Practice Listening Business English Exercises for B1 – Global markets

A

1   The speaker aims to focus on ways of building consensus.

2   finding what the group wants to do, not what each individual wants to do

B

1   involved, chance

2   respected, important

Audioscript

Part 1

OK, so what I want to do today is focus on ways of building consensus. Building consensus is all about finding what the group wants to do, not what each individual wants to do. It’s about group needs, not individual needs. Sometimes we need to meet halfway, to ­find the middle ground. And sometimes we will be persuaded that one way is best. We will do some practice activities later on, but first I want to remind everybody of two basic principles we all need to follow. First, if we want to build consensus, we must make sure that everybody is involved in the conversation. Everybody must have the chance to speak. And second, everybody’s opinion is of equal weight and is to be respected. No one in the group is more important than anyone else. OK? Got it? Good, so now here’s what we are going to do.

C

Possible answer

They haven’t reached a consensus. The manager says, ‘So we are already narrowing down the options and moving towards consensus. Not everybody has spoken, so I would like to hear what the rest of us have to say.’

D

1   staying as one large group, breaking into small groups, working in pairs

2   a way of controlling who speaks

3   The manager uses process to talk about ‘how’ they achieve consensus.

4   The manager uses narrowing down to mean ‘getting closer to consensus by removing one of the options’.

Audioscript

M = Manager   J = Jose   T = Tanya   S = Sam   D = Dorothy

M:   So the ­first thing we are going to do is decide as a group how we want to proceed. We have three options. We can stay as one large group, we can break into smaller groups, or we can work in pairs. Any thoughts? Remember, everybody must be involved in the discussion, and everybody’s opinion is to be respected. Yes, Jose? What do you think?

J:   So I think we should stay as one big group. There are not so many of us, and it will be easy for everyone to be heard.

T:   I’m afraid I disagree. It will be much better in smaller groups. That way everyone gets much more talking time.

S:   I agree with Tanya. Much better. With a big group one or two people always dominate.

D:   Yes, I agree, too. We can be much more efficient if we work in small groups.

J:   Well, I don’t think my idea is that bad. I agree that in a big group one or two people could dominate, but that is easy to ­fix. We use talking sticks.

S:   What are talking sticks?

J:   Each person has two sticks. This gives them the right to talk twice. Each time they say something they must give up a stick. When they have no more sticks they cannot talk. That way everyone has the same chance.

S:   Actually, that’s not a bad idea. But we will need more than two sticks.

J:   That was just an example. Of course we need to decide how many sticks to use.

D:   So we need to ­find consensus about the number of sticks before we can even start a real discussion?

M:   That’s a good point. Yes, we need to decide on the process before we can move to a discussion. So nobody is interested in working in pairs? Good, OK. So we’re already narrowing down the options and moving towards consensus. Not everybody has spoken, so I would like to hear what the rest of us have to say. Sandrine?

A

keeping costs low, customer service

B

1 effective   2 too long   3 existing

Audioscript

I = Interviewer   G = Greg

I:   As more and more smaller companies go global thanks to the rise of e-commerce and social media, the supply chain is more important than ever. Today I’m talking to Greg Marshall, Supply Chain Management Consultant. Welcome, Greg.

G:   Thanks, Pritti. Good to be here.

I:   What are the key factors that businesses moving into a global market need to be aware of?

G:   Well, you really need to have an effective and efficient supply chain that you can rely upon.

I:   How do you get that?

G:   First of all, it’s important to keep costs to a minimum when you are competing in a global market. If the supply chain is too long and outside of your control, you’ll end up dealing with delays and other problems along the chain. You have to make sure that you can offer the best customer service at the best price so your supply chain has to be able to support not only existing local customers but also the new customers in other countries as well as in your own.

I:   How important is it to understand the culture of the countries you are supplying or selling to?

G:   Of course it’s important and, if you are targeting a speci­fic market, then the more you know about that market, the better. However, for smaller businesses, going global often happens without a planned strategy.

I:   What do you mean by that exactly?

G:   Well, a customer from another country makes enquiries and then places an order and suddenly the small business has taken the ­first steps to going global. But it can be a very steep learning curve because you haven’t exported before or done any homework on that particular country.

