Business Spotlight Get it right! How you can make better decisions (Vorschau)

BusinessSpotlight
BusinessSpotlight
Englisch für den Beruf
Juli–August l Ausgabe 4/2013
Easy English
Key tips for
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Get it right!
How you can make better decisions
Careers
Dealing with
conflicts
Language Test
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■ EDITORIAL
Decision time
Decisions of all sorts are a
key aspect of business life. Some
decisions are banal; others can be
critical to the future success and
even survival of an organization.
As Bob Dignen makes clear in his
latest Business Skills article (see
Ian McMaster, editor-in-chief
p. 30), people often have very different
views on how decisions should be taken. Some people
prefer to do so alone, without any outside input. But in many
cases, it is both necessary and desirable to take decisions in
groups. This involves using your language skills optimally to
collect the opinions and information you’ll need to make the
correct choices.
One key decision we have just taken is to improve
the vocabulary-learning help that we offer you with each
magazine. As of this issue,
we present a Key Words
list of important terms in
Business Spotlight, with
explanations in easy English
and translations into
German (p. 63). Business
Spotlight subscribers can
also download a PDF and
an audio file of these key
words as well as a full
English–German vocabulary
list of the whole magazine,
at: www.businessspotlight.de/words
Many options: better language
skills can improve your decisions
Another decision that often has to be taken is how
to solve work conflicts. In our Careers article, Margaret Davis
looks at the advantages of using mediators (p. 66).
iStockphoto
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Leipziger Straße 51, 60487 Frankfurt / Main
kern.frankfurt@kerntraining.com
☎ (0 69) 7 56 07 39-0
www.kerntraining.com
Ian McMaster, editor-in-chief
Contact: i.mcmaster@spotlight-verlag.de
4/2013
Aachen · Augsburg · Berlin · Bielefeld · Bochum · Bonn
Braunschweig · Bremen · Darmstadt · Dortmund · Dresden
Duisburg · Düsseldorf · Essen · Frankfurt / Main · Freiburg
Friedrichshafen · Hamburg · Hannover · Heilbronn · Ingolstadt
Kaiserslautern · Karlsruhe · Kassel · Kiel · Köln · Leipzig
Mainz · Mannheim · Mönchen gladbach · München · Münster
Nürnberg · Offenbach · Saarbrücken · Schweinfurt · Stuttgart
Ulm · Weil a. Rh. · Wiesbaden · Wuppertal · Würzburg

■ CONTENTS 4/2013
10 Sheryl Sandberg
30 Making decisions
Knopf
WORKING WORLD
6 Names and News
The latest from the world of business
all levels
LANGUAGE TEST
➤ 38 Travel and Transport
Vocabulary for moving people and things
all levels
GLOBAL BUSINESS
➤10 Profile
Sheryl Sandberg’s advice for women managers
14 Head-to-Head
Do we need global tax rules?
16 BlackBerry
The firm’s independence hangs in the balance
21 Behind the Headlines
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
22 Working with Sub-Saharan Africa
Three expert views on opportunities and risks
27 Looking Back
Barbara Hiller on emigration from New Zealand
28 Travel Tips
Walking safaris and guidebooks for hedonists
English on the Move The London Underground
BUSINESS SKILLS
➤30 Decisions
Learn how to make and change decisions
Survival Guide to cut out and keep
36 Toolbox
When to use “I” and “we”
37 Say It in Style
Avoiding gender-specific language
medium US
advanced
advanced
advanced
medium
medium
medium
easy
medium
medium
medium
medium
LANGUAGE SECTION
44 Vocabulary The boardroom
45 Grammar at Work Speculating
➤46 Easy English Small talk
48 Wise Words Deborah Capras on nationalities
50 Short Story The king of spin
52 Translation False friends and more
53 Language Cards Pull out and practise
➤55
SKILL UP! Your holidays
56 English for… Airport security
58 Legal English A letter of demand
59 Economics and Finance Supply and demand (2)
60 Teacher Talk Interview with Evan Frendo
62 Products What’s new?
63 Key Words Vocabulary from this issue
CAREERS
➤66 Mediation
When conflict management is needed
70 Tips and Trends
On the “open company” and saying no at work
72 Leisure Time
What to do when you are away from your desk
easy
medium
easy
medium
medium
medium
advanced
medium
advanced
medium
medium
medium
medium
medium
Multimedia learning with Business Spotlight
Business Spotlight plus
Practise the language in the
magazine with our exercise booklet.
In this issue, we look at holidays,
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plus This symbol indicates that
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38 Travel and transport 66 Mediation at work
iStockphoto (3)
MANAGEMENT
74 Venues
The trend of meeting in unusual places
78 What Happened Next
Poison in Tylenol pills
79 Executive Eye
Adrian Furnham on rituals at work
TECHNOLOGY
80 Processed Food
The dangers of sugar
82 Trends
Airbags for the head and humanized products
83 Language Focus
Types of surveying
PEOPLE
86 My Working Life
Kevin Alcock, ship’s captain
REGULAR SECTIONS
3 Editorial
64 SprachenShop
73 Classified Ads
84 Feedback / Impressum
85 Preview
medium
medium
medium
advanced
medium
advanced
easy
➤ Cover topics
55 Holiday
vocabulary
GUIDE
LANGUAGE IN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Articles in the magazine use the style, spelling, punctuation and
pronunciation of British English unless otherwise marked.
US American style, spelling, punctuation and pronunciation
are used in these articles.
easy Approximately at CEF level A2
medium Approximately at CEF levels B1–B2
advanced Approximately at CEF levels C1–C2
All articles are marked with their level of language difficulty.
CEF stands for the Council of Europe’s “Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages”.
ifml.: informal word or phrase; vulg.: vulgar word or phrase;
sl.: slang word or phrase; non-stand.: non-standard word or phrase;
UK: chiefly UK usage; US: chiefly North American usage
Cover photograph: Mauritius
Business Spotlight Audio
Our audio product offers more than 70 minutes of texts,
dialogues, exercises and interviews. In the current
issue, you can practise making and changing decisions
as well as the language of travel and transport.
This symbol indicates that related texts and
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Business Spotlight Online
Our website offers activities for even
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full access to our online content.
www This symbol indicates that related
content can be found on our
website: www.business-spotlight.de
www.business-spotlight.de 5

■ WORKING WORLD NAMES AND NEWS
Dame and
commander:
Zaha Hadid
Getty Images
BELGIUM BRITAIN/IRAQ
Welcome, Married to Gérard! her work
Zaha Hadid is one of the world’s busiest architects, with
projects running simultaneously in such cities as London,
Miami and Nanjing. Despite her success, the Iraqi-born
British citizen is often considered difficult to work with.
Yet, Hadid says she is “a pushover. I make allowances for
people if I like them,” she told the Financial Times. Now
62, Hadid was appointed Dame Commander of the Order
of the British Empire in 2012 for her services to architecture.
The title is the female equivalent of a knighthood.
Dame Zaha was inspired to become an architect in the
1960s: “In America they were building skyscrapers. In Brazil
it was like the rebuilding of a new continent. … There was
a tremendous interest in modernity as a way of moving away
from colonialism — modernity became the aesthetic of independence.”
Hadid, who has also held a number of teaching
positions in the US, Germany and Austria, has a staff of
300 at her London firm. She calls the younger architects “the
children” or “the kids”, but has none of her own. Nor has
she ever married. “I didn’t make a conscious decision to focus
on career and not have a family,” she explains. “I’m very
lucky because I like the work. I’ve met amazing people
through it.”
£222,458 £350,000
Current cost of raising a
child in Britain from birth
to age 21
medium
Projected cost of raising a
child in Britain in 2023
amazing [E(meIzIN]
Dame Commander [)deIm kE(mA:ndE] UK
Iraqi-born [I)rA:ki (bO:n]
knighthood [(naIthUd]
make allowances for sb. [)meIk E(laUEnsIz fO:]
modernity [mQ(d§:nEti]
projected [prE(dZektId]
pushover [(pUS)EUvE] ifml.
skyscraper [(skaI)skreIpE]
tremendous [trE(mendEs]
toll
Großkomturin
im Irak geboren
Ritterwürde
mit jmdm. nachsichtig sein
hier: moderne Architektur
voraussichtlich
leicht zu überredender Mensch
Wolkenkratzer
enorm
Sources: “Cost of Raising a Child” report (www.lv.com); The Daily Telegraph
Getty Images
“Money can do good things if you invest
it in the right things — like people”
Robson Green, 48, actor (Wire in the Blood / Hautnah — Die Methode Hill)
6 www.business-spotlight.de

➡
➡
May I help you, madam?
Butler at work
BRITAIN
Booking a butler
Some are calling it “the Downton effect”. Others say it’s just a marketing
gimmick. Whatever the explanation, more and more British hotels are offering
butler service. Downton Abbey, a television series about an aristocratic family and
its servants, has been an international success. Now luxury hotels are hoping that
their guests will want to have butlers of their own — at least for a few nights.
“Butler service is a very British thing and the increasing interest in British
lifestyle and traditions … contributes to the growing trend,” says butler Thomas
Ashley of the Bulgari Hotel in London. Ashley told the Financial Times that the
hotel’s butlers help guests with tasks like packing and unpacking. They will even
help guests decide what to wear.
Daniel Jordaan is head butler at the Lanesborough Hotel at Hyde Park Corner.
“The Downton Abbey effect has been great for us because we have more people
who understand what we do now and use us more,” Jordaan said.
Not everyone agrees that hotels are offering true butler service. Former private
butler Andrew Loyd says that professional butlers are on call to their employers
24 hours a day. “You really do give your life to them,” Loyd comments.
easy
Ablestock
Listen to this text on Business Spotlight Audio
Retailers at Britain’s biggest railway stations are
outselling shops in the high street. The top-selling
stations are London Bridge (whose sales are up
23.27 per cent over last year), London Victoria (up
7.32 per cent) and Euston (up 5.82 per cent).
Sources: British Retail Consortium (www.brc.org.uk); Breaking
Travel News (www.breakingtravelnews.com)
Labour force participation by women in India is
falling, according to the International Labour Organization
(ILO). The percentage of women in
work has dropped from 37 per cent in 2004 to 29
per cent in 2010 (the most recent statistics available).
The drop is partly explained by an increase
in the number of girls attending secondary school
as well as by more competition between men and
women for fewer and fewer jobs.
Source: International Labour Organization (www.ilo.org)
competition [)kQmpE(tIS&n]
contribute to sth. [kEn(trIbju:t tu]
gimmick [(gImIk]
head butler [)hed (bVtlE]
high street [(haI stri:t] UK
labour force [(leIbE fO:s]
on call: be ~ [)Qn (kO:l]
outsell sb. [)aUt(sel]
retail [(ri:teI&l]
retailer [(ri:teI&lE]
sales [seI&lz]
secondary school [(sekEndEri sku:l]
4/2013
Konkurrenz
zu etw. beitragen
origineller Einfall, Trick
Chefbutler(in)
Haupteinkaufsstraße
erwerbstätige Bevölkerung
auf Abruf zur Verfügung
stehen
einen höheren Umsatz als
jmd. erzielen
Einzelhandel
Einzelhändler(in)
Umsatz
weiterführende Schule
EF Sprachreisen
Königsallee 92a
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■ WORKING WORLD NAMES AND NEWS
Learning his way to the top:
ambitious young Indian
INDIA
A better you
medium
Ambitious Indians all seem to want the same thing —
to become more successful versions of themselves.
This is good news for anyone in the growing self-improvement
business. Teachers of English as well as experts in
body language and etiquette are profiting from the boom.
Anurag Aggarwal offers courses in public speaking to
professionals in Delhi. Aggarwal’s students pay about
£400 (€470) for a six-month course of weekly lessons.
“This course is very much in demand,” he told The
Guardian. “The whole idea of public speaking is new here
and is picking up very much.”
Meera Gulati, a 28-year-old clinical research manager,
is one of Aggarwal’s students. “Communication is a key
skill now globally, not just in India,” Gulati comments.
“You have to be able to make a pitch in 30 seconds.”
Pria Warrick’s Finishing Academy, near Delhi, specializes
in etiquette training. Warrick says that many of her
courses were developed to help Indians deal with foreign
business clients. “There are questions of business etiquette,
dining etiquette or cell-phone etiquette,” she says.
“In India, we will answer a call in the middle of a meeting
without excusing ourselves. Many Indian men are unused
to dealing with women executives, too.”
Although Warrick’s courses cost up to about £1,800
(€2,400), there is no shortage of bookings. “It’s the need
of the hour,” she explains.
Goodshoot
answer a call [)A:nsEr E (kO:l]
ask sth. of sb. [(A:sk Ev]
billion [(bIljEn]
cell phone [(sel foUn*] US
clinical research [)klInIk&l ri(s§:tS]
finishing academy
[)fInISIN E(kÄdEmi]
handsome [(hÄnsEm]
need of the hour [)ni:d Ev Di (aUE]
pick up [)pIk (Vp]
pitch [pItS]
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
einen Anruf entgegennehmen
etw. von jmdm. verlangen
Milliarde(n)
Handy
klinische Forschung
Knigge-Akademie
gut aussehend
Gebot der Stunde
hier: stärker werden
Verkaufsgespräch,
-präsentation
Berufstätige(r) mit qualifizierter
Ausbildung
persönliche Weiterentwicklung
Mangel
weibliche Führungskraft
self-improvement
[)self Im(pru:vmEnt]
shortage [(SO:tIdZ]
woman executive
[)wUmEn Ig(zekjUtIv]
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard
UK pronunciation.
What they said…
“If you would like to know the value of
money, try to borrow some”
Benjamin Franklin (1706–90), American statesman and inventor
“I want a man who is kind, handsome
and understanding. Is that too much
to ask of a millionaire?”
Zsa Zsa Gabor, 96, Hungarian-born actress
“If you can count your money, you
don’t have a billion dollars”
J. Paul Getty (1892–1976), American industrialist
www You’ll find more stories online: www.business-spotlight.de/news
“It’s never too late to be what
you might have been”
George Eliot (1819–80), British author (Middlemarch,
The Mill on the Floss / Die Mühle am Floss)
4/2013

U.S.
Basic black
advanced US
A
lthough the color black is associated with classic elegance
— think “little black dress” — it has long been
taboo in America for the packaging of products like shampoo,
beverages and food. That is changing, however.
“The use of black has really exploded,” says Mike Cecil,
senior brand manager for Renuzit air freshener, which
sells a line of cone air fresheners in black. “It’s about finding
new ways to signal affordable luxury,” Cecil told The
Wall Street Journal.
According to Pat McGauley, vice president of innovation
at Anheuser-Busch brewery, black packaging indicates a
premium product. “I can’t drive a high-end car, but I can
drink a slightly more premium beer without breaking the
bank,” McGauley says. The company sells Beck’s Sapphire
beer in black bottles, at a price that is 20 to 25 percent
higher than that of regular beer.
The makers of Häagen-Dazs ice cream now sell gelato
in black containers, which they believe will stand out from
other frozen products in the supermarket. “A lot of peo-
ple don’t enjoy walking
down the frozenfood
aisle,” explains
Cady Behles, the
company’s brand
manager. “It’s cold
and you are slightly
uncomfortable.”
Packaging experts
say that companies need
to be careful not to overwhelm consumers
with black, because it can
look heavy. Anheuser-Busch, for example,
added a picture of a glass of
beer to the label on its black bottle
to make sure that customers didn’t
think that the beer itself was black.
“Being lead to market with black in a category
brings with it some learning curves,” Cecil says.
iStockphoto
Elegant packaging:
but will it sell?
You can listen to this text on Business Spotlight Audio
€19,430,000,000
Global value of pet health
care
WIRTSCHAFT | TECHNIK | SPRACHEN
Sources: consumer research company Datamonitor Consumer
(www.datamonitorconsumer.com); The Wall Street Journal
aisle [aI&l]
Gang
beverage [(bevErIdZ]
Getränk
break the bank
die Kasse plündern;
[)breIk DE (bÄNk] ifml.
hier: sich finanziell
übernehmen
brewery [(bru:Eri]
Brauerei
category [(kÄtE)gO:ri*]
hier: Produktkategorie
cone [koUn*]
Hütchen, Kegel; hier:
kegelförmig
consumer research
Verbraucherforschung
[kEn)sju:mE ri(s§:tS]
high-end car [)haI end (kA:r*] Auto der Luxusklasse,
Nobelkarosse
label [(leIb&l]
Etikett
lead to market: be ~ with sth. etw. als Erste(r) auf den
[)li:d tE (mA:rkEt*]
Markt bringen
learning curve [(l§:nIN k§:v] Lernkurve, -prozess
line [laIn]
Produktlinie, Sortiment
overwhelm sb. [)oUv&r(welm*] jmdn. erdrücken
pet health care
medizinische Versor-
[)pet (helT keE]
gung von Haustieren
premium [(pri:miEm]
Spitzensenior
brand manager
leitende(r) Produkt-
[)si:nj&r (brÄnd )mÄnIdZ&r*] manager(in)
stand out from sth.
sich von etw. abheben
[)stÄnd (aUt frVm*]
vice president [)vaIs (prezIdEnt] US Bereichsleiter(in)
* This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
4/2013
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Sheryl’s
Washington Post/Getty Images
Häng dich rein! So lautet der deutsche Titel des Bestsellers und das
Motto einer der erfolgreichsten Geschäftsfrauen der USA, die für viele
als Vertreterin einer neuen Frauenbewegung gilt. Von MARGARET DAVIS
erfahren wir mehr über ihre Karriere und ihre Ansichten. medium US
Sheryl Sandberg:
powerful voice
for women, work
and family life

PROFILE GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
“U.S. President Sheryl Sandberg Signs Historic
Workplace Legislation.” This
headline is fictional — for now. But no
one who knows Sheryl Sandberg would
be surprised to read it. The 43-year-old,
who is chief operating officer (COO) at Facebook and already
one of America’s wealthiest businesswomen, has just
produced a best-selling book. Lean In: Women, Work, and
the Will to Lead (see “For more information”, page 13) is
a combination of career advice and memoir.
The book’s title reflects Sandberg’s belief that
women need to do more to promote their own
careers. She writes that instead of staying in the
background when important decisions are made,
women should “sit at the table” and “lean in,”
not simply act as mainly silent observers.
Born in Washington, D.C., Sandberg moved
to Miami with her family when she was two.
Her parents — ophthalmologist Joel and
teacher-turned-full-time mom Adele — encouraged Sheryl
and her younger brother and sister to excel academically
and to be involved in extracurricular activities. “Throughout
my childhood, my parents emphasized the importance
of pursuing a meaningful life,” she writes. “As a child, I
never thought about what I wanted to be, but I thought a
lot about what I wanted to do. As sappy as it sounds, I
hoped to change the world.”
If her siblings are to be believed, Sandberg’s leadership
talents developed early. When Sandberg married her
second (and current) husband, Dave Goldberg, in 2004,
her younger brother and sister gave a humorous wedding
toast in which they described themselves as “Sheryl’s first
employees — employee number one and employee number
two. Initially, as a one-year-old and a three-year-old, we
were worthless and weak. Disorganized, lazy. We would
just as soon spit up on ourselves as read the morning paper.
But Sheryl could see that we had potential. For more
than ten years, Sheryl took us under her wing and whipped
us into shape. To the best of our knowledge, Sheryl never
actually played as a child, but really just organized other
children’s play.”
Graduating summa cum laude from Harvard in
1991 with a degree in economics, her first job after college
was with her former thesis adviser, Larry Summers, then
at the World Bank. Sandberg worked as a research assistant,
a highlight of which was joining a health mission to
“As a child, I thought a lot about
what I wanted to do. I hoped to
change the world”
India. Although she had planned to go to law school, Sandberg
decided instead to get an MBA from Harvard Business
School, graduating in 1995 at the top of her class.
After a year as a consultant for McKinsey in Boston, a
job she says “never entirely suited me,” Sandberg returned
to Washington. By this time, Larry Summers was deputy
secretary of the treasury in the Clinton administration;
Summers invited her to join his team, and she served as his
chief of staff until 2001, when Clinton’s presidency ended.
Giving herself four months to find a job, Sandberg
moved to Silicon Valley. The job search took nearly a year,
but at the end of it, she had a position in online sales with
a small, three-year-old Internet firm called Google. Having
been offered more senior jobs with other companies,
Sandberg initially wondered whether she was making the
right decision. She was convinced, however, by Google
CEO Eric Schmidt’s advice to choose a job in a company
with potential for growth. Schmidt told her: “If you’re offered
a seat on a rocket ship, you don’t ask what seat.
4
administration [Ed)mInI(streIS&n] US Regierung
CEO (chief executive officer) [)si: i: (oU*] Hauptgeschäftsführer(in)
chief of staff [)tSi:f Ev (stÄf*]
Stabschef(in)
chief operating officer (COO)
Vorstand Operatives
[)tSi:f (A:pEreItIN )A:fEs&r*]
Geschäft
consultant [kEn(sVltEnt]
Berater(in)
degree [di(gri:]
Abschluss
deputy [(depjEti*]
stellvertretend
economics [)i:kE(nA:mIks*]
Volkswirtschaftslehre
emphasize sth. [(emfEsaIz]
etw. in den Vordergrund
rücken
excel academically
überdurchschnittliche
[Ik)sel ÄkE(demIk&li]
Schulleistungen erbringen
extracurricular [)ekstrEkE(rIkjEl&r*] außerschulisch
graduate [(grÄdZueIt]
einen (Universitäts-)
Abschluss machen
law school [(lO: sku:l]
juristische Fakultät (für
Studierende mit einem B.A.)
lean in [)li:n (In]
sich vorlehnen; hier: sich
reinhängen
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
legislation [)ledZI(sleIS&n]
mission [(mIS&n]
ophthalmologist
[)A:fTÄl(mA:lEdZIst*]
pursue sth. [p&r(su:*]
research assistant
[(ri:s§:tS E)sIstEnt*]
rocket ship [(rA:kEt SIp*]
sappy [(sÄpi] US ifml.
secretary of the treasury
[)sekrEteri Ev DE (treZEri*] US
senior [(si:nj&r*]
sibling [(sIblIN]
spit up on oneself
[spIt (Vp A:n wVn)self*] US
thesis adviser
[(Ti:sIs Ed)vaIz&r*]
toast: give a ~ [toUst*]
whip sb. into shape [)wIp )IntE (SeIp]
Gesetzgebung
Delegation
Augenarzt/-ärztin
etw. verfolgen
wissenschaftliche(r) Mitarbeiter(in)
(Weltraum-)Rakete, Raumschiff
albern
Finanzminister(in)
hochrangig
Geschwister
sich vollkotzen
Betreuer(in) einer Diplomarbeit
einen Trinkspruch ausbringen
jmdn. auf Zack bringen
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 11

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS PROFILE
You just get on.” Sandberg, who stayed with Google for
six and a half years, says she has given this advice to
“countless” people since then.
At the end of 2007, Sandberg was being wooed by
other firms, including The Washington Post Company.
During a Christmas party, she was approached by the
young Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook. For the next
six weeks, they met regularly for dinner at Sandberg’s
home. “It was like dating,” Sandberg’s husband told The
New Yorker. In March 2008, Sandberg became chief operating
officer of Facebook and Zuckerberg’s secondin-command.
Under her direction, Facebook has become
highly profitable and now employs several thousand people.
Last year, Sandberg became the first woman on the
company’s eight-member board of directors.
Increasingly, the attractive mother of two was being seen
as a voice for women in technology. In December 2010,
Sandberg gave a talk called “Why We Have Too Few
Women Leaders” at a TED conference. The talk was
filmed and has since been viewed by more than two million
people. Sandberg says that she received e-mails and
letters from women all over the world who wanted to tell
her about their own experience when combining work and
“I hope you have the ambition
to run the world, because
the world needs women to run it”
belittled: feel ~ [bi(lIt&ld]
sich herabgesetzt fühlen
board of directors
Vorstand
[)bO:rd Ev dE(rekt&rz*]
charity [(tSÄrEti]
karitative Organisation
commencement address
Rede vor dem Abschluss-
[kE(mensmEnt E)dres]
jahrgang und dessen Gästen
crushed [krVSt]
verletzt, (persönlich)
getroffen
dating [(deItIN]
regelmäßig miteinander
ausgehen
deny sth. [di(naI]
etw. abstreiten
donate sth. [(doUneIt*]
etw. spenden
flatter sb. [(flÄt&r*]
jmdm. schmeicheln
graduate [(grÄdZuEt]
(Hochschul-)Absolvent(in)
major in sth. [(meIdZ&r In*] US etw. im Hauptfach studieren
manifesto [)mÄnI(festoU*]
Manifest
non-profit [)nA:n (prA:fIt*]
gemeinnützig
page [peIdZ] US
Hilfskraft (im Repräsentantenhaus)
pat sb. on the head
jmds. Kopf tätscheln
[)pÄt )A:n DE (hed*]
pom-pom girl [(pA:m pA:m g§:l*] Cheerleaderin
(pom pom
Puschel)
second-in-command
stellvertretende(r) Komman-
[)sekEnd In kE(mÄnd*]
deur(in); hier: stellvertretende(r)
Geschäftsführer(in)
talk: give a ~ [tO:k]
einen Vortrag halten
woo sb. [wu:]
jmdn. umwerben
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
A CLOSER LOOK
TED (technology, entertainment, design) is a non-profit or -
ganization. It was started in 1984 as a conference that brings
people together from the fields of technology, entertainment,
and design. Past speakers include Bill Clinton, Jane Goodall,
Isabel Allende, and Julian Assange. Since 2006, the conference
speakers have been filmed, with the speeches available
free of charge online.
family responsibilities. Five months later, she gave the
commencement address at Barnard College, an elite New
York university for women, known for its high academic
standards. Sandberg urged the young women graduates to
“lean in” to leadership, adding, “I hope that you — yes,
you, each and every one of you — have the ambition to run
the world, because this world needs you to run it. Women
all around the world are counting on you. I’m counting on
you.”
Response to the two talks was positive enough for Sandberg
to consider expanding her views into book form.
Lean In, cowritten with journalist Nell Scovell, was published
in March this year. It shot to the top of The New
York Times best-seller list almost immediately. Sandberg
says all profits from its sales — and they may be considerable
— will be donated to establish Lean In, a
non-profit organization “that encourages
women to lean in to their ambitions, and to other
charities that support women.”
Sandberg describes the book as a “sort of feminist
manifesto.” Until recently, like many
women of her generation, Sandberg avoided the
word “feminist.” At Harvard, she writes, “I
started a group to encourage more women to
major in economics or government. On the other hand, I
would have denied being in any way, shape or form a feminist.
… In our defense, my friends and I truly, if naively,
believed that the world did not need feminists anymore.
We mistakenly thought that there was nothing left to fight
for.”
She didn’t use the word, but as a teenager, Sandberg
understood the concepts behind feminism. In her
book, she recounts the story of meeting legendary Democratic
politician Tip O’Neill while working as a page in
Congress. O’Neill, then speaker of the House, patted her
on the head and said to Sandberg’s congressman, “She’s
pretty.”
“Then he turned his attention back to me and asked just
one question: ‘Are you a pom-pom girl?’ I was crushed.
Looking back, I know his words were intended to flatter
me, but in the moment, I felt belittled. I wanted to be recognized
for the work I had done. I reacted defensively.
‘No,’ I replied. ‘I study too much for that.’”
Today, she would react differently, Sandberg writes.
“Now I proudly call myself a feminist. If Tip O’Neill were
12 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Selling shares:
Facebook goes public
UPI/laif
alive today, I might even tell him that I’m a pom-pom girl
for feminism.”
Now, readers around the world want to hear what the
pom-pom girl has to say. Before the end of its first month
on the market, Lean In had gone through eight print runs.
It is being translated into 20 languages. Sandberg has been
too busy running Facebook to go on extended book tours,
but this hasn’t hurt sales. That’s because the book has received
so much media attention. It seems that reviewers,
many of them women, either love Sandberg’s message or
hate it.
Among those who hate it, the chief criticism seems
to be that Sandberg is too rich and successful to be taken
seriously. How dare this multimillionaire tell other women
that they are not ambitious enough? No wonder Sandberg
has managed to combine motherhood and business success:
she can afford domestic help and childcare. And another
thing: it seems as if she has the world’s best husband.
Not only does Dave Goldberg make a lot of money as the
CEO of the Internet company SurveyMonkey, but he
cashier [kÄ(SI&r*]
Kassierer(in)
childcare [(tSaI&ld ke&r*]
Kinderbetreuung
corporate [(kO:rpErEt*]
Unternehmens-; hier: in
Firmen
counterpart [(kaUnt&rpA:rt*]
Kollege/Kollegin
domestic help [dE)mestIk (help] Hilfe im Haushalt
drop out of the workforce
aus dem Erwerbsleben
[)drA:p aUt Ev DE (w§:kfO:rs*]
ausscheiden
elitist [i(li:tIst]
elitär
household chores [)haUshoUld (tSO:rz*] Arbeiten im Haushalt
issue: raise an ~ [(ISu:]
ein Thema/eine Frage
aufwerfen
minimum wage [)mInImEm (weIdZ] Mindestlohn
print run [(prInt rVn]
Auflage
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
mit qualifizierter Ausbildung
reviewer [ri(vju:&r*]
Rezensent(in)
role model [(roUl )mA:d&l*]
Vorbild
sales [seI&lz]
hier: Verkaufszahlen
scale back [)skeI&l (bÄk]
zurückstecken
single mother [)sINg&l (mVD&r*] Alleinerziehende
target audience [(tA:rgEt )O:diEns*] Zielpublikum, -gruppe
*This symbol marks standard US pronunciation that differs from standard UK pronunciation.
shares household chores
and childcare fifty–fifty
with his wife.
Of course, no one but
Sandberg and her husband
can say for sure whether
their life really is so idyllic,
but this criticism misses the
point. Isn’t a successful
businesswoman the ideal
person to give career advice
to other women? After all,
her comfortable home has
been financed by that success,
giving her the flexibility
to pay for the help she
needs to keep it running.
And no one complains that Richard Branson and Donald
Trump are too rich and successful to be role models.
The other criticism Lean In has received is that its author
is elitist, since Sandberg does not deal with the problems
of the single mother working for minimum wage as
a cashier at Walmart. This is true, but then Sandberg never
claims that this group is her target audience. Instead, the
book is aimed at highly educated young professional
women, whom she urges not to limit their careers because
they think they will be unable to combine them with motherhood.
“In comparison to their male counterparts, highly
trained women are scaling back and dropping out of the
workforce in high numbers,” she writes. “Don’t leave before
you leave,” Sandberg tells those women.
It remains to be seen whether Lean In marks the start of
a new women’s movement, but there is no question that
Sheryl Sandberg has begun a lively debate. That can only
be useful in her future career — whether it’s corporate or
political.
■BS
For more information
BOOK
■ Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg
with Nell Scovell (Knopf)
WEB SITES
■ LeanIn.org is a website aimed at women who want to discuss
the issues raised in Sheryl Sandberg’s book: http://leanin.org
■ Sandberg’s speech at Barnard College in 2011 is available
on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdvXCKFNqTY
■ “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders” is the title of Sandberg’s
speech at the TEDWomen conference in 2010:
www.ted.com/lessons/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_
few_women_leaders
MARGARET DAVIS is a Canadian journalist. She is the
editor of the Careers and Global Business sections of
Business Spotlight. Contact her at: m.davis@spotlightverlag.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 13

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS HEAD-TO-HEAD
Do we need global tax rules?
Wären die Steuern überall auf der Welt gleich geregelt, gäbe es weder Steuerflüchtlinge noch Steueroasen.
Brauchen wir also globale Steuervorschriften? VICKI SUSSENS hält zwei gegensätzliche Meinungen fest. advanced
NO!
“High taxes
discourage
private-sector
investment”
DR RICHARD WELLINGS
High taxes are very damaging. They discourage
entrepreneurship and private-sector investment,
while also redirecting resources from their most
efficient uses. Governments also use a high proportion
of tax revenues to pay for policies that are actually
harmful. This is particularly the case in many developing
countries, where money raised in the form of taxes is
used to enrich corrupt elites and to oppress minority
groups.
Limiting the amount of tax revenue available to governments
therefore has substantial economic and social benefits.
Tax competition plays a key role in this. Politicians
and officials often wish to increase the amount raised in
tax revenues to benefit special-interest groups that depend
on government spending. They may attempt to do this by
either raising tax rates or imposing stricter compliance
rules. At the moment, though, policymakers realize that if
they raise taxes too high, or implement tax rules that result
in higher compliance costs, multinationals are likely to
move away from their area of control to a location where
it is easier to create wealth.
Multinational companies play a particularly important
role in the process by which tax competition reduces the
tax burden. Their operations can often be easily moved
from territory to territory in response to changes in tax
legislation. They can also alter their internal structures to
minimize tax on profits.
The existence of different tax regimes therefore acts as
a deterrent to states wanting to impose new rules on businesses
and place a larger share of economic output under
their political control. Indeed, it also encourages governments
to reduce tax rates and simplify tax rules to attract
new business to their territory. As a result, policies of low
taxation and deregulation not only benefit multinationals;
they also benefit local firms, including small businesses.
Tax competition therefore starts a virtuous circle of lower
tax rates, lower compliance costs, more private-sector
investment and higher growth. Better still, competition
brings a natural process of development that others can
follow. If one country benefits from simplifying its tax rules
and lowering rates, others are likely to wish to do the
same. Critics often characterize this as a “race to the bottom”.
In fact, it is a beneficial process that helps control
the growth of big government and overregulation.
Ironically, attempts to clamp down on tax avoidance
tend in reality to benefit large, global firms at the expense
of small businesses. While big firms can afford expensive
specialist advisers, smaller ones face very substantial compliance
costs relative to the size of the firm.
Tax competition provides such large economic benefits
that efforts to restrict it by introducing global rules should
be strongly resisted. If governments don’t like multinationals
taking their profits elsewhere, they should lower taxes
and reduce compliance costs.
DR RICHARD WELLINGS is deputy editorial director at the Institute
of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank in London
(www.iea.org.uk).
at the expense of [)Ät Di Ik(spens Qv]
big government [)bIg (gVv&nmEnt]
clamp down on sb./sth.
[)klÄmp (daUn Qn]
compliance [kEm(plaIEns]
deputy editorial director
[)depjUti edI)tO:riEl dE(rektE]
deterrent: act as a ~ [di(terEnt]
economic output [i:kE)nQmIk (aUtpUt]
enrich sb. [In(rItS]
entrepreneurship [)QntrEprE(n§:SIp]
impose sth. [Im(pEUz]
oppress sb. [E(pres]
policymaker [(pQlEsi )meIkE]
raise (money) [)reIz ((mVni)]
tax avoidance [(tÄks E)vOIdEns]
tax burden [(tÄks b§:d&n]
tax competition [)tÄks )kQmpE(tIS&n]
tax legislation [(tÄks ledZI)sleIS&n]
tax rate [(tÄks reIt]
tax regime [(tÄks reI)ZI:m]
tax revenues [(tÄks )revEnju:z]
think tank [(TINk tÄNk]
virtuous circle [)v§:tSuEs (s§:k&l]
zu Lasten von
zu einflussreicher Staat
gegen jmdn./etw. scharf
vorgehen
Einhaltung (von Vorschriften)
stellvertretende(r) Chefredakteur(in)
abschreckend wirken
Wirtschaftsleistung
jmdn. reich machen
Unternehmertum
etw. einführen, verhängen
jmdn. unterdrücken
politische(r) Entscheidungsträger(in)
(Geld) aufbringen
Steuerumgehung, -vermeidung
Steuerlast
Steuerwettbewerb
Steuergesetze
Steuersatz
Steuersystem
Steuereinnahmen
Expertenkommission
positiver Kreislauf
14 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

iStockphoto
National taxes, global firms:
is this still working?
YES!
“People are
rightfully asking
for something
to be done”
GEORGE OSBORNE
Globalization and technology have brought huge
changes in the way businesses operate. Communication
is faster than ever. Finance is more mobile
than ever. And the value of firms increasingly
involves concepts such as brand and intellectual
property, which do not observe country borders.
Despite this, the principles governing tax for multinational
companies have barely changed since they were developed
by the League of Nations almost a century ago. As a result,
some multinationals are able to restructure their business to
avoid paying their fair share in tax. Some are exploiting the
rules by getting profits out of high-tax countries and into tax
havens, allowing them to pay as little as five per cent in
corporate taxes while smaller businesses are paying up to 30
per cent. This distorts competition, giving larger companies
an advantage over smaller domestic companies. People are
rightly asking for something to be done.
I want competitive taxes that say Britain is open for business
and that attract global companies, with all the jobs
they bring. That’s why [we’ve
cut] the corporation tax rate
from 28 per cent to 21 per cent
— the lowest in the G7. It’s also
clear to me that global companies
should pay those taxes.
The last Labour government
turned a blind eye to these
abuses for too long. Britain had
the worst of all worlds — uncompetitive
tax rates with lax
enforcement. Responsible companies
were penalized and irresponsible
ones were rewarded.
This government is taking action
domestically on tax avoidance
and evasion. Prosecutions
for tax evasion are up 80 per
cent; we’re introducing the
first-ever General Anti-Abuse
Rule and as a result of this government’s investment, we
expect to raise £22 billion more a year from evasion and
avoidance by the end of the parliament. But acting alone
has its limits. If you clamp down too hard on one country,
it is all too easy for those companies to move elsewhere.
In November, I joined my German and French colleagues
to call for coordinated action to strengthen the international
corporate tax rules and we asked the OECD to help us
to do it. They presented their findings to the G20 [in
Moscow in March] and will now prepare a plan of action.
Britain is leading efforts in the EU to require oil, gas and
mining companies to publish key financial information for
each country and project they work on.
This year, we have an opportunity to turn concern over
tax avoidance into a catalyst for change, creating a competitive
tax system that supports businesses, but where
everyone pays their fair share.
■BS
© Guardian News & Media 2013. Extracted from “This is why I am committed
to tax reform”, The Observer, 16 February 2013
GEORGE OSBORNE, a member of Britain’s Conservative Party,
has been the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer since May 2010.
abuse [E(bju:s]
billion [(bIljEn]
blind eye: turn a ~ to sth. [)blaInd (aI]
brand [brÄnd]
Chancellor of the Exchequer
[)tSA:nsElEr Ev Di Iks(tSekE] UK
competitive [kEm(petEtIv]
corporate tax [)kO:pErEt (tÄks]
distort sth. [dI(stO:t]
enforcement [In(fO:smEnt]
exploit sth. [Ik(splOIt]
League of Nations [)li:g Ev (neIS&nz]
observe sth. [Eb(z§:v]
penalize sb. [(pi:nElaIz]
prosecution [)prQsI(kju:S&n]
tax evasion [(tÄks i)veIZ&n]
tax haven [(tÄks )heIv&n]
Missbrauch
Milliarde(n)
etw. ignorieren
Marke
Schatzkanzler(in)
wettbewerbsfähig
Körperschaftssteuer
etw. verzerren
Durchsetzung, Vollstreckung
sich etw. zunutze machen
Völkerbund
hier: sich an etw. halten
jmdn. bestrafen
Strafverfolgung
Steuerhinterziehung
Steueroase
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 15

