III. Read and translate the text

It has been said that when two American or European businesspeople meet, they are there to do a deal, but in Asia they are there to establish a relationship. Entertaining in Asia is often used to 'size up' a potential business partner - partner in the sense of future supplier or joint venture associate. Asians will want to know more about their guest, their background and their contacts before going ahead and doing business. This is an essential part of the business process, not just polite etiquette.

Relationship building takes different forms in different places - invitations to karaoke evenings in Japan or the yacht on the French Riviera are not to be refused. The demand for corporate hospitality in the UK has been criticised for making events such as grand prix racing or Wimbledon more expensive for ordinary people. But corporate sponsorship of sport and culture brings in large amounts of money, and many such events benefit from this overall.

Entertaining in the form of invitations to your host's home exists in some cultures but not others, where work and private life are kept entirely separate.

Cultural awareness of norms in these and other areas can lead to better communication and avoidance of misunderstandings. Companies are spending more time and money these days on cross-cultural training, often but not always in tandem with language training, in order to facilitate better social interaction.

Socialising in another language is not easy. There is more focus than in business discussions on the language itself. Learners, rightly, demand formulaic expressions for particular situations. This is often called small talk. But to refer to it as 'small' undervalues its importance. Language learners see it as a minefield of potential problems and, inevitably, gaffes. People have their favourite stories about such mistakes, perhaps ones they made themselves.

IV. Answer the following questions about the text

1. What is the difference between doing a deal and establishing a relationship?

2. What events do benefit from corporate sponsorship?

3. Why are companies spending time and money these days on cross-cultural training?

4. Why is socializing in another language not easy?

V. The phrases below all include the word corporate. Match them to their correct meanings

1. The way in which a company uses similar designs and colours on all its products, advertisements, letters etc. so that people will become familiar with the company.

2. When companies entertain clients, take them on trips etc. in order to get business.

3. Investment by business rather than by the government.

4. A company’s aims in general, and the way it hopes to achieve them.

5. The attitudes or beliefs that are shared in a particular organization or company.

6. When a company plans what it will do in the future. This involves deciding which products it should be making, which markets it should be in, and how profits can be increased.