Text XX. Cultural Sensitivity in Business

Appendix I

Business Communication Glossary

absent

not present

accomplish

succeed in doing

address

deal with; speak on

adjourn

close a meeting

advertising

show your products to customers through radio, television or newspapers

afford

able to buy, have enough money to buy

agenda

list of objectives to cover in a meeting

AGM

Annual (yearly) General Meeting

allocate

assign roles/tasks to certain people

alternatives

other options

amplify

expand; give more information

AOB

Any Other Business (unspecified item on agenda)

apologies

item on agenda announcing people who are absent; apologies for absence

arbitration

conflict that is addressed by using a neutral third party We're better to settle this between us, because a formal arbitration will cost both of us money.

arbitration

when a neutral person or group comes in to settle a disagreement

attachment

extra document or image that is added to an email

ballot

a type of vote, usually in writing and usually secret

bargain

try to change a person's mind by using various tactics

block format

most common business letter format, single spaced, all paragraphs begin at the left margin

board of directors

group of elected members of an organization/company who meet to make decisions

boardroom

a large meeting room, often has one long table and many chairs

body

the content of the letter; between the salutation and signature

booming

business is growing very fast

borrow

getting money from someone else, or from a bank, which we must pay back later

bottom-line

the lowest one is willing to go

brainstorm

thinking to gather ideas

brand

the name of a well-known product (McDonald's, Coca Cola, Volkswagen, etc.)

break even

when our spending equals the amount we receive from sales

bribe

secretly paying money to get special favors from a company or government official

budget

a detailed plan for spending money

bullets

small dark dots used to set off items in an unnumbered list

calculate

to count, add, subtract, multiply, divide numbers

cancel

to decide NOT to buy something that you had agreed to before

capital

money

casting vote

deciding vote (usually by the chairman) when the votes are otherwise equal

CEO

the top officer in a company, the chief executive officer

certified mail

important letters that sender pays extra postage for in order to receive a notice of receipt

CFO

the top financial officer in a company

chairperson/chair

the person who leads or presides at a meeting

charge for

ask money for payment

clarification/verification

explanation/proof that something is true/understood

closing remarks

last thoughts spoken in a meeting

coherent

logical; easy to understand

collaborate

work together as a pair/group

collective

together

commence

begin

comment

express one's opinions or thoughts

commission

a percentage of each sale that goes directly to the salesperson

compensate

make up for a loss

competition

other companies that make the same product as yours

comply

agree

compromise

changing one's mind/terms slightly in order to find a resolution

concession

accepting less on one specific point in order to get something from the other person on a different point

concise

gets to the point quickly

conference

formal meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one held by an organisation

conference call

telephone meeting between three or more people in different locations

confidential

private; not to be shared

conflict resolution

general term for negotiations. It is impossible to engage in conflict resolution when one of the parties refuses to listen.

confront

present an issue to someone directly

consensus

general agreement

consumption

the total amount of product bought in a market

cooperation

the working together

cordially

politely

counter proposal

the offer/request which is presented second in response to the first proposal

counterattack

present other side of an issue

counterpart

person on the other side of the negotiations

credit

when you buy first, but pay later

currency

the money of one country

deadline

due date for completion

deadlock

point where neither party will give in

demands

needs/expectations that one side believes it deserves

designate

assign

diplomacy, diplomatic

demonstrating consideration and kindness

direct mail, junk mail

marketing letters addressed to a large audience

discount

a lower price

dispute

argument/conflict

distribution

getting the product to the final consumer, or customer

diversify

start many new businesses instead of doing just one

dominate

have the most control/stronger presence

double space

format where one blank line is left between lines of text

economics

the study of finance and money

employee

a worker

employer

the person who finds and pays workers

enclosure

extra document or image included with a letter

entitled

be deserving of

equivalent

a proprosed agreement that is different from, but equal in value to, a previous proposal

estimate

a guess about how much something will cost

extend

to give more, especially a loan of money

facilitation

a process where people, called facilitators, try to make it easier for two people to reach an agreement

finance

the study of money and how to use money well

flexible

open/willing to change

formal

uses set formatting and business language, opposite of casual

formality

a procedure (often unnecessary) that has to be followed due to a rule

format

the set up or organization of a document

fund

to provide money in general

good faith

being honest about your intentions

grievance

complaint

gross

amount of money received from sales

guest speaker

person who joins the group in order to share information or deliver a speech

haggling

arguing back and forth (often about prices)

