Unit 1 pp. 8-13 (April 29)

Reading 1 (p.8)
If consumers, producers, and shareholders have more choice, companies will have to structure themselves differently. They will have to be more flexible to satisfy what the customers want.
Companies will have to offer more choices - a greater variety of goods and services, for example.

Reading 2 (p. 8)
There are 7 paragraphs in this article. Number them 1-7.
1. par 2: In the past, they were hierarchical or buraucratic organisations making long runs of standardised products (the same lineup of products year after year). They improved products instead of innovating. They provided lifelong employment, and had good relationships with others in the industry.
2. par 3: Giant corporations disappeared or were transformed. They changed from high volume to high value, from standardised to customised.  There are flatter hierarchies, meaning that the vertical structure of the employees became more horizontal, and so does the power in the company (there are more people with some power and fewer people with a lot of power). There is less lifelong employment.
3. High volume = mass production. High value = small quantities with a larger profit margin (therefore more expensive).
4. The author mentions giant companies (par 4), small companies (par 5), and networks of entrepreneurs (par 6).
5. par 7: Because consumers, producters, and shareholders have more choice.
6. par 7: Fiexibility.

FYI, Monorail, the company mentioned in par 5 no longer exists.

Vocabulary 1 (1), p. 10
1. freelancer
2. entrepreneurs
3. venture capitalists
4. bidder/comsumers
5. producer
6. shareholder

Vocabulary 1 (2), p. 10
2. d  3. a  4. f  5. h  6. g  7. c  (tangible = concrete) 8. c

Vocabulary 2 (1), p. 12
Transatlantica is a traditional hierarchichal company. Spearhead is less traditional: it has a loose organisational structure, and works with a network of companies.

Vocabulary 2 (2), p. 12
1. Information Technology (IT)  2. Human Resources (HR)   3. Finance   4 Legal Affairs   5. Electronic Supplies Ltd.    6. Global Transport Solutions Ltd.   7. Always Answers Call Centre, Solutions Vehicle Hire   8. Paul Phillips   9. Solutions Vehicle Hire

HW for 5.13
Do page 13 - listening (you have the CDs) and writing exercises
Write a paragraph or two to answer the questions in "Culture at work" at the bottom of p. 13, which is about hierarchies.