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ROMNIA
MINISTERUL EDUCAIEI, CERCETRII, TINERETULUI

I SPORTULUI
UNIVERSITATEA VASILE ALECSANDRI DIN BACU
FACULTATEA DE TIINE ECONOMICE
Str. Spiru Haret, nr. 8, Bacu, 600114
Tel. ++40-234-542411, tel./ fax ++40-234-516345
www.ub.ro; e-mail: stiinteec@ub.ro
ENGLISH FOR MARKETING STUDENTS

A WORKBOOK FOR MARKETING STUDENTS
I YEAR STUDENTS, DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMME
SUPORT DE CURS PENTRU LIMBA ENGLEZ SPECIALIZAREA MARKETING,

NVMNT LA DISTAN ANUL I
Asist. dr. MIHAELA CULEA
Refereni tiinifici: Lect.dr. Nadia Nicoleta Morrau,

Vasile Alecsandri din Bacu
Universitatea
Lect.dr. Mihaela Vasiloaia, Universitatea George

Bacovia din Bacu
2012
Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naionale a Romniei

CULEA, MIHAELA
English for marketing students / Culea Mihaela ; refereni tiinifici:
lect. dr. Nadia Nicoleta Morrau Univ. ''Vasile Alecsandri'' din Bacu, lect.
dr. Mihaela Vasiloaia, Univ. ''George Bacovia'' din Bacu. - Bacu : Alma
Mater, 2012
Bibliogr.
ISBN 978-606-527-190-6
I. Morrau, Nadia Nicoleta
II. Vasiloaia, Mihaela
811.111:339.138
CONTENTS
UNIT 1. SOCIALIZING. JOBS AND COMPANIES
1.1. Business communication skills
1.2. Reading and comprehension: Damon Buffini
1.3. Grammar study: Present tense simple and continuous
13
1.4. Writing skills: Giving and asking for advice
20
UNIT 2. MARKETING ESSENTIALS
23
2. 1. Business communication skills
24
2. 2. Reading and comprehension: A. What is Marketing?
24
B. The marketing mix
27
2. 3. Grammar study: Paste tense simple and continuous
29
2. 4. Writing skills: Making an invitation
35
UNIT 3. PRODUCTS
37
38
3. 2. Reading and comprehension: Standardized vs. differentiated products
39
3. 3. Grammar study: Present perfect simple and continuous
42
3. 4. Writing skills: Making an order
49
UNIT 4. BRANDS
50
51
4. 2. Reading and comprehension: Brands and branding
53
4. 3. Grammar study: Past perfect simple and continuous
55
4. 4. Writing skills: Making a suggestion
58
UNIT 5. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND SPENDING MONEY
59
60
5. 2. Reading and comprehension: A. Consumer types and VALS framework
60
B. Green products and consumer preferences

3
63
C. The purchasing decision-making process
64
5. 3. Grammar study: Expressing the future
65
5. 4. Writing skills: Making a complaint
71
UNIT 6. GENERAL REVISION
73
6. 1. Reading and comprehension & business communication:

Marketing mix. Case study: Diesel
74
6. 2. Grammar and vocabulary revision test
79
6. 3. Writing revision
81
ANNEX SYLLABUS
82
BIBLIOGRAPHY
88
Key words: job, company, work-related activities, careers, making conversation, work
motivation; present tense simple and continuous; asking for advice, giving advice
Objectives students will improve their English language competences at various levels. They
will know how to:
use adequate language for small talk and basic socializing phrases;
describe their job and the company they work for;
use vocabulary related to the work environment and work motivation;
use present tense simple and continuous verb forms in appropriate business contexts;
employ their writing skills in business contexts, with special focus on giving and asking
for advice.
1.1. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Describe the jobs below:

engineer
accountant
sales rep
art director
graphic designer
doctor
plumber
mechanic
pilot
copywriter
shop assistant
hairdresser
cook
PR officer
HR manager
economist
personal assistant
marketing director
computer programmer
lawyer
geologist
2. Describe the companies and institutions below:

market research firm
real estate agency
hotel
ad agency
recruitment company
pharmaceuticals company
bank
electronics manufacturer
dairy producer
book shop
confectionery
stationers
grocers
textile manufacturer
event organizer
butchers
car manufacturer
catering firm
cleaners
consultancy company
insurance company
3. Match the job titles below with the suitable descriptions of these jobs:
Product manager
Responsible for all the decisions concerning a brand.
Advertising manager
Responsible for all the decisions regarding a group of similar

products within a firm.
Salesperson
Responsible for controlling, training and motivating the sales

force and the sales support team.
Market research
manager
Finds out what each customer needs, and tries to meet that need
or demand. They select from the range of products which the
company has on offer, and explains these products in terms of
how they will satisfy the clients needs.
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PR manager
Controls media purchases, deals with advertising agencies and

supervises the flow of information to the companys customers.
Brand manager
Administers the companys public image and applies corrective

measures if the firm is acquiring a bad reputation. Organizes
activities and events that show the company in a positive
perspective, and tries to make sure that the company behaves
correctly towards its public.
Sales manager
Collects evidence about what consumers really want or need to

buy. Sometimes they also examine competitors activity so that
the company can come up with opposing action.
4. What is your job title? Use the following phrases to talk about your job:
My name isI am years old.
I am in charge of/My responsibilities are..
I am a/an (job)
I report to
I work for ...
The number of employees is around
My company produces (products)/
Our market share
provides (services)/sells
My job involves...
Our competition
5. Can you think of the central values of your firm? Describe them briefly.
e.g. product/service quality
staff professionalism
tradition
client commitment
national reputation
respect for customers
6. Ask another student about his/her work, professional activities, company. Use the
following questions:
What is your name?
Are you satisfied with your work program?
Where do you work?
Are you satisfied with your job tasks?
What does your company produce/sell?
Are you pleased with your salary?
Where is your company based?
What do you like best about your work?
What does your job involve?
How does your

competition?
How many employees does your company have?

7
firm
relate
to
its
7. Now imagine you are during the coffee break at a conference. Present yourself to the
following people and start a short conversation:
Use some of the following phrases for small talk:
Hello, Im
Are you giving a presentation?
Hello, Imfrombased in
Do you know anyone here?
Hello, is this your first time in(city?)
So, how are you enjoying the
conference so far?
Hi, I dont think weve met
Where are you staying?
Hello, its (Joanna), isnt it?
Would you like something to drink?
So, who do you work for?
Can I get you anything from the
Whats jour job?
buffet?
How is business?/ I hear
What about something to drink?
Where are you from originally?
Do you fancy something to drink?
8. Which of the following topics are taboo or inappropriate when talking to a person
you have just met? Which are safe topics?
religion
weather
marital status
hobbies
food
age
profession
political preferences ethnic issues sports
9. Use the following phrases to keep a conversation going with a partner on the
following topics:
the weather: Isnt this weather?
recent news: Have you heard about?
So, the weather is getting
news, isnt it?
Well, I hear the forecast says
So, they say that
mutual friends: Do you know, by the holidays: Have you been on holiday this
way?
year?
I think you two know each other already.
Have you ever visited?

Have you had the chance to see?
job interviews: So, how did the interview the economy: I see the GDP has
go?
gone worse..
Im sure youve made quite a figure
I hear investments
Well, Im sure it all turned out just fine
So, inflation is getting lower/higher
10. Comment upon the following quotation from a business book: Never do business
with anybody you dont like, because people will always buy from a friend. Do you agree? What
would be your policy if having your own business?
8
1.2. READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the following short text from The Telegraph newspaper on one of the richest
British businessmen and answer the questions below:
DAMON BUFFINI1
Position: chairman of Permira, one of the countrys top private equity groups.
Family background: the son of an American serviceman and a Leicester hotel employee;
Education: a Cambridge law graduate;
Professional history:
he has led the development of the former Schroder Ventures and he has taken a crucial
role in defending private equitys record on jobs and investment;
he was a management consultant before joining Schroder Ventures, then became a

partner in 1992 and UK managing partner in 1999;
in 2000, he became Permira managing partner and supervised the separation from
Schroders in 2001.
Qualities: his deal-making and managerial skills have helped Permira to purchase companies as
diverse as the AA, fashion group New Look or hotels chain Travelodge. His inventiveness,
problem-solving skills and financial abilities are also accountable for his success in business.
Age: 45.
Marital status: he is married to Deborah, a Chinese solicitor.
Interests and hobbies: golf; he also does humanitarian activities: he works with underprivileged
children in poor parts of London.
1. Which is Mr. Buffinis job? What is the name of the company?
2. Was he born in a family with business interests?
3. Does he have a degree in business?
4. What types of business is he in?
5. What types of business skills does he have? Do you think these qualities are essential
in business? Can you think of others?
Adapted from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/2954838/British-businesspeople-The-top-1000-Hedge-funds-private-equity-and-fund-management.html, accessed March 1, 2012.
e.g. social networking skills
persuasiveness
time management skills
writing skills
strategic skills
leadership skills
speaking skills
risk-management abilities
others
6. What age is he? Which is his marital status?

7. What other activities does he perform except for business?
8. Find words derived from the words below:
employ
manage
profession
work
lead
produce
9. Do you think that professional success is related only to financial gains?

10. What types of motivation do you get from your work? Check the ideas below:
money
flexible work time
bonuses
knowledge
paid holidays
interesting work
colleagues
training
job security
promotion
praise
free goods/products
11. Are there other aspects or factors that motivate you at work? What demotivates
you?
12. Work is also rewarded with money. Look up the meaning of the following money
idioms in a dictionary and then match them with the appropriate meanings:
to be rolling in it
to live on a small budget
money down the drain
to be rich
to keep ones head above water
making profit; in credit
to live on a shoestring
money wasted
to tighten ones belt
to survive in spite of financial problems
to live in clover
to manage with very little money
in the red
to live in comfort or wealth
in the black
to be very poor
as poor as a church mouse
in debt
10
13. Study the following phrases describing work-related activities and then fill in the
gaps in the sentences below:
at full stretch using all ones energy to do something
to burn the midnight oil to work very late at night to achieve something
the top of the ladder the highest position in ones job
to get something off the ground to start a business/project
to take a back seat to take a position of less importance or influence
to call the shots to make/take important decisions
the rat race the struggle for success
up-and-coming (adj.) expected to become successful and important
the big guns influential people
to have several irons in the fire to have several alternatives or projects at the same time
1. Mr. Tinescu has replaced Mr. Toader for the position of CEO, so the former is the new
boss to ..now.
2. The delegation from Russia are the .in the oil industry.
3. New elections for the position of HR director have been announced, so the
has begun.
4. We had to work..for a full year in order to complete that difficult
project.
5. Im not afraid of a possible failure; actually, I have Im
counting on.
6. He has dreamed of his own company for so long; now he has finally managed to
it .
7. Ill have to .tonight thinking of a new way to advertise that
product!
8. When he got sick because of too much work he had to .in the
company.
9. Although he is only forty, everybody
economist in our firm.
11
considers
him
to
be
the
10. Andrei has been working very hard all these years, but he has finally succeeded in
reaching.in the company.
14. Study the following phrases describing human qualities, flaws and personality
features and then fill in the gaps below:
a rotten apple somebody who as a bad influence on others
to have a head for figures to be good at arithmetic
to be slow on the uptake to understand or learn things slowly
to talk the hind legs off a donkey to talk too much
to be head and shoulders above the rest to be more important or better than others
smart alec somebody who thinks she/he is very intelligent
of the old school old-fashioned and conservative
to have the gift of the gab to have the talent to talk easily and convincingly
1. In our department hes just a ., always looking down
on us during our meetings.
2. I chose to attend the Faculty of Economic Sciences because I
3. Dont talk to our manager about your innovative idea; unfortunately, shes
4. If you dont have much time available, dont even bother to call her, you know she
5. Due to his hard work and perseverance he is now .his

colleagues.
6. Salespeople must have ..if they want to sell efficiently.
7. Im not sure I see what you mean, it seems Im a bit .today.
8. Unfortunately, Jerry was caught stealing stationery from his office gain. Its a pity, he
seems to be nothing but a .
15. Form another word from the one given so as to complete the sentences below:
EMPLOY
Unfortunately, he was fired from his old job and he is now..
PRODUCE
We have recently opened a new ..site in Glasgow.
WORK
Many people in our city are now .as a result of the

economic crisis.
12
COUNT
Maria has graduated the Faculty of Economic Sciences and now works as an
AMBITION Radu may be successful in his new job, after all he is very
SUCCESS
The figures clearly show that the new production line has been ...
REPRESENT We promise to send one of our to discuss the matter with

you.
APPLY
I will certainly get a job considering the numerous .I have

sent!
COMPETE
We still survive on the market due to our .prices.
EMPLOY
Our firm has introduced incentive schemes for all its
16. Make sentences with the following expressions related to work:

to land a job; to make an impression; to work ones way up from the very bottom; top
business; to work hard and play hard; to enjoy the high life; to do a U-turn; to lose ones
touch; to build up losses; to request funds
1. 3. GRAMMAR STUDY
PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE
Form:
Affirmative: the short infinitive of the verb (first form of any verb) + -s/-es (only for 3rd
person sg.)
Negative: do not/does not (short forms: dont/doesnt) + the short infinitive of the verb
Interrogative: Do/Does + subject + the short infinitive of the verb
Observations: 1.We add s/-es in affirmative sentences only for the third person singular:
he/she/it.
2. We use does/does not only for the third person singular.
3. Short answers to yes/no questions repeat the auxiliary do. E.g. Does she own the place?
Yes, she does./No, she doesnt.
Uses:
1. It is used to refer to permanent or general facts:
13
This machine selects the raw material.

In marketing, the 4 Ps refer to the four variables making up the marketing mix.
2. It can also describe generally true actions or situations:
Maria works for an advertising agency.
Our company offers a full range of cosmetic products.
Adidas manufactures sports apparel.
3. It refers to actions which are repeated regularly, routine actions and habits:
With such adverbs as: always, usually, normally, often, frequently, generally,
occasionally, sometimes, rarely, now and then, not often, seldom, every
day/month/summer etc., once a year, never.
I usually work long hours when I have to meet a deadline.
I always check my email when I arrive at the office
Bill Gates is a workaholic, he normally works 16 hours a day.
We devise the quarterly accounts every three or four months.
Mr. Bernanke appears twice each year before the House committee for a formal review
of the Feds management of the nations monetary policy. (International Herald Tribune
website)
PRESENT TENSE CONTINUOUS

Form:
Affirmative: to be in the present (am/is/are)+ verb +-ing
Negative: subject + to be in the present (am/is/are)+ not + verb +-ing
Interrogative: to be in the present (am/is/are)+ subject + verb +-ing
Observations: 1. In more informal contexts we use short forms/contractions: I am/Im, you
are/youre, she/he/it is/ shes/hes/its, they are/theyre etc.
2. Negatives are formed with the verb to be + not: Im not working here. She isnt studying here
anymore. We arent doing that any longer.
3. For questions, we invert the subject and the form of the verb be: Are they coming or not?
14
4. Short answers to yes/no questions repeat the verb be: Is he staying here? Yes, he is./ No, he
isnt.
5. We do not generally use perceptive verbs with present or past continuous (which refer to our
senses: to see, to hear, to taste, to smell), verbs showing affection or emotions (to like/to dislike,
to love/to hate, to feel), verbs describing mental states (to understand, to suppose, to believe) or
opinion (to think), or the verbs to be and to have. When we do use them in the continuous form,
the original meaning changes and they also change from state verbs to action verbs: E.g. Im
seeing the manager at 7 sharp in the evening (it means I will meet); Theyre having a meeting
right now (they are holding a meeting); The company is thinking of changing its headquarters (it
is planning it, the idea is being considered at the moment). Im having problems with my old
computer (I am experiencing problems; action)
6. The following information box will help you distinguish between the uses of present tense
simple and continuous:
Present tense simple
Present tense continuous
permanent
temporary
habits, routine actions (which extend over a actions in progress now or around now
long period of time)
facts or situations that are always true
events happening at that moment
general situations
particular situations
Uses:
1. It refers to temporary actions which take place at the moment of speaking:
often used with time expressions like: now, at the moment, right now.
Mr. Johns is talking to a major client right now.

