单选题 · Read the following article about Japanese style of management and the questions. · For each question (15-20), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. Time clocks are banned from the premises. Managers and workers converse on a first- name basis and eat lunch together in the company cafeteria. Employees are briefed once a month by a top executive on sales and production goals and are encouraged to air their complaints. Four times a year, workers attend company-paid parties. Says Tom Zolick, 49, an assembly-line worker. "Working for Sony is like working for your family." His expression, echoed by dozens of other American Sony workers in San Diego, is a measure of success achieved at the sprawling two-story plant, where both the Stars and Stripes and the Rising Sun fly in front of the factory's glistening white exterior. In 1981 the San Diego plant turned over 700,000 color television sets, one-third of Sony's total world production. More significantly, company officials now proudly say that the plant's productivity approaches that of its Japanese branches. Plant manager Tery Osaka, 47, insists that there are few differences between workers in the United States and Japan. Says he. "Americans are as quality conscious as the Japanese. But the question is how to motivate them." Osaka's way is to bathe his U.S. employees in personal attention. Workers with perfect attendance records are treated to dinner once a year at a luxurious restaurant downtown. When one employee complained that a refrigerator for storing lunches was too small, it was replaced a few days later with a larger one. Vice-President Masayoshi Yamada, known as Mike around the plant, has mastered Spanish so he can talk with his many Hispanic workers. The company has installed telephone hot lines on which workers can anonymously register suggestions or complaints. The firm strives to build strong ties with its employees in the belief that the workers will then show loyalty to the company in return. It carefully promotes from within, and most of the assembly-line supervisors are high school graduates who rose through the ranks because of their hard work and dedication to the company. During the 1973-1975 recession, when TV sales dropped and production slowed drastically, no one was fired. Instead, workers were kept busy with plant maintenance and other chores. In fact, Sony has not laid off a single employee since 1972, when plant was opened. The Japanese managers were stunned when the first employee actually quit within one year. Says John Ford, the plant's human relations expert: "They came to me and wanted to know what they had done wrong. I had to explain that quitting is just the way it is sometimes in Southern California." This personnel policy has clearly been a success. Several attempts to unionize the work force have been defeated by margins as high as 3 to 1. Says Jan Timmerman, 22, a parts dispatcher and former member of the Retail Clerks Union. "Union pay was better, and the benefits were probably larger. But basically I'm more satisfied here." Sony has not forced American workers to accept Japanese customs. Though the company provides lemon-colored smocks for assembly-line workers, most of them prefer to wear jeans and running shoes. The firm doesn't demand that anyone put on uniforms. A brief attempt to establish a general exercise period for San Diego workers, similar to the kind Sony's Japanese employees perform, was dropped when managers saw it was not wanted. Inevitably, there have been minor misunderstandings because of the differences in language and customs. One worker sandblasted the numbers 1264 on a series of parts she was testing before she realized that her Japanese supervisor meant that she was to label them "1 to 64". Mark Crossy, 22, the plant's youngest supervisor, admits that there is a vast cultural gap between the Japanese and Americans. Says he:" They don't realize that some of us live for the weekend, while lots of them live for the week—just so they can begin to work again." Some workers grumble about the delays caused by the Japanese system of managing by consensus, seeing it instead as an inability to make decisions. Complains one American worker: "There is a lot of indecision. No manager will ever say do this or do that." Most American workers, though, like the Japanese management style, and some do not find it all that foreign. Says Supervisor Robert Williams. "A long time ago, Americans used to be more people-oriented, the way the Japanese are. It just got lost somewhere along the way."

单选题RosesuggeststhatwhenCliveappraiseshisbusiness,heshouldhighlight______.

