单选题AccordingtoBrian,whatisthemostimportantfactortobeingagoodmanager?A.Tobehonest.B.Tobefair.C.Respectothers.

单选题Employment Opportunities for Graduates with the Provincial Bank The provincial Bank is one of the biggest fiscal institutions in the U. K. . With its 1,900 branches and 58,000 employees, it has (19) a household name. Almost 4,000 of these employees (20) managerial or executive positions. The bank has an outstanding (21) of profitability, which has been achieved by introducing innovations as maintaining leadership of the (22) The bank's comprehensive training programme concentrates on (23) the most important skills that graduates need in order to (24) early management responsibility. Trainees take responsibility for their own continuous self-development through visiting other branches and departments, and by (25) courses in management skills. They also receive training in order to increase their knowledge of the bank's (25) The bank supports (27) of staff who wish to take professional examinations, and its Graduate Training Scheme is (28) to the nationally recognized Diploma in Management. Obviously the quality of its mangers is of (29) importance to the bank's performance. It welcomes good graduates in any subject area, (30) they can demonstrate the ability to influence events, and have the potential to (31) both as leaders and as part of a team. Most graduate trainees join the Retail Banking division initially. Those starting on this programme will soon have the (32) to work in other parts of the bank and can (33) a varied and flexible working life.

单选题As a manager in the service industry sector, I've looked at hundreds of CVs in my time. They are not necessarily the bland documents, some bosses might think they are! They are full of little pointers towards individuals' personalities and suitability for the job. The first thing I always look at is an applicant's employment record. I check for continuity and stability. If somebody has a long list of previous jobs, all of varying length, alarm bells start ringing. Rather than an irregular route from job to job, what I hope to see is stable career progression. What does their career path look like-- is it all steps forward, or are there a lot of sideways moves? And I am always pleased to find a family person with children, because in my experience they tend to be responsible and reliable. I never rely on OVs alone. We get applicants to fill in one of our own application forms. We ask why they've applied, what their aspirations and personal goals are, and also about their interests and hobbies and any clubs they belong to. That gives you a useful insight into their personality and lifestyle. The application form also enables us to test how much people have actually been progressing in their careers, because we ask for details of the salaries they have received for each job. It's always worth looking at CVs and designing application forms with great care. Taking on employees might be rewarding, but it is also a big investment for any business. Mistakes in choosing staff can cost companies dear, so it makes sense to spend time ensuring you get the right person. In the service sector, one of the aims of companies is to maintain and improve customer service, and this is achieved partly through low staff turnover. You need to take on people who understand that and will want to stay. That's why, when you've taken staff on, the next thing is getting the best out of them. My management style comes from the days when I took over my first business, an ailing road haulage firm which I was certain I could turn into a profitable company. The first thing is to treat others as you'd like to be treated yourself. As soon as I took over the business, I talk to everybody individually, and looked for ways to make sure their particular skills benefited the company. I didn't have much experience then of managing people, but above all I always tried to be fair and honest with everyone. As a result, I think the staff knew that and accepted my decisions, even if they didn't agree with them all. Also, bosses must be able to communicate. You also need to create team spirit, and build on the strength of the team. I explained my plans for the company to all the staff, and let them all know what I needed from them. The lorry drivers responded brilliantly, and were the key to turning the business round. They understood that we had to develop a professional reputation, and from then on the days of poor quality deliveries were over. Lastly, I am a great believer in profit-sharing. It takes a team to make a company work, so profits should be shared by all. Job satisfaction is important, but it doesn't pay the rent. Shared profit and bonuses help to strengthen team spirit by giving everyone a common goal that they work towards, together.

单选题14 Mr Brown ten years. A. has been head of this department for B. is head of this department for C. is head of this department since D. has been head of this department since

单选题 Benefits of Business Intelligence One of the most effective uses of business intelligence is within the enterprise, disseminating key business metrics to knowledge workers and information stakeholders at every level. The benefits of business intelligence, however, (19) beyond the walls of the enterprise. Customers can (20) from the sharing of information like how effective the company has been in meeting delivery (21) and product quality objectives. Perhaps more importantly, providing (22) to this information sends a powerful (23) to the customer base that the company will live up to its (24) . Business intelligence can help improve the performance levels of suppliers by providing them with metrics such as competitiveness of bids, ease of (25) , timeliness of delivery, accuracy of invoicing or any other important (26) Providing suppliers these (27) typically creates for them powerful (28) to improve performance where (29) . Effective business intelligence solutions ensure that you are able to share the data from these solutions with all of these (30) Business intelligence solutions enable you and your employees to make better, more (31) decisions that will have a (32) impact on your company. They also enable your company to (33) its partnerships with customers and suppliers, which, in return, makes your business even stronger.

