- •Череповецкий государственный университет
- •Кафедра экономики
- •Современный бизнес
- •Contents
- •Введение
- •Unit 1. The effects of demand and supply on business
- •1.1. Markets
- •Test Questions
- •Case study ‘Understanding the Market’
- •1.2. The Operation of Markets
- •If social costs exceed social benefits, the decision to produce a good or service makes society worse off even if the producers make a profit.
- •If social costs are less than social benefits, the decision to produce a good or service will make society better off. Test Questions
- •Case study ‘Record Industry’
- •1.3. The Effects of Government Policy on Markets
- •Indirect taxes
- •Test Questions
- •Unit 2. The competitiveness of a firm
- •2.1. The Performance of an Industry
- •International Trade
- •International comparisons
- •2.2. Government Action to Improve Competitiveness
- •2.3. Government Action and International Trade
- •2.4. Business Competitive Strategies
- •Test questions
- •Case Study
- •Unit 3. Business Organisations
- •3.1. Types of Business Organization
- •3.2. Organizational Structures
- •3.3. Factors Influencing the Organisational Structure
- •Internal factors
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Business Organisation & Structure’
- •Unit 4. Administrative systems
- •4.1. The Purpose of Administrative System
- •4.2. Administration Functions in Business
- •4.3. Evaluating Administrative Systems
- •4.4. Information Technology in Administration
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Satellite Supplies’
- •Unit 5. Communications Systems
- •5.1. Why Do Businesses Need Communications System?
- •5.2. The Objectives of Communication
- •5.3. Verbal Communication
- •Internal communications
- •5.5. Evaluating Communication Systems in Business
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Can You Communicate?’
- •Unit 6. Information Processing
- •6.1. The Purposes of Information Processing
- •6.2. Types of Information Processing Systems
- •Information Technology: positive and negative effects
- •6.3. Evaluating Information Processing Systems
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study “Information Technologies in Business”
- •Unit 7. The principles and functions of marketing
- •7.1. What is Marketing?
- •7.2. The Objectives of Marketing
- •7.3. Implementing the Marketing Mix
- •Test Questions
- •Unit 8. Market Research
- •8.1. What is Market Research?
- •8.2. Sources of Marketing Information
- •Information requirements
- •Internal sources
- •8.3. Primary Research
- •8.4. Market Changes
- •Information on sales
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Sun Rush’
- •4M Brits shrug off gloom in sun rush
- •Unit 9. Marketing Communications
- •9.1. Targeting an Audience
- •9.2. How to Reach a Target Audience
- •9.3. Product Performance
- •9.4. Guidelines and Controls on Marketing Communications
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Marketing Communication’
- •Unit 10. Customer Service and Sales Methods
- •10.1. ‘The Customer Is Always Right’
- •10.2. Placing the Product – Distribution
- •Indirect distribution via intermediaries
- •10.3. Closing the Sale
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Company Handbook’
- •Unit 11. Production
- •11.1. What is Production?
- •11.2. Just in Time Production and Total Quality Management
- •11.3. Improving the Productivity of Labour
- •11.4. Health and Safety at Work
- •11.5. Reducing Pollution from Production
- •In the working environment
- •In the natural environment
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Production and Productivity Consulting’
- •11.6. The Costs of Production
- •Identifying business costs
- •Indirect costs
- •Insurance
- •Variable costs
- •Test Questions
- •Case study ‘Waterhouse Waffles’
- •Unit 12. Pricing decisions and strategies
- •12.1. The Pricing Decision
- •12.2. Cost-Based Pricing
- •12.3. Market-Based Pricing
- •12.4. Competition-Based Pricing
- •12.5. Problems with Demand- and Competition-Based Pricing
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘What Price Promotion?’
- •Unit 13. Monitoring business performance
- •13.1. Accounting for Business Control
- •13.2. Budgetary Control
- •Variance analysis
- •13.3. Ratio analysis
- •Test Questions
- •Case Study ‘Business Performance’
- •Unit 14. Preparing a business plan
- •14.1. What Is a Business Plan?
- •14.2. The Purposes of a Business Plan
- •14.3. Legal and Insurance Implications
- •Insurance
- •14.4. Business Resources
- •14.5. Potential Support for a Business Plan
- •Some review questions
- •Unit 15. Producing a Business Plan
- •15.1. Business Objectives and Timescales
- •15.2. The Marketing Plan
- •15.3. The Production Plan
- •15.4. The Financial Plan
- •15.5. Conclusion
- •Some Review Questions
- •Case Study ‘Business Plan’
Test Questions
1. |
Linking pay to productivity means that workers will only receive a pay rise if: |
A. |
Product demand rises |
B. |
Output rises |
C. |
Production costs fall |
D. |
Product price rises |
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Questions 2 – 4 share the following answer options: The productivity of a workforce may be improved in a firm that offers: |
A. |
Job enrichment |
B. |
Increased job specialisation |
C. |
Greater job security |
D. |
Empowerment |
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Which of the above could be achieved by: |
2. |
Increasing the variety of tasks performed by an employee |
3. |
Offering permanent contracts to temporary employees |
4. |
Improving training opportunities |
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5. |
Labour productivity in a firm is most likely to suffer if there is: |
A. |
An increase in overtime working |
B. |
An increase in performance-related gifts |
C. |
An increase in staff turnover |
D. |
An increase in worker participation in decision-making |
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Questions 6 – 7 concern the following methods of payment: |
A. |
Time rates |
B. |
Profit sharing |
C. |
Performance-related pay |
D. |
Commission |
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Which of the above methods describes wage payments that are calculated on the basis of: |
6. |
Systems that link pay to a worker’s individual or group productivity |
7. |
The number of hours worked multiplied by the wage rate per hour |
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8. |
The payment of non-monetary rewards or ‘fringe benefits’ to workers by their employers has increased over time. Which one of the following statements could not explain this trend? |
A. |
Firms are increasingly concerned about worker motivation |
B. |
The giving of non-monetary rewards can be cheaper than paying higher wages |
C. |
Increasing competition for skilled labour has made it more difficult to retain staff |
D. |
Unemployment has risen |
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Questions 9 – 11 share the following answer options: |
A. |
Changing the ratio of capital to labour inputs |
B. |
Total Quality Management |
C. |
Worker empowerment |
D. |
Quality circles |
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Which of the above describe the following strategies to improve productivity in a firm: |
9. |
Organising labour into small teams |
10. |
Encouraging greater participation in business decision-making and problem-solving |
11. |
Investment in new plant and machinery |
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12. |
The main reason a firm will wish to increase productivity is: |
A. |
To reduce labour input |
B. |
To reduce costs |
C. |
To increase prices |
D. |
To improve quality |
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13. |
Answer the following questions:
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14. |
Explain the following terms and suggest how they might help a firm to increase productivity.
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