A Company Meeting

Chairman: I’d like us to reach a decision today about item 1. The issue is falling sales in the Italian market. Henry will explain the background to this, and the present situation.

Henry: Thanks. Well, as you know, in Italy we’ve always…

That’s how things are at the moment.

Chairman: Thank you, Henry. Now, let’s look at possible courses of action.

Bob: Could I just say something? The Italian market isn’t as important to us as the Russian orders. I was in Moscow last week, and learnt some pretty interesting things about the way things are moving out there.

Chairman: Let’s keep to the immediate subject, which is the Italian market.

Bob: My own feeling is this: the only way to sell in Italy is to go there and see the market for yourself, instead of asking our agents to do it.

Chairman: Sorry to interrupt you, Bob, but I’d like to know if the others agree. What do you think about this, Walter?

Walter: Well, I’d like to say that for the last two years we haven’t had a stand at the Milan Trade Fair. I understand that the Fair has produced lots of contacts in the past.

Chairman: That’s an interesting point, Walter. Let’s summarize what we’ve said so far. Bob thinks we depend on the agents too much, and Walter suggests that the Trade Fair is important.

Unit 2

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