C

1   because it was discovered in some food products in the UK, which caused a scandal

2   It started in a garage.

D

1 distribution   2 stock   3 trading   4 quality   5 organised

Audioscript

I = Interviewer   G = Greg

I:   So what things do you need to consider?

G:   For example, cost of increased production, distribution costs – that is, how are you going to transport the items to the customer – payment terms, currency, methods and the amount of stock you can keep as online orders come in quickly and customers expect their goods as fast as possible. And of course there are the different trading laws for each country and speci­fic documentation required.

I:   So, a small business could suddenly find themselves in a very different kind of business setup when they start exporting?

G:   Exactly. And the one thing that mustn’t suffer during all the expansion is the product quality or you’ll have a scandal on your hands. Do you remember the scandal in the UK when it was discovered that some food products had horse meat in them? Or the terrible scandal of tumble driers catching ­ re and burning down kitchens and houses? There are so many parts of the supply chain that could go wrong.

I:   So are you saying that not everyone should go global?

G:   Not at all. It’s the way to succeed if you can learn fast and get organised. Many home businesses have become global phenomena. Did you know that some of the biggest companies in the world, including Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, all started in a garage?

I:   No, that’s amazing!

G:   So what I’m saying is that it doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you go and how you get there that’s important.

1 supplier   2 farmer   3 retailer   4 customers   5 neighbours

6 suppliers   7 distribution   8 wholesaler   9 shops   10 consumer

Audioscript

I = Interviewer   G = Greg

I:   So, if you were a small business owner moving into the global market, how would the business change?

G:   Well, let’s look at a simple supply chain model ­first. That’ll explain it best. Let’s imagine a company that makes organic apple juice. It started when Walter, a student, was experimenting in his kitchen. His supplier was a local farmer who let Walter have the apples for free if he collected them. Walter created the product in his kitchen and started selling it to his friends and neighbours, so he was the manufacturer and the retailer all in one. Already you’ve got the beginnings of a supply chain – local farmer gives apples to Walter who makes the juice in his kitchen and then sells it to customers; in this case his friends and neighbours.

However, Walter’s customer base is slowly expanding and then a local shop wants to sell his product but the order is too big for him to do alone in his kitchen. Suddenly his supply chain is changing. Because he can’t get all the apples he needs from the local farmer, he has to look for new suppliers, who don’t give him the apples for free, which of courses pushes the price up. Then he ­finds he hasn’t got the time to produce the quantities ordered himself so he has to ­find a company to produce his juices, and he’s no longer the manufacturer. Then he’s got to stock the products, so he has to ­find a warehouse and organise distribution. Now he has become a wholesaler because he sells to the shops at a wholesale price, but he’s still a retailer when he sells directly to consumers online. So you can see how complicated it could get if you don’t plan properly.

A   1 a   2 b

B   1 T   2 T   3 F   4 T   5 T   6 F   7 T   8 F

C

1 salesman (called Herman Lay)   2 1961   3 PepsiCo

4 the UK and Ireland   5 logo   6 flavour   7 social media

8 young   9 brand   10 strategy

Audioscript

Good morning and welcome to my presentation. I’m a little nervous because it’s my first this year. My subject as part of the Globalisation module for this semester is from the food industry. I’ve chosen a company which makes snacks. I’m going to be looking at one of the most widely eaten snacks in the world – what the Americans call the potato chip, and what people in the UK call the potato crisp. I have studied one of the market leaders and particularly how they have been using social media to customize their off er to different regions depending on local preferences. I’m happy to take any questions at the end.

Lay’s has been around since 1932 when it was started by a salesman called Herman Lay. In 1961, it merged with a company called Frito to become Frito-Lay and then four years later with Pepsi Cola to form PepsiCo which is the current parent company name. From then on Lay’s became a truly international crisp brand. Interestingly, for such a global brand Lay’s don’t always use that name.

In the UK and Ireland, for example, they acquired Walkers Crisps in 1989 and continue to use that name to this day. The logo, on the other hand, is the Lay’s logo with the Walkers’ name on it. It is worth noting that in a global world a logo is often more memorable than a name – think of McDonald’s golden arches or the Nike swoosh. In different parts of the world though a brand name can have more value. The name of our university, for example, is well-known all over the world.