I am trying to reach the Accounts Department but it seems that nobody is in the office.
2. To talk about actions or situations which are in progress around the present
moment, so they do not refer only to speech time:
often used with time expressions like: nowadays, temporarily, these days, this
month/semester, currently.
It is pretty obvious that they arent doing a good job these days.
Now that airlines have realized how much money they can make by selling more than
just a seat on their planes, they are coming up with all sorts of income-producing ideas.
(International Herald Tribune website)
15
So Air New Zealand is converting its frequent-flier club members into financial services
clients, giving them its OneSmart card. (International Herald Tribune website)
Greece is now preparing to use legal means to force all qualifying bondholders to
accept a haircut. (International Herald Tribune website)
Porsche is zipping along in Latin America, a region where the luxury carmaker has
dramatically grown over the past decade. (Latin Trade website)
3. To indicate a transition or change from one state to another, generally with verbs
such as to get, to grow:
For travellers with multiple connections, getting from Point A to Point B is becoming
ever more challenging. (International Herald Tribune website)
Some worry that the company is becoming less vigilant about monitoring app
developers, exposing users to unnecessary risks and shoddy apps. (International Herald
Tribune website)
4. To show a temporary action or situation which is contrary to a habit or routine:
I generally phone my clients, but today Im using the fax instead.
They normally launch product discounts at this time of the year, but this season they are
giving coupons.
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
1. Fill in the gaps with the suitable present tense forms, simple or continuous:
1. I (put)............................................................the report on your desk right now.
2. I have no idea what you (talk about)..................................................................
3. you (mean).........................................................that the company is downsizing?
4. During the economic crisis, people often (feel).........................................less secure
about their jobs.
5. Why she (look) .................................................................at the quarterly accounts like
that?
2. Put the verbs into the correct form, present simple or continuous:
1. They (not check).the machinery very often so
accidents might occur.
16
2. Ive got a new computer in my office, but I (not use)it very

much.
3. The new product line (seem)to be extremely successful.
4. My father (work) for a multinational company.
5. Dissatisfied workers (picket)outside the building these days.
6. Working conditions in many countries (get)..worse as a result of
deregulation.
7. Our firm currently (change)its policy regarding working
hours.
8. What you (do)? Im a quality manager for Samsung.
9. How long it (take) youto get to your new workplace?
10. What quality control (mean).?
3. Complete the sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into present simple or
present continuous forms:
1. I (look at) ..the figures on the screen right now.
2. I (look at) .the sales results in detail every month.
3. The production line (not work) .. at weekends.
4. I called her office but they told me she (not work) .today.
5. Yes, I agree. I (think) ..its a good idea.
6. I (think) .. about it and Ill let you know tomorrow.
7. She (stay) ..at the Astoria while shes in Madrid this month.
8. We (take) ..a sample for testing every day.
9. They (be) . usually very flexible if we want to change the order.
10. We (take) ... a big risk if we go ahead with this project.
11. This company building (get) . very old, it needs repairing.
12. Nowadays, product life cycles (last).longer.
13. Our boss (hate).working late and (prefer).to
work at the weekends instead.
14. These boots (cost)a lot more than she usually (pay).
15. Saving money (get)..more and more problematic each day.
4. Fill the gaps using a present form of the verb in brackets, simple or continuous:
1. She (stay) ..with us these days because she (attend) .a
conference.
17
2. The problem (appear) ...... to have no solution although we (try)

hard to find one.
3. (he work) .at home for the moment?
4. Each package we (send) .(weigh) .. ..about 20 kilos.
5. An employer never (assist) ..his workers while they (work)
........because they might feel stressed.
5. Translate into English using the collocations below. Use appropriate present
tense forms:
run a company; set up a business; work long hours; be in charge of; make a profit
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
El conduce afacerea i angajeaz peste 2,000 de oameni n fiecare an.

El i nfiineaz propria afacere luna aceasta dei nu are experien n domeniu.
Noi avem un profit satisfctor cu noua noastr linie de producie.
Criza economic face mari ravagii peste tot n lume.
In prezent lucrez la o firma de publicitate pn seara trziu dar munca mea este foarte
interesant.
6. Ea este responsabil cu angajrile i concedierile de personal n acea firm.
6. Some colleagues are talking outside their office. Complete the conversation using
present simple or continuous:
Jim: Hi, Paul. What you (do) .?
Paul: Hi, Jim. Well, I (wait) ..for the meeting to start.
Jim: How are you? You (look)..pretty tired.
Paul: I am tired. I (work) .a lot in the evenings this month.
By the way, isnt that your boss over there?
Jim: Yes, thats right. He (be)on his way to the next meeting, I suppose.
So, what (be)new in the R&D department?
Paul: Well, we (improve).our old products and there is a lot of
work to do.
Jim: I (see) So, you (spend) .on new strategies for product
development. Good luck with your work then!
Paul: Thanks!
18
7. Use suitable present tense simple or continuous forms to complete the sentences:
1. The world population (decrease).very fast.
2. The cost of living (rise). Things are more expensive day
by day.
3. Hi, Joan. How you (get on)..in your new job?
4. Unfortunately, my sister (not enjoy)her work at the moment.
5. What time the banks (close)here?
6. Vegetarian food (become)more and more
appreciated these days.
7. The production department (attend)..intensive foreign
language courses this autumn.
8. Head office (decide)which products the stores are going to
sell.
9. Head office (conduct).regular market research before
introducing a new product.
10. They (invite)prospective clients to discuss the
product concept today.
8. Ask Teodor questions about himself, his family and his work:
1. You know Teodor attends some evening classes. You want to know how often.
How often.
2. Perhaps his brother also attends those classes. You want to know.
your brother as well?
3. You know that his father reads a financial newspaper every day. You want to know
which one.
Which.
4. You know that his younger sister works. You want to know what she does.
What/where
5. You know Teodor works for a big electronics manufacturer. You want to which one.
Which/what
19
9. Make up a paragraph about the ideal boss using the words below and add
corresponding adverbs of frequency. Make sure you use the proper present tense
forms:
(he/she) read my e-mails; bring me coffee; praise me; send me on trips; let me leave
work early; say thank you; give me lots of responsibility and credit; take me out to
dinner; call me by my first name; not set regular deadlines; give extra money for taking
exercise/practising sports/going on holidays; think it is all right to be idle.
10. Talk about a typical day in your life activities at work and at home, habits, regular
actions. Then talk about activities you perform occasionally. Name some things you
never do. In the end, think of some activities you carry out temporarily, over a
limited period of time.
e.g. I usually get up at
I finish work at
I walk/drive to work around
I get home around
I start work at
I pick up my kids from school at
I have lunch at/I never have lunch
I usually cook dinner at
I have a break at
I go to evening classes/university at
1. 4. WRITING SKILLS
GIVING AND ASKING FOR ADVICE

1. At work, several types of problems can occur and we often need advice or
suggestions from colleagues or friends. Think of a problem you have recently faced at work
and write an email/a letter to a friend or colleague asking for advice.
Consider the following structure and useful phrases:
1. GREETING AND STATING THE PURPOSE
Hi/Hello/Dear
I have a problem
Id like your advice about a problem
Look, Ive got a problem here
There is something that bothers me
2. ASKING FOR ADVICE
Do you have any idea about what I should

do?
I was wondering if you had any ideas about
what I should do.
I was wondering if you could give me some
advice.
Id really appreciate your opinion on this.
Your advice could really help me.
20
What would you advise me to do?

3. CLOSE
Please email me when you have time/when you get the chance.
Please write back to me and let me know what you think.
I look forward to your suggestions.
2. Now give advice to a colleague considering one of the following problems:

- he/she has serious problems with the - he/she wants to change jobs because of
computer at work
financial difficulties
- he/she does not know how to devise a - he/she needs to borrow money and
project
considers options
- he/she is not sure about attending a - he/she was demoted
training course
Structure and useful phrases:

1. GREETING AND OPENING
2. GIVING ADVICE
I am so sorry to hear youre having Well, I think it would help if

problems with
I think you could try
I was sorry to hear about your current
I think it might be a good idea to
difficulties.
Im really sorry youre having such a Have you thought of (+ vb. ing)?
hard time at the moment.
I think you should
might be worth trying.
What about?
3. RESULT
4. OPTIONS
This would mean that
I think this would be preferable to
This way,
I think its better than (+ vb. ing)
If you do this then
is definitely better than
As a result,
21
5. CLOSE
I hope I could help you.
I hope Ive helped a bit.
I hope I could be of some assistance to you.
I hope my advice will help.
22
Key words: marketing, marketing evolution, marketing concept, marketing mix; past tense
simple and continuous; asking for advice, giving advice; making and accepting invitations
will know how to:
define marketing as a practice and discipline;
explain the core concepts of marketing;
describe the evolution of marketing and the marketing concept;
describe the components of the marketing mix;
use vocabulary related to a companys marketing mix;
use past tense simple and continuous verb forms in appropriate business contexts;
employ their writing skills in business contexts, with special focus on writing business
invitations.
23
2. 1. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. What is marketing?
2. Do you work in the marketing domain?
3. Which are the departments of a typical company?
4. What roles and functions does the marketing department have nowadays?
2. 2. READING AND COMPREHENSION

Read the texts below describing the definitions and evolution of marketing as well as
the marketing mix and then answer the questions below:
A. WHAT IS MARKETING2?
Marketing refers to those activities which occur at the interface between a company and
its customers. As a discipline, its objective is to ensure that customers will carry out exchanges
with the marketers organization (reminding of a marketplace). As a result, marketers must
provide customers with what they want and need to buy, at prices which reflect properly the
value for money.
According to specialists, more possible definitions of marketing can be employed. For
instance, marketing has been defined as the creation of long-term demand, as opposed to selling
which is merely the execution of marketing strategies (Robert X. Cringely in Accidental
Empires). In Peter Druckers view, the aim of marketing is to make selling unnecessary. This is
because the major purpose of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the
product or service fits him and sells itself. Thus, ideally, marketing results in a customer who is
ready to buy.
Other definitions consider that marketing is the management process which identifies,
anticipates, and supplies customer requirements efficiently and profitably (UK Chartered
Institute of Marketing). According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is the
process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas,
goods and services to create exchange and satisfy individual and organizational objectives.
For those who are not involved in the marketing process, marketing often acquires
negative connotations. For instance, a popular belief is that marketers persuade people to buy
things they do not want or need. In effect, marketers are responsible to make sure that customers
come first in the companys policy. They are aware that they cannot maintain their customers or
2
Adapted from Blythe, Jim, Essentials of Marketing, third edition, Prentice Hall and Financial Times, Pearson
Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005, pp. 2-7, and MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies,
Cambridge UP, Cambridge UK, 1997, pp. 50-51.
24
get new ones if the firm does not produce good products at reasonable prices. Ultimately, they
understand that without customers their business could not exist. Nowadays, marketers thus put
the customers at the core of the business.
In the past, production, product or sales orientation have prevailed over the importance
of the customer. For example, in the nineteenth century it was considered that people would buy
anything as long as that product was cheap enough, so manufacturers were focused on getting
production right. This approach can still be found in countries where demand exceeds supply.
Gradually, manufacturers started paying more attention to what they were producing, thinking
that it would be better to launch products with improved features which could please most
customers. This is called product orientation which results in more complex products at
increasing prices. Then, during the 1920s and 1930s in Europe and the USA producers thought
that talented salesmen could help them get rid of their excess production. Sales orientation
assumes that the customer can be fooled and that the customer will not even mind being fooled
by a gregarious sales rep. Until the 1950s personal selling and advertising were seen as the most
important marketing activities. This practice disregarded the needs of the buyer at the expense of
those of the seller. Marketing specialists distinguish between the selling and the marketing
concept. Thus, the selling concept assumes that resisting consumers must be persuaded by
efficient selling techniques to buy goods or services.
Modern marketing practitioners believe that customers are intelligent enough to know
what they need, they can recognize good value for money and that they will stop buying a
product when they do not get value for money. This is the central idea of the marketing concept
which affects all areas of a business, from production to after-sales services. In practice, the
marketing concept involves identifying the needs and wants of a particular group of customers,
finding out what price they are ready to pay, and adjusting the organizations activities so as to
meet those needs and wants at the right price. The marketing directors or managers of a company
are directly responsible of these aspects.
Other more modern ideas related to marketing have also occurred. Societal marketing
claims that marketers should take some responsibility for the needs of the society in general, and
for the sustainability of their own production activities. In this case, the long-term effects on the
society are considered to be vital and firms aim to improve the well-being of the general public.
Companies who also care for low environmental impact of their products besides selling those
products constitute an example. During the 1990s, relationship marketing became popular,
insisting on the lifetime value of the customer, aiming to determine the customers who will
remain loyal throughout their lives. For example, a firm can produce versions of a product model
which aim at different age groups, thinking that a customer will pass through each life stage and
that the company can offer him/her a model suitable to his/her age and interests. Therefore,
marketers try to establish and maintain these lifelong relationships. This type of marketing aims
to create customer loyalty by establishing a mutually satisfying connection.
25
Marketing combines market research, new product development, distribution, advertising,

promotion, or product improvement in order to find wants on the market and fill them
adequately.
1. How can we define marketing and what activities does marketing include?
2. Which is the core aspect of the marketing concept?
3. What is the difference between the selling concept and the marketing concept?
4. What does production orientation involve and when was it particularly
successful?
5. What is product orientation?
6. Can you think of an example of a firm which is active in matters related to
societal marketing?
7. What is the central idea of relationship marketing and which is its major
objective?
8. Fill in the gaps using the following words and idioms from the same lexical family
of the word market. Check their meaning in a dictionary. Some words may occur more than
once:
market
marketing
to be in the market for
marketable
marketer
on the market
at market
play the market
1. I am going to the central so tell me if you need anything.

