skills for success after graduation

Ethics 151 Business Meeting Expressions Opening the Meeting Welcoming and Introducing Participants Good morning/afternoon, everyone. Please join me in welcoming (name of If we are all here, let’s get started. participant) Let’s start the meeting. We’re pleased to welcome (name of Let’s start. participant) It’s a pleasure to welcome (name of Stating the Principal Objectives of a participant) Meeting I’d like to introduce (name of participant) We’re here today to ... I don’t think you’ve met (name of participant) Our aim is to ... Giving Apologies for Someone Who is I’ve called this meeting in order to ... Absent By the end of this meeting, I’d like to have ... I’m afraid, (name of participant) can’t be with Reading the Minutes of the Last Meeting us today. She is in... First let’s go over the report from the last I have received apologies for the absence of meeting, which was held on (date). (name of participant), who is in (place). Here are the minutes from our last meeting, Dealing with Recent Developments which was on (date). Jack, can you tell us how the X project is progressing? Moving Forward Jack, how is the X project coming along? So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, John, have you completed the report on the let’s move on to today’s agenda. new accounting package? Shall we get down to business? Has everyone received a copy of the X? Is there any other business? Foundation report on current marketing If there are no further developments, I’d like trends? to move on to today’s topic. Introducing the Agenda Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) Have you all received a copy of the agenda? There are three items on the agenda. First, ... (name of participant) has agreed to take the Shall we take the points in this order? minutes. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go in order. (name of participant) has kindly agreed to If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip item 1 and give us a report on this matter. move on to item 2. (name of participant) will lead point 1, I suggest we take item 1 last. (name of participant) point 2, and (name of Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the participant) point 3. Meeting (contributions, timing, decision- (name of participant), would you mind taking making, etc.) notes today? We will hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion round the table. I suggest we go round the table first. The meeting is due to finish at... We’ll have to keep each item to ten minutes. Otherwise we’ll never get through. We may need to vote on item 5, if we can’t get a unanimous decision.

152 Unit 4 Introducing the First Item on the Agenda Closing an Item So, let’s start with ... I think that covers the first item. Shall we start with ... Shall we leave that item? So, the first item on the agenda is ... If nobody has anything else to add, shall we Pete, would you like to kick off ? move to the next item? Martin, would you like to introduce this item? Giving Control to the Next Participant Next Item I’d like to hand over to Mark, who is going to Let’s move onto the next item. lead the next point. The next item on the agenda is ... Right, Dorothy, over to you. Now we come to the question of ... Giving opinion Asking for opinion I’m inclined to think ... What are your feelings on ... I think ... What do you think of ... My opinion is ... What is your opinion of ... It’s my feeling that ... Could we hear your opinion of ... I’m absolutely sure that ... I tend to think that ... Agreeing Disagreeing I completely agree with you. I agree up to a point, but ... I agree. I don’t agree at all. Well, yes. I totally disagree with you. That’s right. I disagree. I couldn’t agree more. That’s completely wrong. That seems reasonable. Summarizing Finishing Up Before we close, let me just summarize the Right, it looks as though we’ve covered the main points. main items. To sum up, ... Is there Any Other Business? In brief, ... Shall I go over the main points? Thanking Participants for Attending Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting I’d like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for Can we fix the next meeting, please? coming over from London. So, the next meeting will be on... (day), the . . . Thank you all for attending. (date) of.. . (month) at... (time) Thanks for your participation. What about the following Wednesday? How is that? So, see you all then. Closing the Meeting The meeting is closed. I declare the meeting closed.

Ethics 153 A. Below is the opening of a sample meeting. Fill in the blanks with the suitable words from the list. wrap up item brainstorming attending commence move on postpone welcoming overran conference call agenda minutes get started Meeting Chairman: If we are all here, let’s (1) ________________. As you all know, this meeting was supposed to (2) _______________ at 10:30 a.m.; however, we had to (3) _____________ it till 11:30a.m. as the previous meeting with the branch managers (4) ______________ by 45 minutes. First of all, I’d like you to please join me in (5) ______________ Jack Peterson, our Southwest Area Sales Vice President. Jack Peterson: Thank you for having me, I’m looking forward to today’s meeting. Meeting Chairman: Well, I’m afraid our national sales director, Anne Trusting, won’t be (6)____________ the meeting today. She is in Kobe at the moment, developing our Far East sales force. However, she will inform us of the developments through a (7) _______________ on Friday’s meeting. We’re here today to discuss ways of improving sales in rural market areas. First, let’s go over the (8) _______________ of the last meeting which was held on June 24th. Right, Tom, over to you. Tom Robbins: Thank you Mark. Let me just summarize the main points of the last meeting. We began the meeting by approving the changes in our sales reporting system discussed on May 30th. After briefly revising the changes that will take place, we moved on to a (9) _________________ session concerning after sales customer support improvements. You’ll find a copy of the main ideas developed and discussed in these sessions in the photocopies in front of you. Meeting Chairman: Thank you, Tom. I’d like to (10) ________________ this meeting at around 12:30 so that we don’t skip our lunch break. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, let’s move on to today’s (11) _________________ . Have you all received a copy of it? If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip (12) ________________ 1 and (13) ______________ to the second one: Sales improvement in rural market areas. Jack has kindly agreed to give us a report on this matter. Jack?

154 Unit 4 B. Read the rest of this meeting and answer the questions. Jack Peterson: Before I begin the report, I’d like to get some ideas from you all. How do you feel about rural sales in your sales districts? I suggest we go round the table first to get all of your input. John Ruting: In my opinion, we have been focusing too much on rural customers and their needs. The way I see things, we need to return to our urban base by developing an advertising campaign to focus on their particular needs. Alice Linnes: I’m afraid I can’t agree with you. I think rural customers want to feel as important as our customers living in cities. I suggest we give our rural sales teams more help with advanced customer information reporting. Donald Peters: Excuse me, I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat that, please? Alice Linnes: I just stated that we need to give our rural sales teams better customer information reporting. John Ruting: I don’t quite follow you. What exactly do you mean? Alice Linnes: Well, we provide our city sales staff with database information on all of our larger clients. We should be providing the same sort of knowledge on our rural customers to our sales staff there. Jack Peterson: Would you like to add anything, Jennifer? Jennifer Miles: I must admit I never thought about rural sales that way before. I have to agree with Alice. Jack Peterson: Well, let me begin with this Power Point presentation ( Jack presents his report). Jack Peterson: As you can see, we are developing new methods to reach out to our rural customers. John Ruting: I suggest we break up into groups and discuss the ideas we’ve seen presented. ... Finishing the Meeting Meeting Chairman: Unfortunately, we’re running short of time. We’ll have to leave that to another time.

