FULL NAME: Siru Ionel

YEAR OF STUDY: II
GROUP: 2
SPECIALISATION: FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DATE: 09.01.2020

ENGLISH TEST

I. Answer the following questions:

a) 1. What is the general definition of management?

Management is a science of control things or people with a good scope.
2. What does planning involve?
Planning involves activities to determine an organization’s objectives and establish the appropriate
strategies for achieving those objectives. The planning is a manager’s duty.
3. What is the purpose of the organizing function and how is it achieved?
The purpose of organizing function is to create a structure of tasks and authority relationships to serve
this purpose. In other words, organizing means turning plans into action.
4. What does the leading function focus on and why?
The leading function focuses on influencing people in the organization to act in a way that accomplishes
the planned objectives.
5. What is controlling? Explain the three component elements.
Controlling is getting sure that the purposes are accomplished. It involves three elements: established
standards of performance, information that indicates deviations between actual performance and the
established standards, action to correct performance that does not meet the standards.

b) Why is management considered art, science and craft altogether?

Management is considered art, science and craft altogether, as it requires knowledge, rules proven by
science besides skills, experience and diplomacy, in order to realize its intended aim. If management is
done proficiency, it drives things to the final result, raising it to art level.
II. Name at least 5 differences between leadership and management:
1. Leadership / Management – vision/ability to direct
Leadership concentrates on the vision, wheareas management handles the steps and way to achieve the
vision.
2. Leadership / Management – superior communication/execution
Leadership creates and expresses the vision and the management handles the execution.
3. Leadership / Management – ability to inspire/control of the process
Leadership inspires through its creations and visions, while the management takes care to implement in
a controlled manner the vision.
4. Leadership / Management
Leadership poses and management disposes.
5. Leadership / Management
Leadership influences people with the attitude and the vision, while the management directs people to
implement the goals.
6. Leadership / Management

III. Read the text below and answer the questions:

Across cultures people build professional relationships in different ways. The expert in intercultural
communication Susanne M Zaninelli analyses the impact of these cultural differences on small-talk
styles, using the metaphor of peaches and coconuts. In her opinion, people from a coconut culture are
more reserved and only offer a thin layer of their private 'space'. Therefore they may appear serious and
a bit distant during initial social conversations - this is the 'hard shell' you experience when you first
meet coconuts. It can mean that not much personal information is shared in the beginning; this is
perceived as being polite. For peaches, it's difficult to get to know a coconut fast.
In contrast, peaches are seen as relatively more sociable. They like 'large talk' with people they don't
know. They like to share personal space with others and even talk about private aspects easily. Peaches
are more likely to smile a lot and be enthusiastic towards others. This is politeness. Of course, they still
keep a small area, the 'peach stone', private from others.
When peaches and coconuts meet, misunderstanding is common. Peaches can see coconuts as cold and
difficult to get to know, because they don't engage much in social conversation. At the same time,
coconuts can see peaches as too friendly, superficial and even impolite because they ask too many
personal questions.
The peach and coconut metaphor highlights important cultural differences and tells us that what we
think is polite may be seen as impolite by others. The answer is that to be effective across cultures we
should firstly not misinterpret signals we receive from others. Understanding the meaning of signals
gives both sides the freedom to stay as we are. We also could become more flexible and adapt our style
to people from different cultures - to be more 'peachy' with the peach and more like a coconut with
coconuts, so that the other side feels comfortable.
Perhaps we should become 'peanuts'!

1. What is the style of polite small talk for a coconut?

People who have this style don’t talk many personal things at the begining. They use to discuss only
general things and can be perceived as being distant.
2. What is the style of polite small talk for a peach?
This kind of people are very open from the beginning, the smile, are enthusiastic and can also share
easily personal information .
3. How can peaches and coconuts negatively judge each other?
Because peaches and coconuts have so different styles, they also judge each other. Coconuts believe
peaches are too friendly and impolite, whereas peaches find coconuts cold and difficult to get to know.
4. The article ends, ‘Perhaps we should become peanuts’. What does this mean?
In my opinion, this ending may be suggesting that both peach and coconut style have their difficulties or
disadvantages, and maybe there is the half half way, that can make peaches feel comfortable coconuts
and vice versa.
5. What kind of culture is the Romanian one: peach or coconut? Why?
Romanian culture is more of a peach kind, as romanians can be really friendly and communicative from
the first moment and seem like long time friends in a discussion with new people.
6. Are you a peach or a coconut? Give some arguments in favour of your opinion.
I think I am a peach as I can integrate easily in a new group, I am flexible and I can entertain people
with friendly jokes.

IV. An effective way to avoid misunderstandings, overcome differences and solve problems is not
only communicating clearly and concisely but also actually listening to other people. Give your
own arguments on why it is important to listen to others, and make a list of effective ways to
become a better listener.
Listining to others opinions is first of all a sign of respect. Moreover it can be really beneficial to listen
to the others as they can express useful or inspiring ideas. For example, in order to become a good
listener, one should pay attention to the interlocutor, think about the expressed ideas, try to understand
the opinions of the others and compare with own. Furthermore one can try to come up with new ideas,
from the discussions with others. A good listener also gets involved in the discussion and explains what
he understands, as well as he exposes fairly and with respect own ideas or thoughts. Expressive body
language is also part of a good discussion and it is a peculiarity of a good listener.
All in all leaders and managers have to pay attention to soft skills and try to improve them, as
communication is essential.