12670 unit 4 change class material glossary assignments[1]

UNIT 4: CHANGE

Class material_glossary_assignments

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S.R.D. / BE_2_summer semester

1

MANAGING CHANGE IN THE WORKPLACE

“The only change people are comfortable with is the change that jingles in their pocket.”

In today’s business climate companies are forced to implement changes in an effort to grow

and survive. A knowledge‐based economy and global transformations require fast

adjustments. This environment presents new challenges and demands for everyone, from the

board and CEO to the entry‐level employee.

Change can be one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in the work environment.

Whether it’s a new employee adjusting to rules and responsibilities, or someone who has

been on the job for years, breaking old habits and learning new tasks can be overwhelming.

Te role of managers is to make change easier for their employees since change can cause a

great deal of distress among employees.

Even though we can’t entirely predict the impact of change on the work environment, there

are a few things that can be done to help prepare employees for change: good planning,

communication, managers making themselves available, following up and listening.

a) Planning

Whenever possible it is always a good idea to plan ahead for change. People usually like to

know how a particular change is going to affect them. Dropping hints or providing vague

answers can cause unnecessary anxiety and make the change more difficult to accept.

Therefore, managers need to have as much information about the change as possible before

introducing it to their employees. The more organized management are, the more employees

will trust them and the change itself.

b) Communication

Communication between the management and the employees is essential, especially when

introducing change into the workplace. One thing people seem to forget is that

communication goes both ways. Even though it is important that employees have the

information necessary to perform their job, it is equally important that managers not only

allow, but invite communication, feedback and questions from their employees. It is

important for them to know that they have a voice, that their concerns and ideas are heard

and valued. Also, the more information they have, the more comfortable they will feel and

they will be more willing to accept the change that the management propose.

c) Availability

It is important that the managers make themselves available to their employees, especially

during a time of change. They will likely have questions, especially at the beginning.

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Knowing that managers are available to address their concerns could make them feel a little

more secure and confident about their role in the change.

d) Follow Up

Following up with employees to check on progress is a key element to implementing a

successful change. Questions that can be asked are: How has the change impacted their job? Are

any adjustments needed to make the work flow smoother? Have there been any unexpected outcomes

as a result of the change? The best approach is to follow up with employees and follow

through with answers and promises. Their feedback is important to ensuring a positive

outcome.

*VOCABULARY CORNER*

Availability: the fact that someone is free to work, be contacted, go to meetings, etc., or whether or

how much they can

I shall check the availability of my staff for that date.

Follow sth up (phrasal verb): to find out more about something, or take further action connected with

it

The idea sounded interesting and I decided to follow it up.

He decided to follow up on his initial research and write a book.

Follow sth through (phrasal verb): to do something as the next part of an activity or period of

development

The essay started interestingly, but failed to follow through (its argument).

Feedback: information or statements of opinion about something, such as a new product, that provide

an idea of whether it is successful or liked

Have you had any feedback from customers about the new soap?

positive/negative feedback

Ensure: to make something certain to happen

The airline is taking steps to ensure safety on its aircraft.

[+ (that)] The role of the police is to ensure (that) the law is obeyed

Outcome: a result or effect of an action, situation, etc

Itʹs too early to predict the outcome of the meeting.

Address (concerns): to give attention to or deal with a matter or problem

The issue of funding has yet to be addressed.

Drop a hint: to suggest something indirectly to someone; to give a careful hibt about something.

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e) Listen

It’s true that managers may not be able to make everybody’s job easier or more efficient, but

it is worthwhile to listen to what employees have to say. They may bring a problem to the

surface. They may have ideas to make a process run smoother. As a manager you can do

everything right, you can plan ahead, communicate, make yourself available and follow up,

but if you don’t listen you could be missing a key element to implementing a successful

change.

It is one of the responsibilities of managers to make sure that a change is implemented

correctly and effectively, and sometimes that takes time. As frustrating as it can be, taking

the extra time to pay attention to the concerns and needs of employees can save you time in

the future. It is important, regardless of the size of each department, that you have the

support of as many employees as possible. By listening to our employees, making ourselves

available and communicating effectively, we have the power to make a potentially difficult

change successful.

One of the most significant changes in business took place during the 1990s when we saw

massive restructuring in the workplace.