“The stars are lining up”:
CEO Thorsten Heins
Powered by
hope
Erlebt BlackBerry mit seinem neuen Internet-Handy demnächst das größte Comeback, das es in
der Geschichte der modernen Technologie je gab, oder kommt es zum Verkauf der Firma und ein
paar Millionären mehr auf der Welt? JULIETTE GARSIDE berichtet.
advanced
Getty Images

BLACKBERRY GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
On market day in the small Canadian town of
Waterloo, Ontario, horse-drawn buggies park
beside the pickups. Waterloo, about 100 kilometres
from Toronto, is home to the global
smartphone maker BlackBerry, as well as 500
tech companies and an institute of quantum computing,
but it was settled by German Mennonites, a religious group
who reject the inventions of the machine age.
Farming, building barns and making hardwood kitchens
for the many local technology millionaires, the Mennonites
and their town have thrived on BlackBerry’s success.
But the community’s future wealth depends on a more recent
German immigrant, BlackBerry chief executive
Thorsten Heins. Appointed in January 2012, his mission
is to stop the decline of a company whose value crashed
from $80 billion in 2008 to $7.5 billion earlier this year.
in disarray,”
says Heins. “Now all the stars have really lined up.” Wearing
a blue shirt with the company logo, Heins is giving a
tour of BlackBerry’s huge 22-building headquarters.
In February, an extravagant New York event featuring
BlackBerry’s new creative director, the musician Alicia
Keys, was beamed to press conferences in seven cities.
Heins unveiled his company’s first true internet phone, the
Z10, and the BB10 operating system on which it runs.
Back home, the streets are filled with messages of support.
“Proud to be powered by BlackBerry” reads the sign
outside the VW car dealership. There are discounts at fastfood
restaurants for customers with the right phone, and
the baristas in Starbucks wear BlackBerry T-shirts. With
7,000 of its employees in Waterloo alone, every finger is
crossed for the company.
BB10 took two years and 15 acquisitions to build, at a
time when the firm then known as Research in
Motion (RIM) was suffering the greatest
upheaval in its history. In January last year, it
was in a tailspin: Apple and Google had stolen
its crown, with phones that were almost as powerful
as laptops. RIM had played no part in the
latest wave of the personal-computing revolu-
The new Z10:
BlackBerry’s first
internet phone
tion, spending the years since the
iPhone’s 2007 arrival trying to
sell email phones in emerging
markets rather than improving
technology. And its bestselling
product was outdated.
An investor revolt took control
from founder Mike Lazaridis and
his co-chief executive Jim Balsillie.
Heins took their place and began
cutting costs, which led to 5,000
redundancies. He hired two Wall Street
banks to seek out potential buyers, and announced
the company’s first loss in eight years. But Heins also redoubled
efforts on the firm’s biggest-ever project — the
building of BB10.
The Europeans he brought in as his lieutenants are bullish,
naturally. “It could be the greatest comeback in tech
history,” says marketing boss Frank Boulben, formerly of
the French telecom firm Orange. “The carriers [mobile networks]
are behind us. They don’t want a duopoly.”
software
is used by Samsung, HTC and many others — and
Apple accounted for 85 per cent of handsets shipped last
year, according to the technology research firm Gartner.
BlackBerry’s share fell to about five per cent. Few software
companies survive more than one change of operating system,
and while BlackBerry switched from making pagers
to phones in the late 1990s, not everyone is confident of4
People in Waterloo are “proud to
be powered by BlackBerry”
account for sth. [E(kaUnt fO:]
acquisition [)ÄkwI(zIS&n]
barn [bA:n]
beam sth. [bi:m]
billion [(bIljEn]
bullish [(bUlIS]
car dealership [(kA: )di:&lESIp]
carrier [(kÄriE]
chief executive [)tSi:f Ig(zekjUtIv]
confident: be ~ of sth.
[(kQnfIdEnt]
crown: steal sb.’s ~ [kraUn]
decline [di(klaIn]
disarray [)dIsE(reI]
emerging market [i)m§:dZIN (mA:kIt]
feature sb. [(fi:tSE]
etw. ausmachen
Übernahme
Stall, Scheune
etw. ausstrahlen, senden
Milliarde(n)
optimistisch
Autohaus
hier: Mobilfunkanbieter
Firmenchef(in)
hinsichtlich einer Sache
zuversichtlich sein
hier: jmdm. den Rang ablaufen
Niedergang
Unordnung
Schwellenland
jmdn. darstellen
finger: cross one’s ~s [(fINgE]
horse-drawn buggy [)hO:s drO:n (bVgi]
lieutenant [lef(tenEnt]
line up [)laIn (Vp]
outdated [)aUt(deItId]
quantum computing
[)kwQntEm kEm(pju:tIN]
redundancy [ri(dVndEnsi]
reject sth. [ri(dZekt]
research [ri(s§:tS]
survive sth. [sE(vaIv]
tailspin [(teI&lspIn]
thrive on sth. [(TraIv Qn]
unveil sth. [)Vn(veI&l]
upheaval [Vp(hi:v&l]
die Daumen drücken
Pferdekutsche
Leutnant(in); hier: Assistent(in)
sich ausrichten
überholt, veraltet
Quanteninformatik
Entlassung
etw. ablehnen
Forschung
etw. überleben
hier: Abwärtsstrudel
durch etw. wirtschaftlich
erfolgreich sein
etw. enthüllen
Aufruhr
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 17

■ GLOBAL BUSINESS BLACKBERRY
Mauritius/Alamy
“Are we out of the woods?
I don’t think so”
The town that technology built: uptown Waterloo
the same success this time. Balsillie, who like Lazaridis no
longer holds a seat on the board, has sold all his shares in
the company.
“I took this job not just because I love restructuring,”
says Heins. “I did it because I loved the core of innovation
that I saw at RIM.” Many advised him to switch to Android
or follow Nokia’s lead by taking financial incentives
from Microsoft to use its Windows Phone system. Instead,
he decided to follow the course set by Lazaridis, who in
2010, had bought a Canadian firm called QNX, intending
to use its technology as the basis of a new generation of
phones.
QNX is a
basic operating system on which the interfaces of different
machines can run. While most such systems are monolithic
— if one area malfunctions, the whole system can crash —
QNX is more stable because it uses independent building
blocks, or “kernels”. If one fails, there is no domino effect.
As a result, it is used in the computers of nuclear-power
stations, high-speed trains, space shuttles and heart monitors.
It is also in 60 per cent of the engine electronics in expensive
cars.
BlackBerry’s ambition does not stop with smartphones.
It now extends to connecting individuals to computers that
run the machines in their lives. These could be remotecontrollable
washing machines that switch themselves on
when electricity is cheapest; cars that book their own
wikipedia/giligone
service appointments; or dashboard touchpads that guide
cars and transmit entertainment to their passengers.
That, says Heins, is why he chose the harder path of
building BB10. “We will be extremely aggressive at investing
into this mobile computing domain. We understood
that if we want to create the future, we have to do something
really dramatic, and that was building the new platform.”
Tellingly, the company’s bankers, J.P. Morgan and RBC
Capital Markets, remain on standby, ready to negotiate a
sale. Chinese manufacturer Lenovo, which bought IBM’s
PC business in 2005, has expressed an interest.
is hanging
in the balance. “Are we out of the woods? No, I don’t
think so. I think we need to still continue working at it
and the strategic review is still part of it. As management,
we always need to assess the options that we have at our
fingertips.”
At today’s stock price, a takeover could put at least $13
million in cash and share options in the chief executive’s
pocket. Meanwhile, the creation of a true smartphone and
what the industry likes to call an “ecosystem” of apps
should make BlackBerry far more valuable to a buyer than
the company Heins took control of a year ago. If Black-
Berry meets its Waterloo, it will create a few more millionaires
in the process.
■BS
Language point
© Guardian News & Media 2013
To meet one’s Waterloo means to fail so completely that
one never recovers. This English expression is inspired
by the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought on 18 June
1815 in what is now Belgium. On that date, Napoleon’s
army was defeated by predominantly British and
Prussian forces. This defeat ended Napoleon’s rule; he
surrendered and was exiled to the island of Saint Helena,
where he died in 1821.
assess sth. [E(ses]
board [bO:d]
core of innovation
[)kO:r Ev )InEU(veIS&n]
dashboard [(dÄSbO:d]
domain [dEU(meIn]
ecosystem
[(i:kEU)sIstEm]
fingertips: have sth. at one’s ~
[(fINgEtIps]
incentive [In(sentIv]
interface [(IntEfeIs]
kernel [(k§:n&l]
etw. beurteilen, bewerten
Vorstand
innovative Grundeinstellung
Armaturenbrett, -tafel
(Einsatz-)Bereich, Domäne
Ökosystem; hier: Gesamtheit
verfügbarer Komponenten
etw. greifbar haben
Anreiz
Schnittstelle
(Betriebs-)Systemkern
lead: follow sb.’s ~ [li:d]
malfunction [)mÄl(fVNkS&n]
negotiate sth. [nI(gEUSieIt]
Prussian [(prVS&n]
remote-controllable
[ri)mEUt kEn(trEUlEb&l]
service appointment
[(s§:vIs E)pOIntmEnt]
share option [(SeE )QpS&n]
stock price [(stQk praIs]
surrender [sE(rendE]
tellingly [(telINli]
woods: be out of the ~ [wUdz]
jmds. Beispiel folgen
ausfallen
über etw. verhandeln
preußisch
fernsteuerbar
Wartungstermin
Aktienbezugsrecht
Aktienkurs
kapitulieren
bezeichnenderweise
das Schlimmste überstanden haben
18 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

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BUSINESS PRESS GLOBAL BUSINESS ■
Behind the headlines
Headlines in the English-language media are often difficult to understand because they use jargon and
wordplay, and leave out words. Here, we look at the meaning of recent business headlines.
advanced
Financial Times
The Economist
Fox turns sport hunter: This is a play on words. Here,
“Fox” refers to the FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG).
FSMG plans to start a new national, multi-sport network
called FOX Sports 1 in August. In Britain, some people
hunt foxes for sport. Here, in a twist, the fox, FSMG, is
hunting for a bigger share of the sports market.
In simple English: The FOX Sports Media Group is intending
to expand its share of the sports market.
The Guardian
Cap and flayed: This is a play on the term “cap and trade”,
which is an incentive system to control carbon emissions.
Firms are given permits for the amount of carbon they may
emit, and these permits can be bought and sold. Here, the
term “cap and flayed” refers to the EU parliament’s proposed
limit on bank bonuses. Unlike in a cap-and-trade
system, which rewards firms for reducing their emissions,
the limits on bonuses will “flay”, or punish, bankers.
In simple English: A system to set limits will result in people
(bankers) being punished.
The Wall Street Journal
EU discards ban: This is confusing because “discard”,
“ban” and “force” can all be used either as nouns or verbs.
Here, “discards ban” is a compound noun, and “force” is
a verb. The “EU discards ban” is an EU ban to prevent
fishermen from throwing dead fish back into the sea.
force the hand of: If you force someone’s hand, you give
them no choice but to do what you want them to do.
our disastrous fisheries minister: The UK fisheries minister,
Richard Benyon, regarded by the author as incompetent.
In simple English: Will the EU’s ban on throwing away
dead fish force Britain’s incompetent fisheries minister to
do what he does not want to do?
abuse [E(bju:s]
Missbrauch
asset [(Äset]
Anlage, Vermögenswert
cap and trade
Emissionsrechtehandel mit
[)kÄp En (treId]
festen Obergrenzen
carbon emissions [(kA:bEn i)mIS&nz] CO 2 -Emissionen
court hearing [)kO:t (hIErIN]
Gerichtsverhandlung
discards ban [(dIskA:dz bÄn]
Rückwurfverbot
flay sb. [fleI]
jmdn. auspeitschen
force sb.’s hand [)fO:s )sVmbEdiz (hÄnd] jmdn. zum Handeln zwingen
incentive [In(sentIv]
Anreiz
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Börsenaufsichtsbehörde
[sI)kjUErEtiz En Iks(tSeIndZ kE)mIS&n] US
stock market [(stQk )mA:kIt]
(Aktien-)Börse
suspicious [sE(spISEs]
verdächtig, suspekt
turn sth. [t§:n]
zu etw. werden
twist
Drehung; hier: Umkehrung
[twIst]
(eines Sachverhalts)
‘Suspicious’: This word was used by the US Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), which regulates the stock
market and prevents abuses, to describe a trade in Heinz
options.
Heinz: Here, the food manufacturer H. J. Heinz Company.
options trades: An option is a contract that gives the
owner the right to trade a financial asset at a fixed price.
“Trades” is a noun here, which means that “options
trades” is a compound noun referring to the trading in
Heinz options. The SEC claims the timing and size of the
trade, which was made after the announcement that Heinz
had been sold, were suspicious.
remain unsolved: The SEC was unable to solve the case
because the investors who had made the trade did not show
up for a court hearing.
In simple English: The case of suspicious trading in H. J.
Heinz Company options remains unsolved.
www Are you confused by the language in the press? Keep your
English up to date at www.business-spotlight.de/news
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 21

Building
G. Ricatto/Mauritius
identities
Das weltweite Interesse an neuen Absatzmärkten in Ländern südlich der Sahara steigt.
Drei Afrikaexperten haben ROBERT GIBSON aus europäischer, chinesischer und afrikanischer
Sicht über Chancen und Hindernisse im Geschäftsverkehr mit Afrika berichtet. medium
Out of Africa:
women at a
fish market
in Kayar, Senegal

WORKING WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ■
Interest in Africa among business people from the rest
of the world is increasing dramatically. This interest
is coming not only from Europe and the US but especially
from China. The large and diverse African
continent, with its rich natural resources, is home to
one seventh of the world’s population, although it currently
produces only one fortieth of the world’s output. To find
out more about the opportunities and risks involved in doing
business in Africa, Business Spotlight spoke to three experts
with different perspectives.
A European perspective
PASCALE SZTUM is a Belgian management
consultant, cross-cultural trainer and
researcher. Since 1992, she has lived in
nine different African countries and has
been involved in comparative research
on management in 15 African countries.
Her main interests are international
human resources, project management
and change management. Contact via
www.workingwithafricans.com, where
she also has a blog.
Can we generalize about Africa? After all, we are talking
about over 50 different countries.
During many years spent in Africa, I have had the opportunity
to compare African cultures in the workplace. I have
interviewed many African managers and experts and also
numerous Westerners to understand the challenges of intercultural
interaction both in for-profit and non-profit organizations.
My work in consulting and training has provided
opportunities to compare cultures. My experience
points to the cultural diversity of African societies and to
the existence of important cultural diffe -
rences among individual African countries.
In what ways is sub-Saharan Africa interesting
for European business people?
Sub-Saharan Africa is a potential market
for European products and services. In
several African countries, a middle class is growing, whose
members want to consume. Besides, many sub-Saharan
countries have a wide variety of natural resources. This
makes African countries possible locations for manufacturing.
What are the main barriers to doing business in Africa?
The main barrier is the difficulty of assessing all the risks
of a business venture. Of course, many experts assess the
political risks or the size of the potential African markets,
but they rarely consider the cultural risks. Often, the media
talk about the “new and appealing Africa”, assuming
that the liberalization of African economies means that
Africans run and manage businesses the same way as people
from other free-market economies. This is not the case.
After independence, many African countries select socialism
(known as “African socialism”) as a way of dealing
with their economic problems. African leaders speak of the
“numerous commonalities between socialism and African
values”. Now that African economies have become libe -
ralized, the question is whether African values can be combined
with those supporting the free-market economy.
Another important barrier to doing business is the difficulty
of shaping African cultural identities. Some African
countries are still in the process of building a national identity.
This means that various cultural norms apply to different
parts of one country or to different types of people
and organizations. For example, there can be major cultu -
ral differences between people working in the public
services and those working in the private sector. In the private
sector, the cultural values of business owners or employees
can be considerably different from those of other
stakeholders. Interacting with an African colleague of
Asian or European descent is a completely different cultu -
ral experience from working with indigenous Africans.
“Some African countries are still in the
process of building a national identity”
4
appealing [E(pi:&lIN]
apply to sth. [E(plaI tE]
assess sth. [E(ses]
assume that... [E(sju:m DÄt]
barrier [(bÄriE]
business venture
[(bIznEs )ventSE]
challenge [(tSÄlIndZ]
change management
[(tSeIndZ )mÄnIdZmEnt]
commonality [)kQmE(nÄlEti]
comparative research
[kEm)pÄrEtIv ri(s§:tS]
descent [di(sent]
diverse [daI(v§:s]
verlockend, attraktiv
für etw. gelten
etw. einschätzen
davon ausgehen, dass...
Hindernis
unternehmerisches
Vorhaben
Herausforderung
Veränderungsmanagement
Gemeinsamkeit
vergleichende
Forschung(sstudien)
Abstammung
verschiedenartig
diversity [daI(v§:sEti]
for profit [)fO: (prQfIt]
generalize about sth.
[(dZen&rElaIz E)baUt]
human resources [)hju:mEn ri(zO:sIz]
indigenous [In(dIdZEnEs]
natural resources [)nÄtS&rEl ri(zO:sIz]
non-profit [)nQn (prQfIt]
output [(aUtpUt]
public services
[)pVblIk (s§:vIsIz]
researcher [ri(s§:tSE]
stakeholders [(steIk)hEUldEz]
variety [vE(raIEti]
Verschiedenheit, Vielfalt
gewinnorientiert
etw. verallgemeinern;
hier: eine allgemeingültige
Aussage über etw. treffen
Personalwesen
indigen, einheimisch
Bodenschätze
gemeinnützig
Produktion(sleistung)
öffentlicher Dienst
Forscher(in)
Interessengruppe(n)
Vielfalt
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 23

■ INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION WORKING WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Key concepts
Sense of time
Attitudes to time vary across cultures. Chang Liu mentions the
concept of “African time” in the interview. In industrialized
Western cultures, time tends to be seen in a linear way, with
one thing done after the other and an emphasis on punctuality,
or “doing things on time”. Many expressions reflect this treatment
of time as a limited resource, such as “time is money”.
People also talk about “wasting time” and “spending time”.
In societies largely based on agriculture, time is often seen
as cyclical, reflecting the seasons, which return each year. Behaviour
may be event-related: you harvest the crop when it is
ripe, not according to a predetermined plan. The bus leaves not
according to a timetable, but when it is full.
While monochronic, or linear, cultures like to do one thing at
a time, those with a polychronic view have no problems doing
several things at the same time. The key to dealing with different
attitudes to time is to be aware of the other culture and to
change your expectations or behaviour as necessary.
Finally, as almost all African cultures are based on an
oral tradition, it is a huge challenge to find information
about these cultures. The information available is often not
work-related, because it was gathered by anthropologists
studying rituals in rural African villages. It does not describe
urban realities and industrial cultures.
What are the key cultural factors that business people from
other regions need to consider when working with Africans?
The tendency to offer a national overview of the cultural
values and ways of doing things in individual African
countries is misleading. Within the same country, nume -
rous cultural adjustments may be needed. Cultural preparation
requires an in-depth analysis of the places and the
people. There are some fundamental cultural differences
between Africans and Europeans in areas like building
trust, problem solving, attitudes to time or simply the way
you treat people. These differences do not mean that foreigners
always have to follow the local ways. If a Western
deadline for an order is given to an African production
unit, it is unthinkable that the firm should ask the client
to accept an extension of the deadline because the production
team in Africa has a different perception of time.
For many Westerners, the cultural challenge of working
in Africa does not involve knowing all the local cultural
values. What they need is to have a clear picture of the cultural
specifics that can be followed (because they do not
threaten productivity) and those that conflict either with
the corporate values or with the profitability of the business.
The next challenge is to help people to develop a
sound strategy to handle conflicting values. When African
values cannot be respected, the question is how to communicate
this to the African colleagues without having a negative
effect on their motivation or productivity.
How can people from other regions best deal with different
values and local customs?
The cultural challenges depend on the scope and depth of
cultural differences between the various stakeholders. Germans,
who use a direct communication style, can face
problems when dealing with some Africans, who prefer an
indirect style. In other situations, Germans, who favour a
more restrained display of emotion than French or other
Latin cultures, could be at an advantage when dealing with
frustrating situations, since seeming out of control is poorly
regarded in a number of African cultures.
How do you see business developing in Africa over the next
ten years?
Business will develop if foreign investors get a comprehensive
view of the challenges ahead and prepare accordingly.
I often see strategic decisions being made without a deep
understanding of the cultural risks and with cultural training
being offered only at the implementation stage. Investors
would be wise to include these cultural risks in their
SWOT analysis and to make culturally appropriate business
decisions. The future of business development in Africa
also depends on the importance African decision-makers
place on education, health care, infrastructure and a sound
judicial system to provide support for foreign investment.
A CLOSER LOOK
A SWOT analysis is a method of evaluating and planning projects.
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. The SWOT technique is often used to establish
whether a business or project is likely to be successful. It was
developed in the 1960s and 70s.
adjustment [E(dZVstmEnt]
appropriate [E(prEUpriEt]
attitude [(ÄtItju:d]
comprehensive [)kQmprI(hensIv]
corporate values [)kO:pErEt (vÄlju:z]
display [dI(spleI]
emphasis [(emfEsIs]
evaluate sth. [i(vÄljueIt]
harvest the crop [)hA:vIst DE (krQp]
(crop
health care [(helT keE]
implementation stage
[)ImplImen(teIS&n steIdZ]
Anpassung
angemessen, passend
Einstellung
umfassend
Unternehmenswerte
Zurschaustellung
Betonung
etw. bewerten
die Ernte einbringen
Feldfrucht)
Gesundheitswesen
Durch-, Ausführungsphase
in-depth [)In (depT]
judicial system [dZu(dIS&l )sIstEm]
Latin [(lÄtIn]
on time [)Qn (taIm]
oral tradition [)O:rEl trE(dIS&n]
perception [pE(sepS&n]
production unit
[prE(dVkS&n )ju:nIt]
restrained [ri(streInd]
rural [(rUErEl]
scope [skEUp]
sound [saUnd]
timetable [(taIm)teIb&l]
gründlich
Rechtssystem
hier: romanisch
pünktlich
mündliche Überlieferung
Auffassung; hier: Empfinden
Fertigungsstätte
zurückhaltend
ländlich
Ausmaß
tragfähig
Fahrplan
24 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Nigeria: African–Chinese
cooperation
“China has invested a great deal of money in building
infrastructure projects in various African countries”
E. Kashi/Corbis
A Chinese perspective
What is your connection to Africa?
I was selected by the Chinese government to work as a
volunteer teacher at Rhodes University in South Africa after
I got my Master of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of
Other Languages degree in 2009. When I was in South
Africa, I also took part in a programme on Leadership for
academic colleague
[ÄkE)demIk (kQli:g]
achieve sth. [E(tSi:v]
degree [di(gri:]
department [di(pA:tmEnt]
emerging country [i)m§:dZIN (kVntri]
facilitate sth. [fE(sIlEteIt]
graduate school [(grÄdZuEt sku:l]
primary product [(praImEri )prQdVkt]
sustainability [sE)steInE(bIlEti]
volunteer [)vQlEn(tIE]
win-win situation
[)wIn (wIn sItSu)eIS&n]
CHANG LIU has worked in education and
diversity in China as a marketing specialist
and in South Africa as a teacher of
Chinese at Rhodes University. She facilitates
trade and business relations between
China, Africa and Europe and is
currently an MBA student at the Alma
Graduate School of the University of
Bologna, in Italy.
hier: Universitätslehrkraft
etw. erzielen
Abschluss
hier: Fachbereich
Schwellenland
etw. fördern
Graduiertenfakultät
Primär-, Vorprodukt
Nachhaltigkeit
ehrenamtlich
Situation, die für alle
Beteiligten Vorteile bietet
Sustainability at Rhodes Business School. As part of the exchange
programme, my department offered courses in
business Chinese. I met many academic colleagues and
made many friends in the business field.
How important is Africa for Chinese business?
The Chinese government has always tried to keep good relations
with Africa. Although Africa faces many problems,
it is a huge potential market. Africa and China can achieve
a win-win situation by integrating each other’s strengths
and resources. Since the global economic recession, economic
growth in Africa has slowed down, and now emerging
and developing countries such as China and India are
becoming more active. China is a very important bridge for
Africa, as it is becoming an important export market for
the continent. China has invested a great deal of money in
building infrastructure projects in various African countries.
This helps business to place Chinese products on the
African market. Africa, while welcoming Chinese investment,
also hopes to sell its products on the Chinese market.
Although African exports to China are still centred on
primary products and resources, the two sides are trying
to improve the level of cooperation as the BRICS (Brazil,
Russia, India, China, South Africa) become increasingly
more important.
What are the cultural differences that Africans and Chinese
need to consider when doing business with each other?
My examples are based on my experience in South Africa.
The sense of time (see “Key concepts”, page 24) is diffe rent.
4
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 25

■ INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION WORKING WITH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
INTERVIEW
“Africans are very sensitive and what other cultures
see as a joke can hurt us”
DR ADEYINKA TEMITOPE AINA is a
Nigerian research fellow in pharmacy
at the University of Nottingham
(Malaysia Campus). He has worked in
China, Singapore and the UK.
What cultural differences have you experienced when working
with people from Europe?
Europeans are open about their culture. They want to discuss
it with you, want you to taste their cuisine, want you to give
an honest impression about them and their way of life. They
are also keen to learn about African culture and way of life.
Africans are very sensitive people, and what other cultures
would take as a joke will definitely hurt us emotionally, so the
general advice is to study the individual you are relating with
to see how receptive he or she is.
Are there differences in communication style: for example, in
presentations or meetings? And what about negotiating and
management techniques?
In my experience, Europeans are very polite, even if, in some
cases, they might not be friendly. They give clear instructions
on how they want things to be done. They hate dishonest people
and will tell you off if need be. They are strict on time
management. Africans are friendly and have a sense of humour.
When working with Europeans, we find them serious
and sometimes a joke can be misunderstood.
Dress codes might differ in some cases, however. For example,
Europeans will be freely dressed, while Africans tend
to cover their bodies more as part of their tradition. In certain
situations, Europeans should enquire beforehand about
the dress code, especially if they are attending traditional
events.
Many people follow what they call “African time”. The
Chinese tend to be much more punctual, so you have to be
patient when doing business in Africa. Some people lack
knowledge about other countries, like China. They may
think that brothers and sisters from the same family can
marry each other and that everyone in China is interested
in martial arts. I found many people to be naturally optimistic,
to love music and dance, and to be very passionate.
Chinese people are often conservative and sometimes we
think other people are impolite because of the way they
speak and their body language. I also discovered the need
to pay more attention to religion. In China, hardly anyone
born after the 1980s is religious, whereas in Africa, religious
beliefs can be very important.
What advice would you give business people from other
regions who want to do business in Africa?
Business people from Europe need to pay extra attention
to topics like discrimination and colonization. These are
Thema, Angelegenheit
unbedingt etw. tun wollen
Kampfsport
Verhandlungs-
leidenschaftlich
pünktlich
etw. plündern
empfänglich; hier: offen
Forschungsstipendiat(in)
issue [(ISu:]
keen: be ~ to do sth. [ki:n] UK
martial arts [)mA:S&l (A:ts]
negotiating [nI(gEUSieItIN]
passionate [(pÄS&nEt]
punctual [(pVNktSuEl]
ransack sth. [(rÄnsÄk]
receptive [ri(septIv]
research fellow
[ri(s§:tS )felEU]
senior [(si:niE]
sensitive [(sensEtIv]
tell sb. off [)tel (Qf] ifml.
topic [(tQpIk]
leitend
heikel; feinfühlig
jmdm. die Leviten lesen
Thema
very sensitive issues, as is the topic of foreign investment:
many young African people feel that their natural resources
are being ransacked by foreigners. It is important
to respect older people. In Africa, there is often a strong
belief in the family.
■BS
For more information
BOOKS
■ Management and Change in Africa: A Cross-cultural Perspective,
Terence Jackson (Routledge)
■ Ubuntu: The African Dream in Management, Lovemore Mbigi
(Knowledge Resources)
■ Ubuntu: The Spirit of African Transformation Management,
Lovemore Mbigi, Jenny Maree (Knowledge Resources)
WEBSITES
■ Kwasi Wiredu, “Toward Decolonizing African Philosophy and
Religion”, available in the African Studies Quarterly, an
online journal of African studies: http://africa.ufl.edu/asq/
v1/4/3.htm
■ A site with a great deal of useful information about doing
business in Africa: www.workingwithafricans.com
Listen to Robert Gibson on Business Spotlight Audio
plus You’ll find a related quiz in Business Spotlight plus
www Read Robert Gibson’s blog at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
ROBERT GIBSON is a senior consultant for intercultural
business competence at Siemens AG in Munich
(www.siemens.com) and the author of Intercultural
Business Communication (Cornelsen). Contact:
gibson.rob@siemens.com
26 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