单选题Readtheextractfromanarticleaboutconsumerprotectionandchoosethebestword(A,B,CorD)tofilleachgap.96%ofallshoppingtransactionsgosmoothlyButwhatprotectiondoyouhaveasaconsumerfroman{{U}}{{U}}1{{/U}}{{/U}}seller?Ifyoubuy{{U}}{{U}}2{{/U}}{{/U}}goodsyouhavetherighttoreturnthemtothesellerwithinsevendaysandgetafull{{U}}{{U}}3{{/U}}{{/U}}refund.Within28daysyoucanobtainacreditnoteforyourunwantedpurchase.Incasesof{{U}}{{U}}4{{/U}}{{/U}}inreceivinggoodsorfindingthatthegoodswerenotasadvertised,youwillhavemoretrouble.Evenifyouhavepaid{{U}}{{U}}5{{/U}}{{/U}}andactedingoodfaith,thereisnoguaranteethesellerwilldothesame.Anonlinetradermight,forexample,sellyousomethinghedoesn'thave{{U}}{{U}}6{{/U}}{{/U}}stockWhenyoucomplain,hemightanswerthattherehasbeena'slightdelayin{{U}}{{U}}7{{/U}}{{/U}}'andthereislittleyoucando.Intheend,ifyoucannotgetsatisfactorycompensationfromthesupplier,thenyouronlyoptionistotakeyourcasetoaconsumerassociationorsmallclaimscourt.Unsurprisingly,mostpeopledon'tbother.Theyjusttelltheirfriendsto{{U}}{{U}}8{{/U}}{{/U}}ofthecompanyinfuture.Butwhathappensifyoufeelthatyouhavebeen{{U}}{{U}}9{{/U}}{{/U}}foraproductorservice?Thisisasituationthat,uptonow,eventhesmallcourtshavenotbeenabletohelpwith.However,inarecentcourtcasealargesportswearretailerwasfoundguiltyofsellingfootballshirtsatan{{U}}{{U}}10{{/U}}{{/U}}priceandfinedasix-figuresum.

单选题 · For each question (23-30), mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer. · After you have listened once, replay the recording.

单选题The ability to negotiate successfully, to reach agreements with other people or parties, is a key skill in any business. This negotiation could be with a buyer or seller and it almost always involves an element of compromise. But, when entering negotiations, you should always keep in mind that it is almost impossible to negotiate and make agreements successfully if you think you can't afford to 'lose' or walk away from what is on offer. This will result in your avoiding asking for anything more than what you think the other side will give without a dispute. You become a passive observer, with the other side dictating the terms.In most negotiations one side has more to offer than the other and proper planning can help minimise the effects of this imbalance. Decide on set limits for what you can offer before negotiations begin. There are always advantages you can offer the other side, and you clearly have benefits they want or need or they would not be negotiating with you. In fact, the buyer or seller often wants you more than you think, so it is to your advantage to try and see things from their point of view. The better you know their real needs or wants - not just the ones they have told you - the more successful you will be, and the less likely you are to fall into the trap of giving them more than you really need to.But it is also true that a concession they really need or will value from you won't cost you as much as it benefits them, and yet may still leave you with everything you want. If you know the other side must reach agreement on a deal by a certain date for financial reasons, your willingness to comply with that date could be worth a great deal of money to them, without costing you much, if anything at all. It is up to you to find out what the other side really needs.Untrained negotiators often allow their feelings to become too involved and they may take each rejection of a proposal as personal rejection. So they become angry with the other person, or blame them for failing to reach an agreement. While it is important to be yourself and, on occasion, not be afraid to express how you honestly feel, it is important to judge carefully when to do this. It is particularly important to maintain a polite and friendly personal relationship when you are facing a difficult negotiation, but keeping negative personal feelings out of negotiation doesn't mean hiding your personality.Think carefully about your negotiation schedule. Take breaks, particularly during times when you cannot agree over a particular point. But if you have to continue the negotiation on another day, make it soon, and keep the momentum of the negotiations. As long as you are still talking and meeting, you build rapport with the other party; learn more about what they need and ensure that your company is the one most likely to make the deal. This may require both patience and perseverance - but patience pays!To 'win' a negotiation then, means that neither side should feel that they have 'lost'. You should know what you can offer the other side and know exactly what they want. If you have done everything you can and the deal remains outside the limits you have defined for yourself beforehand, then walk away from it. Either way, you're a winner!