Ethics 155 Jack Peterson: Before we close, let me just summarize the main points: Rural customers need special help to feel more valued. Our sales teams need more accurate information on our customers. A survey will be completed to collect data on spending habits in these areas. The results of this survey will be delivered to our sales teams We are considering specific data mining procedures to help deepen our understanding. Meeting Chairman: Thank you very much Jack. Right, it looks as though we’ve covered the main items. Is there any other business? Donald Peters: Can we fix the next meeting, please? Meeting Chairman: Good idea Donald. How does Friday in two weeks time sound to everyone? Let’s meet at the same time, 9 o’clock. Is that OK for everyone? Excellent. I’d like to thank Jack for coming to our meeting today. The meeting is closed. 1. Find a phrase in the meeting where the participant a. states disagreement: __________________________________ b. asks for repetition: __________________________________ c. asks for clarification: __________________________________ 2. Put a tick next to each step that is covered in the closing of the meeting. Signaling the end Summarizing the main points Introducing a new point Deciding on the date and time of the next meeting Asking for further suggestions or questions Closing

156 Unit 4 ACTING OUT! HOLDING A MEETING Make groups of 4-6 and read the text below on the Anti-Bribery Convention. The text explains on which points the member countries have agreed to act together. Each group member will be the representative of one of the G20 countries. You are to attend a meeting where you will set standards and measures to wage war on corruption. Form your own list of standards and measures first and then suggest what you come up with during the meeting. Use discussion and meetings language. At the end of the meeting you are to come to an agreement with the other members on a joint plan of action. G 20 Member Countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union Countries, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United. The Anti-Bribery Convention The most recent meeting of the G20, in Seoul in November, marked a watershed in the global fight against corruption and brought renewed attention to the OECD’s work in combating bribery of foreign public officials. The G20 agreed to an Anti-Corruption Action Plan which sets down key areas in which G20 countries can lead by example and build a common approach to an effective global anti-corruption regime. These include adopting and enforcing laws and other measures against international bribery and beginning, by 2012, the process of engagement with the OECD Working Group on Bribery and ratification of the OECD Anti- Bribery Convention. Decisions like that have helped to provide fresh relevance for the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, which entered into force in 1999 and was the first global instrument to fight corruption in cross-border business deals. The convention makes bribing a foreign public official a punishable crime in all signatories. It applies to both individuals and companies, and covers offering or promising a bribe, as well as actually giving one. To date, the convention has been adopted by the 34 OECD countries, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria and South Africa. Together, these countries account for nearly 90% of global outward flows of foreign direct investment. There has also been increasing participation from China, India, Indonesia and Thailand, while Russia has officially asked to join the convention in 2009. The convention establishes an open-ended, peer-driven monitoring mechanism to ensure that the signatory countries meet their international obligations. The rigorous evaluation process, which Transparency International calls the “gold standard” of monitoring, is conducted by the OECD Working Group on Bribery. In 2010 a new phase of reviews got underway, with the publication of reports on the United States and Finland. Adapted from: (2011) The Anti Bribery Convention. OECD Yearbook 2011, 63

Ethics 157 BUSINESS ETHICS Listen to part of a lecture about ethical business principles and do the tasks that follow. 1. Complete the definition of Business Ethics by filling in the blanks using words/ phrases from the lecture. Business ethics relate to how (a) ______________________________in order to make a profit. Although the primary goal of the company may be to make money, it also recognizes that it has a (b) ______________________________ in which it operates. The term Corporate Social Responsibility is often used, and nowadays many companies have (c) ______________________________ designed to help create a prosperous, inclusive society. Retrieved 23.02.2012 from http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/professionals-podcasts/business-and- ethics. 2. Write down the details on the basic ethical considerations a company needs to address. a) How a company treats its employees b) How a company carries out its day to day business c) How a business cares for the environment d) How a company can contribute to the improvement of a society

158 Unit 4 SAFER CHEMICAL POLICIES A. Match the following words with their definitions. 1. Supply Chain a. A chemical used to kill pests, especially insects 2. Retail b. one that is entitled to credit or authority in green 3. Litigation business 4. Pesticide c. a channel of distribution beginning with the supplier 5. Green credentials of materials or components, extending through a 6. Shut out manufacturing process to the distributor and retailer, and ultimately to the consumer d. an action brought in court to enforce a particular right e. sell in small quantities directly to consumers f. exclude from B. Listen to an interview with Rich Liroff of BPA Company on safer chemical policies and answer the following questions. 1. Rich Liroff ’s, the executive director of the Investor Environmental Health Network, main responsibility has been working with companies to encourage them to _________________________ for what goes into their products and __________________ . 2. Write down two of the risks companies may come across if they insist on using toxic chemicals in their products. a) _____________________________________________________ b) _____________________________________________________ 3. Companies that follow emerging science see risks are emerging, they can ___________________________________________ to be first entrants as older products are regulating out of the marketplace and room is created for newer products. So for example, again in the plastics bottle space, those companies which saw the changes in the marketplace coming switched over to __________________________________ or provided increasing numbers of steel and aluminum bottles. 4. Conventional agriculture operates with _________________________ ______________________________________________________. 5. Reducing pesticide use not only benefits farm workers and local agricultural communities but also it helps _______________________ ______________________________________________________.

Ethics 159 6. What is the name of the method’ that S.C. Johnson and Son use? 7. When companies reduce toxic chemicals in their products, they derive the benefit of a) ____________________________________ b) ____________________________________ c) reducing the risk of being locked out of various markets as the science grows around various chemicals of concern. 8. What prevents companies from starting the safe product projects? Sharing Views 1. Do you know any company that gives importance to human health and environmental safety? 2. What ethical values would you consider if you

160 Unit 4 BUSINESS SKILL: TELEPHONING Making Complaint Calls Work on the following flowchart to carry out a telephone conversation where the caller makes a complaint. You can refer to the language box. CALLED PERSON CALLER A: Good afternoon. Maclie Inc. This is Stephanie. How may I help you? B: Greet. Introduce yourself. Request to speak with someone at the Customer Services A: Ask what it is about. Department. State you’ve got a complaint about one of A: Acknowledge. Ask her to hold on. Say you their products. will connect her. C: Identify your department. Introduce B: Thank him. yourself. Ask how you can help. B: State the problem with the shampoo you C: Ask the date and place of purchase. bought for your daughter (itching and rashes on her skin). C: Ask if the bottle was sealed at the time of B: State the date and place of purchase. purchase? C: Reject politely. Mention dermatological B. Confirm. State your concern about use of tests before launching products. Ask if toxic chemicals in the product. daughter has allergic reactions towards certain substances. B. Give a negative response. State you have used their products for long. Indicate C: Acknowledge. Say you will notify the your disappointment this time. Ask for an managing director and get back to her as explanation. soon as possible. Ask for full name, telephone number, and e-mail address. B. Accept. Give him the necessary information. C: Ask for spelling of name. B: Spell your name. C: Confirm information. Thank her for calling Maclie Inc. B: Emphasize quick response on resolution of the problem. C: Accept. End call. B: Thank him. End call.

Ethics 161 When making a complaint phone call • Give the reason for your call clearly • Describe the problem specifically (date, cost, size, style, any other) • Insist on resolution of the problem; ask for immediate action • Recommend action; offer optional solutions • Stay calm; avoid harsh language When you receive a complaint phone call • Use a positive and understanding tone • Ask direct questions to make sure you understand the problem correctly • Take immediate action rather than just showing empathy • Be firm but tactful if the complaint is an unacceptable one Use the EAR method when you receive a complaint call: E mpathize with the caller. A pologize and acknowledge the problem. Accept R esponsibility. (You’ll do something.) Handling a complaint well will gain you and/or your institution the following benefits: • A satisfied customer • Good word-of-mouth advertising for institution • Interpersonal skills being noticed by the manager EMAIL Write a formal e-mail to your superior in your workplace to report a case of workplace ethics violation. Explain what you have witnessed in detail and tell why you felt the need to write this e-mail. See the sample e-mails in the Appendix.

