in capabilities? Lack of competitive strength? Reputation, presence and reach? Financials? Own known vulnerabilities? Timescales, deadlines and pressures? Cashflow, start-up cash-drain? Continuity, supply chain robustness? Effects on core activities, distraction? Reliability of data, plan predictability? Morale, commitment, leadership? Accreditations, etc? Processes and systems, etc? Management cover, succession?

Criteria examples Market developments? Competitors' vulnerabilities? Industry or lifestyle trends? Technology development and innovation? Global influences? New markets, vertical, horizontal? Niche target markets? Geographical, export, import? New USP's? Tactics: eg, surprise, major contracts? Business and product development? Information and research? Partnerships, agencies, distribution? Volumes, production, economies? Seasonal, weather, fashion influences?

Opportunities Threats Criteria examples Political effects? Legislative effects? Environmental effects? IT developments? Competitor intentions - various? Market demand? New technologies, services, ideas? Vital contracts and partners? Sustaining internal capabilities? Obstacles faced? Insurmountable weaknesses? Loss of key staff? Sustainable financial backing? Economy - home, abroad? Seasonality, weather effects?

© Alan Chapman 2005-09. Free PDF version of this tool and information about SWOT analysis methods

are available at www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm.

UNIT 7: TELECOMMUNICATIONS VOCABULARY

Computers

Adware A software application which displays unwanted pop-up advertisements on your computer while in use. Adware is often installed on your computer at the same time as free software or shareware.

Application An application is any program designed to perform a specific function directly for the user. Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook or Adobe Photoshop are examples of application programs.

Browser A program or tool such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla that enables you to browse or surf the World Wide Web and view internet sites.

Bug A defect or fault in a computer program that prevents it from working correctly. Bugs are caused by mistakes or errors made by the people who write the programme.

Cache A sort of fast memory used for temporary storage of recently accessed web pages, which enables the browser to display them more quickly on the next visit.

Cookies

A cookie is a small piece of information on the times and dates you have visited web sites. A web server can temporarily store this information within your browser. The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and possibly prepare customized web pages for them.

Crash A crash, in computing, is what happens when a program, or the entire operation system, unexpectedly stops working.

Cursor A blinking symbol on the screen that shows where any new text will next be entered.

Driver A special program which enables a computer to work with a particular piece of hardware such as a printer.

E-business Business done over the internet or any internet-based network.

E-mail Electronic mail: messages sent from one computer to another over the Internet.

FAQ Frequently asked questions

Firewall Specialized hardware or software designed to prevent unrestricted or unauthorized access into or out of a computer or network.

Font A particular kind of lettering (for example: Arial, Bookman, Times New Roman).

Hardware The physical equipment or touchable parts of a computer system, the CPU (central processing unit), the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse, the external speakers, the scanner, the printer, etc,

Hit A visit to a website.

Home page The main page or opening page that appears when you visit a web site. It usually contains links to the other pages.

Login Process by which a user enters a name and password to access a computer.

Modem A device that enables a computer to send and receive information over a telephone line. You need a modem to connect to the Internet, to send email and to fax.

Netiquette Network etiquette: a set of informal rules defining proper behaviour on the Internet

Portal

A website that acts as a gateway or entry point to the internet (for example, Yahoo). Typically, a portal offers a search engine and links to other sites grouped into categories, as well as news or other services.

Program A sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute in order to do a particular job. Programs are collectively referred to as "software".

Provider Company that provides access to the Internet.

Scanner A piece of hardware, or peripheral device, used to scan a document and create a digital copy.

Spam Unwanted, irrelevant or inappropriate e-mail messages, especially commercial advertising. Also referred to as "junk e-mail".

Spyware Software that collects information, without your knowledge, about your web-surfing habits and uses it for marketing purposes. Very often contained in free downloads r shareware programs.

Trojan

A Trojan is a computer program that is hidden in a useful software application and actually used to gain access to your computer. It then performs malicious actions such as displaying messages or erasing files. Trojans may be found in a hacked legitimate program or in free software.

Videoconference

Interactive, audiovisual meeting between two or more people in different geographic locations using two-way video technology.

Virus

A virus is a malicious self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable code or documents, and whose sole intent is to cause problems on a computer. It acts in a way similar to a biological virus, and the infected file is called a host.

WYSIWYG What you see is what you get. (pronounced 'wizzy-wig'). A WYSIWYG application enables you to see on the screen exactly what will appear when the document is printed.

WWW World Wide Web: A hypertext information system consisting of a network of web pages which runs on the Internet and can be accessed with a browser.

Worm

A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. It infects additional computers (typically by making use of network connections), often clogging networks and information systems as it spreads.

Zip To zip a file is to compress it so that it occupies less space in storage and can be transferred quickly over the Internet.

(http://www.learn-english-today.com/vocabulary/computer_vocab.htm)

Using the Internet

Discuss the following in small groups. • Which are your favourite websites? • Why and how often do you visit them? • Which of these are the most important characteristics of a good website?

A. good graphics B. easy navigation C. interesting information D. fun to visit E. useful links F. helpful with your work or studies G. other

Match the words with the definitions .