LOOKING BACK INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ■
“New Zealanders are keen to get out and see the world
— it’s not surprising that some of them get ‘stuck’”
BARBARA HILLER ON WHY NEW ZEALANDERS END UP IN EUROPE
medium
Finding homes away
from home
In dieser Kolumne schreiben unsere Mitarbeiter über ihre Heimat.
BARBARA HILLER berichtet über Neuseeland und erklärt, warum so viele
Neuseeländer ihr Land verlassen — und gerne zurückkehren.
as we call the Tasman Sea, from July
2011 to June 2012. One was my
friend Jeremy, who moved to Brisbane
at the beginning of last year. An
engineer, he is now earning almost
double his NZ salary and progressing
in his career. He’s enjoying the larger
variety of things to see and do, too.
In search of opportunity: New
Zealanders in London
One million. That’s how many Kiwis
are estimated to live outside New
Zealand. But why would anyone move
away from such a beautiful country?
There are two reasons. When you
grow up so far away from everywhere
else, you don’t usually get the
chance to travel abroad. Kiwis can’t
just take the train to Paris for a long
weekend, and even the shortest flight
to Australia takes three hours. So,
once they’re old enough and they’ve
saved up some money, they are keen
to get out and see the world. Then,
many of them do a so-called big OE,
short for “overseas experience”. This
can take anywhere between a few
months and a few years, and it often
leads them to Europe.
Because NZ is a former British
colony, many Kiwis still have family
ties in England. For some, this means
amazing [E(meIzIN]
ditch [dItS]
dual citizenship [)dju:El (sItIzEnSIp]
engineer [)endZI(nIE]
family ties [)fÄmlI (taIz]
free flow of people [)fri: )flEU Ev (pi:p&l]
keen to do sth. [)ki:n tE (du:] UK
Kiwi [(ki:wi:] ifml.
make up for sth. [)meIk (Vp fO:]
Oz [Qz] ifml.
pay sth. off [)peI (Qf]
section [(sekS&n] NZ
Tasman Sea [)tÄzmEn (si:]
vibrant [(vaIbrEnt]
dual citizenship, for others, a couch
to sleep on. It’s not surprising that
some of them get “stuck” in one of
the places they visit: they fall in love
with a country, a culture or a person.
That’s why I’m here in Germany —
my mother, a Kiwi, met my German
father on her big OE 31 years ago.
The other reason Kiwis migrate
from their lovely green islands is less
romantic. The population is only 4.5
million, and career opportunities and
pay are often better elsewhere. Australia,
for example, attracts half of
NZ’s emigrants. Since 1973, the
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
has allowed a free flow of people between
the two countries. The vibrant
cities and well-paid jobs in “Oz” are
attractive to Kiwi workers, with
48,600 people crossing “the ditch”,
fantastisch
Graben; hier: Meer zwischen
Neuseeland und Australien
doppelte Staatsbürgerschaft
Ingenieur(in)
Familienbande
freier Personenverkehr
unbedingt etw. tun wollen
Neuseeländer(in); neuseeländisch
etw. wettmachen
Australien
etw. abbezahlen
Grundstück
Tasmanisches Meer
dynamisch
Banana Stock
I do have one friend, though, who
is quite happy in NZ. Ashley, an IT
expert, has just bought a section in
Christchurch with an amazing view.
“I couldn’t have afforded this anywhere
else,” he says. Even though he
could earn more abroad, he doesn’t
think this would make up for the relaxed
Kiwi lifestyle.
He does hope to come to Europe
for a holiday some time, but first, he
plans to pay off his “piece of dirt”, as
he lovingly calls it, and build a house
on it. I hope he also buys a new
couch. I’d like to visit him again soon
and, to be honest, his old one is getting
a bit uncomfortable. ■BS
BARBARA HILLER has a New Zealand
mother and a German father. She lives in
Munich, where she grew up, and writes
for Business Spotlight and Spotlight.
Contact: mail@barbarahiller.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 27

n INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION TRAVEL TIPS
Where to go and what to do
medium
Sie planen eine Geschäfts- oder Urlaubsreise? SARAH GOUGH empfiehlt Ihnen Orte und Ereignisse, die
Sie nicht verpassen sollten, und gibt Ihnen noch weitere interessante Informationen.
What’s on?
n The 101st Calgary Stampede takes
place from 5 to 14 July. Canada’s
largest, most popular and best-known
agricultural fair has daily rodeos,
chuck-wagon races and cattle shows,
as well as evening events and concerts.
Over one million people visit the
Stampede every year. Rodeo participants
vie for prize money worth over
Can$ 2 million in different events,
including bareback and bull riding
as well as barrel racing (the only event
open to women participants). One of
this year’s musical highlights is the
Dixie Chicks concert on 12 July.
www.calgarystampede.com
Exciting: rodeo at the
Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
n The Edinburgh International Festival (9 August–1 September) and the Edinburgh Fringe (2–26 August). Both
must-dos in the British summer-festival season offer theatre, opera, dance, music, visual arts, comedy and street
performers. They are trendy, popular and crowded. www.eif.co.uk; www.edfringe.com
Asilia
Oliver’s Camp: back-to-basics luxury
Martello tower: rooms with a view
D. Kirkham/Landmark Trust
Places to stay
In the bush
Oliver’s Camp, Tanzania. Enjoy a walking safari with
experienced guides in the secluded Tarangire National
Park, home to the Big Five. You can also go bush
camping or on an off-road game drive outside the national
park. Oliver’s Camp, which its owners describe
as “back-to-basics luxury”, is part of the Asilia
group, with lodges and camps in Tanzania, Kenya,
Zanzibar and Mozambique. www.asiliaafrica.com
For further destinations, check www.wildernesssafaris.com
and www.premiersafaris.com
On the beach
Martello towers were built on the beaches along the
coast of eastern England as a defence against a potential attack by
Napoleon’s army. Some are now being renovated and turned into holiday
homes. Suffolk Secrets rents a four-bedroom tower with a modern kitchen.
One of the best features is the roof terrace, with its spectacular view.
www.suffolk-secrets.co.uk The Landmark Trust offers a beautiful twobedroom
tower in Aldeburgh. www.landmarktrust.org.uk
agricultural fair
[ÄgrI)kVltS&rEl (feE]
Aldeburgh [(O:ldbErE]
bareback [(beEbÄk]
barrel racing
[(bÄrEl )reIsIN] N. Am.
Big Five: the ~
[)bIg (faIv]
chuck wagon
[(tSVk )wÄgEn] N. Am.
Edinburgh
[(edInbErE]
feature [(fi:tSE]
fringe [frIndZ]
game drive
[(geIm draIv]
Landmark Trust
[(lÄndmA:k trVst] UK
secluded [sI(klu:dId]
stampede
[stÄm(pi:d]
vie for sth. [(vaI fO:]
visual arts
[)vIZuEl (A:ts]
Landwirtschaftsausstellung
[wg. Aussprache]
Reiten ohne Sattel
Geschicklichkeitsreiten
in einem
durch Fässer
markierten Areal
Elefant, Büffel, Nashorn,
Löwe, Leopard
Proviant-, Verpflegungswagen
[wg. Aussprache]
Merkmal; hier:
Besonderheit
Rand; hier: Randprogramm
Wildbesichtigungsfahrt
Stiftung zum Schutz
historisch wertvoller
Gebäude
abgeschieden
Massenansturm,
wilde Flucht
um etw. wetteifern
bildende Künste
28 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Guides
A Hedonist’s Guide to… (Hg2)
These are stylish city guides to popular destinations
such as Sydney or Miami, and to more unusual places like
Baku. Some guides are available as PDF downloads, and
now as mobile apps for iPhones and iPads. www.hg2.com
Fodor’s USA guides are practical, detailed and easy to read.
New guides in the “Travel intelligence” series include
Chicago, New York, Florida and Alaska. www.fodors.com
Herb Lester Associates’ paper (yes, paper!) city maps are
things of beauty. Destinations are in Europe and North
America, and the emphasis is on design, culture, food,
drink and hotels. Most maps have a special focus, such as
the literary map “Writing Manhattan”, or cover a specific
area: for example, East London. The maps are illustrated
and designed by the best in the business. Pocket-sized
when folded. www.herblester.com
billion [(bIljEn]
change to [(tSeIndZ tu]
emphasis [(emfasIs]
drain [dreIn]
fare [feE]
Oyster card [(OIstE kɑ:d]
(oyster
pad [pÄd]
ticket barrier [(tIkIt )bÄriE]
top (a card) up (with
money) [)tQp (Vp] UK
Tube: the ~ [tju:b] UK
(tube
Milliarde(n)
umsteigen
Betonung
Abfluss(rohr); Kanalisationsrohr
Fahrpreis; hier: Fahrkarte
Geldkarte für Fahrkahrten
Auster)
Unterlage; hier: Bedienoberfläche
Sperre
(eine Geldkarte) aufladen
Bezeichnung für die Londoner U-Bahn
Rohr, Röhre)
DID YOU KNOW?
According to the UN World Tourism Organization, one
billion tourists were on the road in 2012 and one in
12 jobs worldwide are in the tourism industry. And
what is the world’s top tourism destination? France.
For more information, go to www2.unwto.org
English on the Move
The London Underground
Mit welcher U-Bahnlinie komme ich ans Ziel? Wie kaufe ich
meine Fahrkarte? KEN TAYLOR steht Ihnen helfend zur Seite.
easy
Mauritius/Alamy
Starting the journey
Hermann: Did you bring a map with you?
Sally: Yes, but there’s a big one on the wall over there. Let’s
check how to get from Green Park to London City Airport.
Hermann: Hmm, it’s quite a complicated journey, isn’t it?
Sally: The simplest way is to take the Piccadilly line to Holborn
and then change to the Central line.
Hermann: OK. Then we get off at Bank and change to the
Docklands Light Railway.
Sally: That’s right. Do you have an Oyster card?
Hermann: Oyster card? What’s that?
Sally: It looks like a credit card and you can top it up with
money to pay your fares. It’s cheaper than buying tickets
for each journey. You press it against the yellow pad at the
ticket barrier and again at your destination.
Hermann: Can we use this ticket on the Docklands Light Railway,
too?
Sally: Oh, yes.
Changing trains
Sally: This is Bank. We get off here. Look for signs for the
DLR.
Hermann: The what?
Sally: The DLR — Docklands Light Railway. And we’ve just
been on the Tube.
Hermann: What’s that?
Sally: That’s what Londoners call the Underground. One line,
Waterloo & City, is sometimes even referred to as “the Drain”!
Hermann: That doesn’t sound very nice.
Sally: It’s one of the really crowded lines in the rush hour. Oh,
and don’t worry if you can’t see a driver on the DLR train. The
system is fully automatic and computer controlled.
Hermann: That sounds frightening when I think of the problems
I’ve had with my laptop!
Sally: It’s supposed to be really safe. Let’s see! nBS
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 29

Getting it
right
Ob schnell oder mit Bedacht, allein oder in der Gruppe getroffen: Äußere und
innere Faktoren haben Einfluss auf Ihre Entscheidungen, ohne dass Sie sich
dessen bewusst sind. BOB DIGNEN sagt, was Sie beachten sollten. medium
Mauritius

DECISIONS BUSINESS SKILLS n
Very few people find it easy to take decisions.
One problem is that decision-making involves
uncertainty about the future. Fear also plays a
key role: who wants to take the wrong decision
and be held accountable as the fool who made
a mistake? The ability to take the right decisions at work
— and to change wrong decisions — is both challenging
and essential. In this article, we look at how you can become
a better decision-maker and decision-changer in your
organization. Before you read further, think about how
you would answer these questions:
n How do you prefer to take decisions at work?
Quickly or slowly? Alone or with others?
n What psychological factors often cause us to take
bad decisions?
n In what ways can groups improve their decisionmaking
processes?
As you read on, compare your answers with the points
made in the article.
1. Why decision-making is difficult
The news is full of stories of business crises, from the collapse
of national banks to the problems of global firms.
This creates an atmosphere of uncertainty, which often
leads to conservatism within organizations. Major decisions
are postponed, investments are stopped and cost controls
are increased. The effects further down in the organization
are clear: key projects are underfunded, there is
confusion about goals and strategies, and staff become
disengaged as they are asked to work harder for lower
rewards.
Two other factors make decision-making more challenging
in today’s business context: diversity and virtuality.
a) Diversity
In today’s diversified international business world, there
are many different attitudes to decision-making. This can
generate potentially dangerous levels of misunderstanding
and conflict across national, organizational and personal
cultures. Which of the following attitudes do you share?
b) Virtuality
Taking the right decisions when working with colleagues
in other geographical locations is potentially more challenging.
Distance can make it difficult to create common
understanding in teams and may lead to lower levels of
trust and commitment. Also, different time zones simply
make it more difficult to get people together at the same
time to take key decisions.
One answer to these challenges is to discuss decisionmaking
explicitly: for example, who will be involved in
making decisions, when it should happen, how it should
happen and what happens afterwards. Indeed, what exactly
does the word “decision” mean? Is it a binding commitment
or simply a starting point for further discussions?
2. Why we take bad decisions
People love to find reasons for their problems in the external
world. It is so much easier to blame either others (typically
managers) or cultural or economic forces. Yet the key
to our struggle to take good decisions often lies in our own
heads, with our irrational thoughts and beliefs. 4
accountable: hold sb. ~
[E(kaUntEb&l]
attitude [(ÄtItju:d]
challenge (sth.) [(tSÄlIndZ]
challenging [(tSÄlIndZIN]
commitment [kE(mItmEnt]
decisively [di(saIsIvli]
disengaged [)dIsIn(geIdZd]
entrepreneur [)QntrEprE(n§:]
generate sth. [(dZenEreIt]
goal [gEUl]
on board: get sb. ~ with sth.
[)Qn (bO:d] ifml.
postpone sth. [pEUst(pEUn]
rewards [ri(wO:dz]
stand by sth. [(stÄnd baI]
underfunded [)VndE(fVndId]
A CLOSER LOOK
In British English, one can “take a decision” or “make a
decision”. Standard American English allows only “make a
decision”. In this article, we use both verbs.
jmdn. zur Rechenschaft
ziehen
Einstellung
Herausforderung; etw. in
frage stellen
schwierig
Engagement, Verpflichtung
entschieden
losgelöst; hier: demotiviert
Unternehmer(in)
etw. erzeugen
Ziel
jmdn. zu etw. ins Boot
holen
etw. verschieben
hier: Vergütung
zu etw. stehen
unterfinanziert
HOW DO YOU DECIDE?
“I like to reflect for a long time on potential risks before I take
a decision. I don’t like to get things wrong.”
“I like to act quickly and decisively. If I get it wrong, I’m good
enough to put it right.”
“I take decisions by discussing things with others. This gets
everyone on board with any decision.”
“I act like an entrepreneur. I’m paid to live and stand by my
own decisions. I know my field.”
“It’s not my job to make the big decisions. I respect the leaders
in charge and their right to take big decisions.”
“I am responsible at all times for what happens. If leaders
don’t decide, then I will decide for them.”
4/2013 www.business-spotlight.de 31

n BUSINESS SKILLS DECISIONS
Group decisions: make sure
different views are heard
In his book Influence: The
Psychology of Persuasion (see
“For more information”, page
34), Robert Cialdini documents
a number of psychological
processes that can cause
flawed decision-making. You
can improve your own decision-making
by managing the
following tendencies better:
n We are more likely to take decisions
if others have taken similar
decisions. People tend to agree
with the majority. Cialdini
calls this “social proof”. We
are social creatures and like to
fit in and conform. Why buy this shirt? Because others are
wearing similar ones. Why implement a particular software
system? Because our competitors have done so.
n We tend to follow decisions that are approved by an authority
figure. A number of quite disturbing psychology experiments
show how quickly individuals, under the instruction
of an authority figure, will comply with decisions. That’s
why advertisers pay millions for celebrity endorsements of
their products.
n We agree to decisions that are supported by those whom we
like. You are statistically more likely to agree with others
in a meeting if you like them than if you dislike them.
Isn’t that very worrying? This explains the phenomenon of
“groupthink”, which causes like-minded groups of individuals
to make terrible business decisions, blinded by their
commonality.
Unfortunately, these are not the only psychological barriers
to good decision-making. Basic qualities of the human
brain often undermine our best intentions:
n We see only part of reality. We miss a great deal of what
happens in front of our eyes. For example, witnesses to
crime events often see the same situation in very different
ways, remembering quite different “facts”. In business
meetings, we need to consider that participants are also applying
the same selective perception to what is said. They
hear quite different things and agree to quite different decisions.
To understand our partial view of reality, watch the
video “The Invisible Gorilla” or read the book of the same
name (see “For more information”, page 34).
n We interpret reality unconsciously through assumptions and
prejudices. In my training courses, I regularly show par -
ticipants a simple photograph of two people and ask them
to describe it. Very quickly, I am told stories of a brother
and sister (imagined relationships), given descriptions of
people who are in a hurry (imagined activity) and hear
reports that they’re fighting (imagined intentions). Getting
people simply to look at what is in front of them, to listen
to the facts, without interpreting, is exceptionally difficult.
We quickly get frustrated thinking about things. We want
to know and move on.
n Confidence and fear make us defensive and narrow-minded.
“Yes, but…” is one of the most common responses I hear
to someone else’s point of view. I sometimes think we are
hardwired to disagree. The book The Invisible Gorilla dis-
approve sth. [E(pru:v]
assumption [E(sVmpS&n]
authority figure [O:(TQrEti )fIgE]
blinded [(blaIndId]
celebrity endorsement
[sE)lebrEti In(dO:smEnt]
(celebrity
(endorsement
commonality [)kQmE(nÄlEti]
competitor [kEm(petItE]
comply with sth. [kEm(plaI wID]
defensive: make sb. ~
[di(fensIv]
disturbing [dI(st§:bIN]
flawed [flO:d]
hardwired: be ~ to do sth.
[)hA:d(waIEd] ifml.
invisible [In(vIzEb&l]
like-minded [)laIk (maIndId]
narrow-minded
[)nÄrEU (maIndId]
partial [(pA:S&l]
participant [pA:(tIsIpEnt]
perception [pE(sepS&n]
prejudice [(predZudIs]
social creature
[)sEUS&l (kri:tSE]
social proof [)sEUS&l (pru:f]
undermine sth. [)VndE(maIn]
witness [(wItnEs]
hier: etw. absegnen
Annahme
Autoritätsperson
verblendet
Werbung mit Einsatz prominenter
Persönlichkeiten
Prominente(r))
Unterstützung)
Gemeinsamkeit(en)
Konkurrenz
etw. befolgen
jmdm. das Gefühl geben,
sich rechtfertigen zu müssen
beunruhigend
fehlerhaft
darauf programmiert sein,
etw. zu tun
unsichtbar
gleich gesinnt
engstirnig, voreingenommen
Teil-; hier: einseitig
Teilnehmer(in)
Wahrnehmung
Vorurteil
soziales Wesen
etwa: sozialer Beweis
etw. untergraben
Zeuge/Zeugin
photodisc
32 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

50
43
42
41
9/ 1
40
Joe DiMa gio Highway
46
Greenwich Street
Hudson Str et
West Broadway
Church Str et
Pike Str et
38
St.
Mo t St.
famous for?
America
Mulbe ry
47
Varick Str et
37
Bowery
39
Orchard St.
Mo t St.
Mulbe ry St.
Gr enwich Str et
Eleventh Avenue(West Side Highway)
34
Broadway
Lafaye te Str et
1st Avenue
Avenue A
Avenue B
Avenue C
Avenue D
Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive
36
33
35
3rd Avenue
2nd Avenue
Fifth Avenue
Park
32
1st Avenue
Broadway
24 05
31
30
26 29
Park Avenue
Lexington Avenue
park
28
Eighth Avenue
R osevelt Drive
Twelfth Avenue
Broadway
26
25
Seventh Avenue
27
Fifth Avenue
Madison Avenue
Park Avenue
Lexington Avenue
3rd Avenue
2nd Avenue
Franklin D.
1st Avenue
21st Str et
24
23
22
21
Eleventh Avenue
Tenth Avenue
Ninth Avenue
20
18
Eighth Avenue
17
15
19
16
14
0
Broadway
9
1
Central Park West
10
48
Lexington Avenue
12
13
The
Lake
3rd Avenue
2nd Avenue
1st Avenue
York Avenue
4
Broadway
2
8
Museum Mile
1
3
Madison Avenue
Park Avenue
6
7
Riverside Park
5
West End Avenue
Amsterdam Avenue
Columbus Avenue
Central Park West
We
1st Avenue
3rd Avenue
2nd Avenue
Museum Mile
cusses how belief in our own expertise makes us less open to new ideas
on subjects that we know well. One example is the slowness of academic
theory to change in the face of contradictory evidence.
Spielend New York
entdecken und
Englisch lernen!
3. Towards better decision-making
Our discussion so far should alert us to the problematic nature of decision-making.
We need to apply more rigorous processes and be more open
to changing decisions because of the likelihood that we got things wrong
the first time. The “3 Cs” approach can help us:
a) Cultivate a new thinking process
If our natural thinking processes prevent effective decision-making, we
need to encourage a more constructive process. Regular reminders to examine
facts closely (“I’d like to spend a little time examining this in some
detail…”) or requests for clarification (“Can you go over that again,
please?”) can force people to engage with the data in detail rather than
interpreting it quickly based on false assumptions.
Signalling self-doubt (“Maybe I’m wrong…”) can help people to think
consciously about the possibility of error. It can also be helpful to discuss
the limitations of the available data (“We don’t have a full picture, so we
need to be careful when deciding to…”).
b) Challenge false argumentation
As discussed, decision-making is often based on psychological factors, such
as our need for social integration and approval by authority figures, or our
emotional relationship to others.
We need to challenge such thinking. For example, if someone says, “All
our competitors are doing this, so we need to keep up with them,” we
could discuss the risks of this form of argument and push to more creative
thinking.
Similarly, we may need (tactfully) to challenge decision-making based on
the views of authorities, such as senior managers (“Can we take a few minutes
to consider alternatives?”). Finally, we should not take decisions simply
because we all agree and feel comfortable. We need to listen carefully
to the views of people
whose argumentation
You are statistically
more likely to agree
with others in a meeting
if you like them
alert sb. to sth. [E(l§:t tu]
approach [E(prEUtS]
approval [E(pru:v&l]
clarification [)klÄrEfI(keIS&n]
contradictory [)kQntrE(dIktEri]
engage with sth. [In(geIdZ wID]
evidence [(evIdEns]
expertise [)eksp§:(ti:z]
go over sth. again [)gEU (EUvEr E)gen]
irritate sb. [(IrIteIt]
keep up with sb./sth. [)ki:p (Vp wID]
senior manager [)si:niE (mÄnIdZE]
irritates and frustrates
us. These people offer a
potentially more innovative
viewpoint than
those whom we like
and tend to agree with.
jmdn. auf etw. aufmerksam machen
Herangehensweise
Zustimmung
Klarstellung
widersprüchlich; hier: gegenteilig
sich mit etw. befassen
Beweis(e)
Fachwissen
etw. noch einmal durchgehen
jmdn. verärgern
mit jmdm./etw. Schritt halten
Manager(in) der oberen Führungsebene
4
FINANCIAL
DISTRICT
High Str et
5
Wa l Str et
Br oklyn Bridge Park
6
North
Cove
Marina
Wall Street &
NYSE
South Str et Seaport
Water Str et
7
C
Memorial
Fulton Str et
Brooklyn Bridge
Manha tan Bridge
Vesey Str et
0 1 km
City Hall
South Str et Viaduct
8
Statue of
Liberty
9
Chambers Str et
Park Row
Madison Str et
QUESTIONS
What is the street ca led Broadway
famous for?
a) having the ta lest buildings in
America
b) its large number of theaters and
playhouses (Schauspielhaus)
c) dividing the city between uptown
and downtown
QUESTIONS
D
Che ry Str et
Governors Island
CHINATOWN
East
Broadway
A
TRIBECA
Canal Str et
Lafaye te Str et
East Broadway
Madison Str et
LITTLE
ITALY
Orchard Street &
Tenement
Museum
© 2010 Gru be Media GmbH
©
Canal Str et
QUESTIONS
What is the street called Broadway
a) having the ta lest buildings in
b) its large number of theaters and
playhouses (Schauspielhaus )
c) dividing the city between uptown
and downtown
What is the street ca led Broadway
famous for?
a) having the ta lest buildings in
America
b) its large number of theaters and
playhouses (Schauspielhaus)
c) dividing the city between uptown
and downtown
What was once located at Manha tan’s
“Ground Zero”?
a) New York’s first bank
b) a large lake
c) the World Trade Center
What was once located at Manha tan’s
“Ground Zero”?
a) New York’s first bank
b) a large lake
c) the World Trade Center
What was once located at Manha tan’s
“Ground Zero”?
a) New York’s first bank
b) a large lake
c) the World Trade Center
Canal Str et
LOWER EAST
SIDE
Grand Str et
Ellis Island
Br oklyn-Ba tery
Tu nel
Grand Street
Ho land Tu nel
Canal Str et
Br ome Str et
Wi liamsburg Bridge
E
Delancey St.
SOHO
Spring Str et
B
Broadway-
Lafaye te St.
Prince Str et
East Houston Str et
West Houston Str et
LOWER
MANHATTAN
Bl ecker Str et
East 4th Str et
EAST VILLAGE
F
ANSWERS
b) its large number of theaters and
playhouses
Some 17 miles (27 kilometers) long,
Broadway is one of the longest streets
in Manha tan, and it continues on
into the Bronx. The part of Broadway
between 41st and 53rd Streets is the
Theater District, which has more than
40 theaters.
c) the World Trade Center
This important center of international
business was destroyed in the te rorist
a tacks on September 11, 2001. Genera
ly, “ground zero” is a place where a
big explosion has happened.
Christopher St.
Tompkins
Square Park
Ebenfalls lieferbar:
Hudson River
4th Str et
Washington
Square Park
St. Mark’s
Place
Christopher Str et
GREENWICH
VILLAGE
Gr enwich Avenue
Subway
(ausgewählte Linien)
Lines A & C
Lines 4 & 5
Line F
Roosevelt Island
Tramway
C
Roosevelt Island is a quiet spot
in New York City, lying between
Manhattan and Queens in the
East River. The aerial tramway,
which was built by a Swiss company,
looks like a big cable car.
I takes commuters (Pendler(in) )
and tourists from Manhattan to
Roosevelt Island and back. For
the same price as the train, the
four-minute trip offers a fantastic
view of the Manhattan skyline
and the East River.
M
2
1 | Bronx Zoo &
Botanical Garden
H
8
Gansev ort Str et
6th Avenue
14th Str et
East 14th Street
15 | Roosevelt Island
Tramway
G
Union Square
14th Street
West 14th Str et
MEATPACKING
DISTRICT
GRAMERCY
PARK
East 18th Str et
Union Square
West 18th Str et
Flatiron
Building
0 1 km
D
East 23rd Str et
CHELSEA
Hotel Chelsea
Madison
Square
Park
NEW YORK CITY
H
Chelsea Piers
West 23rd Street
Avenue of the Americas
East River
BROOKLYN
E
High Line
West 30th Str et
Madison 34th Str et
Square
Garden
Empire State
Building
East 34th Str et
I
34th Str et
Pe n Station
West 34th Str et
GARMENT
DISTRICT
Qu ens-
Midtown Tu nel
Macy’s
Long Island Expre sway
F
Port
Authority
Bus
Terminal
West 42nd Str et
West 40th Str et
Avenue of the Americas
Grand
Central
Station
Chrysler
Building
United Nations
Jackson
Avenue
Lincoln Tu nel
THEATER
DISTRICT
Radio City Music Ha l
47th–50th
Streets
St. Patrick’s
Rockefe ler
Times
Center
Square
MIDTOWN
TURTLE
BAY
MoMA PS1
J
Intrepid Sea, Air &
Space Museum
Saks Fifth Avenue
Waldorf-
Astoria
& St. Bart’s
Twelfth Avenue
QUEENS
You take the Metro-North
train from Connecticut and
arrive at Grand Central Station.
Starting point:
Grand Central Station
Mehr Informationen auf
www.grubbemedia.de
G
East 50th Street
East 53rd Str et
STATEN
ISLAND
West 50th Str et
Vernon Blvd.
21st Str et
ARRIVAL
Coney 49 10 km
Island
Brighton Beach
NYC
Passenger
Ship
Terminal
R osevelt
Island Tramway
West 53rd Street
A ple Store Lexington
Carnegie Ha l
Plaza
Avenue
Hotel FAO
63rd Str et
Ti fany & Co. Schwarz
Trump
Bl omingdale’s
MoMA Tower
59th
Str et
Silvercup Studios
K
H
6
East 57th Str et
Qu ensboro Bridge
East 59th Str et
R osevelt
Island
H
West 57th Str et
Central Park South
59th Street
Columbus Circle
BROOKLYN
John F. Ke nedy
International Airport
Lincoln
Center
East 65th Str et
L
(East River Drive)
R osevelt
Island
Central Park Z o
UPPER
EAST
SIDE
I
West 6th Street
Central
Park
Flushing
Meadows
Corona
Park
QUEENS
UPPER
WEST
SIDE
East 72nd Str et
MANHATTAN
Frick Co lection
Bethesda
Fountain
West 72nd Str et
M
The Apo lo
LaGuardia
Airport
Strawbe ry Fields
& The Dakota
Franklin D. R osevelt Drive
Das Spiel zur Stadt – für Englischlerner
und New York-Fans!
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In Zusammenarbeit mit:
JETZT BESTELLEN!
www.sprachenshop.de/spiele
oder im Buch- und Spielwarenhandel
3 29,95 (UVP)
Carlyle
Hotel
7th Str et
J
East 79th Str et
Yank e Stadium
American
Museum of
Natural
History
1
The Cloisters
Bronx Z o &
Botanical Garden
Metropolitan
Museum of Art
YORKVILLE
THE
BRONX
81st Str et
2
East 86th Str et
Gracie Mansion &
Carl Schurz Park
K
3
West 86th Str et
Jacqueline
Ke nedy Onassis
Reservoir
Gu genheim
Museum
4
East 96th Str et
5
L
96th Street
97th Str et
6
West 96th Str et
7
103rd Str et
East 106th Street
8
M
9
4/2013

n BUSINESS SKILLS DECISIONS
Success: a relaxed, open
atmosphere will help
c) Create a willingness to change decisions
Once we accept that decision-making is a highly fragile
process, we can be more open to challenging and changing
decisions that have already been taken. Leaders should
therefore reinforce the philosophy that changing decisions
is about innovation and not about proving that somebody
was wrong. This means stressing that changing a decision
is not about going backward, but about moving forward
(“Let’s think about the advantages of changing this decision…”).
When working with people who are diehard
about sticking to decisions, the only solution may be to encourage
them to have another look at the hard data (“I
think the facts speak for themselves. If we don’t change our
approach, we will have serious problems with…”).
4. Optimize your processes
Our decision-making processes can almost always be
improved. The key is to create an ongoing learning-based
approach whereby the process is regularly reviewed and
optimized. Teams need to reflect both on the external factors
that make decision-making difficult and on factors internal
to the team. These may include the relationships between
team members (tensions, lack of competence, competing
priorities) as well as “intrapsychic” challenges (lack
of openness, inability to listen, unconscious prejudice,
problems with complex logic). Thinking about the answers
to the following questions can help groups significantly improve
their decision-making processes:
n What major decisions have we made recently?
n Why were these decisions taken?
n How timely were these decisions?
n Who was involved in these decisions?
n How well did we cooperate to take these decisions?
n How effective were these decisions?
n How could we optimize our decision-making in the
future?
Hemera
5. The missing word
Taking a decision in a meeting room does not mean that
those present are committed to it. Nor does it guarantee
the commitment of those who are absent — whether influential
people in the organization, or those who are less influential
but whose engagement is essential.
When I look at decision-making in organizations, one
word is usually missing: communication. Too often, people
fail to tell others clearly what was decided, by whom and
why. Yet unless decisions are communicated effectively,
they are unlikely to be implemented well.
So, whatever decisions you take, make sure that others
understand them properly. Only then will they be able to
help you to implement your decisions effectively. nBS
committed: be ~ to sth. [kE(mItId] sich für etw. engagieren
competing [kEm(pi:tIN]
(miteinander) in Konkurrenz stehend
deceive sb. [di(si:v]
jmdn. täuschen
diehard [(daIhA:d]
hartnäckig, unbelehrbar
fragile [(frÄdZaI&l]
hier: heikel
hard data [)hA:d (deItE]
harte Tatsachen, Fakten
ongoing [(Qn)gEUIN]
fortlaufend, kontinuierlich
plunge: take the ~ [plVndZ] es / den Sprung wagen
reinforce sth. [)ri:In(fO:s] etw. bestärken
review sth. [ri(vju:]
etw. überprüfen
stress sth. [stres]
etw. betonen
tension [(tenS&n]
Spannung
timely [(taImli]
zeit-, fristgerecht
For more information
ARTICLE
n “Taking the plunge”, B. Dignen, Business Spotlight 6/2008
BOOKS
n Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, Chip
Heath, Dan Heath (Random House)*
n Guide to Decision Making: Getting It More Right than Wrong,
Helga Drummond (Wiley)
n Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert B. Cialdini
(HarperBusiness)
n The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuition Deceives
Us, Christopher Chabris, Daniel Simons (HarperCollins)
n Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman (Penguin)
* This product is available at www.sprachenshop.de
WEBSITES
n Interesting videos showing how we see only part of reality:
www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/videos.html
n Groupthink in elevators: www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/
thread852852/pg1
Do exercises on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
www Watch our Business with Bob series of videos for more tips on
how to improve your communication skills: www.businessspotlight.de/videos/bob
BOB DIGNEN is a director of York Associates
(www.york-associates.co.uk), which specializes in language,
communication and intercultural training. He
is the author of many business English books, including
Effective International Business Communication
(Collins). Contact: bob.dignen@york-associates.co.uk
34 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

SURVIVAL GUIDE BUSINESS SKILLS n
Making and changing decisions
Here are some language suggestions for making and changing decisions. However, you should
use only the language that you feel comfortable with in your specific work situations. medium
The “3 Cs” approach to decision-making
1. Cultivate a new thinking process
It is important to challenge assumptions, build greater attentiveness
to facts and keep people alert to the possibility of
error when making a decision:
Encourage a close examination of the data
n I’d like to spend a little time examining this in some detail
because…
n How confident are we that this data is correct?
Remind people explicitly of the risks of getting the decision
wrong
n Maybe we’re wrong. Are we assuming too much here?
n We don’t have a full picture of the situation, so we need to
be careful when deciding to…
Request clarification regularly to ensure understanding and
avoid error
n Can you go over that again, please?
n So that we don’t get this wrong, could we just run through
this one final time?
2. Challenge false argumentation
It is essential to create an open and relaxed climate in meetings
so that the logic of various points of view can be challenged
without individuals feeling criticized. And remember:
there are a number of “bad” reasons for taking decisions:
alert: keep sb. ~ to sth.
[E(l§:t]
approach [E(prEUtS]
articulate sth. [A:(tIkjuleIt]
assume sth. [E(sju:m]
assumption [E(sVmpS&n]
challenge sth. [(tSÄlIndZ]
circumstances [(s§:kEmstÄnsIz]
clarification [)klÄrEfI(keIS&n]
confident [(kQnfIdEnt]
ensure sth. [In(SO:]
given [(gIv&n]
go over sth. again
[)gEU (EUvEr E)gen]
hard data [)hA:d (deItE]
overturn sth. [)EUvE(t§:n]
previous [(pri:viEs]
revisit sth. [)ri:(vIzIt]
run through sth. [)rVn (Tru:]
stress sth. [stres]
jmdn. immer wieder auf
etw. aufmerksam machen
Herangehensweise
etw. klar formulieren
etw. voraussetzen
Annahme
etw. infrage stellen
Umstände
Klarstellung
hier: sicher
etw. sicherstellen
angesichts
etw. noch einmal durchgehen
harte Tatsachen, Fakten
etw. revidieren
frühere(r,s)
etw. überdenken
etw. durchgehen
etw. betonen
We shouldn’t take certain decisions simply because others
take them
n I think there are dangers in just following what others do.
n What would make sense for us and our customers?
We shouldn’t take decisions simply because leaders say that
we should
n Perhaps the leadership perspective is wrong.
n Can we take a few minutes to consider some alternatives?
n I know what their point of view is, but what do we think
about this?
We shouldn’t take decisions simply because we feel comfortable
with other people in the group
n Margaret, I know you have a very different view about this.
Can you explain a little bit more what you feel we should
do and why?
n Can someone challenge me on this? What am I missing?
3. Create a willingness to change decisions
To create a learning culture in teams, it is essential to build
a climate in which decisions that have already been taken can
be revisited and overturned:
Use the language of optimization rather than error
n How can we improve/optimize our previous decision?
n What did we get right with the last decision? What should
be changed to make it better?
Stress that changing a decision is about moving forward
n I think we learned a lot from the previous decision.
n I think we are now in a much better position to decide to…
n The last decision was a good learning process for us because
it has enabled us to…
Encourage people to articulate the advantages of change
n Let’s think about the advantages of changing this decision.
For example,…
n To manage the current situation more successfully, we
should decide now to…
Refer to hard data
n I think the facts speak for themselves. If we don’t change
our approach, we will have serious problems with…
n I think, given the circumstances, we have little choice but
to rethink this.
nBS
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 35

■ BUSINESS SKILLS TOOLBOX
“I” or “we”?
In dieser Rubrik nutzt KEN TAYLOR seine Erfahrungen, die er in vielen Organisationen und in
verschiedenen Ländern sammeln konnte, und beantwortet häufig gestellte Fragen zur
Kommunikation im internationalen Geschäftsleben.
medium
iStockphoto (3)
1. When do I use “I” and when do I use “we” in a
business presentation?
Most of us overuse the word “I” when making presentations.
“I would like to...” and “I want to…” are
phrases you often hear used to start sentences. But remember,
“I” is a distancing word — it separates you
from your audience (and from the rest of the world!).
If it is overused, it can sound highly egotistical. It is
much more audience-friendly to use the inclusive
“we” or “us”. Here are some examples of how you
can change an “I” sentence into a “we”/“us” sentence:
■ I want to show you how to solve this problem.
➔ How should we solve this problem?
■ I would like to show you how this can be done.
➔ Let’s have a look at how this can be done.
■ I would like the whole company to cooperate on this
project.
➔ We all need to cooperate on this project.
■ I think we should continue in the way I described
above.
➔ So, let’s continue in the way we have discussed.
In your presentations, you should try to make your
audience feel part of the process. The more your audience
feels included, the more likely they are to look
favourably on your ideas. Some psychologists suggest
that, for every “I” you use, you should use the words
“we”, “us” or “you” five times to counteract the distancing
effect.
Do an exercise on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
audience [(O:diEns]
consultancy [kEn(sVltEnsi]
counteract sth. [)kaUntEr(Äkt]
decree sth. [di(kri:]
egotistical [)egEU(tIstIk&l]
ensure sth. [In(SO:]
maintenance services
[(meIntEnEns )s§:vIsIz]
marketing [(mA:kItIN]
on behalf of sb. [)Qn bi(hA:f Qv]
phrase [freIz]
pretentious [pri(tenSEs]
questionnaire [)kwestSE(neE]
royalty [(rOIElti]
royal we [)rOIEl (wi:]
sales [seI&lz]
settle an invoice [)set&l En (InvOIs]
Zuhörer(innen)
Beratungsfirma
etw. entgegenwirken
etw. anordnen, verfügen
selbstgefällig
etw. sicherstellen
Instandhaltung,
Wartung(sdienst)
Marketing(abteilung)
in jmds. Namen
Formulierung
hochtrabend, anmaßend
Fragebogen
Mitglied(er) des Königshauses
Pluralis Majestatis
Vertrieb(sabteilung)
eine Rechnung begleichen
2. When do I use “I” and when do I use “we” when
writing an email for my company?
Use “we” when you are describing the services your
company offers. For example:
■ We provide maintenance services for our products.
Use “we” when you are making promises on behalf of
your company:
■ We will settle the invoice by the end of this month.
Use a combination of “I” and “we” when apologizing
on behalf of the company:
■ I’m afraid we cannot meet those conditions.
Use “I” when you want to take personal responsibility
for something:
■ I will check this immediately.
■ I promise to ensure this never happens again.
3. Who exactly is included in the word “we”?
Sometimes, “we” includes everyone you are talking to
or writing to, as in the examples in section 1. But “we”
can also be used to separate one group from another:
■ We in sales need marketing’s support for this project.
■ We should send a questionnaire to our customers.
There is also the “royal we”. This is when people refer
to themselves in the plural. Traditionally, a king or
queen would use this to show their high status: “We
decree 5 November to be a national holiday.”
Sometimes, individuals other than royalty use this
“royal we” to show their high status, but this usually
sounds pretentious. Margaret Thatcher replied to a
question about her son’s new baby with the words:
“We have become a grandmother.” This caused great
amusement in the press and complaints that she wanted
to be queen of England.
■BS
KEN TAYLOR is the director of Taylor Consultancy
Ltd, an international communication consultancy in
London, and the author of 50 Ways to Improve Your
Telephoning and Teleconferencing Skills (Summertown).
Contact: KTaylor868@aol.com
36 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

