Unit 7 : Outsourcing The Great Job Migration

- Angel Caroline // 202050248

- Lita // 202050256
- Livia Anggra Handjaja // 202050282

Outsourcing = Many companies are now setting up facilities in countries that can provide services at a
far lower cost. What do you think the advantages and risks are of going offshore.

A. Listening I.

Listen to Lincoln Allenson, the director of an offshoring consultancy, and compare your anwers. Listen
again and make notes on the following.

1. The risks of outsourcing abroad

= Work with no face-to-face contract and depence on secure and relieable network
connections, mainly IT, HR , R&D, and back office work
2. Factors affecting the choice of location
= Languange, wages differential, level of risk
3. The risks of outsourcing abroad
= Political instability, protection of assets and trade secrets

B. Speaking

Complete the table with the following countries.

- India
- Phillipines
- Ireland
- USA

1 2 3 4

Country USA Ireland India Phillipines

Average annual salary of programmer (US $) 70,000 29,000 10,000 6,500

Total workforce 140m 1,8m 439m 32m

No of university graduates (per year) 1,2m 30,000 700,000 380,000

C. Reading.

1. Read the text on the opposite page. What would be the advantages of offshoring for the
following?

- US companies = cheaper workforce, can reduce overheads, can imrove efficiency, can expand
foreign markets.

- US workers = can be redeployed to higher-value industries, expanded foreign markets for US

goods and service.

- Indian companies = more works, increased profits, economic benefits for workers.

- US consumers = prices are kept in check.

2. Find the three examples in the text for each of the following.

1. phases of globalization

= manufacturing, simple service work, all kinds of knowledge work.

2. factors driving offshoring

= digitization, internet, high-speed data network.

3. key qualities of host countries

= speedy and cheap telcom links, investor friendly policies, high number of colleges graduate.
 D. Vocabulary 1
Credit records - layoffs - overheads - cheap
telcoms
Complete the wordmap with the following words and phrases.
Labour costs - job creation - demand - economic
development
investor friendly - efficiency - foreign markets -
highspeed data networks
Internet - databases - corporate financial information -
backlash

Offshoring and the global economy

E. Collacolations.
Which expressions are used in the text on page 61 to descrive the following types of work.

1. Develop computer applications adapt software for new uses.

2. Check accident reports deal with insurance payments.

3. Provide help-desk support give customers assistance.

4. Process credit card receipts record bank transactions.

5. Write software code write in computer languange.

6. Mine databases exploit data stored electronically.

7. Analyse corporate financial information evaluate company results.

Language Check

Conditionals 1 and 2

Look at following conditional sentences and complete the explanations below.

-- Unlikely to happen -- May possibly happen -- Unreal -- Modal

-- Present tense -- Past tense -- Present tense -- Would/could+verb

 In type 1 conditionals the if-clause refers to a situation that may possibly happen .
Type 1 conditionals are formed with if + present tense* and the present tense

or a modal verb in the other half of the sentence.

 In type 2 conditionals the if-clause refers to a situation that is either

unreal or unlikely to happen . Type 2 Conditionals are formed with if + past tense

and would/could verb in the other half of the sentence.

Practice

Decide which of these things may happen or are unlikely to happen. Write complete
sentences using the appropriate verb forms.

1. If we / reduce / labour costs / be / more efficient

- If we reduce labour costs, we’ll be more efficient.
- We’ll be more efficient if we reduce labour costs.

2. If I / have / bigger salary / be / more motivated

- If I had a bigger salary, I’d be more motivated.
- I’d be more motivated if I had a bigger salary.

3. If I / speak Chinese / need / translator

- If I spoke Chinese, I wouldn’t need translator.
- I wouldn’t need translator if I spoke Chinese.

4. If I / have enough money / retire now

- If I had enough money, I’d retire now.
- I’d retire now if I had enough money.
 5. If I / meet / objectives / get / bonus
- If I meet objectives, I’ll get bonus.
- I’ll get bonus if I meet objectives.

6. If I / see supervisor / I ask her a day off

- If I see supervisor, I’ll ask her a day off.
- I’ll ask her a day off if I see supervisor.

7. If I / have / phone number / call / him

- If had phone number, I’d call him.
- I’d call him if had phone number.

8. If I / work / this weekend / get / overtime

- If I work this weekend, I’ll get overtime.
- I’ll get overtime if I work this weekend.