So how does such a huge company with market leadership in so many countries all over the world use social media? One of their biggest successes has been their ‘Choose a flavour’ campaign, where the general public are asked to invent a new flavour for the crisps. Lay’s have done regional campaigns in the UK, Australia and the USA among others, and the results are amazing.

Each year the number of customers involved gets larger. Lay’s use Facebook, Twitter and other social media to have a series of conversations with their customers. Ultimately, this leads to what the consumer and the producer want, a new product and a lot of talk about the brand.

Customers are asked to suggest new flavours, and during the campaign the new ideas are discussed by other consumers through social media. A short list is produced and samples of the new flavours are made up. Tens of thousands of people give their opinions before a final decision is made and the new flavour is launched. This sort of campaign is aimed at a young audience. It improves knowledge of the brand and gives a role to loyal customers. All in all, it is a very good marketing strategy for the 21st century. I hope you enjoyed my presentation. Now, if any one has any questions I will happily answer them. If not, I will hand over to my classmate Hirumi for her presentation.

1 b   2 c   3 a   4 b   5 c   6 c   7 a   8 b

Audioscript

1   Which country is the company planning to target next year?

We’ve had a really good year in Europe and Australia and so we’re looking to move into different territories next year. We looked at South Africa and India, and both countries offer amazing opportunities for our products. So for next year we’re targeting India and then Australia the following year.

2   What was the company’s biggest problem?

We found going global wasn’t easy. There were many problems. Firstly, marketing doesn’t work in the same way in every country. You have to understand local customs and traditions, so you need to consult with experts in your target country. However, that was quite easy compared to other things such as creating a whole new advertising campaign. That was the most difficult thing, and then we had to redesign the packaging.

3   Why did the man start his own business?

I was a freelancer with a design company. I didn’t plan to stop that at all. The business started by itself really. I like making things out of wood I found lying on the ground. Friends loved what I made and suggested that I sell them online. Soon after, I couldn’t keep up with the sales so I had to give up my freelance work. After three months, my hobby became my full-time job.

4   What size boxes does the man want?

A:   I’ve got you those boxes you wanted.

B:   What size are they?

A:   40 centimetres by 40 by 30.

B:   They’re not tall enough unfortunately. I need them to be exactly 40 by 40 by 50 centimetres, please.

A:   They don’t have that size, but they’ve got 40 by 40 by 60. Will that be okay?

B:   No, I’m afraid not. They must be the exact size I asked for.

A:   Okay.

5   What does the woman want to discuss at the meeting?

A:   Now, let’s look at the pricing strategy.

B:   Excuse me, but I’d like to sort out the production schedule.

A:   Yes. We’ll discuss that a bit later.

B:   You said that last time but we talked about company reorganisation instead.

A:   I understand you’re worried but we really will discuss it today.

B:   Okay.

6   What do the man and the woman agree on?

A:   I think we should change the working hours.

B:   Do you? I think the staff are happy with them.

A:   I didn’t think they were.

B:   They are, but not with the amount of holiday they get. Perhaps we could offer them an extra day for every year they are with us.

A:   That could be expensive. Some have been here over 25 years.

B:   Mm, you’re right. Do you think training will improve things?

A:   Good idea! That could help.

7   Which product did Max order?

A:   Hello, Max from Bith Industries here. You’ve sent us the wrong goods.

B:   What’s the order number, please?

A:   GHBX243.

B:   Right, let me check on the computer. You ordered ten desk lamps.

A:   That’s the problem. I didn’t. I wanted ten fans for our offices.

B:   I’m so sorry. I think we’ve made a mistake. The catalogue number for both the fans and lamps are very similar. We’ll get those to you by tomorrow morning.

8   What was the total price of the order?

A:   How much did they invoice us for the last order?

B:   Well, it was higher than I expected.

A:   Really? Was it around $4,000?

B:   No it was much more than that. Here it is, $40,400.

A:   Wow! What did we order?

B:   I think you’ve forgotten the three new machines we ordered. They were just over $14,400. Then there was the software system on top of that.