His, hers or theirs: it’s not always
easy to find inclusive language
SAY IT IN STYLE BUSINESS SKILLS ■
iStockphoto
Staying
neutral
Im Englischen legt man großen Wert darauf,
weder Frauen noch Männer sprachlich zu
diskriminieren. ANNA HOCHSIEDER nennt Ihnen
dazu einige Beispiele.
medium
Changing attitudes in society are reflected in our language.
Because of our changed attitudes to gender roles,
for example, we have become more aware of the need to
avoid gender-specific language: in other words, language
that excludes either women or men. Instead, we try to use
gender-neutral language. This is particularly true of English-speaking
countries such as the US and Canada.
Some of these changes in language are clear and simple.
Inclusive, gender-neutral terms have been created to replace
gender-specific words. Many of these new terms refer
to occupations:
ORIGINAL TERM
businessman, businesswoman
chairman, chairwoman
cleaning woman, cleaning lady
headmaster, headmistress
policeman, policewoman
steward, stewardess
watchman
NEW TERM
business person
chairperson, chair
cleaner
head teacher
police officer
flight attendant
security guard
Job titles such as “teacher”, “doctor” and “engineer” are
and always have been gender-neutral. So are “nurse” and
“secretary”, although these are traditionally seen as typical
women’s jobs. Don’t, for example, say “male nurse” or
“female pilot” unless there is a good reason to do so:
■ As a woman, I feel uncomfortable about being looked
after by a male nurse.
■ Amelia Earhart was the first female pilot to fly across
the Atlantic.
What about more abstract words such as “manpower”,
“mankind” or the verb “man”? Many US states, as well
as the government of Canada, have eliminated such words
from their official documents. UNESCO has published detailed
guidelines suggesting gender-neutral words that
could replace gender-specific ones. Sometimes, however, it
can be difficult to find substitutes. While the words above
might be replaced with “workforce”, “humanity” and
“operate”, officials working on changing the language of
Washington State’s laws have so far not been able to find
an alternative for the word “manhole”.
Trying to use gender-neutral language can sometimes
sound strange. Compare these sentences:
■ If an employee loses his company ID card, he should
report it immediately.
■ If an employee loses his or her company ID card, he
or she should report it immediately.
■ If an employee loses their company ID card, they
should report it immediately.
The first sentence is not gender-neutral. The second is
stilted. The third one uses plural pronouns (“their”,
“they”) in an effort to be gender-neutral, a practice that is
common in informal English, although traditionalists do
not regard it as grammatically correct. The best option
would probably be to rewrite the sentence completely:
■ Employees who lose their company ID card should report
it immediately.
■ If you lose your company ID card, you should report
it immediately.
■BS
www Learn more phrases at www.business-spotlight.de/skills
chairman [(tSeEmEn]
chairwoman [(tSeE)wUmEn]
company ID card [)kVmpEni aI (di: kA:d]
engineer [)endZI(nIE]
gender role [(dZendE rEUl]
headmaster [)hed(mA:stE]
headmistress [)hed(mIstrEs]
man sth. [mÄn]
manhole [(mÄnhEUl]
mankind [mÄn(kaInd]
manpower [(mÄn)paUE]
pronoun [(prEUnaUn]
stilted [(stIltId]
workforce [(w§:kfO:s]
Vorsitzender
Vorsitzende
Firmenausweis
Ingenieur(in)
Geschlechterrolle
Schulleiter, Direktor
Schulleiterin, Direktorin
etw. besetzen, bedienen
Gully, Kanalisationsschacht
Menschheit
Arbeitskräfte
Pronom
gestelzt
Belegschaft
ANNA HOCHSIEDER is a Munich-based teacher of
English as a Second Language and also writes on language
issues in Spotlight and Business Spotlight.
Contact: a.hochsieder@googlemail.com
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 37

Bright lights:
global economies
depend on travel
and transport
Full speed ahead
Mobilität ist gefragt! Geschäftsreisende sind zu Terminen, Mitarbeiter zur Arbeit unterwegs,
und Güter werden von einem Ort zum anderen transportiert. Können Sie dabei sprachlich
mithalten? CAROL SCHEUNEMANN und HILDEGARD RUDOLPH präsentieren den Wortschatz. all levels
iStockphoto (2)

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT LANGUAGE TEST ■
THE SITUATION:
Super Glow, a company in
London, deals in lights and
lighting technology. Let’s
look at some of the ways
the company uses travel
and transport to move
products and people.
All clear: flying is
a fast and safe
way to get around
1.
Cabin instructions (7 points)
easy
Roger Gentle, a US investor, is on a flight to London to visit Super Glow.
Before take-off, he listens as the flight attendant gives the standard
safety instructions. Unscramble the letters to form the missing verbs.
By air
a) _________ (capel) your carry-on luggage in an overhead compartment.
b) Please _________ (kema) sure your tray table is in its upright position.
c) _________(runt) off all mobile phones and laptops.
d) Be sure to _________ (safent) your safety belt for take-off.
e) If needed, oxygen masks will _________ (prod) from above.
f) You will _________(nidf) a life jacket under your seat.
g) Floor-level lighting will _________ (eudig) you to the exits.
2. Airport activity (7 points)
medium
Louise Tomlinson, Super Glow’s supply-chain manager, is at Heathrow to pick up Roger. While she’s waiting
for him to arrive, she watches the activity on the airfield. Put the sentences in chronological order. We’ve
done the first one for you.
a) On the runway, pilots receive clearance for take-off from air traffic control.
b) As a plane taxies to the terminal, it is directed to its parking position.
c) Then the plane receives a “push back” from the gate.
d) Arriving planes are guided down by air traffic control.
e) Following a safety inspection, the plane is refuelled, cleaned and reloaded.
f) Pilots must be given permission before the plane may taxi to the runway.
g) Ground handlers unload the plane and transport the luggage to the terminal.
d
1–■; 2–■; 3–■; 4–■; 5–■; 6–■; 7–■
4
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 39

■ LANGUAGE TEST TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
liquidlibrary
By land
3. Passenger choices (9 points)
easy
Louise and Roger need to travel to Brussels for a meeting. She’s looking at their travel alternatives on a
tourism website. Choose the correct words to complete the dialogue.
GETTING TO BRUSSELS FROM THE UK:
You can go by a) train / tram, by coach or by car. The Eurostar train offers a direct b) tie / connection from
London to Brussels daily. It takes two hours, and the c) fares / tolls start at about £70 for a return ticket.
The d) journey / voyage by coach takes eight to nine hours. Both day and overnight e) trips / commutes
are available. If you go by car, the driving f) measurement / distance between London and Brussels is 370
kilometres and will take about five hours. The Eurotunnel g) suburban train / shuttle takes 35 minutes and
prices start at £23 per car. From Calais, there are two major h) cycle routes / motorways, the A18 and the
A10. Please remember that on the continent, cars are driven on the right-hand side of the i) road / lane!
On the road again:
sending freight by
“artic” is common
4. Land transport (12 points)
advanced
Louise is talking to a freight-forwarding agent about land-transport options for their products. Fill in the
missing vowels to complete the terms.
Louise:
Agent:
Louise:
Agent:
Louise:
Agent:
Louise:
Could we just quickly go through the shipping options?
Sure. Small, local deliveries can be carried by a) b_c_cl_ courier. We also have several sizes of
b) d_l_v_ry van or c) m_n_b_s.
Sorry, I mean long distance...
Oh, right. For haulage of larger shipments, we have a range of d) articulated l_rr_ _s, or “artics”.
The most common is the e) c_rt_ _n-sider, which has a solid roof and rear doors — the sides are
flexible sheets of plastic. For transport of food or chemicals that have to stay cold, we offer a
f) refrigerated tr_ _l_r, or “reefer”. Our g) heavy-goods v_h_cl_s are for shipments heavier than
seven tonnes.
And what about your h) r_ _l services? We ship by train whenever possible.
Most goods are transported by i) _nt_rm_d_l shipping — when the j) c_nt_ _n_r is transferred from
the lorry to a train. For liquids, we offer k) tank w_g_ns, or for loose solids such as sand, we can
provide l) h_pp_rs.
Great. Could you send me your price list?
40 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Cargo vessel:
ships of all kinds
are getting bigger
By water
5. Sea voyage (7 points)
easy
Roger’s daughter works on a cruise ship. The largest ones can carry up to 6,000 passengers. Here are some
of the jobs available on board. Match each job title with its job description.
lifesize
a) cabin steward/stewardess
b) cruise staff
c) deckhand
d) lifeguard
e) purser
f) shore-excursion staff
g) gift-shop attendant
1. Organize short trips on land and accompany passengers if requested.
2. Watches swimmers and prevents accidents in the pool.
3. Socialize with passengers, get them involved in entertainment activities.
4. Keeps passengers’ cabins clean.
5. Performs minor repairs on equipment and helps to dock the ship.
6. Takes care of all financial matters during the cruise.
7. Sells souvenirs and other small items on board.
a–■; b–■; c–■; d–■; e–■; f–■; g–■
6. Carrying cargo (7 points)
medium
While in Belgium, Louise and Roger visit one of their shipping partners in the port of Antwerp. The captain
takes them on a tour of a cargo ship. Complete each sentence with the correct word from the box.
bridge ■ cover ■ deck ■ engine ■ galley ■ hold ■ quarters
Captain: Right now, we’re standing on the main a) _________. We carry the goods in the inside of the ship,
called the b) cargo _________, and we close this with the c) hatch _________. The ship’s lighting
is operated from the d) navigational _________. Follow me down these stairs to the e) _________
room. On the way, we’ll pass the kitchen, called the f) _________, and the g) crew __________.
Watch your heads!
4
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 41

7.
■ LANGUAGE TEST TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT
canal
control tower
cross tie
dock
hangar
landing strip
lock
overtaking lane
petrol station
platform
(set of) points
signal box
traffic lights
Moving along (13 points)
Air:
Rail:
Road:
Water:
advanced
Infrastructure and support systems keep planes,
cars, trains and ships moving smoothly. Put the
following words in the correct categories.
iStockphoto
All connected
8. On board (8 points)
medium
In their conversations, Louise and Roger use idioms
containing terms from travel and transport. Choose the
correct word to complete each expression.
a) The Brussels project is on _________.
1. track 2. rail
b) We have the same _________ of thought.
1. wagon 2. train
c) The team is efficient. The team leader runs a tight
_________.
1. ship 2. cruise
d) Well, if we fail, they fail. We’re all in the same
_________.
1. barge 2. boat
e) Their decision is still up in the___________.
1. sky 2. air
f) If we advise them, we want payment. It’s a two-way
_________.
1. trip 2. street
Credit
How did you do?
Excellent (61–70 points): You’re a real expert in
transport and travel terms!
Well done (51–60 points): Most of the terms and
expressions are in your working vocabulary.
Good (41–50 points): With a bit of practice, you
can do even better!
Nice try (40 points and fewer): If you’d like to work
on your vocabulary, take a look at “For more information”
on the opposite page.
Bridge over the river: all forms of
transport need infrastructure
g) The boss is on holiday, so I’m in the driver’s _________.
1. seat 2. school
h) It’s getting late. Time to hit the _________.
1. road 2. roundabout.
ANSWERS
1. Cabin instructions
a) Place; b) make; c) Turn; d) fasten; e) drop;
f) find; g) guide
2. Airport activity
1–d; 2–b (taxi = über das Rollfeld zum Terminal
/ zur Startpiste fahren); 3–g; 4–e (refuel
= mit Treibstoff betanken); 5–c; 6–f; 7–a
(clearance for take-off = Starterlaubnis)
3. Passenger choices
a) train; b) connection; c) fares = Fahrpreise;
d) journey; e) trips; f) distance; g) shuttle;
h) motorways (US freeways); i) road
4. Land transport
a) bicycle
b) delivery
c) minibus
d) lorries (articulated lorry, US semitruck =
Sattelschlepper)
e) curtain-sider = Planenwagen
f) trailer (refrigerated trailer = Kühlwagen)
g) vehicles (heavy-goods vehicle = Schwerlaster)
h) rail
i) intermodal (also: multimodal) shipping =
intermodaler/multimodaler Transport
j) container
k) wagons (tank wagon (US tank car) =
Kesselwagen)
l) hoppers = Schüttgutwagen
5. Sea voyage
a–4
b–3 (Gastgeber(in)/Gästebetreuer(in))
c–5 (Deckshelfer(in))
d–2 (Rettungsschwimmer(in))
e–6 (Zahlmeister(in))
42 www.business-spotlight.de f–1 (Mitarbeiter(in) für Landausflüge)
4/2013
g–7
6. Carrying cargo
a) deck; b) hold (cargo hold = Frachtraum);
c) cover (hatch cover = Lukendeckel);
d) bridge; e) engine; f) galley = Kombüse;
g) crew quarters = Mannschaftsunterkünfte
7. Moving along
Air: control tower = Kontrollturm
hangar
landing strip = Landebahn
Rail: cross tie (US railroad tie, sleeper) =
Bahnschwelle
platform = Bahnsteig
(set of) points (US railroad switch, turnout) =
Weiche
signal box = Stellwerk
Road: overtaking lane (US passing lane)
= Überholspur
petrol station (US gas station)
traffic lights (US traffic light)
Water: canal; dock; lock = Schleuse
8. On board (be on board = dabei sein)
a–1 (be on track = auf Kurs sein)
b–2 (train of thought = Gedankengang)
c–1 (run a tight ship = ein strenges Regiment
führen)
d–2 (be in the same boat = im gleichen Boot
sitzen)
e–2 (be up in the air = noch offen sein)
f–2 (be a two-way street = keine Einbahnstraße
sein)
g–1 (be in the driver’s seat = das Sagen
haben)
h–1 (hit the road = sich auf den Weg machen)

For more information
TEST
■ International trade: “Make it or break it”, Business Spotlight
6/2010, pp. 12–18
VOCABULARY
■ “The motorway”, Business Spotlight 2/2013, p. 44
■ “On the plane”, Business Spotlight 5/2012, p. 74
■ “The petrol station”, Business Spotlight 3/2012, p. 74
■ “At the port”, Business Spotlight 3/2011, p. 74
ENGLISH FOR...
■ “Airport security”, Business Spotlight 4/2013, pp. 56–57
■ “Sea travel”, Business Spotlight 3/2013, pp. 56–57
Do more exercises on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
■ “Customs and excise”, Business Spotlight 6/2011, pp. 84–85
■ “Cabin crew”, Business Spotlight 2/2011, pp. 82–83
■ “Freight forwarding”, Business Spotlight 5/2010, pp. 82–83
TECHNOLOGY: LANGUAGE FOCUS
■ “Flight control systems”, Business Spotlight 2/2012,
pp. 70–71
■ “Car steering”, Business Spotlight 1/2011, pp. 68–69
■ “Biocars”, Business Spotlight 1/2010, pp. 68–69
ENGLISH ON THE MOVE
■ This regular section offers useful travel language and expressions.
www More tests at www.business-spotlight.de/language
CAROL SCHEUNEMANN is responsible for language
tests and the Technology section at Business Spotlight.
She also coordinates Business Spotlight Audio.
Contact: c.scheunemann@spotlight-verlag.de
HILDEGARD RUDOLPH is a certified translator and
a freelance editor, teacher and book author.
Contact: bs.lektorat@spotlight-verlag.de
GEWINNEN SIE mit EF und BusinessSpotlight
einen Business-Sprachkurs in Manchester
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und Sie haben die Chance auf:
■ 2 Wochen Intensivkurs (32 x à 40 Min./Woche)
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■ Hin- und Rückflug ab einem ausgewählten Flughafen
(FRA/MUC/STR/HAM/BER/DUS/HAJ)
■ Transfer vom/zum Flughafen Manchester
■ Reisewert: ca. € 1.750,-
Choose the correct word, “transport”, “travel”, or “trip”.
a) I’m going on a business ________ to Manchester.
b) What’s the fastest way to ________ there?
c) In Manchester, it’s best to use public ________.
Teilnahmeschluss: 19.08.2013
DIE EF-SPRACHSCHULE IN MANCHESTER
■ führt seit 2011 Kurse ausschließlich für Erwachsene ab 25 Jahren durch
■ bietet Kurse auf allen Sprachniveaus, insbesondere auch mit berufsspezifischen Inhalten an
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MANCHESTER
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■ gilt als Trendmetropole für Musik und Wirtschaft (neues BBC-Funkhaus)
EF EDUCATION FIRST
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Sprachreisen und internationale Bildungsprogramme
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Teilnahme entweder per E-Mail an:
competition@business-spotlight.de oder direkt auf www.business-spotlight.de/EF
Sollte ich direkt per E-Mail an competition@business-spotlight.de am Gewinnspiel teilnehmen, erkläre ich mich damit
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Eine Barauszahlung des Preises ist ausgeschlossen. Einsendeschluss ist der 19.08.2013. Der Rechtsweg ist ausgeschlossen.

■ LANGUAGE VOCABULARY
easy
1
In dieser Rubrik präsentieren wir nützliche Begriffe aus der
The boardroom Arbeits welt. Von CAROL SCHEUNEMANN
2
3
4
8
9
5
6
7
11
10
17
18
16
12
19
13
14
15
Ken Raut
1. boardroom Sitzungssaal (des
Vorstands);
Vorstandsetage
2. C-level/C-suite executive Führungskraft der
[)si: )lev&l /)si: )swi:t
höchsten Ebene
Ig(zekjUtIv]
3. managing director (MD) UK, Geschäftsführer(in);
chief executive officer (CEO), auch: Vorstandsvorpresident
US
sitzende(r)
4. finance director (FD), Finanzvorstand
chief financial officer (CFO)
5. chief operating officer (COO) Leiter operatives
Geschäft
6. vice president (VP) US stellvertretende(r)
Vorsitzende(r)
7. chairman/chairwoman of the Vorstandsvorboard,
chair of the board sitzende(r)
8. chair a meeting eine Sitzung leiten
9. corporation Unternehmen
10. board meeting Vorstandssitzung
11. member of the board, Vorstandsmitglied
board member
12. auditor [(O:dItE] Wirtschafts-, Rechnungs
prüfer(in),
Revisor(in)
13. board of directors, Vorstand
executive board
[Ig(zekjUtIv bO:d]
14. annual report Jahresbericht
[)ÄnjuEl ri(pO:t]
15. agenda [E(dZendE] Tagesordnung
16. take/make notes (sich) Notizen machen
17. proxy [(prQksi] Vertreter(in) (mit einer
Vollmacht)
18. executive assistant Assistent(in) des
[Ig)zekjUtIv E(sIstEnt], Vorstands
assistant to the board
19. take/write the minutes Protokoll führen
[)teIk/)raIt DE (mInIts]
Exercise: The top level
Complete the sentences with words from the list.
By law, a publicly traded a) __________ must have a
b) __________ for setting company strategy. It often
consists of around nine c) __________, and is made up
of company outsiders, such as investors, and insiders.
The leader, called the d) __________, usually belongs
to the firm’s management. During a e) __________, this
person makes sure that matters on the f) __________
are talked about and that a written record, called the
g) __________, is kept. The group select the firm’s top
manager, the h) __________, and present the firm’s
yearly financial standing in the i) __________.
Answers on page 62
44 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

medium
GRAMMAR AT WORK LANGUAGE ■
Time to speculate
Was könnte da geschehen sein, und was könnte noch passieren? In Gesprächen stellen wir ständig
Mutmaßungen an. ANNA HOCHSIEDER erläutert die dazugehörige Grammatik.
When Barbara and Adam arrive at their office early one morning,
they discover that the window is wide open and the floor
is covered with papers. Below is their dialogue.
Problems at the office
Barbara: The cleaners must have forgotten to shut the window
last night.
Adam: They can’t have done. The cleaners don’t come
in on Wednesdays.
Barbara: You don’t suppose it could have been burglars,
do you? Let’s check if anything’s missing.
Adam: Nonsense. I’m sure it wasn’t burglars. We’re on
the fourth floor. No, I reckon one of us simply left
the window open.
Barbara: I can’t imagine doing that. Hmm… Well, maybe
it wasn’t properly shut. The wind may have
pushed it open again.
Adam: Anyway, we’d better start tidying up. Let’s ask
Lucy to help. She should be here soon.
Barbara: We may need new printouts. Some of these pages
are stained and torn.
Adam: Well, let’s see what we’ve got first. Who knows —
some important stuff might be missing.
Barbara: Yes. Perhaps it was burglars after all.
burglar [(b§:glE]
stained: be ~ [steInd]
tidy up [)taIdi (Vp]
torn [tO:n]
Einbrecher(in)
Flecken haben
aufräumen
zerrissen
Exercise
Underline the correct modal auxiliary in each sentence.
a) John just called. He can / might / must drop in later to
say hello.
b) Our new neighbours have got three villas and a yacht.
They may / might / must be incredibly rich.
c) Sue can’t / might / should have gone out. I saw her a
minute ago.
d) I’m not sure, but I think I can’t / may / must have forgotten
to shut the window.
e) Just tell them that you’ll be late for the meeting. That
couldn’t / mightn’t / shouldn’t be a problem.
Answers on page 62
Explanations
Everyday conversations often involve a certain degree
of speculation. You can speculate about events in the
past, present or future.
1. One way to speculate is to use adverbs such as
maybe, perhaps, possibly and probably, or phrases
such as it’s unlikely that... and it’s possible that... .
2. Verbs can also be used: (not) be sure, imagine,
think, expect, suppose, guess, reckon and doubt.
3. Modal auxiliary verbs are often used for speculating.
To refer to the present or future, the modal is followed
by an infinitive:
■ Some important stuff might be missing.
■ We may need new printouts.
To refer to the past, we use have + past participle:
■ The cleaners must have forgotten to shut the window
last night.
We can express different degrees of certainty with
modal verbs. Must and can’t indicate a high level of
certainty:
■ The cleaners must have forgotten. (I’m almost sure
they forgot.)
■ They can’t have done. (I’m almost sure they didn’t.)
Should and shouldn’t introduce expectations:
■ She should be here soon. (I expect she’ll be here
soon.)
■ It shouldn’t take long. (I don’t think it will take long.)
May, might and could express possibilities:
■ The wind may/might/could have pushed the window
open. (I think it’s possible, but I don’t know.) ■BS
plus Find related exercises in Business Spotlight plus
www More exercises at www.business-spotlight.de/grammar
ANNA HOCHSIEDER is a Munich-based
teacher of English as a Second Language
who writes regularly on language issues in
Spotlight and Business Spotlight. Contact:
a.hochsieder@googlemail.com
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 45

■ LANGUAGE EASY ENGLISH
Small talk:
a key part of
international
business
Small talk
Digital Vision
Bevor man zum geschäftlichen Teil übergeht, ist Smalltalk ein bewährtes Mittel, um zu einem
Geschäftspartner eine Beziehung aufzubauen. MIKE HOGAN führt in Beispieldialogen geeignete
Themen aus und gibt Ihnen passende Formulierungen.
One cliché about the British is that they always talk — and
make small talk — about the weather. Perhaps this is because
it changes frequently and people always have
something new to say — and to complain about.
Unlike politics and religion, the weather is generally a safe
topic and is unlikely to lead to conflict. But in some countries,
the weather is not a good topic for small talk — Singapore,
for example, where the weather is over 30 degrees Celsius
every day.
If your business partners have something to complain about
— whether it is the weather or, for example, travel problems
— you can often build rapport by showing sympathy for their
situation. The dialogues and tips here will give you some
ideas for making small talk in international situations.
1. Making small talk easy
People often think that small talk is difficult. But it can come
quite easily if you ask the other person open questions about
things that interest you. Let them talk about themselves —
and then you should show interest in what they have to say.
The purpose of small talk is to build relationships with others
and to make them feel comfortable. This might be with
a visitor to your company, or with colleagues or business partners
on the phone or in a meeting. Small talk is often, but
not always, followed by getting down to business.
2. Key tips for small talk TIP: Many people like to
Local knowledge will help you. talk about themselves
Have there been stories recently in
and their opinions. If
the news about your business partner’s
country, city or place of work? you ask questions that
Was there an important event, such allow them to do this, it
as a football game, in their area recently?
Talking about recent events
will be easier to build
rapport with them.
will make it easier to start a conversation
and easier for your business
partner to keep it going. A quick internet search should
give you some inspiration before you meet.
Also, think about what you already know about the other
person. Were they on holiday recently or do they enjoy a specific
sport? “How’s business?” is also generally a safe question,
but you should avoid asking for too many details.
build rapport with sb.
[)bIld rÄ(pO: wID]
cliché [(kli:SeI]
get down to business
[get )daUn tE (bIznEs]
inspiration [)InspE(reIS&n]
open question
[)EUpEn (kwestSEn]
sympathy: show ~ for sth. [(sImpETi]
topic [(tQpIk]
eine Beziehung zu jmdm.
aufbauen
[wg. Aussprache]
zum Geschäftlichen
kommen
hier: Anregung
nicht mit „ja“ oder „nein“
zu beantwortende Frage
Verständnis für etw. zeigen
Thema
46 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

easy
3. Small-talk dialogues
Read the dialogues below and decide where each one takes
place: on the phone, at the office or in a restaurant.
Dialogue 1
Fergus: As this is your first trip to Ireland, I thought you might
like to try some traditional food.
Petra: Thanks a lot. This place looks very nice. But tell me,
why is there an old bicycle hanging on the wall?
Fergus: Well, it’s quite common in traditional pubs and
restaurants to hang old memorabilia on the walls. It reminds
us of our history and traditions.
Petra: That’s interesting. So, anyway, what do you recommend
that I should have?
Dialogue 2
Sven: So, how are things?
Maria: Well, it’s busy here as usual. And this constant rain is
depressing.
Sven: Oh, yeah. I can imagine. I saw on the news that you’ve
had a lot of rain there.
Maria: They say it’ll get warmer at the weekend.
Sven: Well, that’s something to look forward to, especially if
we can finish this project before then.
Maria: Exactly. So, what’s the status of the prototype?
Dialogue 3
Wolfgang: Is this your first time in Germany?
Karim: No, I was in Berlin when I was a student. I visited a
lot of great museums and parks.
Wolfgang: And how was your train ride from Frankfurt yesterday?
What do you think about the countryside?
Karim: The train ride was fine, and I noticed that it’s much
greener here than at home. It’s also much colder, even
though it’s summer.
Wolfgang: Really? I didn’t know that. That reminds me, did
you bring the results of the warm temperature testing you
did recently?
You probably realized that the first dialogue takes place in a
restaurant, the second one is on the phone and the third one
is in an office. Now read the dialogues again and try to identify
the language that the speakers use to keep the conversation
going, to show interest and to change the subject. Then
look at the phrases in section 4.
4. Useful small-talk phrases
a) Starting a conversation
■ As this is your first trip to…
■ So, how are things?
■ Is this your first time in… ?
b) Keeping the conversation going
■ Tell me, why is there… ?
■ I saw on the news that…
■ What do you think about… ?
c) Showing interest in the other person
■ That’s interesting.
■ Oh, yeah. I can imagine.
■ Really? I didn’t know that.
d) Changing the subject
■ So, anyway,…
■ So, what’s the status of…
■ That reminds me,…
GRAMMAR: present and past tenses
When making small talk, people often give local facts or tell stories about things they know or that happened to them.
Current facts are usually given in the present tense while stories are told in the past tense. Look at these sentences
from the dialogues:
Fact:
Fact:
■ It’s quite common in traditional pubs and
restaurants to hang old memorabilia on the
walls.
■ It reminds us of our history and traditions.
Story: ■ I saw on the news that you’ve had a lot of rain
there.
Story: ■ I was in Berlin when I was a student.
Story: ■ I visited a lot of great museums and parks. ■BS
countryside [(kVntrisaId]
depressing [di(presIN]
look forward to sth. [)lUk (fO:wEd tu]
memorabilia [)memErE(bIliE]
past tense [)pA:st (tens]
phrase [freIz]
present tense [)prez&nt (tens]
status [(steItEs]
train ride [(treIn raId]
Landschaft
deprimierend
sich auf etw. freuen
Erinnerungsstücke
Präteritum,
Vergangenheit(sform)
Ausdruck, Formulierung
Präsens, Gegenwart
Stand, Lage
Zugfahrt
Do exercises on small talk on Business Spotlight Audio
plus Find related exercises in Business Spotlight plus
MIKE HOGAN is a communication-skills trainer and
head of training and development at the LTC Language
Training Center (www.ltc-online.de). His publications
include Business English for Beginners A1
and A2 (Cornelsen). Contact: m.hogan@ltc-online.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 47

■ LANGUAGE WISE WORDS
“Do the English think they’re superior? The way we use
nationalities in idioms could give us a clue”
DEBORAH CAPRAS ON LANGUAGE IN THE NEWS
The real meaning of
nationality
Spricht ein Engländer, der sich für sein Französisch entschuldigt,
diese Sprache wirklich so schlecht? Englische idiomatische
Redewendungen nehmen häufig Bezug auf Nationalitäten.
DEBORAH CAPRAS hat einige davon unter die Lupe genommen.
iStockphoto
English are so superior, aren’t you?” You might
recognize the line, if not the sentiment. Otto, an
“You
American character played by Kevin Kline, says it in
the movie A Fish Called Wanda. Back in 1988, when I
watched the film in the original version in a German cinema,
the line got a lot of laughs — even though most of the people
there were English. But do the English think they’re superior?
The way we use nationalities in idioms could give us
a clue.
Let’s start with our close neighbours, for example, the
Welsh. As well as being a word that refers to the people who
are from Wales, “welsh” is a verb. If you “welsh on something/someone”,
you fail to honour your debts, obligations
or promises. Why “welsh”? According to one theory, it was
first used to refer to English bookmakers who ran off to Wales
to avoid paying out winnings from any bets. If it’s true, it’s
actually more of a criticism of the English than of the Welsh.
Still, the origins of an expression often don’t matter. It’s how
they are currently interpreted that is more important. For this
reason, I wouldn’t use it in Wales.
Scotland and the Scots
What about our other close neighbour, Scotland? In Germany,
my Scottish friends frequently complain about the use of
Schottenwoche to mean “a week of special offers”. One friend
got especially mad about the use of pictures of men in Scottish
kilts to advertise a sale. She refused the extra discount
the shop offered her in compensation — purely to prove her
point. The pictures, however, remained. In England, you
would never see such campaigns. If you had, the Scots might
have voted for independence a long time ago. They could now
vote for it on 18 September 2014, but few English people
believe they’ll get off scot-free if they do.
As you probably know, we refer to someone from Scotland
as Scottish or as a Scot. Now, if you say that someone “gets
off scot-free”, it means that that person is able to do something
bad without being punished. Do you see the connection?
Actually, there is none. “Scot” is an old term for taxes,
and anyone who got off scot-free in the past, had not paid
any taxes. Taxes were (are) seen as a form of punishment —
particularly in Greece.
Dutch or German?
But before we travel to Greece, let’s first stop off at the
Netherlands. In English, we call someone from this country
“Dutch”. We also use “Dutch” in idiomatic expressions, some
bet [bet]
clue [klu:]
compensation: in ~ [)kQmpEn(seIS&n]
discount [(dIskaUnt]
get off scot-free [get )Qf )skQt (fri:]
honour sth. [(QnE]
idiom [(IdiEm]
obligation [)QblI(geIS&n]
prove one’s point
[)pru:v wVnz (pOInt]
sentiment [(sentImEnt]
superior [su(pIEriE]
Welsh [welS]
Wette
Hinweis
als Wiedergutmachung
Preisnachlass
ungeschoren davonkommen
hier: etw. begleichen,
nachkommen
idiomatische Redewendung
Verpflichtung
seinen Standpunkt
unterstreichen
Gefühl; Ansicht
überlegen
Waliser(innen)
48 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

medium
of which were coined during social or political rivalries between
the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Unsurprisingly,
therefore, they are often disparaging. Incomprehensible
speech is “double Dutch”. The confidence you get from
drinking strong alcohol is “Dutch courage”. A meal or other
special occasion when each person pays his or her share of
the costs is a “Dutch treat”. You might think that the Dutch
are getting a bad press, but that’s not entirely true. Before
1600, “Dutch” was also used to refer to speakers of both Low
and High German. So, at the time when some of these expressions
where coined, the English were directing their disdain
at a lot of people, not just at one nationality. Today, these associations
are generally forgotten, but it’s still not a good idea
to use these expressions in the Netherlands — or in international
meetings.
So it seems that Otto may have a point, but the English
aren’t the only ones to use language to show that they feel
superior. In ancient Greece, for example, someone who
didn’t speak Greek was called barbaros, as that’s what the
Greeks heard when foreigners spoke (“bar bar”). The term was
synonymous with “foreign and uncultivated” and described
people who used strength rather than intelligence. Today, in
Greek and in many other languages, “barbaric” still means
“uncultivated”, as well as “brutal and cruel”. It’s also how
the Greeks describe high taxes, which, many of them believe,
are being forced on them by foreigners.
IN THE NEWS
It tells us about the Young
Turks of Silicon Valley.
ancient Greece [)eInSEnt (gri:s]
bad press: be getting a ~
[)bÄd (pres]
catchphrase [(kÄtSfreIz]
coin sth. [kOIn]
disdain [dIs(deIn]
disparaging [dI(spÄrIdZIN]
have a point [)hÄv E (pOInt]
incomprehensible
[In)kQmprI(hensEb&l]
Low and High German
[)lEU En (haI )dZ§:mEn]
naughty [(nO:ti]
Ottoman [(QtEmEn]
resolve sth. [ri(zQlv]
standoff [(stÄndQf]
torture [(tO:tSE]
treat [tri:t]
wanker [(wÄNkE] UK vulg.
FT.com
Lucy Kellaway uses “Young Turks” to describe the young, dynamic
people who work in technology companies in the US.
das alte Griechenland
eine schlechte Presse
bekommen; hier: einen
schlechten Leumund haben
Schlagwort
etw. prägen
Verachtung
herablassend
nicht ganz Unrecht haben
unverständlich
Nieder- und Hochdeutsch
ungezogen
osmanisch
etw. lösen
Patt, ausweglose Situation
Folter
Leckerbissen; hier: Einladung
Wichser
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
Here’s a list of popular idiomatic expressions based on
nationalities.
Excuse my French!
“Forgive me for using bad language.” We use this expression
as a kind of humorous apology for using bad language.
Anything French is seen as being naughtier or sexier
than anything English:
■ Excuse my French, but he’s a wanker!
It’s all Greek to me!
“It doesn’t make any sense. / I can’t understand any of
it.” This idiom comes from a famous line in Shakespeare’s
Julius Caesar and has had this meaning ever
since:
■ Don’t try to explain the new software — it’s all Greek
to me!
Mexican standoff
This is a confrontation, often between three or more people,
that is not easily resolved. Each opponent threatens
the others, but no one can take action without leaving
themselves open to attack. It has been used in many
films, including Pulp Fiction:
■ The situation is a classic Mexican standoff. How do
we end it?
The Spanish Inquisition
This is a catchphrase from a Monty Python parody of the
Spanish Inquisition, which was associated with brutal
torture and execution. It’s an example of English black
humour. It is often used to show that someone is asking
too many questions:
■ I agreed to tell you about the project, but I didn’t expect
the Spanish Inquisition!
Young Turks
This expression is used to refer to young people who want
to see a change in the established way of doing things.
Originally, it described the members of a revolutionary
party in the Ottoman Empire who carried out the revolution
of 1908:
■ The young Turks in the IT department think they can
control everything.
plus For exercises on this topic, see Business Spotlight plus
DEBORAH CAPRAS is the deputy editor of Business Spotlight.
She has lived in a number of European countries, including
Greece. You can read her blog, Wise Words, and do her online
language exercises at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
■BS
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 49