单选题Readthearticlebelowaboutgoodsreturnedbycustomerstomailordercompanies.ChoosethebestwordorphrasetofilleachgapfromA,B,CorDontheoppositepage.Foreachquestion(19-33),markoneletter(A,B,CorD)onyourAnswerSheet.Thereisanexampleatthebeginning(0).UnwantedGoodsIncreasedsalesisalwaysgoodnewsformailordercompanies.Butmoresalesalso(0)___A___moreitemsarereturned.Mostcompanieshaveafullreturnspolicy,butasMegPowell,ManagingDirectorofmailordercompanyGoFirst,explains,thisusually【C1】______alotofextrawork.'Ifanitemcomesback,wehaveto【C2】______withrefunds,apologymailingsandstockcontrol.Thisisacomplexprocessandeachreturneditemundergoesclose【C3】______fordefects.Ifgoodsareinafit【C4】______forstock,theyneedrepackingandputtingbackinthewarehouse.Ifnot,we'lllookatwhy.Anything【C5】______tothequalityofreturnedgoodsis【C6】______information.Insomeinstanceswecanidentifyafaultinproductionanddosomethingaboutit.'Estimatesofthenumberofreturnsforthesector【C7】______Inthe【C8】______ofGoFirst,whichdelivers100millionpackagesayear,26millioncomeback.Reducingthisnumberisanimportant【C9】______forthecompany.Onewayitaimstodothisisbymakingtheinitialorder-takingprocessasaccurateaspossible,andbyclosely【C10】______thepackingofgoods.【C11】______thereasonsforreturnsalsohelps.GoFirsttelephonesa【C12】______ofpeoplereturninggoodstoestablishtheirreasonsfordoingso.Clearly,acustomer-focusedreturnsprocessisessentialforfosteringtrustinthecompany.'Itisstandard【C13】______inthisbusiness,'saysMegPowell.'Itattractscustomers,givesthemagreater【C14】______ofsecurityandencouragesthemtobuy.Werealisethatmakingthereturnofgoodsasmooth,fastprocesscanonly【C15】______customersatisfaction.'Example:AmeansBleadsCproposesDgives

单选题According to the passage, which of the following is not true about the definition of price?

单选题Effective Product Differentiation As obvious as it may sound, the truth is there are a lot of businesses out there. The odds of not having any competition are next to impossible, and something any worthwhile business, whether big or small, has to eventually come to accept. Every one of those businesses are trying to do the exact same thing: get people to buy their products. When flooded with so many potential prospects it isn't always easy for the customers to know which business is the best and which one has the best product. What you need to do is help them along. Differentiating your business and your products from the competition is by far one of the most important details when dealing with any kind of industry. Everything a company does, from the creative ads they run to the inventive promotions they produce to the full color business cards they hand out is geared towards separating themselves from the rest of the flock. If you're going to compete with them you're going to have to do the same, and do it more effectively. Sometimes the most effective approaches can be some of the most simplistic. Printing well-colored brochures gives a business the chance to show their customers the subtle or not so subtle differences between them and the competition, whether it is better designs, better features, or better prices. Handing them a list of all the products or services you offer allows them the ability to see exactly what they're getting when they do business with you, and the more a customer knows about a business the better the odds are they'll feel comfortable with them. But, even going beyond the products, boosting up your company can also be an effective tool to place you above the competition. When you hand a person a business card, fully colored with a unique design you're handing them a means to remember you. A business card can say a lot about a person and the business they run. Simple, drab colors can be off putting to the per,son looking for a friendlier business. The right color scheme alone can differentiate you from the competition,and once you've managed to separate yourself out, you'll be in a prime position to be who the person favors when they need that specific product. With competition as steep as it is today, every business has its hands full trying to stay above the rest.When every little thing counts, the business the customers will take to heart will be the one who can show them just why they're the best qualified. Printing out the right kind of colorful brochure or business card can be a valuable method of stepping away from the crowded business field.

单选题Staff AppraisalManagement and staff have agreed to put in place (example) a company-wide system for staff appraisal. Each member of staff will meet at least once a year with their manager to discuss and assess the employee's performance and to complete an appraisal form.Staff appraisal interviews are a valuable means of (19) between managers and subordinates: they ensure that an organization develops its human (20) and that employees get maximum job (21) The guidelines below have been drawn up in order to assist in this (22) The Appraisal InterviewThe main (23) of the interview is to (24) employees be as effective as possible in their present jobs. It (25) the manager and subordinate the opportunity to review past and present job performance together, and to (26) for the future.First Stage—Preparation for the interviewBefore the appraisal interview the manager and subordinate should (27) the specific areas for discussion and agree on a time-period which the appraisal should (28) (normally 12 months).Second Stage—At the interviewIf necessary the employee and manager should (29) to last year's appraisal and decide whether key aims and targets have been achieved. They should (30) on aims for the future appraisal period and how performance should be judged.Third Stage—Assessment of performanceThe appraisal document should be completed by the manager after the interview. It should then be discussed with the employee before the (31) signing.It should include:a) Areas of the employee's work where there have been failures.b) Areas where there have been prominent successes.c) An assessment of the employee's (32) to organize and plan his or her time, and to make the most efficient (33) of resources.