162 Unit 4 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE A written STATEMENT OF PURPOSE / PERSONAL STATEMENT is a standard requirement for graduate school admissions or company applications. It is a tool for the faculty on graduate school admissions committees or company recruitment officers to assess the knowledge, experience, motivation, intellectual maturity and readiness of applicants to pursue graduate education at their institution. It can determine whether an applicant is accepted or rejected, irrespective of their other qualifications. Below you will find the guidelines for writing good statements. Step 1: Do some research a. Browse through the websites of the schools/departments/programs of interest to you to obtain brochures and booklets and read through them carefully. Highlight the aspects of the programs that appeal to you. b. Read up on the research interests and projects of the faculty in the schools/departments/ programs. Read publications from a faculty of interest. c. Browse through recent articles from the research field of interest and try to get a general understanding of how the field developed and what are its current problems and challenges. Step 2: Reflect and brainstorm on paper a. Reflect on your intellectual development. • What and when were the major moments in your life that have led you to your current research interest(s) and school/department/program? • What or who influenced your decision or interest (i.e. role models)? What quality about them appealed to you? b. Why did you choose your research topic(s)/field/school? c. Why did you choose your undergraduate major? d. What are your career goals? • Where do you see yourself in 10 years? • What do you hope to accomplish? • What drives you? What motivates you? Step 3: Outline your Statement of Purpose a. From the results of Stage 2, determine a central theme/topic that stands out or dominates your reflections and brainstorm.

Ethics 163 b. Using bullet points and brief comments/statements, organize your reflections and brainstorm ideas that strengthen the central theme/topic of your statement of purpose. • Concentrate on your life experiences and give specific examples. • Put down only those things that excite you. • Do not make things up. c. Your outline should cover these areas and, preferably, in this order: • What aspects of the school/department/program appeals to you? • What are your research interest(s)? • How did you become interested in your current research topic/area? • How did you prepare or are preparing to address the issues in this research area/topic (i.e. research experiences, courses, etc.)? • What are your future goals for graduate school (i.e. Ph.D.)? • What are your career goals (i.e. professorship)? • What characteristics of the school/department/program can help you accomplish your goals? • What positive aspects do you bring to the school/department/program? Graduate schools look for great minds who will achieve mastery of a specific subject area. They do care about those activities that speak to your suitability for graduate work. As a graduate student, you will be called upon to do difficult coursework and research. You may have to teach undergraduate classes within your field and conceivably even design a course. And you will have to get along with a diverse group of colleagues who will sometimes work very closely with you. Any experience in school, work or your extracurricular life that speaks to those abilities is worth talking about. Step 4: Write Draft of Statement of Purpose Make your statement of purpose unique. When writing your statement of purpose: • Always use positive language when referring to yourself. • Give detailed, but concise examples. • Use a variety of sentence structures, both simple and complex. • The language you use should be rich and colorful. Avoid repeating the same words or phrases. Use power words to reinforce the content. • Use transition words, sentences and paragraphs. Your statement must read smoothly. • Skip a line after each paragraph. • Refrain from starting neighboring paragraphs the same way. • Avoid using vocabulary that you do not know.

164 Unit 4 • Refrain from repeating yourself. • Have a strong opening and closing paragraph. • Stay within the page/word limit if mentioned. • Thank the admissions committee for their time at the end of your statement of purpose. After completing your draft, it would be a good idea to ask a professor/language teacher to edit and make comments on your statements. You should then take the suggestions into consideration and write your final draft. You may also contact The Academic Writing Center of Your University. Now examine the sample Statements of Purpose: Statement by a Physics Student admitted to MIT When I was a sophomore in high school, I always used to ask my teachers: “Why do different branches of physics seem so unrelated? They must be similar to each other!”, but they did not appear to be interested in the question. I believed that I was the only person trying to find the answer until I got acquainted with a professor of theoretical physics at XX University. He told me that analogies between different areas of physics do exist and that many scientists are exploring them. I cannot forget my excitement when I talked to him and found that I was not alone in my attempts to solve the puzzle. Since then every step in my life brings me closer to the answer. In 2006 I entered Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). As a winner of XXIX International Physics Olympiad in Reykjavik, where I received a Gold medal and a special prize for the best solution of a theoretical problem, I was admitted without entrance exams. What I did there further added to my knowledge and broadened my perspective. In addition to a thorough standard course of study, I took a number of elective advanced physics and math courses. I also attended advanced lectures on topology and differential geometry at Independent University of Moscow. My hard work paid off: in 2008 I earned the highest score in MIPT’s Physics and Mathematics Olympiads among all 2100 undergraduates of MIPT. At the same time I gained my first research experience: I proved a theorem of high importance in calculus regarding Whitney’s extension problem and my results were published in Mathematical Notes, one of the top Russian mathematical journals. I spent my 3rd year at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics specializing in particle physics. I actively participated in weekly seminars on gravity and quantum field theory (QFT). I especially enjoyed making presentations on topics such as instantons in modern QFT, entropy of black holes, and conformal field theory. I also enjoyed solving complicated non-standard problems in physics, calculus and group theory.

Ethics 165 I was fascinated by the beautiful mathematical constructions of QFT and string theory, but I also became interested in deep interconnections between QFT and condensed matter physics. In order to get to the bottom of these interconnections, I decided to deepen my knowledge of Condensed Matter Theory. Therefore, in September 2009 I joined the theory group at the Landau Institute and spent my 4th year there. It was the most interesting year of my studies at MIPT as the requirements at the Landau Institute are extremely high. For instance, in order to pass the exam on diagrammatic techniques, I solved about fifty complex problems such as finding quantum correction to the conductivity of two-dimensional system with the help of diagrammatic methods. Problems that involve a combination of both high energy and condensed matter physics are of special interest to me, for example, quantum hall effect, superconductivity, and modeling of cosmological phenomena in condensed matter systems. My Bachelor’s thesis called “Even denominator Hall states” was in the field of Fractional Hall effect. There I described the analogies between Moore-Read Pfaffian state and liquid helium. Currently, I am working on a research project under the guidance of Prof. X. We are exploring the properties of fermion zero-modes living on vortices in unusual superconductors. During my years at MIPT I have acquired research experience not only in condensed matter, but also in QFT. About a year ago I met a graduate student who was working on asymptotically free theories. Soon we became collaborators. We have developed some aspects of principal chiral field model and are currently preparing a paper for submission to JETP Letters. I am convinced that I should continue my education at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. First, I would like to get more experience in superconductivity and quantum hall effect. Research in these areas is very active at the Condensed Matter group of MIT. The study of strongly correlated systems by Prof. Lee, Prof. Wen and Prof. Levitov is of particular interest to me. Second, the MIT High Energy group is extremely strong. I believe that communication with such experts would be priceless for my education. I am confident that graduate study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology would be a great step towards my goal and the experience gained at MIT will allow me someday to get to the core of connections between different branches of physics. Ivan Ivanov Taken from: California Institute of Technology. (n.d.) alumnus.alumni.caltech.edu. Retrieved on December 17, 2011 from http://alumnus.caltech.edu

