单选题· Read the article below about a business technique called benchmarking.· Choose the best word or phrase to fill each gap from A, B, C, or D on the opposite page.· For each question 19--33, mark one letter (A, B, C, or D) on your Answer Sheet. {{B}} Benchmarking{{/B}} The expression benchmarking has become one of the fashionable words in current management discussion. The {{U}}(19) {{/U}} first appeared in the United States in the 1970s, but has now {{U}}(20) {{/U}} world-wide recognition. But what {{U}}(21) {{/U}} does it mean and should your company be practicing it? Benchmarking {{U}}(22) {{/U}} learning about your own practices, learning about the best practices of others, and then making {{U}}(23) {{/U}} for improvement that will enable you to meet or beat the beast in the world. The essential element is not {{U}}(24) {{/U}} imitating what other companies do but being able to {{U}}(25) {{/U}} the best of other firms' practices to your own {{U}}(26) {{/U}}. Instead of aiming to improve only against previous performance and scores, companies can use benchmarking to inject an element of imagination and common {{U}}(27) {{/U}} into their search for progress. It is a process which forces companies to look closely at those activities which they may have been taking for granted and {{U}}(28) {{/U}} them with the activities of other, world-beating companies. Self-criticism is at the {{U}}(29) {{/U}} of process, although in some cases this may {{U}}(30) {{/U}} managers who are reluctant to question long-established practices. The process of identifying best practice in other companies does not just mean looking closely at your {{U}}(31) {{/U}}. It might also include {{U}}(32) {{/U}} companies which use similar processes to your own, even though they are producing different goods. The point is to look at the process {{U}}(33) {{/U}} than the product.

单选题Sheer Genius — or a Waste of Time? Encourage your original thinkers and live with their strange habits, says Alan Worthin If one of your research staff announced that he had worked out a way to propel a vehicle on a cushion of air, would you tell him to concentrate on something practical, or suggest taking it further? If a member of your development team asked if she could come in late because she had her best ideas at 3 am, would you insist that she is in the office at 9 am like everyone else? Current business wisdom is that companies need creative, innovative people to beat competitors. The reality is that companies have always needed new ideas to survive and progress, but in the past they weren"t particularly good at encouraging the people who produced them. Original thinkers don"t always fit easily into the framework of an organization. However, the advice from managing director, John Serrano is, "Get rid of the dull people and encourage the unusual ones". Essentially, he believes that companies need to learn how to manage their original thinkers in order to ensure that the business profits from their contribution. He also says, "Original thinkers often find it difficult to drive change within the organization, so they resign, feeling angry and disappointed. It is essential to avoid this." "You can"t recognize original thinkers by the way they look," says lan Freeman. "An apparently ordinary exterior can conceal a very creative thinker." His consultancy, IBT Personnel, has devised a structured way to identify original thinkers. "We define employees as champions, free-wheelers, bystanders and weak links, and most original thinkers come into the category of free-wheelers. They may miss deadlines if they become involved in something more interesting. They are passionate and highly motivated but have little or no understanding of business directions and systems." Headhunter George Solomon also thinks original thinkers have their disadvantages. "They may have a bad influence within an organization, especially given the current management trend for working in teams. The original thinkers themselves may be unaware of any problem, but having them around can be disruptive to colleagues, who have to be allowed to point out when they are being, driven crazy by the original thinkers" behaviour." Yet, in his opinion, the dream team" in any creative organization consists of a balanced mixture of original thinkers and more practical, realistic people. So, having identified your original thinkers, how do you handle them? One well-known computer game company has a very inventive approach. "We encourage our game designers by creating an informal working environment," says director Lorna Marsh. "A company cannot punish risk-takers if it wants to encourage creativity. Management has to provide support, coaching and advice — and take the risk that new ideas may not work. Our people have flexible working hours and often make no clear distinction between their jobs and their home lives." Original thinkers may fit into the culture of 21st century organizations, but more traditional organizations may have to change their approach. Business psychologist Jean Row believes that the first step is to check that original thinkers are worth the effort. "Are the benefits they bring worth the confusion they cause? If so, give them what they want, allow plenty of space, but set clear limits. Give them extremely demanding targets. If they fail to meet them, then the game is up. But if they succeed, your organization stands only to gain."