单选题RICHMAN RING International Movers Our ref: F/2/J 21st March 2008Dear Mr. Ratanara, Re: Removal of business equipment from Singapore to Hong Kong Thank you for your telephone enquiry. I am writing to provide you with the quotation that you requested. (19) addition to this, I am including further details of our service. The price is (20) on the items that you mentioned in your phone call and will, of course, vary if you decide to add extra items or (21) some. In order to keep the cost as low as (22) , we will move your equipment when it is most convenient for us. We will try to (23) your move with those of other clients who ask us to transport goods at around the same time. I am sure you will (24) that if we were to make a special trip just for your equipment, but the cost would be much (25) . This means that (26) you requested a move on 23 June, this precise date may not be possible. However, we regularly transport goods (27) Singapore and Hong Kong, and we would (28) to be able to move your equipment within two or three days of your requested date. The (29) does not include packing. I understand that you prefer to (30) out your own packing since (31) of your equipment is quite fragile. I hope that these initial details meet with your (32) , and ask that you do not hesitate to (33) us if you require any further advice. Yours sincerely, (Signature) Dave Ring Transport Manager

单选题THE DIFFICULTIES OF MANAGING A SMALL BUSINESS ‘The organizational weaknesses that entrepreneurs have to deal with every day would cause the managers of a mature company to panic,' Andrew Bidden wrote recently in Boston Business Review. This seems to suggest that the leaders of entrepreneurial or small businesses must be unlike other manages, or the problems faced by such leaders must be the subject of a specialized body of wisdom, or possibly both. Unfortunately, neither is true. Not much worth reading about managing the entrepreneurial or small business has been written, and the leaders of such businesses are made of flesh and blood, like the rest of us. Furthermore, little has been done to address the aspects of entrepreneurial or small businesses that are so difficult to deal with and so different from the challenges faced by management in big business. In part this is because those involved in gathering expertise about business and in selling advice to businesses have historically been more interested in the needs of big business. In part, in the UK at least, it is also because small businesses have always preferred to adapt to changing circumstances. The organizational problems of entrepreneurial or small businesses are thus forced upon the individuals who lead them. Even more so than for bigger businesses, the old saying is true-that people, particularly those who make the important decisions, are business' most important asset. The research that does exist shows that neither money nor the ability to access more of it is the major factor determining growth. The main reason an entrepreneurial business stops growing is the lack of management and leadership resource available to the business when it matters. Give an entrepreneur an experienced, skilled team and he or she will find the funds every time. Getting the team, though, is the difficult bit. Part of the problem for entrepreneurs is the speed of change that affects their businesses. They have to cope with continuous change yet have always been suspicious about the latest management solution'. They regard the many offerings from business schools as out of date even before they leave the planning board and have little faith in the recommendations of consultants when they arrive in the hands of young, inexperienced graduates. But such impatience with management solutions' does not mean that problems can be left to solve themselves. However, the leaders of growing businesses are still left with the problem of who to turn to for advice. The answer is horribly simple: leaders of small businesses can ask each other. The collective knowledge of a group of leaders can prove to be enormously helpful in solving the specific problems of individuals. One leader's problems have certainly been solved already by someone else. There is an organization called KITE which enables those responsible for small businesses to meet. Its members, all of whom are chief executives, go through a demanding selection process, and then join a small group of other chief executives. They come from a range of business sectors and each offers a different corporate history. Each group is led by a moderator, an independently selected businessman or woman who has been specially trained to head the group. Each member takes it in turn to host a meeting at his or her business premises and, most important of all, group discussions are kept strictly confidential. This encourages a free sharing of problems and increases the possibility of solutions being discovered.

单选题Educational Background of Successful ManagersPsychologist Douglas Bray and Ann Howard have for more than 25 years been studying college graduates in entry-level management rank for AT&T. Here are some of their findings.Master's degree can be (19) Howard says of Master's degree holders, "They bring us greater (20) and interpersonal skills and more motivation for (21) and money, but they are not any smarter." This applied equally to (22) of an MA, MS, and MBA. There are key (23) between technical and non-technical majors. Business majors led the pack in organizing, planning, and decision-making skills (24) and social science graduates also (25) high. Math, science, and engineering majors scored much, lower in these skills. Technical majors did have (26) general mental ability, but they were not as (27) or as good at interpersonal skills. As you might expect, social science majors were quite low on (28) skills. Business majors were the ones most eager to get ahead. For the future managers, AT&T is still looking for about a third each of business, technical, and liberal arts majors. While they are still looking for master's degrees, some firms say that the (29) of the MBA has passed. Many companies (30) the same management training programs for their new people, whether or not they have a master's degree. (31) the success/failure studies of managers, educational background is probably less important than (32) skill that people develop. As one president of a large company puts it, "We're really looking for a particular kind of (33) rather than a particular degree./