单选题 ·Read the article below about sales. ·Choose the correct word to fill each gap from A, B, C or D. ·For each question (21-30), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. Some people believe that you have to be a special kind of person to sell a product. Although it is clear that a successful sales rep does need special talents and an outgoing personality, many of the skills he uses are used by most of us. we build and{{U}} (21) {{/U}}. relationships with different kinds of people, we listen to and take note of what they tell us and don't just enjoy the sound of our own voices and we explain things to them and share ideas with them. A company may depend on its own sales team or on the salesmanship of its distributors, wholesalers or retailers.{{U}} (22) {{/U}}any company needs to establish a personal relationship with its major clients (key accounts) and potential customers (prospects). It is often said that "people do business with people": a company doesn't just deal impersonally{{U}} (23) {{/U}}another company, but a person in the buying department receives personal visits from people representing the company's suppliers on a regular basis—or in the case of department stores{{U}} (24) {{/U}}chain stores, a team of buyers may travel around visiting suppliers. Keeping sales people "on the road" is much more expensive{{U}} (25) {{/U}}employing them to work in the office and much of their time is spent unproductively traveling. Telephone selling may use the time more productively (though in some countries this is illegal), but a face-to-face meeting and discussion is much more effective. Companies involved in the export trade often have a separate export sales department,{{U}} (26) {{/U}}travel and accommodation expenses may be very high. Servicing overseas customers may consequently often be done{{U}} (27) {{/U}}phone, telex or letter. And personal visits may be infrequent. Many companies appoint an overseas agent or distributor whose own sales force takes{{U}} (28) {{/U}}responsibility for selling their products in another country. A sales department consists of many people who are based{{U}} (29) {{/U}}different parts of the country or the world, who don't have the day-to-day contact and opportunities for communicating with each other that office-based staff have.{{U}} (30) {{/U}}this reason, companies hold regular sales conferences where their entire sales force can meet, receive information and ask questions about new products and receive training.

单选题Types of Organisational Culture There is more than one 1 of organisational culture in the corporate world. This doesn"t mean strong versus 2 although those are certainly two general categories for organisational culture. While different theorists and different companies even might have differing opinions on the types of organisational cultures out there, there is a general consensus 3 four different types of organisational culture. Most companies or corporations in their style or plan can fall 4 one of these four general types. One type of organisational culture is the "tough-guy culture" or "macho culture." One of the most common aspects of the tough-guy or macho culture is the quick feedback and 5 rewards. The pace can be break-neck at times, but the obvious reward of the action is seen very quickly. Another type of organisational culture is the "work hard/play hard" organisational cul ture. This type of organisational culture that doesn"t 6 a lot of risks, but it does take a few, and all receive fast feedback. This is something most likely to be seen in a very large company which is dependent on strong customer service. A third type of organisational culture is the "bet your company culture." This is a type of company where huge decisions are made over high stakes endeavors. In this type of cultuure, the 7 results of these decisions may not be seen for months or 8 years. A fourth type of organisational culture is the "process culture." A process culture is most often found in organisations where there is actually no feedback. This is 9 a good culture. In this type of organisational culture people are so obsessed 10 the process of how things are done that the focus is lost on what the goal is. Process organisational culture is a synonym for bureaucracy.

单选题· For each question 23-30, mark one letter (A, B or C) for the correct answer.· After you have listened once, replay the recording.