■ LANGUAGE SHORT STORY
The world at
your fingertips:
good PR gets
the desired
results
The king of
Wie schafft man es, Politiker auch für ein noch so gefährliches Projekt auf seine Seite zu ziehen? Alles nur
eine Frage geschickter Meinungsbildung, wie man sieht. Von JAMES SCHOFIELD
iStockphotospin
said Tim, when I had finished giving him the
details, “is exactly what we get paid for. A project
“This,”
this bad? It’s a dream come true!” He finished his
cup of Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee and signalled to his
assistant to bring us some more.
Tim Hatchett is owner and visionary leader of Hatchett Job,
a small public-relations agency that companies like mine,
Global Power Solutions, go to when their own PR managers
don’t want to get their hands dirty. My company’s PR manager
said she would rather be fired than handle this particular
problem. So, after I’d fired her, I went round to see Tim.
What does Tim do? His company deals with the problems
that nobody else wants. His kind of PR is needed when the
wider public should forget about the unattractive qualities of
a client — for example, a politician who has been photographed
being too friendly with an associate to whom they
are not married.
Depending on the customer’s importance, a range of possibilities
is available. If it’s a president or prime minister, Tim
might get them to launch a missile attack or invade a small
country to distract public attention and show “strength”. If
it’s a minister, he arranges a television interview with the
chat-show host Oprah Winfrey, or whoever is popular in his
client’s country, and then he gets them to cry a little to show
how sorry they are. An ordinary member of parliament will
simply have to take part in a reality show such as “Dancing
on Ice”. These are the kinds of stories the tabloid press loves,
and that’s all a politician needs to do to regain favour with
the public.
Although I knew all this, I was surprised at Tim’s enthusiastic
reaction to my story.
“Tim, were you listening to me? What are we going to do?
We want to convince the government to build a nuclear
power plant near London. But our geologists think the area
could be flooded — particularly with rising sea levels caused
by global warming. They think that we risk turning the southeast
of England into a nuclear wasteland.”
“That would never do,” answered Tim calmly, brushing
some invisible dust off the jacket of his Savile Row suit. “Of
course we can’t let that happen. We would have to move offices
and I like the ones we’re in quite a lot. But we don’t
have to worry about whether the nuclear plant is actually
built, do we? Our job is to help you to get governmental permission
for the project. So this is what we do. First of all,…”
For the next few days, the people at Hatchett were very
busy sending our geological report to scientists and climate
experts around the world.
associate [E(sEUsiEt]
chat-show host [(tSÄt SEU hEUst] UK
distract sb./sth. [dI(strÄkt]
do: that would never ~
[du:]
invisible [In(vIzEb&l]
launch sth. [lO:ntS]
nuclear power plant
[)nju:kliE (paUE plA:nt]
sea level [(si: )lev&l]
tabloid press [)tÄblOId (pres]
wasteland [(weIstlÄnd]
Kollege/Kollegin
Talkshow-Moderator(in)
jmdn./etw. ablenken
etwa: das wäre völlig
inakzeptabel
unsichtbar
etw. starten
Atomkraftwerk
Meeresspiegel
Boulevardpresse
Ödland
50 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

medium
“Make sure you tell them that it’s absolutely essential they
confirm our data,” Tim told his team.
“How will that help?” I asked. “Surely, it’ll just make our
situation worse!”
“Just wait and see,” said Tim as he lit a Cuban cigar.
Eight different experts managed to produce eight different
conclusions — and not one of them agreed with our geologists.
I think that the Bulgarian professor from the University
of Sofia was particularly critical of the report’s findings, but
I’m not completely sure. Her English was nearly impossible
to understand.
Tim was extremely pleased.
“You see,” he explained over a light lunch and cocktails at
the Savoy, “if you tell experts you want one opinion, you can
guarantee they’ll say the opposite. Now, what you have to do
is burn the original report from your geologists. Then put the
useful data and quotations from my experts into your new proposal
and give that to the government. We are moving into
stage two.”
Somehow, the data went public. Soon, newspaper articles,
television documentaries and YouTube videos appeared,
claiming that global warming was exaggerated. The highlight
came when a Texas senator claimed in a BBC interview that
the royal family were Kremlin agents because of Prince
Charles’s interest in the environment. I called Tim at home
while the senator was still talking.
“If you tell experts you want
one opinion, you can guarantee
they’ll say the opposite”
“This is a disaster!” I said. “If nobody believes in global
warming any more, then nobody will have any interest in nuclear
power.”
“Buy the champagne!” was his reply. “Your troubles are
nearly over. Stage three starts tomorrow.”
The next day, the British media exploded at this aggressive
American attack on the much-loved royal family. The senator
quickly flew back to Houston and the threat of global
warming was top news. All three political parties talked about
the need for action.
boardroom [(bO:dru:m]
compensation [)kQmpEn(seIS&n]
conclusion [kEn(klu:Z&n]
confidential: keep sth. ~ [)kQnfI(denS&l]
confirm sth. [kEn(f§:m]
exaggerated [Ig(zÄdZEreItId]
findings [(faIndINz]
Kremlin [(kremlIn]
novel [(nQv&l]
quotation [kwEU(teIS&n]
truffle [(trVf&l]
Vorstandszimmer
Entschädigung
Schlussfolgerung
etw. vertraulich behandeln
etw. bestätigen
übertrieben
Ergebnisse
Kreml
Roman
Zitat
Trüffel
Tim called me. “Who knows about your proposal for the nuclear
power plant?” he asked.
“Nobody!” I said. “The government asked us to keep it
strictly confidential.”
“Excellent!” said Tim.
The next day, the leader of the opposition appeared on television
as I was having my breakfast.
“…and another example of this government’s incompetence
is the delay on the decision to build a new nuclear power
plant near London. How can the UK deal with global warming
if we don’t reduce our dependence on coal and oil? Safe
nuclear technology is the path that our party intends to follow
as soon as we win the next election, and I promise…”
By the end of the week, the government had accepted our
proposal. As you can imagine, at Global Power Solutions, we
were very happy. The bill from Hatchett Job was enormous,
but quite small compared to the value of the contract.
“Tim,” I said. “This is all thanks to you. You really are the
king of spin.” I poured him a glass of Bollinger and pushed
the bowl of caviar across our boardroom table towards him.
“Not at all, not at all,” answered Tim, putting a large spoon
of the shiny black eggs on his plate. “Together, we showed
the public the … shall we say ... advantages of your plan. You
know where to go if you need help in the future.”
About six months later, the government cancelled the
project. Perhaps it would have been a bit risky building a nuclear
power plant so near London. Although I was disappointed,
it didn’t really matter. The government paid us lots of
compensation for all the preparation work we had done.
“Sorry your project’s been cancelled,” Tim said as we sat
down together to eat the chocolate truffles he had brought
round, “but I did warn you that I like my offices. I really
didn’t want the area to become a nuclear wasteland.” ■BS
Language point
hatchet job ifml. (Verriss) A written or spoken
attack that is intended to damage someone’s
reputation.
Savile Row [)sÄv&l (rEU] UK A street in Mayfair,
central London, traditionally known for its numerous
tailors and exclusive men’s suits.
Savoy [sE(vOI] UK Opened in 1889, the Savoy
is a luxury hotel in London’s West End theatre
district near the River Thames.
spin (Meinungsmache) The presentation of information
in a way that influences public opinion.
This strategy is used particularly in politics
and advertising.
You can listen to this story on Business Spotlight Audio
JAMES SCHOFIELD is currently working on a novel.
If you’d like to follow his creative progress and read
more of his stories in English, see his blog at
http://jrtschofield.blogspot.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 51

n LANGUAGE TRANSLATION
medium
False friends
You mean… You should say… Don’t say… As this means…
Protokoll minutes protocol (diplomatisches)
Ich lese gerade das Protokoll I’m just reading the minutes of Protokoll
der letzten Besprechung.
the last meeting.
Quote quota quote Zitat; Angebot
Wir brauchen keine Quoten, We don’t need quotas, just
nur bessere Kinderbetreuung. better childcare.
ordinär vulgar ordinary alltäglich
Das Rot wirkt ziemlich ordinär. The red looks rather vulgar.
You can find more false friends on Business Spotlight Audio
Don’t confuse... principal and principle
n The adjective principal (Haupt-; hauptsächlich) means
“main” or “most important”: “The principal aim of this
meeting is to agree on the design.” As a noun, principal
(Kapitalsumme) describes a sum of money that is
invested, borrowed or lent, and is paid back with extra
money, called interest: “It’s a risky investment and you
may lose the principal.” Finally, the person in charge of
a university (and, in the US, of a school or other organization)
is the principal.
n A principle (Leitsatz), on the other hand, is a basic rule,
theory or understanding of moral behaviour that influences
the way that something is done: “It’s against my
principles to support higher taxes.” Also, a principle
(Grundsatz) is a scientific theory or a law of nature: “Do
all antiviral drugs work on the same principle?”
Tricky translations by MIKE SEYMOUR
How do you say “appeal” in German?
In legal English, “appeal” refers to a formal request submitted
to a court of law or other authority to change a decision.
It is a noun and a verb: “We will launch an appeal.”
/ “We will appeal.” This is best translated as Berufung einlegen:
Wir werden Berufung einlegen. Most legal systems
have a court of appeal (US appeals) (Berufungsgericht).
An “appeal” is also an urgent or serious request (Aufruf,
Bitte), often for help or money, or for people to behave in
a certain way: “The tsunami appeal raised millions.” —
Der Tsunami-Spendenaufruf hat Millionen eingebracht.
“We appealed for help.” — Wir baten um Hilfe.
“Appeal” refers to a quality that makes someone or
something attractive: “This adds to the appeal of the location.”
Here, it is best translated as Reiz: Der Reiz dieses
Standortes wird dadurch erhöht. If something “appeals to
you”, you like it or find it interesting: “That would appeal
to me!” This is best translated as zusagen or gefallen: Das
würde mir zusagen!
How do you say überholen / überholt in English?
Firstly, überholen describes the action of driving past another
vehicle that is moving in the same direction: Als er
mich überholte, fuhr ich selbst 160. This is best translated
as overtake (US pass): “When he overtook me, I was
driving 160 myself.”
Secondly, it means “thoroughly check and repair a machine”:
Wir haben unser Fließband letztes Jahr überholt.
It is best translated as overhaul: “Last year, we overhauled
our assembly line.”
In a figurative sense, überholen describes the action of
being or becoming better than someone else, for example,
a competitor: Wir wollen von unseren Konkurrenten lernen,
um sie überholen zu können. Here, it is best translated
as outperform or outstrip: “We want to learn from our
competitors so we can outperform them.”
Finally, if something is überholt, it is not up to date: Die
Technologie war mittlerweile überholt. We translate this as
obsolete, out of date, dated or old-fashioned: “In the
meantime, the technology had become obsolete.”
Exercise 1 Translate the following sentences.
a) Horror films don’t appeal to me at all.
Exercise 2 Translate the following sentences.
a) Wir müssen unsere Anlagen überholen.
b) The European Court rejected his appeal.
b) Der BMW hat mich in der Kurve überholt.
Answers on page 62
52 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

y DEBORAH CAPRAS
CARDS LANGUAGE ■
Phrasal verb
Phrasal verb
What does the speaker mean?
“I think that salesman just ripped you off.”
What does the speaker mean?
“Margaret will do it. She finally caved in.”
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Expression
Expression
What does the speaker mean?
“John must be hardwired to be optimistic.”
What does the speaker mean?
“Forget about the schedule and the budget
for the moment. We need to focus on
the big picture.”
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www.business-spotlight.de
Abbreviation
Abbreviation
What does “MD” stand for?
“You’ll have to arrange a meeting
with the MD.”
What does “A&E” stand for?
“It’s probably best to take her straight
to the A&E.”
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Pronunciation
Pronunciation
How do you pronounce this word?
hierarchy
(Hierarchie)
How do you pronounce this word?
Wi-Fi
(WLAN)
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www.business-spotlight.de

■ LANGUAGE CARDS
If you cave in, you suddenly agree to do
something you had originally not wanted to do,
especially because other people have put you
under a lot of pressure to agree to it. The
speaker is saying that Margaret has agreed to do
what others want her to do.
nachgeben
When someone rips you off, they overcharge you
for something. The speaker believes that the
salesman has cheated someone by charging too
much money.
jmdn. abzocken, übers Ohr hauen
BS 4/2013 BS 4/2013
When you focus on the big picture, you look at
the situation as a whole and not in detail.
If people are hardwired to act in a certain way,
their behaviour is determined by their nature
(perhaps even by their genes), not by their
experience or training. The speaker is saying
that John must be naturally optimistic.
Gesamtperspektive, das große Ganze
BS 4/2013
die Veranlagung haben
BS 4/2013
In the UK, A&E stands for “Accident and
Emergency”. This is the department in a
hospital that treats patients who have been hurt
in an accident or who need immediate attention.
In the US, the abbreviation “ER” is used, for
“Emergency Room”.
Notaufnahme
In this sentence, which is in British English, MD
stands for “Managing Director”. In the US, the
letters M.D. are used to show that someone is a
qualified medical doctor, and stand for the Latin
Medicinae Doctor.
Geschäftsführer(in)
BS 4/2013 BS 4/2013
Wi-Fi is pronounced [(waI faI], with the stress on
the first syllable. “Wi” stands for “wireless”, but
“Fi” does not stand for anything. The term was
probably created in analogy to “hi-fi”.
The correct pronunciation of hierarchy is
[(haI&rA:ki], with the main stress on the first
syllable.
BS 4/2013
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www.business-spotlight.de 55

n LANGUAGE ENGLISH FOR...
Airport security
Wer den luftseitigen Bereich betreten möchte,
muss durch die Sicherheitskontrollen — die
Passagiere und auch das Flughafenpersonal.
KAREN RICHARDSON informiert über Aufgaben
und Ausrüstung des Sicherheitspersonals.
Just checking:
any metal on this
passenger?
Every day, about 140,000 passengers make their way
through security at Heathrow and Gatwick, London’s
largest airports. Pilots and crew members, as well as thousands
of airport employees, must also pass through security
checks every time they go airside. As long as the threat of terrorism
remains high, airport security is big business.
Internal airport security officers (ASOs) screen passengers
and their hand luggage. They also search staff members as
they pass through the internal staff security entrances, and
they patrol the inside of the terminal buildings. External ASOs
screen and check all staff as they arrive at the airport and
vehicles before they may enter the airfield.
Most internal ASOs have a standard uniform, which generally
consists of a white or blue shirt and dark blue trousers.
External ASOs wear equipment and clothing that offer protection.
At Gatwick, for example, this includes a bright yellow
jacket with reflective stripes, steel-toe boots (also called
“toe techs”) and a type of baseball cap that has a hard plastic
shell inside.
The shifts and rotation of duties are similar inside and outside
the airport buildings. A crew of about eight ASOs typically
work a 12-hour shift together, either nights or days. Internal
ASOs rotate their working duties three times an hour.
So in a typical hour, they will spend 20 minutes looking at
Exercise: Double-check
Match the words to create compound nouns found above.
a) crew n 1. luggage
b) security n 2. member
c) full-body n 3. detector
d) hand n 4. check
e) metal n 5. scanner
Answers on page 62
the images on an X-ray screen, 20 minutes
searching hand luggage and 20 minutes on
the archway metal detector. External ASOs
have a 15-minute rotation, as they additionally
search vehicles.
All passengers walk through the archway
metal detector and sometimes the “zonal
alarm” beeps and shows the area, or zone, of the body where
metal is located. Should this happen, an ASO will do a “tap
test” using a handheld metal detector. In many airports,
security checks now include the use of full-body scanners,
but these have been the source of much controversy. In response
to passengers’ health and personal privacy concerns,
new types of scanners are being installed that use radiofrequency
technology and produce only “gingerbread-man”
images.
Objects inside carry-on bags show up in different colours
on the X-ray screen. For example, organic material (most explosives
are organic) appears orange, inorganic material, such
as metal, is blue and a mixture of materials shows up as
green. Passengers may take only small bottles of liquid, inside
a clear plastic bag, in their hand luggage. Of course,
guns, knives, gases, poisons and other dangerous objects or
substances are also not allowed on board.
Creatas
airport security officer (ASO)
[)eEpO:t sI(kjUErEti )QfIsE]
archway metal detector
[)A:tSweI (met&l di)tektE]
beep [bi:p]
gingerbread-man image
[(dZIndZEbred mÄn )ImIdZ]
go airside [)gEU (eEsaId]
piepen, einen Piepton
abgeben
stilisiertes Lebkuchenmännchen
den luftseitigen Bereich
betreten
Hand-
Handgepäck
patrouillieren
Privat-, Intimsphäre
Funk-, Hochfrequenztechnik
handheld [(hÄndheld]
hand luggage [(hÄnd )lVgIdZ]
patrol [pE(trEUl]
privacy [(prIvEsi]
radio-frequency technology
[(reIdiEU )fri:kwEnsi tek)nQlEdZi]
screen sb./sth. [skri:n]
shell [Sel]
shift [SIft]
steel toe [)sti:&l (tEU]
tap test: do a ~ [(tÄp test]
vehicle [(vi:Ik&l]
X-ray [(eks reI]
Flughafensicherheitsbeamter/-beamtin
Durchgangsmetalldetektor
jmdn./etw. sorgfältig untersuchen
Schale
Schicht
Stahlkappe
jmdn. abtasten
Fahrzeug
Röntgen-
56 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

advanced
Security at work
patrol [pE(trEUl]
rota [(rEUtE] UK
rotate [rEU(teIt]
screening [skri:nIN]
security [sI(kjUErEti]
shift [SIft]
Airport terms
airport security officer (ASO)
[)eEpO:t sI(kjUErEti )QfIsE]
(US transportation security officer (TSO)
[trÄnsp&r)teIS&n sI(kjUrEti )A:fEs&r])
airside [(eEsaId]
aviation [)eIvi(eIS&n]
baggage handling facilities
[(bÄgIdZ )hÄndlIN fE)sIlEtiz]
baggage, luggage [(bÄgIdZ, (lVgIdZ]
boarding [(bO:dIN]
carry-on bag [(kÄri Qn bÄg]
checkpoint [(tSekpOInt]
crew [kru:]
entrance [(entrEns]
hand luggage [(hÄnd )lVgIdZ]
hold/checked luggage
[(hEUld/(tSekt )lVgIdZ]
terminal
[(t§:mIn&l]
Materials
dense [dens]
inorganic [)InO:(gÄnIk]
liquid [(lIkwId]
miscellaneous [)mIsE(leIniEs]
opaque [EU(peIk]
organic [O:(gÄnIk]
protective [prE(tektIv]
reflective [ri(flektIv]
Security procedures
confiscate sth. [(kQnfIskeIt]
detect sth. [di(tekt]
dispose of sth. [dI(spEUz Qv]
hand search [(hÄnd )s§:tS]
indicate sth. [(IndIkeIt]
pass through (security)
[)pA:s )Tru: (sI(kjUErEti)]
prohibit sth. [prEU(hIbIt]
random search
[)rÄndEm (s§:tS]
residue [(rezIdju:]
security check [sI(kjUErEti tSek]
tap test [(tÄp test]
vehicle check [(vi:Ik&l )tSek]
patrouillieren;
Patrouille
Turnus, abwechselnder
Dienst
rotieren
genaue Durchsuchung
Sicherheit(sdienst)
Schicht
Flughafensicherheitsbeamter/-beamtin
Luftseite, luftseitiger
Bereich
Luftfahrt
Gepäckfördereinrichtungen
Gepäck
Boarding, Einsteigen
Handgepäck
Kontrollpunkt
Crew, Besatzung
Eingang; Einlass
Handgepäck
aufgegebenes Gepäck
Terminal, Flughafengebäude
von hoher Dichte
anorganisch
flüssig
sonstige(r,s)
(licht-/strahlen-)
undurchlässig
organisch
Schutz-
reflektierend
etw. beschlagnahmen
etw. entdecken
etw. entsorgen
Durchsuchung per
Hand
etw. an-, aufzeigen
(die Sicherheitsschleuse)
passieren
etw. verbieten
zufallsbedingte
Durchsuchung
Rückstand, Überrest
Sicherheitskontrolle
Abtasten
Fahrzeugkontrolle
Equipment
advanced imaging technology
[Ed)vA:nst (ImIdZIN tek)nQlEdZi]
archway/walk-through metal detector
[)A:tSweI/)wO:k Tru: (met&l di)tektE]
beep [bi:p]
chemical sniffer
[(kemIk&l )snIfE]
detection device [di(tekS&n di)vaIs]
full-body scanner [)fUl )bQdi (skÄnE]
handheld metal detector
[)hÄndheld (met&l di)tektE]
highlight an image
[)haIlaIt En (ImIdZ]
millimetre wave (MMW)
[(mIli)mi:tE weIv]
radio frequency [(reIdiEU )fri:kwEnsi]
X-ray screening [(eks reI )skri:nIN]
zonal alarm
[)zEUn&l E(lA:m]
Dangers
bomb [bQm]
concealed weapon [kEn)si:&ld (wepEn]
corrosives [kE(rEUsIvz]
explosives [Ik(splEUsIvz]
firearms [(faIErA:mz]
flammables [(flÄmEb&lz]
gas [gÄs]
gun [gVn]
hijack a plane [)haIdZÄk E (pleIn]
hijacker [(haIdZÄkE]
narcotic [nA:(kQtIk]
oxidizer [(QksIdaIzE]
poison [(pOIz&n]
radioactive substance
[)reIdiEU)ÄktIv (sVbstEns]
sharps [SA:ps]
terrorist attack
[(terErIst E)tÄk]
For more information
moderne Bildgebungstechnik
Durchgangsmetalldetektor
Piepton; piepen
“elektronische Nase”
(Sensorgerät zur Identifizierung
von Chemikalien)
Detektionsgerät
Ganzkörperscanner
Handmetalldetektor
einen Bildausschnitt
hervorheben
Millimeterwelle
Funk-, Hochfrequenz
Röntgendurchleuchtung
Alarmanzeige mit
zonaler Unterteilung
Bombe
versteckte Waffe
Ätzmittel, -stoffe
Sprengstoffe
Schusswaffen
leicht entzündliche Stoffe
Gas
Schusswaffe
ein Flugzeug entführen
Entführer(in)
Betäubungs-, Rauschmittel
Oxidationsmittel
Gift
radioaktive Substanz
scharfe/spitze
Gegenstände
Terroristenangriff,
-anschlag
WEBSITES
n Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): www.caa.co.uk
n Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): www.faa.gov
n Gatwick Airport: www.gatwickairport.com
n Heathrow Airport: www.heathrowairport.com
n US Transportation Security Administration: www.tsa.gov
Do an exercise on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
plus Find more exercises on this topic in Business Spotlight plus
www More job vocabulary at www.business-spotlight.de/vocabulary
KAREN RICHARDSON is a business English trainer
and ELT materials writer. She is the author of Business
Top Trumps cards (Macmillan) and writes lesson plans
for www.onestopenglish.com and Business Spotlight.
Contact: info@compass-elt.de
Thanks to Mandy Rodrigo and Neil Warman, ASOs at Gatwick.
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 57

■ LANGUAGE LEGAL ENGLISH
medium
Hemera
A demand letter
Bei dem Versuch, einen Streit außergerichtlich beizulegen, ist ein
Aufforderungsschreiben ein wichtiger erster Schritt. MATT FIRTH
erklärt seinen Inhalt und gibt ein Beispiel.
A solution to the problem:
this is what we want
Ademand letter, also called a letter of demand (LOD), is
a written request in which a party is asked to keep their
part of an agreement, compensate for loss or damage, or pay
for products or services.
When two individuals are in disagreement, they may try
to find a solution without the help of lawyers. In a demand
letter, one party clearly states the desired solution to the
problem. This provides a document of the claim and gives
the other party an opportunity to respond. Later, it may also
serve as proof of an attempt made to find a solution. If the
one side refuses to answer the other side’s letter, or if the
two parties disagree on who is to blame, it may be necessary
for a lawyer to become involved.
building regulations [(bIldIN regju)leIS&nz]
claim [kleIm]
client [(klaIEnt]
compensate for sth. [(kQmpEnseIt )fO:]
demand letter
[di(mA:nd )letE]
lawyer [(lO:jE]
litigate [(lItIgeIt]
purchase price [(p§:tSEs praIs]
remedy (a problem) [(remEdi]
semi-detached property
[)semi di)tÄtSt (prQpEti] UK
solicitors [sE(lIsItEz] UK
surveyor’s report [sE)veIEz ri(pO:t]
(gesetzliche) Bauvorschriften
(juristische) Forderung
Mandant(in)
für etw. entschädigen
(anwaltliches) Aufforderungsschreiben
Rechtsanwalt/-anwältin,
Jurist(in)
prozessieren
Kaufpreis
(ein Problem) beheben
Doppelhaushälfte
Anwaltssozietät
Gutachten
Exercise: Statements on paper
Choose the words that best complete the text.
If an individual does not get satisfactory answers to
their a) complaints / consequences, they may ask a
lawyer to write a b) demand / contact letter. This might
be enough to solve the problem. However, it may be
necessary to c) litigate / compensate. One of the most
common ways to d) refuse / remedy a problem is to
compensate the party financially. In building disputes,
residents may be compensated based on their
e) loss of enjoyment / loss of earnings.
Answers on page 62
Following a lawyer-client interview (see Business Spotlight
3/2013), the lawyer will write a letter to the other party describing
the client’s case. This letter states what the client
expects, gives a time limit and explains what the consequences
of failing to act will be.
One letter by a lawyer is often enough to encourage the
other party to meet the client’s demands. However, it may
take an extended exchange before the two sides agree on a
solution that is acceptable to both. When agreement is not
possible, one party may decide to litigate.
Dear Mr Mason
We represent Felix Barker of 11 Cottage Way, Newton
Green, in relation to the continuing problems he is experiencing
with the common wall dividing his home and 13
Cottage Way. The building was one of four semi-detached
properties your company built in Newton Way from May
2012 to February 2013.
Our client bought the residence from you on 1 March
2013. Upon moving in, Mr Barker noticed that he could
hear the neighbours when they used the stairs. Our client
informed you of the problem. You stated that the house
was built according to “current building standards”.
In fact, as stated in the enclosed surveyor’s report, 11 Cottage
Way does not meet the current building regulations.
Although the noise level falls within the limits acceptable
for a flat, the standards for semi-detached houses are significantly
higher.
Our client feels he has done all that he could reasonably
be expected to do to bring this problem to your attention,
and that you have been given adequate time to respond.
Please contact us within 14 days with details of your plans
to deal with this matter. If you are unable to remedy the
problem of excessive noise, our client is willing to accept
a reduction of ten per cent of the purchase price of the
property to compensate for his loss of enjoyment.
Yours sincerely
Savage, Pickle and Goodwin Solicitors
■BS
MATT FIRTH teaches legal English at the University
of St Gallen, Switzerland. He is also secretary of
the European Legal English Teachers’ Association
(EULETA). Contact: matthew.firth@unisg.ch
58 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

advanced
ECONOMICS AND FINANCE LANGUAGE ■
Supply and demand (2)
Was geschieht, wenn der Staat eingreift und nicht Angebot und
Nachfrage den Preis bestimmen? IAN MCMASTER erklärt es Ihnen.
iStockphoto
In Business Spotlight 3/2013, we looked at the basics of
supply and demand and at a simple model of prices. In Figure
1 below, the intersection of the supply curve (S) and the
demand curve (D) shows the equilibrium price (P1), at which
supply and demand are equal. The amount bought and sold
at this price is Q1. If prices are higher, there is “excess supply”;
at lower prices, there is “excess demand”. So what
would happen if the government decided to fix a particular
price above or below P1?
Figure 1: Maximum and minimum prices
Price
P 3
P 1
P 2
Q 2 Q 3 Q 1
Rent controls
Imagine first that the government wanted to fix a maximum
price below the equilibrium price. An example would be rent
controls, which limit the amount of rent that landlords can
charge tenants. Imagine the government set the maximum
rent at P2. The supply of properties for rent would now be
Q2, which is lower than Q1. In other words, the rent restrictions
have led to a reduction in the number of properties
available to rent. And at the new price P2, there is an excess
demand for properties to rent.
A minimum wage
Now let’s look at a case in which the government decides to
set a price above the equilibrium level. An example would
be a minimum wage that is set above the equilibrium wage
in order to reduce poverty. What would happen if the government
set a minimum wage at P3? According to this model,
the number of people employed would be Q3, which is
less than Q1, the number employed at the equilibrium
price/wage (P1). In this case, there would be an excess supply
of labour — with more people wanting to work than
employers want to employ. This is the theoretical basis of the
idea that a minimum wage “destroys jobs”.
S
D
Quantity
Housing and wages: governments often intervene
Is this model realistic?
Although this theoretical model can give us useful insights,
there are a number of potential criticisms. The model assumes,
among other things, that none of the buyers or sellers
in the market — be they firms or individuals — is powerful
enough to influence the price. Instead, we have assumed
that there is a “perfectly competitive” market. We
have also assumed that the demand for labour (and supply
of properties) is responsive to price (“elastic”).
Without such assumptions — for example, if employers
are powerful enough to affect wages — we cannot say that
minimum wages will necessarily lead to a fall in employment.
It is then an empirical question as to whether minimum
wages destroy jobs. The evidence is mixed; some studies
have even found that, in certain situations, minimum
wages can lead to an increase in employment. ■BS
Finance
What is the “Banco de Mattress”?
The losses incurred by some investors in Cyprus has led
many to question the safety of their bank deposits. If
people panic, they might try to withdraw their money
and keep it at home, for example, under their bed. This
has been called the “Banco de Mattress”.
Supply and demand [sE)plaI En di(mA:nd] Angebot und Nachfrage
affect sth. [E(fekt]
etw. beeinflussen
bank deposits [(bÄNk di)pQzIts] Bankeinlagen
equilibrium price [i:kwi)lIbriEm (praIs] Gleichgewichtspreis
evidence [(evIdEns]
Belege
incur (losses) [In(k§:]
(Verluste) erleiden
insight [(InsaIt]
Erkenntnis
intersection [)IntE(sekS&n]
Schnittpunkt, -stelle
landlord [(lÄndlO:d]
Vermieter
perfectly competitive
mit perfekten Wettbewerbs-
[)p§:fIktli kEm(petEtIv]
bedingungen
property [(prQpEti]
Immobilie
responsive to price [ri)spQnsIv tE (praIs] preissensibel
tenant [(tenEnt]
Mieter(in)
withdraw (money) [wID(drO:]
(Geld) abheben
IAN MCMASTER is the editor-in-chief of Business
Spotlight. You can read his blog on topics relating to
global business at www.business-spotlight.de/blogs
Contact: i.mcmaster@spotlight-verlag.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 59

■ LANGUAGE TEACHER TALK
Experience counts
Zur erfolgreichen Verständigung in einer Fremdsprache gehört mehr als nur die Sprache.
Auch soziale und berufsspezifische Kompetenzen und Erfahrungen sind wichtig. Darüber
sprach DEBORAH CAPRAS mit Evan Frendo, einem Experten für Englisch als Fachsprache.
Who is Evan Frendo?
Evan Frendo has been active in
business English and ESP
since 1993, particularly in the
corporate sector. A frequent
speaker at conferences, he
runs courses and works as a consultant in Europe
and Asia. He has considerable experience writing
corporate in-house training materials, and has built
up several industry-specific corpora. He has also
published nearly 20 coursebooks in the fields of
business English and ESP, most recently, English
for Accounting (Cornelsen).
Website: www.e4b.de
Contact: evan.frendo@e4b.de
Current position
Freelance trainer, teacher trainer and author, based in Berlin.
Why and when did you choose to go into business-English
teaching?
In 1993, I had been an army officer for 11 years, but was
looking for a new career. As a qualified mechanical engineer,
technical English seemed most relevant and I had no problem
finding work.
Last language learned
I started learning Chinese a few years ago. Not easy, especially
the tones.
How will teaching business English change in the next five
years?
More technology. More accountability. Less time.
What do you offer that makes your classes stand out from the
crowd?
First of all, I have a diploma in Teaching English for Business
as well as a Master’s in Teaching English for Specific Pur -
poses. A surprising number of English teachers in Germany
have no real qualifications other than a four-week introduc-
tory course. Secondly, I have a lot of experience, particularly
with German companies. I know what works and what
doesn’t. And thirdly, because I work in Asia a lot, I can speak
about using English to communicate with Asians from firsthand
experience, rather than just book knowledge. My clients
appreciate this.
What can learners do on their own to improve their language
skills?
Take responsibility for their own language learning, and practise,
practise, practise.
What non-language skills do you focus on and why?
Everyone knows that language is just one part of being a successful
communicator — there are many other aspects to it.
I focus on whatever I think will help the particular group I am
working with, which could be soft skills, such as intercultural
awareness, or business communication skills, such as
presenting and negotiating.
How important is grammar?
Grammar means different things to different people. Most
learners think of it as sets of rules that have to be learned.
The more I learn about how language works, the more I see
Verantwortlichkeit
Rechnungswesen
etw. zu schätzen wissen
mit Sitz
Firmen-
Korpus (Sammlung von
Textmaterialien)
Lehrbuch
Englisch als Fachsprache
accountability [E)kaUntE(bIlEti]
accounting [E(kaUntIN]
appreciate sth. [E(pri:SieIt]
based [beIst]
corporate [(kO:pErEt]
corpus (pl. corpora)
[(kO:pEs]
coursebook [(kO:sbUk] UK
ESP (English for Specific Purposes)
[)i: es (pi:]
freelance [(fri:lA:ns]
industry-specific [)IndEstri spE(sIfIk]
mechanical engineer
[mI)kÄnIk&l endZI(nIE]
negotiate (sth.) [nI(gEUSieIt]
present (sth.) [pri(zent]
set of rules [)set Ev (ru:lz]
soft skills [(sQft skIlz]
stand out from the crowd
[stÄnd )aUt frQm DE (kraUd]
tone [tEUn]
work [w§:k]
freiberuflich
branchenspezifisch
Maschinenbauingenieur(in)
(etw.) verhandeln
(etw.) präsentieren; auch:
moderieren, leiten
Regelwerk
soziale Kompetenz
sich von der breiten
Masse abheben
Tonhöhe
hier: funktionieren
60 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

medium
It’s not about what is
right or wrong:
what is possible?
“Take responsibility,
then practise, practise
and practise.”
Purestock
it as a complex system, dynamic rather than static, and influenced
by context and adaptation rather than by rules and
imitation. It is not a question of what is right and wrong, but
more of what is possible in a given situation. So yes, grammar
is important, and simplistic rules can be useful to learners,
but it is only one small part of the puzzle.
How important is it to speak English correctly?
I am not really sure what “correct” English is, or even if it is
a useful concept. Who decides what is correct? If I used a traditional
grammar book to decide what is or isn’t correct, I
would probably end up “correcting” nearly every native
speaker in the world, never mind the billions of people who
speak non-native varieties of English. I don’t think we need
to worry about speaking English correctly. I think we need to
worry about speaking English effectively. These are not the
same things.
Has any new kind of technology or tool made a difference to
how you teach or how students learn?
Yes, certainly. Corpus analysis tools have revolutionized ELT
over the past few years. They allow ELT professionals to study
what is happening in real language use, as opposed to using
intuition or guesswork. Language-teaching materials are beginning
to reflect real-world language, as opposed to the
imaginary. An example is how we teach the “conditionals”
(“if” sentences). A few years ago, everyone focused on the
three or sometimes four conditionals. Nowadays, we have a
lot of evidence to show that these conditionals are (a) not necessarily
the most common or useful, and (b) do not really deserve
the attention they get. If you have a teacher who focuses
on the three (or four) conditionals, start asking why.
An ELT must-read
Oh, there are so many. But if I had to choose one, I would
say every business English teacher should read Almut
Koester’s Workplace Discourse.
achievement [E(tSi:vmEnt]
billion [(bIljEn]
corpus (pl. corpora)
[(kO:pEs]
discourse [(dIskO:s]
ELT (English Language Teaching)
[)i: el (ti:]
evidence [(evIdEns]
guesswork [(gesw§:k]
host [hEUst]
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
simplistic [sIm(plIstIk]
toasting [(tEUstIN]
visiting professor
[)vIzItIN prE(fesE]
A non-ELT must-read
How about Stranger in a Strange Land, a
book by Robert A. Heinlein? It’s classic science
fiction.
Who inspires you?
My wife and my kids. They make me proud.
Ambitions and dreams
To stay healthy, and keep enjoying my job. I like what I do,
and I would like it to stay that way.
One of your little-known achievements
I am a visiting professor at Hanshan Normal University, in
Chaozhou, China.
What language or intercultural mistakes have made you — or
your learners — laugh out loud?
At a recent dinner in China with some Chinese colleagues,
there was lots of toasting going on. The common practice is
to touch glasses, like in Germany. But I was also aware that
it is common practice to make sure the top of your glass is
below that of the other person as you make contact — I had
been told that this shows respect for the other person. Of
course, my colleagues wanted to do this with me because I
was the guest and the outsider, but I wanted to be lower to
show my respect for my hosts. The result was toasts where
both sides tried their best to have lower glasses than the other.
It was very funny.
■BS
Leistung, Erfolg
Milliarde(n)
Korpus (Sammlung von
Textmaterialien)
Diskurs
Unterrichten der englischen
Sprache
Belege, Hinweise
Vermutungen
Gastgeber
Fachkraft
simpel, vereinfachend
Ausbringen von Trinksprüchen
Gastprofessor(in)
More for teachers at www.business-spotlight.de/teachers-zone
www
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 61