单选题People Express People Express, founded in April 1981, grew rapidly on the basis of low fares and no-frills service. It soon became a leading airline and (19) changed the industry as firms constantly engaged in price wars to lure passengers. Then, People Express' bubble (20) because it over expanded, consumer complaints mounted and other airlines matched its fares on popular routes. In 1986, People Express (21) hundreds of millions of dollars and was forced to sell out to Texas Air, the owner of Continental and Eastern Airlines. In early 1987, Texas Air (22) People Express into its Continental division and industry observers believed (23) the costly fare wars would be ended. They could not have been more wrong. To stimulate business for its (24) Continental Airlines, Texas Air instituted a new low fare category (25) MaxSaver. The fare offered prices that were up to 40 percent lower than "supersaver" rates offered (26) all airlines. For Example, the round-trip MaxSaver fare from New York to Houston was $79. The MaxSaver fares were immediately matched by all major airlines, (27) feared losing business. While MaxSaver rates were low, they also had restrictions. Tickets could not be (28) or flight times modified after purchase. Passengers would have to stay over either a Saturday or Sunday. Reservations had to be made at least two days (29) , and there were limited seats available. Three weeks after MaxSaver rates were (30) American Airlines announced plans to raise its discount fares and require 30-day (31) purchasing for its lowest fares. It felt it could not continue at the rates in effect feet. However, just 10 days (32) American Airlines had to revise its plan. Texas Air refused to abandon the MaxSaver fare; it even extended the program into the busy summer season. Competitors went along and the price war raged on, (33) an executive's comment that "nobody's cost structure can survive MaxSavers".

单选题What is satisfactory method in quality management then?

单选题 Creative teams and management When Colgate launched its then revolutionary Colgate Gum Protection toothpaste in 1990, company executives were confident they had a hit on their hands. The toothpaste incorporated a groundbreaking antibacterial technology they thought was the biggest innovation since fluoride. But in the mouths after the toothpaste's six-country rollout, the product's market share reached a meager 1% -- one fifth of the company's projections. What went wrong? A new round of market research found that the original launch strategy mural the "breakthrough" message, the ads positioned the new toothpaste as a line extension instead of a revolutionary advance, and the public just didn't buy the product's broad claims. Up to this point, Colgate's president, Bill Shanahan, had attended only quarterly review meetings, now he rolled up his sleeves to rescue the product, establishing a worldwide marketing team and meeting regularly with global business vice president Kathleen Thornhill and CEO Reuben Mark to follow the team's progress. Shanahan and others at the very top sifted through the research and took pat in the advertising development meetings, working elbow to elbow with the marketing team. Renamed Colgate Total, and promoted with a retooled ad campaign that stressed the toothpaste's 12-hour protection, the product was a hit in most of the 103 countries outside the United States. Shanahan continued to lavish personal attention on the product, putting Colgate Total under the direct supervision of Jack Haber, then worldwide director of consumer oral care products, and committing $35 million and a team of 200 employees to the project. With that kind of senior-level backing, Haber pulled out the stops, spending $20 million to promote Colgate Total to U.S. dentists alone. Within two months of its domestic launch in 1997, the product captured 10.5% of the U.S. toothpaste market and within six months muscled perennial champ, Procter & Gamble's Crest, out of first place. Colgate Total has remained number one ever since. What transforms a good product idea like Colgate Total into a blockbuster? We spent ten years studying more than 700 new product development teams and interviewed over 4130 project leaders, team members, senior executives, and CEOs intimately involved in product development and launch. Of the hundreds of teams we studied, just 7% of them -- 49 in all -- created products that scored a perfect ten on our measure of blockbuster success. To achieve that score, products had to reach or exceed company goals, customer expectations, profit and sales targets, garner company and industry awards, and attract national attention. Products don't become blockbusters without the intense, personal involvement of senior management usually a CEO or division head. In every case studied, top management played an intimate, active, often daily role. This approach has been out of favor for decades, creative teams, the thinking goes, should be empowered by management and then left alone. Too much attention stifles innovation. To that we say "Baloney." Our work shows that, in the best case, management involvement should stat on day one. Ideally, senior managers work closely with the product team to establish must-have features and then help clear a path for the team. Top managers control resources, and they have the authority to allow the team to break rules and cut through red tape. And, crucially, senior managers serve as cheerleaders and visionaries, broadcasting a message of organizational commitment that attracts buy-in at all levels of the company.

单选题EBS'stotalsalesin1996were