There was a wave of downsizing and delayering – reducing levels of middle management in

order to become leaner and flatter and create a more efficient organisation.

One of the reasons behind such changes was that computer networks allowed top managers

instant access to information that was previously gathered and transmitted by middle

managers which used to cause a lot of confusion and misunderstandings.

Less direct supervision allowed employees to make more decisions for themselves in a

process of empowerment.

Another new trend: re‐engineering – the idea that organisation should not change

incrementally, but should start again from scratch with no preconceptions about how things

should be done. This did not just refer to manufacturing but to all the processes within an

organisation and that‘s why the process is called business process re‐engineering (BPR).

As a consequence of such changes, there were significant redundancies (people being fired

because they are no longer needed).

*VOCABULARY CORNER*

Downsizing:

1. To reduce in number or size:

a corporation that downsized its personnel in response to a poor economy.

2. To dismiss or lay off from work:

workers who were downsized during the recession.

3. To become smaller in size by reductions in personnel:

Corporations continued to downsize after the economy recovered.

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Delayering: the process of cutting down the administrative structure of a large organization by reducing the

number of levels in its hierarchy.

Re‐engineering: the restructuring of a company or part of its operations, especially by utilizing information

technology.

Redundancy: a. The state or fact of being unemployed because work is no longer offered or considered necessary.

b. A dismissal of an employee from work for being no longer necessary; a layoff.

Incremental: A slight, often barely perceptible rise in something; small; in a series of amounts.

Most research proceeds by small incremental advances.

Changes at the newspaper are more incremental than radical. Preconception:

an idea or opinion formed before enough information is available to form it correctly.

Try to go into the meeting without too many preconceptions about what the other group want.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT – DEFINITION

Change management is a structured approach to transitioning individuals, teams, and

organizations from a current state to a desired future state. Change management (or change

control) is the process during which the changes of a system are implemented in a controlled

environment by following a pre‐defined model with reasonable modifications.

In project management, change management refers to a project management process where

changes to a project are formally introduced and approved.

Types of organizational change:

1. Strategic changes (it means changing the organizational Vision, Mission, Objectives

and the adopted strategy to achieve certain business objectives).

2. Technological changes (the invention of a technology (or a process), the continuous

process of improving a technology ‐ to make it cheaper ‐ and its diffusion throughout

industry or society).

3. Structural changes (deep reaching change that changes the way authority, capital,

information, and responsibility flows in an organization).

4. Changing the attitudes and behaviours of personnel

Changes in the workplace that cause most stress for employees:

o When a company you work for decides to merge with another company which might be a

threat to your job.

o Being demoted in your company (=being assigned to a lower position in the company

hierarchy).

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o When your company needs to relocate to the other side of the city or to a different city.

o When a company asks you to relocate to a dangerous country.

o When you are faced with unfriendly behaviour from your new subordinates or new

colleagues.

o When you are required to switch from a closed office to an open plan office.

o When you have to work with a new computer system.

o When you need to lay people off because of downsizing or merger with another company.

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Read the article How to Implement Workplace Change Without Sending Your

Staff to a Shrink1

about successfully implementing change in the workplace and insert the missing phrases

by choosing from the box below.

the planning / take priority over / develop a new habit / ask for input / build resistance /

facilitate / sense of ownership / wisdom is cumulative / mentoring program / decision to

change / search for pleasure / Appreciation and praise / proposed change / open to change

/increased efficiency / full implementation / discussion and patience / works for them

It seems that the only time people are open to change is when what they have always done

no longer_________________________. When certain procedures and practices no longer

meet the needs of your business or organization change is needed.

To ___________________this change you must show respect for both the needs of the

business and employees. When your business needs for______________________________,

profitability and productivity ___________________________________the needs of your staff

you are bound to increase stress and create resistance to

any______________________________. There must be a balance between the two.

Here are thirteen suggestions to help you bring about change without sending your entire

staff to a psychiatrist.

1. Keep your staff informed especially when the change you want to effect is going to impact

them personally. Explain the why and the how of your___________________________.

2. Stress how the proposed change will benefit your employees. When people begin to

perceive a forthcoming change as a definite benefit to them and when they feel a

____________________________________in the process they more eagerly participate in,

welcome and adapt to any changes made. People are motivated by “ What’s in it for me?”