单选题·Read the article below about "China Enters Cyberspace" and the questions.·For each question 13～18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. {{B}}China Enters Cyberspace{{/B}}Although research into the Internet began in the 1980's in China, it was not until the mid 90's that the country cautiously joined the information highway. These days however, it seems that China is ready to jump onto the "Net" with both feet. Personal Computers (PCs) are the hottest selling item on the market in major Chinese cities. At night, hundreds of Chinese who don't own a PC crowd into the now familiar Internet Cafes, where Net time costs US $3.60 an hour. Web sites from around the world can be flashing on the screens of most high-tech companies, and many believe the Net is the perfect vehicle to transport China into the through the 21st century.Even though chinese government officials are somewhat concerned about the Western content on the Internet, it is clear they want to make use of what the superhighway has to offer. The Net is so appealing in improvement-obsessed China that usage is growing more than 40% a year. "It's a daily necessity," says a Beijing Foreign Studies University student. "I plan to get online soon. I feel like I miss a lot of things and I don't want to lag behind." It seems everywhere you go the air is buzzing with talk of how to best use this modern technology.{{B}}Possibilities{{/B}}The country has 350 million children to educate what better vehicle than interactive televisions. The Finance Ministry needs to establish bank and savings accounts for China's 284 million worker—what more effective solution than smart cards? Agricultural planners dream of more productive Chinese farms how easier to send weather and agricultural information to 323 million farmers than over the Web?To tap these benefits, China has embarked on a series of nine "golden projects" that will require state-of-the art technology in everything from health-care to finance. By 2010 hundreds of millions of Chinese will be wired with a golden smart card, all part of health and financial network.This smart card or identification card, will contain vital statistics about each person, and will automatically take a proportion of that persons salary as government "golden tax" via a microchip. Bryan Nelson, Microsofts director in the region, says, "China is going to be the ultimate proof of all that the Internet can do. And the amazing thing is the Chinese seem to understand that better than some people in the West actually." The window is still small though—only 3,000,000 chinese have access to the Internet, vs. some 25 million in the U. S.—but it is opening quickly. Officials at China's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications say they hope to have 4 million Chinese connected by 2000. At the same time, access to the outside world from China—once tightly controlled over a narrow pipeline has quadrupled in 1998, the result of newly liberalized government regulations. As late as 1996, most Net traffic to and from China had to flow through a single 56 kilobit—some U.S. homes have more bandwidth than that. Now china has a pipeline a hundred times wider, and the company ATT has just been hired to make it even bigger. Will china really have 4 million citizens on line by 2000? "Try 20 million." says Internet Cafe owner Charles Zhang, who has watched the governement exceed growth targets in everything from telephones to agricultural output. The theory behind chinese leaders' enthusiasm is that technology and competitiveness are deeply linked.{{B}}Obstacles{{/B}}There are plenty Of obstacles to overcome between now and 2010. but the two biggest-limited ownership of both personal computers and the telephones—are fading. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to growth of computers and the Net in China is that Western-style keyboards aren't set up to type chinese characters. The best system for doing so, the stoke-based input method editor, was devised in the 1960s and involves using complex three and four-key combinations to enter specific characters. Where Westerners can be thought to use a standard in hours, learning to type in Chinese can take months, worse, the Web, which is still largely in English, is inaccessible to the vast majority of chinese.

单选题Speaking Your Customers" Language Modern international trading practices are highlighting the growing importance of language training. Modern-day business really does transcend national barriers. Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company"s success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas. Although globalization may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deep-rooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, with the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe. The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as video-conferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained. The value of well-organized language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organization. Unfortunately, however, many organizations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorized. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company"s broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost. Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realize that overseas competition is increasingly fast. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.