2.
After
continuous
.
improvement,
the
product
is
now
finally
3. A possible definition of is that of a management process through

which products and services move from concepts to the customers.
4. Unfortunately, the coffee retailers are now allowed to as they wish.
5. I hear they a new location for their offices.
6. They had no other choice but start selling
available on the wine market.
their
products
at
7. both identify the goods and services desired by a set of

consumers and also sell them in or to a market.
8. Because of the recession, they could no longer resist on the sugar . and
their company is now ..
26
9. I have recently visited a very luxurious antique

10. The Western .has been seriously affected by the economic
crisis.
B. THE MARKETING MIX3

The marketing mix represents the combination of techniques so as to market a product r
service. These techniques are commonly called the four Ps of marketing. These are:
1. Product (or service): what you sell, and the variety or range of products you sell. This
includes the quality, branding and reputation of the product. The product should suit the
customers needs and wants, it should work, and it should be as close to the customers
expectations as possible. In case of services, after-sales support is also important.
2. Place: where you sell your product or service. It should also consider its availability
for the consumers. It refers to a convenient location for your target group of customers such as a
shop, an outlet etc. For services, easy access is significant.
3. Price: how much your product or service costs. Generally, the product should always
be seen as representing good value for money.
4. Promotion: how you make your product or service known to the consumers. The
promotional mix includes the promotional tools employed so as to communicate about the
product or service. Examples of major promotional tools refer to public relations, sales
promotions, advertising or personal selling. These tools transmit the organizations message in a
away that suits the group of consumers.
In 1981 a seven-P model was introduced out of the necessity to emphasize certain
characteristics of the business especially in case of services, including the following additional
aspects:
5. People: services are largely dependent on people who perform them, sometimes even
dealing directly with the clients (e.g. waiters in a restaurant). The concept focuses on the ways in
which your staff are different from those of a competitor, and even on the ways in which your
clients are different from those of a competitor.
6. Process: the process by which the service or product is delivered or accessed.
Adapted from Farall, Cate and Lindsley, Marianne, Professional English in Use. Marketing, Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK, 2008, p. 8, and Blythe, Jim, Essentials, op. cit., pp. 7-9.
27
7. Physical evidence: how your service becomes tangible, for instance by means of
brochures. It can also refer to the physical elements of a service: a restaurant meal contains
physical dishes, a hairdressing salons service finishes with a hairdo etc.
Some views also include the physical presence as a separate factor (8), with reference to
the way in which your shop or website looks.
1. What is the marketing mix?
2. Why and how are the four Ps central to the marketing programme?
3. Can one element substitute for another or should all elements be combined as a
mix?
4. Nowadays, marketers talk about 7 or even 8 Ps. Explain what each involves in
turn.
5. Write down information about the four Ps of one of your companys products or
services:
Product
(aspects and qualities of your product: reasons
why people buy your product/service)
Price
(factors that affect the price)
Place (distribution)
Where is your product available to clients?
Promotion
(How do you reach your customers?)
6. Now think of a new product you want to launch on the market. Fill in the chart
below with information about five Ps related to your product:
Product
Price
Place
(distribution)
Promotion
People
28
7. Identify which of the 8 Ps the words underlined refer to:

1. They are responsible with designing particular features and attractive packaging.
2. Word-of-mouth advertising still seems to be highly efficient nowadays.
3. They have allocated a big budget for television or radio commercials.
4. Offering discounts does not seem a viable option right now.
5. Its decline stage is approaching so we must be very careful with production and stocks.
6. We certainly need to improve our after-sales service, weve got too many customer
complaints.
7. We have to reduce the number of points of sale; it is no longer profitable to maintain
them all.
8. You really should talk to their advertising manager about that problem.
9. If we want to beat the competition we must improve out fast-delivery system.
10. Our manager is not satisfied with the new website menu.
2. 3. GRAMMAR STUDY
PAST TENSE SIMPLE
Form:
Affirmative: the 2nd form of any verb (-ed for regular verbs or the 2nd form in the
dictionary for irregular verbs)
Negative: subject + did not/ didnt + short infinitive of the verb
Interrogative: did + subject + short infinitive of the verb
Observations: 1. Irregular verbs have specific past tense forms and they must be learnt according
to a dictionary. E.g. began, had, found, sold, said, knew, told etc.
2. Regular verbs are those verbs which end with the form ed for the second and the third forms
of the verb. E.g. worked, tried, produced, advertised, launched, improved etc.
3. We use did for all persons negative and interrogative forms.
4. We use the short infinitive after did for negative and interrogative forms.
5. Short answers to yes/no questions repeat did/didnt. e.g. Did you send the report? Yes, I
did/No, I didnt.
29
Uses:
1. To refer to an action which started and ended/completed in the past. We may clearly
state when the action happened or this may be clear form the situation or from general
knowledge:
With adverbs or time expressions such as: yesterday, last week/month/year, a few
hours/minutes/years ago, a long time ago, at the turn of the century; in 1889/ 2005; on
January 25th, during the war; the other day, two days ago, at twelve oclock, in June, in
the morning, five years ago, when I was young etc.
Facebook reported more than $3.7 billion in revenue in 2011. (Bloomberg Business
Week website)
The Bank of England cut the base rate to 0.5 per cent in March 2009 in a desperate
effort to save the economy. (Daily Mail website)
The company filed for bankruptcy in 2009. (Bloomberg Business Week website)
A detailed plan was unveiled in late June after weeks of speculation. (Latin Trade
website)
After initially rising on economic data, the market turned lower as the Fed chairman
delivered remarks considered bearish. (International Herald Tribune website)
The euro hit a session low of $1.3346. (International Herald Tribune website)
Oil prices fell for a third straight day, with London's Brent crude down 0.6 percent at
$120.84 a barrel. (International Herald Tribune website)
2. It can also describe habitual or routine actions in the past; a similar meaning is
conveyed by used to+ short infinitive of the verb:
We worked/ used to work much more when we your young.
Years ago, we changed jobs much more easily.
In the nineties, I had/ used to have breakfast every morning, but now I dont have time for
that.
3. To refer to more actions/a sequence of actions in the past:
I took a taxi, then I arrived at the hotel, registered at the reception and went straight to
my room.
30
PAST TENSE CONTINUOUS

Form:
Affirmative: the past form of be (was/ were) + -ing of the verb
Negative: subject + the past form of be + not (was not/ wasnt/ were not/ werent) + -ing of
the verb
Interrogative: the past form of be (was/ were) + subject + -ing of the verb
Observations: 1. In speech and informal contexts contracted forms/short forms are generally
used. E.g. He wasnt working when I called him.
2. We form questions by inverting the subject and the auxiliary verb be. E.g. Was she thinking of
another option?
3. Short answers to yes/no questions repeat the past form of the verb be. E.g. Were they planning
to relocate? Yes, they were./No, they werent.
Uses:
1. To describe an action in progress in the past:
That journey started in January 2011 when ING was looking to shed assets to comply
with the terms of its government bailout following the 2008 financial crisis. (Latin Trade
website)
39% of the electorate said that Russia was moving in the wrong direction.
(International Trade website)
2. It can also be used to refer to background information of a past action; the
background action is expressed by means of past continuous and the other actions
are expressed by past tense simple:
while can occur in such contexts.
They were discussing the acquisitions plan (background action) when I entered the
conference room (foreground action).
The company was building a new production site when the economic crisis erupted in
2009.
While I was writing the meetings minutes they called to break the latest news.
3. Sometimes it can refer to more actions in progress at the same time in the past:
James was working on his project while I was fixing my laptop.
31
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
1. Fill in the gaps with past tense forms of the verbs below:
increase; become; launch; manufacture; expand; achieve; establish; decide; open
The History of Computer Systems Inc.
1. 1989. Two brothers, John and Mark Berry, ..to start their own business.
They were IT engineers so they .. a shop selling computers.
2. 1992. The two ..their business and .. new machines on
the market.
3. In 1995 they .........their own IT components.
4. 1997. They their greatest goal they a subsidiary in
another city.
5. 2000. Amazingly, their sales and they . famous in IT
business circles.
2. Use appropriate past tense forms, simple or continuous:
1. So, how the meeting (go)...............................................................?
2. You (make)......................................................any useful business contacts at the reception?
3. They (change)their work programme or am I mistaken?
4. What she (do)...when you delivered the report?
5. They (change)..the order?
6. They (not say) ..who they (look for) ..?
7. How she (manage)..with the new supplier?
8. He (not ask) ...about the new managers office?
9. When the company (hire) ..an advertising agency?
10. Why they (not deliver).the goods on time?
11. You (work)in Munich in 2005?
3. Fill in the gaps with suitable past tense forms:
1. I (visit)a major client when they called me
back to the office.
2. Years ago, we (send)50 faxes every day.
3. When I met her she (bargain)some clothes in a shop.
4. Soon after that they (make) a series or partnerships and acquisitions.
5. In the 1990s the telecommunications industry steadily (decline).
6. Bergson & Sons (have) ..an annual loss of $ 400 m last year.
7. The two companies (merge)..in 2002 as they couldnt cope with the
difficult financial situation.
8. While we (negotiate).the contract yesterday around 3 oclock,
they suddenly decided to quit the deal.
32
9. Paul (explain) his proposal to cut down on costs but nobody

agreed with it.
10. Mr. Ionescu (run).the company when I first heard of their firm.
4. What were you doing ...? Write your own answers to the following situations:
1. (at 9 oclock yesterday morning)
2. (at 8 PM last Sunday) .
3. (at 12 oclock yesterday).
4. (at 5 oclock this morning)..
5. (an hour ago)
5. Rephrase the following sentences with used to:

1. In the past people did not use mobile phones so much.
In the past people
2. When mobile were first made, they didnt cost at much as they do nowadays.
They..
3. Thirty years ago the agricultural sector was much more developed.
The agricultural sector.
4. In the past people did not spend so much on fashionable clothes.
People
5. Not many people owned their own computer in the 1990s.
Few people.
6. Combine the following sentences so as to use pat tense simple or continuous:

1. George attended the meeting. The collapse of the conglomerate was announced at the
news.
When
2. Sheila left the meeting earlier. She had a terrible headache.
Sheila..
3. The banks opened. She drove to the nearest bank.
..when..
33
4. She talked to her business partner about the merger. She realized she forgot to turn her PC
off.
While
5. Profits finally shot up. Another economic recession was announced.
When..
7. Translate the following questions using the corresponding forms of past tense
simple :
1. Cnd ai trimis situaii finaciare ultima oar?
2. Cine m-a cautat ieri la birou? Nu stia ca sunt plecat in delegatie?
3. Domnul Parker nu a inventat firma, el doar a extins afacerea i n strintate.
4. Noua conducere a obinut i a dezvoltat cele mai profitabile contracte de afaceri.
5. n urm cu doi ani, Ministerul de Finane a introdus noi reglementri privind sistemul
fiscal.
6. Conferinta de presa a durat jumatate de ora dupa care s-au reluat discutiile.
7. Au discutat si renegociat suma care putea fi cheltuita pentru campania publicitara.
8. La sedinta de ieri au abordat si problema satisfacerii nevoilor consumatorilor.
9. Strategiile prmotionale folosite anul trecut pentru a creste vanzarile s-au dovedit a fi foarte
eficiente.
10. Comitetul a analizat chestionarele si rapoartele si a concluzionat ca produsul a ajuns in
faza de declin, hotarand astfel rationalizarea producerii acestuia.
8. Translate the following sentences using corresponding forms of present tense simple
or continuous or past tense simple:
1. Am discutat raportul si am cazut de acord ca Peter trebuie sa pregateasca cifrele detaliate
pana la urmatoarea intalnire de lucru.
2. Nu s-a aratat prea incantat cand i-am spus ultimele vesti.
3. In timp ce negociam contractul, seful meu a sunat sa-mi spuna ca doreste sa obtin o suma
cat mai mare.
4. Situatia financiara a firmei s-a deteriorat considerabil acum doi ani, la inceputul crizei
economice.
5. Conferintele ofera prilejul de a stabili noi contacte si de a relationa cu alti participanti, dar
sunt si o ocazie de a invata lucruri noi prin participarea la sesiunile de comunicari. De
exemplu, ultima conferinta la care am participat ne-a adus la cunostinta ultimele tendinte
in procesul de management.
34
9. Make up a conversation using the following collocations on the topic of breaking

bad news in a company. Use past tense simple and continuous forms:
sales figures; to fall short of projections; to be 30% down; to miss targets; to rethink the
pricing strategy; to stimulate demand; to end up running at a loss; to introduce price
cuts; to phase products out; to keep costs down; to remain competitive; drastic action;
major restructuring; layoffs; budget; customer complaints; to pull off a market; to pour
money into; to slide into debt; to undergo change; all-time low (about prices); hopeless
situation.
10. How was your life different 10 or 5 years ago? Give some examples (at least 5).
e.g. studies/education
life style
salary/wages
savings and spending
time (work time and spare time)
communication and socializing
travelling
technology
WRITING AN INVITATION
Letters of invitation are common in business. They create rapport and maintain or
enforce business relations and contacts.
Useful phrases (formal and informal):
We would be very pleased if you could Please let me know if you can make it.
come to
Please let me know if you are able to
Im writing to invite you to
attend.
I was wondering if you could come to
I look forward to seeing you there.
I would like to invite you to attend our
I hope to meet you there.
Your attendance will be very welcome.
Best regards,/Regards,
It would be great to see you there.
Best wishes, /Sincerely,
Your presence there would be very useful.
1. Imagine you work for an electronics company. Write an invitation to a business

contact to invite them to a new product launch. Use the information about the event
described in the box below:
Your company: Luminus Electric
35
Product launched: latest model of LED TV

Location of the event: conference room of Lotus Hotel, 45 Cregdon
Avenue
Date and time: January 26, 6 PM
Guest speaker: James McRae, CEO General Electric
Other details: refreshments provided
Please reply by January 15 if you can attend.
2. Now write a letter to accept the invitation. Accept the invitation, thank them,
agree on details (date, time, place) show interest in the subject of the event, ask a question
or two if necessary, thank again, close.
Useful phrases:
Thank you for your kind invitation.
Id love to come to the launch.
Thanks a lot for the invitation.
Shall I bring/prepare anything?
The date is just fine for me.
Do I need to prepare anything?
The date you suggested is fine.
Thank you very much for your invitation.
It sounds like a great idea.
Thank you again for your kind invitation.
Im certainly interested in your event.
Thank you again for inviting me/us.
I would be delighted to attend the Best regards,/Regards,/Best wishes,

event/meeting.
I look forward to meeting you there.
It sounds like a big event.
36
UNIT 3. PRODUCTS
Key words: product, service, production process, product types, product life cycle, new product;
present perfect simple and continuous; making an order
will know how to:
describe the stages of a products life cycle;
explain a production process;
understand the difference between standardized and differentiated products;
use appropriate vocabulary related to an innovative product;
use present perfect simple and continuous verb forms in appropriate business contexts;
employ their writing skills in business contexts, with special focus on making an order.
37

1. When do you think these products were launched on the market?
computer
photocopier
refrigerator
LED TV
video recorder
radio
toothpaste
electric bulb
2. What factors influence you when deciding to buy some products or services? Tick the
factors below:
advertising
appearance, expert
(by email, on design and opinion
TV, radio, packaging
street
banners)
advice
price
from
friends or
relatives
name
Pcs
hotels
cars
books
food and
beverages
holidays
Internet
provider
clothes
electronics
3. How often do you use the products below:

pencil
coffee
soap
sugar
mobile phone
lipstick
oil
spoon
cigarettes
book
shoes
stapler
bag
laptop/PC
writing paper
tooth paste
vegetables
car
water
umbrella
4. Can you think of a product you couldnt live without? Why?