■ LANGUAGE PRODUCTS
medium
What’s new?
Sie wollen noch tiefer ins Englische eintauchen? Wir
haben uns für Sie nach neuen Produkten umgesehen.
Book with audio CD
English for Insurance Professionals
This coursebook is for anyone
who works in the global insurance
industry. Among the topics presented
are life insurance, home
insurance, private medical insurance
and car insurance. The audio CD offers realistic
listening exercises. The course is for learners at CEF
levels B1–B2 and above, and forms part of the Short
Course series. Mike Seymour (Cornelsen), €22.50*
Book with MP3 CD
Key Business Skills
This book is about the skills needed for
presentations, meetings, networking and
negotiations. Essential words and skills
can be practised in listening and writing
exercises. A business culture section offers
tips for developing intercultural awareness. For students
at CEF levels B1–C1. Barry Tomalin (HarperCollins), €20.90*
billion [(bIljEn]
CEF (Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages)
[)si: i: (ef]
entrepreneur [)QntrEprE(n§:]
insurance professional
[In(SUErEns prE)feS&nEl]
mechanical engineering
[mI)kÄnIk&l )endZI(nIErIN]
negotiation [nI)gEUSi(eIS&n]
variety is the spice of life
[vE)raIEti Iz DE )spaIs Ev (laIf]
vocational school [vEU(keIS&nEl sku:l]
Milliarde(n)
GER (Gemeinsamer
Europäischer Referenzrahmen
für Sprachen)
Unternehmer(in)
Versicherungsfachkraft
Maschinenbau
Verhandlung
Vielfalt gibt dem Leben
Würze
Berufsschule
Books
Say Anything to Anyone, Anywhere
Variety is the spice of life! Although
this is certainly true in many situations,
it can also hold dangers. What if the variety
refers to business partners from
different cultures? To avoid problems,
you have to understand other cultures. This book
offers clear advice for intercultural communication, providing
tips on how to build good cross-cultural relationships. It
also has a look at common business jargon used across cultures
and offers a humorous view of cultural faux pas. Gayle
Cotton (Wiley), €20.90
Think Like Zuck
Currently, one seventh of the world’s
population — that’s more than a billion
people — exchange information via
Facebook, the most visited social-media
website worldwide. Entrepreneurs and
innovators may be asking how Mark
Zuckerberg did it. This book will tell
them. It analyses the principles behind
the rapid success of Zuckerberg and his company: the five
“Ps” (passion, purpose, people, product and partnerships).
Ekaterina Walter (McGraw-Hill), €21.40*
Technical English: Mechanical Engineering
Written for university teachers and
students of mechanical engineering,
this book can also be used at vocational
schools and for training technicians
as well as for in-company training
and self-study. The clear illustrations
are particularly useful. Texts and
comprehension tasks train the learner’s reading skills and
present the vocabulary in context. Ulrike Puderbach,
Michael Giesa (Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel), €18.10* ■BS
*These products are available at www.sprachenshop.de
SOLUTIONS
Vocabulary (p. 44):
a) corporation
b) board of directors
c) board members
d) chair(man/woman) of the board
e) board meeting
f) agenda
g) minutes
h) managing director/CEO
i) annual report
Grammar at Work (p. 45):
a) might
b) must
c) can’t
d) may
e) shouldn’t
Translation (p. 52):
1. a) Gruselfilme gefallen mir überhaupt
nicht.
b) Der Europäische Gerichtshof hat seine
Berufung abgelehnt/zurückgewiesen.
2. a) We need to overhaul our plant/
equipment.
b) The BMW overtook me on the bend.
English for... airport security
(pp. 56–57):
a–2; b–4; c–5; d–1; e–3
Legal English (p. 58):
a) complaints d) remedy
b) demand e) loss of enjoyment
c) litigate
62 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Use this list to practise key words from the current Business Spotlight magazine.
KEY WORDS LANGUAGE n
Nouns and noun phrases
catchphrase a short phrase or sentence everyone knows because it is said a lot Schlagwort
and is typically associated with a famous person
client someone who uses the services of a lawyer Mandant(in)
incentive something that encourages you to do something Anreiz
pep talk ifml. a short speech intended to make someone feel more enthusiastic aufmunternde Worte
or confident
senior manager a high-ranking employee who is responsible for organizing and Manager(in) der oberen
checking the work done in some area of a firm
Führungsebene
start-up a new business junges Unternehmen
status the level of progress in a particular situation or discussion Stand, Lage
tax haven a country or area where taxes are much lower than in most Steueroase
other places
Verbs
clamp down on sb./sth. to try to stop people from doing something bad or illegal, or try to gegen jmdn./etw. scharf
put an end to the thing itself, often in a strict and harsh way vorgehen
commission sth. to officially ask for something to be designed, created, written, etc. etw. in Auftrag geben
confiscate sth. to take something from somebody for legal reasons or as etw. beschlagnahmen
punishment
dispose of sth. to get rid of something that you no longer want etw. entsorgen
look forward to sth. to have positive thoughts about something that is going to happen sich auf etw. freuen
malfunction to fail to work properly ausfallen
pay sth. off to pay what you owe for something in full etw. abbezahlen
penalize sb. to punish somebody for breaking a law, rule or contract jmdn. bestrafen
tidy up to put things in their correct place, to arrange things neatly aufräumen
toast sb. to lift one’s glass together with other people to wish someone auf jmds. Wohl anstoßen
good health, happiness, etc.
Adjectives
bullish feeling hopeful, optimistic and positive optimistisch
depressing causing a feeling of deep sadness or unhappiness deprimierend
diverse including people from many different cultures or backgrounds verschiedenartig
incomprehensible not able to be understood, unintelligible unverständlich
in-depth very detailed, thorough gründlich
stilted unnatural in one’s manner of speaking or writing gestelzt
vibrant full of energy and life dynamisch
Idioms and expressions
bothered: be ~ by sth. to be annoyed by something sich an etw. stören
force sb.’s hand to make somebody take action, often sooner than they planned jmdn. zum Handeln zwingen
get down to business to start doing work that needs to be done zum Geschäftlichen kommen
get off scot-free to avoid punishment for something that would normally deserve it ungeschoren davonkommen
settle an invoice to pay a bill eine Rechnung begleichen
stand out from the to be clearly better than other people or things sich von der breiten Masse
crowd
abheben
talking of concerning, regarding apropos
www Subscribers of Business Spotlight can download the following lists at www.business-spotlight.de/words
n a PDF of this Key Words list with an MP3 audio file of the words, definitions and example sentences
n a PDF of the complete vocabulary list (English–German) from each magazine
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 63

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Banana Stock
Seeking
solutions
Fast täglich kommt es am Arbeitsplatz zu Konflikten,
die sich nicht selten auf das gesamte Arbeitsklima
auswirken. Eine Eskalation der Lage wird oft nur durch
Mediation vermieden. MARGARET DAVIS informiert, wann
eine Mediation sinnvoll ist.
medium
Office duel: don’t
let disputes get to
this stage

MEDIATION CAREERS ■
Robert has missed another deadline. His supervisor,
Jane, has reached the end of her patience.
She can barely control her voice as she calls him
into her office — for what seems like the fifth
time this month. “What happened this time,
Robert?” she asks. “And don’t give me any of your feeble
excuses!”
Robert and Jane are fictional, but their problem isn’t. In
offices all over the world, similar scenes happen every day.
There are countless reasons for workplace conflicts, one of
the most common being differing working styles. Perfectionist
Robert can always find something more to add to
his project reports, rewriting them until he thinks they
sound perfect. Jane, on the other hand,
sees the big picture. All she wants are
the facts — as far as she’s concerned,
there’s no need to polish the way they
are presented. And besides, her boss is
putting pressure on her to deliver results,
which Robert’s late report is only
delaying.
Robert could face disciplinary action over his repeated
failure to meet his boss’s expectations. Worse, he may lose
his job. But the company could also face repercussions:
Robert could sue them for unfair dismissal.
can
be avoided. The solution to Robert and Jane’s problems
could be found through workplace mediation, a form of
alternative dispute resolution in which a neutral third party
allows both sides to express their views and helps them
come to a mutual decision. Deliberations are confidential
(unlike court cases) and voluntary. Agreements reached
through mediation are not legally binding but if both sides
agree, legally binding agreements can be drafted in some
cases.
“Mediation works best in resolving relationship issues
between people rather than matters of fact,” says Britain’s
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) on
its website. “For example, a grievance about the way a
manager spoke to someone is more suitable than a grievance
about whether an allowance was payable for a particular
shift. Those involved need to want to find a way
forward and be willing to consider mediation as a way of
resolving their differences.”
Mediation works best in disputes over
relationships, not matters of fact
accreditation of
mediators vary from country to country and even within
different regions of the same country. According to Germany’s
Stiftung Warentest (see “For more information”,
page 69), costs vary from €450 for a single course to
€9,500 for a university degree. Some countries have a minimum
age requirement — in Austria, for example, accredited
mediators must be at least 28.
Conflicts are not always negative, according to mediation
experts. They can lead to better understanding if the
parties involved — whether individuals or groups — discuss
their situation with an open mind. It is important,
however, to resolve conflicts as early as possible. Unresolved
conflicts rarely go away by themselves; instead, bad
feelings are likely to fester and both sides become more
firmly convinced that their position is the right one.
In the 1970s, American psychologists Kenneth Thomas
and Ralph Kilmann developed their theory of conflict
styles, a model that is still widely used today. Thomas and
Kilmann say that people respond to conflict in ways ranging
from the competitive to the collaborative to complete
or partial conflict avoidance. Everyone has a natural style,
but it is possible to adjust your style to the situation, the
psychologists say. 4
accreditation [E)kredI(teIS&n]
adjust sth. to sth. [E(dZVst tu]
allowance [E(laUEns]
arbitration [)A:bI(treIS&n]
big picture [)bIg (pIktSE] ifml.
collaborative [kE(lÄbErEtIv]
competitive [kEm(petEtIv]
conciliation [kEn)sIli(eIS&n]
confidential [)kQnfI(denS&l]
court case [(kO:t keIs]
deadline [(dedlaIn]
degree [di(gri:]
deliberation [di)lIbE(reIS&n]
disciplinary action [(dIsEplInEri )ÄkS&n]
dispute resolution [dI(spju:t rezE)lu:S&n]
draft sth. [drA:ft]
Akkreditierung
etw. an etw. anpassen
Zuschuss; hier: Zulage
(schiedsrichterliche)
Schlichtung
Gesamtperspektive
hier: kollaborierend, einen
gemeinsamen Weg finden
hier: kämpfend, den eigenen
Willen durchsetzend
Versöhnung, Schlichtung
vertraulich
Gerichtsverhandlung
Termin, Frist
Abschluss
Beratung; hier: Gespräch
Disziplinarmaßnahme(n)
Streitschlichtung
etw. ausarbeiten, abfassen
feeble excuse [)fi:b&l Ik(skju:s]
fester [(festE]
grievance [(gri:v&ns]
issue [(ISu:]
legal action [)li:g&l (ÄkS&n]
legally binding [)li:g&li (baIndIN]
matter of fact [)mÄtEr Ev (fÄkt]
mutual decision [)mju:tSuEl di(sIZ&n]
open mind: with an ~
[)EUpEn (maInd]
polish sth. [(pQlIS]
repercussions [)ri:pE(kVS&nz]
resolve sth. [ri(zQlv]
shift [SIft]
sue sb. [sju:]
supervisor [(su:pEvaIzE]
unfair dismissal [)VnfeE dIs(mIs&l]
voluntary [(vQlEntEri]
faule Ausrede
gären
Beschwerde
Frage, Problem
juristische Schritte
rechtsverbindlich
Tatsache
gegenseitiges Einvernehmen
unvoreingenommen,
objektiv
etw. polieren; hier: an etw.
herumfeilen
Konsequenzen
etw. lösen, beilegen
Schicht
jmdn. verklagen
Vorgesetzte(r)
ungerechtfertigte Entlassung
freiwillig
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 67

■ CAREERS MEDIATION
INTERVIEW
“Mediators do not need an academic background,
but developing the right skills is important”
To find out more about the skills
required by workplace mediators,
Business Spotlight contacted Gill
Dix, head of strategy at Acas
(Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration
Service) in London. Acas, which is mainly funded by
the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, is a
non-departmental body that is governed by an independent
council. Founded in 1975, it provides advice, mediation
services and training for mediators.
Do mediators require an academic background — in law or
psychology, for example?
Mediators do not require an academic background, but developing
the right skills and competencies is important. There
is a range of training options available for individuals to become
trained and, in some instances, accredited mediators.
More information about mediation and the available training
options can be found on the Civil Mediation Council website
(www.civilmediation.org). There is a growing awareness of the
skills and attributes associated with mediation.
How strong is the demand for professional mediators?
Recent evidence from a study on workplaces in Britain found
that, whilst mediation was included in around two thirds of
workplace discipline and grievance procedures, just seven
per cent of workplaces had used mediation to resolve an
individual dispute in the year before the survey: four per cent
with an internal mediator and three per cent with an
external mediator.
Although professional mediators come from outside an
affected company, many of the principles behind mediation
can also be practised within a company by supervisors,
managers and even colleagues. Professional mediators talk
to each side separately as well as giving them a chance to
voice their views together. In the case of managers using
mediating techniques, some experts recommend that they
talk to both sides at once rather than separately to avoid
being considered to favour one side over the other.
workplace conflict
can have on the office environment, warns HR expert Susan
Heathfield of About.com. “Do not believe, for even a
Everyone in an office is affected by a
conflict between two colleagues
moment, the only people who are affected by the conflict
are the participants,” Heathfield writes. “Everyone in your
office and every employee with whom the conflicting employees
interact is affected by the stress. People feel as if
they are walking on eggshells in the presence of the antagonists.
This contributes to the creation of a hostile work
environment for other employees.”
Conflicts between colleagues can escalate to the point
that each sabotages the other’s work. Knowing you will be
dealing with a difficult co-worker can make you hate going
to work. Don’t let it get to that stage, advises American
careers blogger Anita Bruzzese. Deal with the situation
as soon as possible, and communicate in person rather
than via email. “No hiding behind email
or texts. Emails and texts can be misinterpreted
and certainly don’t convey sincerity
or instil trust,” Bruzzese writes.
Don’t expect miracles, however: “Even if
you get some issues out in the open, your
affected [E(fektId]
antagonist [Än(tÄgEnIst]
arbitration [)A:bI(treIS&n]
conciliation [kEn)sIli(eIS&n]
contribute to sth. [kEn(trIbju:t tu]
convey sth. [kEn(veI]
council [(kaUns&l]
discipline and grievance procedures
[)dIsEplIn En (gri:v&ns prEU)si:dZE]
eggshells: be walking on ~ [(egSelz]
evidence [(evIdEns]
found sth. [faUnd]
betroffen
Gegner(in), Kontrahent(in)
(schiedsrichterliche) Schlichtung
Versöhnung, Schlichtung
zu etw. beitragen
etw. über-, vermitteln
Rat
Disziplinar- und Beschwerdeverfahren
wie auf Eiern gehen
Belege
etw. gründen
fund sth. [fVnd]
hostile [(hQstaI&l]
HR (human resources) [)eItS (A:]
instil sth. [In(stIl]
miracle [(mIrEk&l]
non-departmental body
[)nQn di:pA:t)ment&l (bQdi] UK
office environment [)QfIs In(vaI&rEnmEnt]
out in the open: get sth. ~
[)aUt In Di (EUpEn]
resolve sth. [ri(zQlv]
stage [steIdZ]
survey [(s§:veI]
etw. finanzieren
feindselig
Personal
etw. einflößen
Wunder
etwa: Staatsinstitut
Arbeitsumfeld
hier: etw. aufs Tapet bringen
etw. lösen, beilegen
Stadium
Umfrage
68 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Photodisc
negative feelings aren’t going to disappear overnight and
that may be true for the other person as well. … [G]ive
yourself time to get past the experience.”
your colleagues
or your manager can do on your own. It’s time to
get professional help when in-house efforts have failed or
seem sure to do so. Workplace conflict is expensive, not
only because of lost productivity, but also because it can
lead to high employee turnover and customer complaints.
Stressed employees lose motivation and can fall ill. In extreme
situations, the workplace can even become violent:
the slang term “going postal” comes from several cases in
the 1980s when angry US postal workers shot and killed
managers and colleagues. “The primary goal of workplace
mediation is to leave the parties better able to work togeth-
Conflict ahead: shouldn’t she be
working instead of watching me?
For more information
Mediating skills
A successful mediator needs a variety of communication
skills as well as specific training.
According to Acas, a British mediation organization,
many of the specific skills depend on
the context; most mediators develop their
skills as they gain experience. Among the
communication skills needed are:
■ active listening
■ oral, written and non-verbal
communication
■ questioning
■ reasoning
■ observing
■ summarizing
■ problem-solving
Good mediators are empathetic, impartial,
non-judgemental, honest and flexible. They
have studied the theory of conflict resolution,
and have an understanding of equality and
diversity issues as well as HR policies and
practices. They have experience in facilitating
informal groups, an awareness of the legal
context of mediation and some knowledge of
employment relations.
Source: Acas (www.acas.org.uk)
er,” says the Canadian dispute-resolution organization
Agree. Author and psychologist Dr Diane Katz would support
this. Katz says disputants need to cooperate rather
than simply fight for their own interests. “Typically, parties
engaged in a dispute are focused on being the victor.
They need to come to an agreement that contributes to the
goals of their company or organization, and then everyone
wins.”
■BS
BOOKS
■ Conflict Resolution at Work for Dummies, Vivian Scott
(Wiley)
■ Win at Work! The Everybody Wins Approach to Conflict
Resolution, Diane L. Katz (Wiley)
approach [E(prEUtS]
conflict resolution [(kQnflIkt rezE)lu:S&n]
disputant [dI(spju:t&nt]
diversity issue [daI(v§:sEti )ISu:]
empathetic [)empE(TetIk]
employee turnover [Im)plOIi: (t§:nEUvE]
employment relations
[Im(plOImEnt ri)leIS&nz]
engaged [In(geIdZd]
facilitate sth. [fE(sIlEteIt]
goal [gEUl]
go postal [)gEU (pEUst&l] US ifml.
HR (human resources) policy
[)eItS (A: )pQlEsi]
impartial [Im(pA:S&l]
in-house [)In (haUs]
legal [(li:g&l]
oral [(O:rEl]
summarize sth. [(sVmEraIz]
Methode
Konfliktlösung
Gegner(in), Kontrahent(in)
Frage der Vielfalt
empathisch, einfühlsam
Mitarbeiterfluktuation
Arbeitgeber-Arbeitnehmer-
Beziehungen
verwickelt, verstrickt
etw. moderieren, leiten
Ziel(setzung)
ausrasten
Personalpolitik
unparteiisch, unvoreingenommen
firmenintern
rechtlich
mündlich
etw. zusammenfassen
WEBSITES
■ Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service):
www.acas.org.uk
■ An Acas video that shows how the mediation process functions
can be seen here: www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?arcleid=2825
■ Germany’s Stiftung Warentest provides helpful tips for anyone
interested in mediator training: www.test.de/mediation_
anforderungsprofil
■ For more on the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument (TKI) for conflict
management, see: www.kilmanndiagnostics.com
www More career trends at www.business-spotlight.de/careers
MARGARET DAVIS is a Canadian journalist. She is the
editor of the Careers and Global Business sections of
Business Spotlight. Contact her at: m.davis@spotlightverlag.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 69

■ CAREERS TIPS AND TRENDS
All in a day’s work
medium
Was sollte man bei einem Vorstellungsgespräch beachten und was unbedingt vermeiden? Wie schlägt
man einem Kollegen höflich, aber bestimmt eine Bitte ab? MARGARET DAVIS gibt Tipps.
Finding a job
Getting to know you
Are you feeling nervous about a job interview? Of
course you are, especially if you know that you will
be interviewed by a panel rather than by just one person.
Career coach John Lees, author of How to Get a Job
You’ll Love, says that it’s important to find out as much
as possible about your interviewers in advance. When
you are introduced, take note of where each interviewer
is sitting and use his or her name when you are asked
a question. Speak directly to the questioner, but make eye
contact with several people when you answer.
“Ask one or two good questions at the end, and look
confident as you say goodbye to each member by name,
shaking each person’s hand and thanking them for their
time,” Lees writes in The Guardian.
“So, tell us
about yourself”
Stockbyte
Don’t even ask
Talking of job interviews, there are some questions you
should never ask — even if you really, really want to
know the answers. The temp agency Office Team asked
650 personnel managers to tell them some of the
strangest questions job candidates had asked.
Among the questions were: “Do I have to be at work
every day?” “Can my husband finish this test for me?”
“Do you allow midday naps?” “Can I place my desk
near the cafeteria?” “What job is this [interview] for?”
By the way, these interviewees did not get the jobs.
Sources: CNN Money; Office Team (www.officeteam.com)
Trend
No secrets
In an “open company”, everybody knows everyone else’s business.
That means that details about salaries and finances are
available to everyone. Even annual performance reviews are open
for all staff to see. Start-ups are most likely to follow the trend.
The idea of the open company is to build trust by allowing employees
to see how their work affects the company as a whole.
Fans of the idea, like office manager Kimi Mongello of SumAll in
Manhattan, say openness means employees worry less about the
company’s finances. Mongello is not bothered that her salary is
lower than that of some other colleagues. “I shouldn’t be paid as
much as an engineer,” she told The Wall Street Journal.
Open company:
there’s no need to hide
Hemera
affect sth. [E(fekt]
annual performance review
[)ÄnjuEl pE(fO:mEns ri)vju:]
bothered: be ~ (by sth.) [(bQDEd]
business [(bIznEs]
confident [(kQnfIdEnt]
engineer [)endZI(nIE]
in advance [In Ed(vA:ns]
sich auf etw. auswirken
Mitarbeiterjahresgespräch
sich (an etw.) stören
hier: Angelegenheiten
selbstbewusst
Ingenieur(in)
vorher
job interview
[(dZQb )IntEvju:]
midday nap [)mIddeI (nÄp]
panel [(pÄn&l]
personnel manager [)p§:sE(nel )mÄnIdZE]
start-up [(stA:t Vp]
talking of [(tO:kIN Qv]
temp agency [(temp )eIdZEnsi] ifml.
Vorstellungs-, Bewerbungsgespräch
Mittagsschläfchen
Ausschuss
Personalchef(in)
junges Unternehmen
apropos
Zeitarbeitsfirma
70 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Oh, all right, I’ll do it for
you: learn to say no
HOW TO...
Say no at work
You want to be helpful and you don’t want to look like a
slacker. That’s why you usually say yes when a colleague
asks you to help out. But being too helpful could mean you
can’t get your own work done during office hours. International
management consultant Peter Bregman has some tips:
■ Decide what is important to you and what isn’t. “Before you
can say no with confidence, you have to be clear that you
want to say no,” Bregman says.
■ Say thank you for asking — it’s normally a compliment
when someone requests your help. They think you know
what to do. But you can still say no.
■ Don’t make it personal. “Say no to the request, not the person,”
Bregman suggests. Being polite and respectful will
help you make your position clear.
■ Be firm. This is especially necessary if you are dealing with
a forceful personality. Bregman advises saying something
like, “I know you don’t give up easily — but neither do I.”
■ What if the person asking for help is your boss? Ask her
where she wants you to place your priorities. Once you have
established these, you will be able to discuss future requests
calmly and logically.
Dilbert
Sources: Harvard Business Review; Peter Bregman (http://peterbregman.com)
Photodisc
Statistically speaking
Save the planet
■ Do you want to reduce the effects of climate
change? Try working less. The Center
for Economic and Policy Research in
Washington, DC, says that shortening
the length of the average working week
by 0.5 per cent could result in a reduction
of between 8 and 22 per cent
of every degree of global warming.
Sources: CBC News; Center for Economic and Policy
Research (www.cepr.net)
Good grammar
■ People with good grammar skills are more
successful at work, at least according to the
online grammar checker Grammarly.com. The
company examined the LinkedIn profiles of 100 native
speakers of English and discovered that the ones
with the fewest grammar mistakes in their profiles
had the highest number of promotions. Grammarly
adds that professionals who failed to reach directorlevel
positions during the first ten years of their careers
made 2.5 times as many grammar mistakes as
those who were promoted to director.
director level [dE(rektE )lev&l]
forceful [(fO:sf&l]
grammar checker [(grÄmE )tSekE]
management consultant
[(mÄnIdZmEnt kEn)sVltEnt]
office hours [(QfIs )aUEz]
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
promote sb. [prE(mEUt]
promotion [prE(mEUS&n]
slacker [(slÄkE] ifml.
Fight climate
change: go home
Sources: Harvard Business Review; Grammarly.com (www.grammarly.com)
obere Führungsebene
stark
Grammatikprüfung
Unternehmensberater(in)
Büro-, Geschäftszeit(en)
Fachkraft
jmdn. befördern
Beförderung
Faulenzer(in)
www.dilbert.com dilbertcartoonist@gmail.com
Purestock
© 2/8/2013 Scott Adams, Inc. Dist. by Universal Uclick
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 71

■ CAREERS LEISURE TIME
Away from your desk
medium
Verbannen Sie die englische Sprache und die englischsprachige Welt nicht an Ihren Arbeitsplatz!
Mit Büchern, Kunst und anderen Genüssen räumen Sie ihnen auch in Ihrer Freizeit einen Platz ein.
MARGARET DAVIS gibt Empfehlungen.
©Paul McCartney/Photo: Linda McCartney
McCartney: Linda shoots the Stones
Photography
The first comprehensive retrospective of the work of
Linda McCartney opens on 6 June at the Kunst
Haus Wien in Vienna. McCartney (1941–98) photographed
not only her husband, Paul, and the other
Beatles, but also rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Janis
Joplin and Jim Morrison. The exhibition, which runs
until 6 October, includes family photographs taken in
England and Scotland. www.kunsthauswien.com
Book
The people of Annawadi, a Mumbai
slum, live near the Sahar
Airport Road, a place “where new
India and old India collided and
made new India late”. Behind
the Beautiful Forevers (Granta
Books), Katherine Boo’s awardwinning
reportage, tells the story
of the slum dwellers. This is a
thoughtful, unsentimental description
of real people living under conditions that
most Westerners can barely imagine. It is also a very
good read. The American author spent almost four years
with the people she writes about, and witnessed many
of the events she describes.
DVDs
Before she became the queen, Helen Mirren was
Jane Tennison. Her role as the ambitious, harddrinking
police detective in television’s Prime Suspect
(Heißer Verdacht) was based on the
real-life experiences of women police
officers. That, and Mirren’s skill as an
actress, made the series (1991–
2006) absolutely believable. Though
some things have changed for women,
Prime Suspect remains an authentic
portrayal of police work.
Poster art
commission sth. [kE(mIS&n]
comprehensive [)kQmprI(hensIv]
dweller [(dwelE]
exhibition [)eksI(bIS&n]
late: make sb./sth. ~ [leIt]
police detective [pE(li:s di)tektIv]
police officer [pE(li:s )QfIsE]
portrayal [pO:(treIEl]
prime suspect [)praIm (sVspekt]
witness sth. [(wItnEs]
Travellers on the London
Underground (see
English on the Move,
page 29) should make an
extra stop at the London
Transport Museum. Until
27 October, the museum
is showing 150 posters
commissioned since
1908 and designed by
artists such as Man Ray.
The exhibition honours
the 150th anniversary of
the world’s first underground
railway.
www.ltmuseum.co.uk
etw. in Auftrag geben
umfassend
Bewohner(in)
Ausstellung
jmdn./etw. aufhalten, zu
spät kommen lassen
Kriminalbeamter/-beamtin
Polizeibeamter/-beamtin
Porträt, Darstellung
Hauptverdächtige(r)
hier: etw. persönlich erleben
72 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

SPRACHKURSE UND SPRACHFERIEN
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und Freizeitprogramm:
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BBS,Lange Str.94, ☎ 07221/22661
www.bbs-sprachen.de
cdc.de
Bildung ohne Grenzen
Internationaler Erfolg durch
Fremdsprachenkenntnisse und
Interkulturelle Kompetenz
Sprachtraining im Inland
Allgemein- und Fachsprache
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www.fuu-darmstadt-languages.com
Bournemouth One to One
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Lernen Sie Englisch in England
Ideal für Geschäftsleute,
leitende Angestellte und Teilnehmer,
die Einzelunterricht vorziehen.
Bournemouth ist ein lebhafter Badeort.
Wir bieten auch Kurse für Englisch
kombiniert mit Golf oder mit
englischer Kultur an.
Tel./Fax: 00 44-12 02-25 77 75
www.bournemouth121.com
Learn English in Cornwall
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Einem Teil dieser Ausgabe ist eine
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Die schönsten Ziele und die besten
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Sprachreisen
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www.fuu-heidelberg-languages.com
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Klicken und Produktvielfalt
entdecken:
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Tel. 06221 8994-2944
www.fuu-heidelberg-languages.com
VERSCHIEDENES
Kompetent. Persönlich. Individuell.
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+49 (0)89/8 56 81-139
E-Mail:
anzeige@spotlight-verlag.de
Next advertising
deadline: 10 July
for the 05/13 issue
www.business-spotlight.de

Small is nowbig
Wo bitteschön darf es sein? In einem Schloss oder einem Lokschuppen? Firmenveranstaltungen
finden längst nicht mehr nur in nüchternen und zweckmäßigen Räumlichkeiten statt, sondern
zunehmend an exklusiven Orten, wie VICKI SUSSENS berichtet.
medium
Kasbah Tamadot
A Moroccan experience: the
Kasbah Tamadot hotel

VENUES MANAGEMENT ■
Meet on safari: Singita
Sweni Lodge, South Africa
Singita Sweni Lodge
Your firm is turning 25 next year, so how is it
planning to celebrate? What about taking all
the staff to the grand old Waldhaus spa complex
in Flims, Switzerland, for a four-day skiing
holiday? Probably not, but that may be because
you don’t belong to the exosphere, the outermost
layer of the earth’s atmosphere, or, symbolically speaking,
the world of the very, very rich. For firms with money to
spend, luxury events in extraordinary venues are in — such
as the skiing week mentioned above, which was arranged
earlier this year for a finance company by a London travel
and events firm that, making no secret of its clientele,
calls itself Exosphere.
Corporate events at the top end of the market have
long moved away from staid hotels towards bespoke experiences,
says the firm’s head John Saunders: “Once you
start talking about hotels and PowerPoint presentations,
you have lost this audience. They want something diffe -
rent.” For example, the meeting Exosphere
recently arranged in the Swiss
Alps for a group of the world’s largest
individual investors: it included a private
performance of the spectacular
Canadian entertainers Cirque du Soleil.
And last year, the CEO of an international
private-equity firm wanted to
thank his staff for their hard work — all 120
of them. Exosphere booked them into the historic
Four Seasons hotel in Florence, where
they enjoyed three days of sightseeing, wine
tasting and sumptuous meals, including lunch
in one of the region’s finest private castles. To
add to the glamour, the guests toured the
countryside in a convoy of classic Italian Fiat
500s and Alfa Romeo Spiders.
Venues play a big part in bespoke corporate
events. “If you want to seem forwardthinking,
then you choose an original venue,”
says Saunders. The Roundhouse in Camden was once used
to clean and service British Railways steam trains. In the
1960s, it became a rock-and-roll venue for bands like The
Rolling Stones and The Who. Recently, it was taken over
by a trust and renovated, with income from rentals going
to charity. Exosphere persuaded one of its clients, a private
bank, to use the Roundhouse for its annual conference,
which it normally held in a London hotel.
“The bank was rebranding, and conferences are an
important part of the marketing mix,” says Saunders. “The
venue was perfect. It has a wonderful heritage, is an interesting
building and has that philanthropic aspect.” Since
the bank’s key clients are big global names in the entertainment
world, Exosphere invited some of them to give an exclusive
performance after the conference. “Guests said,
‘Wow, this is not what we expected of this bank’, so we
changed perceptions about how the bank will do things in
the future,” says Saunders. 4
Venues reflect what your company is about.
“If you want to seem forward-thinking, then
you choose an original venue”
John Saunders, head of UK travel and events firm Exosphere
Jahres-, jährlich
Publikum
maßgeschneidert
Firmenchef(in)
karitative Zwecke
[wg. Aussprache]
Firmen-
Exosphäre
zukunftsorientiert denkend
altehrwürdig
Erbe; hier: Tradition
annual [(ÄnjuEl]
audience [(O:diEns]
bespoke [bi(spEUk] UK
CEO (chief executive officer)
[)si: i: (EU]
charity [(tSÄrEti]
clientele [)kli:Qn(tel]
corporate [(kO:pErEt]
exosphere [(eksEUsfIE]
forward-thinking
[)fO:wEd (TINkIN]
grand old [(grÄnd EUld]
heritage [(herItIdZ]
layer [(leIE]
perception [pE(sepS&n]
philanthropic [)fIlEn(TrQpIk]
private-equity firm
[)praIvEt (ekwEti f§:m]
rebrand [)ri:(brÄnd]
rental [(rent&l] US
roundhouse [(raUndhaUs]
staid [steId]
sumptuous [(sVmptSuEs]
trust [trVst]
venue [(venju:]
Schicht
Wahrnehmung
philanthropisch, menschenfreundlich
Firma, die im außerbörslichen
Beteiligungsgeschäft tätig ist
sich ein neues Image geben
Miete
Lokschuppen
seriös, respektabel; auch: öde
üppig, opulent
Treuhandgesellschaft
Veranstaltungsort
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 75