1 The author of the article is Mike Moore, an international speaker on workplace relationships and

workplace stress. http://www.motivationalplus.com.

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3. When your staff perceives a specific change as something done to them without

consultation and input they _____________________________instead of co‐operation.

4. Get your people involved in ___________________________and the implementation of any

change.

5. If you do ask for input from your staff make sure you use some of their suggestions. If you

_____________________________and ignore any suggestions given you will stop the flow of

participation in its tracks.

6. Provide adequate training and practice in any new procedures. This is required to develop

a new comfort level and replace the old. It usually takes about four weeks to

_____________________________________so provide adequate training with this in mind.

Don’t just give a 4 hour seminar on a new procedure or technology and expect everyone to

be proficient after one or two sessions.

7. Have a ______________________________set up until a new comfort and confidence level

is achieved. Training the trainers and having them available and easily accessible is vital.

8. Never assume that you as a CEO or managers have all the wisdom and insight on any

issue. Remember that _____________________________and resides within the collective.

9. Never rush into change. Look upon it as a process involving

information,___________________________________________. When you give it time you get

the results you want plus a strong commitment from your people.

10. A lot of workplace change is initiated by a manager or supervisor getting excited about

some new program or technology after attending a conference. Always research any new

idea. Test it with a few willing volunteers and then make a decision as to whether you want

to commit to ________________________________based on their response to the test drive.

11. People are resistant to change and must be shown that any new way of doing things is

going to make their lives less stressful and more enjoyable. Never forget that people are

motivated by the __________________________________and the avoidance of pain.

12. Affirm, appreciate and praise your employees frequently especially during the period of

change implementation. ________________________________________are powerful human

motivators.

13. Foster a climate of humour in the workplace. People working in a climate of humor and

employment enjoyment are more flexible and__________________________________.

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*VOCABULARY CORNER*

Affirm verb:

to publicly state your support for an opinion or idea.

The government has affirmed its commitment to equal rights.

Appreciate verb

I/We appreciate...

used when you are thanking someone or showing that you are grateful.

We really appreciate all the help you gave us last weekend.

[+ ‐ing verb] I appreciate your making the effort to come

…would appreciate…

used when you are politely requesting something

I would appreciate it if you could let me know (= Please let me know) in advance whether or not you will be

coming.

Praise verb

to express admiration or approval about the achievements or characteristics of a person or thing.

He should be praised for his honesty.

He was highly praised f verb for his research on heart disease.

Foster verb

to encourage the development or growth of ideas or feelings.

They were discussing the best way to foster democracy and prosperity in the former communist countries.

KEY: works for them ‐‐ facilitate ‐‐increased efficiency ‐‐ take priority over ‐‐ proposed change ‐‐

decision to change ‐‐ sense of ownership ‐‐ build resistance ‐‐ the planning ‐‐ ask for input ‐‐

develop a new habit ‐‐ mentoring program ‐‐ discussion and patience ‐‐ full implementation ‐‐

search for pleasure ‐‐ Appreciation and praise ‐‐ open to change.

Exercise 2: Complete the following sentences by choosing one of the options offered in

brackets.

1. People often perceive change as a ……………………… (failure/stimulus/threat) to their

stability, self‐esteem and their values.

2. It comes as no surprise that the most frequent reaction to change is …………………….

(resistance/persistence/obedience).

3. Managers who are preparing to introduce changes in the workplace need to raise

their staff’s ………………………….. (mind/awareness/opinion) of the purpose of the

change.

4. The staff’s positive attitude towards introducing changes can be achieved both with

good communication with them as well as with active staff …………………………

(involvement/suggestions/ideas) in the decision‐making process.

5. Introducing change is far easier in flatter organisations than in …………………………

(market‐driven/caring/hierarchical) ones.

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6. Employees organised in ……………………… (teams/sections/offices) tend to generate

more ideas and they can test those ideas easily.

7. A supportive style of management, combined with adequate

…………………………… (education/training/measures) can boost the staff’s self‐

confidence and can help them cope with change successfully.

