Airbus CSD Business English Skills Program

Todays plan
This weeks lesson will include practice and development work relating to; Using passive tenses Abstracts Crisis management Business idioms

Using passive tense

The difficulty with passive sentences is that the reader tends to lose sight of any agent, and the writing becomes dominated by things and concepts instead of people. Passive sentences sound wordy and indirect. They can make the reader work unnecessarily hard. Passive sentences are usually longer than active sentences and take up room.

Since the car was being driven by Michael at the time of the accident, the damages should be paid for by him. How can you rewrite this sentence?

Using passive voice

The actor is unknown:The vases were made during the Qing Dynasty. The actor is irrelevant:An experimental solar power plant will be built in the desert Use passive voice if it produces greater emphasis on the main point of the sentence.If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. You want to be vague about who is responsible:Mistakes

Using passive voice

Recommendations, Instructions & Emails Active voice indicates that it is you who is thinking certain things and having particular opinions. We should re-train all sales staff by December of this year. I need you to. I will send you the proposal next week.

By Tuesday, we had reached an agreement.

Report conclusion
Passive voice text The systems most favoured for investment were shown to be planning, design and production. Many manual systems were reported as being current investments across the sector. Only the largest firms, however, showed any degree of interest in integrated systems. Textile and clothing firms, in particular, were seen to be investing in automated production, design, planning and reporting technologies. Active voice text Our research has shown that in terms of current investments, manufacturers favoured planning, design and production systems, with firms across the sector reporting investments in a range of manual systems. Only the largest firms, however, showed any degree of interest in integrated systems. We have seen textile and clothing firms, in particular, investing in automated production, design, planning and reporting technologies.

Abstracts

Abstracts
Informational Abstracts communicate contents of reports include purpose, methods, scope, results, conclusions, and recommendations

highlight essential points

are shortfrom a paragraph to a page or two, depending upon the length of the report (10% or less of the report) allow readers to decide whether they want to read the report

Abstracts
Descriptive Abstracts tell what the report contains

include purpose, methods, scope, but NOT results, conclusions, and recommendations
are always very short usually under 100 words introduce subject to readers, who must then read the report to learn study results

Qualities of a good abstract

uses one or more well-developed paragraphs, which are unified, coherent, concise, and able to stand alone

uses an introduction-body-conclusion structure in which the parts of the report are discussed in order: purpose, findings, conclusions, recommendations follows strictly the chronology of the report
provides logical connections between material

adds no new information but simply summarises

is intelligible to a wide audience

Abstracts
Good example

Crisis Management

Crisis Management
Pronunciation: Crisis (krsis) Crises (krsz)

1. What is the role of a crisis management team?

2. What makes a crisis different from other kinds of leadership and management situations?
1. As a CSD what kind of crisis might you need to deal with? 2. Is there any differences with the way crises are dealt with in China or the west?

The operational demands of routine emergencies differ significantly from those of crises.

Routine emergencies

Routine emergencies are often more common and predictable, but still dangerous.

Crisis emergencies

Reading

1. Read the article you have been given.

2. Answer the questions.

3. Compare and contrast the following with your partner. Response times of the organisations Public communications Company losses The follow-up The result

Being diplomatic and direct

What are some examples of diplomatic language? Is this diplomatic language? How can you improve this sentence? You made a lousy decision. It seems/Apparently there was a big accident. Quite/rather/slight Maybe/Perhaps we should have Are you sure you made the right decision? Are these phrases clear?

Specific and direct language

Now listen, Heres what I want you to do What exactly are you telling me? The plan is 1. 2. 3. This is what I want you to do Lets focus on the issue I need to know

Positive reinforcement. We hired you for good reasons We have confidence

Direct language
Dont use language your audience doesnt understand.
Causes confusion which will only worsen the crisis. Examples include:

I'm proud that my business is ISO 9000 certified. The rate went up 10 basis points. We're considering development of ATM after the CA crash. We ask that you submit exculpatory evidence to the grand jury. The material has less than 0.65 ppm benzene as measured by the TCLP.

How can you make these sentences clear and diplomatic?

Noun collocations

Diplomatic language
The following are questions and statements from journalists. Decide whether they are a) neutral/polite b) forceful/aggressive 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Could you answer my question? Why wont you answer my question? What is your policy about Could you tell me how many sales staff you employ? Do you deny that bribery is a common sales strategy among staff? Could I ask why you are replacing your sales director? Do you mind if I ask how many letters of complaint you have received from? 7. Im interested to know whether you consider yourselves an ethical company. 8. Its it true that you dont care how sales staff behave as long as they meet sales targets? 9. May I ask why you didnt investigate allegations more quickly? 10.Surely you arent saying no payments were made? 11.Could you clarify what gifts were offered to customers and why?

Diplomatic language
The following are responses to questions and statements. Decide whether they are a) neutral/polite b) forceful/aggressive 1. Im afraid Im not in a position to comment. 2. Thats a very good question. Let me explain. 3. I cant possibly comment on that. 4. I was unaware, so Im afraid I dont have the answer. 5. I dont have any information on that at the moment. 6. No comment. 7. Ill be happy to answer that. 8. Ive no idea of the top of my head. 9. Im pleased you raised that point. 10.Im glad you asked me that. 11.Im not prepared to answer that. Someone will get back to you.

Press conference
A mobile phone company has been attacked in several newspapers for using dishonest methods to sell its phones. The managers, some of whom are angry, arrange a press conference to defend their reputation and answer questions.