166 Unit 4 The Environmental Studies Student Two scenes stand out in my mind from my visit to Brazil’s Wetland: Forests burning before seed planting and trees as hedgerows. Before the planting season, I could see the leafless remnants of burnt trees still standing. The burning of pristine forests destroys both the habitats and countless species which depend on and thrive in these habitats. The few remaining bare, scarred trees silently convey the cost to our natural resources of pursuing our economic interests. Some forests are preserved by government edict issued in response to international pressure. But most of this preservation occurs alongside major roads — not to protect the ecosystem, but to prevent disturbance to ranches and farms along the highways. The clash between economic and environmental concerns that I witnessed in Brazil fascinated me and attracted me to the Environmental Studies Program. Two courses in my Geography Department increased my interest in the connection between the environment and economics: Conservation of Underdeveloped Countries and Environmental Impact Analysis. In the former, we studied the problems of natural resource management in developing countries. The balance is always tilted toward economics growth at the expense of environmental preservation. For example, because the Pantanal Wetland could become a highly productive agricultural system once it is drained, it is drained regardless of the destruction that drainage causes to the ecosystem. Only portions of the wetland are preserved for tourist purposes. The other course that piqued my interest is an interdisciplinary course called Environmental Impact Analysis in which we, as a group, created matrix and flow diagrams discussing the economic and environmental impact of logging and preservation of old growth forests. I was able to use tools that I acquired in my economics and environmental studies classes. In general, logging creates economic benefits at the local level. It increases employment in the timber industry and subsequently in related non-timber industries; it also benefits local governments. Yet, it has great deleterious environmental effects: soil erosion, watershed destruction, and a decrease in species diversity due to loss of habitat. The logging industry represents the classic clash between economic and environmental interests. I also took two sequential classes in the economics department that are related to Resource Management — Theories of Growth & Development and Policies for Economic Development. Because the courses were taught by a professor who is concerned chiefly with economic growth, I learned the standard economic rationalizations for development remain unrestrained by environmental concerns. In addition to my interest in resource management policies, I have a specific interest in Geographical Information System (GIS), a powerful tool for natural resource management. After taking several related classes in GIS, I began interning for the National Park Service (NPS). After gaining competence in ARC/INFO, a leading GIS package, I will assist the NPS in constructing projects. Some of my duties include spatial and non-spatial data analysis, digitizing themes such as fire locations,

Ethics 167 vegetation, wildlife habitats, and so on, and tabular and graphical presentation of results. I hope to use the tools I acquire during this internship in my continuing study of the environment. I would like to study the social and economic factors that influence environmental policy formation. For example, because people worry more about pollution than endangered species, laws and regulations concerning environmental pollution are more numerous and stricter than for bio-diversity. Within the School of Environmental Studies, I have a particular interest in the emphasis: Economics, Policy, and Management. This emphasis deals with how economic factors can create negative externalities, such as pollution, and the necessity to be regulated. This emphasis also tries to consider non-economic values, such as aesthetic pleasure and species diversity. It also discusses tools like GIS and system analysis that apply to environmental management. Because of my interest in GIS, economics, and environmental studies, this emphasis suits me perfectly. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary approach of the School of Environmental Studies attracts me since it combines social science’s strengths with a knowledge of the natural sciences necessary to protect and preserve the environment. After completing my masters program, I would like to continue my education and obtain a Ph.D. in natural resource management. This degree would enable me to combine a teaching career with advising businesses and governments on natural resource management issues. Teaching college students is more than a one-way channel; I would also learn from their questions like my professors have from mine. In advising business and government, I can help them strike a balance between economic and environmental concerns. GIS will be a useful tool in helping me give them crucial information. I have enjoyed an interdisciplinary approach in my environmental studies major and become fascinated by the clash between social interests, especially economics, and environmental needs. I pursued an additional major in economics to better understand this conflict. Furthermore, my work for the NPS will train me in the latest techniques in natural resource management. I would like to continue exploring this clash and resource management in the School of Environmental Studies. Ultimately, I would like to teach and work in natural resource management. Ideally, I would like to find ways for allowing development while preventing the burning of beautiful and valuable eco-systems like the Pantanal Wetland. Taken from: Accepted. (2012). The Environmental Studies Student. Retrieved on February 26, 2012 from http://www. accepted.com/grad/sampEssay01.aspx

168 Unit 4 Write your Statement of Purpose by completing the mind map below. Your paragraphs do not have to be in the order suggested below. You can make your own flow of topics considering how it would best impress the reader. 1. Introduction • What and when were the major moments in your life that have led you to your current research interest(s) and school/department/program? • What or who influenced your decision or interest (i.e. role models)? What quality about them appealed to you? • Why did you choose your undergraduate major? Development • Why did you choose your research topic(s)/field/school/ this department/university? • How do your skills /qualifications meet the requirements? • How relevant is your academic background (courses, projects, etc.) to this program? • What did you gain from these? (knowledge, skills, abilities, etc.)

Ethics 169 What are your career goals? • Where do you see yourself in 10 years? • What do you hope to accomplish? What drives you? What motivates you? What positive aspects do you bring to the school/department/program?

170 Unit 4 Conclusion • Express your motivation for the program once more. Restate how the institution can benefit from accepting you. WRITING Using the above information write your Statement of Purpose and submit it to your instructor. LANGUAGE STUDY CONDITIONALS If Clauses are made up of 2 clauses: The “if clause” and the “result clause”. They fall into 5 main types, namely; Zero conditional If the price of a product falls, demand for it usually rises. First conditional If you write an impressive statement of purpose, the admissions Second conditional committee will call you to an interview. Third conditional If I were the manager, I would arrange a meeting to inform the Mixed conditionals employees about the reasons for redundancies. If I had studied harder at the undergraduate level, I might have been admitted to the post-graduate program. If he had gone to university, he would have a better job. If she had applied, she would be going to Europe next year with a student exchange program. If he didn’t have to go on a business trip tomorrow, he wouldn’t be so busy today.

Ethics 171 OMITTING IF Using were, had and should at the Were I you, I would write an apology e-mail. beginning : Had I known the deadline, I would have sent my application documents earlier. Should anyone call, please take a message. Using When/After/Until I’ll come home when I finish work. Using unless I will call you tomorrow for an appointment unless I have an urgent meeting. WISH CLAUSES Wish is used when we want the reality to be different. Verb forms are similar to the ones used in conditional sentences. Using would and could for the future: I don’t like my work. I wish I could get a better job. Using past tense for the present: Everyone wishes they had more free time and less Using past perfect for the past: working hours. Mary wishes she had listened to what her supervisor told her. Complete the following statements. 1. If you have placed the order, the goods_________________________________. 2. People are usually more productive when _______________________________. 3. Unless sales improve soon, __________________________________________. 4. If the terms of the contract were different, ______________________________. 5. If I _______________ (be) in your position, I _______________ (insist) on having more staff in the department. 6. Would sales have been higher if the price ______________________ (be) lower? 7. Her presentation could have been better _______________________________. 8. I wish I _______________ (never/apply) for this position. I’m so busy; I cannot even find time to check my e-mails. KEEP IN TOUCH You will find an article or a news item as you did in Unit 1. You will talk about: • Where you found it • When you found it • What it is about (short summary) • Why you wanted to share it with us (significance)

“I can imagine nothing more terrifying than an Eternity filled with men who were all the same. The only thing which has made life bearable... has been the diversity of creatures on the surface of the globe.” -T. H. White, The Book of Merlyn “Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do. With such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling. -Vincent Van Gogh

UNIT 5 CULTURE & THE WORKPLACE



FIRST CONTACTS Look at the photos and discuss in groups: a. where these people are b. if they are meeting for the first time c. what they may be talking about SMALL TALK Attending seminars and conferences, welcoming visitors, going on business trips, and other business related activities require making new contacts from different locations and/or institutions. It is important to pay attention to business etiquette and cultural differences when establishing relationships with these people. Greeting, starting a conversation, making good eye contact, and focusing on topics of interest are essential in making a good impression on other people, which will help to improve and maintain business relationships and networking.

