Английский язык. Практический курс для решения бизнес-задач - стр. 67

Exercise 2*. Replace words in italics with synonyms from the text.

1. Process charts invented by Frank Gilbreth concentrated on all work elements, including non-value adding elements. 2. The assembly line was the result of innovations in production and management systems introduced by Henry Ford. 3. Two general determinants of demand are buyer’s ability to purchase and their willingness to purchase. 4. At General Motors, Alfred P. Sloan developed and put into practice business and manufacturing strategies for managing very large enterprises and dealing with variety. 5. Positioning is a marketing method which goal is to create the perception of a product, brand, or company identity. 6. Harley-Davidson Motor Co led the US heavyweight motorcycle market until the late 1970s, but then it suffered losses because of the strengthening Japanese competition and deteriorating quality of its products. 7. A connection exists between marketing problems and marketing opportunities in the dynamic environment. 8. Levi Strauss introduced Levi’s 501 jeans, a new specially developed product aimed at gold prospectors in California during the Gold Rush.

Exercise 3. A Russian manufacturing company wants to introduce the balanced scorecard in order to enhance its efficiency and competitiveness. You are a strategic management consultant and you were hired by this company to help manage the process. Explain to the general director of the company what the benefits of the BSC are; what pitfalls should be avoided; and how the BSC should be applied to become a real performance driver.

Exercise 4*. Fill in the blanks using terms given below.

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a quality management methodology that provides businesses with the…… to improve the……… of their business processes. This increase in……… and decrease in process variation lead to………. reduction and improvement in profits, employees’……… and quality of products. It is a quality…….. and improvement program that was……… by Mikel Harry and Motorola. It………. on the control of a process until the point of Six Sigma (standard………) from a centerline, or 3.4 defects per million items. It includes identifying factors which are………. for the quality as determined by the customer. It reduces process……… and improvement capabilities, increases………. and designs systems to support the Six Sigma goals.

The Six Sigma model is a highly disciplined approach that can help companies to focus on developing and………. near-perfect products and services. It is based on the statistical work of Joseph Juran, a Rumanian-born US pioneer of quality management. The word «Sigma» is a Greek sign used for a statistical term that measures how far a given process deviates from………. (standards deviation). If the sigma…….. is higher, you are closer to perfection. One Sigma is not very good, six sigma is defined as only 3.4 defects per million. The central idea behind Six Sigma is that if you can measure how many «defects» you have in a process, you can systematically……. out how you can……… them. Thus you can almost come to «…………».

The Japanese…….. of Six Sigma can still be seen by the system of «belts» which it uses. If you are new to Six Sigma and you go on a basic………, you get a green belt. Anyone who has the………. for leading a Six Sigma team is called a black belt. Finally, there is a special elite group called Master Black Belts who…….. the Black Belts.