heading

a word or phrase that indicates what the text below will be about

high-ball

make a request that is much higher than you expect to receive

hostility

long-term anger towards another

impasse

when two sides hold different positions that they are unwilling to change

implement

make something happen; follow through

import

to bring goods into a country

impulse

quick decision without thought or time

incentive

a special price to get customers to buy

income tax

money paid to the government, based on total money received

indecisive

has difficulty choosing/making a decision

indent

extra spaces (usually 5) at the beginning of a paragraph

inflation

rising prices

informal

сasual

inside address

recipient's mailing information

install

to put in and prepare for use, as with a machine

interest

extra money needed to pay back borrowed money

intermediary

a person who communicates between the two sides of a negotiation

inventory

unsold items that you keep so that you can sell them in the future

invest

spending money so that we can make more in the future

invoice

a paper which explains what was sold and at what prices

issue

a topic that needs to be discussed in a negotiation

justified margins

straight and even text, always begins at the same place

leadership

the skill of managing people

lend

giving money to someone else, which they will pay back to us later

letterhead

specialized paper with a (company) logo or name printed at the top

leverage

something that gives one party a greater chance at succeeding over another

logo

symbol or image that identifies a specific organization

log-rolling

trading one favour for another

loss

when we spend more money than we receive from selling our product

low-ball

offer something much lower than you think the opponent will ask for

lucrative

the possibility of making a great amount of money

maintain

keep a machine in good condition

management

the study of how to run a business and lead people

mandatory

required

margin

a blank space that borders the edge of the text

mediation

when a neutral person or group comes in to identify the issues, explore options and clarify goals

memo

a paper with a message, sent to other people in the same company

memorandum (memo)

document sent within a company (internal), presented in short form

minutes

a written record of everything said at a meeting

mislead

convince by altering or not telling the whole truth about something

modified block format

left justified as block format, but date and closing are centered

monopoly

when only one company controls a whole market

motion

a suggestion put to a vote

mutual

agreed by both or all

negotiate

try to get a better price or make a better arrangement

net

the amount of money received from sales, after expenses are subtracted

objective

goal for the outcome

objectives

goals to accomplish

offer

one or more options that is sent by one negotiator to the other

on arrival notation

notice to recipient that appears on an envelope (e.g. "confidential")

opening remarks

chairperson or leader's first words at a meeting (i.e. welcome, introductions)

overhead projector

machine with a special light that projects a document onto a screen or wall so that all can see

participant

person who attends and joins in on an event

party

either side in a negotiation is called a party, whether one individual or a whole group

point of view

person's ideas/ thoughts

postage

the cost of sending a letter through the Post Office

pressure

work hard to convince another of an idea

principal

the main part of a loan, before interest is added

process

get something ready

profit

the money left over after all expenses are paid

proofread

read through a finished document to check for mistakes

proposal

any suggestion or idea given to one party from the other

proxy vote

a vote cast by one person for or in place of another

punctual

on time (not late)

punctuation

marks used within or after sentences and phrases (e.g. periods, commas)

quarter

three months of the year, the usual time for planning and reporting financial reports

reader-friendly

easy to read

receptive

open to/interested in an idea

recipient

the person who receives the letter

recommend

suggest

recruit

search for and choose workers

refund

giving money back to the customer if there is a problem with the item you sell

resentment

anger held onto from a previous conflict

resign

quit a job suddenly

resistance

a display of opposition

resolve

end conflict, come to an agreement

retail

selling to the final customer

retire

finish work after a long career (at age 65 in the U.S., 60 in Japan, 55 in China...)

right ragged

format in which text on the right side of the document ends at slightly different points (not justified)

salary

a monthly or yearly pay to managers of important workers

sales tax

money paid to the government, based on sales made

salutation

greeting in a letter (e.g. "Dear Mr Jones")

saturated

too many companies producing the same product

semi-block format

paragraphs are indented, not left-justified

sensitive information

content in a letter that may cause the receiver to feel upset

show of hands

raised hands to express an opinion in a vote

sincerely

term used before a name when formally closing a letter

single spaced

format where no blanks lines are left in-between lines of text

sluggish

when business is slow (opposite of "booming")

spacing

blank area between words or lines of text

strategy

plan to make something work

supply

the total amount of a product available in a market

tactics

strategies used to get one's goals met

target

the amount that you plan to sell in a month (also "quota")

tariff

a tax on imports from another country

tension

feeling of stress/anxiety caused by heavy conflict

tentative solution

an agreement that depends on some conditions, so that it might not be a final agreement

terms

the details of an agreement or contract

tone

the feeling of the language (e.g. serious, enthusiastic)

trade-off

an exchange process in which one side gives up partly on some issues in order to gain on other issues

transitions

words or phrases used to make a letter flow naturally (e.g. "furthermore", "on the other hand")

trend

movement in one direction, especially about product becoming more and more popular

ultimatum

a final term that has serious consequences

unanimous

in complete agreement; united in opinion

unit cost

the average amount needed to produce a product

unrealistic

very unlikely to happen

victory

a win

warranty

a promise that the things you sell will be of good quality

wholesale

selling to a salesman who will then sell to the final customer

wrap up

finish

yield

to give in to another's requests

Appendix II

Business English Vocabulary

1. 800 pound gorilla

- the biggest, most powerful group or company

Example: "If we follow our plan to make this new software, we're going to have a lot of competition, including from the 800 pound gorilla, Microsoft."

2. (a rising tide that) lifts all boats

- something that helps all people or all groups

Example: "We're only number three, but the current economic growth will lift all boats, so we're sure to make a profit this year."

