1、BEC 剑桥商务英语(高级)3 及答案解析(总分：19.96，做题时间：149 分钟)一、SECTION 1 (Question(总题数：1，分数：1.00)A All too often, many firms proceed into an alliance relationship without sufficiently planning and/or negotiating the key parameters of the relationship. Defining the legal framework of the alliance is only the beginning
2、 of the kind of comprehensive planning that is needed to ensure a workable relationship. Successful alliance planning goes beyond the partners initial agreement on the choice of alliance vehicle (e.g. cross-licensing, technology development pact, joint venture, equity sharing). B Successful alliance
3、 planning not only includes the usual details of plant location, cost sharing, market share gains and other economic criteria, but also the approaches that facilitate creating new knowledge and other technological synergies. Senior management needs to communicate the alliances shared goals with all
4、key middle managers and technical staff to discuss ways to develop a win-win relationship. Senior management also needs to convey the message that close cooperation could unintentionally expose and leak the firms core competencies in ways that could ultimately damage the firms long-term competitiven
5、ess. These same managers and technical staff need to know at the planning stage which technologies, competencies or proprietary processes should be protected from excessive demands from the partner. C Managers often herald the consummation of an alliance agreement as the final outcome of intensive n
6、egotiations between the partners. For many types of strategic alliances (e.g. technology development pacts, joint ventures, consortia), however, the legal negotiations represent only the beginning of a long series of ongoing, continuous negotiations that actually take place once alliance operations
7、commence. The finer details of the alliances framework entail continuous negotiations with the partner. Even after both parties agree to the broad (and immediate) goals and objectives of the relationship, smooth accommodation of managers and practices from different partners is directly related to h
8、ow well managers can negotiate the uncertainties and the complexities of day-to-day activities that cannot be pre-specified in a legal document. D Smooth implementation to facilitate learning requires all levels of management to work on developing “alliance protocols“ that enable careful knowledge c
9、reation and sharing among the partners. In their simplest form, alliance protocols represent the communication channels by which the alliances managers and technical staffs share technologies, skills and managerial acumen. Jointly developing and agreeing to these protocols early on is important to m
10、aintaining a balanced relationship, whereby neither partner feels that their contributions or opportunities to learn from the other are neglected or undervalued. Protocols are instrumental in setting up the mental “parameters“ that limit what partners can ask from one another in terms of what consti
11、tute proprietary vs. non-proprietary technologies or processes. Protocols provide an “invisible fence“ that defines the boundaries between cooperation and competition. E Strategic alliances can help firms transform their core businesses and activities by helping management secure access to new techn
12、ologies, insights and skills that other firms may possess. Alliances enable firms to jointly develop new products and processes, the costs of which are often beyond the financial and human resources of any firm. Strategic alliances can also help firms divest themselves of non-core business units or
13、activities that are costly to retain. In non-core businesses, alliances can help reduce the cost of industry exit and corporate restructuring. 0. It is rewarding for firms to form the alliance relationship with others. (E) （分数：0.96）(1).Senior management needs to pay much attention to its words and a
14、ctions in communication.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.(2).Negotiation of alliance between partners is a long and complex process.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.(3).Many firms stop at the first stage of successful alliance planning.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.(4).The extent to which an activity or business is considered core or non-core
15、will play a significant role in how senior management will seek to use alliances in fostering learning.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.E.(5).A good beginning of a negotiation doesnt mean a good ending.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.(6).Strategic alliance may bring negative effects to firms if not properly managed.（分数：0.12）A.B.C
16、.D.(7).Learning from allied firms is limited to some extent in order to maintain a balanced relationship.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.(8).All key parameters of an alliance relationship have to be planned comprehensively.（分数：0.12）A.B.C.D.二、SECTION 2 (Question(总题数：1，分数：1.00)In an uncertain economic enviro
17、nment, top management will be interested in asset management and flow management. (0) . They can represent over 50 percent of manufactures total asset, and more than 80 percent of wholesalers and retailers total assets. When top management mandates a reduction in accounts receivable and/or inventori
18、es, its objective is to improve cash flow and reduce the companys investment in assets. (9). But reduction in the terms of sale, or even enforcement of the stated terms of sale, in effect changes tile price component of the firms marketing mix. (10). The arbitrary reduction of accounts receivable an
19、d/or inventories in the absence of technological change or changes in the logistics system can have a devastating impact on corporate profit performance. (11). First, the change alters the manufacturers price and therefore the competitive position of its products, which may lead to decreased sales.
20、Second, it further complicates the cash flow problems of the manufacturers customers. Forcing faster payment of invoices causes channel members to improve their cash flow by reducing their inventories of the manufacturers products. (12). This situation may also result in stock-out of the manufacture
21、rs products as the wholesale or retail level of the channel, further reducing sales volume. Similarly, a manufacturers policy of arbitrarily reducing inventory level to increase inventory sums, in the absence of a system change, may escalate transportation costs and/or production setup costs as the
22、logistics system scrambles to achieve the specified customer service levels with lower inventories (assuming the company was efficiently and effectively distributing products prior to the policy change). (13). In this case, customer service levels would be eroded, and a decrease in market share migh
23、t result. (14). A. However, if management concentrates on system changes that improve logistics efficiency and/or effectiveness, it may be able to satisfy all of the firms objectives. B. Usually, management assumes that revenues and other costs will remain the same. C. They do so by placing smaller,
24、 more frequent orders, which may increase total logistics cost for both the manufacturer and its customers. D. In either set of circumstances, the increased cost of transportation and/or production or the lost sales contribution could far exceed the savings in inventory carrying cost. E. If a manufa
25、cturer changes its terms of sale, for example, the effect on wholesalers and retailers will be twofold. F. In addition, simply reducing the level of inventory can significantly increase the cost of logistics if current inventories have been set at a level that allows the firm to achieve least total
26、cost logistics for a desired level of customer service. G. Alternatively, pressure to reduce expenses may preclude the use of premium transportation or increased production setups to achieve the desired customer service levels with smaller inventory. H. The two most common strategies used to improve
27、 cash flow and return on assets are: (l) reducing accounts receivable and (2) reducing the investment in inventory, as inventories and accounts receivable are a major portion of corporate assets. EXAMPLE：The correct answer for blank (0) is H. （分数：1.02）A.B.C.D.A.B.C.D.E.F.A.B.C.D.E.A.B.C.D.A.B.C.D.E.
