Business talks and meetings

Most negotiations are conducted with a view to reaching a compromise agreement. Both parties move towards the outcome for mutual benefit.

This is a range of tactics which can help conducting different negotiations. Sometimes it's no use of immediate discussing business matters. The topic at the outset of negotiations should be neutral, non-business. It could be immediate experiences, the sort of journey the visitor has had; football, ice-hockey, the morning's newspaper headlines, common interests, etc.

Five per cent of the negotiating time is devoted to breaking the ice. The two parties adjust their thinking and attitude to one another.

If you want to follow the reaction of your visitor introduce in your speech the question - "Agree?"

At the very beginning of the talks negotiators get agreement covering the purpose, plan and the agenda if it is a meeting.

Here is some advice to a negotiator:

1. First discuss major items, then minor items.

2. Follow the headlines of the plan one by one.

3. Come over to the next point after you have resolved the previous one.

There are always differences of view between the parties.

Here is some advice on problem-solving tactics:

1. Present a problem in general and obtain the other party's view on it.

2. Look together at the possibilities of mutual advantage.

3. Suggest practical actions to resolve a problem.

If negotiations are difficult and you are in a deadlock, take time-out. It'll help you build bridges between yourself and your partner when you resume negotiations.

MEETING. Sample.

People involved in negotiating:

Team leader

Production people

Financial managers

Commercial managers

Experts.

Useful Language

to mutual benefit - к взаимной выгоде

agenda - повестка дня

adjust - приспосабливать

deadlock - тупик, безвыходное положение

expertise - экспертиза, проверка

Practice

Answer the questions:

1. What is the purpose of business negotiations?

2. What should be the topics at the outset of negotiations?

3. Why is it important to break ice?

4. What are the tactics of conducting negotiations?

5. How should parties come out of a deadlock situation?

6. What would you say to your partner at the very first moment of your talks?

7. How would you break the ice if:

· you see your visitor for the first lime?

· your visitor is your long-standing partner and you know his family and his hobby?

8. What would you say at the close of the talks if:

· you've come to a compromise?

· you've failed to reach a compromise?

Useful language

Welcome. How nice to see you.

How's business?

I'm glad to see you got here all right.

Did you have a nice trip?

What about some coffee?

Can we first agree on the procedure?

I think that this meeting will take about an hour.

Excuse me, but may we start with...

Let's exchange information on our respective position.

We are meeting in the hope to reach agreement in principle.

Is that how you see the purpose?

The issues we need to settle will be...

Any questions you want to clarify?

Does it cover the issues you want to clarify?

Our position on the matter of the price is...

Tax exclusive (inclusive)?

That is the price per unit, is it?

How do you justify it?

Have you managed to get the right quality?

What has been happening to your deliveries?

Our position is...

My understanding is...

My impression is...

That's how we see it.

Is that agreeable to you?

Is that all right for you?

What can we do about it together?

We can readily agree on...

We really cannot do it.

Do you have authority to settle the matter?

Practice

Answer the questions and finish the sentences given above.

Reading

HOW TO REPORT A MEETING

Minutes is a written report on the discussions and the decisions that have been taken at a meeting.

In order to show you how to write minutes, we will imagine that a meeting of the Board of Directors of a limited company is taking place. The Managing Director is in the chair. First the minutes of the previous meeting are read. The meeting then passes on to deal with the agenda.

Agenda

1. Minutes of the previous meeting.

2. To consider estimate for replacement of the air-conditioning system.

3. To consider appointment of the factory manager.

After the meeting has heard the views of the Managing Director they discuss the estimate for replacement of the air-conditioning system and decide to accept it.

The Managing Director has chosen two candidates for the post of the factory manager. They are invited in turn, and the board chooses one of them.

Board members have no other matters to discuss, so the meeting ends.

MINUTES. Sample.

Meeting of the Board of Directors of... Co.

Ltd, held... (place, time).

Present:

1. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and signed.

2. The Managing Director presented the estimate for replacement of the air-conditioning system. Mr ... thought that the amount of the estimate was too high, but after an explanation by the Managing Director it was accepted.

3. Two applicants for the post of factory manager were seen by the Board:

Mr R. - an outside candidate.

Mr P. - the present assistant factory manager.

It was agreed to appoint Mr P.

4. There was no other business.

Useful vocabulary

limited company акционерная компания с ограниченной ответственностью;

minutes - протокол

board of directors - совет директоров

Managing Director – управляющий директор

to be in the chair - председательствовать

estimate - предварительный подсчет

replacement – замена

Practice

Answer the questions:

1. How is a meeting reported?

2. Why are the minutes of the previous meeting always read at the next meeting?

3. What questions are included in the agenda of a meeting?

4. Are participants of the meeting actively involved in the discussions?

5. Why is it important to have minutes in writing?

Reading

Business interview 1

A team of US best and brightest experts in business and economics have devised a plan to help improve the Russian's economic situation.

The idea how to make the rouble convertible is of Mr G., a financial consultant who has spent most of his career in the State Government.

Here is an interview with Mr. G. to a Russian newspaper correspondent.

Correspondent: I've heard you've got a plan how to make the rouble convertible.

Mr G.: This very moment it is being made convertible.

Foreign firms, joint ventures who are in your market buy and sell goods and services. Don't they exchange roubles for dollars, euros, and so on?

Correspondent: Do you have a step-to-step plan to implement the idea of the convertibility of the rouble?

Mr G.: Oh, yes. The first thing to be done is to create a goods exchange. Suppose, a manager from Georgia has bricks, he wants to exchange them for timber. He can do it through a dealer at a goods exchange.

Correspondent: What will be the exchange value for the rouble on the world market?

Mr G.: It'll be equal to the quantity of the goods (metals, timber, grain, etc.) which can be bought at your goods exchange. Through this standardization you'll find a way to euros, dollars, yenas. Standardization of prices is a second step in my plan.

Correspondent: Financial experts say now that it's necessary to create a stock exchange in the RF.

Mr G.: That's just the third element to my plan of a transition to the hard rouble. At the stock exchange you will trade in roubles the same way you trade in goods, and will buy any currency.

Correspondent: A banking official from the FRG said recently in his interview to our newspaper that the rouble can be made convertible if it is supported with gold extracted in the RF. At the same time he didn't say that gold must be sold. It's understandable why. If our gold was put on the market, prices for gold would immediately go down.

Mr G.: Gold must not be sold out. Part of the gold reserve could be placed on deposits of neutral, let's say, Swiss banks. Against this security the Russian Government could grant your managers currency loans at a low interest rate, 2 or 3 per cent annually. Your managers will be more active in the market as they will have an advantage over their competitors from other countries that get their loans at a higher rate. Undoubtedly, it will open room for manoeuvres for your managers.

What is the most important that not the full value of the credit will have the gold security, only part of it. The major part will be covered with goods. But the bank note issued in dollars will be for the full amount of the credit. It'll be the best credibility for you.

In short, you are on the winning side. You don't lose gold, and the prices for gold are not forced down.

Basic Vocabulary

goods exchange - товарная биржа

brick - кирпич

timber - лес

stock exchange - фондовая биржа

exchange value - меновая стоимость

gold security - обеспечение золотом

dealer - дилер, посредник в сделках купли - продажи товаров, ценных бумаг и валюты

loan - заем, ссуда

interest rate - процентная ставка

annually - ежегодно