176 Unit 5 FOR YOUR INFORMATION! Initiating & Developing Small Talk Here are the steps: Speaker 1 asks a question. Speaker 2 answers. Speaker 1 makes a comment. Speaker 2 adds information. ACTING OUT! Perform a small talk conversation following the steps above and the questions from the box below. E.g. Question: I haven’t seen you around here before. Have you worked here long? Answer: No, I’ve only been here a few months. I work in the HR Department. Comment: Oh, that must be why I haven’t seen you around. I’m in Sales. Additional information: Actually, we were in our Bursa subsidiary for the past few weeks for an in-house training

Culture & The Workplace 177 Small Talk: Conversation Starters Talking about the weather Beautiful day, isn’t it? Can you believe all of this rain we’ve been having? It looks like it’s going to snow. It sure would be nice to be in Hawaii right about now. I hear they’re calling for thunderstorms all weekend. We couldn’t ask for a nicer day, could we? How about this weather? Talking about current Did you catch the news today? events Did you hear about that fire on Fourth St? At the office What do you think about this transit strike? At a social event I read in the paper today that the Sears Mall is closing. Out for a walk I heard on the radio today that they are finally going to start Waiting somewhere building the new bridge. How about those Reds? Do you think they’re going to win tonight? Looking forward to the weekend? Have you worked here long? I can’t believe how busy/quiet we are today, can you? Has it been a long week? You look like you could use a cup of coffee. What do you think of the new computers? So, how do you know Justin? Have you tried the cabbage rolls that Sandy made? Are you enjoying yourself ? It looks like you could use another drink. Pretty nice place, huh? I love your dress. Can I ask where you got it? How old is your baby? What’s your puppy’s name? The tulips are sure beautiful at this time of year, aren’t they? How do you like the new park? Nice day to be outside, isn’t it? I didn’t think it would be so busy today. You look like you’ve got your hands full (with children or goods). The bus must be running late today. It looks like we are going to be here a while, huh? I’ll have to remember not to come here on Mondays. How long have you been waiting? Taken from: English Club. (2012). Small talk conversation starters. Retrieved April 02, 2012 from http://www.englishclub.com/speaking/small-talk_conversation_starters.htm

178 Unit 5 AT THE SEMINAR A. Listen to the dialog in which Ian and Marissa meet for the first time at a seminar. Ian is a sales rep for a pharmaceuticals company and Marissa is the manager of a hospital pharmacy. 1. Write the statement used in the recording when Ian breaks the ice: __________________________________________ Ian introduces himself: ______________________________________ Marissa shows pleasure in meeting him __________________________ 2. How did Ian learn about the flu vaccine clinics? 3. Why is Marissa frustrated with her supplier? B. Now listen to the rest of the dialog and answer the following questions. 1. Why does Ian suggest grabbing a cup of coffee? 2. Why does Maria reject the offer? Is this a polite rejection? 3. What other suggestion does Ian make? 4. What is Marissa’s offer? 5. What does Marissa’s tone suggest? Is she willing to cooperate? Taken from: Beare, K. (2012). Making invitations. Retrieved March 01, 2012 from http://esl.about.com/od/smalltalk/a/ Making-Invitations.htm

Culture & The Workplace 179 CONVERSING FURTHER Greeting / Introducing People Responding to Greetings/ Introductions Hello. / Hi. Nice to meet you. (informal) What’s your name? Pleased to meet you. My name is … How do you do? (formal) I am … Nice to see you. Haven’t we met (before)? Nice to see you again. This is Jonathan. Meet Jonathan. Yes, I think we have. Have you met Jonathan? No, I don’t think we have. I think we’ve already met. Welcoming Visitors I don’t think we’ve met (before). Welcome to Soldo Enterprises. Welcome to Istanbul. I’m Seyfi Tan. Yes, I have. Welcome to Brussels. No, I haven’t. It’s nice to meet you in person. Yes, I think I have. How was your flight? No, I don’t think I have. Did you have any problem finding this place? Responding Thank you. Nice meeting you too. Okay, but very long. No, your directions were very clear.

180 Unit 5 Making offers Accepting/Rejecting offers Can I help you? Yes please. I’d like to know what time Mr. Hawks comes in. Do you need a hand with your baggage? Shall I get you a taxi to your hotel? Oh, that would be great. No, thanks. I can manage. Would you like me to get you something to drink? Yes please. That is very kind of you. Would you like another coffee? No thanks, I’m fine. Would you like me to answer the phone? Yes please, that would be lovely. I’ll do the photocopying, if you like. Yes please, I’d love one. If you wouldn’t mind. If you could. Invitations Thank you. That would be great. It’s OK, I can do it. There is a good restaurant nearby. Would you be Don’t worry, I’ll do it. interested in eating out there? Would you like to come over for dinner? Accepting Shall we get some dinner tonight? How about going to a theater after the workshop? Oh, I’d like that. Are you interested in visiting the museum today? Sure, that would be great! Yes, let’s do that. That sounds like fun. Certainly, I’d love to... Rejecting Thank you. I’m afraid I have another engagement. Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t. I’d like to but… I’d love to but… I think I’d prefer… That would be great but unfortunately…

Culture & The Workplace 181 ACTING OUT! Get into pairs. Student A: Provide quick responses for Student B who will read out the statements/questions from the box below. Give good reasons when you reject the host. Student A and B reverse the roles. Student A (host) Student B (visitor) Do you need a hand with those files? Accept It is gloomy outside, don’t you think? Respond Shall we eat out at the lunch break? Accept Would you like me to give you a ride to your Reject hotel? Respond How did you like this conference? Student A (visitor) Student B (host) Respond Welcome to our department. Give a negative response Have you met John? Respond How would you like your coffee? Accept Shall I get you a cab to your hotel? Reject How about going to the museum tomorrow afternoon? ACTING OUT! Make pairs or groups of three. Choose one of the situations below and prepare a conversation to act out. Make sure you include the following in your conversations depending on your role: • Greeting and introducing yourself • An ice breaker • Inquiring about his/her field of work/study • Making a relevant offer/suggestion • Accepting /rejecting the offer/suggestion Situation 1: Student A: This is your first day at an international company. You are at the cafeteria during lunch break and are looking for a table to sit at. You see a colleague whom you have not met yet and who works in the same

182 department. You approach him and ask for permission to join him at his table. Student B: You have been working for this company for two years. As usual you are eating lunch at the cafeteria. Someone you have seen for the first time asks for permission to join you. Situation 2: Student A: This is your first week at a graduate program at a university abroad. Right before class, you see some classmates that you have not met before and approach them to blend in. Students B&C: You are chatting outside the classroom before class. A student that you have not met before approaches you to talk. Situation 3: Student A: You are attending an international conference in your field of study. You have not met anybody yet. During the coffee break you see the presenter of the previous lecture you attended and you get close to him to praise his lecture. Student B: You are a lecturer at an international conference. You have just finished your session and gone out for the coffee break. Someone comes near you to talk. WHEN IN MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS, IT IS VERY PROBABLE THAT ONE WILL MEET PEOPLE CULTURES WITH DIFFERENT FROM DIFFERENT AND ATTITUDES. AN ACCEPTABLE HABITS, STYLES, NORM IN ONE CULTURE MAY NOT BE SO IN ANOTHER. THEREFORE, WE SHOULD DEVELOP A MORE UNDERSTANDING APPROACH TOWARDS CULTURAL DIFFERENCES.