单选题Marketing is all around us. We are surrounded by businesses, like Apple Computer Inc., that carry good products grown or manufactured and prepared for sale. We also see many businesses that offer services, benefits or satisfactions that improve the personal appearance, health, comfort, or peace of mind of their users. Some products are used to make services available, such as the tools an auto-mechanic uses in servicing a car. Marketing starts with people. Marketing businesses find out what customers want and work to supply those goods and services. Getting products from farms and factories to the people who will use them involves marketing at each step. Suppose a farmer recognizes the need for popcorn and decides to grow some. When the popcorn is harvested and ready for marketing, it may go to one of many places, depending on whether it is to be stored or used right away. Marketing occurs at each step: when the farmer sells it, for example, to a storage warehouse and when the warehouse in turn sells it to a supermarket or amusement park. Marketing occurs most obviously, perhaps, at the movie theater where patrons are greeted with the sight, sound, and aroma of freshly popped corn as they pass into the theater. The popcorn is a product. The movie theater where the popcorn was sold provides a service— the opportunity to see a movie. Other business marketing services include beauty salons, insurance agencies, driving schools, emergency care centers, and the telephone companies. Services are marketed as products. Services vary from other products in several ways. They are intangible and perishable. You cannot keep a plane flight, for example, nor can the airline gain income from an unsold seat. Services also vary in quality. One business-class flight may serve a hot meal while another offer only sandwiches. Finally services cannot be separated from the organization or person giving the service. You cannot buy a plane ride from a railroad. For these reasons, it is important that service businesses use marketing skills to find out what customers want and then supply it. Marketing involves many special activities. Among them are marketing research, product planning, advertising, and selling. These activities and others make up the world of marketing—a world of people, product, action and ideas. Thus, marketers respond to the needs of people. To prove the statement "Marketing is all around us", we need only take a quick imaginary tour of your community. Your first glimpse of marketing on our imaginary tour may be a store that sells food. It could be a small grocery store on the corner of your block, or it could be a large supermarket. Of course, these are not the only places that sell food. There are also meat markets, bakeries and if you live in the country, roadside fruit stands. Some stores feature one special kind of food such as health foods, cheeses, or barbecued chicken. As we continue our tour, you may see at least one department store and stores specializing in things such as shoes, jewelry, sporting goods, furniture, stationery, and flowers. You may also see businesses that sell both goods and services. Many service stations, for example, sell not only gasoline, oil, and other goods but also lubrication and repair services. And you will surely come across restaurants and snack bars that provide food and food service such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King. The businesses where you and your family buy goods and services are known as retail stores or retailers. A retailer is a business that sells goods and services to the people who use them. But marketing consists of more than the retail businesses found in all communities. Marketing is also activities you cannot buy and the people who engage in them. Some of these activities are promoting, pricing and distributing all the activities that help put the goods and services you want and need into your hands. As you continue touring your community, the billboards on highways or streets may encourage you to "Try 7 Up" or "Disneyland". Large signs above retail stores and attractive displays in store windows invite you to stop. If you turn on your car radio, you are sure to hear the announcer tell you why you should buy a certain product. Drive back to town and you may see a new car-wash business, with a huge sign, "Grand Opening Today—Half Price", and many cars lined up to take advantage of the bargain. Pass a newsstand and you can buy many kinds of newspapers and magazines which contain a wide variety of advertising. Visit a computer store and a well-informed salesperson shows you how various computers work and answers your questions about them. Many forms of promotion are an essential part of marketing. On our trip through town you may see friends buying gasoline for their cars, or a student purchasing a book. These activities are business transactions. All business transactions involve the exchange of one thing for another. In modern societies a transaction involves the exchange of goods or services for money. The amount to be paid is its price. Many things influence prices including the number of suppliers, the number of customers, and the amount of the product available. People are involved in marketing in many ways. They may be salespeople in department stores, cashiers in supermarkets, ticket sellers in movie theaters, service-station attendants, real estate agents, florists, or automobile dealers. These people are directly involved in marketing. Many others who you may not see are also a part of marketing. This group includes receiving clerks in a large store, designers of window displays, artists preparing posters, copywriters preparing newspaper ads, and so on. Now let us try to define marketing. Although marketing is sometimes called "distribution", the terms actually have different meanings. Distribution is the total process of moving, handling and storing goods on the way from producers to consumers. Marketing, in contrast, is much broader. The American Marketing Association issued this definition after a year's study: marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. Note the wide range of this definition which includes the following major points. Marketing exists to create exchanges that satisfy the goals of individuals and organizations. To reach these goals, marketing begins with planning and follows through with pricing, promotion, and distribution. Ideas as well as goods and services are marketed. Non-profit organizations as well as profit-making ones employ the marketing process.

单选题A. Adam Smith claimed that market forces, not government controls, should determine the direction, volume, and composition of international trade. He argued that under free, unregulated trade, each nation should specialize in producing those goods it could produce most efficiently. Some of these goods would be exported to pay for imports of goods that could be produced more efficiently elsewhere. B. Ricardo demonstrated that even though a nation held an absolute advantage in the production of two goods, the two countries could still trade with advantages for each as long as the less efficient nation was not equally less efficient in the production of both goods. Note that the United States has an absolute advantage in producing rice and automobiles. Compared with the United States, Japan is less inefficient in automaking than in producing rice. C. Swedish economist, Stefan Linder's demand-oriented theory stated that customers' tastes are strongly affected by income levels, and therefore a nation's income per capita level deter mines the kinds of goods they will demand. Because industry will produce goods to meet this demand, the kinds of products manufactured reflect the country's level of income per capita. Goods produced for domestic consumption will eventually be exported. D. Some countries have special strengths that make them the best place in the world for certain industries. This gives them an absolute advantage relative to competitors in other nations. Some countries can produce products more efficiently than others, giving them a comparative ad vantage. However, these advantages may change over time. E. It was an American firm, Ampex, that made the first VCRs, but because it charged so much ( $ 50,000), it sold only a few. Sony and Matsushita saw the market potential and worked for 20 years to make one to sell for $ 500. They reached that goal and cornered the market. The authors argue that the early success has gone to the companies that entered the market on aver age 13 years after the "first movers".