1. to click A. connected to the internet 2. user-friendly B. easy to operate 3. to download C. to press the mouse button 4. cyberspace D. to search the internet 5. to browse E. the imaginary place where

Internet data exist 6. search engine F. to transfer information from the

Internet to a computer 7. portal G. website which helps you to

find other websites 8. online H. first/front page of a website 9. webpage I. website which provides

information and links to other websites

Complete the sentences with one of the words or phr ases from the box.

banner ad link pop-up box scroll bar status bar task bar URL A. If you want to go to another part of a website or to a different website, you can click on a …

on this web page. B. To get to the website you want, you need to type in the … C. There are all sorts of useful icons on the …, such as favourites and history D. Look at the …to see whether you have downloaded all the elements of a website. E. You can click on the … if you want to move a web page up or down. F. Sometimes if you click on a link, another part of a website will appear in a ….

DISCUSSION

Which of these is important when buying over the In ternet? Put them in order of importance.

• Good description of product or service • The product or service is not available in shops • The product or service is cheaper or easier to buy on the internet • Quick delivery • Secure method of payment • Other

(From Brook-Hart G. (2006): Business Benchmark. Cambridge: CUP. p. 86-87)

WORD FORMATION Word formation – 1 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters. In some cases you will have to make a negative form by using the prefix in- or un-. 1. ACCEPT I’m sorry, but this arrangement is totally ……………… to us. I’ve just received their letter of …………………….. so we can go ahead. 2. ACT The unions have threatened to take industrial …………………. . It’s been a very ……………. day on the Stock Exchange. The R&D department seems full of ……………….. at the moment. 3. ADD We’ll be bringing out several …………… to our product line. There’s an ……………. bonus if I exceed my sales target by more than 10 %. 4. ANALYSE We’ll need a detailed cost ……………. before giving final approval. Most …………… think we’re in for a difficult time. 5. APPLY Unfortunately we can’t interview every …………… . I sent in my letter of ………….. and they phoned me the next day. The regulations are not ………………… when there are fewer than 10 employees. 6. ASSIST We’ll need some financial …………….. to enable us to buy more stock. He was in a meeting so I spoke to the ……………. manager. 7. ATTRACT One of the …………….. of the offer is the free training course. They were offering a very ……………. salary so of course I was interested. 8. COMMERCE There are so many …………….. vehicles on the road these days! I’m afraid the scheme is not ………………. viable. The resort has become so ………….. that we’re going somewhere else. As well as newspaper advertising, we plan a series of TV ……………… . 9. CONNECT My ……………. flight didn’t leave until 10 o’clock. We sent them a letter in ……………. with their offer of an agency. She has some useful …………… in the hotel trade.

10. CONTRACT The ………………………….. has told me the office will be ready by next month. We are ……………………………. obliged to provide adequate security for the shipment. 11. DIRECT I enclose a map and …………………………… to help you to find our office. The board of ………………………………. will make the final decision about the scheme. I found the company by looking in the local trade ………………………….. . I always deal ……………………………….. with the manufacturer. There’s been another …………………………… from head office about photocopying. 12. DECIDE He’ll never make a good manager. He’s so …………………………. . A …………………….. on the new factory is expected soon. 13. DIFFER Installing air-conditioning has made all the ……………………….. . We’ve decided to try a ………………….. supplier this time. We’ll have to agree to ……………………. I still think it would be better to go by road. 14. DISTRIBUTE He’s the sole …………………………… in this area, so we’re forced to buy from him. The increase in petrol prices will push u pour ………………………… costs. 15. ECONOMY We must …………………………… on electricity, so switch off those lights. All those wonderful ……………………… haven’t found a solution to our problems.

Word formation – 2 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters. In some cases you will have to make a negative by using the prefix il-, mis- or un-. 1. EMPLOY In an area of high ………………… people are desperate to find jobs. Every ………………….. of the firm is entitled to a 10% discount. Her …………………….. gets very angry if she uses the phone too much. I’m looking for temporary ……………………. during the summer holidays. 2. ENGAGE The line is ……………….. so ’ll have to try again later. Cancel all my …………………… for the rest of the day, please. 3. EXPENSE It’s ……………………. to send the goods by air but they’re needed urgently. They offered her 15,000 pound plus …………………… . Unfortunately, ………………………… on the project was much more than expected. His ………………….. claims are being looked at by the Chief Accountant.

