高级综合商务英语2 Unit 4 Executive Caliber

Structural Analysis
Para.
Main Topics
Para. 1- Selfishness contributed to the crisis of
4
business as well as that of capitalism.
Para. 5- Five half-truths shape the way we think
Scandal and economic decline have produced negative influences on the way how CEOs lead their companies. Three celebrated professors send this memo about five half-truths of business to give warnings and suggestions to CEOs.
Part I Words and Expressions
distress (para. 3) n. anxiety or mental suffering
synonyms: agony, anguish
example: He was in an extreme state of distress due to the termination of his employment.
Part II Questions about Part II
d. Para(s) 23-27
The fourth half-truth: Companies need to be
lean and mean.
e. Para(s) 28-33
The fifth half-truth: A rising tide lifts all boats.
Part II Questions about Part II
Bid
shopping,
procurement
of
substandard/defective materials, bribery, and
employment of illegal workers are the most
prevalent ethics issues in international
Q1. What’s the main idea of Part II (Para. 5Para. 33)? Five half-truths shape the way we think about business and the way we do business.
Part II Questions about Part II
33
about business and the way we do
business.
Part I Questions about Part I
Q1. What's the main idea of Part I (Para. 14)? Selfishness contributed to the crisis of business as well as that of capitalism.
Q3. What’s the main idea of Section I (Para. 5-Para. 9)? The first half-truth is that we're only in it for ourselves.
Part II Questions about Part II
Q4. The authors mentioned “financiers who walk away from unethical deals (Para. 7)”; take international construction as an illustration, can you give any examples of unethical deals?
Part I
Notes
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO) is
the highest-ranking corporate
officer
(executive)
or
administrator in charge of total
management of an organization.
Part I Words and Expressions
catastrophe (para. 2) n. a great, often sudden calamity
synonyms: calamity, disaster
example: For each man who loses his job unemployment is a personal catastrophe.
Part I Words and Expressions
recession (Introduction) n. an extended decline in general business activity
synonyms: depression, decline
example: In spite of the recession, private car sales are 5 per cent up.
An individual appointed as a CEO
of a corporation typically reports
to the board of directors. The CEO
presides over the executive
committee.
Part II Questions about Part II
b. Para(s)10-16
The second half-truth: Corporations exist to
maximize shareholder value.
c. Para(s) 17-22
The third half-truth: Companies need CEOs who
are heroic leaders.
construction.
Part II Sentence Interpretation
Business simply won't work if each of us is only in it for ourselves. While we need to have individual initiative, we survive in a context of social engagement. (Line 4, Para. 9) If we only pursue personal interests, business just won’t work. Although individual ambition is necessary, social interaction is something that we cannot live without.
Unit Four
Executive Caliber
Lead-in Discussion
1. What kind of leaders do you want to have in your future career? Read the next several slides for some clues.
Part I Questions about Part I
Q3. What does “the very thing we cherish” refer to? “The very thing we cherish” refers to our deeply rooted core values.
Part I Sentence Interpretation
Scandal and recession have cast a pall on the way CEOs go about leading their companies. Three distinguished professors send this memo — Five Half-truths of Business — as a wake-up call. (Line 1, Introduction)
Part I Questions about Part I
Q2. The authors mention “a crisis” at the beginning of the text. What accounts for the occurrence of the crisis? All of us who believe in business are all captives of five half-truths that shape the way we think about business and the way we do business. As a result, we may destroy the very thing we cherish.
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Lead-in Discussion
Q2. Please illustrate the structure of the second part which can be further divided into five sections.
Paragraphs
Subheadings
a. Para(s) 5-9
The first half-truth: We're only in it for ourselves.
Part II Words and Expressions
maximize (para. 5) v. to increase or make as great as possible
antonym: minimize
example: Setting off twin bombs is a classic guerrilla tactic which seeks to maximize casualties.
I
Q4. What’s the definition of “half-truth”? Half-truth is a statement, especially one intended to deceive, that omits some of the facts necessary for a full description or account.
Part II Words and Expressions
integrity (para. 6) n. steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical
code
synonyms: honesty, sincerity
example: The action is a sign of how personal integrity is now seen as crucial as the financial sector seeks to restore its reputation.
Lead-in Discussion
2. The following figures are CEOs or ex-CEOs in different corporations; can you tell their stories? What qualities contributed to their success?