单选题 · For each question (15-20), mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet. SHOPPERS on Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season in America, which falls on November 27th this year, are notoriously aggressive. Some even start queuing outside stores before dawn to be the first to lay their hands on heavily discounted merchandise. Last year berserk bargain-hunters in the suburbs of New York City trampled a Wal-Mart employee to death. Despite the frenzy at many stores, however, the recession appears to have accelerated the pace at which shoppers are abandoning bricks and mortar in favour of online retailers—e-tailers, in the jargon. So this year Black Friday (so named because it is supposed to put shops into profit for the year) also marks the start of many conventional retailers' attempts to regain the initiative. E-commerce holds particular appeal in straitened times as it enables people to compare prices across retailers quickly and easily. Buyers can sometimes avoid local sales taxes online, and shipping is often free. No wonder, then, that online shopping continues to grow even as the offline sort shrinks. In 2008 retail sales grew by a feeble 1% in America and are expected to decline by more than 3% this year, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade body. In contrast, online sales grew by 13% in 2008 to over $141 billion and are predicted to grow by 11% in 2009, according to Forrester, a consultancy. Online-only shopping sites such as Amazon and eBay, two e-commerce giants, have thrived in the downturn. Amazon's sales rose to around $5.5 billion in the third quarter of the year, up by almost 30% from a year before. Listings, chiefly from commercial vendors, have surged so rapidly on eBay that its website briefly crashed on November 21st. The range of items available online is also growing. Amazon has started selling groceries. Consumer-goods companies such as Procter & Gamble (P & G) are encouraging the sale of things like nappies (diapers) and laundry detergent online. At the opposite extreme, the internet is also being used to sell luxury goods. Fabergé, a defunct jewellery-maker known for its gem-encrusted eggs, relaunched in September. It will not open any shops but will instead operate only online. The shift in spending to the internet is good news for companies like P & G that lack retail outlets of their own. But it is a big concern for brick-and-mortar retailers, whose prices are often higher than those of e-tailers, since they must bear the extra expense of running stores. Happily, however, conventional retailers are in a better position to fight back than last year, when overstocking forced them to resort to ruinous discounting. Inventories are about 15% lower this year. Some big retailers, such as Saks and Target, have recently reported rising revenues and margins. The concept of "multichannel" shopping, where people can buy the same items from the same retailer in several different ways—online, via their mobile phones and in shops—is gaining ground, and retailers are trying to encourage users of one channel to try another. Growing online traffic may actually increase sales in stores too. According to a spokesman for Macy's, a department-store chain, every dollar a consumer spends online with Macy's leads to $5.70 in spending at a Macy's store within ten days, because consumers learn about other products online and come into stores to look them over before buying them. Many online retailers offer tools that let people locate the nearest outlet that has a given item in stock. Retailers are also trying to make shopping seem fun and exciting to counteract the economic gloom. One common tactic is to set up "pop-up" stores, which appear for a short time before vanishing again, to foster a sense of novelty and urgency. Following the lead of many bricks-and-mortar outfits, eBay recently launched a pop-up in New York where customers could inspect items before ordering them from kiosks.

单选题 ·You will hear five reporters, reporting daily business news. ·For each extract there are two tasks. For Task One, decide which industry they reported from the list A-H. For Task Two, choose the summary of the business news from the list A-H. ·After you have listened once, replay the recording. {{B}}Task One—The industries they reported{{/B}} ·For questions 13-17, match the extracts with the industries, listed A-H. ·For each extract, choose the industry reported. ·Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract. A oil industry B high-tech industry C fireworks industry D retailing industry E movie industry F automobile industry G gas industry H manufacturing industry

单选题Susan packs goods on an assembly fine. She is paid a different amount each month, depending on her output. By what method of remuneration is Susan paid?

