business(noun)
— the activity of buying, selling or providing goods or services Much of today's business is conducted across international borders.
global business community(noun)
— all the people and organisations involved in business around the world The majority of the global business community might share the use of English.
business context(noun)
— a situation related to work and companies, not personal life They use titles when meeting someone in a business context for the first time.
business etiquette(noun)
— the formal rules for polite behaviour in business situations Differences in the business etiquette around the world can stand you in good stead.
corporate culture(noun)
— the shared values and ways of working in a company We are influenced by our corporate culture as well as national culture.
to put it in simple terms(fixed phrase)
— to explain something in an easy and direct way To put it in simple terms, demand is higher than supply.
to put it in context(fixed phrase)
— to give background information so something is better understood To put it in context, these changes began over a decade ago.
shipping(noun)
— the activity of transporting goods by ship or other means The Cavendish wasn't as well suited to shipping as the Gros Michel.
bankruptcy(noun)
— the state of being unable to pay debts; financial ruin United Fruit had saved itself from bankruptcy by planting new crops.
operation(noun)
— a business activity or organization; a planned activity While the operation was a huge success for the Latin American industry, the Cavendish itself is far from safe.
exporter(noun)
— a person or company that sends goods to another country for sale In 2014, South East Asia was another major banana exporter.
drop(verb)
— to decrease or fall in amount or number In 2015, exports had dropped by 46 per cent.
across international borders(phrase)
— in or to many different countries Much of today's business is conducted across international borders.
business acquaintances(noun)
— people you know through work but who are not close friends The cultural norms and practices of our business acquaintances can result in unfair judgements.
breakdowns in communication(noun)
— a serious failure in the way people exchange information A lack of understanding can result in misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication.
Reading
Daniel Okafor stood outside the Volta Drive factory in Gliwice, Poland, reviewing his notes for the meeting with Sabine Krüger, the operations director from Stuttgart. He had been visiting the plant twice this year and had come to appreciate the efficiency of its operations, though he remained concerned about the growing competition from cheaper Asian exporters. His three main UK customers were pushing for more stock before the spring season, and the pressure was mounting. As he stepped inside, he noticed Sabine already in the conference room, her tablet open and a cup of coffee beside her. She was precise and direct, a trait that had earned her respect across the global business community. 'Let's be precise,' she said as she greeted him, 'what exactly is the update from your side?'
The discussion quickly turned to the recent drop in sales across international borders, a trend that troubled both of them. Sabine had been working closely with Paweł Zając and Natalia Duda to ensure the new production line in Gliwice met its KPI targets. She shared data showing that while the plant's corporate culture remained strong, the cost of shipping components had increased by 12% over the last quarter. Daniel, in turn, explained the situation in simple terms: his customers were hesitant to commit to larger orders due to fears of bankruptcy if demand dipped. He also mentioned a recent breakdown in communication with one of the UK distributors, which had led to a delay in a major order. Sabine nodded, her mind already calculating the implications. 'We need to put this in context,' she said. 'If we don't address it now, we may lose more than just a few sales.'
Gap-fill
While the was a huge success for the Latin American industry, the Cavendish itself is far from safe.
Much of today's is conducted across international borders.
, demand is higher than supply.
In 2015, exports had by 46 per cent.
The majority of the might share the use of English.
Much of today's business is conducted .
The Cavendish wasn't as well suited to as the Gros Michel.
The cultural norms and practices of our can result in unfair judgements.
, these changes began over a decade ago.
A lack of understanding can result in misunderstandings and .
Differences in the around the world can stand you in good stead.
United Fruit had saved itself from by planting new crops.
We are influenced by our as well as national culture.
In 2014, South East Asia was another major banana .
They use titles when meeting someone in a for the first time.
Matching
A. business
B. global business community
C. business context
D. business etiquette
E. corporate culture
F. to put it in simple terms
G. to put it in context
H. shipping
I. bankruptcy
J. operation
K. exporter
L. drop
M. across international borders
N. business acquaintances
O. breakdowns in communication
a. the formal rules for polite behaviour in business situations
b. a person or company that sends goods to another country for sale
c. to explain something in an easy and direct way
d. to decrease or fall in amount or number
e. a situation related to work and companies, not personal life
f. the activity of buying, selling or providing goods or services
g. a business activity or organization; a planned activity
h. in or to many different countries
i. to give background information so something is better understood
j. the state of being unable to pay debts; financial ruin
k. all the people and organisations involved in business around the world
l. the activity of transporting goods by ship or other means
m. a serious failure in the way people exchange information
n. people you know through work but who are not close friends
o. the shared values and ways of working in a company