COURSE BOOK ACTIVITIES

READING: US department stores launch counter‐attack (p.31)

Exercise 1: Match the photos to the type of retail outlet listed in the box:

supermarket ‐‐ department store – kiosk ‐‐ convenience store ‐‐ discount store

a) ______________________________

b) _________________________ c) ____________________

d) ______________________

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e) _____________________________

EXERCISE G, p.32

Here are some differences between different types of retail outlets:

size prices product

range

length and

frequency of

visits

customer

service level

supermarket large it depends* wide average,

frequent

low

department store large high wide long, less

frequent

high

kiosk very

small

high very

narrow

very short,

frequent

high

convenience store small high narrow short, frequent low

discount store large low wide long, less

frequent

low

*some supermarkets in the UK are actually discounters (Lidl), some are mass‐market (Tesco), some

upmarket (Waitrose)

WHAT IS WHAT

A department store is a retail establishment organized into various departments which

specialize in satisfying a wide range of the consumerʹs needs and at the same time offering

the consumer a choice multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product

categories. Department stores usually sell products including clothes, furniture, home

appliances, electronics, hardware, toiletries, cosmetics, photographic equipment, jewellery,

toys, and sporting goods. Department stores are usually part of a retail chain of many stores

situated around a country or several countries.

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The world's largest department store is the Shinsegae Centum City in Busan, South Korea.

Discount department stores are a type of a departments store which sell products at prices

lower than those asked by department stores and other traditional retail outlets. Most

discount department stores offer a wide range of goods; others specialize in such

merchandise as jewelry, electronic equipment, or electrical appliances. They commonly have

central customer checkout areas, generally in the front area of the store.

Wal‐Mart Stores, Inc. (branded as Walmart) is

an American public corporation that runs a

chain of large, discount department stores. In

2008 it was the worldʹs largest public

corporation by revenue, according to the

Fortune Global 500 for that year.

Wal‐Mart is the largest private employer and

the largest grocery retailer in the United States.

Walmart operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the United Kingdom as Asda (ʺAsda Wal‐Martʺ

in some branches), in Japan as Seiyu, and in India as Best Price. It has wholly‐owned

operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Convenience store is a small store or shop that sells items such as candy, ice‐cream, soft

drinks, lottery tickets, cigarettes and other tobacco products, newspapers and magazines,

along with a selection of processed food and perhaps some groceries. Stores that are part of

gas stations may also sell motor oil, windshield washer fluid, radiator fluid, and maps. Often

toiletries and other hygiene products are stocked, and some of these stores also offer money

orders and wire transfer services or liquor products. They are often located alongside busy

roads, in densely‐populated urban neighborhoods, at gas/petrol stations or near railway

stations or other transportation hubs. In some countries most convenience stores have longer

shopping hours, some being open 24 hours.

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Kiosk: A small enclosed structure, often freestanding (standing separately from other constructions), open on one side or with a window, used as a booth to sell newspapers, cigarettes, etc.

Supermarket, also called a grocery store, is a self‐service store offering a wide variety of

food and household merchandise, organized into departments. It is larger in size and has a

wider selection than a traditional grocery store and it is smaller than a hypermarket or

superstore.

The supermarket typically sells meat, fresh produce, dairy, and baked goods departments

along with shelf space reserved for canned and packaged goods as well as for various

nonfood items such as household cleaners, pharmacy products, and pet supplies. Most

supermarkets also sell a variety of other household products that are consumed regularly,

such as alcohol (where permitted), household cleaning products, medicine, clothes, and

some sell a much wider range of nonfood products.

The traditional suburban supermarket occupies a large amount of floor space, usually on a

single level, and is situated near a residential area in order to be convenient to consumers. Its

basic appeal is the availability of a broad selection of goods under a single roof at relatively

low prices. Other advantages include ease of parking and, frequently, the convenience of

shopping hours that extend far into the evening or even 24 hours a day.

Supermarkets usually offer products at low prices by reducing their economic margins.

Certain products (such as bread, milk and sugar) are occasionally sold as loss leaders, that is,

with negative profit margins. To maintain a profit, supermarkets attempt to make up for the

lower margins by a higher overall volume of sales, and with the sale of higher‐margin items.