4. EXPLAIN If you read the ………………………. leaflet, everything should become clear. We’re waiting for an ……………………….. of his behaviour in the meeting. 5. EXTEND We’ve decided to agree to their request for ……………………. credit. Could I speak to Miss Charles, please? I think it’s …………………….. 272. The factory was …………………………. damaged in the fire. To some ………………………… I agree with her conclusions. 6. FINANCE Her ……………………. adviser is convinced the project will be a success. If the company is ……………………….. sound we might consider taking it over. 7. GROW There is a ……………………….. awareness of the need to improve productivity. The government is worried about the …………………….. in public expenditure. 8. IMPRESS It’s important to create a good …………………… when meeting clients. The results from our new French subsidiary are very ……………………… . I’m afraid she was …………………… by our presentation. 9. INDUSTRY In this high-tech world, ………………………… espionage is on the increase. Mr Fredericks, a prominent ……………………., will head the committee of inquiry. In some of the more ………………….. countries pollution is a big problem. 10. INFLATE I’ve no intention of paying such …………………. prices! At the moment …………………. is running at 20%. The government must take steps to halt the …………………… spiral. 11. INFORM Please let me know is you need any more …………………… . I enjoyed her talk. It was very ………………………. . I’m afraid you’ve been ……………………… She no longer works for us. 12. INSTRUCT The boss has left ………………………….. that she’s not to be disturbed. I can’t make head nor tall of this ………………………… manual. 13. INTRODUCE The chairman made some …………………………… remarks and then she gave her talk. I’d like to welcome Jane Philips, who, I’m sure, needs no ……………………. . 14. INVEST These shares have given me a good return on my …………………….. . Small …………………… were advised to hold on to their shares.

15. KNOW We need somebody with a good working ………………….. of French. Our company is virtually ……………………. abroad. She’s obviously very ………………………… as far as marketing is concerned. 16. LEGAL It’s …………………… to sell such goods without a proper permit. They questioned the ………………….. of the company’s action.

Word formation - 3 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in capital letters. In some cases you will have to make a negative form by using the prefix dis- or un-. 1. MANAGE Since the …………………………. buy out profits have risen sharply. The ………………………… Director sent a letter to every member of staff. It makes sense to break the task up into ………………….. steps. 2. NEGOTIATE The salary is ……………………….. so how much do you think I should ask for? Unfortunately, ………………………… with the union have broken down. 3. OCCUPY The block has been ……………………… since the fire. Dust is an ……………………. hazard in this factory. 4. OPERATE The oil rig should be in …………………….. by tomorrow morning. We expect an ………………………….. profit of at least 20 million francs next year. The scheme should be fully ……………………. by this time next year. The switchboard ………………………… was unable to find the person I wanted. 5. OPT Although insurance in ……………………, we strongly recommend it. I want to leave my …………………… open, so I haven’t given him my answer yet. 6. ORIGIN We ……………………… intended to close only three of our branches. The idea is said to have ………………………….. from the Sales Department. Her proposal showed a lot of ……………………….. perhaps too much, in fact. 7. PREFER We’ll obviously give ………………………… to candidates with previous experience. They gave her the loan at a ……………………………. rate of interest.

8. PRODUCE The new model should be in …………………………. in three months. The finished ………………………. must leave the factory in perfect condition. I’m afraid our talks with the manufacturers have been ………………….. . Any …………………….. bonus will be paid every 4 months. 9. PROFIT Any line which proved ……………………. was immediately discontinued. Couldn’t some workers be more ………………. employed in other departments? Doubts have been expressed as to the ……………………….. of the business. 10. RESTRICT They have imposed …………………………. on the sales of certain electronic goods. Such …………………………… trade practices are not in the public interest. I’m afraid access to this information is ………………………… . 11. SATISFY What job ………………… can anybody get from working on an assembly line? We hope the discussions with our creditors will have a ……………………… outcome. The customer was ………………… with the service and complained to the boss. 12. SYSTEM You need to have a …………………………… approach in this type of work. We need to carry out this survey …………………………. . 13. SUIT I’m not sure about the ……………………. of the site for the new factory. We now have to find a ………………………… name for our new chocolate bar. 14. VARY Our company produces a great ………………………… of toys. Remember the interest rate is ……………………, so you could have problems. They put forward ……………………….. suggestions but none was acceptable. KEY: Word-formation1

1. unacceptable, acceptance 2. action, active, activity 3. additions, additional 4. analysis, analysts 5. applicant, application, applicable, 6. assistance, assistant 7. attractions, attractive 8. commercial, commercially, commercialised, commercials 9. connecting, connection, connections 10. subcontractor, contractually 11. direction, directors, directory, directly, directive 12. indecisive, decision, 13. difference, different, differ 14. distributor, distribution 15. economise, economists

Word-formation 2 1. unemployment, employee, employer, employment 2. engaged, engagements 3. expensive, expenses. expenditure, expense 4. explanatory, explanation 5. extended, extension, extensively, extent 6. financial, financially 7. growing, growth 8. impression, impressive, unimpressed 9. industrial, industrialist, industrialised 10. inflated, inflation, inflationary 11. information, informative, misinformed 12. instruction, instructions 13. introductory, introduction 14. investment, investors 15. knowledge, unknown, knowledgeable 16. illegal, legality

Word-formation 3

1. management, managing, manageable 2. negotiable, negotiations 3. unoccupied, occupational 4. operation, operating, operational, operator 5. optional, options 6. originally, originated, originality 7. preference, preferential 8. production, product(s), unproductive, productivity 9. unprofitable, profitably, profitability 10. restrictions, restrictive, restricted 11. satisfaction, satisfactory, dissatisfied 12. systematic, systematically 13. suitability, suitable 14. variety, variable, various