Unit 15
Company strategy
Conditional 1
1. Listening
listen to the discussion about company strategy. Match the conditions to the results. The first one has been done for you..
Conditions:
1. Reduce prices
2. Margins smaller
3. Increase production
4. Invest in new plant
5. Upgrade product
6. Higher prices
7. Reduce manufacturing costs
8. Sub-contract production
Results
a. Cut unit costs
b. Job losses
c. Reduced sales
d. Market share increases
e. Cut profits
f. Unit costs come down
g. Higher profits
h. Adapt to market
Listening Task
A：We need to define a new strategy but this strategy must be flexible enough to take account of changing market conditions.
B：I agree. Our main objective must be to gain market share, and to do this we must reduce prices.
A：So are you sure that if we reduce prices, our market share will increase?
B：Yes, I’m sure.
C：That’s probably true, but if we reduce prices, our margins will be lower and that will cut profits.
B：In the short term that’s right, but we can slowly increase production, and with increased production, we’ll cut unit costs.
C：That’s really a long-term prospect. Unit costs can only come down if we invest in new plant and machinery.
A：Let’s stop there a minute and try to define our strategy in two directions-firstly, the market and secondly, manufacturing. Do we agree that increased market share is the objective?
C：No, I don’t agree. I think we should go for higher profitability. If we can upgrade the product, we’ll get better prices and therefore higher profits.
B：Look, the market is already very competitive and getting more so. If we increase prices, whatever the quality, sales will drop rapidly.
A：Right, let’s look at it from the other point of view-manufacturing.
C：Well, if we can reduce costs in manufacturing, that must put us in a strong position to adapt to the market. The only way we can be flexible enough is to sub-contract more of the production.
B：But it’ll mean job losses if we do that.
C：Yes, but the jobs that remain will be more secure.
2. Presentation
In this extract from a meeting conditional sentences were used to express possible results.
The construction used was:
请见附图15-2-1
Note: The present simple is used in the condition.
The future with will or a modal in the present is used in the result.
We often reverse the sentence:
请见附图15-2-2
3. Controlled practice
Make conditional sentences from the prompts below. You must decide which is the condition and which is the result, and use an appropriate verb, where necessary.
e.g. Sales in crease/good advertising campaign
Sales will increase if we have a good advertising campaign.
if there is a good advertising campaign.
1. More satisfied customers/improve the delivery service
2. Rationalize production/unit costs reduced
3. Job losses/rationalize production
4. Install robots/lower labour costs
5. Price war/competitors enter the market
6. Charge higher prices/upgrade the product
7. Earn larger profits/increase our margins
8. No research/no new products
9. Not offer better salaries/not attract the best people
10. Fewer meetings/more time to do the job
课文注释及词汇讲解
* define 明确
e.g. We need to define a new strategy.
我们有必要制定新的策略
There is a downturn in the market but it is hard to define exactly why.
市场有下降趋势，但很难准确地指明原因。
* enough 足够，充分地
enough 一般放在形容词的后面，但可以放在名词的前面或后面。Enough放在名词前面时意味较重，放在名词后面时则较弱。
e.g. We have enough capital to establish a new plant.
我们有足够的资金建一个新厂。
The marketing strategy must be flexible enough to adapt to different market situations.
营销策略必须足够灵活，以适应不同的市场情况。
* take account of ... 考虑……，重视……
e.g. When pricing our products, we have to take account of our competitors’ prices.
在给产品定价时，我们必须考虑竞争对手的价格。
* margins 差价[销售价与成本之差]，毛利[毛利也可以说gross margin |
