Business II

1. Here are some important words for talking about business agreements.
to put in/submit a tender: to supply a written offer to do a job for an agreed price.
to win a tender: to be given a job, after submitting a tender
to meet/miss a deadline: to supply/fail to supply something by the agreed time.
a penalty clause: part of a contract specifying what will happen if an agreement is broken.
an outstanding account: an account that has not yet been paid.
to default on a payment: to fail to pay something that had been agreed.
to acknowledge receipt: to inform the sender when something is received.
to ship an order: to send out goods that have been ordered - nothing to do with boats; what is sent is the shipment.
to expire: to end - of S.T that was agreed for a fixed period; the noun is expiry.

2. Reading humorous books about work can be a fun way of lerning new words on the topic.
Some rules of management (from a Handbook for Manager)
_ The problem is not lack of resources, it's a lack of meetings.
_ If you're talking, you're communicating (1).
_ Low morale (2) is caused by character flaws (3) in your employees.
_ If 10 people can complete a project in 10 days, then 1 person can complete the project in 1 day.
_ Teamwork (4) is when other people do your work for you.

(1) this verb suggests that listeners understand what the speaker is trying to convey (v- chuyển, truyền đạt).
(2) amount of confidence felt by a person or group.
(3) weaknesses
(4) working together for a common purpose.

3. Here are somethings that people have said about business:
_ We demand that big business give the people a square deal; in return we must insist that when any one engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right, he shall himself be given a square deal. (Theodore Roosevelt)
_ It is difficult but not impossible to conduct strictly honest business. What is true is that honesty is incompatible with the amassing of a large fortune. (Mahatma Gandhi)
_ The growth of a large business is merely the survival of the fittest [...] The American Beauty rose can be produced in the splendour and fragrance which bring cheer to its beholder only by sacrificing the early buds which grow up around it. (John D. Rockefeller)
_ The salary of the chief executive of the large corporation is not a market award for achivement. It is frequently in the nature of a warm personal gesture by the individual to himself. (J.K. Galbraith)
_ Accountants are the witch-doctors of the modern world and willing to turn their hands to any kind of magic. (Lord Justice Harman)
_ British mangement doesn't seem to understand the importance of the human factor. (Charles, Price of Wales).

_ Do you have many outstanding accounts (accounts which have yet to be paid)
_ When does your contract expire? (Until what date is your contract valid?)
_ Please acknowledge receipt of our payment. (Please let us know when you receive our payment)
_ It is very important that you meet the deadline. (It is very important that you complete your work by the agreed time.)
_ We would like to invite companies to submit tenders for the job. (We would like to invite companies to send us proposals as to know they would do the job and what they would charge for it)
_ It is company policy to take legal action against customers who default on payment. (againt customers who fail to pay their accounts)

_ Joana is working on a very interesting project at the moment.
_ Unfortunately, there's a flaw (n- thiếu sót, sai lầm) in your reasoning (lý lẽ của bạn)
_ What used to be called Personel is now called Human Resources
_ The new manager is doing his best to raise morale (n- tinh thần, nhuệ khí) in the office.
_ Sadly our new product has met with a total lack of consumer interest.
_ We are extremely sorry to lose Matt as an employee.

_ Top businessmen often award themselves bonuses regardless of their performance.
_ It is impossible to be both rich and honest (chân thành).
_ Manager don't pay enough attention to the people who work for them.
_ Large businesses succeed by destroying small businesses.
_ Companies must treat customers fairly; then government will treat companies fairly too.

_ Jack is now the chief executive of a large company.
_ He managed to amass (v- tích lũy, cóp nhặt) a fortune by designing some computer software sold all over the world.
_ He's a talented man, prepared to turn his hand to any job that needs doing.
_ He is good to his employees, always them a square deal because he knows how important the human factor is if you want to conduct business successfully.
_ Last year he won an award for achivement (n- thành tích). In a remarkable personal gesture (n- điệu bộ, cử chỉ), he gave his prize money away to his employees.