B How the text is organised

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 516.

A Understanding main points

Reading tasks

1. The text describes two main differences between British and German management. What are they?

2. Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text. Find the part of the text that gives the correct information.

a. Mergers between Briti5h and German companies rarely succeed. F

b. The study mainly concentrated on middle managers.

c. Both German and British managers consider technical skills to be very important.

d. German managers prefer working with technicians in British companies.

e. British managers are very concerned about their executive status.

f. There is much more change in British companies than in German companies.

g. German companies are strong and successful because of the way they are organised.

h. British managers are probably more flexible than their German counterparts.

3. In your opinion does the article suggest that one country's approach to management and organisation is better than the other's?

4. Pick out some extracts from the article which make positive or negative comments about British or German approaches.

These sentences summarise the main idea of each paragraph. Match each sentence to the correct paragraph.

a. British managers change jobs within a company Far more often than the Germans.

b. A study has shown big differences in managerial behaviour in Britain and Germany. paragraph 1

c. Approaches to management in both countries have disadvantages which are clearly different.

d. British managers are “generalists” rather than “specialists”.

e. Attitudes to the qualifications and the role of managers are different in Britain and Germany.

f. The structure of British companies changes frequently.

g. German managers are “experts” in their jobs.