Customers usually shop by placing their selected merchandise into shopping carts (trolleys)

or baskets (self‐service) and pay for the merchandise at the check‐out. At present, many

supermarket chains are attempting to further reduce labor costs by shifting to self‐service

check‐out machines, where a single employee can oversee a group of four or five machines

at once, assisting multiple customers at a time.

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Exercise 2: After reading the article, try to complete the following sentences about changes

that have taken place in the US department stores.

Selfridges Birmingham Selfridges London

Bloomingdale’s at San Franciso

downtown shopping centre

Macy’s New York

1. Since today shopping for most people represents a stimulating experience, department

stores …………………………………..……..…………………………………………………..........

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. Discount stores, like Wal‐Mart and Target, have positioned themselves ……………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. On of the first department stores to react to the call for change is …………………….., a UK

group that has ………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. The first big change was ………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. Arnold Aronson claims that failing US department stores should copy this example

because it introduced………………………………………………………………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. Two large US department sores, ………………………………………………., have been

introducing some changes on their premises. They, for instance, ……………………………….

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Robert Tamilia, professor of Marketing, believes that……………………………………….......

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

GLOSSARY: THE READING ACTIVITY

retailing noun [U] (Commerce)

the business of selling goods to the public, especially through shops/stores.

career opportunities in retailing clothes/food/music retailing The management team have focused the

company purely on retailing. Japan’s third‐largest retailing group reported losses of ¥332.5bn._

retailer noun [C] a business or a person that sells goods directly to the public.

There have been strong sales by the big retailers.

clothing/electronics/food retailers

a retailer of computer products

COLLOCATIONS

a big/large/small retailer

a leading/major/top retailer

a high‐street/an independent/a speciality retailer

an Internet/online/a mail‐order retailer

adapt verb 1 to change sth in order to make it suitable for a new use or situation.

The cars are produced in Europe and specially adapted for the American market.

SYNONYM: MODIFY

2 to change your behaviour in order to deal more successfully with a new situation.

A large organization can be slow to adapt to change.

SYNONYM: ADJUST

adaptable adjective:

Successful businesses are highly adaptable to economic change.

reinvent verb [+ obj] to present yourself/sth in a new form or with a new image.

The company is trying to reinvent itself as a retailer of casual clothing.

IDIOMS

reinvent the wheel

to waste time creating sth that already exists and works well:

discount store noun [C]

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a shop that sells goods at prices that are much lower than normal.

a chain of high‐street discount stores

Discount stores thrive even in the current sluggish economy.

SYNONYM: DISCOUNTER

mount verb [no obj] to increase, often in a way that causes worry.

Pressure is mounting for tax allowances on childcare.

PHRASAL VERBS

mount up: to increase gradually in size and quantity

Meanwhile, my debts were mounting up.

recast to change the way that someone or something is or appears to be.

the bottom line the most important thing that you have to consider or accept; the essential point in a

discussion.

The bottom line is that we did not handle the matter as we should have.

market share noun [C,U] the amount of sales of a particular type of product that a company has, compared with the

total sales.

The company’s US market share fell from 23.4% to 21.2%.

Our market share increased in all segments.

COLLOCATIONS

to boost/build/grow/increase market share.

to gain/grab/take/win market share

to lose/maintain market share

vendor (AmE spelling also vender) noun [C] 1 a company or person that sells sth.

a software vendor street vendors

2 a company that supplies raw materials or pieces of equipment to companies that make

goods:

They have been chosen as preferred vendor for voice communications for the hotel group.

SYNONYMS: SUPPLIER / SELLER

discounter noun [C] 1 a shop/store that sells things very cheaply, often in large quantities or from a limited range

of goods:

Discounters have stolen market share from department stores.

SYN: DISCOUNT STORE

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2 a business that offers its products at very low prices:

They have established themselves as a deep discounter of computer hardware.

The airline is facing threats from aggressive discounters undercutting its fares.

fail verb, noun verb

1 to not be successful in achieving sth.

Their marketing strategy failed to increase sales.

They failed in their bid to buy the company. So far, negotiations have failed.

2 to not do sth:

She failed to keep the appointment.

They claim that the government has failed in its duties.

3 (about a business) to be unable to continue:

Statistics show that 80% of businesses fail within the first five years.

enhance to improve the good quality, value or status of sb/sth.