5. Describe one of the products listed above.
6. What products do the following persons produce? How many of them are still
fashionable? Also add others you know:
jeweler
carpenter
watchmaker
brewer
clothing designer
journalist
painter
weaver
baker
textile worker
blacksmith
bookbinder
leather worker
cartographer knitter
florist
paper technician
technical illustrator
38
glass manufacturer
7. The production process varies considerably depending on the type of product. Read
the steps below on how to cook a steak:
Fried steak
1. Slice up a piece of meat (chicken, pork, beef, veal);
2. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper; spice it up if you feel like it;
3. Fire up a pan on medium heat;
4. Warm up a teaspoon of oil for a minute or two;
5. Lay your steak in the pan;
6. Cook it for about 4 minutes on each side depending on how you like it cooked;
7. Ready! Enjoy!
8. Now think of the production processes for the following products:

cheeseburger
cocktail
outdoor grill
greenhouse
pancakes
chair
bread
bookshelf
storage box
trousers
9. Which of these groups of people are more likely to use these products? Match the
words in the two columns below:
the big guns
prams
old people
convertible cars
women
yachts
babies
computers; faxes; printers
blue-collar workers
medicine; glasses
white-collar workers
factory machines
yuppies
lipstick; cosmetic
powder; body lotion

Read the text and then answer the questions below:
STANDARDISED VS. DIFFERENTIATED PRODUCTS4
The product is part of the marketing mix (one of the four Ps: product, price, place and
promotion). In fact, it is the starting point of the marketing mix, since decisions involving price,
promotion and place normally depend on the features of a product which already exists.
4
Adapted from Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and Management. A Student Text,
Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005, p. 498.
39
Any product has a specific life cycle which includes introduction, growth, maturity, and
decline. After introducing the basic products, the company creates product awareness,
encourages product trials, and advertises to end-users and dealers. In the growth phase, the
company constantly improves the products features, reduces prices to expand the market and
establish a high market share, and uses mass media advertising. Then, in the product maturity
phase, the company generates profits by designing product versions for different segments,
adopts a pricing strategy so as to match or beat the competition, and emphasizes brand strengths
to different segments. In the decline stage, the company minimizes marketing expenses by
rationalizing the product range, reduces prices even more, and uses a minimal level of
promotion. .
In theory and practice we can speak of standardised or differentiated products.
Standardised products obey the rules of specifications which result from the same or
corresponding technical requirements. Large-scale production of a standardised product
certainly has cost benefits. These economies of scale can reduce average costs in non-technical
areas such as promotion, distribution and administration as well as in the more technical areas of
production. They can be noteworthy when the domestic market is the main concern and even
more so if we have in view the larger international market.
However, there is a trend supporting differentiated products, for instance when consumer
responses in different market segments differ significantly. As a marketing process,
differentiation seeks to make a product more attractive by contrasting its unique and distinctive
qualities with other competing products on the market. Customers may view these products as
superior so they purchase them. For example, high income groups may attach greater importance
to certain product features than lower income groups and so may be willing to pay a high price
for these characteristics.
Producers always try to improve their products by updating and/or redesigning them. This
update helps retaining existing customer loyalty and attracting new ones. It also accounts for
price increases. The purpose is to maximize profits and try to maintain the maturity phase as long
as possible.
1. Which are the stages of a product life cycle and what do they involve?
2. What is a standardized product?
3. What is a differentiated product?
4. What does product differentiation entail?
5. What is the purpose of product improvement, updating and redesigning?
6. You want to start selling a product or providing a service (choose one) in a mall in
Bacau. Convince the manager to give you some selling space. He will ask for no rent in
return for the best idea. Work in a group. Brainstorm ideas, then describe the product, its pros,
and then write a report on your business idea.
7. Vending machines have become very popular in public spaces. Think of a list of
advantages and a list of disadvantages from two perspectives: the consumer and the
vending machine operator/owner:
40
e.g. Vending machines are easy to maintain

They are a cheap investment
They use little space
They dont need a sales assistant
They help saving resources (such as electricity)
They use high quality products
8. Think of an innovative idea for a new product. Describe it considering the following
aspects:
The innovative concept/idea we started from is
Basically, what it can do is
At the moment, on the market there is no
Our USP is
We use cutting-edge technology to
Its benefits/advantages include
The product is the result of
At the moment you cantbut with
Its design
our product you will be able to
9. Study the meaning of the following idioms describing characteristics of products
and then rewrite the sentences below using the words in bold:
all the rage very popular and fashionable
old hat old-fashioned and generally boring
the last word the most recent version of a product
past it too old to work satisfactorily
state-of-the-art using the most recent techniques, ideas or features
to deliver the goods to produce the expected results
as old as the hills very old
brand- new recently launched; totally new
up-to-date modern/new; using the latest technology
to stand the test of time to prove valuable over a long period of time
1. Your PC looks very old. Its time you changed it with a new one!
hills
2. They have recently launched a new model based on the latest research in the field.
date
3. I love rock n roll and gramophones but for her they are totally antique.
hat
4. Microsoft has announced the successful marketing of their most recent software
package.
word
5. Ive been using this coat for more than ten years now and it still looks fine.
test
6. I hear that this new hi-fi system uses the most recent sound technology.
art
7. The company is installing new computers because the old ones were not working
properly anymore.
41
past
8. The R&Ds efforts to improve the product have proved efficient in the end, as market
results show.
deliver
9. Owning more mobile phones has become a very popular practice nowadays.
rage
10. She has saved money and has finally managed to buy a new car.
brand
10. Form a new word from the one given so as to complete the following sentences:
FASHION
Gadgets at home or at work have become highly
PROFIT
The companys latest investment has proved to be very .
STANDARD products have the same technical features or quality level.
MAXIMUM Our departments target these months is to . profits.
GROW
A products ..stage is a period of fast revenue increase.
PRODUCE The winter holiday is one of the most periods for us.
LOYAL
Product means that our clients use our product or
service for a long time.
PROMOTE Sales have certainly boosted our profits this month.
ADVERTISE Marlboros brand new.on TV attracts all age groups.
COMPETE We certainly intend to beat the ..with our new model.
3. 3. GRAMMAR STUDY
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE
Form:
Affirmative: have/has (3rd person sg.) + past participle (3rd form) of a verb
Negative: have not/has not (short forms havent/hasnt) + past participle (3rd form) of a
verb
Interrogative: Have (havent)/Has (hasnt) + subject + past participle (3rd form) of a verb
Uses:
1. For present situations which started in the past:
Ive known her for five years now.
Theyve lived in Amsterdam all their life.
The pound has benefited disproportionately in recent months from its rediscovered
status as a safe-haven and Moodys warning may well sour this. (Telegraph website)
42
The British aerospace engineer Hampson Industries has put itself up for sale following
a strategic review. (Telegraph website)
2. To refer to very recent past actions:
Early signs are emerging that the worst of the economic gloom has passed and the
world's major economies are beginning to turn the corner. (Telegraph website)
3. To refer to actions in the past without giving a specific time:
I have visited London.
I have lost my digital agenda.
4. For past actions which have present effects, relevance or importance:
They have ordered 30 boxes. (= so we must deliver them immediately)
Ive lost the fax you sent me. (= so I cannot answer your request).
Moodys has warned Britain it could lose its top AAA rating due to exposure to the euro
crisis. (Telegraph website) (= so Britain must take precaution measures)
SPECIFIC TIME EXPRESSIONS
With ever, never and before to talk about life experience:

Ive never spoken in front of a large audience.
Has she ever worked abroad?
The Lloyds market is as well capitalised as it has ever been. (Telegraph website)
12 Awesome iPhone Apps You Haven't Heard of (before). (advertisement - Telegraph
website)
With already (in affirmative sentences) and yet (generally at the end of a negative
sentence):
Credit rating agencies have already downgraded many European countries.
Havent they applied austerity measures yet?
With just to show that something happened a short time ago:

Theyve just announced their monetary policy for 2012.
With for (to describe length of time) and since (to refer to the point in time when the
action started):
43
The UK has been outside the euro area for a long time now.
Italy has made great progress with reform efforts since 2010.
With time phrases that refer to unfinished time which also includes the present: this
morning, today, this week/month, during/ in the past week/month, so far, up to now,
lately, recently, over the last months/years etc.
I have tried to reach them all morning.
The OECD's indicators have been unerringly accurate recently.
Britains prospects are tied to the Eurozones, as the Prime Minister has recently said.
(Telegraph website)
The Fed also has overestimated the pace of recovery several times in recent years.
(International Herald Tribune website)
A rise over the past few weeks, partly on expectations of a Greek deal, has brought
many Asian equities markets to levels that would require further positive news to break
higher, analysts say. (Telegraph website)
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Form:
Affirmative: has/have been + verb. ing
Negative: hasnt/havent been + verb. ing
Interrogative: Has/Have + subject + been + verb. ing
Uses:
1. To describe an action which started in the past and continues into the present:
The beleaguered company has 55m of debt, more than double its market capitalisation,
and has been trying to refinance its bank facilities. (Telegraph website)
Evidence of an economic resurgence has been building lately.
We have been explaining to government both the benefits but also the challenges and
barriers that need overcoming if they want to support others like us. (Guardian website)
James Murdoch has been carrying the can for a number of matters which remain under
police investigation, said Claire Enders, a media analyst in London. (International
Herald Tribune)
44

all day, for months, for ages, so far, lately, recently, over the last months/years, since,
for.
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
1. Choose the correct form: past simple or present perfect?
1. I phoned/ Ive phoned the bank yesterday and they told me the loan was accepted.
2. The consignment just arrived/has just arrived.
3. At the conference last week we made/weve made a lot of new contacts.
4. Today has been/was pretty busy, and its only lunch time!
5. She has already left/already left the office.
6. We attended/have attended the management class yesterday morning.
7. I analysed/have analysed the figures earlier today and they seemed OK to me.
8. Havent they sent/didnt they send the invoice yet?
9. Their firm invested/has invested enormous sums of money into R&D over the last
years.
10. Prices went up/have gone up despite the low salaries of the average population.
2. Ask questions using present perfect with ever:

1. (work overtime)...............................................................................................?
2. (drive a Mercedes)............................................................................................?
3. (do the report all by yourself)...........................................................................?
4. (join the workers union)..................................................................................?
5. (spend lots of money on an advertising campaign)...........................................?
3. Translate using present perfect with ever and never:

1. Ati fabricat vreodata masini la comanda?
2. Nu am studiat niciodata contractul in detaliu si acum regret.
45
3. Nu si-au acoperit niciodata investitia pentru noul centru de afaceri.

4. Nu ai vorbit niciodata in limba engleza cu noii investitori?
5. Vanzarile nu au crescut niciodata mai mult de nivelul anului 2007.
4. Complete the sentences using today/this year/this month/this season etc.:

1. I met her yesterday at the companys canteen, but I (not see)..
2. I read the financial newspaper yesterday, but (not read)
3. Last year the company made a profit, but (not make).
4. James worked hard at the factory last year, but (not work) .
5. We had good sales last summer, but (almost no profit) .
5. Complete the sentences so as to contain similar information:

1. Its been raining; the rain started half an hour ago.
It
2. We are waiting for the boss to arrive and start the meeting. We started waiting 10
minutes ago.
We
3. Im attending accounting courses. I started classes in December.
I..
4. Monica is working in Krakow now. She started working there last month.
Monica..
5. The Johnsons always complain about the quality of our services. They started
complaining three years ago.
The Johnsons.
6. Ask questions using the words in brackets:

1. A friend is learning to drive. Ask him:
(how long /learn to drive).?
2. Somebody is trying to make his car start. Ask him:
46
(how long/ try to make it work)?

3. A colleague is saving money to buy a car. Ask her:
(how long/ save money)?
5. A relative sells cosmetics products. Ask her:
(how long/ sell cosmetics).?
7. Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. She is a colleague of mine for years.
2. I just noted that your last day of work with us will be 10 June.
3. The labour unions warned with strikes for the last three weeks.
4. The management refuse recently to give in to unions pressure.
5. Have the managers agree to employ more staff?
6. In the last four months we made less profit than the competition.
7. She worked hard in her new job for some time now.
8. I never agreed with the chairmans proposals.
9. Negotiations didnt end yet, and we expect them to continue for some time.
10. The accounts department already produced the draft accounts for the next meeting.
8. Translate into English using present perfect simple or continuous:

1. Presedintele a cerut tuturor managerilor din firma sa participe urgent la intalnire.
2. Ne-au promis ca marfa va fi livrata la timp.
3. Diferitele sindicate s-au unit pentru alcatui un sindicat mai puternic.
4. Angajatii au fost mustrati in scris in urma incalcarii unor proceduri de siguranta.
5. Contractul tocmai a fost anulat de catre jurati.
6. In ultimul timp se pare ca angajatii au muncit mult mai putin, asat sugereaza cifrele de
vanzari.
7. Incercam sa aflam cauzele demisiei ei de zile bune, insa nu am aflat nimic sigur inca.
8. L-ai vazut pe directorul de departament astazi? Am stabilit o intalnire pentru ora 12.
9. Nu mi s-a oferit niciodata o crestere salariala desi mi s-a promis in nenumarate randuri.
10. Cererea pentru noua gama de tricouri a scazut dramatic in ultimul trimestru.
47
9. Fill in with for or since:

1. Its been snowing the early hours of the morning.
2. Weve been manufacturing this product ten years.
3. She has been looking for a job .she graduated.
4. I havent read a financial newspaper .ages!
5. No one has invested in this company its last owner.
10. Check if the tenses in the following sentences are appropriate and correct them
where necessary:
1. Have you heard the latest news? Jill gave up her job.
2. How many electronic inventions has Steve Jobs launched?
3. Drugs have become a big problem all around the world.
4. There was some good news for investors lately.
5. Experts believe that the market did not hit the bottom yet.
11. Rearrange the words below so as to form sentences using present perfect simple
or continuous:
1. a worm farm: he; ten tons of worms; since; produce; 1990.
2. successful businesses: lots of money; invest; they; a business; new; and; increase; their
profit; this year; significantly.
3. changing jobs: she; Petrom; work; 15 years; for; and now; sack; they; her.
4. expanding business: net revenues; the companys; this year; a level of; reach; $ 800
bn.; and; it decide; new shops; to open; abroad.
5. dissatisfied boss: she; meet deadlines; work long hours; learn to use new technology;
deal with the public; but; as well as she could; her boss; be; still; dissatisfied.
12. Prepare a short autobiographical report focusing on the essential stages of your
life and career. Use present perfect simple or past tense simple, for, since, fromto, in 1995,
ago, etc.
Suggestions: to study at the university; to graduate high school/university; to start
working; to change jobs; to get married; to move to another city; to have a hobby; to
have children.
48
MAKING AN ORDER
Making orders is a common activity in business. Sometimes clear orders are placed
right from the beginning, but there are situations in which you need to discuss and
try to obtain the best possible terms.
Structure and useful phrases:
1. Open and show interest
2. Show need to discuss terms
in making an order
Thank you
(product)
for
your
information
on However/Still, there are one or two things

we would like to clarify before going
ahead with a firm order.
Thank you for sending us (catalogue/price
However/Still, there are one or two things
list)
we would like to discuss before placing an
We are interested in (buying/purchasing) order.
We would like to (buy/purchase)
3. Discuss terms
4. Close
If we can reach an agreement on these
matters I am sure we can do a successful
business.
Do you give any discount on?

