Read the last two paragraphs carefully. Correct these statements.

A Before you read - discuss

1) The topic of this article is outsourcing, transferring manufacturing or office services away from the company’s base to centres where wage costs are lower. This reduces costs, saves a lot of money for the company and increases profit margins. How will this affect the company’s base?

a) Closure of entire departments?

b) Salary increases for company base staff?

c) Large numbers of employees made redundant?

d) Reduction is staff morale?

e) Reduced prices for customers?

f) Increased sales turnover?

g) Increased product or service quality standards?

2) Think about the company you work for or a company you know well, which sectors could be outsourced to centres where wage levels are lower?

a) Company management, directors, executives etc.?

b) Manufacturing?

c) Research, innovation, design?

d) Quality control?

e) Technical support services?

f) Office cleaning?

g) Accounting and auditing departments?

h) Office car parking?

i) Customer support telephone help desk?

j) Payroll department?

k) Sales management?

l) Any other departments?

3) If this work was outsourced, how would it affect the company’s future?

B Comprehension

Read the article very quickly (3 minutes) and choose the best summary below.

a) The article is about a new thin mobile phone (7.7 millimetres) which has been developed in Japan.

b) The article is about successful Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean manufacturers outsourcing their manufacturing to Japanese companies.

c) The article suggests that Japanese are no longer innovative and now innovation is coming from Taiwan, Korea and China.

d) The article suggests that manufacturing has become too expensive in Japan, so Japanese companies now outsource their manufacturing to Taiwan, Korea and China.

Read the first three paragraphs carefully. Correct the following statements.

a) Sony was the first company to mass-produce lap-top computers.

b) Japanese technology firms started to outsource low-value activities too quickly.

c) Japanese technology firms focused on satisfying Western consumers with advanced features.

d) Over the past decade, NEC and Hitachi have announced good returns on assets.

e) Japanese technology companies have now started to buy their Asian rivals.

3) Read the next three paragraphs carefully. Mark these statements T [true] or F [false].

a) NEC has a successful business in manufacturing LCD panels. T/F

b) Lenovo, a Chinese computer maker has started a joint venture with NEC. T/F

c) Lenovo also manufacturers computers for IBM. T/F

d) Samsung, a Korean manufacturer will soon start making LCD screens for Toshiba. T/F

e) Sony’s television factories in Mexico and Slovakia have been sold to a Korean company. T/F

f) Hon Hai is negotiating to manufacture mobile phone LCD screens for Sharp. T/F

Read the last two paragraphs carefully. Correct these statements.

a) Taiwanese, South Korean and Chinese firms need to catch up with Japanese firms.

b) Deadly rivals cannot be partners.

c) Up to now, the success of Japanese technology firms has been based on selling small quantities of highly innovative products at premium prices.

d) NEC has announced it will produce the world’s thinnest trumpet.

e) NEC has also announced a phone for users without contacts.

C Vocabulary

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 646