3. an old hand

- a person who has long experience, especially in one place

Example: "He can help us set up a company in Beijing. He's been working in China for many years and speaks Chinese fluently. He's an old China hand."

4. at the 11th hour

- very late, at the very last minute

5. on a shoestring

- with limited money

Example: "They started their company on a shoestring and built it up to one of the largest companies in the world!"

6. bring to the table

- whatever you can possibly offer

Example: "I will meet with Teacher Joe's new company to show him what we can bring to the table."

7. carve out a niche

- find a special market that you can control

Example: "To succeed in this competitive world, you have to focus on part of it. Try to carve out a niche and be number one in that are."

8. deep pockets

- have a lot of money

Example: "If there is a price war, we won't win because we don't have deep enough pockets."

9. down time

- when equipment of facilities are not available, so you cannot work

Example: "There will probably be a lot of down time at the conference, so I'm bringing a lot of paperwork."

10. (draw) a line in the sand

- make final conditions that cannot be changed

Example: "We have to draw a line in the sand so they will see that this is really our final offer."

11. free ride

- get benefit at no cost

Example: "Of course we should make them pay for our travel expenses. Why should we give them a free ride?"

12. from day one

- from the beginning

Example: "Teacher Joe has been providing the best English-learning web site from day one!"

13. get your foot in the door

- have a small opportunity that can become a big opportunity in the future, if you do good work Example: "Right now, I just want to get my foot in the door, so they can see what I can do. Next year I hope to start moving up in the company."

14. I need it yesterday

- an informal way to say it is needed immediately

Example: "Can I send that report to you later this afternoon?"

"No! I need that report yesterday!"

15. a two-way street

- both people or both groups can contribute or benefit from the situation

Example: "We want to help you, but we need your help too. It should be a two-way street."

16. it will never fly

- it won't be successful

Example: "We don't have to worry about their idea competing with ours. It will never fly."

17. it's a jungle out there

- it's a difficult market with many, tough competitors

Example: "Do you think a new company can service without a unique product? It's a real jungle out there!"

18. jump through hoops

- trying very hard (like a dog doing tricks!)

Example: "He's a tough boss. All of his subordinates have to jump through hoops to prove their loyalty to the company."

19. put your cards on the table

- be completely honest

Example: "I think it's time to put all of our cards on the table. Here's what we need..."

20. learning curve

- how much time needed to learn something new

Example: "This new software has a long learning curve, so we have to give our staff enough time to learn how to use it well."

21. level playing field

- equal conditions for all people or groups

Example: "The WTO agreement helps to level the playing field, which gives us the chance to compete anywhere in the world."

22. the lion's share

- the largest part

Example: "If we want the lion's share of the profit, we'll have to do the lion's share of the work."

23. number crunching

- analyze numbers

Example: "I'll go back to my office and do some number crunching, then tell you the results tomorrow."

24. pipe dream

- something that is unrealistic

Example: "Do you think we can really live on the moon some day, or is it just a pipe dream?"

25. play hardball

- deal in a tough way

Example: "If he tries to block this deal in any way, we'll just have to start playing hardball."

26. power lunch

- big business dealing while eating lunch

Example: "The top executives met with their bankers at the best restaurant in town. It was a real power lunch!"

27. push the envelope

- move beyond current limits

Example: "Teacher Joe is always pushing the envelope by giving us new activities such as dictations, jokes and interesting discussion topics."

28. put on the map

- make well-known

Example: "They've had some good products in the past, but nothing special. This new device is so good that it finally puts them on the map."

29. savvy

- smart and knowledgeable

Example: "He's a savvy investor so there is a high probability this project will be successful."

30. sea change

- a large change

Example: "Globalization has brought about a sea change. Those who don't change will end up sinking!"

31. flying by the seat of your pants

- intuitively (flying an airplane with no instruments)

Example: "Who knows if they will succeed or not? Without a clear business plan, they are just flying by the seat of their pants."

32. shotgun approach

- strike widely rather than focusing

Example: "Taking a shotgun approach is a big risk. We may not hit any target at all. If we can identify one good target, we can develop a more precise marketing plan."

33. step up to the plate

- take responsibility

Example: "We've done all that we can to prepare. Now it's time to step up to the plate and do it!"

34. talk until you are blue in the face

- try to persuade someone with no results

Example: "You can talk until you are blue in the face, but I will never believe that Teacher Joe is the funniest English teacher in the world."

35. the bottom line

- the final result

Example: "Although we worked hard on this deal, the bottom line is we didn't make the sale, so it was a complete failure."

36. the name of the game is...

- the basic purpose

Example: "The name of the game is service. If we focus on that, the customers will always come back."

37. take a haircut

- take a loss

Example: "We really took a haircut on that one! We're going to have to negotiate a better deal next time."

38. tweak something

- make a slight adjustment

Example: "By tweaking the economy, the government hopes to avoid a recession."

39. unwind a deal

- take apart or undo something

Example: "We have to unwind this deal, then we can start over again."

40. a zero sum game

- a situation where someone wins so someone else must lose

Example: "I don't think this is a zero-sum game. If the customer wins, we win too."