单选题Why many people find it attractive to start a family business?

单选题What should be done when a relative decides to join?

单选题Gianni Agnelli, Chairman of Fiat, Italy's largest private industrial corporation, is known in Italy as the lawyer, because he trained in law at Turin University. Though he has never practiced, his training may soon be useful. On April 17th Mr. Agnelli admitted to a group of Italian industrialists in Venice (19) Fiat had been (20) in some corruptions in Italy. On April 21st, Fiat's lawyers and Cesare Romiti, its managing director, met Milan magistrates to (21) the firm's involvement in, bribery to win business from state-owned companies. Fiat is not the (22) Italian company caught up in Italy's increasing political corruption scandal. According to the latest figure, some 200 businessmen and politicians were sitting in prison (23) a result of judicial inquiries into kickbacks paid to politicians by firms. Hundreds more are still (24) influence of Fiat, (25) sales are equal to 4% of Italy's home product, the scandal at the company has (26) the industrial establishment. Though neither Mr. Agnelli (27) Mr. Romiti has been (28) of wrong doing, several other senior Fiat managers have allegedly been involved in paying kickbacks to win state-owned contracts. (29) arrested include Francesco Mattiol, Fiat's finance director, and Antonio Mosconi, the (30) head of its Toro insurance branch. (31) men have been (32) about their previous roles on the board of Cogefar-Impresit, Fiat's construction subsidiary. Last May, Enzo Papi admitted paying a 1.5-million-dollar bribe for a contract, (33) to Milan's underground.

单选题Good Communication Counts in the Workplace Effective communication is essential for all organizations. It links the activities of the various parts of the organization and ensures that everyone is working towards a common goal. It is also extremely important for motivating employees. Staff need to know how they are getting on. what they are doing right and in which areas they could improve. Working alone can be extremely difficult and it is much easier if someone takes an interest and provides support. Employees need to understand why their job is important and how it contributes to tile overall success of the firm. Personal communication should also include target setting. People usually respond well to goals, provided these are agreed between the manager and the subordinate and not imposed. However firms often have communication problems that can undermine their performance. In many cases, these problems occur because messages are passed on in an inappropriate way. There are, of course, several ways of conveying information to others in the organization. These include speaking to them directly, e-mailing, telephoning or sending a memo. The most appropriate method depends on what exactly it is you are communicating. For example, anything that is particularly sensitive or confidential, such as art employee's appraisal, should be done fee-to-face. One of the main problems for senior executives is that they do not have the time or resources needed to communicate effectively. In large companies, for example, it is impossible for senior managers to meet and discuss progress with each employee individually. Obviously this task can be delegated but at the cost of creating a gap between senior management and staff. As a result, managers are often forced to use other methods of communication, such as memos or notes, even if they know these are not necessarily the most suitable means of passing on messages. The use of technology, such as e-mail. MP3 and network systems, is speeding up communication immensely. However, this does not mean that more investment in technology automatically proves beneficial: systems can become outdated or employees may lack appropriate training. There are many communications tools available but a firm cannot usually afford all of them. And even if it could, it does not actually need them all. The organisation must weigh up the potential gains against the costs, and firms should realise that more communication does not necessarily mean better communication. As the number of people involved in an organisation increases, the use of written communication rises even faster. Instead of a quick conversation to sort something out numerous messages can be passed backwards and forwards. This can lead to a huge amount of paperwork and is often less effective than face-to-face communication. When you are actually talking to someone you can discuss things until you are happy they have understood and feedback is immediate. With written messages, however, you are never quite sure how it will be received. What you think you have said and what the other person thinks you have said can be very different. The amount of written information generated in large organizations today can lead to communication overload. So much information is gathered that it gets in the way of making decisions. Take a look at the average manager's desk and you will see the problem --it is often covered in letters, reports and memos. This overload can lead to inefficiencies. For example, managers may not be able to find the information they want when they need it. Communication is also becoming more difficult with the changes occurring in employment patterns. With more people working part-time and working from home. managing communication is becoming increasingly complex.

