1、華中科技大學華中科技大學UNIT 5Facing Business Crisis In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.Warren BuffetBackground InformationUnit OverviewLesson 1Lesson 2Supplementary ReadingHome listening Business in post-modern era has found its way into all walks of life, affectin

2、g individuals lives, social economy and politics as a whole. Globalization facilitates business expansion on one hand and speeds up the economic integration and interdependence on the other. In this unit, students will get to know the global business and economic crises through real-life cases and s

3、ee how these crises can be dealt with. Listening and speaking activities in this unit will inspire students to learn to face difficulties and handle their study careers to their best advantages. Unit OverviewBackground Information20092010 Toyota vehicle recalls Three separate but related recalls of

4、automobiles by Toyota Motor Corporation occurred at the end of 2009 and start of 2010. Toyota initiated the recalls, the first two with the assistance of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), after several vehicles experienced unintended acceleration. The first recall, on

5、November 2, 2009, was to correct a possible incursion of an incorrect or out-of-place front drivers side floor mat into the foot pedal well, which can cause pedal entrapment. The second recall, on January 21, 2010, was begun after some crashes were shown not to have been caused by floor mat incursio

6、n. This latter defect was identified as a possible mechanical sticking of the accelerator pedal causing unintended acceleration, referred to as Sticking Accelerator Pedal by Toyota. The original action was initiated by Toyota in their Defect Information Report, dated October 5, 2009, amended January

7、 27, 2010. Following the floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls, Toyota also issued a separate recall for hybrid anti-lock brake software in February 2010. As of January 28, 2010, Toyota had announced recalls of approximately 5.2 million vehicles for the pedal entrapment/floor mat problem, and an a

8、dditional 2.3 million vehicles for the accelerator pedal problem. Approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both. The next day, Toyota widened the recall to include 1.8 million vehicles in Europe and 75,000 in China. By then, the worldwide total number of cars recalled by Toyota stood at 9 m

9、illion. The number of alleged victims and reported problems sharply increased following the recall announcements, which were heavily covered by U.S. media, although the causes of individual reports were difficult to verify. Government officials, automotive experts, Toyota, and members of the general

10、 public contested the scope of the sudden acceleration issue and the veracity of victim and problem reports. The recalls further led to NHTSA and Toyota investigations, along with multiple lawsuits. Lead-inAudio studioVideo studioSpeaking workshopProject bulletin Task 1Task 2Task 3Task 1 Describing

11、the PictureDescribe the picture first and then discuss how people cope with money shortage.What does the picture imply? What do you think might be the reasons for people or businesses feeling a shortage of money? How do they usually cope with it? Task 2 Reflecting on the Reading 1. According to the

12、passage, what did Toyota fail to notice as it grew to become the worlds largest automaker? Answer: Toyota accelerator pedals are produced both by Denso of Japan and CTS of Elkhart, Indiana, US. Answer: Toyota failed to adjust its corporate structure to accommodate its altered scale and have overlook

13、ed fundamental principles that used to underpin its business. 2. Where does Toyota manufacture its accelerator pedals? 3. What are the reasons that the two Toyota accelerator suppliers produced accelerator pedals of different quality? Answer: The Denso and CTS mechanisms use different wiring harness

14、es. In other words, Toyota, the master of communization, neglected to ensure that identical parts from two suppliers were, in fact, identical. 4. Why do problems in Toyota get lost and solutions get delayed when Toyota is managed in the present way?Answer: Toyota employs a chimney managerial approac

15、h in which complaints from customers in U.S. would travel first to sales headquarters in Japan, and then to manufacturing for implementation. Only after that would it find its way back to the U.S.5. According to the passage, what should Toyota do in order to deal with this business crisis?Answer: It

16、 needs to modernize its corporate structure, revisit the basic elements of its product development system, and reconsider the impact of its aggressive cost-cutting.Task 3 Expanding Your Vocabulary A. to make something such as a business, organization etc. work more simply and effectivelyB. to descri

17、be a rate of increase which becomes quicker and quicker as the thing that increases becomes largerC. to be pushed into or through and stay thereD. an official meeting that is held to collect the facts about an event or a problemE. speed upF. a large company or group of companies that is controlled t

18、ogether as a single organizationG. great problems or troublesH. car manufacturer1. get stuck2. hearing 3. accelerate 4. corporation5. automaker 6. woe 7. streamline8. exponentiallyAudio StudioTask 1Task 2 Audio Task 1 Identifying the Gist 1. What is the audio clip mainly about? A) Toyota recalls aro

19、und the worldB) Toyota recall hearings in US congressC) The development of Toyota Corporation2. What might be the cause for the car to accelerate suddenly?A) A short circuit.B) Floor MatsC) Stuck gas pedalAudio Task 2 Checking the Facts 1. US Congress _ that Toyotas been having with vehicle recalls

20、and examining how the carmaker has _ the situation.2. An engineering firm _ Toyota to check out the claim found the _.3. Akio Toyoda, the president of the entire Toyota corporation, has announced new _ that the company plans to take _. is looking at some of the problemsresponded to that was hired by