单选题 ·You will hear five different people talking about their jobs. ·For each extract there are two tasks. For Task One, decide what their jobs are from the list A-H. For Task Two, choose the attitudes of the speakers towards their jobs from the list A-H. ·After you have listened once, replay the recording. {{B}}Task One-Jobs{{/B}} ·For questions 13-17, match the extracts with the jobs, listed A- H. ·For each extract, decide what the job the speaker is talking about. ·Write one letter (A-H) next to the number of the extract. A lawyer B manager C secretary of boss D driver E engineer F secretary of R & D G accountant H shift supervisor

单选题Starbucks Because of rapid globalisation over recent years, the competition around the world becomes more intense, especially for the service industry with the similar products. The most critical point for business to succeed is not only the quality of products they supply, but also the atmosphere of cooperating and the amount from yield of teamwork in retail sales. The employees who always deal with customers and can realise what customers really need are first-line staff. Therefore, it turns to be essential for companies to motivate, reward and train their employees to be the best quality personnel. Starbucks began by three friends, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, who knew each other in the University of Seattle. In 1971, the first name of their store is "Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice" in Seattle, Washington's Pike Place Market. Starbucks Corpotation, the most famous chain of retail coffee shops in the world, mainly benefits from roasting，selling special coffee beans and various kinds of coffee or tea drinks. It owns about 4,000 branches in the whole world. Moreover, it has been one of the most rapidly growing corporations in America as well. The reasons why Starbucks is worldwide popular are not only the quality of coffee, but also its customer service and cozy environment. Starbucks established comfortable surroundings for people to socialise with a fair price, which attracts consumers of various ages to get into the stores. Besides, it is also noted for its satisfaction of employees. Starbucks is one of the optimal business models for cooperation and teamwork. Teamwork can not only construct a small social structure in orgunisation for employees to socialise, but also is a composite of various kinds of members who are equipped with different background of skill and knowledge on account of the mission. Each member plays an important role in the teamwork; therefore, everyone in that team can meet his need for getting acquainted with different colleagues and learn new skill from each other. Thus the definition of teamwork is a social system including more than three people in an organisation or context. These members identify others as one member of the team and they have the same goal. The managers in Starbucks treat each workpeople equally and an of the staff are called 'partners', even the supervisors of each branch are so called as well. In order to narrow the gap between managers and employees, they also co-work with the basic level staff in the front line. Due to this, they can maintain a good management system and create a much closer and more familiar atmosphere than other places, which makes not only employees enjoy their job but also customers affected by their enthusiasm. Starbucks has a well-organised communication channel for employees. It places a great importance on labours. For example, managers plan the working hours per worker and arrange the schedule of time off, and meet their requirements according to their wants. There are interviews every week to see what employees' need is. A special survey called "Partner View Survey" is taken off approximately every two years. The managers can receive feedbacks through the event on which part should be improved or what issue should be paid more attention to. The partners have the right to figure out what is the best policy for them, and the directors show a respect for each suggestion. Starbucks even wants every employee to join in making and developing plans, then achieving their goals all together. As a result, the policies and principles are communicated between all staff, and there is no limitation in employees' personal opinions. For this reason, business could improve, even innovate their strategies by different ideas.