Is there any price reduction for?
Can we have the goods on credit?
If we could find a convenient solution to

these matters
Do you think you could accept payment on

credit?
If we can reach an agreement on these
details we will place a firm order
Could you deliver the goods by at the
immediately.
latest?
If you can assist us with our requirements
Which are your normal delivery times?
we will close a deal.
Is it possible to place orders online?
We look forward to seeing you
Do you charge the customer for transport again/Regards,/Best regards,
costs?
Is there a minimum order?
1. You are the manager of the city hospital. You have a lower budget for the next
stock of medicines. Use the phrases above and write a letter/an email in which you discuss
and negotiate terms before placing an order with a pharmaceuticals supplier.
49
UNIT 4. BRANDS
Key words: brand, branding, brand value, brand culture, superbrands, brand stretching,
differentiation, positioning, brand words; past perfect simple and continuous; making
suggestions
will know how to:
define brands and branding;
describe brand values;
understand how branding works;
understand what brand stretching involves;
use vocabulary related to brands and branding strategies;
use past perfect simple and continuous verb forms in appropriate business contexts;
employ their writing skills in business contexts, with special focus on making suggestions.
50

1. What is a brand?
2. Why is there a rich brand culture nowadays?
3. Do you have a favourite international/ foreign brand for clothes, food, electronics
and gadgets, computers, cars, coffee, drinks, stationery, cosmetics etc.?
4. How many of the following brands do you possesses?
Nokia
Bigotti
Canon
BMW/Audi
Nike
Nautica
Pepsi
Dove
LG
Calvin Klein Levis
Aro
Louis Vuitton Angelli
IBM
Nestle
5. Have
provide?
ING
Vichy
Esprit
Lego
Prada
Unilever
Longines
Ray Ban
Panadol
Dior
D&G
you heard of the following international brands? What do they produce or

Lancme
HP
HBO
Zara
Burberry
Wella
Akai
Bacardi
Disney
House of Art
Zinfandel
Harley Davidson
HSBC
CNN
Intel
6. According to Interbrand, the first five positions of the 2011 ranking of the top 100
brands include5:
1. Coca Cola (US) beverages sector; brand value6 $ 71, 861 million
2. IBM (US) business services: brand value $ 69, 905 m
3. Microsoft (US) computer software: brand value $ 59, 087 m
4. Google (US) Internet services: brand value $ 55, 317 m
5. GE (US) diversified: brand value $ 42,808m
What does this top show about consumer preferences? Why do you think these
brands are so famous and profitable?
7. Can you think of some products for which the brand name is unimportant so you
dont even notice it? (for example pencils, writing paper etc.?)
Which are those qualities you associate with your favourite brands?
e.g. well-known, popular
accessible (easy to find and buy)
distinctive, unique, different
high quality
trustworthy (dependable, reliable, authentic)
respond to your needs
likeable (they create emotional connections with you) fashionable, trendy
easy to use
innovative
Posted
on
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands2011.aspx, accessed February 28, 2012.
6
Brand value is the premium that accrues to a brand from customers who are willing to pay extra for it, according to
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/brand-values.html, accessed February 25, 2012.
51
good value for money
unusual
8. Do you have a favourite Romanian brand? Which are its chief qualities?
9. According to Superbrands Romania, market research for 2011-2012 revealed the
following top ten consumer superbrands7:
1. Borsec
6. Coca-Cola
2. Adidas
7. Nike
3. Mercedes-Benz
8. BMW
4. Dr. Oetker
9. Jack Daniels
5. IKEA
10. Orbit
What does the top show about Romanian consumers choices in 2011-12?
10. The Superbrand Board of experts made an initial selection among 1,260 brands
according to the following criteria: quality, trust, market differentiation. What do these
notions mean and involve?
11. More than 80% of Romanian consumers believe that the attributes of a Superbrand
in Romania are8: high quality (for products and services), respect for clients, the relation
price-quality, trust and reputation. Do you have the same opinion? Would you choose or add
other criteria to the list?
12. Look up the meaning of the following words related to the term brand and use them
in your own sentences:
brander
brand name
brand image
branded
brand-name
to co-brand
brand leader
brand-new
brand stretching/extension
brand loyalty
(re)branding
brand awareness
off-brand
brand equity
brand identity
13. Brand stretching or brand extension is a marketing practice which involves using an
established brand name to introduce and promote unrelated products. Look at the
examples below:
Coca Cola Diet Coke
Kingfisher beer company airlines
Posted on http://www.superbrands.com/ro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=320&Itemid=107,
accessed February 28, 2012.
8
http://www.superbrands.com/ro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=320&Itemid=107,
accessed
February 28, 2012.
52
pet food company pet insurance
Samsonite (luggage) mens shoes
Giorgio Armani (clothes) fragrances
Bulgari (jewellery) hotels
Barbie (doll) CD ROMs, digital cameras
Mars (chocolate) ice-cream
Can you think of brand stretching possibilities for some of the following companies?
Montblanc
Volvo
Lacoste
Channel
Rolex
Philips
Chianti
Maybelline
KFC
Dunhill

Read the text below and then answer the questions:
BRANDS AND BRANDING9
A brand refers to a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or
manufacturer. However, the original meaning was totally different. A brand was a mark made by
burning with a hot iron to indicate manufacture, quality or ownership, or it referred to a printed
mark (or trademark) made for similar purposes10. Therefore, originally, branding was related TO
an activity connected with animal husbandry with the purpose of placing identifying marks on
animals.
The brand spectrum has gradually been extended to more general categories of goods. In
fact, almost anything can become a brand nowadays. One of the most productive periods for the
creation of brands was the 1880s and 1890s, when names such as Kodak and Kellogg could be
first seen in shop windows. Since then, the power of brands has constantly increased.
According to Philip Kotler, a brand is a name, term, symbol or design intended to signify
the goods or services of a seller and to differentiate them from those of the competitors. Another
definition considers that a brand represents a product, a service, an organization regarded in
conjunction with its name, identity and reputation11. As a process, branding represents the
creation of a unique name and image for the product in the consumers minds. The aims of
branding are building and managing reputation.
Branding brings about a number of benefits for both the producer and the consumer. For
example, it assures the consumers about the quality of a product. It seems that consumers gain
confidence when using well-known brands. Similarly, the producer can charge a sum of money
Adapted from http://www.economist.com/node/14126533, accessed March 4, 2012 and Gore, Sylee, English for
Marketing and Advertising, Express Series, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007, p. 10.
10
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brand, accessed March 4, 2012.
11
Anholt, Simon, Competitive Identity. The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions, Palgrave
Macmillan, London, 2007.
53
over and above the value of the basic benefits provided by the product. Branding also creates a
durable platform on which to develop other businesses. This is because strong brands generally
resist in time, allowing the producer to launch new products under the same umbrella brand,
while old ones are pulled out from the market. The consumers expectations must be delivered
and enforced continually. After all, all brands aim to become market leaders.
In marketing, positioning is a very important strategy. It represents the practice of placing
a brand in a certain position on the market in order to be recognized by the consumer or as the
technique used to the purpose of creating an image or an identity in the mind of the target-group
to which the product or the brand is addressed. Brand positioning relies on applying
differentiation strategies. For example, among image differentiators used in marketing research
for brand positioning, we can find pride, trust, ambition and notoriety (Biz magazine, Top 50
Romanian strong brands, September 2010). As for product brand, it must have sufficient
visibility and credibility from the point of view of its performance in order to be considered by
the consumer. The adequate employment of promotional tools is crucial for engaging the
attention of the public and building a connection with the consumers.
According to some professionals, branding is the most important aspect a company
should consider. It is not sufficient to have everyone recognize your brand name and logo.
Branding is about connecting, one of the initial principles of the marketing concept. Everyone
involved in marketing must know how to make their product connect to the customer. Brands
have both a rational and an emotional appeal, so producers must speak to the customers head
and heart at the same time. Producers must build the expectations and certainty that their product
is the best because this generates brand loyalty. Brand loyalty occurs when people become
committed to a brand and make repeated purchases over time. People now talk about gadgets as
if they were talking about their best friends, and this is the result of brand loyalty. Being
consistent in filling or satisfying those initial promises you have built your brand on is also vital.
1. What were the terms brand and branding originally used for?
2. How can we define the term brand nowadays? What about branding? Which is the
key-aspect related to branding?
3. What are the aims and benefits of branding?
4. What does positioning involve?
5. What do we understand by brand loyalty?
6. You have previously referred to some Romanian or international brands you are
loyal to. Are there any brands you do not appreciate? Why? Use some of the following
phrases:
I admit that is a famous brand but
What I dont like about it is that
certainly has important qualities but
What puts me off is
54
7. Form new words from the ones given so as to fill in the gaps below:
EXPECT
Producers have to come up with new ideas to meet and even exceed the
consumers
BRAND
is also defined as the promotion of a product or service by

identifying it with a particular brand.
LOYAL
Brand .represents
attachment to a brand.
POSITION
.is a strategy that aims to make a brand occupy a distinct

position, as compared with competing brands, in the mind of the consumer.
IDENTITY
Brand is how a company wants the consumers to perceive

its products or brands.
the extent
of the consumers
4. 3. GRAMMAR STUDY
PAST PERFECT SIMPLE
Form:
Affirmative: had + past participle of the verb (3rd form of the verb)
Negative: had not/hadnt + past participle of the verb (3rd form of the verb)
Interrogative: had + subject + past participle of the verb (3rd form of the verb)
Uses:
1. It shows that a past event took place before another event in the past:
They had already decided to break the deal before the press release was issued.
When we arrived at the office, everybody had already left home.
David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index, said a new injection of money from the
Bank had been widely expected and that traders had been waiting so long for a Greek
deal, the reaction was fairly muted. (Guardian website)
The company had initially claimed the hacking was the work of a single rogue
reporter. (International Herald Tribune)
2. In conditional sentences type 3 to show an impossible condition:
If I had known about their financial problems I could have helped them out.
after, once, by, by the time, already, just, never, meanwhile
55
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Form:
Affirmative: had been + verb ing
Negative: had not/hadnt been + verb ing
Interrogative: had + subject + been + verb ing
Uses:
1. To refer to a past action that was in progress up to a certain point in the past; it
often focuses on the duration of that action:
He had been working on the project for two weeks before they decided to cancel it.
2. In conditional sentences type 3:
Mr Tucker said: If we had not been running an easy monetary policy for the last three
years or so now this economy would have been destroyed. (Daily Mail website)
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
1. Use past simple or past perfect in the following sentences:
1. Was the CEO in his office when you called? No, he (go) .home.
2. I felt so tired after work that I (go).straight to bed.
3. The building was very quiet when I arrived, so I supposed everybody
(go)home.
4. Sorry Im late, I arrived at the subway but it (leave)five minutes
before.
5. We saw a car which (break down), so we (stop)to give
them a helping hand.
2. Read the entry from a runners diary. Find and correct the mistakes in the use of
past perfect continuous:
Ive just got back from the marathon. Im tired but very happy. When I crossed the
finishing line, I have been running for four hours and twenty minutes. James was standing
there, and he had been waited for me all this time. We were both soaking wet I, because
I had been sweating; he, because it has been raining just a little while before. I was so
glad to see him. I had been look forward to this day for so long and hoping that I could
finish the race in less than four and a half hours. When I got home, I called my parents.
56
They had watching the marathon on TV and had actually seen me cross the finishing
line!
3. Connect the following sentences so as to use past perfect simple or continuous
forms:
1. We finished dinner. Our colleagues arrived.
When
2. She was walking back home from work. She realized someone was following her.
When/As..for a while.
3. We entered the conference room. Nobody was in.
By the time ..
4, Parker & Co. announced their bankruptcy publicly. Initially they said the financial
situation of the company was all right.
After
5. She worked as a receptionist for 5 years. Then, in 2008 she changed her job.
She.
4. Use past tense simple or past perfect forms with the verbs in the brackets:
1. After he (listen)carefully for a
(start)making notes for the meetings minutes.
few
moments,
he
2. I (be) ...quite surprised to find out that my assistant (already

finish)working on the project.
3. They (not check)..the figures in the report before the meeting,
so they (fail)to give the correct information.
4. Once she (call)the supplier everything (clear up).
5. After we (pay)..our debts, we (feel)less
worried.
5. Translate into English using past perfect simple or continuous:

1. In timp ce citeam ziarul mi-am dat seama ca uitasem sa cumpar si suplimentul
financiar.
2. Nu luasem inca o hotarare in legatura cu schimbarea slujbei cand am primit o
propunere de nerefuzat.
3. Cand am coborat din avion m-am dus sa-mi recuperez bagajul, insa angajatii
aeroportului mi-au spus ca se pare ca acesta s-a pierdut.
57
4. Zona britanica a refuzat adoptarea monedei euro chiar inainte ca alte state sa o faca.
5. Trenul spre Cluj a plecat din gara inainte sa apuc sa ajung la peron.
MAKING A SUGGESTION
Both in personal relations and business contacts making suggestions is a common
practice.
Useful phrases:
What about?
Lets
What do you think about?
I think we should/I suggest that we
How about (+ vb. ing)?
Perhaps/Maybe we could
Shall we?
I (really) think we/you could try
Why dont you/we?
I think it might be a good idea to
I think you/we should/ought to/I suggest It might be worth trying

that we
I thinkcould really work.
The following advantages/benefits speak
for themselves/are worth
studying/considering
1. You are having a meeting to decide which brand of office
phones/computers/printers your company should purchase so as to replace the old ones.
Study the technical information in the box below and write down your suggestions:
AT&T Corded 4 line telephone with base speakerphone and expandable to 16 stations
1. Digital answering system
Message guard memory for power failure; up to 60 minutes of digital recording time for each
line; programmable auto attendant; number announce; message time/day stamp
2. Caller ID/Call waiting
New call indicator; entry removal button
3. Telephone features
2 data ports; Do not disturb; Flash; Hold; Mute; 3-party conferencing; Large lighted display on
handset; 1 to 4 line capability; 200 name/number phone directory; Auto redial and last 6 number
redial; Selectable ring tones; Ringer volume control; Handset speakerphone; Memory loss
protection; Hearing aid compatible; Power failure operation; 4. Accessories: Cordless headset
58
UNIT 5.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND SPENDING MONEY
Key words: spending money, shopping, consumer types, factors influencing buying decisions,
green products, the decision-making process, customer satisfaction; expressing the future;
making a complaint.
will know how to:
describe consumer types, choices and preferences;
identify and explain the types of factors influencing buying decisions;
understand what marketers mean by green products;
explain the role of green products for consumer choices;
outline the main stages of the decision-making process;
describe the concept of customer satisfaction;
use verbal forms to express the future in appropriate business contexts;
employ their writing skills in business contexts, with special focus on making a
complaint.
59
5.1. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. How much money do you spend:
a day
a month
on a holiday
a week
a year
at Christmas?
2. Are you a money-saver or a money-spender? Do you keep a careful balance

between spending and saving?
3. How often do you go shopping?
4. What does your regular shopping bag include?
e.g. beverages
cigarettes
vegetables
dairy products
snacks
mineral water
meat products fruits
eggs
canned food
sweets
cheese
coffee
bread
pastry
5. How do you say the following sums in English?