Culture & The Workplace 183 CULTURE HOW CULTURALLY AWARE ARE YOU? Do the following quiz to test your cultural awareness. CULTURE QUIZ Read the following scenarios and see if you can identify the correct alternative. 1. A potential Mexican client arrives 45 minutes late for a business meeting. S/he a. has arrived late on purpose to show that they are the party in the driving seat. b. has simply arrived late as punctuality is taken lightly in Mexico. c. has arrived late to let you enjoy your surroundings before discussing business. 2. While in South Korea, you present a gift to a new client to thank him for his hospitality and to cement your business relationship. He refuses to accept the gift. You should a. apologize for offending him. b. insist he takes it until it is accepted. c. offer it to someone else from his company. 3. Your German colleague says about a proposal you have put together, “no offense, but this idea is ridiculous”. She is a. merely expressing her opinion and means no harm. b. being blunt and has no etiquette. c. being rude to undermine your position.

184 Unit 5 4. You ask your Turkish counterpart if your proposal would be applicable in his/her company. S/he makes a light upward nod of the head, raises the eyebrows and hisses teeth (like “tsk”). a. S/he wants to take time to think. b. asks you to repeat what you said. c. means ‘no’. 5. You are asking a question to a junior Japanese colleague and he/she looks down and answers you. S/he a. has something to hide and is looking for an answer to cover their back. b. is paying you respect. c. does not like the question 6. You are the new manager in an Indian company office. You ask one of your supervisors to move a desk and place it in another corner of the office. The next day you notice it has not yet been done. Why? a. The supervisor was offended that you asked him/her to move your desk and refused to do anything about it. b. The supervisor could not find a laborer to move it and would not do so him/herself. c. Because things get done slowly in India. 7. You are making a proposal to a group of Japanese executives when you notice a few of them are sitting with their arms folded and eyes closed. They are a. listening intently. b. tired and catching up on some sleep. c. pretending to be asleep to show you that they think your presentation is poor. Taken from: Kwintessential. (n.d.). How culturally aware are you? Retrieved December 26, 2011 from http://www. kwintessential.co.uk/resources/culture-test-1.html Sharing Views Share your knowledge and experience on further cultural issues with the class.

Culture & The Workplace 185 LANGUAGE STUDY VOCABULARY ON CULTURE Tradition a long-established custom or belief that has been passed on from Belief generation to generation: Japan’s unique cultural traditions. Morals something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction: Custom Contrary to popular belief, Aramaic is a living language. Etiquette We’re prepared to fight for our beliefs. Stereotype 1. principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct: the Convention corruption of public morals. Protocol 2. standards of behavior that are considered good or acceptable: They Culture Shock believe addicts have no morals and cannot be trusted. Ethnicity Ethnocentrism traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that Homesickness is specific to a particular society, place, or time: Custom demanded that a person should have gifts for the child. the customs or rules governing behavior regarded as correct or acceptable in social or business life. Sending thank you cards is essential baby shower etiquette. 1. (noun) a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing : the stereotype of the woman as the carer; sexual and racial stereotypes. 2. a person or thing that conforms to such an image : don’t treat anyone as a stereotype. 3. (verb) to view or represent as a stereotype : the city is too easily stereotyped as an industrial wasteland. (adjective) The film is weakened by its stereotyped characters. behavior that is considered acceptable or polite to most members of a society : He was an upholder of convention and correct form; social conventions. the accepted or established code of procedure or behavior in any group, organization, or situation: What is the protocol at a conference if one’s neighbor dozes off during the speeches? the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. The first few days in Vietnam were a major culture shock. the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. evaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one’s own culture. experiencing a longing for one’s home during a period of absence from it: He was homesick for Turkey after five weeks in America.

186 Unit 5 Fill in the blanks with the following words. etiquette morals custom stereotype conventions protocol 1. The ___________________ of a Wall Street banker carries a briefcase. 2. “The decisions in our business aren’t necessarily taken with ___________________”, said the fraudulent CEO during his confession to the police. 3. Guests observe the ___________________ at parties by always speaking first with the person(s) giving the party. 4. ___________________ demands that the Queen sit at the head of the table. 5. Proper ___________________ requires a bride to write thank-you notes for wedding gifts. 6. It is a British ___________________ to drink tea at four o’clock each afternoon. Getting It Across Get into pairs/groups. Choose at least ONE of the concepts from the Culture Vocabulary box. Prepare a 5 minute presentation by defining, explaining and exemplifying the term(s).

Culture & The Workplace 187 EXPAT ADVICE: COPING WITH CULTURE SHOCK IN CHINA Robert Vance is a radio announcer who received a letter from Daniel, an English teacher who has recently moved to China but is already struggling with the culture. In his radio program, he gives advice on how to cope with the difficulties Daniel is facing in China. Do the vocabulary exercise. Then listen to the recording and answer the True/False questions. Adapted from: Wance, R. (2008). Coping with culture shock in China. Retrieved December 20, 2011 from http://www.teachabroadchina.com/coping-with-culture-shock-china/ Match the words/phrases with their definitions in the box. 1. Expat Advice: Coping with Culture Shock in China (title of recording) 2. …his first few days in China have a familiar ring in my mind as I recall my first weeks in China. 3. … I found myself grappling with the realization that I was a young American guy with no Chinese skills living in a culture with which I was utterly unfamiliar. 4. The culture shock that plagued me during my first few days in China was hard to shake off and I continually questioned my decision to come to China. 5. Surviving culture shock will also prepare you for other trips that you may take in the future. So take heart. a. get rid of or put an end to (something unwanted) b. a person who lives outside his/her native country c. show courage or enthusiasm d. deal effectively with something difficult e. linger in the memory

188 Unit 5 Listen to Robert Vance’s 2008 radio program. The talk is about Coping with Culture Shock in China. Mark the following statements as TRUE (T) or FALSE (F) while listening : 1. T / F Language and food are the two main factors that Daniel has difficulty with in China. 2. T / F The announcer had been to China before. 3. T / F The announcer had to stay in the dark for two days because he forgot to pay his electricity bill. 4. T / F The announcer overcame culture shock thanks to the friendly and helpful approach of his colleagues. 5. T / F One should call his family frequently to overcome culture shock. 6. T / F If you cannot get used to eating local food initially, you should try finding food you are familiar with. 7. T / F You should look around to discover interesting and new stuff around you in a new place. 8. T / F You may better cope with culture shock in new locations in the future if you get over the first one safely. Getting It Across Talk to someone who is a foreigner and has come to Turkey to study OR someone who has come to your city from another city to study. Interview him/her on the cultural difficulties he/she faced: • When and why he/she came to your city/country • What were his/her first impressions • Whether he/she felt homesick • Whether he/she had difficulties with: • Food • Friendships • Language • Climate • Greeting • Other: ____________ • How he/she coped with the problems • How he/she is feeling at the moment Share the answers with the class. Optional: Record the interview and show it to the class.

