Task 38. Role plays. A.Work in pairs. One of you is a reporter from the local newspaper “Business and Success”, the second student is a senior manager of the profitable regional

A. Work in pairs. One of you is a reporter from the local newspaper “Business and Success”, the second student is a senior manager of the profitable regional company. Read the role cards carefully and prepare for the interview. Invent any information you need.

Reporter	Manager
You are planning to write an article aimed at young people who would like to start up a new business. You are to provide some vital business information and practical advice on how to get off the ground and develop the company. Ask questions about the manager’s job. You need to get plenty of good material.	You have been with the firm for many years and run a reputable business, are trusted by consumers and respected by the business community. Try to give some successful hints on how to proceed.
Use the following words and word combinations:to monitor, responsive, flexible, market, strategy, policy, to obtain, product, service, competitive, alternative, rapid, assignment, feedback, performance, to clarify, routine, request, customer, to respond, to provide guidelines, to summarise, trend, to plan, to prepare thoroughly, to persuade, to carry out research, to direct, to control, to organise, to achieve, resources, to correct, vision, goal and objective, to motivate, to accomplish, marketing, challenge, to identify weak points, to absorb information.

B. Work in groups of four to five people and prepare the contract of an English course. Discuss the contract agreements and arguments for their inclusion into it. This activity will help you to identify and agree upon standards that will be adhered to by all students and a teacher for the duration of the English course. This contract gives you the opportunity to practice assertiveness skills – expressing needs, opinions and doubts in a positive and constructive way.

English course agreements:

1. Confidentiality. Students are often reluctant to express their true feel­ings on courses for fear of ridicule or that someone will tell others, outside the session, of confidences expressed during the training. You should include yourself in this clause. In other words, everyone must agree to be supportive and that con­fidences will not go beyond the training – Nothing leaves the room.

2. Organisational policies remain in force. The above condition does not exempt students from adhering to organisational rules, however. This clause could, of course, refer to any university rules that individuals might feel could be waived under the confidentiality clause.

3. Respect for others. Although not everyone's opinions need to agree, views should be respected. For example, sometimes students do not understand that something which is easy for them can be very difficult for another person. Individuals' feelings in a given situation are legitimate and should be respected.

4. Listen to each other. It is easy – and common – on courses, for ideas presented by the central speaker, whether it be teacher or student, to spark off splinter-group discussions. Groups of two or three can often be seen whispering and not concentrating on the speaker. Bearing the above clause in mind, this shows little respect for the individual who is trying to address the whole group or for colleagues who may be distracted by these asides.

5. Honesty. Honesty will be needed, for example, when giving constructive feedback during group work. Honest, clear and direct communication is certainly an important aspect of assertive behaviour, but agreeing to be honest at all times could prove an embarrassment and disincentive to some students.

Unit 2

PLANNING AND ORGANISING