$2,700
Ron 19,300
4.3 m
154
$237,400
67 bn
76,234
6.25
2,000,000
6. How much do your clothes cost? Include the accessories as well. Discuss and
compare with a student fellow.

Read the following texts and then answer the questions below:
A. CONSUMER TYPES AND VALS FRAMEWORK12
Initially launched by Arnold Mitchell in the US in the 1960s, this framework has been
much improved and is increasingly used by national and international marketers. It focuses on
psychological, demographic, and lifestyle factors to identify different types of consumer groups.
The latest version of VALS divides the English-speaking population aged 18 or older into eight
consumer groups, as follows:
Innovators high esteem, assume control, stylish, curious. Their purchases reveal tastes for
expensive niche products and services.
12
Adapted from Griffiths, Alan, and Wall, Stuart, (eds.), Economics, op. cit., pp. 493-494.
60
Thinkers motivated by ideas, mature, well trained and thoughtful. Purchases prefer
durability, functionality, and value.
Believers strongly traditional and value authority. They buy familiar products and
established brands.
Achievers goal-oriented lifestyles focused on family and career. They pay for premium
products that demonstrate success to their peers.
Strivers fashionable and playful. Purchase chic products that copy the purchases of higher
income groups.
Experiencers eccentric, active and impulsive. They buy stylish products and those related
to socialising and entertainment.
Makers pragmatic, responsible and self-sufficient. Purchase basic products, reflecting use
value rather than luxury.
Survivors lead narrowly focused and simple lives with few resources, seeking safety and
security. They spend only on low-cost, well-known brands (they show brand loyalty) and
look for available discounted products.
We can identify there main types of factors influencing the buying decision 13: personal
factors (characteristics of the consumer that affect the decision process), psychological factors
(elements of the consumers psychological processes) and social factors (influence from friends
and relatives that may direct the decision-making). For example, psychological factors that may
affect the buying decision include: perception, motives, ability and knowledge, attitude and
personality traits.
Consumers attitudes to products can be multifaceted and they differ according to:
valence whether the attitude is positive, negative or neutral; extremity the strength of the
attitude; resistance the degree to which the attitude can be altered by external influences;
persistence the degree to which the attitude wears away over time; confidence the level at
which the consumer believes the attitude is proper.
From the marketers perspective, attitudes are significant since they often precede buying
behaviour. A positive attitude towards a firm and its products is more likely to lead to purchase
of the firms products than a negative attitude. For example, perception is very important. This
process of selection or analysis means that each person has an incomplete picture of the world;
the brain therefore fills in the gaps by a process of synthesis using hearsay, previous experience,
imagination, etc. Then, we may find motives, namely that internal force that encourages the
consumer towards a particular course of action. Motivation is a vector; it has both intensity and
direction. Thirdly, ability and knowledge also matter. A consumer who is, for example, a
beginner at playing the violin is unlikely to spend thousands of pounds on a Stradivarius. So,
ability affects some buying decisions. Likewise, pre-existing knowledge of a product category or
brand will also affect the way the consumer approaches the decision. Personality traits and
behaviours also affect buying decisions. Personalities change very slowly in time and can be
13
Adapted from Blythe, Jim, Essentials, op. cit., pp. 55 59.
61
regarded as constant for the purposes of marketing. Typically, marketers aim for specific
personality types, such as the sociable, the competitive, or the athletic.
Purchasing behaviour is also affected by peoples identity, or their view of themselves.
The more closely the purchasing behaviour fits with the persons identity, the more likely it is to
occur; this is particularly important in non-profit marketing such as charitable donations or
involvement in voluntary work, where the activity involves individuals and is often based on
social exchanges.
1. What type of consumer are you? What about your best friend?
2. What types of factors can influence our buying decisions?
3. What other factors affect our purchasing decisions according to the text?
4. Name a few factors which generally affect your buying decisions.
5. Make suggestive sentences with the following derivatives or idioms based on the
word buy:
buyer
to buy time
to buy it
to buy into
to buy in bulk
to buy sbd. out
6. Customer relations and customer satisfaction are other vital aspects of the
business environment. Do you have to deal directly with clients at your workplace?
7. When dealing with customers, you need some key-qualities, such as:
to be precise
to be prepared
to be persuasive
to be polite
to be positive
to be persistent
to be punctual
to be patient
to be practical
According to other specialists, excellent customer service relies on the following

qualities:
accessibility
agreeability
ability
availability
adaptability
accountability
affability
What does each involve and which do you find to be the most important ones? Can you
think of others?
8. Can you think of the ideal customers qualities?
e.g. to patient
communicates expectations and requirements clearly
to be reasonable
to pay reasonably
to show understanding
to be polite and respectful
to pay adequately
62
B. GREEN PRODUCTS AND CONSUMER PREFERENCES14

After the 1980s green marketing has become increasingly popular in Europe. But what
are green products? Green products have less destructive effects on the environment and are less
harmful to human health than traditional products. They are environmentally safer and more
beneficial products. In fact, the intensive development of ecologically safer products has led to
the manufacturing of packages using recycled paper, alternative resources for generating
electricity, or even green houses.
However, researchers have declared that people buy green products in public but luxury
items online, to quote Vladas Griskevicius, assistant professor of marketing at the University of
Minnesotas Carlson School of Management. Thus, people are more expected to buy green
products when shopping in expensive stores rather than on the internet because they want to be
seen to be environmentally friendly, a new report revealed. People shopping alone online tend to
prefer luxurious products that increase their personal comfort, without caring much of our earths
survival and sustenance. On the other hand, when shopping in public, people are more likely to
choose green products so that they are seen as altruistic and concerned with contemporary
environmental issues. Mr. Griskevicius commented that green purchasers buy green products
that often cost more and are of lower quality but assist the environment for everyone.
In the paper Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous
Conservation, Griskevicius and co-authors show that people are ready to give up luxury and
comfort for a green item but only when others can see the purchase. According to the authors,
many green buys are rooted in the evolutionary idea of competitive humanity, the notion that
people compete for status by trying to seem more altruistic. In effect, they want to maintain their
social status. The Toyota Prius car is referred to as a main example, serving as a mobile, selfpromoting advertisement for environmentalist beliefs. A reputation for being a caring individual
gives you status and public regard. When you publicly display your environmentally friendly
nature, you certainly transmit that you care, said Griskevicius.
The study also showed that rank as a motive increased the attractiveness of green
products especially when these products cost more as compared to non-green products. The
researcher explained that when people are motivated by status, they will miss luxury
characteristics to obtain an inferior green product just to prove to others that they care.
1. Green products are very popular nowadays. What are they? Can you name a few?
2. What is green marketing?
3. What do we understand by environmentally friendly products? What about
environmentally friendly customers?
14
Adapted from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7456056/People-buy-green-products-in-public-butluxury-items-online, accessed March 1, 2012.
63
4. The author talks about the concept of competitive humanity. What does it
involve?
5. What is the basic idea of the text? Which is the message transmitted regarding
peoples consumer behaviour?
6. Are you a consumer of green products or services? Why (not)?
C. THE PURCHASING DECISION-MAKING PROCESS15

Buyers can be grouped in two categories: consumers, who are buying for their own and
for their familys use, and industrial buyers, who are buying for business consumption. In each
case, the marketer is concerned with both the practical needs of the buyer or the buyers
organisation, and the emotional or personal needs of the individual.
Roughly speaking, the consumer decision-making includes the following stages: problem
recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase, post-purchase evaluation
and divestment (disposing of the product after use).
Problem recognition occurs when the consumer realises that there is a need for some
item. At this stage the consumer only decides to look for a solution to a problem, perhaps by
buying a category of product. Motivation is very important in this stage.
After becoming motivated to search for a solution to the need problem, consumers carry
out two forms of information search. The internal search involves remembering earlier
experiences of the product category, and thinking about what he/she has heard about the product
category. The external search involves shopping, reading manufacturers fliers and
advertisements, and maybe talking to friends or relatives about the wished-for purchase.
For most acquisitions, the internal search is enough. For example, a consumer who needs
to buy candies will easily remember what his or her favourite brand tastes like, and will also
remember where they are on the store shelf. When buying a new stereo system set, a quite
extensive information search might be executed, reading manufacturers brochures and visiting
the hi-fi shops. The reason for doing this is to diminish possible risks; buying the wrong brand of
candies involves very little risk since the financial investment is low, but buying the wrong hi-fi
could prove to be a costly mistake. For this reason, many retailers practice a return policy, since
this helps decreasing the level of risk and thus making purchases more possible.
Having researched on several competing brands, the consumer starts evaluating the
alternatives, based on the information collected or kept in mind. In the first instance, the
consumer will select a consideration set, which is the group of products that most closely meets
the need. Signals are important when making choices; a particular price, a brand name, even the
15
Adapted from Blythe, Jim, Essentials , op. cit., pp. 45 55.
64
vendor will have some effect on the consumers perception of the product. Price is frequently
used as a sign of quality, for example, but this can be reduced when other signals occur.
The real purchase comes next; the consumer will trace the required brand, and perhaps
choose a seller preferred, and will also select an appropriate payment method.
Post-purchase evaluation refers to the way the consumer determines whether the product
bought was a success or not. This procedure usually includes a comparison between what the
shopper was expecting to get, and what was actually purchased. Before the purchase, the
consumer formed expectations of the products capabilities in matters such as: reasonable
performance (what can be rationally expected given the cost and effort of obtaining the product),
ideal performance (what the consumer hopes the product will do), and expected performance
(which is what the product probably will do).
Finally, the divestment stage refers to the way the consumer gets rid of the product after
usage. This could mean simply as throwing an empty food container into the bin, or it could be
as complex as the trading of a second-hand car. This stage is of rising importance to marketers
because they can think of making sales of new products (for example on exchange deals).
1. Which are the stages of the purchasing process?
2. What does problem recognition mean?
3. What type of information search do you carry out before a purchase? Consider
the following situations:
buying a car
buying milk/coffee/cigarettes
buying a wedding dress
buying a book/a movie
buying a laptop
buying furniture
buying a bag
buying a house
4. What are the customers pre-buying expectations regarding a products

capabilities?
5. Can you give more examples of divestment procedures depending on the goods
involved?
5. 3. GRAMMAR STUDY
EXPRESSING THE FUTURE
I. FUTURE SIMPLE
Form: will + short infinitive form of the verb
Short form ll; negative will not/wont.

65
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Uses:
To talk about future events we see as facts or plans about the future:
In March we will launch two new models.
Soon, working from home will become more successful.
Inflation will continue to fall back to around the target by the end of 2012. (Telegraph
website)
Savers at the state-backed bank will see their rate fall to 0.5 per cent this month. (This
Is Money website)
Over the next few months we will review our plans for pub openings in future financial
years, taking account of our concerns for the tax regime on pubs.
(Daily Mail website)
To refer to future beliefs:
The biggest wave of job losses will probably be in Tokyo.
To express personal opinions or hopes:
I think we will open a new shop in June.
I hope she will let you know.
For instant or spontaneous decisions or thoughts; for promises or offers:
Ill help you.
Ill get you the report right away.
Predictions:
The weather will probably get warmer as time goes by.
II. GOING TO
Form: be (in the present) + going to + short infinitive form of the verb
Uses:
1. To express plans and intentions:
I think banks are going to lower rates soon.
We are going to open a new subsidiary in London.
2. To make predictions based on present evidence:
It is going to snow a lot this weekend. (I have heard the news)
They are going to lose the deal. (I can see that things go wrong.)
III. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Form: be (in the present: am/is/are) + short infinitive of the verb + ing
Uses:
1. To talk about things we have arranged for the future it is generally accompanied
by a time phrase:
Their office is moving out tomorrow.
Generally we talk about personal or social arrangements:

What are you doing tomorrow evening?
I am leaving to Cluj tonight.
66
IV. PRESENT SIMPLE

Form: short infinitive of the verb + s/es for 3rd person singular
Uses:
1. To talk about events in the near future based on a fixed timetable, official
programme or calendar:
She retires next month.
The president announces the procedure in two hours.
V. FUTURE CONTINUOUS
Form: will + be + verb ing
Uses:
1. It refers to a dynamic activity which will be in progress in the future; a time phrase is
generally used:
This time next week we will be working on the report.
Next week we will be launching our new product line in Sibiu.
VI. FUTURE PERFECT
Form: will + have + past participle (the 3rd form of the verb)
Uses:
1. To refer to a future action which is anterior to another future action (it is the
equivalent of viitor anterior from the Romanian language):
By and by the time are often used:

By 2030 agricultural activities will have halved.
By the time he arrives we will have examined the figures.
OTHER FORMS EXPRESSING FUTURE REFERENCE

1. Verbs such as expect, intend, plan, hope, want can refer to a future action:
Microsoft is planning to launch new revolutionary products.
The board of directors is hoping to convince the workers to call off the strike.
The chain, which operates 841 pubs, plans to cut the number of new outlets to
around 40 in the year to the end of July, compared to previous expectations of around
50. (Daily Mail website)
We expect the UKs economic recovery to take hold in 2013. (Daily Mail website)
2. would like + long infinitive:
They would like to renegotiate the contract on their terms.
TIME EXPRESSIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, in two days, on Friday, at the weekend, next
week/month/year, in a few days time, soon, in the (near) future
67
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
1. Use the verb in the brackets in the appropriate future form future simple, going to
future or present continuous:
1. I (ask)..............................................................my colleague about that report
tomorrow.
2. I (find out) ..............................................................what the matter is right.
3. I cannot join you tomorrow as I (be)...............................................in London.
4. We (go out).........................................................for lunch later. Will you come
too?
5. Considering the present economic crisis, it (be)......................................difficult to
increase wages.
2. Use going to future in the following sentences:
1. She (open) ..a bank account next week.
2. Bayer (not export) to Eastern Europe in the near
future.
3. I (see you) .at the industry exhibition
later?
4. We (miss) our CEO when he retires.
5. Our secretary (to attend) ..a meeting in London
next month.
3. Translate into English using suitable future forms:
1. Nu pot veni intrucat voi avea o sedinta cu Elena maine dimineata.
2. Vom deschide o noua fabrica in Bucuresti luna viitoare.
3. Ce parere ai despre noua lor campanie publicitara? Cred ca va fi de success.
4. Asteapta, te ajut eu sa ridici bagajul!
5. Ce ai de gand sa faci in legatura cu problema aceea?
6. Cineva va va astepta la aeroport sa va insoteasca la hotel.
7. Vom da o petrecere diseara cu ocazia pensionarii sefului de department.
8. In timp, efectul crizei economice va afecta din ce in ce mai mult calitatea vietii
populatiei.
9. Va voi anunta decizia mea pana joi seara.
10. Intentionez sa imi schimb locul de munca cat de curand posibil.
4. Your business partner is planning to go to a conference soon. As him questions and
give imaginative answers to them:
1. Where (go)?
2. How long (go for)?
3. When (leave)?
4. (go)alone?
68
5. (travel)..by car?
6. Where (stay).?
7. (give) ..a presentation?
8. (take) .flyers presenting our company?
9. (prepare)..samples of our products?
10. (take) presents ..for the organizers?
5. Put the verbs into the most suitable forms of present continuous or simple for future
reference:
1. They (go) .to an IT exhibition this evening.
2. (the presentation begin) .after the lunch break?
3. Excuse me. What time (this train get) ..to London?
4. I (leave)..for the Tokyo fair soon. Ive come to say
goodbye.
5. She (meet).the finance director for diner this
evening
6. Write a question with going to for each situation below (also use you):
1. The latest product of you company has failed to sell.
(what do about it) .?
2. The new line of swimwear sold pretty well.
(how advertise the next line)..?
3. Your business partner is going to an official diner this evening.
(what wear)?
4. Your colleague has just bought a new printer for his office.
(where put it)..?
5. Someone has broken into your bank account.
(call the police)?
7. Fill in with I think Ill or I dont think Ill:
1. Your car wont start. You decide to try the company car.
I think ..
2. The computer in your office doesnt work. You decide to ask a colleague for help.
I think
3. You arranged you will allocate a bigger budget to the new advertising campaign. Now
you have changed your mind.
I dont think Ill
4. Your firm contacted an advertising agency to handle the publicity for its services. Now
you dont want to work with them anymore.
I dont think Ill...
5. You are working overtime this evening. You feel very tired, so you decide to go home.
I think
69
8. Choose the correct form:

