BEC中级真题第三辑阅理解读.docx

BEC中级真题第三辑阅理解读.docx

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BEC中级真题第三辑阅理解读

1ItwouldbeadvisableforFlackstoconsultcustomersbeforedevelopinganewproduct.

2ProducinggoodsforspecialistmarketsmightincreaseFlacks'profits.

3Flacksmayneedtochangethefunctionofoneofitsfacilities.

4Flacksshouldutiliseitscurrentexpertisetoenteradifferentmarket.

5Flacksmayneedtoconsiderclosingitscurrentproductionfacility.

6Flacksshoulddeveloptheconnectionsithasestablishedwithleadingretailers.

7Expandingtheproductrangewouldnotbeaproblemfortheworkforce.

FlacksisaUK-basedcompanythatproducesfashionaccessoriesforwomen.Howcanitcontinue

togrowitsbusiness?

ASusanFalmer

Facedwithashrinkingmarket,cheapimportsandcompetitivepricing,Flackswillhavetowork

hardtoincreaseitsmargins.Theyneedtomoveintoamorepromisingmarket,onewheredemand

isgrowingandwherethecompanycanexploitexistingskillsandcontacts.Theycouldthinkabout

brandextension-thiswouldnotbeagiantleapandthesalesforcewouldtakeitinitsstride.Also,

theywouldn'tneedtore-equiptheirfactoryandcouldusenon-UKsourcingiffacilitiesherearein

shortsupply.

BMesutGuzel

Theyhavethefundamentalsofasurvivalstrategyinamarketwhereoutsourcedmanufactureand

branddifferentiationholdthekeytosuccess.Ithinktheyshouldinitiallylocatesomeoftheir

productioninanothercountry,wheremanufacturingqualitytendstobebetteranditiseasierto

meetchangingcustomerdemands.ButtheyshouldalsoregularlymonitorproductioninBritain

andthinkaboutoutsourcingallthisworkabroadatsomepointiftheyneeditdonefaster.The

companyshouldcontinuetoworkoninnovativeproducts,andthoroughmarketresearchwillhelp

toensureanynewideasarewellreceived.

CGaryWilmot

Inordertobeattheirrivalsinahighlycompetitivemarket,Flacksshouldensuretheirproductsare

attractiveandbuildontheirrelationshipswiththebigstoresratherthantryingtogoitaloneand

marketdirectly.TheyshouldalsoconsiderrefocusingproductionbyusingtheirUKfactoryfor

high-specificationproducts.Theycouldeventuallybuildmoreproductionoverseasinacycleof

continuousdevelopment.

DMichalKaminski

Thedemandforfashionaccessoriesisrelativelyflatandthecompanyshouldconsiderexploiting

nichemarketstoimproveitsmargins.Butevenwithinthese,Flacksmustdistinguishitsgoods

fromthoseofitsrivalsintermsofquality,performanceanddesign.Innovativesales,marketing

andPRarevitaltoexploitthesenicheproducts.OnecompetitiveadvantagethatFlacksdoeshave

isproductiontimes.Manyretailchainsnowhavetwo-tiersupplychainsandFlackscouldfocuson

top-uporders.Theymightalsoinvestigateothersaleschannelssuchasmailorder.

Evaluatingtheperformanceoftheboard

Fewemployeesescapetheannualortwice-yearlyperformancereview.（0）.....G......Theansweris

notagreatnumber.Andthesmallerthecompany,thefewerchecksthereareonhowwellthe

directorsaredoing.Someofthelargestcompaniesformallyassesstheperformanceoftheirboard,

butveryfewneworgrowingcompanieshavemanagedtogetroundtoestablishinganysuch

procedure.

Manybusinessexpertsbelieve,however,thatitisimportantforallcompaniestoreviewthe

performanceoftheboard.（8）.............Anotherreasonisthattheboarditselfneedsinformationon

howwellitisdoing,justasmuchasotheremployeesdo.Forthechiefexecutive,appraisalof

somesortisabsolutelyessentialforhisorherownsakeandforthegoodofthecompany.Indeed,

manyofthosewhohavereachedthislevelremarkonhowlonelythejobofchiefexecutiveisand

howfewopportunitiestheygettodiscussissuesrelatingtoit.

Thereissomeevidencetoshowthatoncesmallercompaniesputaboardappraisalprocessin

place,theyfindthisprocessrelativelyeasytooperate.（9）.............Theircounterpartsinlarger

organisations,however,areoftenafraidthatappraisalscouldbeachallengetotheirstatus.

So,howshouldcompaniesassesstheirboard?

（10）.............Ataverybasiclevel,thiscouldsimply

meangettingallthedirectorstowritedownwhattheyhaveachievedandhowtheycanimprove

onit.Attheotherendofthescaleisthefull'360-degree'appraisal.Here,eachdirectoris

appraisedinasystematicmannerbyacombinationofthechairmanandfellowdirectors.

Inthelargestcompaniestherearemanymethodsforassessingtheboard.Anumberofsuch

companieshaveself-assessmentschemes.Thechairmanmaymeeteachboardmember

individuallytoaskhowthingsaregoing,inafairlyinformalway.Thewholeboardmightalso

meettotalkaboutitsprogressinopensession.（11）.............Thesemightaskforpeople'sopinions

ontheboard'smaintasksoronhowwellthecommitteesareworking.