Part of the service: the Banyan
Tree resort, Bintan, Indonesia
But original, small venues are not only in demand in the
luxury market. Recent studies show that after having cut
back during the difficult last years, firms are again spending
money on business gatherings, also known as MICE
(Meetings, Incentives, Conferences/conventions/congresses
and Exhibitions/events). This January, the global conference
and hotel management firm Benchmark Hospitality
reported a trend away from standardized meetings towards
creative events in smaller venues. (See box opposite.)
While industries in growth areas — such as technology
and new industries — had healthy budgets, other
firms were rationalizing. To get more value out of meetings,
they wanted focused, customized events that met
tighter budgets. The study also found that firms were
choosing smaller venues for security reasons. “Today’s
meeting technology brings a stronger need for secure
environments. There’s much at risk in this competitive
business environment,” the study says.
Small, exclusive hotels are benefiting from this trend. A
study by the Meeting Professionals International Foundation,
released in March, shows that of the more than 1.3
million meetings held in Britain in 2011, 64 per cent were
small (fewer than 100 attendees), with only 27.7 per cent
being held in large hotels and 14.2 per cent in conference
MICE strong again
In a survey published in January 2013, the conference and
hotel management firm Benchmark Hospitality reported
increasing demand for venues for MICE (Meetings, Incentives,
Conferences/conventions/congresses and Exhibtions/events).
Other trends included:
■ a focus on customized, creative and unique meetings;
■ increased demand for team-building events;
■ a growth in the market from these segments: education (particularly
engineering and technology), medical, biotech,
high-tech, new media, NGOs and financial services;
■ a demand for venues providing fitness and recreational
activities;
■ socially responsible and environmentally sustainable venues
are considered an important part of the mix.
For more information, go to www.benchmarkresortsandhotels.
com/press_media/top-ten-meeting-trends-for-
or exhibition centres. Almost 20 per cent were held in
“unique, unusual or special-event” venues.
Indeed, a virtual tour of the world’s loveliest resorts, such
as Banyan Tree, built at treetop level on Indonesia’s tropical
Bintan Island, or the Kasbah Tamadot hotel at the foot
of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, once a palace, shows they
attract this business — but don’t actively advertise for it.
Banyan Tree Resort
attendee [E)ten(di:]
benchmark [(bentSmA:k]
competitive [kEm(petEtIv]
convention [kEn(venS&n]
customized [(kVstEmaIzd]
cut back [)kVt (bÄk]
engineering [)endZI(nIErIN]
exhibition centre
[eksI(bIS&n )sentE]
foundation [faUn(deIS&n]
hospitality [)hQspI(tÄlEti]
incentive [In(sentIv]
Teilnehmer(in)
(Bewertungs-)Maßstab
vom Wettbewerb geprägt
Tagung, Konferenz
kundenspezifisch
Kürzungen vornehmen
Technik; Ingenieurwesen
Ausstellungs-, Messezentrum
Stiftung
Gastfreundlichkeit,
Bewirtung
Anreiz
NRO (Nichtregierungsorganisation)
Fachkraft
Erholungs-
etw. veröffentlichen
sichere Umgebung
Umfrage
nachhaltig
knapp
Baumkrone
einzigartig
Veranstaltungsort
NGO (non-governmental organization)
[)en dZi: (EU]
professional [prE(feS&nEl]
recreational [)rekri(eIS&nEl]
release sth. [ri(li:s]
secure environment
[sI)kjUEr In(vaI&rEnmEnt]
survey [(s§:veI]
sustainable [sE(steInEb&l]
tight [taIt]
treetop [(tri:tQp]
unique [ju(ni:k]
venue [(venju:]
76 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

Holbeck Ghyll
VENUES MANAGEMENT ■
Living like a lord: Holbeck Ghyll
in the English Lake District
The Singita Sweni Lodge, in South
Africa’s Kruger National Park, for
example, does not see itself as a corporate-events
venue, yet several
times a year, firms take guests there.
Lodge manager Kevin Pongola says that in the past few
years, global companies, mostly in mining, banking and
cars, have used Singita for incentives. Recently, for example,
a leading Swiss chocolate maker thanked its management
for a good year by taking them on a tour of South
Africa, including to Singita. These bookings are a big part
of their business and have a knock-on effect. “Often guests
will bring family and friends to visit,” says Pongola.
Greg Simons, events manager at the 19th-century
Holbeck Ghyll Country House Hotel in England’s Lake
District, once owned by the UK’s richest man, Lord Lonsdale,
also confirms a rise in business bookings. They are
usually for groups of 10 to 20 and typically from firms in
growth sectors such as investment and technology.
Holbeck Ghyll belongs to the Pride of Britain Hotels,
which was started 30 years ago to combine the resources
augmented reality [O:g)mentId ri(ÄlEti]
development [di(velEpmEnt]
feel [fi:&l]
high profile: be ~
[)haI (prEUfaI&l]
intimacy [(IntImEsi]
knock-on effect [(nQk Qn E)fekt] UK
mining [(maInIN]
mock-up [(mQk Vp]
out of this world
[)aUt Ev )DIs (w§:ld] ifml.
property firm [(prQpEti f§:m]
resources [ri(zO:sIz]
walk-through [(wO:k Tru:]
“Anyone walking into the venue would have
no idea that an event is taking place there”
erweiterte Realität
hier: Bauprojekt
hier: Ambiente, Flair
einen hohen Bekanntheitsgrad
haben
Intimität
Anstoßwirkung
Bergbau
Modell
fantastisch
Immobiliengesellschaft
Ressourcen, Mittel
virtueller Rundgang
of small but exclusive hotels for marketing purposes. It
does not actively promote members as corporate venues,
even though 37 members offer exclusive use of their hotels
for corporate events. But that’s probably a good strategy:
businesses want venues that offer intimacy and, more
importantly, discretion.
Saunders reports that Exosphere events are as discreet as
possible: “Anyone walking into the venue would have no
idea that an event is taking place there. Our clients are often
high profile and don’t want to attract attention.”
But you don’t need to go to exotic venues for an
extraordinary experience. Indeed, as Saunders says, you
can be creative with almost any venue, especially with the
help of high tech. “The use of walk-throughs, augmented
reality and 3D mock-ups has exploded in the last years,”
he says. Exosphere recently turned rooms in a hotel into a
virtual landscape for a property firm selling a luxury overseas
development. “It gave guests the feel of the property
without actually being there.”
Technology, however, can also be used for those with
smaller budgets. So while small venues are now big, companies
don’t need big budgets to create meetings that are
out of this world.
■BS
VICKI SUSSENS is a South African journalist and
an editor at Business Spotlight, with a special
focus on man agement, business and social issues.
Contact: v.sussens@spotlight-verlag.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 77

■ MANAGEMENT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
Poison in Tylenol pills
Bedeutet der todbringende Konsum eines verseuchten Produkts nicht
zwangsläufig das Ende? Nicht bei einem guten Krisenmanagement, wie
der Fall eines Pharmakonzerns zeigt. Von VICKI SUSSENS
medium
Getty Images
The background
Safety first: J&J
called back all
bottles of Extra
Strength Tylenol
In September 1982, a 12-year-old girl in Chicago died after
taking an Extra Strength Tylenol capsule. Within days,
six other people also died after taking the painkillers. The
Tylenol deaths caused nationwide panic. Tests showed that
each capsule contained 65 mg of potassium cyanide —
10,000 times more than the dose needed to kill. This was
the work of a killer and nobody knew the source or extent
of the contamination. Police drove through Chicago using
loudspeakers to warn people about the drug. Hospitals
filled with people believing they had symptoms of poisoning.
Shops stopped selling Tylenol and some states banned
all forms of Tylenol products. This could have meant disaster
for Johnson & Johnson (J&J), the parent company
of Tylenol maker McNeil Consumer Healthcare. Instead,
J&J showed exceptional crisis management.
The problems
J&J had two PR problems: handling the crisis, but also
saving Tylenol’s image. It had to make practical decisions.
There were about 31 million bottles of the capsules on sale
in the US, at an estimated retail value of more than $100
million. The deaths were only in Chicago, but should it
withdraw all its products in the US? Finally, the drug was
now associated with danger. As the advertising guru Jerry
Della Femina told The New York Times: “I don’t think
they can ever sell another product under that name.”
The solution
The firm’s existing crisis-management plans weren’t sufficient
to deal with such a disaster. So it turned to its corporate
business philosophy, called “Our Credo”, for guidance.
The firm’s vice president at the time, Lawrence G.
Foster, wrote in the New Jersey Bell Journal in 1983 that
the credo, which is based on a sense of corporate responsibility,
helped the firm make the right decisions. It put
public safety before profit, never denying the link between
the deaths and Tylenol. It sent 450,000 telexes to warn
doctors, hospitals and trade groups. It set up a hotline for
the public and one for the media. And it stopped all
Tylenol advertising. J&J also worked closely with the media,
which played a big role in warning the public. And it
cooperated with the police and the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to try and solve the case, offering a
reward of $100,000 for information about the killer. The
decision for a total recall of all Tylenol from the market
took a week, for which the company later apologized. At
the same time as dealing with the crisis, J&J was planning
Tylenol’s comeback. In November, it was the first company
to follow the new FDA packaging guidelines, introducing
Tylenol in a triple-seal, tamper-proof packet.
What happened next
The media praised J&J. The Washington Post wrote:
“Johnson & Johnson has effectively demonstrated how a
major business ought to handle a disaster.” It said the
firm’s executives had shown that J&J was honest, open,
compassionate and committed to solving the murders and
protecting the public. When J&J announced the new packaging,
it had the media’s support. Less than a year after the
relaunch, Tylenol was again the country’s top-selling
painkiller. The killer, however, was never found.
capsule [(kÄpsju:l]
Kapsel
committed: be ~ to doing sth.
sich dafür einsetzen, etw.
[kE(mItId]
zu tun
compassionate [kEm(pÄS&nEt]
anteilnehmend
contamination [kEn)tÄmI(neIS&n] Verunreinigung, Verseuchung
corporate [(kO:pErEt]
Unternehmensdeny
sth. [di(naI]
etw. leugnen
executives [Ig(zekjUtIvz]
Führungskräfte; hier: die
Unternehmensleitung
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Behörde für Lebensmittel-
[)fu:d En (drVg EdmInI)streIS&n] US überwachung und Arzneimittelzulassung
link [lINk]
Verbindung
packaging guidelines
Verpackungsrichtlinien
[(pÄkIdZIN )gaIdlaInz]
painkiller [(peInkIlE]
Schmerzmittel
parent company [(peErEnt )kVmpEni] Muttergesellschaft
potassium cyanide [pE)tÄsiEm (saIEnaId] Kaliumzyanid, Zyankali
recall [ri(kO:l]
Rückruf(aktion)
relaunch [(ri:lO:ntS]
Wiedereinführung
retail value [)ri:teI&l (vÄlju:]
Verkaufswert im Einzelhandel
tamper-proof [(tÄmpE pru:f]
aufbruchsicher
trade group [(treId gru:p]
Handelskonzern
triple-seal [)trIp&l (si:&l]
dreifach versiegelt
withdraw sth. [wID(drO:]
etw. zurückziehen
■BS
78 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

EXECUTIVE EYE MANAGEMENT ■
“Rituals symbolize our journey through life, helping us
to understand the importance of the steps we take”
ADRIAN FURNHAM ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MANAGEMENT
medium
The best way to say
goodbye
All cultures and religions have rites
and rituals. They symbolize our journey
through life, helping us to understand
the importance of the steps
we’re taking and to manage the powerful
emotions linked with them. But
while many firms understand the need
for a corporate culture, they’ve increasingly
dropped the all-important
rituals of working together.
Few have ceremonies for new staff,
except perhaps when large numbers
of people arrive at the same time.
They might receive a pep talk from a
boss they may never see again and be
made to watch a company video. But
for most people, the first day involves
little more than being taken to their
desk and shown where the toilet,
photocopier and canteen are.
Even the once legendary summer
and Christmas parties are fast disappearing
from company rituals. Costcutting,
political correctness and, in
the case of large firms, the fear of
cathartic [kE(TA:tIk]
challenge [(tSÄlIndZ]
corporate culture [)kO:pErEt (kVltSE]
dress up [)dres (Vp]
embarrassing [Im(bÄrEsIN]
funeral [(fju:n&rEl]
HR (human resources) [)eItS (A:]
lawyer [(lO:jE]
part with sb. [(pA:t wID]
pep talk [(pep tO:k] ifml.
policy [(pQlEsi]
redundant: make sb. ~ [ri(dVndEnt]
retrench (a section) [ri(trentS]
revenge [ri(vendZ]
section [(sekS&n]
send-off [(send Qf]
senior manager [)si:niE (mÄnIdZE]
snog [snQg] UK ifml.
toast sb. [tEUst]
journalists and lawyers, have meant
that these events no longer involve alcohol,
the chance for a quick snog
with a colleague or even dressing up.
There is an even more important
ritual that is sadly neglected — although
it can result in far greater consequences
for all concerned. This is
the ritual of parting with staff. In
some companies, this ritual is very
embarrassing. The head of the company
or section gives a short speech,
a present bought with money collected
by colleagues is handed over, everyone
is given a glass of cheap champagne
and the leaver is toasted by all.
Some send-offs are truly moving,
with people crying and the person
leaving unable to speak. Less often, a
leaver may use the event for revenge.
This can be cathartic for some, but to
others, deeply embarrassing.
But what if the leaver was deeply
disliked, or a disaster for the firm?
befreiend
Herausforderung
Unternehmenskultur
sich in Schale werfen
peinlich
Begräbnis
Personalabteilung
Rechtsanwalt/-anwältin
sich von jmdm. trennen
aufmunternde Worte
Richtlinie
jmdn. entlassen, freisetzen
(eine Abteilung) abbauen
Rache
Abteilung
Verabschiedung
Manager(in) der oberen Führungsebene
Kuss; hier: Knutscherei
auf jmds. Wohl anstoßen
Can managers and staff hide their relief
that this person is going? This is
certainly more of a challenge to senior
managers, although many have a
standard set of platitudes for such occasions.
And what if the person leaving
has been fired or made redundant
or, even, a whole section has been
retrenched? In some organizations,
Stockbyte
Feeling valued: rituals help us take new steps
there would be no send-off at all, and
the person’s only sign of leaving
would be an empty desk.
The ritual of saying goodbye is essential
to a firm’s health. A bad sendoff
can leave a bad atmosphere in the
office. So HR should have policies to
deal with all these situations.
Just as a well-planned funeral can
help all those concerned to deal with
their loss, so it is with saying goodbye
to a staff member. A good send-off
celebrates the qualities of the person
leaving, and reminds those remaining
that those qualities are valuable. ■BS
ADRIAN FURNHAM is a psychology professor
at University College, London, a
management expert and the author of
more than 60 books. His latest is The Engaging
Manager: The Joy of Management
and Being Managed (Palgrave Macmillan).
plus You’ll find reading-comprehension exercises in Business Spotlight plus
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 79

iStockphoto
The bitter truth about
sugar
Too sweet? Most processed
food contains lots of sugar
Ob Frühstücksmüsli, Brot oder Salatdressing — Zucker macht unsere Speisen wunderbar süß. Uns
aber macht er süchtig nach ihm, krank und übergewichtig. SARAH BOSELEY befasst sich mit dem
Konsum dieses „süßen Etwas“ und seinen Gefahren.
advanced
Sugar — given to children by adults, laced in our
breakfast cereals and a major part of our fizzy
drinks — is the real criminal in the obesity epidemic,
not fat, according to a leading US doctor
who wants to inspire government action and
change the food industry.
Dr Robert Lustig compares sugar to controlled drugs.
Cocaine and heroin are deadly because they are addictive
and toxic — and so is sugar, he says, adding that we need
to get used to eating less sugar. It should not be a main part
of what we eat. “The food industry has made it into a diet
staple because they know when they do you buy more.
This is their hook. If some unscrupulous cereal manufacturer
went out and laced your breakfast cereal with
morphine to get you to buy more, what would you think
of that? They do it with sugar instead.”
Lustig’s book, Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against
Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease (Hudson
Street Press), is getting a lot of attention in America. As a
paediatrician who specializes in treating overweight chil-
addictive [E(dIktIv]
beat the odds [)bi:t Di (Qdz]
cereals [(sIEriElz]
diet staple [(daIEt )steIp&l]
fat chance [)fÄt (tSA:ns] ifml.
fizzy drink [)fIzi (drINk] UK
süchtig machend
etw. trotz geringer Wahrscheinlichkeit
besiegen
Zerealien, Frühstücksflocken
wesentlicher Bestandteil der
Nahrung
schön wär’s
Limo(nade)
hook [hUk]
lace sth. (with sth.)
[(leIs ()wID)]
morphine [(mO:fi:n]
obesity [EU(bi:sEti]
paediatrician [)pi:diE(trIS&n]
processed food
[)prEUsest (fu:d]
unscrupulous [Vn(skru:pjUlEs]
Haken: hier: Süchtigmacher
etw. einer Sache untermischen;
etw. mit etw. versetzen
Morphium
Fettleibigkeit
Kinderarzt/-ärztin
industriell verarbeitete
Lebensmittel
skrupellos
80 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

PROCESSED FOOD TECHNOLOGY ■
dren in San Francisco, he has spent 16 years studying the
effects of sugar on the central nervous system, metabolism
and disease. His conclusion is that the rivers of Coca-Cola
and Pepsi consumed by young people today have as much
to do with obesity as the mountains of burgers.
That does not mean burgers are OK. Lustig says
not just sugar, but any foods that raise insulin levels in the
body too high are the problem. He blames insulin for 75
to 80 per cent of all obesity. Insulin is the hormone that
causes energy to be stored in fat cells, he says. Sugar is the
most obvious source, but there are three other
categories: trans fats (which are on the way out),
alcohol (which children do not drink) and certain
types of amino acids. These amino acids are
found in corn-fed American beef. “In grass-fed
beef, like in Argentina, there are no problems,”
he said. “That’s what cows are supposed to eat
— grass.” Lustig says one reason that cows in the US are
fed with corn is because it makes them fatter faster, “and
you get all that marbling in the meat. That’s muscle insulin
resistance. That animal has the same disease we do, it’s just
that we slaughter them before they get sick.”
But his bigger message is that cheap sugar is putting lives
at risk. When high-fat foods were blamed for making us
overweight, food manufacturers rushed to make low-fat
products. But to make these taste better, manufacturers
added sugar, causing much greater problems.
Cutting calories is not the answer because “a calorie is
not a calorie”. And food labels often hide sugar under
names such as carbohydrates, glucose and dextrose. Fructose
is the biggest problem, and high-fructose corn syrup,
used widely by food manufacturers in the US, is the main
source of it.
Proof of the effects that foods have on the body is very
hard to collect. People tend to lie in food journals or forget
what they ate. Controlled studies are impossible because
everyone returns to more normal eating habits after
a couple of months. But Lustig says his arguments against
sugar were presented in a recent study that he and his team
published in the internet science journal PLOS ONE. The
study found that in countries where it was easier for peoamino
acid [E)mi:nEU (ÄsId]
bed: be in ~ with sb. [bed] ifml.
carbohydrate [)kA:bEU(haIdreIt]
chief executive officer (CEO)
[)tSi:f Ig)zekjUtIv (QfIsE]
corn-fed [(kO:n fed]
grocery [(grEUsEri]
insulin level [(InsjUlIn )lev&l]
liver [(lIvE]
marbling [(mA:b&lIN]
metabolism [mE(tÄbE)lIzEm]
metabolize sth. [mE(tÄbElaIz]
slaughter (an animal) [(slO:tE]
straight: take sth. ~ to sb. [streIt]
threshold [(TreShEUld]
trans fat [)trÄnz (fÄt]
Aminosäure
mit jmdm. eng zusammenarbeiten
Kohlenhydrat
Vorstandsvorsitzende(r)
mit Getreide gefüttert
Lebensmittel-
Insulinspiegel
Leber
Marmorierung
Stoffwechsel
etw. umwandeln, verarbeiten
(ein Tier) schlachten
jmdm. etw. ins Gesicht sagen
Schwelle
Transfettsäure
ple to get sugar, there were higher levels of diabetes. Rates
of diabetes went up by about 1.1 per cent for every 150
kilocalories of sugar available for each person each day —
about the number in a can of Coke. Availability is not the
same as sugar consumed, but Lustig says it is the closest
comparison he could get. The study was for the World
Health Organization, which Lustig believes has a conflict
of interests. But so does the US government, he says. “In
America, six per cent of our exports are food. So the White
House is in bed with the food industry and Congress apologizes
for the food industry.”
To make low-fat foods taste better,
food manufacturers add sugar
Michelle Obama appeared to have the right idea when
she started her “Let’s Move!” initiative in February 2010
with a speech to the Grocery Manufacturers Association
of America. “She took it straight to them and said, ‘You’re
the problem. You’re the solution’,” explains Lustig. “She
hasn’t said it since. Now it’s all about exercise.”
Some areas of the food industry have appeared to
be willing to change. PepsiCo’s chief executive officer, Indra
Nooyi, is from India, a country with a serious diabetes
problem. Nooyi has been trying to steer the company towards
healthier products. But it has lost money and she is
said to be having problems with other members of the
firm’s management team. “So here’s a woman who is trying
to do the right thing and can’t,” he says.
It is not a case of removing sugar completely from the
diet, just getting it down to levels that are not toxic, he
says. The American Heart Association in 2009 published
a statement, of which Lustig was a co-author, saying
Americans consume more than 22 teaspoons of sugar a
day. That needs to come down to six for women and
nine for men. “Is that zero? No. But that’s a big reduction.
That gets us below our toxic threshold. Our livers have a
capacity to metabolize some fructose — they just can’t
metabolize the amounts that we’re being given by the food
industry. And so the goal is to get sugar out of foods
that don’t need it, like salad dressing, like bread, like
barbecue sauce.”
There is a simple way to consume less of the sweet stuff.
“Eat real food,” Lustig says.
■BS
© Guardian News & Media 2013
Listen to views on this topic on Business Spotlight Audio
plus For related vocabulary exercises, see Business Spotlight plus
Dr Robert Lustig’s video Sugar: The Bitter Truth can be seen
at www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 81

■ TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
Ideas and inventions
Gibt es Neuigkeiten? CAROL SCHEUNEMANN präsentiert technische
Innovationen und neue wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse. medium
Now you see it:
Hövding, a new
helmet for cyclists
A clear head
Two young women in Sweden have created an invisible bicycle helmet. Yes,
really. You can wear this head protector, called Hövding, in any weather,
with or without a hat. It doesn’t make you look like an insect. It won’t ruin
your hairstyle or cause your head to sweat. In fact, you’ll hardly notice you’re
wearing the helmet until you need it.
Following seven years of studying bicycle crashes and typical injuries, industrial
designers Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin have developed a completely new
type of bicycle helmet. Instead of covering the head, it is hidden inside a
collar that is worn around the neck. The helmet then inflates like an airbag
when sensors measure an “abnormal movement” by the cyclist or a sudden
force on the bicycle. The designers say the helmet inflates in 0.1 seconds, less
time than it takes for the wearer’s head to hit an object, or the ground.
Unlike traditional helmets, Hövding is shaped like a hood, so it also protects
the neck. It provides safety first — but fashion, too. “People wonder how girls
could invent anything this technical,” says Terese Alstin.
Not so fast: population
growth on earth is slowing
COMING UP
2050
The year the global population will stop growing, according
to a new mathematical model.
Source: Autonomous University of Madrid
100 billion
The number of earth-like planets astronomers expect to
find by using gravitational microlensing. This measures
how the light from distant stars bends as it passes by
a planet.
Sources: Dr Phil Yock, Department of Physics, University of Auckland;
Royal Astronomical Society
BRAIN
Also called the “Brain Activity Map”, Brain Research
through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies is a
$3 billion, ten-year US initiative for learning more
about the function of
neurons. One aim is to
improve the treatment
of brain disorders.
Source: The White House
Zoonar
DID YOU KNOW?
“Humanized” products look vaguely like people, or walk and
talk in ads. But “anthropomorphizing brands” results in
stronger negative responses if the products fail. It seems we
believe our “friends” have disappointed us intentionally.
Source: Marina Puzakova, assistant professor of marketing, Oregon State University
anthropomorphize sth.
[)ÄnTrEUpEU(mO:faIz]
bend [bend]
billion [(bIljEn]
brand [brÄnd]
collar [(kQlE]
department [di(pA:tmEnt]
disorder [dIs(O:dE]
gravitational microlensing
[grÄvI)teIS&nEl (maIkrEU)lenzIN]
helmet [(helmIt]
hood [hUd]
inflate [In(fleIt]
invisible [In(vIzEb&l]
research [ri(s§:tS]
etw. vermenschlichen
hier: gebrochen werden
Milliarde(n)
Marke
Kragen; hier: Halskrause
Fachbereich
Störung, Erkrankung
Gravitationsmikrolinseneffekt
Helm
Kapuze
sich aufblähen
unsichtbar
Forschung
iStockphoto
Inside the mind:
how does it work?
4/2013

LANGUAGE FOCUS TECHNOLOGY ■
Never lost:
surveyors
can tell you
their exact
location
Types of
surveying
Vocabulary
angle [(ÄNg&l]
Winkel
angle prism [(ÄNg&l )prIzEm]
Winkelprisma
baseline [(beIslaIn]
Messbasis(linie)
boundary [(baUndEri]
Grenze
cadastral [kE(dÄstrEl]
Katastercartography
[kA:(tQgrEfi]
Kartografie, Kartenkunde
civil engineering [)sIv&l )endZI(nIErIN] Bauingenieurwesen
construction site [kEn(strVkS&n saIt] Baustelle
deformation [)di:fO:(meIS&n]
Verformung
elevation [)elI(veIS&n]
Erhöhung
engineering surveyor [)endZI(nIErIN sE)veIE] Vermessungsingenieur(in)
geodesy [)dZi(QdEsi]
Geodäsie, Erdvermessung
geological survey [dZi:E)lQdZIk&l (s§:veI] geologische Vermessung
government authority
Regierungsbehörde
[)gVv&nmEnt O:(TQrEti]
hydrographic
hydrografisch, die Gewäs-
[)haIdrEU(grÄfIk]
serkunde betreffend
land development plan
Flächennutzungsplan
[(lÄnd di)velEpmEnt )plÄn]
land parcel [(lÄnd )pA:s&l]
Flurstück
land surveyor [(lÄnd sE)veIE]
Landvermesser(in)
latitude [(lÄtItju:d]
Breitengrad
level [(lev&l]
Nivellier(instrument)
longitude [(lQNgItju:d]
Längengrad
map [mÄp]
(Land-)Karte
map-maker [(mÄp )meIkE]
Kartograf(in)
measure [(meZE]
(ver)messen
measuring rod [(meZErIN rQd]
Messstab, -latte
meridian [mE(rIdiEn]
Meridian, Längenkreis
mine [maIn]
Grube, Bergwerk
mine surveyor [(maIn sE)veIE]
Markscheider(in)
nautical map [)nO:tIk&l (mÄp]
See-, Schifffahrtskarte
oil rig [(OI&l rIg]
Ölbohrinsel
plumb bob [(plVm bQb]
Lot
process sth. [(prEUses]
etw. verarbeiten
property [(prQpEti]
Grundstück
range/ranging pole, surveying pole Fluchtstab
[(reIndZ/(reIndZIN pEUl, sE(veIIN pEUl]
scaled [skeI&ld]
maßstabsgetreu
sketch [sketS]
Entwurfszeichnung, Skizze
surveying [sE(veIIN]
Vermessung
surveyor [sE(veIE]
Vermesser(in)
tape (measure) [(teIp ()meZE)]
Maßband
theodolite [Ti(QdElaIt]
Theodolit
topographical feature [tQpE)grÄfIk&l (fi:tSE] topografisches Merkmal
total station [)tEUt&l (steIS&n]
Totalstation, Tachymeter
utility sector [ju(tIlEti )sektE]
Versorgungswirtschaft
For more information
BOOKS
■ Surveying for Construction, William Irvine, Finlay Maclennan
(McGraw-Hill)
■ Technical English: Civil Engineering and Construction,
Brigitte Markner-Jäger (Verlag Europa-Lehrmittel)
WEBSITE
■ Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: www.rics.org
Answers: a) Mine; b) Hydrographic; c) Engineering; d) Land
Digital Vision
Landvermesser erfassen die Topografie
einer Landschaft. BRIGITTE MARKNER-JÄGER
informiert über deren Arbeit. advanced
Former US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson
and Abraham Lincoln all worked as surveyors
early in their careers. Surveyors are basically map-makers
who measure the surface of the earth with its topographical
features, such as mountains, and draw scaled maps.
Surveyors determine exact locations by using geographical
coordinates, as well as latitude and longitude.
Surveyors work with government authorities to identify
earth movements, ground deformations and geological
risks. For the utility sector, they measure routes for electricity
networks or pipelines. Engineering surveyors help
with building projects and land-use plans. Land surveyors
measure property, boundaries and mark land parcels.
Measurement data is mostly collected by GPS, a satellite
navigation system. Using software technology such as
geographic information systems (GIS), the data is recorded,
analysed and processed to produce computerized maps.
At surveying sites, you’ll find both traditional and hightech
measuring instruments. Levels help to find the height
differences and distances. Theodolites and total stations
are used for measuring horizontal and vertical angles.
Surveying involves a wide range of tasks. So if you enjoy
the outdoors, but also appreciate mathematics and
computers, then surveying may be a career for you. ■BS
Exercise: Maps and measurement
Complete these sentences with the correct words.
Engineering ■ Hydrographic ■ Land ■ Mine
a) ___________ surveyors are involved in planning the removal
of minerals from the ground.
b) ___________ surveyors produce nautical maps.
c) ___________ surveyors work on building sites.
d) ___________ surveyors measure elevations and boundaries.
BRIGITTE MARKNER-JÄGER teaches technical English
at the University of Applied Sciences in Bochum
(TFH Georg Agricola). She is the author of a book
on civil engineering (see “For more information”).
Contact: markner-jaeger@tfh-bochum.de
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 83

■ FEEDBACK READERS’ LETTERS
Missing lists
Readers’ let ters should be sent to:
The editor-in-chief, Business Spotlight, Fraun -
ho ferstr. 22, 82152 Pla negg, Deutsch land;
by email to i.mcmaster@spot light-ver lag.de;
or by fax to +49 (0)89/85681-210. Please
include your postal address, email address
and phone number. We reserve the right to
edit readers’ comments for clar ity or length.
When I opened Business Spotlight 1/2013, I noticed that the
vocabulary page was missing. My first thought was that it
was an exception because of the special edition. But when I
opened the next two issues, the vocabulary page was missing
again. I hope you haven’t taken it out of the magazine permanently,
because it is a great help for improving my vocabulary
knowledge.
Henning Aufderheide, Hameln
Fehlende Listen
Ich bin ein sehr treuer Kunde, aber zum ersten Mal muss ich
mich leider sehr aufregen. Ich kann es überhaupt nicht
verstehen, warum Sie die Vokabellisten seit Anfang dieses Jahres
nicht mehr zum Download anbieten. Immer mehr Personen
haben ein Smartphone mit einer App, mit der man Vokabeln
lernen kann. Jetzt muss man händisch alle Vokabeln einzeln abtippen,
was sehr mühsam ist. Ich würde mich freuen, wenn Sie
wieder die Vokabellisten auf ihrer Webseite als Download anbieten
würden.
Stefan Wiese, Frankfurt am Main
Many thanks for your feedback. The lists in the magazine will reappear starting
in this issue, in a slightly different form. Our Key Words list (p. 63) now
includes English explanations as well as German translations. Also, from issue
3/2013, we have again produced the full vocabulary list for the whole
magazine, which subscribers can find at www.business-spotlight.de/words
The two missing full lists for issues 1/2013 and 2/2013 are in the meantime
also available online. We hope you will find this helpful.
The Editor
Looking forward?
Ich habe eine Frage zum Test “Time for a change” (Business
Spotlight 2/2012). Unter “Sending a follow-up” schreiben Sie:
“I look forward to hearing from you.” Ich dachte, es würde
heißen: “I am looking forward to hearing from you.” Oder ist
vielleicht beides korrekt?
Kerstin Grundschok, Eschborn
Thank you for your question, which other readers may also have asked themselves.
Both “I look forward to hearing from you” and “I am looking forward
to hearing from you” are correct. “I look forward to..” is somewhat more formal.
“I am looking forward to...” is a bit friendlier. Business Spotlight’s deputy
editor, Deborah Capras, has written a blog on another aspect of this topic. You
can find it here: www.business-spotlight.de/blogs/deborah-capras/look-out
The Editor
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84 www.business-spotlight.de

5/2013 PREVIEW ■
In the next issue:
Hemera
The art of compromise
Negotiating is at the heart of business life and is the
basis of both everyday compromises and multimillion
deals. How can you prepare yourself optimally for negotiations?
Bob Dignen offers advice in our Business
Skills article.
iStockphoto
Studying and working abroad
People who have studied or worked in other countries
have important advantages in the global job market.
In our next Careers feature, we provide you with useful
tips for planning your study experience abroad. Part one
of a two-part series.
Digital Vision
SKILL UP!
Improve your
BUSINESS
VOCABULARY
with our
essential guide
Test: information technology
Computers are an essential part of nearly all business sectors,
from heavy manufacturing to services and social media. Do you
know the language necessary to talk about this key area? Our
special test will help you to find out where you stand.
In the next issue...
In the next issue...
EMOTIONS
PICTURE THIS: emotional business
FALSE FRIENDS: sensible, irritated
CLOSE RELATIONS: the “heart” at work
BusinessSpotlight 5/2013 is on sale from 14 August 2013
4/2013
www.business-spotlight.de 85

■ PEOPLE MY WORKING LIFE
Kevin Alcock
Ship’s captain
Er navigiert das Schiff und kümmert sich um Mannschaft, Fracht
und Passagiere. LOIS HOYAL sprach mit dem Kapitän, der täglich auf
der Route zwischen Zeebrügge und Hull verkehrt.
easy
Many people
depend on a
ship’s captain:
Kevin Alcock
I’m the captain and master of one of P&O’s
ships, the Pride of York, which travels between Hull in
Britain and Zeebrugge in Belgium.
We transport freight and passengers
back and forth every day. I’m responsible for looking after
the crew and seeing to it that things run smoothly and
safely on the ship.
I work for two weeks and then I have a
two-week break. Every three months, I have a three-week
break. My day starts around 4.30 a.m. and ends around
8.45 p.m., with a few hours’ break in the afternoon.
This is very different from other work.
We don’t lock up at the end of the day and go home to see
the family. The ship is where we live and for two weeks,
we are no longer part of family life. For these two weeks,
you are only concentrating on the job.
I am 54 and have two adult daughters.
I was born in Hull, England, and still live there.
At the age of 13, I went to a special school that
focuses on training people for a nautical career. We learned
about navigation, stability and seamanship. I became master
on the Pride of York five years ago.
My grandfather worked on
barges on the River Hull and my mother’s uncle was in the
Royal Navy, so there have been seamen in the family in the
past. However, it was my parents’ idea that I go to sea
school. It wasn’t a particular passion of mine.
Besides the seamanship
skills that a ship’s captain needs, you’ve got to be good
with people and to be able to manage conflicts between
crew members and sometimes even between passengers.
You’ve also got to keep discipline on board. The captain
used to be referred to as the “old man” because he was
seen as a father figure.
Even though I’ve been a ship’s
captain for 36 years, I still get a kick from the excitement
of arriving at and leaving ports, and of manoeuvring the
ship. I also like to walk around the ship and talk to the passengers
and the crew and to get a feel for the atmosphere
on board, which is usually pleasant.
Manoeuvring the ship in winter
can be difficult, particularly if you’ve got winds and
poor visibility. Manoeuvring through the lock in King
George Dock in Hull, which is very narrow, is especially
hard.
On a trip from Rotterdam to
Hull, we once carried an orang-utan and an alligator,
which were being transported to a zoo.
Many people depend
on the captain. If there’s a problem they can’t deal with,
then they ask the captain for advice. You can’t put things
right every time, but you can try hard to fix the problem.
Of course, I’m not on my own; I’ve got a very good team
and, of course, support from the company. You do need
that support — it’s very much a team effort. ■BS
barge [bA:dZ]
break [breIk]
fix sth. [fIks]
freight [freIt]
lock [lQk]
manoeuvre sth. [mE(nu:vE]
master [(mA:stE]
nautical career [)nO:tIk&l kE(rIE]
on board [)Qn (bO:d]
port [pO:t]
Royal Navy [)rOIEl (neIvi] UK
seaman [(si:mEn]
seamanship [(si:mEnSIp]
sea school [(si: sku:l]
visibility [)vIzE(bIlEti]
Zeebrugge [)zeI(brUgE]
(Fracht-)Kahn
Pause; hier: arbeitsfreie Zeit
etw. lösen
Fracht(gut)
Schleuse
etw. manövrieren
hier: Kapitän(in), Schiffsführer(in)
Laufbahn in der Seefahrt
an Bord
Hafen
Königliche Marine
Seemann, Matrose
Seemannschaft
Seefahrtsschule
Sicht(weite)
Zeebrügge
86 www.business-spotlight.de 4/2013