Culture & The Workplace 189 Writing Write a letter to Robert Vance to describe your adaptation problems when you first came to this country/city/university. Acting Out Prepare a conversation where you mention problems due to culture schock & suggest solutions. A: You have just moved to a new country and are experiencing difficulty adapting to the culture. B: You are a citizen of this country. You are listening to your friends’ problems and giving advice. Imagine that you are working for the International Students Office of your university. Prepare a brochure for foreign students. The title of the brochure is: Some Typical Characteristics of the Turks. Some Typical Socializing habits: Characteristics of the _______________________________ TURKs: _______________________________ _______________________________ Individuality vs. Collectivism: _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ Punctuality: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Gender Equality: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Appointments (Making and _______________________________ keeping): _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Communication-Direct vs. Indirect: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Food: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Friendships: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Personal Space: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

190 Unit 5 Culture is not specific to geographical locations. Organizations, groups, societies, schools and universities have their own cultures too. Answer the following questions and specify your university’s culture. THE WORKPLACE CORPORATE CULTURE 1. List the cultural elements of your university by answering the following questions. In some of the answers, you may have to provide sample expressions in your own language. How do you address your friends, professors, and staff ? What do you generally eat? And where? What transportation is available? Do you engage in small talk with your friends? How do you socialize? What are the extracurricular activities? What is the common type of clothing? 2. Have you ever worked or interned? If yes, describe the culture of that organization: Addressing and greeting people Relationships and communication Dress codes Level of formality

Culture & The Workplace 191 LEARNING THE CORPORATE CULTURE To use a simple analogy, fitting into a company’s corporate culture is like buying a new pair of shoes. You want shoes that provide comfort, match your personal style, and last long enough to get you where you want to go. If the shoes are not a good fit, you probably will not get very far, and you will likely feel miserable. The same holds true when looking for a career and, ultimately, a place of employment. You want to look for and select a corporate environment that makes you comfortable, reflects your taste and style, and allows you to function and move along with ease. Whether or not you will be happy working at a particular company will largely depend on how well you personally fit in with the company, and how comfortable you are with the company’s corporate culture. Like a pair of new shoes, the company and you have to fit just right. What is corporate culture? Every workplace has a culture, and no two are ever alike. A company’s culture often reflects the operating tastes, preferences, and style of the company’s chief executive. He or she ultimately sets the tone and shapes the work environment. Quite simply, the corporate culture is the operating work environment that is set and shaped by the executive: The way • people dress • people act (both on and off the job) • people present themselves • people conduct their work • supervisors are encouraged to manage departments • customers are treated and served • workers interact with supervisors • workers interact with each other • people interact across departments • people interact with the public • business is conducted and done Individually and collectively, these factors will likely determine if a company is right for you, or if you are right for the company. As you will no doubt discover, corporate cultures evolve over time, and workplace environments often change, sometimes significantly, whenever a new executive takes the helm. During such times, everyone, from top executives on down, must adopt and adjust to new ways of doing business. How well you are able to adapt to changes in the work environment will also affect your overall happiness and success at the company.

192 Unit 5 Why is it important to learn the company’s corporate culture? Simply stated, there is no getting around it. If you want to be successful at a company, and enjoy where you work, you need to adapt to the company’s culture. The company will not adapt to you, unless, of course, you are hired as the chief executive officer! Only then will you be in a position to change and shape corporate ways. If you look at people who succeed and move ahead in the corporate environment, you will find they are people who are able to fit their individuality and personal style within the boundaries of the culture. They are people who: • know and respect the company’s culture • pay attention to expected norms of behavior • build and maintain positive working relationships with supervisors, co-workers and customers • value constructive criticism as a means to improve and enhance personal performance • display interest in the company • maintain a positive attitude In short, those who succeed are able to adapt to the company’s ways. They learn and understand how to swim with the corporate tide while working toward achieving the company’s goals. As a new employee, it is best to stand back for a period of time and observe the company’s tide carefully before you jump in, figuratively speaking, and cause possible waves. You need to know exactly which way the company’s tide is going before you dive into deep water! Remember, you want to swim with the current, not against it. In other words, when you begin any new job, spend the first few months studying every aspect of the company and begin adapting your dress, manner, and performance to fit the work environment. During that time, simply observe so you can learn the company. Remember - no two companies are alike, so there will be much to learn about the company’s culture. During that time, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A word about mentorship: If you have the opportunity, consider pairing up with a model co-worker (a mentor) – someone who has worked at the company for a long time – to learn the ins and outs of the company. A fellow employee with whom you feel comfortable can serve as a helpful resource and guide. Perhaps you could arrange to meet the co-worker during lunch or coffee breaks. What should new employees learn about the company? There are many important aspects of the company’s culture that you, as a new employee, need to quickly learn and adapt to if you want to successfully assimilate into the company and enjoy where you work. Remember, your ability to adapt and contribute to the company will be a great measure of your success. But you can have fun during the learning process. Adapted from: Portland Community College. (2011). Learning the corporate culture. Retrieved December 09, 2011 from http://spot.pcc.edu/~rjacobs/career/learning_the_corporate_culture.htm

Culture & The Workplace 193 You are to investigate the corporate culture of an organization of your choice. The Observation Guide in the Appendix highlights five key company areas to observe. Try completing as many of them as you can. If you have the opportunity to pair up with a model co-worker (mentor), the co-worker can be a good source of information for completing the checklist. After your investigation, you will share your findings with the rest of the class. While sharing, use the following outline. • Name of the organization • General information about the organization: »» Established when and by whom »» Location »» Number of employers »» Work field • Checklist results »» Company Standards (a short summary) »» Management Standards (a short summary) »» Employee Standards (a short summary) »» Grooming Standards (a short summary) »» Dress Standards (a short summary) • Whether you would be happy in such an organizational culture Sharing Views & Acting Out STEP 1: Compare two different cultures, customs and etiquette and prepare a 3-5 minute presentation using the following outline: A. Customs and Etiquette 1. Meeting and greeting 2. Gift giving 3. Dining B. Business Etiquette and Protocol 1. Relationships and Communication 2. Business Meeting Etiquette 3. Business Negotiation Etiquette 4. Business Dress Etiquette 5. Addressing Conventions STEP 2: After the presentation, prepare a role play: Two colleagues from these two countries meet in a business context: meeting, dining, etc., during which a misunderstanding and/or confusion occurs due to a cultural difference touched upon in this unit.

194 Unit 5 Organizations define their missions and set objectives to achieve their goals. They also determine their values and observe ethical principles, all of which become a part of their corporate culture. Each employee is expected to comply with these norms and values and become a member of the corporate family. Leaders or managers at a workplace also expect their employees to adopt the corporate culture as their own and put their efforts in their jobs wholeheartedly. The expected organizational performance, effectiveness, success and productivity can only be achieved by responsible, competent employees who find their jobs meaningful. However, in order to motivate people to do their best at work and make their work life meaningful, some conditions have to be present at the workplace. Below are some factors that play an important role in motivating people. FACTORS THAT INCREASE ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE What are some factors that increase people’s performance at the workplace? EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP An effective leader steers employees to achieve success. This can be done in a couple of ways. First of all, the individuals in the organization have to have shared values. They should be willing to work together towards a common goal. Therefore, the leader has to define the goals and expectations clearly so that all individuals have the same understanding of them. Also s/he should believe in the employees’ talents, skills and sense of responsibility and hold individuals accountable for achieving the goals. In other words, an effective leader empowers the workers by delegating authority and tasks and demonstrates his confidence in them in terms of making decisions and delivering corporate objectives. As the employees take initiative, this attitude will result in their feeling competent and responsible thus making them perform to high standards. ORGANIZATIONAL TRUST This term can be defined as the trust an employee has in the organization s/he works for. Organizational trust assumes that the daily business routines of an organization are carried out with the best of intentions toward those who work for it. In other words, employees need to know that their management will keep their promises, support them in crises – e.g.: not resort to downsizing in an economic crisis – and defend their rights. When this need is met, the employee builds confidence in his/her organization, which results in high achievement, motivation, increased performance, dedication and commitment.