1. Did you call the subsidiary in Focsani? No, not yet. I phone/Ill phone right now.
2. I meet/Ill meet the finance director outside the premises in half an hour.
3. If you need money, I lend/Ill lend you some.
4. I dont want to finish the sales figures by myself. Do you help/Will you help me?
5. Remember to study the report before you leave. OK. I dont forget/I wont forget.
9. Complete the sentences with will/ll + one of the verbs below:
be
come
get
like
live
look meet pass
try
call
1. Dont worry about the exam. Im sure you ..

2. Why dont you try on this jacket? It .nice on you.
3. You must meet James soon. Im sure you .him.
4. Its snowing heavily outside. Dont go out or you..wet.
5. Do you think people better in the near future?
6. I.her soon because we need to discuss a project.
7. Theyve sent her an invitation to join the Paris office but I dont think she..
8. When the new road is finished, the time spent to work .shorter.
9. I the company and find out why the cancelled their order.
10. They.to test the machines before going to market with them.
10. Translate into English using suitable future forms:

1. Mine toat dimineaa voi intervieva candidai pentru postul de director de resurse
umane.
2. In iulie anul acesta ne vom muta n noua locaie de pe strada Lapusneanu.
3. Pn la sfaritul anului ne vom fi mutat n noua locaie de pe strada Lapusneanu.
4. La ce ora decoleaz avionul catre Tokyo?
5. Nu uita sa deconectezi aparatele inainte sa pleci din hala.
6. Nu putem livra marfa pn nu primim comanda dvs. oficial.
7. Pn n 2020 vom fi achitat mprumutul de la banc.
8. Dac nu accept termenii nostri de plat, ne vom retrage din negocieri.
9. V vom suna noi atunci cnd creditul dvs. va fi aprobat.
10. Intenionm s v oferim toate detaliile tranzaciei la conferina de pres de peste 2
ore.
11. Talk about your future plans/ dreams/ wishes as a prospective economist, beginning
with In three years time I
70
MAKING A COMPLAINT
1. Write a short letter/email of complaint to a service provider or goods producer.
e.g. hardware; telephone; computer monitor; washing machine; hairdryer; web camera;
video camera; DVD; watch
Consider the following structure:
Greeting (formal)
Brief presentation (present yourself)
State and describe the problem
Include what action you would like the firm to take (suggest solution)
Close
2. Write a short letter/email of complaint to a supplier using the information below:
You ordered 20 interactive whiteboards for your company but only 10 were delivered.
You need the whiteboards urgently for the official opening of the new premises.
There is a mistake in the invoice, charging you for 30 pieces.
You tried to talk to somebody from the firm, but no one answered; finally, somebody
answered but they could not find a record of your order.
You want them to send the rest of the pieces with a correct invoice plus a discount because
of the delay and problem caused.
Useful phrases:
1. GREETING (formal)
Dear Sir/Madam,
2. PURPOSE OF YOUR LETTER/EMAIL
I am writing in connection with
I am writing to draw your attention to
I am writing to complain about
I am writing to express my strong
dissatisfaction with
I wish to complain in the strongest possible
terms
4. SUGGEST SOLUTIONS
I insist on a full refund
I want you to send the correct order
I insist that you replace the goods
I ask for a refund plus
I insist on receiving damages for
3. DESCRIBE REASONS
Firstly,
Secondly,
Furthermore/In addition,
Even more/To make matters worse
5. CONCLUDE
Finally,
In conclusion,
Taking everything into consideration,
All things considered,
We hope you will deal with the problem
71
I demand that you send another invoice

I expect you to
I really want you to
promptly
We are waiting for the desired solution as
soon as possible or
Please solve this by Thursday at the latest/
the end of the week.
72
Objectives:
To evaluate students competences in employing English in professional contexts,
considering all the skills practised in this workbook:
- reading and comprehension skills;
- grammar and vocabulary skills;
- speaking/communication skills;
- writing skills.
73
6. 1. READING AND COMPREHENSION & BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

CASE STUDY
Read the following text describing Diesels marketing mix and then answer the
questions below:
MARKETING MIX. CASE STUDY: DIESEL16
Introduction
Have you ever heard of passion related to the marketing mix? What about people? Those two
Ps seldom figure together with the famous four you are familiar with. This case study about Diesel
shows that passion and the right people are crucial links in brining the standard Ps together.For
Diesel, passion is a key-concept. The companys founder sees his work as an art and the company
has redefined how a brand sees and communicates with its customers since 1978.
Diesel is a worldwide clothing and lifestyle brand. With a history going back over 30
years, the company now employs some 2,200 people internationally with a revenue of 1.3 billion.
Its products can be found in more than 5,000 outlets. Yet, this is only a list of numbers while the
really interesting part refers to the company, people, and founder behind them. Diesel is an
incredible company with a unique way of thinking. Their mindset puts customers and their desires first,
as the marketing concept actually requires. Sale and profit come second.
The story begins with a young Renzo Rosso passionate about the clothes he wears but
dissatisfied with the options available in his home town, Molvena, Italy. Thus, he decided to use his
passion to make the clothes he really wanted to wear. Renzo was drawn to the amazing fabric of
the 1960s and rock & roll: denim. Denim motivated him to create jeans which would allow him to
express himself in ways other garments could not. His idea soon became popular, so he produced
more and more of his hand-made creations, selling them around Italy from his own van. Young
Renzo is now the owner and CEO of Diesel, so it seems that impulse and passion resulted in
success.
Product
Diesel sells good quality jeans. But the reason Diesel has grown so much is because it
knows that being successful is more than selling nice jeans. Diesel is a way of life, and if you feel
attracted to that lifestyle, you might like to buy their products. Renzo describes this as an end to
that selling approach which forces the customer to buy; Diesel involves the customer in its
16
Adapted text and pictures from http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/, http://shop.businesscasestudies.co.uk/live-breatheand-wear-passion-pdf, accessed October 5, 2011.
74
proposed lifestyle.
In case of Diesel, those promises underlying the customers relationship with the company
are very personal and very passionate. The entire team at Diesel really lives the brand. They are all
extremely passionate about their creations. As a result, when it comes to expressing that passion,
ideas come naturally. Experiencing the set of promises the Diesel brand communicates means that
its staff can listen to their instincts, creating products straight from within.
Promotion
One if its recent marketing campaign was built around the phrase Be Stupid. Some years
before, Renzo Rosso had taken the stupid move to create the jeans he wanted to wear. Then he
took the even more stupid step of trying to sell those jeans to other people, hoping he would not
be the only fool in Molvena. As it soon proved, his stupid move ended up creating something
which millions of people worldwide now enjoy.
Promotion and marketing at Diesel always focuses on engaging with the customer as
opposed to selling them a product. All promotional elements aim to connect the customer with the
lifestyle. If they like the lifestyle, they could like the products. For instance, Diesel saw music as an
inseparable part of that lifestyle and realised that exploring new music and new artists meant being
different and trying out something unusual. Diesel:U:Music is now a global music support, giving
unknown bands a place where they can be heard and a chance to have their talent recognised. An
online radio station supports the idea, taking a rather atypical approach. Its play list is not set in
advance, so the choice belongs to the DJ.
In promotion and marketing, above-the-line and below-the-line represent methods of
reaching consumers. Above-the-line marketing is targeted at a mass audience by means of media such
as television or radio. Below-the-line marketing takes a more individual approach using various
incentives to purchase by the use of various promotions. In this case, passion again acts to dim the
boundaries between the two methods. If we had to define this type of approach we would call it
75
through-the-line, respectively a blend of the two. The passion and liveliness personified by the
Diesel lifestyle is transmitted through a blend of above-the-line and below-the-line strategies. That
unique kind of energy guides the way this abstract theory is realised in projects such as
Diesel:U:Music and the Be Stupid campaign, which divert and interact with their potential or loyal
customers.
Place
The way a business decides to offer its products to its customers has a huge impact on its
success. Only 300 of the 5,000 global outlets which sell Diesel products are owned and managed
by the company itself. The majority are large department stores offering many other brands or
boutiques with a very specific style of their own. Yet, they manage to preserve the quality of a
product and its communication by way of the same strong culture within Diesel. Every worker is
able to communicate the brand suitably in their specific role within the company. The managers of
the Diesel-branded stores know that their function is to act as an important part of the group. Then,
employees in each of the stores are intimately connected with all the elements of the campaigns
and are very aware of the image and experience they should transmit to customers entering the
stores. Their retail partners such as the department stores also communicate the same level of
passion when offering their products by way of separate and individual campaigns.
This attitude to distribution can be seen as a mix of exclusive and selective distribution
replacing intensive distribution. Exclusive distribution involves limiting distribution to single
outlets such as the Diesel stores. Selective distribution involves using a small number of retail
stores and partners to preserve the quality of communication with the customer. Intensive
distribution is not preferred by Diesel, so it does not sell through as many possible outlets as possible.
Price
Consumers always look for products which are good value for money. The price is the
most direct and immediate instrument a business can use to express the quality of its product at
the point of sale. Diesel uses a model based on premium pricing. The price of Diesels products
must reflect the substance and value of that original lifestyle experience. Consumers do not pay a
premium price for Diesel jeans because they are a premium quality, that goes without saying.
Quality is inherent to the product offered. Clients pay a premium price because the jeans and the
brand suit with and even support a first-class, dynamic and passionate lifestyle built for successful
living, as Diesel says.
76
People
Renzo has inspired thousands of people who proudly work to build and enforce the brand
through passion and ambition. Renzo understood that people and their ideas form the core and spirit
of the company. Therefore, everyones voice can be heard and each employee has an equal right to
an opinion. The companys flat hierarchy means there are few layers of management and everyone is
heartened to communicate with each other: sharing ideas, solving problems and trying to transmit
that energy to the ultimate goal of the company, i.e. its customers.
Decisions are made as a team, from launching the original idea to monitoring the results.
Feedback is vital because positive results are acknowledged and everyone can feel proud of what
they have achieved. In case of failures or errors, group feedback permits the evaluation of causes
and the possibility to learn for future events. This sense of belonging to a team and a particular
responsibility is highly important for staff motivation. They are encouraged to understand their
work and the work environment, so they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. In fact, at
Diesel, there is high employee satisfaction and a low staff turnover.
Conclusions
Diesel has built its existence around its central passion with each of its 2,200 employees
w or ki n g f o r D i e s e l b ut a l s o living the Diesel brand. Diesel became a global name for
premium clothing but it all started from its founders desire to do something out of the ordinary,
something stupid. He stuck to his belief in doing something unusual and a global company was
shaped, whose products are now preferred by millions. More importantly, this has created a lifestyle
a whole new perspective of seeing a brand. Diesel is an experience which actively engages with
and entertains its customers a far deeper relationship than what most other brands promise and
carry out.
Passion and the desire to do something unusual bring these elements together. The
marketing mix theory applied to a company like Diesel is problematic because these elements do
not work separately. On the contrary, these elements are inseparably linked by the passion of
people like Renzo Rosso who have dedicated their lives to treating their work as an artistic
expression of their desires and feelings.
1. The marketing mix is:
a. The combination of product, price, promotion and package used to generate profitable sales often called the 4Ps;
77
b. The combination of product, price, promotion and place (distribution) used to generate profitable
sales - often called the 4Ps.
2. We can define a brand as:
a. A well-known product or service;
b. A name, design or symbol that gives a product, product range or company an identity that is
distinct from competitors.
3. Promotion refers to:
a. Methods for increasing the sales of a product e.g. point-of-sales displays, special offers,
competitions;
b. Price reductions.
4. What do we understand by company culture?
a. A set of assumptions, beliefs and patterns of behaviour that are characteristic of an organisation
or group of people;
b. A companys pricing policy.
5. Which are the core values or ideas related to Diesels marketing mix?
6. In what way is Diesel a lifestyle?
7. One of Diesels famous marketing campaigns was Be Stupid. What did it communicate to its
customers? What do you think about this idea?
8. Explain which of the promotional strategies used by Diesel are above- or below-the-line.
Analyse the impact that each strategy might have.
9. What does Diesels through-the-line marketing involve?
10. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using premium pricing as a strategy.
11. Considering the distribution strategies mentioned in the case study, what might be the
outcome if Diesel adopted an intensive distribution method?
12. How does the staff contribute to the success of the Diesel brand?
13. To what extent do you think Diesel can rely on its brand alone for future growth? How far
78
do you think Diesels growth is directly linked to its organisational structure?
6. 2. GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY REVISION TEST

Choose the most appropriate variant from the ones given below:
1. They make a profit of 1.20 on each piece sold, which means a of 60%.
a. cost
b. investment
c. margin
2. If you really want to 1. and you cannot afford it, then you should look for a 2...
1. a. invest
b. set up a business
c. establish a business
2. turnover
b. business proposition
c. venture capitalist
3. When did John start working for T&N? He about two months ago.
a. had been hired
b. was hire
c. was hired
4. I am going on a 1 next month. 2. to come with me?

1.a. work trip b. business travel
c. business trip
2.a. Would you like b. want you
d. need you
5. A venture capitalist is basically

a. an accountant
b. an investor
c. a manager
6. Customers usually come here to look for advice.

a. financial
b. money
c. finances
7. I would like to analyse your companys

a. books
b. booked
c. bookkeeping
8. CEO stands for 1. and CFO stands for 2.