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BusinessSpotlight
SKILL UP!
VOKABELTRAINING LEICHT GEMACHT
AUSGABE 21
Your
holidays
also:
Culture shock | Annual leave and days off

CONTENTS
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Even if you normally enjoy being at work, a break — however short — can
help you to stay fit, happy and motivated. This Skill Up! focuses on the vocabulary
you will need to talk about your holiday plans and your holiday rights.
Most of us could probably benefit from a digital detox holiday. Our illustration
in Picture This! (pp. 4–5) shows how such a trip could look. For vocabulary to
describe typical holiday activities and types of holiday, turn to our Word Bank
(pp. 6–7). When will you hit the road? You can discover the meaning of this
idiom and learn more idiomatic expressions to talk about your holidays in
Essential Idioms (pp. 12–13). And in False Friends (pp. 8–9), we explain why
you should never ask to stay in a “pension”.
Make sure you know your statutory holiday entitlement — and how to discuss
company policy on holidays. Our In Focus section (pp. 10–11) presents the
language you will need. It will come in particularly useful if you are looking for
a job with an international company.
Travel insurance can help when things go wrong on holiday. We focus on the
word family “insure” in Close Relations (pp. 14–15). However, as you will learn
in Small Talk (pp. 16–17), a little research can help to prevent nasty holiday
surprises and culture shock abroad. Enjoy your trip!
Deborah Capras, deputy editor
bs.deputyeditor@spotlight-verlag.de
SKILL UP!
When you take a break from work, don’t take
a break from English. Away from your desk,
you’ll have some spare time on your hands.
Use it wisely. For example, spend ten minutes
a day writing short texts using the words in
this guide. Come back to work more confident
— and tell everyone about your trip!
SKILL UP! online
On our website, you’ll find selected
vocabulary from this guide in our
Word of the Day section. To listen to
the words, definitions and example
sentences — and to download the
MP3 file of each word — go to
www.business-spotlight.de/skill-up
2 SKILL UP!
ISSUE 21

This could be the ideal
place for a romantic trip
Photodisc
CHECKLIST: WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Below, you will find the contents of this issue of Skill Up! and a checklist of what you should
be able to do with confidence after studying this guide. Ask yourself what you can really do.
If you can’t say yes to every statement, go back and spend more time on learning the relevant
vocabulary. Don’t forget to read our Skill Up! tips and do the online exercises!
Contents Page(s) Checklist
Picture This!
Perfect 4–5 I know the correct terms for the different types of holiday
accommodation
accommodation.
Word Bank
On holiday 6–7 I can talk about different kinds of trips and activities.
False Friends
Pensions in havens 8–9 I can identify the false friends presented here — and
use the correct translations.
In Focus
Off work 10–11 I know which specialist terms are used to discuss my
company’s policy on holidays.
Essential Idioms
Hit the road 12–13 I can correctly use idiomatic expressions to describe my
holidays and the places where I have stayed.
Close Relations
Get insured! 14–15 I can correctly use the “insure” family.
Small Talk
Culture shock 16–17 I can describe cultural differences and make small talk
about my experiences on holiday.
Your Profile
Time for a break 18 I feel more confident using the vocabulary in this guide.
Preview 19
Not yet A little Yes!
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
n n n
ISSUE 21 SKILL UP! 3

PICTURE THIS!
1
13
Bernhard Förth
3
12
14
15
2
4
11
10
6
5
6
9
8
7
PERFECT ACCOMMODATION
Many holidays celebrate a special occasion. Our illustration and vocabulary lists look at
the kind of accommodation you might like to book for such events.
Not everyone’s
idea of paradise
1. cruise ship [(kru:z SIp] Kreuzfahrtschiff
2. secluded beach [sI(klu:dId] einsamer Strand
3. turquoise waters türkisblaues
[(t§:kwOIz]
Wasser
4. infinity salt-water pool Infinity-Pool mit
[In(fInEti]
Meerwasser
5. skinny-dipping ifml. Nacktbaden
6. newly-weds [(nju:li wedz] Frischvermählte
7. hot tub [(hQt tVb] Whirlpool
8. sunlounger UK Sonnenliege
9. terrace (US deck) Terrasse
10. hammock [(hÄmEk] Hängematte
11. digital detox holiday Urlaub ohne
[)dIdZIt&l (di:)tQks] ifml. Kontakt zur
Außenwelt
4 SKILL UP!
(poor) reception (schlechter) Empfang
tweet
twittern
12. remote island [ri(mEUt] abgelegene/weltabgeschiedene
Insel
romantic honeymoon Zufluchtsort für
retreat
romantische Flitterwochen
13. beachfront villa Strandvilla
14. with sea view mit Meerblick
15. with en suite bathroom mit eigenem Bad
and shower [)Q(swi:t] UK und eigener Dusche
Not so perfect?
Joan: Are you tweeting from the terrace? I can hear you!
Peter: No, I’m not — because I can’t get any reception!
Whose idea was this digital detox holiday?

iStockphoto
Inexpensive accommodation
campsite (US campground) Camping-, Zeltplatz
monastery [(mQnEstEri] Kloster
motel
Motel
self-catering chalet [(SÄleI] Ferienhaus mit Selbstver-
UK
sorgung
staycation [steI(keIS&n] ifml. Urlaub zu Hause
tent
Zelt
university campus [(kÄmpEs] Studentenwohnheim auf
dem Universitätsgelände
youth hostel [(ju:T )hQst&l] Jugendherberge
Standard accommodation
bed & breakfast (B&B)
Übernachtung mit Frühstück
camping pod [pQd]
Wohniglu
caravan (US trailer)
Wohnwagen
family-run farmhouse
familienbetriebener
Bauernhof
guest house
Pension
holiday camp
Ferienlager
mobile home [)mEUbaI&l (hEUm] Wohnmobil
(US also: RV(recreational vehicle))
mountain refuge [(refju:dZ] Berghütte
religious retreat
religiöses Refugium
serviced apartment
Apartment mit Wäsche- und
Reinigungsservice
Food and drink?
24-hour room service Zimmerservice rund um die Uhr
all-inclusive alle Speisen und Getränke
inbegriffen
full board UK Vollpension
half board UK Halbpension
no meals included keine Mahlzeiten inbegriffen
self-catering UK Selbstversorgung
Special occasions
anniversary [)ÄnI(v§:sEri] Jubiläum, Jahrestag
birthday
Geburtstag
christening [(krIs&nIN] Taufe
engagement [In(geIdZmEnt] Verlobung
retirement [ri(taIEmEnt] Pensionierung, Eintritt in
den Ruhestand
wedding
Hochzeit
Exclusive accommodation
chalet [(SÄleI] Chalet (im Schwei -
zer Landhausstil)
cottage Cottage (im britischen
Landhausstil)
cruise ship Kreuzfahrtschiff
[(kru:z SIp]
five-star hotel Fünf-Sterne-Hotel
holiday flat Ferienwohnung
(US apartment)
luxury resort Luxushotelanlage
[)lVkSEri ri(zO:t]
safari camp Safaricamp
safari lodge Safarilodge
second home Zweitwohnung
spa resort Wellnesshotelanlage
[(spA: ri)zO:t]
timeshare villa Ferienhaus mit
Teilzeitwohnrecht
Original accommodation
converted barn umgebaute
Scheune
couchsurfing ifml. Couchsurfing,
kostenloses Übernachten
auf einer
Gästecouch
eco-cabin [(i:kEU kÄbIn] umweltfreund -
liche Hütte
eco-shack [(i:kEU SÄk] sehr einfache,
umweltfreundliche
Hütte
glamping UK ifml. Edelcamping
(glamour + camping)
homestay
Unterkunft in
einer Gastfamilie
houseboat
Hausboot
house-sitting
Haushüten
house-swapping Wohnungs-,
[(haUs )swQpIN] Haustausch
log cabin [)lQg (kÄbIn] Blockhütte
railway carriage [(kÄrIdZ] Eisenbahn-
(US railroad car) waggon
tree house
Baumhaus
ISSUE 21 SKILL UP! 5

WORD BANK
It was stunning!
And deserted
ON HOLIDAY
There are many different types of holidays that you can book
— and there are many things you can do on them. We provide
vocabulary to talk about these aspects of your trips here.
iStockphoto
What type?
adventure holiday
backpacking
boutique holiday
[bu:(ti:k]
city break
day trip
eco-tourism
[(i:kEU )tUErIzEm]
family holiday
island getaway
package holiday
[(pÄkIdZ]
road trip
short break
weekend break
working holiday
Abenteuerurlaub
Rucksacktour
Urlaub in einem Boutique-
Hotel (kleines, luxuriös
ausgestattetes Hotel mit
besonderem Ambiente)
Städtereise
Tagesausflug
umweltfreundlicher
Tourismus
Familienurlaub
Auszeit auf einer (einsamen)
Insel
Pauschalreise
Ausflug, Ausfahrt
Kurzurlaub
Wochenendausflug
Arbeitsurlaub
Important items and services
hairdryer
kettle
maid service
parasol [(pÄrEsQl]
toiletries [(tOIlEtriz]
Fön
Wasserkocher
Zimmerservice
Sonnenschirm
Toilettenartikel
What activities?
buy a souvenir ein Andenken kaufen
[)su:vE(nIE]
chill out ifml.
ausspannen
discover a place einen Ort entdecken
explore an island eine Insel erkunden
go...
clay-pigeon shooting Tontauben schießen
[)kleI (pIdZEn]
climbing
klettern
diving
tauchen
scuba-diving Geräte-, Sporttauchen
[(sku:bE )daIvIN]
sightseeing
eine Besichtigungstour
machen
skiing
Ski laufen, Ski fahren
snorkelling [(snO:k&lIN] schnorcheln
surfing
surfen
swimming
schwimmen
to a show
sich eine Show ansehen
to a spa [spA:] in eine Therme gehen
have...
a facial [(feIS&l] eine Gesichtsbehandlung
bekommen
a spa treatment [spA:] eine Wellnessbehandlung
bekommen
pack one’s bags seine Koffer packen
plan an overnight stop eine Übernachtung einplanen
sunbathe at the pool sich am Pool sonnen
[(sVnbeID]
visit a tourist attraction eine Touristenattraktion
besichtigen
6 SKILL UP! ISSUE 21

People
barkeeper
chambermaid
[(tSeImbEmeId]
concierge [(kQnsieEZ]
entertainer
holidaymaker UK
(US vacationer)
porter
receptionist
tour guide
vendor [(vendE]
waiter
waitress
Barkeeper(in)
Zimmermädchen
Portier(in), Hausmeister(in)
Entertainer(in), Unterhaltungskünstler(in)
Urlauber(in)
Pförtner(in)
Rezeptionist(in)
Reiseleiter(in)
Verkäufer(in), Händler(in)
Kellner
Kellnerin
Organizations
car rental company
tour operator
travel agency
Autovermietung
Reiseveranstalter
Reisebüro
SKILL UP!
Depending on the type of holiday you want,
you might disagree with the way we have categorized
the adjectives below. Maybe you
would like to be in a deserted, but trendy, city
rather than an ancient one. But we think
you’d agree that you wouldn’t like discourteous
service. What other adjectives would you
add to our categories?
What was it like?
GOOD?
BAD?
beach
pristine [(prIsti:n] unberührt polluted [pE(lu:tId] verschmutzt
stunning atemberaubend disappointing enttäuschend
unspoilt ursprünglich jam-packed [)dZÄm (pÄkt] ifml. überfüllt
city
bustling [(bVs&lIN] quirlig deserted [di(z§:tId] menschenleer
ancient [(eInSEnt] historisch trendy ifml. modern
food
delicious [di(lISEs] lecker revolting ekelhaft
spicy würzig bland fade
tasty [(teIsti] schmackhaft inedible [In(edEb&l] ungenießbar
hotel
cut-price Billig- understaffed [)VndE(stA:ft] personell unterbesetzt
immaculate [I(mÄkjUlEt] picobello filthy [(fIlTi] schmuddelig
island
deserted [di(z§:tId] einsam overcrowded überlaufen
prices
reasonable angemessen extortionate [Ik(stO:S&nEt] halsabschneiderisch
service
courteous [k§:tiEs] höflich second-rate zweitklassig
friendly freundlich discourteous [dIs(k§:tiEs] unhöflich
top-notch ifml. erstklassig rude [ru:d] unfreundlich
transport
first-rate erstklassig hair-raising haarsträubend
safe sicher unsafe unsicher
iStockphoto
ISSUE 21

FALSE FRIENDS
PENSIONS IN HAVENS
There are many words in German and English that sound similar but have very different
meanings. They are “false friends”. Learn the correct translations of these terms.
guest house
pension
iStockphoto
Comstock
What’s Pension in English?
Pension = guest house, B&B
“We stayed in a tiny guest house in the middle
of nowhere.”
It’s not pension!
pension = Rente, Pension
“On my company pension, I can afford to take
my partner on long cruises.”
suitcase
What’s Koffer in English?
Koffer = suitcase
“Your suitcase is much too heavy,
sir. We will have to charge you
extra.”
It’s not coffer!
coffers =(Staats-)Kasse(n); Rücklagen;
Schatullen, Truhen
“The coffers are empty and we can
no longer pay the workers.”
coffers
Stockbyte (2)
8 SKILL UP!

harbour
haven
iStockphoto
Getty Images
What’s Hafen in English?
Hafen = harbour
“It was a magical experience to sail into Sydney
Harbour on a yacht.”
It’s not haven!
haven [(heIv&n] = Zufluchtsort, (Steuer-)Oase;
kleine Anlegestelle
“Cyprus became a bit of a tax haven for Russian
billionaires.”
avenue
iStockphoto (2)
What’s Allee in English?
Allee = avenue, boulevard
“The hotel is on a beautiful boulevard
that leads down to the main square.”
It’s not alley!
alley = Gasse
“We had to walk down a dark alley to
get to the hotel. It was quite scary at
night.”
alley
M SKILL UP! Audio
You can do an exercise on
false friends on Business
Spotlight Audio.
YOUR PROFILE
Write down example sentences that are useful to you. This makes it easier to remember false
friends and other tricky expressions.
ISSUE 21

IN FOCUS
OFF WORK
As an employee, you can take a specific
number of days a year as paid
holiday. We present the language you
will need to discuss this topic.
Where is everyone? Taking a lieu day
Your holiday entitlement
l The statutory annual holiday entitlement
differs from country to country. How many
days are you entitled to?
l Many companies allow employees to take
time off in lieu of overtime instead of paying
them for the extra hours.
l Any residual holiday entitlement can
sometimes be carried over into the following
year. In some companies, it will expire.
l If you don’t use up your holidays within a
certain period of time, you may forfeit
them.
l If employees produce a medical certificate
showing that they were ill during their
annual holiday, this period away from work
will not normally count as part of their holiday
entitlement.
l Many companies have holiday rosters.
Some companies also have fixed works
holidays, particularly in manufacturing
industries. At other times, they may also
impose a ban on taking leave.
10 SKILL UP!
Your holiday rights: useful expressions
annual holiday
Jahresurlaub
company policy on Urlaubsregelung
holidays
fixed works holidays feste Betriebsferien
(US vacation closedown)
holiday not taken
nicht genommener Urlaub
holiday roster [(rQstE] Urlaubsplan, -liste
lieu (US comp) day [(lu: deI] Gleittag
medical certificate ärztliches Attest
overtime
Überstunden
paid/unpaid holiday bezahlter/unbezahlter
Urlaub
remaining/residual holiday Resturlaub(sanspruch)
entitlement [ri(zIdjuEl]
statutory annual holiday gesetzlicher Jahresentitlement
[(stÄtSUtEri] urlaubsanspruch
untaken/unused holiday Resturlaub(stage)
Your holiday rights: useful verbs
accrue holiday entitlement Urlaubsanspruch an-
[E(kru:]
sammeln
carry over/forward Resturlaub übertragen/
residual holiday [ri(zIdjuEl] mitnehmen
count (as part of sth.) (als Teil von etw.) zählen
entitled to 30 days’ holiday: Anspruch auf 30 Urlaubsbe
~
tage haben
expire
verfallen
forfeit holiday [(fO:fit] Urlaub verfallen lassen
owed holiday: be ~ [EUd] noch Urlaub zustehen
haben
put in for holiday UK Urlaub beantragen
take time off in lieu of Überstunden als Freizeit
overtime [In (lu:] UK nehmen
use up one’s holidays seinen Urlaub aufbrauchen
Digital Vision

Is everyone on holiday?
bank holiday UK gesetzlicher Feiertag
church holiday kirchlicher Feiertag
floating holiday beweglicher Feiertag
national holiday Nationalfeiertag
personal day US (Sonder-)Urlaubstag
(statutory) public gesetzlicher
holiday [(stÄtSUtEri] Feiertag
Take a break
be/come in late
extended/long weekend
go on holiday
(US vacation)
have/take a day off
have/take the
afternoon off
take time off work
später (in die Arbeit)
kommen
langes Wochenende
Urlaub machen, in
Urlaub fahren/gehen
einen Tag frei
haben/nehmen
den Nachmittag
frei haben/nehmen
(sich) frei nehmen
SKILL UP!
Originally, a “leave of absence” or “absent
without leave” was used to talk about military
personnel. AWOL is a serious matter in
the military, but it’s often used in informal
situations at work. We often use “leave” to
talk about time off work that is necessary
for family reasons or due to illness.
In the UK, we normally use “holiday” to
refer to the time that is taken off work for
more positive reasons. In the US, “vacation”
is more common. The exception, however, is
“annual leave”: this is the number of paid
days that you can take as a holiday during
the year.
iStockphoto
Money matters
concessionary travel
[kEn(seS&nEri]
holiday money/
allowance/pay
sick pay
No bridges
Ermäßigung(en) für
Reisen
Urlaubsgeld
Krankengeld
In English-speaking countries, an exact equivalent
for Brückentag does not exist. Instead, we normally
talk about a “long weekend”, a “three-day weekend”
or “taking a day off”.
On leave
absent due to illness aus Krankheitsgründen
abwesend sein
absent without leave eigenmächtige
(AWOL)
Abwesenheit
gone AWOL [(eIwQl] sich unerlaubt entfernen
leave [li:v]
Urlaub
annual leave
Jahresurlaub
be granted leave Urlaub (genehmigt)
bekommen
be on leave
in Urlaub sein, Urlaub
machen/haben
compassionate leave Sonderurlaub (meist wg.
[kEm(pÄS&nEt] UK Trauerfall)
discretionary leave „Kann“-Urlaub, Urlaub
[dI(skreSEn&ri]
nach freiem Ermessen
educational leave Bildungsurlaub
grant sb. leave jmdm. Urlaub genehmigen
impose a ban on eine Urlaubssperre
taking leave
verhängen
leave without pay Urlaub ohne Bezüge
maternity leave Mutterschaftsurlaub
paid/unpaid leave bezahlter/unbezahlter
Urlaub
parental leave [pE(rent&l] Elternurlaub, -zeit
paternity leave Vaterschaftsurlaub
payment in lieu of leave Urlaubsabgeltung
sick leave
Fehlen wegen Krankheit
leave of absence Beurlaubung, Freistellung
grant sb. a leave of jmdn. beurlauben/
absence
freistellen
ISSUE 21 SKILL UP! 11

ESSENTIAL IDIOMS
HIT THE ROAD
Holidays are often informal, and so, too, is the language we use to talk about them.
Here, we present some common idiomatic expressions for describing a break from work.
SKILL UP!
First, read the two versions of the short conversations. Then
cover up the idiomatic version and read the simpler one again.
Can you remember how to say the same things idiomatically?
Check you’ve understood the text by looking at the translations.
Lifesize
Well-earned:
soaking up the sun
First, the idiomatic way
Sam: I should hit the road. My flight is at six.
Jo: Of course, you’re off to soak up the sun. Lucky you!
Sam: Lucky? It’s a well-earned break!
Jo: I’m kidding!
Now, more simply
Sam: I should leave. My flight is at six.
Jo: Of course, you’re off to enjoy the sun. Lucky you!
Sam: Lucky? It’s a break that I worked hard for and deserve!
Jo: I’m not serious!
Check the translations
hit the road sich auf den Weg
machen
soak up the sun Sonne tanken
well-earned break wohlverdienter
Urlaub
I’m kidding! Ich mach doch nur
Spaß!
First, the idiomatic way
Jo: Is that all you’re taking?
Sam: Yes, I travel light. Anyway, its quite a trek
from the airport to the campsite.
Jo: Campsite? Are you going to be roughing it?
Sam: I am! But I’ll be just a stone’s throw from
the beach.
Now, more simply
Jo: Is that all you’re taking?
Sam: Yes, I take very little when I travel. Anyway,
it’s quite a long, difficult journey on foot
from the airport to the campsite.
Jo: Campsite? Are you going to be living in uncomfortable
conditions?
Sam: I am! But I’ll be very close to the beach.
iStockphoto
Check the translations
travel light
trek: be quite a ~
rough it
stone’s throw: be a ~
from (a place)
mit leichtem Gepäck reisen
ein ziemlich anstrengender Weg sein
primitiv leben
nur einen Katzensprung von (einem Ort)
entfernt sein
Travel light when
you’re roughing it
ISSUE 21

A tourist trap and
a real dump?
M
SKILL UP! Audio
Do a related exercise on
Business Spotlight Audio.
First, the idiomatic way
Sam: I try to avoid the usual tourist traps when I go on
holiday.
Jo: The last time I did that, I ended up in a real dump.
It was awful.
Sam: Well, that won’t happen to me. I’ve done my research
and I’m looking forward to switching off
completely.
Mauritius
Check the translations
tourist trap Massentourismusort
real dump echtes Dreckloch
do one’s research seine Recherchen
anstellen
switch off abschalten
Now, more simply
Sam: I try to avoid the usual popular tourist destinations
that are expensive and full of people when I
go on holiday.
Jo: The last time I did that, I ended up in a really unpleasant
and dirty hotel. It was awful.
Sam: Well, that won’t happen to me. I’ve looked into this
very carefully and I’m looking forward to relaxing
completely and not worrying about work or anything
else.
First, the idiomatic way
Sam: The campsite is off the beaten track,
but it’s not without any creature comforts.
Jo: Oh well, if it makes you happy. Just one
more thing. Who did you say would be
standing in for you while you’re off?
Sam: Paul. He’ll be at your beck and call —
24/7. But don’t tell him I said that!
Jo: He’ll be ready for a holiday when you get
back!
Now, more simply
Sam: The campsite is in an isolated place, but
it’s not without all the material things you
need to make you happy.
Jo: Oh well, if it makes you happy. Just one
more thing. Who did you say would be
doing your work while you are on holiday?
Sam: Paul. He’ll follow your orders — 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. But don’t tell
him I said that!
Jo: He’ll need a holiday when you get back!
Wow, life off the
beaten track!
Check the translations
off the beaten track: abgelegen sein
be ~
creature comforts leibliches Wohl
stand in for sb. jmdn. vertreten
off: be ~
hier: in Urlaub sein
beck and call: jmdm. voll und ganz zur
be at sb.’s ~ Verfügung stehen
24/7 rund um die Uhr sieben
Tage die Woche
ready for a holiday: urlaubsreif sein
be ~
Photodisc
ISSUE 21 SKILL UP! 13

CLOSE RELATIONS
GET INSURED!
Which members of the “insure” family are you familiar with? And do you know the
difference between “insure”, “ensure” and “assure”?
co- +
co-insure
+ ed
co-insured
iStockphoto
over +
overinsure
+ ed
overinsured
re +
reinsure
+ ed
reinsured
insure
under +
underinsure
+ able insurable
+ ed
un +
underinsured
uninsurable
+ ance insurance
re +
reinsurance
+ ed insured
un +
uninsured
+ er insurer
re +
reinsurer
The family
co-insure sth. [)kEU In(SUE] etw. mitversichern
co-insured
insurable [In(SUErEb&l]
insurance [In(SUErEns]
insure (US)
insure against sth.
insure sth. for (a sum of
money)
mitversichert; Mitversicherte(r)
versicherbar,
versicherungsfähig
Versicherung
etw. versichern; auch:
sicherstellen
sich gegen etw. versichern
etw. in Höhe von (einem
Geldbetrag) versichern
insured
versichert;
Versicherte(r)
insurer Versicherer, Versiche -
rungsgesellschaft
overinsure sth.
[)EUvErIn(SUE]
overinsured
reinsurance [)ri:In(SUErEns]
reinsure sth.
reinsured
reinsurer
underinsure sth.
[)VndErIn(SUE]
underinsured
uninsurable
uninsured
etw. überversichern
überversichert
Rückversicherung
etw. rückversichern;
erneut versichern
rückversichert; erneut
versichert
Rückversicherer,
Rückversicherungsgesellschaft
etw. unterversichern
unterversichert
unversicherbar, nicht
versicherungsfähig
nicht versichert

What’s covered?
baggage
cancellation cover
(US coverage)
emergency cash allowance
emergency repatriation
legal expenses
medical expenses
missed departure
personal accident
personal effects
personal liability
travel delay
travel documents
REMEMBER
l In the US, insure is also used to
mean “make certain that something
happens or is the case”. In
the UK, we use only ensure:
“Please ensure (US insure) that
you collect all your baggage.”
l In the UK insurance industry,
we use assure and assurance to
talk about life insurance, but not
travel insurance. We also use assure
to tell someone something
positively, especially to remove
any doubt about it: “I can assure
you that I’ve paid the insurance.”
assurance [E(SO:rEns]
assure sb. sth. [E(SO:]
ensure sth. [In(SO:]
life insurance
Zusicherung
Reisegepäck
Notfallbargeld
Stornoschutz,
Reiserücktrittsversicherung
Krankenrücktransport
Anwalts-,
Gerichtskosten
Krankheitskosten
verpasste
Anreise/Abfahrt
persönlicher
Unfall
persönliche
Gegenstände
private Haftung
Reiseverspätung
Reiseunterlagen
jmdm. etw. versichern
etw. sicherstellen
Lebensversicherung
USE THE FAMILY
Two years ago, I didn’t take out any travel
insurance and my flight was cancelled. I lost
everything. Last year, I did. My camera was
stolen, but it was underinsured. It had cost me
€1,800, but the insurer paid me only €500.
This year, I insured my new camera for €2,000
— so I thought I was overinsured. However,
my laptop was stolen, but it wasn’t covered
by the insurance! I think I’m uninsurable!
Your insurance
claim on the insurance
durch die Versicherung
gedeckt sein
Anspruch auf Schaden-
ersatz haben
einen Versicherungsanspruch
geltend
machen
Schadenersatz leisten
keine Haftung übernehmen,
die Haftung
ablehnen
covered by the insurance:
be ~
entitled to compensation:
be ~
make an insurance claim
pay damages [(dÄmIdZIz]
refuse to accept liability
[ri(fju:z]
reimburse costs/expenses
[)ri:Im(b§:s]
take out insurance
Stockbyte
die Versicherung in
Anspruch nehmen
Kosten/Auslagen
(rück)erstatten
eine Versicherung
abschließen
IN ACTION: INSURE
‡ We use insure + against something to talk about providing
financial protection in the event that something bad happens:
“This policy insures you against medical costs during your
holiday in the US.”
‡ We use insure sth. + for to talk about the sum of money
that the insurance money would pay if something happened:
“I’ve insured my camera for €500.”
‡ We use reinsurance to refer to insurance policies that an
insurance company has so that it will receive money to replace
the money that it pays to its customers in the event
that something bad happens:
“This reinsurance transfers all the risks to the reinsurer.”
‡ We can also use reinsure to mean “insured again”:
“I’m surprised that the company reinsured you this year.”
ISSUE 21 SKILL UP! 15

SMALL TALK
CULTURE SHOCK
Sometimes, it’s not all fun on holiday. Things can go wrong or turn out to be very
different from what you expected — which can also make a good topic for small talk!
Situation:
Sue has just got back from a long holiday but she
didn’t have much fun. She explains why to her colleague
Mark.
Mark: You’re back! How was your trip?
Sue:
Well, I won’t be going back there in a hurry.
Mark: Seriously? What made it so... memorable?
Sue:
I was hoping for a hassle-free holiday, not an adventure.
I just wanted to recharge my batteries.
Mark: So what happened?
Sue: I’d booked two weeks on what I thought would be a
beautiful island in far-flung South East Asia. But I
made the mistake of booking a hotel in a really
dodgy area. The first night, I was pickpocketed.
The second night, my handbag was snatched. I was
ripped off at every restaurant. And when I got back
home, I discovered that my credit card had been
used in some kind of fraud. I lost about €4,000.
Mark: That’s terrible!
Sue: Travelling solo, I felt terribly vulnerable there — all
the time. There was such poverty. People were always
hassling me for money. There were beggars
on every corner. And the cockroaches — the size
of rats! And rats the size of cats.
Mark: That must have been a culture shock.
Sue: It was, but the worst moment was when I made a
huge cultural gaffe. A young child came up to me,
asking for money, and I touched his head. His
mother flipped out. I had no idea what she was saying
to me — just that it was bad. Everyone was
staring at me. It turns out they believe that the
head is a sacred place. It’s where their spirit is.
Mark: Even I know that and I’ve never been there. You’re
lucky nothing worse happened.
Sue: I know! Normally, I would read up on the local customs
before going on holiday, but I was so snowed
under at work that I didn’t have time. That was a
big mistake.
beggar
cockroach [(kQkrEUtS]
dodgy UK ifml.
far-flung
flip out ifml.
fraud [frO:d]
gaffe [gÄf]
hassle sb. for sth.
[(hÄs&l fO:]
hassle-free [(hÄs&l fri:]
local customs
memorable
[(memErEb&l]
pickpocketed: be ~
poverty [(pQvEti]
read up on sth.
Bettler(in)
Kakerlake
zwielichtig
entlegen
ausrasten
Betrug
Ausrutscher
ständig etw. von
jmdm. wollen
stressfrei
ortsübliche Sitten
unvergesslich
(von Taschendieben)
bestohlen
werden
Armut
sich über etw.
informieren
recharge one’s batteries auftanken
rip sb. off ifml.
sacred [(seIkrId]
snatch sth. ifml.
snowed under:
be ~ at work
solo [(sEUlEU]
spirit
stare at sb.
turn out
vulnerable
[(vVlnErEb&l]
jmdn. abzocken
heilig
etw. entreißen
in der Arbeit
ersticken
allein
Geist, Seele
jmdn. anstarren
sich herausstellen
verletzlich,
schutzlos
iStockphoto
16 SKILL UP!
Cockroaches the
size of rats?

Mauritius/Alamy
appropriately
dress code
ground floor
hang sth.
itinerary [aI(tIn&rEri]
lift UK
observe sth.
on one’s guard: be ~
open-minded
Can you be positive?
prolonged [prEU(lQNd]
self-defence course
stairwell
sum of money
valuables [(vÄljUb&lz]
We hope you will have something positive to say
about your holidays. Here are a few examples of a
positive experience:
The hotel exceeded our expectations.
The resort lived up to the reviews.
It was a top-notch hotel.
The staff went out of their way to help us.
We felt welcome from the very first
minute.
Everyone was so accommodating.
I’m open-minded,
but on my guard
angemessen
Kleiderordnung
Erdgeschoss
etw. (auf)hängen
Reiseplan, -route
Aufzug
etw. beachten
auf der Hut sein
offen
längere(r,s)
Selbstverteidigungskurs
Treppenhaus
Geldbetrag
Wertsachen
accommodating: be ~
exceed one’s expectations
feel welcome
Safe accommodation
l Request a room near the lift or stairwell.
l Don’t accept a room on the ground floor.
l If someone knocks on your door, don’t open it
until you have identified the visitor.
l If you have any concerns about your room, ask
to be moved.
SKILL UP!
If you want to remember new expressions,
you need to work with the words.
Business Spotlight plus features exercises
on the topic of holidays. Go to
www.business-spotlight.de/plus
zuvorkommend sein
jmds. Erwartungen übertreffen
sich wohlfühlen
go out of one’s way to do sth. keine Mühen scheuen, etw. zu tun
live up to sth.
top-notch [)tQp (nQtS] ifml.
Safety tips
l Leave an itinerary of your trip with friends or
relatives and stay in contact.
l Don’t pack unnecessary valuables.
l Don’t read maps and guides in the street.
l In restaurants, do not hang your bag on the
back of a chair.
l Don’t carry large sums of money with you.
l Take a self-defence course before you leave.
l Dress appropriately — observe the local
dress codes.
l Avoid prolonged eye contact.
einer Sache gerecht werden
erstklassig
Lone travellers
l Learn how to say “no, thank you” in the local
language.
l Save the local police number in your phone.
l Be open-minded, but also on your guard.
ISSUE 21
SKILL UP! 17

YOUR PROFILE
TIME FOR A BREAK
Personalize this guide by adding your own example sentences — which should reflect
words and expressions you need in order to talk about your circumstances.
GETTING TIME OFF
Describe your company policy on holidays. How many days’ holiday are you entitled to, for example? What
happens if someone needs compassionate leave? Use expressions from our In Focus section (pp. 10–11).
Where would you like to spend your ideal holiday? Write down a short description using vocabulary from
at least two sections of this guide.
Use the idiomatic expressions in Essential Idioms (pp. 12–13) to describe your holiday plans.
SMALL TALK: CULTURE SHOCK
Describe a cultural experience you had abroad. Use expressions from our Small Talk section (pp. 16–17).
18 SKILL UP! ISSUE 21

In the next issue
PREVIEW
Digital Vision
IMPRESSUM
HERAUSGEBER UND VERLAGSLEITER:
Dr. Wolfgang Stock
CHEFREDAKTEUR: Dr. Ian McMaster
STELLVERTRETENDE CHEFREDAKTEURIN:
Deborah Capras
GESCHÄFTSFÜHRENDE REDAKTEURIN (CvD):
Maja Sirola
AUTORIN: Deborah Capras
REDAKTION: Margaret Davis, Hildegard Rudolph,
Elisabeth Schneider-Eicke, Michele Tilgner
BILDREDAKTION: Sarah Gough (Leitung),
Thorsten Mansch
GESTALTUNG: loop grafikdesign München
REDAKTIONSASSISTENZ: Michelle Carstens
PRODUKTIONSLEITUNG: Ingrid Sturm
VERTRIEBSLEITUNG: Monika Wohlgemuth
MARKETINGLEITUNG: Holger Hofmann
ANZEIGENLEITUNG: Axel Zettler
VERLAG und REDAKTION:
Spotlight Verlag GmbH
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© 4/2013 Spotlight Verlag, auch für alle
genannten Autoren, Fotografen und Mitarbeiter.
EMOTIONS
“It’s not personal — it’s just business.” So why
do we get emotional at work? Some emotions
are positive, while others could ruin a career.
In our next Skill Up!, we look at them all.
PICTURE THIS: it’s emotional business
FALSE FRIENDS: sensible, irritated
CLOSE RELATIONS: the “heart” at work
also:
SMALL TALK
Close to tears?
BananaStock
Cover photograph: Creatas
ISSUE 21
Should you
show your
emotions?

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