The focus of our board has been on enhancing shareholder value.

enhanced adjective

enhanced productivity ; enhanced software ;

merchandise noun, verb noun [U]

goods that are bought or sold; goods that are for sale in a shop/stor.

The supermarket has expanded its range of non‐food merchandise. attracting shoppers with

discounted merchandise

Wal‐Mart, the general merchandise retailer

verb (also spelled merchandize) /; AmE /

1 to buy and sell products for profit:

a plan to merchandise Mexican food products in grocery stores

2 to encourage the sale of goods, especially by the way they are packaged and displayed in

shops/stores:

We try to show our customers (the nation’s retailers) the best ways to merchandise our products.

showcase [usually sing.]

an event that presents sb’s abilities or the good qualities of sth in an attractive way.

The fair serves as showcase for businesses to show what they have to offer.

lose out to sb/sth to not get sth that you expected to get because someone else has already taken it.

They lost out to a competitor in the bidding war.

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LISTENING: Managing change (p.32)

Exercise 1 (4.1): This is the extract from the interview with Maggie Miller, the Business

transformation Director at Sainsbury’s – one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK.

Complete the sentences by selecting words from the box.

barriers being eliminated / major investments / embrace new ways / maximum benefits /

some world‐leading best practice / capabilities / system change / Chief Executive / rather

complacent/ supply chain

1. In the year two thousand we had a new …………………………………join the

company. Peter Davies joined the company that had been very successful in the past

but had become ……………………………………..and had lost its business lead over

its competitors.

2. Peter realised the we needed some……………………………………., firstly in

our………………………………….– that’s our depots and logistics infrastructure;

secondly, in upgrading our stores, and thirdly we needed to support the business in

developing new ………………………….for which we needed a large investment in a

new IT system

3. We reviewed the capabilities we had in our own IT team and realised we needed

much greater depth and breadth of skills and that we needed to

inject……………………………………………………………... We decide to use a third

party.

4. We haven’t completely finished introducing the IT

……………………………………..and we still have a long way to go in changing all

our business processes to drive out the……………………………………………..

5. We have already seen major changes in people’s attitudes when they saw

the…………………………………………... The new IT system enables people to

improve the way they work and it helps people

……………………………………………..of doing things.

KEY: 1‐ Chief Executive/ rather complacent; 2‐ major investments/ supply chain/ capabilities; 3‐ some

world‐leading best practice; 4‐ system change/ maximum benefits; 5‐ barriers being eliminated/

embrace new ways.

GLOSSARY: THE LISTENING ACTIVITY

third party a company, an organization, a person, etc. that is involved in a situation in addition to the

two main people or groups involved

The company might be bought back by its parent or sold to a third party. ;

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supply chain (also supply network, logistics network)

the system of people and things that are involved in getting a product from the place where

it is made to the person who buys it.

THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN RETAILING:

Suppliers

supply materials and parts; refers to anybody that sells sth to sb

Producers

supply finished goods

Distributors

wholesalers:sell in large quantities or in bulk

retailers: sell to the public

resellers: especially for computers and software

Customers (end users)

consumers (individuals)

businesses

lead noun the position ahead of everyone else in a competition or race; the amount that sb/sth is ahead

They have now lost their market lead.

They have a lead of 10% of market share over their closest competitor.

embrace to completely accept something such as a new idea, belief, or way of life.

Most men have enthusiastically embraced the concept of not having to go on maternity leave.

commitment (of sb/sth) (to sth/sb) the willingness to give time, money, effort, etc. in order to achieve sth; complete loyalty to

one organization, person, etc.

He demands total commitment from his staff. :

till a machine used in shop/stores, restaurants, etc. that has a drawer for keeping money in, and

that shows and records the amount of money received for each item sold.

SYN: CASH REGISTER

on the part of sb done or experienced by someone.

a mistake on the part of authorities

depot a place where large amounts of goods or equipment are stored, especially before being sent

somewhere else.

an oil/food depot French hauliers are blockading fuel depots.

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complacent too confident and relaxed because you think you can deal with something easily, even

though this may not be true.

These results are good but the staff cannot afford to be complacent.

embark on/upon to start a new project or activity, usually one that will be difficult and take time.

The new government embarked on /upon a new strategy.

