Examination practice

1. Business etiquette: ‘golden rules’ for writing letters, faxes and memos.

2. Various aspects of marketing: applying marketing principles.

3. Principles of laying out a business letter, memo.

4. Promotion and advertising techniques.

5. Rules for applying for a new or different job or new position within one’s existing company. CV and application letters.

6. Dealing with money. Methods of payment in foreign trade.

7. Invoicing and billing customers.

8. Banking. Types of banks.

9. Using letters of credit, kinds of letters of credit.

10. Ways of organizing a small conference. Presentations.

11. Taking part in a meeting. ‘Golden rules’ to make a meeting successful.

12. Different kinds of meetings. An agenda for a meeting. Starting and ending a meeting.

13. Commercial negotiations face-to-face.

14. Arranging a business trip. Booking tickets. Arranging accommodation and dealing with hotels.

15. Commercial negotiations on the phone.

16. Different kinds of companies.

17. Ways of selling the product.

18. Management techniques: dealing with problems.

19. Rules for communication over the phone.

20. Office routine in our country: working hours, union recognition, child-care facilities, etc.

21. Rules for making reports.

22. Company organization.

23. Ways of making notes, summarizing a business conversation.

24. Divisions of economic activity and different kinds of companies.

25. Styles of negotiation.

26. Ways of avoiding cash-flow problems.

Problem – solving tasks

1. Employees often take part in a ‘progress interview’ (also called a ‘review’ or an ‘assessment interview’) at least once a year, during which they can discuss their performance and the development of their career. Imagine that you are going to participate in this interview. Make a list of questions that you might be asked at such an interview in your firm and think over the answers to these questions.

2. Imagine that you are a top-manager of the well-known corporation. Answer these questions:

- Does your company have a social responsibility to the community in which it operates?

- Does your company have responsibility for the health and welfare of their workers and their families?

- Should Ethics be taught as part of a management course? Or is ‘dog eat dog’ or ‘survival of the fittest’ the name of the game in business life?

3. Imagine that you work in marketing for this firm. What are you going to do?

Elysium Sport is a company that produces clothing for cycling clubs, athletics and football clubs. In the home market, you have so far managed to hold the competition against the cheaper products from overseas, because your customers appreciate the quality of your products and because you can produce short runs of customized garments (using a patented printing process) with their logo or badge.

At present, you only export a small amount, but you would like to find a gap in the overseas market where your kind of product would sell well.

4. As consumers get more used to advertising, companies have to come up with better ways of ensuring that people pay attention to their ads. Say what you think of recent experiments in advertising. Can you think of any new and innovative ways to advertise?

5. Imagine that you work for an international firm and that you need to appoint a new telephonist/receptionist as your present one is leaving soon.

- What qualities are you looking for in such a person?

- Are the required qualities of a telephonist and a receptionist different, and if so, should two different people fill such positions?

- What kind of training does such a person require?

6. Imagine that you are applying for a new job. Here are some of the problems you have during the interview. Try to find the ways out.

1) You have lost your diary.

2) You can’t find the file with the information about this company.

3) You think the office is very hot and stuffy

7. Imagine that you work in marketing for this firm. What are you going to do?

Dentallo is a medium-sized firm making toothpaste and toothbrushes. Your Dazzle toothpaste and Protect toothbrushes are market leaders in the home market, but due to heavy competition from multinational companies with big advertising budgets you are no longer able to reach your export sales targets.

Market research shows that a large proportion of consumers abroad find your product image is old-fashioned and dull, though your prices are still competitive.

8. Read the problems below. Discuss what you would do in each situation.

1. You have spent the last month preparing a report for head office. You have just learned that your boss has taken all the credit for the work.

2. Your boss gave you a highly confidential report to read over the weekend. Now you cannot find it and you think you may have left it on the train.

9. Read the problems below. Discuss what you would do in each situation.

1. You have been sent to negotiate an important new contract for your firm. During the negotiations your counterpart makes it clear that he expects a personal cash contribution (a bribe) from you if your company is to win the contract.

2. Two years ago your company signed an agreement to become the exclusive importer of kitchen equipment from a Swedish supplier. You have just received confirmation that another company is selling the same products at a lower price.

10. Employees often take part in a ‘progress interview’ (also called a ‘review’ or an ‘assessment interview’) at least once a year, during which they can discuss their performance and the development of their career. What are the benefits that employees can get from this interview? Enumerate as many as you can and explain them.

11. Employees often take part in a ‘progress interview’ (also called a ‘review’ or an ‘assessment interview’) at least once a year, during which they can discuss their performance and the development of their career. What are the benefits that the company and the managers can get from this interview? Enumerate as many as you can and explain them.

12. Read the problems below. Discuss what you would do in each situation.

1. You put the wrong date on the invoice you sent to a client.

2. You need to pay an outstanding bill but your company has a considerable overdraft.

13. What would you say in these situations? What are the exact words you’d use?

1. You misunderstood the instructions your boss gave you and mailed the wrong documents to your supplier.

2. Your supplier hasn’t send the correct instruction manual, in spite of your reminder to them

3. Ms King, a client, calls you and tells you that she thinks you have invoiced her incorrectly.

Important! Profound knowledge of vocabulary connected with the topic is most essential for a student answering a theoretical question and fulfilling a problem - solving task.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-28