单选题·Read the following article about real-time information and the questions on the opposite page.·For each question 15-20, mark one letter (A, B, C or D ) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. Over the past several years, I have interviewed dozens of senior executives of Fortune 1,000 companies and asked two questions: "Is there information that would help you run your company far better if you had it in real time, and, if m, what is it?" Without exception, they answered yes to the first question, then ticked off the one to three items they wanted. Dave Dorman at AT&T said he wanted real-time customer transaction information, such as contract renewals and cancellations. Rick Wagoner at GM wanted real-time progress reports on new vehicle development. Others on his senior team wanted certain narrowly defined data on product quality and productivity. Dick Notebaert at Qwest wanted customer satisfaction numbers. The CEO of a well-known services business wished he had real- time transaction volume data on a limited group of his best customers, while the CEO of an events business wanted to see minute-by-minute tracking of how much show-floor space has been sold.Oddly, though, very few of the executives I've spoken with receive the real-time information they say they could use (notable exceptions include some of the executives mentioned above, who now get their data). Why aren't they getting it? Clearly, these managers could direct corporate resources toward acquiring any data sets they wanted. The answer is that neither they, nor those who support them, are asking the fight questions. Although they agree, when prompted, that they need real-time information, in practice their reflex is to respond to business events after the fact rather than detect them as they unfold. Instead of asking, "How can we react faster?" they should be asking, "What real-time information will allow us to detect critical events the instant they occur?"The danger in asking the latter question, of course, is that the executive may quickly drown in a torrent of data. The solution is to carefully identify the precise and minimum information that's required — only those data that would cause the executive to change a judgment or a course of action (what accountants would call "material" information). Examples might include real-time sales results, new customer sign ups, shifts in petroleum prices, or any information that, if instantly available, would keep a CEO from getting in trouble with the board. My research suggests, and interviews with CEOs confirm, that one needs to receive only a very small amount of information in real time to avoid trouble or exploit an opportunity.Here's an example. In eBay's early days, the company often received complaints about offensive items that were put up for auction, especially those tied to tragic news events. Maynard Webb, eBay's chief operating officer, told me that, in response, a team was created to conduct real-time news monitoring and to warn executives when problem items appeared. This real-tree detection and rapid response strategy have paid off in many instances, most notably after the collapse of the World Trade Center and the shuffle Columbia disaster. Webb and other senior executives were notified immediately when offensive items appeared (World Trade Center rubble showed up just 20 minutes after the first tower fell), and they had them removed before eBay's 1range could be harmed.If you're not tracking real-time information already, start. Don't assume that it's too granular to merit your attention, that me else in the company is already monitoring it, or that it simply doesn't exist. Identify what it is that you need. Then ask for it.

单选题Forms of Business Ownership A business may have a small beginning as a sole proprietorship, later expand into a partnership, and finally become a corporation. Many corporate giants started as sole proprietoriships. Sole Proprietorships The oldest, most common form of private business ownership is the sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a business owned and managed by one individual. That person may receive help from others in operating the business but is the only boss; the sole proprietor is the company. Typically the sole proprietor owns a small service or retail operation, such as a roadside produce stand, hardware store, bakery, or restaurant. The sole owner, often sided by one or two employees, operates a small shop that often supplies goods to a group of regular customers. The capital (money) needed to start and operate the business is normally provided by the owner through personal wealth or borrowed money. The sole proprietor is usually an active manager, working in the ship every day. He or she controls the operations, supervises the employees, and makes the decisions. The managerial ability of the owner usually accounts for the success or failure of the business. Many people desire to be their own boss. A sole proprietorship accomplishes this goal; it has other advantages as well. Sole proprietorship is the easiest way to start a business. The sole owner has all profits earned or losses by operation. Another advantage of the proprietorship is that the business pays no income tax. It is also easy to close a business. A sole proprietorship also has disadvantages, for example, unlimited liability, difficulty in raising capital, limitations in managerial ability, demands on time, difficulty in hiring and keeping high achievement employees, and etc. Partnerships There are three major types of partnerships. A general partnership is a business with at least one general partner who has unlimited liability for the debts of the business. A limited partnership has at least one or more limited partners. The joint venture is a special type of partnership established to carry out a special project or to operate for a specific time period. The advantages of a partnership include the following: more capital, combined managerial skills, ease of starting, tax advantages. and etc. The disadvantages of a partnership include the following: unlimited liability, disagreements among partners, investment withdrawal difficulty, limited capital and etc. Corporations Some industries, such as automobile manufacturing, computer manufacturing, oil refining, and natural gas production, require millions of dollars to operate a business. Typically such vast sums of money are put together by attracting many investors. The unincorporated forms of business--the proprietorship and the partnership do not attract investors who do not want to make decisions or to be actually involved in managing the firm. The corporation, by contrast, provides a form of business ownership in which owners spread over a wide geographical area can hire professional managers to operate the business. It has the legal rights of an individual: it can own property, purchase goods and services, and sue other persons or corporations. The advantages of a corporation include the following: limited liability, skilled management team, transfer of ownership, greater capital base, and etc. the disadvantages of a corporation include the following: difficulty and expenses of starting, lack of control right to the operation, government involvement, lack of personal interest, double taxation, credit limitations.