Unit 1, exercise 18a Doing business in the USA Businesspeople in the USA are generally less formal than in many other countries. There are few hard and fast rules; the way in which you deal with American business colleagues will depend on the individual. Greeting and addressing people The most common greeting is a handshake. Handshakes are firm, brief and confident. It is usual to maintain eye contact during the greeting. In most situations, you can call people by their first names, in fact most people will insist that you call them by their nickname if they have one. In formal circumstances like conferences, you may want to use titles and surnames as a courtesy until you are invited to move to a first-name basis, which will happen quickly. Business cards Business cards are exchanged without formal ritual. It is quite common for the recipient to put your card in their wallet, which may then go in the back pocket of their trousers. This is not an insult. Dress code What is considered appropriate business attire varies according to geographic region, day of the week and industry. In general, people on the East Coast dress more formally, while people in the West are known for being informal and often turn up for business meetings in jeans. Executives usually dress formally regardless of which part of the country they are in. ‘Casual Friday’, when employees tend to come to work in T-shirts and chinos, is common in many companies. People working in high-tech companies usually wear casual clothes every day. For an initial meeting, dressing conservatively is always the safest thing to do. Women can wear business suits or dresses. Men should wear a business suit and tie unless the company culture of the firm they deal with is known to be quite casual. Business entertaining Business entertaining is as varied as the country. It can take the form of cocktail parties, golf games, barbecues, formal or casual dinners. Spouses may be included in business dinners. Socialising usually occurs only after business is concluded. Business entertaining is not done to develop a personal relationship. Inviting business associates out for a meal is viewed as a nice gesture. Business breakfasts are common and so are business lunches, which may last for two hours. Business is usually not discussed until everyone has ordered their meal. Do not take a sip of your drink until the host makes the first toast. If the host offers a toast to you, be sure to reciprocate later in the meal. The person extending the invitation usually pays. If you are hosting the meal, make payment arrangements beforehand in order to avoid haggling over the check. Student C Unit 2, exercise 17 Student B You work for an environmental NGO. You think developments in food production have mainly had a negative effect on the environment and on people’s diet. Prepare some ideas to support your point of view. Think about: ■■ the transport of food ■■ multinationals ■■ GM foods ■■ pesticides and artificial fertilisers ■■ intensive farming ■■ developing new crops and types of food ■■ hygiene ■■ processed and packaged food Talk about your ideas with Student A. Agree on three measures which could improve the lives of farmers in developing countries. 212 A Activities Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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