Speaking

Work in pairs. Find out what your partner would do in three of the following situations.
Then answer your partner’s questions.

1. Your company asks you to work abroad for six months

-- I’d say yes

2. You find out a colleague is selling copies of company software

-- I’ll tell to boss

3. You find out that you are being paid less than your colleagues
-- I’d protest to boss

4. You realise that your credit card is missing

-- I’ll go to the bank

5. A colleague is criticizing the quality of your work

-- I’ll accept criticism

6. Your company asks you to go an a six-week intensive Chinese course

-- I’ll take the course
 Listening 2

 Working in India
Regis sultan is a French computer engineer working in India. Listen to him talk

about his job and choose the best option for question 1-6.

1. Regis is working in a … 4. When did he attend training courses?

a. Research centre. a. Every evening
b. Customer support service. b. At weekends
c. Production department. c. Every morning

2. It is difficult to recruit locally because there are.. 5. Regis describes his collagues as mostly
a. Not enough technically-qualified people. a. Male and female language graduates.
b. Too many similar companies in the area. b. Men from non-technical professions.
c. Few candidates with good language skills. c. Untrained female university graduates.

3. How many hours a day does he work? 6. Where is he living?

a. Six a. With an Indian family
b. Eight b. In a local hotel
c. Ten c. In a rented apartment

Speaking

o In the second part of the interview Regis talks about offshoring. What does he say about the
following things?
1. Why it is happening
-- European and US firms made contact with companies in lower cost countries such as
indiabecause they could find the same skills at a cheaper price and with greater flexibility.

2. The jobs offshoring creates

-- Not Always a success. New jobs also have been created specializing in helping
businesses to make their outsourcing process a success.
 3. The future Indian companies
-- They will have to stay competitive to keep a leading position- but the market is potentially
enormous.

o Would you be interested in working in India? What terms and conditions would make you accept
a jobthere?
-- I wouldn’t particularly want to work overseas, but if the company paid ne a lot of money I
might consider it.

Listening 3

2. couldn’t we …? / I know but …

3. I really think that you should … / You’re right. I’ll…

4. Why don’t you …? / OK, let’s try that

5. In that case it might be better to… / It’s a good idea but I’m afraid …

6. Is there any way we could…? / That’s going to be difficult / What about…? / Sounds good to me

Decision Making

In some cultures senior managers make decisions and others carry out their instructions. In
other cultures decisions are made by consensus after everyone contributes suggestions and
opinions. What is common in your country? How might this difference cause misunderstanding in
multicultural teams?

Answer :

Individualist Cultures Group Cultures

Company Decisions are taken by senior Managers seek consensus from

Organisation managers everyone involved

Time The decision-making process is Decision-making takes a long time

short because everyone has to be consulted

Implementation It may take longer to implement Decisions, once taken, are stable and can
decisions because of resistance to be implemented without delay.
the idea
 Problem Solving Employees follow the lead of their Employees are encouraged to express
managers opinions and come up with new ideas

Task 1

Work in groups. Read the fact file and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each
country as a call centre location.

Ans: put Ss in groups. Tell them to read the fact file and compare the advantages /
disadvantages of each country as a call centre location in general, and for this scenario in
particular.

Task 2

Prepare the recommendations that your group will make at the meeting.

Ans: Ss decide on concrete recommendations and prepare mini-presentations in support of

their views. Refer them to the Useful phrases box on page 66

Task 3

Present your findings to the group. Listen to the presentations made by the other groups.
Discuss the recommendations together and reach a final decision about where to host the
pilot project

Ans: Ask Ss to prepare to present their recommendations to the whole class. Then ask Ss to
discuss the recommendations as a whole class and come up with a final decision. Take notes
on the language used and provide group and / or individual feedback at the end of the
lesson

Write it up

Write a formal report to the management board, Compare your own country with your
chosen offshore location and recommend what action InterState should take

Ans: Ss should prepare a report for the Interstate board which also includes a location in the
home country as one of the options. Give each S a photocopy of the Writing preparation
framework from page 188; then use the writing focus below to link the use of the
framework and the Style guide as Ss plan their writing. You may wish to set a word limit,
e.g. no longer than the sample answer below. It may be helpful to use the Writing feedback
framework on page 189 when giving feedback on Ss’ writing.