GLOSSARY: DESCRIBING CHANGE, p.33

Prefix + verb constructions

downsize verb to reduce the number of people who work in a company, business, etc. in order to reduce

costs.

The company has downsized to eight employees.

downsizing noun

the downsizing of the manufacturing division ; He lost his job in a corporate downsizing.

downgrade verb 1 to give sth a lower grade, value or status

The share price fell after analysts downgraded the stock. ;

2 to give sb a less important job; to make a job less important

Some jobs had gradually been downgraded from skilled to semi‐skilled.

upgrade verb 1 to make a piece of machinery, computer system, etc. more powerful and efficient; to start to

use machinery or systems of this type.

We’ve just upgraded to the latest version of the operating system. upgraded computers

2 (Finance) to give sth a higher grade, value or status.

The Bank has upgraded its rating on the stock to ‘buy’. The company’s credit rating has been

upgraded (= they are now considered to be more likely to pay their debts).

3 (HR) to give sb a more important job; to make a job more important.

He’s been upgraded to Head of Sales.

4 to give sb a better seat on a plane, room in a hotel, etc. than the one that they have paid for.

We were upgraded to business class.

upgrade noun

instructions for installing an upgrade to the existing system credit rating upgrades Frequent flyers

qualify for a free upgrade.

OPPOSITE: DOWNGRADE

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deregulate verb to remove government rules and controls from an industry, a business activity, etc.

The telecommunications market is being deregulated. ; Congress deregulated the airline industry in

1978.

deregulated adjective [only before noun]

Power generation is a deregulated, competitive industry.

decentralise verb to move the control of an organization or government from a single place to several smaller

ones.

We decentralized our operations last year and opened several regional offices.

regulate verb 1 to control sth by means of rules or laws.

The activities of credit companies are regulated by law.

The industry is still allowed to regulate itself.

retrain verb to learn, or to teach sb, a new type of work, a new skill, etc

Staff have been retrained to use the new technology.

I am considering retraining as an IT teacher.

restructure verb to organize a company, business or system in a new way to make it operate more effectively.

The government restructured the coal industry before selling it to private owners.

relocate verb to (cause a person or company to) move to a new place.

The company has relocated to Liverpool.

My company relocated me to Paris.

redevelop verb to change an area by building new houses, roads, factories, etc

The site will be redeveloped for mixed residential and business use.

redevelopment noun

New office and retail space will form part of the redevelopment.

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Verb‐noun partnerships (ex.C)

Relocate to the suburbs

Downsize the workforce

Reorganise a seating plan

Relaunch the product

Decentralise the decision‐making process

Retrain part‐time staff

Redevelop the car park into an office building

Finalise the plans

Reorganise the company hierarchy

Exercise: Use the prefixes and verbs to from new verbs in order to complete the sentences.

de‐

down‐

re‐

up‐

train

size

regulate

locate

centralise

launch

grade

develop

1. We want to use the money to ________________________all our computers with the

most up‐to‐date processors.

2. We bought the new software and ten realised we would need to __________________

the staff to use it.

3. Lots of companies claim that they would like to ________________________

responsibility and authority.

4. Our government might __________________________ all domestic flights to make the

industry more competitive.

5. The local council has plans to __________________ the entire area south of our

headquarters.

6. Sales will increase when we ______________________ the product under a different

name.

7. Our company is making plans to ___________________its head office to Japan.

8. If our company goes ahead with plans to ________________________, it probably

means that we are out of job.

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CASE STUDY: ACQUIRING METROT

Company profile

Company buyer

Cornerstone Group

Based in Dallas, US

Workforce 35,000

Turnover (= sales) $ 4.1 billion

Activities Providing services and products for the oil

industry

Has bought Metrot

Company acquired

Metrot

Based in Paris, France

Factories Northern France

Products Household goods

Type of company until now Family‐owned

Old Chief Executive Jean Metrot, interested in employee

welfare. Will now have a seat on the board

as an adviser

New Chief Executive Hugh Whitman, 30s, Harvard‐educated

Background:

A US company providing services to the oil industry takes over a French family‐owned

household goods company, with negative consequences.

Reasons for Cornerstone´s acquisition

Cornerstone wants to expand sales of Metrot products in Europe.