1. a. chief executive officer b. chief employer c. chief European operator
2. chief financially officer b. chief financial officer c.chairman financial officer
9. When staff are 1 they have a good work 2.
1.a. promoted
b. demoted
c. demotivated
2. a. pressure
b. management
c. morale
10. Training, new technology or extra bonuses like . motivate the staff.
a. sums of money
b. perks
c. Tasks
11. The company .to make more money according to the latest figures.
a. do
b. will have done
c. is going to
79
12. We . this office until the new one is ready.

a. used
b. use
c. are using
13. They 1. meetings once a month to discuss the 2 .

1. a. are doing
b. have
c. are having
2. b. sales percents
b. sums of money
c. sales figures
14. The management board . the room, . the audience and then down.
a. enters; greets; sits b. entered; greeted; sat
c. is entering; is greeting; is sitting
15. I heard that this year it is to invest in small businesses than in big ones.
a. little profitable
b. best profitable
c. more profitable
16. You should know that this car is . of all cars on the market.
a. more economical
b. the most economical
c. most economical
17. Our turnover by 20% this year, isnt it great?

a. grew
b. grown
c. has grown
18. Imy sales target this month so I to work overtime.

a. have achieved; dont have b. achieved; have
c. obtained; dont have to
19. They .best friends since they were at the university together.
a. are
b. have been
c. were
20. The software we are using .revised for us to use it better.

a. is being
b. was been
c. had been
21. These instructions some time ago when the machine was launched on the market.
a. have been written b. were written
c. write
22. If the boss me there I immediately join the team.

a. need; will
b. needs; will c. needed; will
23. How long .. responsible for the marketing campaign?

a. did she be
b. was she
c. has she been
24. The marketing department is .............................. the sales force.

a. accountable to; b. included in; c. in charge of.
25. .a. ...................................are paid regularly to work for an b......................................
a. Employers/employees; b. employee/employer
26. A brand is:
80
a. a name, usually a trademark, of a product or manufacturer, or the product identified by this

name; b. a celebrated product or range of products.
27. A companys product mix refers to:
a. special packages with a mixture of products; b. the set of goods and services provided by that
company.
28. A products life-cycle includes the stages:
a. planning, growth, decline; b. introduction, growth, decline; c. introduction, growth, maturity
and decline.
29. As the sum of elements of a marketing programme, the marketing mix includes:
a. Product, packaging, price; b. product, place, promotion, price; c. product, sales, price.
30. Market share refers to:
a. the number of things that a company sells compared with the number of things of the same
type that other companies sell; b. the position held by a company on the market.
6. 3. WRITING REVISION
You are in possession of 500,000 and you are now ready to set up your own
company. Write a description and plan of your business (consider: type of business, describe
the product/service provided, location, transport and distribution, personnel, advertising; your
skills and abilities for that type of business; competition within the local market; potential market
and clients; financial projections).
81
ANNEX
SYLLABUS
UNIVERSITATEA VASILE ALECSANDRI DIN BACAU
FACULTATEA DE STIINTE ECONOMICE
Domeniul: MARKETING
Specializarea: MARKETING 070.080.010
Durata programului de studiu: 3 ani
Forma de invatamant: ID anul 1
Anul universitar: 2011-2012
PROGRAMA ANALITICA
Denumirea disciplinei
Codul disciplinei
Limba straina engleza 1
UB07MK105C
Semestrul
Numarul de
credite
Facultatea
STIINTE
ECONOMICE
Numarul orelor pe
semestru/activitati
Domeniul de licenta
MARKETING
Total
SI
TC
AT
A
A
Programul de studii de licenta

(specializarea)
MARKETING
14
DUumanista
Categoria fundamentala a disciplinei

DF-fundamentala, DG-generala, DS-de specialitate, DEeconomica/manageriala, DU-umanista
Categoria de optionalitate a disciplinei: DI-impusa, DO-optionala, DL-liber
aleasa (facultativa)
Obligatorii
Discipline
anterioare
DIimpusa
(conditionate)
Recomandate
82
Microeconomie, Marketing,
Management
Obiective
nsuirea temeinic, pe baze tiinifice, a structurilor de

limb; formarea i dezvoltarea deprinderilor de folosire a
limbii engleze ca mijloc de comunicare scris i oral;
mbogirea i perfecionarea cunotinelor de limb
englez ale studenilor n vederea utilizrii acesteia n
mediul de afaceri (in domeniul marketingului);
Utilizarea limbii engleze n scopuri socio-profesionale,
fiind un cadru n care studenii opereaz cu concepte
economice dobndite la disciplinele de specialitate
prevzute de planul de nvmnt.

1.5. Business communication skills
1.6. Reading and comprehension
1.7. Grammar study
1.8. Writing skills
Continut
(descriptori)

2. 2. Reading and comprehension
2. 3. Grammar study
2. 4. Writing skills
UNIT 3. PRODUCTS
3. 3. Grammar study
Forma de evaluare (E-examen, C-colocviu/test final, LP-lucrari de control)
Vverif
icare
- raspunsurile la examen/colocviu/lucrari practice
50%
-
notei finale
- activitati aplicative atestate/laborator/lucrari

practice/proiect, etc
(procentaje)
- teste pe parcursul semestrului
- teme de control
50%
Stabilirea
Bibliografia
Barrall, Irene and Barrall, Nikolas, Intelligent Business, Skills Book,

Advanced Business English, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex,
83
2011.
Blythe, Jim, Essentials of Marketing, third edition, Prentice Hall and
Financial Times, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England,
2005.
Duckworth, Michael and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Upper
Intermediate Students Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, 2009.
Emmerson, Paul, Business Grammar Builder, Macmillan, London,
2005.
Gore, Sylee, English for Marketing and Advertising, Express Series,
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007.
Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and
Management. A Student Text, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited,
Harlow, Essex, England, 2005.
MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies, Cambridge UP,
Cambridge UK, 1997.
Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Students Book,
Oxford UP, Oxford, second edition, 2004.
Powell, Mark, In Company, Intermediate Students Book, Macmillan,
Oxford, 2002.
Lista materialelor
didactice necesare
Coordonator de
Disciplina
1. Suport curs.
2. Suport tehnic audio-video.
Grad didactic, titlul, prenume, numele
Semnatura
Asist. dr. Mihaela Culea

Legenda: SI-studiu individual, TC-teme de control, AT-activitati tutoriale, AA-activitati
aplicative aplicate
3.10.2011
84
UNIVERSITATEA VASILE ALECSANDRI DIN BACAU

FACULTATEA DE STIINTE ECONOMICE
Domeniul: MARKETING
Specializarea: MARKETING 070.080.010
Durata programului de studiu: 3 ani
Forma de invatamant: ID anul 1
Anul universitar: 2011-2012
PROGRAMA ANALITICA
Denumirea disciplinei
Codul disciplinei
Limba straina engleza 2
UB07MK207C
Semestrul
Numarul de
credite
Facultatea
STIINTE
ECONOMICE
Numarul orelor pe
semestru/activitati
Domeniul de licenta
MARKETING
Total
SI
TC
AT
A
A
Programul de studii de licenta

(specializarea)
MARKETING
14
DUumanista
Categoria fundamentala a disciplinei

DF-fundamentala, DG-generala, DS-de specialitate, DEeconomica/manageriala, DU-umanista
Categoria de optionalitate a disciplinei: DI-impusa, DO-optionala, DL-liber
aleasa (facultativa)
Obligatorii
Discipline
(conditionate)
anterioare
Recomandate
85
DI-impusa
Macroeconomie,
Marketing, Economie
european
Obiective
nsuirea temeinic, pe baze tiinifice, a structurilor de

limb; formarea i dezvoltarea deprinderilor de folosire a
limbii engleze ca mijloc de comunicare scris i oral;
mbogirea i perfecionarea cunotinelor de limb englez
ale studenilor n vederea utilizrii acesteia n mediul de
afaceri (in domeniul marketingului);
Utilizarea limbii engleze n scopuri socio-profesionale, fiind
un cadru n care studenii opereaz cu concepte economice
dobndite la disciplinele de specialitate prevzute de planul
de nvmnt.
UNIT 4. BRANDS
4. 3. Grammar study
UNIT 5. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND SPENDING MONEY
Continut
(descriptori)

5. 3. Grammar study
6. 1. Reading and comprehension & business communication:
Marketing mix. Case study: Diesel
6. 2. Grammar and vocabulary revision test
6. 3. Writing revision
Forma de evaluare (E-examen, C-colocviu/test final, LP-lucrari de control)
- raspunsurile la examen/colocviu/lucrari practice
50%
-
notei finale
- activitati aplicative atestate/laborator/lucrari

practice/proiect, etc
(procentaje)
- teste pe parcursul semestrului
- teme de control
50%
Stabilirea
Bibliografia
Barrall, Irene and Barrall, Nikolas, Intelligent Business, Skills Book,

Advanced Business English, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex,
2011.
Blythe, Jim, Essentials of Marketing, third edition, Prentice Hall and
Financial Times, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England,
2005.
Duckworth, Michael and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Upper
86
Intermediate Students Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, 2009.

Emmerson, Paul, Business Grammar Builder, Macmillan, London,
2005.
Gore, Sylee, English for Marketing and Advertising, Express Series,
Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2007.
Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and
Management. A Student Text, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited,
Harlow, Essex, England, 2005.
MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies, Cambridge UP,
Cambridge UK, 1997.
Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Students Book,
Oxford UP, Oxford, second edition, 2004.
Powell, Mark, In Company, Intermediate Students Book, Macmillan,
Oxford, 2002.
Lista materialelor
didactice necesare
Coordonator de
Disciplina
- Suport curs.
- Suport tehnic audio-video.
Grad didactic, titlul, prenume, numele
Semnatura
Asist. dr. Mihaela Culea

Legenda: SI-studiu individual, TC-teme de control, AT-activitati tutoriale, AA-activitati
aplicative aplicate
3.10.2011
87
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
1. Anholt, Simon, Competitive Identity. The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities
and Regions, Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2007.
2. Barrall, Irene and Barrall, Nikolas, Intelligent Business, Skills Book, Advanced
Business English, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, 2011.
3. Blythe, Jim, Essentials of Marketing, third edition, Prentice Hall and Financial Times,
Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005.
4. Duckworth, Michael and Turner, Rebecca, Business Result, Upper Intermediate
Students Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, 2009.
5. Emmerson, Paul, Email English, Macmillan, London, 2003.
6. Emmerson, Paul, Business Grammar Builder, Macmillan, London, 2005.
7. Evans, David, Powerhouse. An Intermediate Business English Course, Pearson
Education Ltd., Longman, Harlow, Essex, eighth impression, 2005.
8. Evans, Virginia and Milton, James, A Good Turn of Phrase, Express Publishing,
Berkshire, 2000.
9. Farall, Cate and Lindsley, Marianne, Professional English in Use. Marketing,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2008.
10. Flinders, S., Professional English. Business, Pearson Education Ltd., Harlow, Essex,
2003.
11. Gore, Sylee, English for Marketing and Advertising, Express Series, Oxford, Oxford
University Press, 2007.
12. Griffiths, Alan and Wall, Stuart (eds.), Economics for Business and Management. A
Student Text, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, England, 2005.
13. Horner, David and Strutt, Peter, Words at Work. Vocabulary Development for
Business English, Cambridge UP, Cambridge UK, 1996.
14. MacKenzie, Ian, English for Business Studies, Cambridge UP, Cambridge UK, 1997.
15. Naunton, Jon, Head for Business, Upper Intermediate Students Book, Oxford UP,
Oxford, second edition, 2004.
16. Powell, Mark, In Company, Intermediate Students Book, Macmillan, Oxford, 2002.
17. Powell, Mark, In Company, Upper Intermediate Students Book, Macmillan, Oxford,
2004.
18. Sweeney, Simon, English for Business Communication, Cambridge UP, Cambridge,
1997.
88
19. Vince, Michael, Language Practice. Teachers Test CD, 2005.

20. Wallwork, Adrian, Business Vision, Students Book, Oxford UP, Oxford, 2002.
Web sources
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general
Bloomberg Business Week www.businessweek.com/
The Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
The Guardian - www.guardian.co.uk/
The International Herald Tribune - http://global.nytimes.com/?iht
Latin Trade - http://www.latintrade.com/
The Daily Mail - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/index.html
The Economist http://www.economist.com/
www.thisismoney.co.uk/
http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/
http://shop.businesscasestudies.co.uk/live-breathe-and-wear-passion-pdf
www.onestopenglish.com
http://www.businessdictionary.com/
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brand
http://www.superbrands.com/ro/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=320&It
emid=107
http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/bestglobalbrands-2011.asp
89

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ROMNIA

MINISTERUL EDUCAIEI, CERCETRII, TINERETULUI

ENGLISH FOR MARKETING STUDENTS

SUPORT DE CURS PENTRU LIMBA ENGLEZ SPECIALIZAREA MARKETING,

Asist. dr. MIHAELA CULEA

Refereni tiinifici: Lect.dr. Nadia Nicoleta Morrau,

Lect.dr. Mihaela Vasiloaia, Universitatea George

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naionale a Romniei

1.1. Business communication skills

1.2. Reading and comprehension: Damon Buffini

1.3. Grammar study: Present tense simple and continuous

1.4. Writing skills: Giving and asking for advice

UNIT 2. MARKETING ESSENTIALS

2. 1. Business communication skills

2. 2. Reading and comprehension: A. What is Marketing?

B. The marketing mix

2. 3. Grammar study: Paste tense simple and continuous

2. 4. Writing skills: Making an invitation

3. 1. Business communication skills

3. 2. Reading and comprehension: Standardized vs. differentiated products

3. 3. Grammar study: Present perfect simple and continuous

3. 4. Writing skills: Making an order

4. 1. Business communication skills

4. 2. Reading and comprehension: Brands and branding

4. 3. Grammar study: Past perfect simple and continuous

4. 4. Writing skills: Making a suggestion

UNIT 5. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND SPENDING MONEY

5. 1. Business communication skills

5. 2. Reading and comprehension: A. Consumer types and VALS framework

B. Green products and consumer preferences

C. The purchasing decision-making process

5. 3. Grammar study: Expressing the future

5. 4. Writing skills: Making a complaint

UNIT 6. GENERAL REVISION

6. 1. Reading and comprehension & business communication:

6. 2. Grammar and vocabulary revision test

UNIT 1. SOCIALIZING. JOBS AND COMPANIES

describe their job and the company they work for;

use vocabulary related to the work environment and work motivation;

1.1. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. Describe the jobs below:

2. Describe the companies and institutions below:

real estate agency

Responsible for all the decisions concerning a brand.

Responsible for all the decisions regarding a group of similar

Responsible for controlling, training and motivating the sales

Controls media purchases, deals with advertising agencies and

Administers the companys public image and applies corrective

Collects evidence about what consumers really want or need to

I am in charge of/My responsibilities are..

I work for ...

The number of employees is around

My company produces (products)/

Our market share

respect for customers

Are you satisfied with your work program?

Where do you work?

Are you satisfied with your job tasks?

What does your company produce/sell?

Are you pleased with your salary?

Where is your company based?

What do you like best about your work?