28、F.G.A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.三、SECTION 3 (Question(总题数：1，分数：1.00)The UK diversity management literature has tended to focus on its implementation in the public sector rather than in the commercial sector. Hicks-Clarke and Iless work considers the links between gender diversity and organizational performance
29、in both retailing and the National Health Service but found that survey analysis was not the most appropriate way of exploring diversity climates in the retail company. Initially, the study developed from an approach from the UK high-street operation which was seeking to create more innovative HR pr
30、actices to support a marketing strategy of appealing to a more diverse customer base. The decision to participate in the study suggests that not only are diversity issues growing in significance for UK retailers but, arguably, point to an absence of guidance on how to achieve diversity management in
31、 practice. The retailer had three distinct businesses: the UK high street, its online business and the US retailing chain. The online business, selling products through its website and other interactive channels, employed approximately 100 people all centrally located in one UK premises. In contrast
32、, the UK high street and US businesses were much larger and more widely dispersed. Both businesses had similar structures (head office, regional level and store level) and relied on formal documents to disseminate company policies. The UK high-street business had approximately 530 stores and 17, 000
33、 staff, and has occupied a dominant position in UK retailing since its inception more than 200 years ago. Established in 1985, the US business employed 3, 600 staff and had a total of 570 stores in airports and hotels, predominately in North America. A case study approach was selected as the most li
34、kely means of gathering insights into understanding the concept of diversity management and how managers applied this in their working environments. Over 12 months, 40 semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals holding managerial responsibilities in the UK business operations and wit
35、h a small number of senior HR specialists from the relevant head office who were the architects of the equality and diversity policies and procedures. The majority of the samples were store managers but a number had wider regional or general managerial roles and not only had a responsibility for div
36、ersity issues but also experienced these as employees. Although an important consideration was the diversity of respondents, and every effort was made to ensure that they reflected a wide range of visible characteristics, the main priority of the study was to obtain the views of those staff with an
37、organizational responsibility for the interpretation and application of equality and diversity policies. This meant that the diversity of the sample was constrained by the composition of the population in such roles. The result was a sample that was 70 percent female and 30 percent male, with an age
38、 composition ranging from mid-twenties to late fifties, although the majority were in their thirties or earlier forties. There was only one non-white manager in the UK sample, and one with a visible physical disability. It was difficult to select respondents on the grounds of their non-visible diver
39、sity, such as religion and sexuality, as these differences were not made known unless during the interview the respondent provided the information that they were, for example, Christian. The large numbers employed in the UK high street and US businesses, combined with the fluid nature of job roles i
40、n the online business, meant that snowball sampling was employed to select interviewees. This technique relies on respondents to identify other suitable people to interview. It is recognized that such an approach could have resulted in some bias in the selection of respondents. To try to minimize th
41、is, the list of interviewees and their roles were verified with the HR function both before and after the interviews took place as well as being checked against the documented organizational structures. In addition, each respondent was asked about their job role and supervisory responsibilities, the
42、ir previous experience and working environment. During the interviews individuals were each asked to comment on a couple of scenarios describing employment situations where people could be treated either the same (an equal opportunities approach) or differently (a managing diversity approach). For e
43、xample, one scenario related to an organizational benefits scheme where respondents were asked to consider the advantages and disadvantages of providing benefits for specific groups of employees, such as working parents, or for all employees, such as reduced rates for membership of a local gym. Prov
44、iding an example of how these might operate in practice was intended to assist the interviewee to reflect more easily on the different approaches that could be taken to equality issues. （分数：1.02）(1).From the first two paragraphs, what can you predict about the main purpose of the study?（分数：0.17）A.Th
45、e study is to expose the thought of a number of managers who were responsible for the application of organizational equality and diversity policies in the retailing industry.B.The study is mainly about in the implementation of organizational diversity initiatives, employers need to take greater acco
46、unt of the tensions facing line managers.C.Line managers regard a diversity management agenda concerned with recognizing and responding to individual differences.D.The study is to explore through qualitative methods the understandings, perceptions of fair treatment and reported actions of a group of
47、 managers.(2).What was the research primarily based on?（分数：0.17）A.In-depth interviews conducted with managers, HR specialists and employees across the three distinct business units.B.A long-established UK major high-street retailer of stationery and books.C.UK diversity management literature and the
48、 UK high-street operation.D.UK retailers.(3).What is the similarity among the retailers three distinct businesses?（分数：0.17）A.They all occupy a dominant position in UK retailing.B.They all possess a large number of consumers and a wide as well as prosperous market.C.They all have very different opera
49、tional contexts, and they all sell products relating to entertainment, information and education.D.They all sell products through the website and other interactive channels.(4).To minimize the bias in the selection of respondents, why was each respondent asked about their job role and supervisory responsibilities, their previous experience and working environment?（分数：0.17）A.To have a better understanding about the value and world view of the managers.B.To explore the managers perceptions of equality and diversity policies.C.To test the sensitivity of pe