Researchindicatestherehasbeensomeimprovementinthewaytheappraisalofboardmembers

isconducted.（12）.............Thechairmanwillhavebeeninvolveddirectlyorindirectlyinthe

appraisalofallmembersoftheboard.Whosejobisit,then,toappraisethechairman?

AItisoftenthecasethatthedirectorsofsuchcompaniesareevenhappytoreceivecriticism,as

thiscanpreventthemfrommakingbasicmistakes.

BTherestoftheworkforceseesitasunfairifthedirectorsaretheonlymembersofthecompany

toescapeappraisal.

CTheseareencouragingastheyputalimitonthepowerofthechairmantoassessfellow

directors.

DAlternatively,questionnairesmightbedistributedtodirectors,formingthebasisforfuture

discussion.

EOneissueremains,however,whenalltheothershavebeendealtwith.

FItisgenerallyagreedthatitisthechairman'sresponsibilitytoensuretheregularappraisalof

eachmemberoftheboard.

GHowever,onewondershowmanycompanieshaveinplaceaformalappraisalprocessfortheir

boardofdirectors.

BRITISHCOMPANIESCROSSTHEATLANTIC

NextmonthalargegroupofBritishbusinesspeoplearegoingtoAmericaonaventurewhichmay

generateexportearningsfortheircompanies'shareholdersinyearstocome.Alonglistof

sponsorswillsupporttheinitiative,whichwillinvolvea￡3-millionmediacampaignanda

fortnightofeventsandexhibitions.TheultimategoalistopersuademoreAmericansthatBritish

companieshavesomethingtointerestthem.

Whiletherehavebeenplentyoftradeinitiativesinthepast,thedifferencethistimeroundisthat

considerablethinkingandplanninghavegoneintotryingtoworkoutjustwhatitisthat

AmericanslookforinBritishproducts.Insteadofexclusivelypromotingthemajorcorporations,

thistimethereismoreemphasisonsupportingthesmaller,moreunusual,nichebusinesses.

FreshinthememoriesofallthoseconcernedistheknowledgethatAmericahasbeentheendof

manyalargeandapparentlysuccessfulbusiness.ForCarringtons,aretailgroupmuchrespected

byEuropeancustomersandinvestors,Americaturnedouttobeacommercialdisasterandthe

beliefthattheycouldevenshowsomeofthegreatAmericanstoresaretailingtrickortwowas

hopelesslyover-optimistic.

PollyBrown,anotherveryBritishbrandthatrodehighforyearsongoodprofitsandhugecity

confidence,alsofoundthatconqueringAmerica,incommercialandretailingterms,wasnotas

easyasithadimagined.WhenitpositioneditselfintheUSasaniche,luxurybrand,sellingshirts

thatwerepricedat$40intheUKfor$125intheStates,thestrategyseemedtowork.Butonceits

managementdecideditshouldtakeonthemiddlemarket,thissuccessrapidlydrainedaway.It

wasadisastrousmistakeandthehighcostofthefailedAmericanexpansionplansplayedalarge

roleinitsdecliningfortunesinthemid-nineties.

SarahScott,managingdirectorofSmythson,theupmarketstationer,hashadtothinklongand

hardaboutwhatittakestosucceedinAmericaandshetakesitveryseriouslyindeed.'Many

BritishfirmsarequitepatronisingabouttheUS,'shesays.Theythinkthatwe'resomuchmore

sophisticatedthantheAmericans.Theyobviouslyhaven'tnoticedRalphLauren,anAmericanwho

hasbeenmuchmoreskilledattappingintoanidealisedEnglishnessthananyEnglishcompany.

Also,manycompaniesdon'tbothertostudythemarketproperlyandthinkthatbecause

something'ssuccessfulintheUK,it'sboundtobesuccessfuloverthere.Youhavetolookatwhat

youcanbringthemthattheyhaven'talreadygot.Onthewhole,Americancompaniesarebrilliant

atthemass,middlemarketandpeoplewho'vetriedtotakethemonatthislevelhavefounditvery

difficult.'

ThistimerounditisjustpossiblethatchangingtastesarerunninginBritain'sfavour.The

enthusiasmformassive,centralisedretailchainshasdecreased.Peoplewantthingswithsomesort

ofindividuality;theyarefedupwiththebanal,middle-of-the-roadtastethatAmericadoessowell.

Theyarenowlookingforthesmall,theprecious,the'realthing',andthisispreciselywhatmany

ofthecompaniesparticipatingintheinitiativedobest.

13ThemainreasonthattheBritishbusinesspeoplearegoingtoAmericaisto

AencourageAmericanconsumerstobuytheirproducts.

BanalysehowAmericancompaniesattractmediacoverage.

ClookforfinancialbackingfromAmericaninvestorsandbanks.

DinvestigatehowBritishandAmericancompaniescouldformpartnerships.

14Inthewriter'sopinion,theproposedventurewillbedifferenttopreviousonesbecause

AfewerBritishbusinessleaderswillbemakingthetrip.

Blesswell-knowncompanieswillbebetterrepresented.

Cthelargercompanie