CORNET fy Do you prefer > Do you like to have conversations a) not to socialise with colleagues? a) with people who share your interests? b) to socialise often with colleagues? b) with almost anyone? ©) to socialise with colleagues only if you ©) with people who are your social equals? have to? VOTE IIEGY) €) The verbs below are often used with the word relations. Use them to complete the table. relations breakoff buildup cement foster cutoff develop disrupt encourage establish endanger improve jeopardise maintain strengthen promote restore resume damage sour undermine Negative meaning break off relations build up relations © Choose the correct verb in each sentence. 4 Sales staff who are impolite to customers disrupt / damage the reputation of a company. 2 We are planning to promote / establish branch offices in Singapore. 3 By merging with a US compahy, we greatly stren@therted | maintained our sales force. 4 Ourimage has been fostered | undérmined by poor after-sales service. 5 Thanksto a néw communications system, we are souring / improving relations with suppliers. 6 Astrike at our factory resumed / disrupted production for several weeks. 7 We could not agree on several points so we broke off / cut off talks regarding a joint venture. 8 The success of our new product launch was resumed / jeopardised by an unimaginative advertising campaign. 9 In order to gain market share in China, we are building up / cutting offa sales network there. 10 Relations between the two countries have been endangered / fostered by official visits and trade delegations. @ Match the following sentence halves. Then make five more sentences with the verbs in Exercise A and B. 4 Widespread rumours of a hostile a) are a credit to its highly effective PR take-over bid are certain Department. 2 The Accounts Department's very _b) have cemented relations between slow payment of invoices the two companies. 3 The long-term contracts, which _¢) its close relations with several will run for the next five years, ‘major foreign investors have been 4 The excellent relations the jeopardised. company enjoys with the local _d) is causing stormy relations with community some of the company's suppliers. 5 Asaresult ofthe government’s _¢) to strain relations between the two imposition of currency controls, leading French software companies. ba3 Building ret Relationships in a global market A Agnes Chen AIG knows everyone TES o 732 Lsten to the first part of the interview witn agnes cnen, a chinese business executive, who travels frequently on overseas trips. Make notes on the following points. 1 Doing business in South America 2 Doing business in China 3. The best way to build a business relationship © (133 tisten to the second part of the interview and give an oral summary of it using the following words and phrases. clear objectives beginning —achieveanddeliver_ trust time to time promise deliver face-to-face contact review open and sharing relationship © What area of business do you think the company American International Group (AIG) is involved in? Is it a) tobacco? b) insurance? c) oil? 4) packaging? Skim the article quickly to find the answer. © Whatdo the fottowing numbers in the aticte refer to? 166 1992 1919 80,000 130 @ Who are the following people mentioned in the article: Maurice Greenberg, Cornelius Vander Starr, Edmund Tse? © According to the article what are the main factors responsible for AIG’s ‘success in Asia? @© Read the article and answer these questions. 1 What objective does AIG have in China? 2 What does Mr Greenberg see as his role in the company? 3 Why is Asia important to AIG? @ Find three verbs in the article which combine with the noun relationships to mean develop. @ Find phrases (adjective and noun) in the article which mean the following. 4 unused possibilities (paragraph 3) 2 continuing in the same place for a great length of time (paragraph 5) 3 unlimited entry (paragraph 8) 4 representatives connected to a company (paragraph 10) 5, developing sales areas (paragraph 12) 6 important talks (paragraph 23) 7 most important countries (paragraph 13) @ Discuss these questions. 1 What can spoil relations between companies? 2 A foreign company is opening a branch in your country. What factors should it consider? 3 In your experience are certain nationalities better at building relationships than others? Ifso, which ones? 4 How can you build good business relationships? > Vocabulary file page 173CCRC! AIG knows everyone in Asia By Shawn Donnan et al AIG, American International Group, has grown from a small Shanghai-based underwriting agency into the world’s largest 5 insurer by market value. It has a capitalisation of $16sbn, and is firmly embedded in Asia's corpo- rate culture. Indeed, with roots dating back more than haif a cen- 10 tury, and the constant focus on the region by Maurice Greenberg, its Chairman, AIG has an unri- valled scale of operations and a ‘wealth of political and business 15 connections. For other US and European insurers, the company is both a benchmark and a powerful com- petitor. They know anyone who is 2% anyonein Asia’ However, in order to continue to prosper, AIG will have to suc- ceed in China — probably the insurance market with the 25 biggest untapped potential in the ‘world. After 17 years of lobbying by ‘Mr Greenberg, AIG was the first foreign insurer to be allowed into 30 China, in 1992e1€ How operates in eight cities but admits making only ‘a small profit? in the coun- try. Today, turningsts pioneering presence into a commercial suc- 5 cess is AIG's biggest challenge, In China as with the rest of Asia, AIG’s main advantage over its competitors is its long-stand- ing presence. The group was 4 founded in Shanghai in 1919 by Comelius Vander Starr, a 27-year- MEADE recmns eet oil AnieritalnCeta a rewarded with unrestricted licence in 1992. ‘That historical accident, and access to its vast insurance mar- Mr Greenberg knows quite a ‘Mr Starr's quest to expand to the __ Ket. ‘The Chinese always remem- few people, His style has always 45 rest of Asia in the ensuing 10 7 ber good friends, says MrTse. 5 been to discuss big issues —corpo- years, are still benefiting thecom- But if its ‘friendship’ with rate, political and economic pany. Over the past nine decades, China is not enough to tap the with anyone he meets. One na ‘AIG built on those foundations country’s potential, AIG may lose __Iyst refers to AIG. asa ‘sovereign through endlessly pursuing close __ its main growth’ engine And corporate tation’ as Mr Green 4 relationships with Asia's govern- 7 without a strong Asia, AIG would 1c berg insists on representing the ments, regulators and powerful bea much weaker company. company in high-level. discus Pte ‘AIG may bea company of 80,00) sions, ‘I you're dealing with the Edmund ‘Tse, who runs the employees and 350,000 affiliated premier or president ofa country, Asian operations and life assur. _ agents in 130 countries but much he is not thrilled to have a deputy 5 ance worldwide, says AIG's policy. ® of its success is down to individ- ws come and see him. Even if a coun. isto bulld relationships win cy ualreletionsfipe, try is not one of the leading many influential people as possi: Many of those relationships nations inthe world, that country ble.If you want todo business, have been forged by Maurice is important. It's important t0 You have to befriends with senior _ Greenberg, the company’s chair- him and its important tous" Bn Lead GES/Lbb dese VElISaoea ia oS ia Sd A ea friends with the head of state, the __-Mr Greenberg says that playing From the Financial Times minister of finance, the minister __ the long game has given AIG an of trade, the {central} bank gover- ede, particularly in terms of nor and the insurance regulator’ _ investing in emerging markets. 5 “AIG beltoves its three docades % He courted the Chinese for 17 spent courting China will be Years before being eranted a © FINANCIAL TIMES