单选题{{B}}PART ONE{{/B}}·Look at the statements below and the following introduction about the types of ownership. ·Which type of ownership (A, B or C) does each statement (1-7) refer to? ·For each statement (1-7), mark one letter (A, B or C). ·You will need to use some of these letters more than once. {{B}}A Partnerships{{/B}} On the whole, this is not a popular form of business organization, but it is often used by people in the professions, like doctors, dentists or lawyers, to expand their business.Greater efficiency is possible because people in this sort of association can spend their time doing what they are best at. If one person is sick, then the remaining partner(s) can carry on the work. The main disadvantage is that even with this form of ownership, the amount of money available to the business may be limited. If people quarrel or disagree over decision-making there can be problems and serious delays. B Public (PIC) Companies These are the largest businesses in the private sector. There is no limit to the number of people holding shares in it and many of the larger companies have their shares listed on the stock exchange. The advantage of big businesses like this is that they find it easier to raise money as banks consider them a "good risk". There are strict laws governing the setting-up of this kind of business and each year the company has to publish its accounts. The larger such businesses grow, the more difficult it is to control them. Workers in such businesses may feel that management doesn't understand their problems. C Private (Ltd) companies Such businesses are not allowed to sell shares to the public. They must consist of at least two members, but there is no upper limit to the numbers who own the company. The larger size makes it possible for such companies to borrow more money from the banks or from issuing additional shares to its members. The advantage is that such a business is able to offer its members limited liability (responsibility) for debts and losses. Many companies of this type exist in England, Europe and the U.S.

单选题Why We Need Insurance? Insurance is a cover used for protecting oneself from the risk of a financial loss. It is important to understand that risk is a part of any person's life and that it increases as a person increases in age, responsibility and wealth. Throughout the living existence, everyone is faced by numerous risks--failing health, financial losses, accidents and even fatalities. Insurance addresses all these uncertainties on financial terms. Insurance is risk coverage against financial losses and should not be taken as an investment instrument. Everyone needs insurance if they are worried about economic loss, or if they lose something. The purpose of insurance is to give them peace of mind. Having the right kind of insurance coverage is an essential part of building a solid financial future. Insurance protects people from risk and guarantees that, once they accumulate assets, they will be able to keep them. The basic definition of insurance is risk management. There are mainly two parties involved in this--the insurer and the insured. The insurer is the insurance company who will provide the cover to the insured against any financial losses. The insured may be an individual person or a group of people like an employer, members of a society, etc. A policy is the contract between the insurer and the insured, which states the risks covered, the exclusions, if any, and the benefits reimbursed on the happening of an event like death, illness etc. The policy is paid through what is called a premium, which is a set amount that must be paid by the insured on a monthly, semi- annual or annual basis. On the happening of an event like death, disability, fire, etc., for which the insured is covered, the benefit amount stated in the policy contract can be claimed by the insured. The way insurance goes is that the premium plus thousands or sometimes even millions of other people's premiums go together in a big pool. The insurance companies use that pool. They invest it, and then they pay it when there's a claim. There's property and casualty, and life and health insurance. Life and health insurance includes life, disability, health insurance, long-term care insurance. Property casualty insurance is a type of insurance that insures one's home, auto, and airplane, things like that. Change is perhaps that only static constant within the dynamics of life and risks always move in tandem within a changing environment. Life insurance is more of a hedging mechanism rather than a real investment avenue. It is essentially a mechanism that eliminates risks primarily by transferring the risk from the insured to the insurer. It is not that life and existence are constantly fraught with danger and uncertainty. But it is essential that people plan for the future. The chances for a fatality or an injury to occur to the average individual may not be particularly high but then no one can really afford to completely disregard his or her future. Insurance is the most reliable tool an individual can use to plan for his future.

单选题WhatwasthecourtrulingastoMicrosoft'sbusinesspractice?