21、same thingsafety measuresfrom here on out US Congress is looking at some of the problems that Toyotas been having with vehicle recalls and examining how the carmaker has responded to the situation. Youve heard all about this: millions of vehicles affected by issues with floor mats and gas pedals tha

22、t might get stuck. US Congress is holding a few days of hearings to get some information about it. Yesterday, they heard from one expert who said it could be an electrical issue. He says theres a possibility that a short circuit might cause a car to suddenly accelerate. An engineering firm that was

23、hired by Toyota to check out the claim found the same thing. But Toyotas U.S. sales chief, Jim Lentz, says the electrical system isnt the problem. When asked about how the company handled customer complaints, Lentz said that Toyota focused more on technical issues rather than looking at the possibil

24、ity of accelerator pedals that get stuck. He called that approach a mistake and apologized for it. In fact, Toyota has repeatedly apologized for the safety issues, and its working to repair the recalled vehicles. Akio Toyoda, the president of the entire Toyota corporation, has announced new safety m

25、easures that the company plans to take from here on out. Hes scheduled to appear before Congress today. All of this, as you might imagine, is having an impact on the companys reputation. ScriptVideo StudioTask 1Task 2Task 3Video Task 1 Matching &Predicting1. The automakers worldwide woes are _ f

26、rom Japans Economy, Trade and Industry ministry.2. In the US, law makers on Capitol Hill called for congressional hearings to investigate what _ the auto giants accelerator pedals.3. But if there is _ one part, he says, it will spread to many models and _ vehicles, and in this case millions of Toyot

27、a cars from Europe, the US and China, exponentially damaging the brand.4. Toyotas president Akio Toyoda has not _ to protect his companys reputation.5. Toyotas boardroom has been remarkably silent _ industry watchers. drawing alarm went wrong with a problem with an enormous number of made any public

28、 appearance to the surprise of Video Task 2 Checking Your ComprehensionWatch the video clip again, and answer the following questions. 1. How much did Toyota stocks plunge down ending the week? Answer: Toyota stocks plunged ending the week down 12 percent.2. Why did law makers on Capitol Hill call f

29、or congressional hearings? Answer: They want to investigate what went wrong with the auto giants accelerator pedals.3. By which supplier was the accelerator of problems made according to Toyota? Answer: It was made by supplier CTS in Indiana.4. What is expected from Toyota CEO at press conferences?

30、Answer: In Japan, CEO apologies at press conferences are expected5. What report is Toyota said to reveal next week? Answer: Toyota is said to report third-quarter earnings next week.Video Task 3 Bridging the Gap Toyota RecallScale: The recall spread _. Recall Areas: U.S., _. Impact: For the Japanese

31、 _, it could be _. Toyotas Reaction Towards the RecallExecutives: _. President: He made _ to _.Boardroom: made _ and has been _.around the globe Europe, Chinaeconomy serious problem remained out of sight no public appearanceprotect the companys reputation no public appearanceremarkably silent Toyota

32、s Impact on Japan Toyotas executives remained out of sight, as a recall of millions of the companys cars continued to spread around the globe. Toyota stocks plunged ending the week down 12 percent. The automakers worldwide woes are drawing alarm from Japans Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry. The

33、scale of this recall is large, says Masayuki Naoshima, Toyota must deal with this issue properly and act to maintain consumer trust. In the US, lawmakers on Capitol Hill called for congressional hearings to investigate what went wrong with the auto giants accelerator pedals. And reports to US invest

34、igators: cars sped out of control. The drivers reporting the gas pedals sticking. Toyota says the problem is with this part of the accelerator made by supplier CTS in Indiana, though CTS says the accelerators were built to Toyotas specifications. As part of Toyotas global expansion plan, the automak

35、er streamlined production, so one part will fit multiple car models around the world. That cuts costs, says industry analyst Tatsuya Mizuno. But if there is a problem with one part, he says, it will spread to many models and an enormous number of vehicles, and in this case millions of Toyota cars fr

36、om Europe, the US and China, exponentially damaging the brand. While Toyota has made a number of statements to reassure consumers and indicate its working on the problem, Toyotas president Akio Toyoda has not made any public appearance to protect his companys reputation. In Japan, where CEO apologie

37、s at press conferences are expected, Toyotas boardroom has been remarkably silent to the surprise of industry watchers.-Yes.-Do you think that they need to deliver a strong message? -I think so, I think so, immediately. Not just overseas consumers, say many on the streets of Tokyo, but for Japans ec

38、onomy so deeply tied with the high quality of its automobiles. For the Japanese economy, it could be a serious problem, says Yuichi Kida, China and Korea are right behind us. Toyota is said to report third-quarter earnings next week. While analysts will be watching for the numbers, consumers will be

39、 looking for something else-an explanation. Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo. Speaking WorkshopTask 1Task 2Speaking Task 1 SummarizingTips: Speaking Task 1 SummarizingSummary: A recall of millions of Toyota cars continued to spread around the globe, including Europe, US and China. Toyota says the problem is wi