Culture & The Workplace 195 OPENNESS OF COMMUNICATION Management should seek to foster trust and transparency in an organization. To achieve this, they need to stress honest and open communication by constantly informing employees about important developments in the organization. Effective communication within an organization also involves sharing decision making, critical information and perceptions and feelings with employees. An environment where individuals share their ideas, opinions, concerns, expectations, as well as disappointments without reservations should be created. Individuals should be listening to each other effectively with the intention of understanding the issue and finding solutions. Furthermore, people should be open to different views and criticism. Constructive criticism is crucial for improvement. It is important that such criticism be delivered with courtesy and not taken as something personal by the receiver. PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE The company/institution should take steps to make sure that employees are regularly working without oppressing them with rules too strict or excessive work load. The work environment should be calm and ordered. Besides, no worker in the organization should be favored over the other. The management should be consistent in their behavior towards the employees. EFFECTIVE USE OF HUMAN RESOURCES Employees need to experience a sense of value at the workplace. They want to know that they are doing a good job and feel that their work and abilities are recognized. To ensure this, the administration should make use of some tools to show that they appreciate the performance of their workers and give encouragement. This would provide an incentive to the employees and help them perform better. Another important point is that employees should be assigned tasks according to their abilities so that optimal performance is achieved. Optimal performance is performing to the best of one’s abilities where the organizational needs are fulfilled. If an employee is working to the best of their abilities and the organization’s needs have not been fulfilled, then optimal performance has not been achieved. In such a case, the leader/manager must reassess whether or not the job is the right fit for this employee then take corrective action. In this way, both parties win as the employee does the job at which s/he is more competent and the organization’s needs are met. FAIR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION It is necessary to evaluate employees’ performance as well as to provide feedback to the employee performance regularly. Yet it is even more important that the evaluation be fair. LEARNING ORGANIZATION The term “learning organization” defines a work environment where learning is an integral part of the organization. The workforce, including the leaders and managers, should receive regular and proper training. With training, employees get the opportunity to improve their skills and attain personal growth. They realize that they could be doing much more and this builds confidence in them, which mirrors onto their job performance. It is also a well known fact that through training communication is enhanced and conflicts at the workplace are resolved more successfully.

196 Unit 5 Compiled from: Aubuchon, D.” Factors that hinder employee performance”, November 2011, Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Gardner, Ross. (2009) “How to lead your employees to optimal performance” Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Journal of Economics & Management Strategy “Workplace Performance, Worker Commitment, and Loyalty” Volume 20, Issue 3, pages 925–955, Fall 2011, Retrieved on 16 03.2012 Leahy, C. “How to lead your employees to optimal performance” April 2008 Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Meilan, S. ” Factors that hinder employee performance”, April 2011 Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012. Noe, P.D. (2010). “Factors that hinder employee performance”. Retrieved on 26.03.2012 from Helium.com Polvere, C.” Factors that hinder employee performance”, August 2011 ,Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Rose, S.” Factors that hinder employee performance”, August 2010, Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Thompkins, H.. “Factors that hinder employee performance”, September 2010 Retrieved from Helium.com on 26.03.2012 Study the situations below. Decide which of the factor(s) you have seen in the text may be lacking in each case. 1. There are two employees not achieving optimal performance, both of whom are unhappy and suffering low morale due to the feeling of incompetency. 2. A group of people are assigned a project but they feel uncertain about how much is enough, when to stop, how much to do by themselves and the limits of their authority. They complete the project but the outcome does not resemble what the manager had in mind. 3. As a worker you think that your company has no interest in you, and then you wonder why you should have interest in it. One particular occasion makes you think like this: Last week they fired an employee at whim. 4. A lot of workers are always surfing the internet or come late. No one does anything about it and they learn that it is okay to be late. 5. Individuals at the workplace feel they are not appreciated and sometimes get into a frame of mind not to do anything extra or even what they are supposed to do. 6. Recently hired staff realize that the seniors have become complacent, in other words, very pleased with themselves and do not feel they need to worry or do anything about a situation, not realizing that they could be doing so much more if they were exposed to the developments and changes in the field. What could be some consequences when the factors mentioned in the text above do not exist at a workplace?

Culture & The Workplace 197 CONFLICT AT THE WORKPLACE When people work together, there are bound to be occasional disagreements and personality conflicts. In other words, not everyone gets along all the time. There are times when personal arguments or problems can upset that environment, but those are hopefully temporary problems - although they should still be taken seriously. The major point one should consider is that the first step toward solving the problem is diagnosing it. If the reason behind the disagreement is identified, it becomes easier to suggest ways to resolve the issue. Below is one of the reasons that lie behind problems at the workplace. Generation differences There is a serious new problem in the workplace, and it has nothing to do with downsizing, global competition, pointy-haired bosses, stress or greed. Instead, it is the problem of distinct generations — the Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y — working together and often colliding as their paths cross. At work, generational differences can affect everything, including recruiting, building teams, dealing with change, motivating, managing, and maintaining and increasing productivity. The members of these generations have different values, different ideas, different ways of getting things done and different ways of communicating. As a result, conflicts which hinder employee performance occur. FEATURES OF THREE GENERATIONS Now listen to a radio program where the differences between these generations are discussed. Fill in the boxes with the features of each generation and do the task that follows.

198 Unit 5 BABY BOOMERS Born between: Work ethic/loyalty: Employment Expectations: Other features: GENERATION X Born between: Work ethic/loyalty: Employment Expectations: Other features: GENERATION Y Born between: Work ethic/loyalty: Employment Expectations: Other features: Compare/contrast one of the characteristics of the generations in 2-3 sentences: ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

199 DEALING WITH CONFLICT Conflict at work takes many forms. It may be that two workers simply do not get on due to a clash of personalities; for instance, or that an individual has a grievance against their manager. Conflict may take the form of rivalry between teams; or it may be apparent by the lack of trust and cooperation between large groups of employees and management. If conflict is not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Conflicting goals can quickly turn into personal dislike. Teamwork breaks down. Talent is wasted as people disengage from their work. If we are in a conflictive situation with somebody we should focus on the issue and not on the person. So we can hammer out a point of disagreement but then – shake hands and go for a coffee. Usually it is an issue that is the problem and not a person. To overcome this problem, parties should be calm, be patient and have respect. 1. Listen to Craig and Gavin trying to resolve a dispute at work with the help of a mediator and state their main source of conflict. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 2. How could personality issues be resolved? What can parties do to create a constructive working atmosphere? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Taken from: Acas. (n.d.). Managing conflict at work. Retrieved April 01, 2012 from http://www.acas.org.uk

200 Unit 5 BUSINESS SKILL: TELEPHONING TAKING AND LEAVING MESSAGES Taking and leaving messages is another common skill in the workplace. You have already practiced this skill in Units 2 and 3. Below you will find two message pads. The person who the caller wants to talk to is not available. Take the caller’s message through filling in the sample message pad: A. TO DATE TIME FROM AREA CODE OF NUMBER PHONE MEMO EXTENTION MESSAGE SIGNED PHONED CALL BACK RETURNED WANTS TO WAS IN WANTS TO WILL CALL CALL SEE YOU SEE YOU AGAIN