单选题Business and Social Responsibility Today more and more people believe that business should play an active role in improving society and solving social problems. For example, we expect that businesses will take care not to pollute the air we breathe or the water we drink. We also expect them to offer fair wages and employee benefits and to provide a satisfactory product or service at a reasonable price. Many companies recognize this and have stated publicly that they will act as a good citizen. They support local arts, build parks, raise funds for charities, and try to put back some of their profits into the community that has made their success possible. A good reason for businesses to be socially responsible is that society gives business organizations the right to exist. A social setting or environment, with its laws, customs, and other social and cultural norms, allows businesses to form and function. It is only right for businesses to participate in making the community in which they operate a better place. To be socially responsible also benefits businesses. In many cases, a company will make greater profits in the long run if it considers benefits to society. Customers actually vote for products and companies when they make a purchase. If a product is of good quality and priced fairly, they will probably buy it from time to time. But when customers find out that a manufacturer produces only inferior or shoddy products which cheat them out of their money, they may become so angry that they will never purchase their products any more. Consumers may also shun firms that pollute the environment or engage in unethical practices by not purchasing their products. When enough people believe a business no longer serves society's best interests, they may pressure the firm into its doom by boycotting its goods or services, influencing officials against it, condemning it in the media, or patronizing other firms. A business whose aim is to maximize its profits is not likely to act out of a sense of social responsibility although its activities will probably be legal. Only businesses that are concerned about society as well as about maintaining profitability are likely to invest voluntarily in socially responsible activities. For example, the former president of Pizza Hut, Orr Gunther, implemented a program called "Book—it." This program rewarded children with a free pizza for reading a certain number of books. Such a business may win the trust and respect of its customers and in the long run will increase profits. In order to succeed, a business must determine what customers and society want or expect in terms of social responsibility. Although social responsibility may seem an abstract idea, managers consider it on a daily basis as they deal with real issues. A business must monitor changes and needs in society in order to behave in a socially responsible way.

单选题Getting the Most out of Meetings One aspect of business life which many managers are unhappy with is the need to attend meetings. Research indicates that managers will spend between a third and a half of their working lives in meetings. Although most managers would agree that it is hard to think of an alternative to meetings, as a means of considering information and making collective decisions, their length and frequency can cause problems with the workload of even the best-organized executives. Meetings work best if they take place only when necessary and not as a matter of routine. One example of this is the discussion of personal or career matters between members of staff and their line and personnel managers. Another is during the early stages of a project when the team managing it needs to learn to understand and trust one another. Once it has been decided that a meeting is necessary, decisions need to be taken about who will attend and about the location and length of the meeting. People should only be invited to attend if they are directly involved in the matters under discussion and the agenda should be distributed well in advance. An agenda is vital because it acts as a road map to keep discussion focused and within the time limit allocated. This is also the responsibility of the person chairing the meeting, who should encourage those who say little to speak and stop those who have a great deal to say from talking too much. At the end of a well organized meeting, people will feel that the meeting has been a success and be pleased they were invited. They will know not only what decisions were made but also the reasons for these decisions. Unfortunately, at the end of a badly organized meeting those present will leave feeling that they have wasted their time and that nothing worthwhile has been achieved. Much thought has been given over the years to ways of keeping meetings short. One man who has no intention of spending half his working life in meetings is Roland Winterson, chief executive of a large manufacturing company. He believes that meetings should be short, sharp and infrequent. "I try to hold no more than two or three meetings a week, attended by a maximum of three people for no longer than half an hour," he says. "They are clearly aimed at achieving a specific objective, such as making a decision or planning a statement, and are based on careful preparation. I draw up the agenda for every meeting and circulate it in advance; those amending are expected to study it carefully and should be prepared to both ask and answer questions. Managers are best employed carrying out tasks directly connected with their jobs not attending endless meetings. In business, time is money and spending it in needless meetings that don"t achieve anything can be very costly. Executives should follow the example of lawyers and put a cost on each hour of their time and then decide whether attending a long meeting really is the best way to spend their time."