单选题 In the world of big business, James Linton is precocious in the extreme. Just two years into the job of reviving one of the most illustrious names in retail finance, RoCom, he has found himself a key player in one of the richest and certainly most audacious deals in the industry: PTL's takeover of RoCom.
PI'L is paying 25 a share for RoCom - approximately 40 percent more than the market value of the shares - and its offer document boasted that 'PTL attaches great importance to key employees having appropriate, performance-related remuneration'. Initially wary about the takeover, Linton has now negotiated a hands-off agreement with PTL, which confirms its intention to leave him very much to his own devices to continue building the business. All this and he will not turn 38 for another fortnight!
Although Linton is credited with turning RoCom around, this is more a matter of work in progress than actual achievement. Yet he does seem to have instituted the biggest top-level shake-up in its near 70-year history, promoted some big-hitters amongst key staff and transformed RoCom's way of doing business.
Linton has, however, warned that the takeover is by no means a guarantee of future success; indeed, deteriorating market conditions suggest that the way forward will be anything but smooth. Linton recently ventured the hypothesis that being shareholder-owned had, in recent years, helped the business focus and argued that the sector's experience of rival takeovers was not encouraging.
Indeed, the recently reported performance of rival organizations such as Maften Limited has not promoted the notion that big corporations are happy homes for experienced staff and managers such as Linton
It may have been his ideas about independence that made Linton address RoCom's 900 staff on the day the takeover was announced, rather than doing high-profile media interviews on what was immediately seen as a fantastic deal for share-holders. He is acutely aware of the business is to succeed, something which is not lost on them. This is not a management-school dictum. It is a genuine belief that every member of staff has contributed to the firm and enabled it to net 1.9 billion from PTL. Other CEOs say he is arrogant, but this probably reflects the fact that Linton may find talking to them difficult. He is also ferociously intelligent, and, while in others this could appear intimidating, in Linton it awakes further admiration amongst loyal employees. They clearly do not feel they have to grovel in front of this mastermind, and claim that although he's incredibly dedicated to his work, he has an affable manner.
Linton boasts that staff turnover rates at RoCom have remained low for the industry, at about 12 percent since he took over as CEO two years ago.
'People have a real affection for RoCom, and that runs right through the office here. They all want us to be number one,' he says. He is aware of the possibility that the collegiate ethos he has worked so hard to create, the meritocracy on which he thinks much of RoCom's success depends, could be destroyed if PTL is too heavy-handed. He will need all his skills to keep RoCom on course, particularly when attention has immediately focused on the possibility that Susan Marshall, its respected investment chief, might be the first casualty of the takeover. Whatever the future holds for RoCom, we are certain to go on hearing a lot more of James Linton.

单选题 What is PTL doing, according to the second paragraph?
A allowing Linton to run RoCom in the way he wishes to
B purchasing almost half of the RoCom shares on offer
C giving all RoCom staff regular bonuses to promote motivation
D drawing up new employment contracts for RoCom employees

单选题 What do we learn about Linton's work at RoCom in the third paragraph?
A He has achieved more than anyone in RoCom's history.
B He has widened the range of RoCom's business activities.
C He has taken on a number of new employees.
D He has made changes to senior management.

单选题 What does Linton say about RoCom in the fourth paragraph?
A The company is likely to face difficult times.
B The company has lost a number of experienced staff.
C The company is expecting to report encouraging results shortly.
D The company needs to change its focus to remain competitive.

单选题 Which of the following is said about Linton's management style?
A He involves others in the decision-making process.
B His staff find him approachable.
C He expects his staff to work as hard as he does.
D His style differs from that of other CEOs.

单选题 How does Linton feel about the takeover, according to the sixth paragraph?
A pleased that staff turnover finally started to fall two years ago
B afraid that he will lose his job to Susan Marshall
C worried that the company culture might change
D happy that employees have been so supportive of his work

单选题 Which of the following would be the best title for the article?
A The Linton way of getting the best from staff
B A thin line between success and failure for James Linton
C James Linton - a man who will go far
D How a good idea went wrong for James Linton