40、th the part of the accelerator made by supplier CTS in Indiana, though CTS says the accelerators were built to Toyotas specifications. The global recall damaged the brand exponentially and Toyotas stocks plunged down drastically. It might have great impact to Japans economy which is deeply tied with

41、 the high quality of its automobiles. Although there were statements to reassure consumers and indicate Toyota is working on the problem, the boardroom has been remarkably silent without any apology to the public and made no response to protect the companys reputation. Situation1. Work in groups of

42、four. One student should act as a sales manager of Toyota, and the others should act as Toyota customers. One customer has encountered the problem of a sticking gas pedal in his Toyota car and comes to the dealer seeking for help. Another customer finds his Toyota car in good condition but comes ove

43、r to ask something about the recall. The third customer is a potential car buyer. They come to the dealer at the same time and the sales manager needs to deal with their questions and inquiries. Speaking Task 2 Solving the ProblemWork with your peers on the situation below and try to come up with a

44、solution to the problem described. You are expected to share your ideas and justify yourself in this process. Use as many phrases from the “Expressions & Structures to Use” box as possible.Situation2. You have 15 minutes to discuss within your own group. 3. Several groups will be selected to pre

45、sent their role plays. The rest of the class will vote for the one they feel happiest support in each groups performance.Speaking Task 2 Solving the ProblemWork with your peers on the situation below and try to come up with a solution to the problem described. You are expected to share your ideas an

46、d justify yourself in this process. Use as many phrases from the “Expressions & Structures to Use” box as possible.Speaking Task 2 Solving the ProblemAlternative Situation1. Work in groups of four. Suppose the four students were the board members of Toyota Corporation. Youre discussing how to pr

47、otect Toyota reputation in this global recall event.2. You have 15 minutes to discuss within your group and determine the measures you should take in protecting Toyota reputation, like issuing a public apology, how to tackle technological problems, how to face the dropping market, etc.3. Select two

48、groups to report their decisions. The rest of the class will vote for the one they feel happiest to support. Work on the following real-life project with your group members and present your report in the next class.Real-Life ProjectProject BulletinAlternative ProjectProject BulletinLead-inAudio Stud

49、ioVideo StudioSpeaking WorkshopTeamwork ShowTask 1Task 2Task 1 BrainstormingWork in pairs and discuss the following questions. Share your opinions with your peers.1. Do you always bargain when shopping? Why? Answers: shortage of money; mistrust of businessmen; enjoy bargaining; habit.2. What would y

50、ou do if you were a billionaire? Answers: buying houses, cars, etc.; investment; traveling; education abroad; charity; doing your own business; sharing with family members.Task 2 Expanding Your VocabularyRead through the words in the left-hand column, and match each of them with the appropriate mean

51、ing in the right-hand column. 1.literallyA.a serious accident or bad event causing damage or suffering2.stanceB.feeling a dislike of something which you find unpleasant or unacceptable3.recessionC.simply or just4.soaringD.a particular way of standing5.recklessE.a period when the economy of a country

52、 is not successful and conditions for business are bad6.dimeF.rising very quickly7.calamityG.an American or Canadian coin which has the value of ten cents8.distastefulH.doing something dangerous and not worrying about the risks and the possible resultsAudio StudioTask 1Task 2Audio Task 1 Identifying

53、 the Gist 1. What is the audio clip mainly about?A) Business should be moral.B) Business is just business.C) Business has to follow the rule of making profits.2. Why is the morality of business important? A) Morality in the business field is deteriorating day by day.B) Morality in business can help

54、people making more money.C) Business has great power over the well-being of the world. Listen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions.Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts Listen to the audio clip again and answer the following questions.1. Who should hold the responsibility for b

55、usiness lack of conscience? Answer: 1) Systems constructed around business. 2) Individual leaders must also be held accountable. 3) Shareholders are also to blame.2. Why is business personal? Answer: Because 1) it directly affects our lives and our futures. 2) every one of us can use it to choose th

56、e sort of world we want to be part of building.3. What is Googles motto? Answer: Dont be evil.Script The phrase “its just business” is often used to justify morally questionable behavior. The immense power business exerts over the well-being of this planet makes the issue of morality in business mor

57、e important than ever. Outside of the “sanctified” realm of business, where profit rules above all else, most of us are pretty good at knowing good from bad. Strangely though, we have been letting businesses literally get away with murder. When it comes to money and profits, people in general seem q

58、uite prepared to throw the accepted norms of social decency out the window.Certainly the systems we have constructed around business fuel this lack of conscience. We actively celebrate the making of money and extravagant consumption. The individual leaders must also be held accountable. In part, I b

59、elieve shareholders are also to blame; collectively, their actions fueled by the desire for big returns contributed to the appointment of these so-called leaders.Script All business decisions have moral implications that must be considered. Business is personal because it directly affects our lives

60、and our futures. It is also personal because each and every one of us can use it to choose the sort of world we want to be part of building. Googles motto dont be evil is a clear moral stance. It is no longer good enough to say “business is just business”. There is a price to be paid for every dollar we make and