The company wants to use Metrot to launch its own products in Europe.

The company wants to use Metrot´s biggest asset, which is the valuable land, to grow the

company or to sell off some of it to finance the acquisition.

Possible problems with the acquisition

Possible problem with different styles of management that will be introduced into the

French company.

Jean Metrot has always taken personal interest in the welfare of his staff. After the

acquisition he will remain on the board as an adviser.

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Problems after nine months

The change of ownership has caused various problems at Metrot. The Union organiser,

Jacques Lafont, writes an e‐mail to Personnel Director about staff morale.

He outlines the following problem areas:

o staff unhappy with the changes,

o productivity has fallen,

o staff turnover is high.

Reasons for the staff’s low morale:

1. Frequent factory inspections annoy staff, no one knows the reasons behind those

inspections.

2. Too many redundancies, especially from the R&D Department.

3. Many members of staff are looking for new jobs before they are made redundant. People

are afraid of relocation of the factory.

4. Staff unhappy with the new management style.

Task – discussion:

Meet as two groups of managers as explained in the course book (p.37).

Discuss the problems following the agenda (3 items).

LISTENING 4.4: interview wit Hugh Whitman

Opinion of Metrot Skilled workforce and excellent products

Changes? Yes

Objectives for Metrot o To expand in its European markets

o Make it a strong company at the leading edge of

technology, with an image for quality, reliability and

good service.

Plans for workforce Some cutbacks in the short term, but long‐term growth

Plans for factories Does not want to comment

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E‐mail from Jacques Lafont

Memo from/to French Union Organiser to US Personnel Director

Productivity and morale Have fallen

Reasons o Unannounced factory inspections o Redundancies in R&D department

o Fear of further changes ‐ people are looking for new jobs.

o Dislike changes and the way they are introduced

What staff think o Change too rapid o More informal, family atmosphere before

o Company has no sense of direction

o Interference from Head Office

staff turnover the rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by other people.

The factory has a high turnover of staff.

employee/labour/staff turnover

a high/low turnover

cutback noun [usually pl.] a reduction in sth.

cutbacks in production

staff cutbacks

acquire verb to buy a company or part of a company’s business; to buy shares in a company.

It announced that it would acquire a 22 per cent stake in RTL from the UK media group.

to acquire an asset/ a business/a company/shares/a stake

Exercise 1: Complete the sentences in your own words by using the beginning given for

each sentence.

1.Metrot, a French company, is the latest ……………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.The Cornerstone’s primary aim is to …………………………………………………………but

also to start ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

3.The valuable land is …………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4.Problems related to ………………………………………………….came to the surface after

the merger because……………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Hugh Whitman will be ……………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………while Jean Metrot remains………………………….

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. In his e‐mail, Jacques Lafont, the Union Organiser, outlined…………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

7. In the fear of losing their jobs……………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

8.The major complaints that the staff have mainly concern ……………………………………, in

particular the way in which ………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Exercise 2: Find words in the text that create a collocation with these words:

Household ____________________

Head _________________________

Expand _______________________

Finance _______________________

Management __________________

Family‐owned _________________

Employees’ ____________________

Staff __________________________

Check ________________________

Look for ______________________

Relocate ______________________

European _____________________

Family ________________________

PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS

1) RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

Search the web sites of major American department stores (Neiman Marcus, Macy’s,

Bergdorf Goodman, Sears, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom). Analyse the changes they are

introducing, their customer service, ways they adapt to the new market demands, and to

various market segments, find information on their revenues, profits, employment policies,

their corporate culture.

Then select two of them and write a comparison report outlining their differences and

similarities.

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2) CASE STUDY 4: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

Write action minutes for your meeting following the model on page 135 in your course

books. Action minutes include the agenda for the meeting so you don´t need to write that

separately.

Action minutes serve to give a summary of the key points discussed at a meeting. They

contain the following information:

Purpose of the meeting

Name of the person running the meeting

Location for the meeting

Names of people present

Date, time

List of key points discussed together with highlights of each point

Action plan = list of actions agreed on, names of people responsible for carrying out the

agreed actions and the target dates for each action.

You can write it in table form or in a report form (as shown on page 135).

12670 unit 4 change class material glossary assignments[1]

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