Welcome to Moscow, city of the gold Rolls-Royce

By Isabel Gorst

There are more and more superrich people in Russia, and they have expensive tastes. Last year they spent $2.5bl on imported, new luxury cars. They want the most exclusive cars – models that stand out in a traffic jam.

One foreign vehicle* salesman says: “Russia is a place where the rich find it quite normal to buy two or three cars at once, even if they are just flashy, summer toys.”

DaimlerCrysler has a lot of rivals in that niche market, but its Russian prospects still look extremely bright. Last year, the company celebrated a record 92-per-cent increase in Russian sales. It put a new Mercedes model encrusted with Swarovski crystals on display in its Moscow showroom. The ice-blue crystals add?300,000 to the price of the Mercedes SL500, one of the fastest sport cars in the world.

In Russia, the most expensive cars sell best and Russian big spenders do not ask for credit!

Alexandra Melnikova, an automobile analyst, says Russians’ love of flashy cars is no different from that in other emerging economies** such as China, where the way you look is very important. Spending is in, and saving is out. A luxury car has become absolutely necessary for Russian businessmen in a market where, she says: “It is important to compete on the same level.”

If you drive an of-the-peg luxury car, not enough people will look at you. Nearly all of Rolls-Royce’s Russian clients insist on something custom-made. The first gold Rolls-Royce is already in Moscow!

FINANCIAL TIMES

vehicle* - автомобиль

emerging economy**- развивающаяся экономика

10 Read the article again and choose the correct answers to complete these sentences.

1 The number of very rich people in Russia is ……..

a) going down b)increasing c) stable

2 Last year, DaimlerChrysler’s sales in Russia were ……… the year before.

a) the same as b) lower than c) higher than

3 According to Alexandra Melnikova, the situation in Russia is ………….. that in China.

a)similar to b) different from c) better than

4 Many Russina businesspeople want a custom-made car because…..

a) they all dream of a gold Rolls-Royce.

b) they want to compete on the same level as the Chinese.

c) standard luxury cars are not impressive enough.

GRAMMAR FOCUS 1 – COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

 

i We use the comparative form of an adjective to compare two separate things.

e.g. Argentina has a bigger economy than Chile. (note the use of than)

 

ii We use the superlative form to compare one thing in a group with all the others.

e.g. Brazil has the biggest economy in Latin America. (note the use of the)

 

iii The comparative and superlative form of an adjective depends on whether it is short or long (the number of syllables is the word) and its spelling.

 

Short adjectives	adjective	comparative	superlative
regular	cheap small	cheaper smaller	the cheapest the smallest
ending in one vowel + one consonant: double consonant	hot big	hotter bigger	the hottest the biggest
ending in –y: change to i	dry	drier	the driest
irregular forms	good bad far	better worse farther/further	the best the worst the farthest/the furthest
e.g. UBS is a large bank, although HSBC is larger than UBS. Citigroup is the largest bank in the world.
Long adjectives	modern interesting	more/less modern more/less interesting	the most/the least modern the most/the least interesting
e.g. Selko watches are expensive, although Rolex are more expensive than Selko. Patek Philippe are the most expensivewatches in the world.

 

iv We can also make comparisons with as… as and not as… as.

e.g. Paris is as expensive as London.

Madrid is not as big as Paris.

 

v We can describe a trend using -er and -er or more and more.

e.g. It’s harder and harder to make a profit in the music business.

It’s more and more difficult to make a profit in the music business.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

A Write the missing letters to make the comparative form of ten adjectives:

1 small _ _	5 young _ _	8 happ _ _ _
2 larg _ _	6 new _ _	9 earl _ _ _
3 eas _ _	7 big _ _	10 quiet _ _
4 hot _ _

B Correct the mistakes in these sentences:

1 It is more harder to break into export markets than home mrkets. harder

2 China is a more big market than Japan.

3 Our market share is more low than it was last year.

4 The rate of the inflation is more bad this month than it was last month.

5 This month’s sales are more high than last month’s.

6 The Asian market is more good than the European market for rice.

 

C Complete these conversations using the superlative form of the adjective.

1. This is a good product.

Yes, it’s the best product on the market.

2. This is an expensive hotel.

Yes, it’s …………….. place in the city.

3. She is a very popular manager.

Yes, she’s ……… head of department in the company.

4. This is a cheap product.

Yes, it’s ………… product in the catalogue.

5. This is a very cokpetitive market.

Yes, it’s …………. market in Asia.

6. This is a bad year.

Yes, it’s …………. year in the last ten years.

 

D Complete the sentences with words from the box.

easiest more most younger worse a the easier than difficult

1 I think the easiest mobile to use is the Pronto – X.

2 Is South Korea a.................... competitive market that Japan?

3 It is more …………. to break into export markets than into home markets.

4 It’s not just another good product – it’s ……….. best product on the market.

5 Out customers are …………… and richer than our competitors’ customers.

6 Pete is one of the …………… helpful colleagues I have.

7 Sales this month are a bit better ………… they were last month.

8 Sales are not going up. We need to find ………. better way of entering that market.

9 The design of this model is not very attractive, but it’s …………… to use than the RL202.

10 The rate of unemployment was …………… last year than this year.

C Complete theis article with the appropriate form of the words in brackets.

PROFILE

I opened a hairdressing salon last year. The most important¹ (important) thing is to think about your target customers*. My hairdressing salon is located in my parents’ hotel. My customers are _____________ ² (old) and ______________ ³ (rich) than my main competitor’s. They like excellent service and a cup of coffee. My main competitor’s customers are _______________⁴ (young) than mine. She offers a _____________⁵ (cheap) service than I do. However, my salon is _____________⁶ (comfortable) than hers. My ______________⁷ (exciting) customer is a famous model.

target customers* - целевой потребитель (потребитель, покупающий товары компании с большим предпочтением, чем товары конкурентов и принадлежащий к целевой аудитории данной фирмы)

D Complete the text by putting the adjectives in brackets into the correct form. There are seven comparatives, four superlatives and one answer that needs as.

Apple: the story continues

From success to near failure and back to success. Of all the turnaround stories in the business world, perhaps Apple is the (1) most famous (famous). In the early 1980s, Apple computers were (2) ___________ (fast) and (3) _______________ (functional) than IBM computers, who were the (4) _____________ (close) competitor. But in 1985 IBM shipped a computer using Microsoft Windows operating system for the first time, and this made it nearly (5) ____________ (good) as an Apple. Apple was in trouble, especially when Microsoft developed a business strategy that was much (6) _________________ (successful) than their own.

Microsoft decided that it would license Windows to a variety of different PC makers, not just IBM. As a result, Windows became the industry standard, and Apple’s market chare became (7) ____________ (small) and (8) ______________ (small). But Apple wasn’t finished. In 1997 they brought back Steve Jobs, the founder of the company. He concentrated on design, and Mac computers became (9) _____________ (trendy) and (10) ________________ (exciting) than boring PCs. But Steve Job’s (11) ____________ (great) success was in 2001, when Apple launched the iPod – the (12) _________________ (cool) musin player the world had ever seen.

TEXT B

1Work in small groups. Tell each other what facts you know about India. Make a list.

2 Study this vocabulary before listening to the interview.

to have an open mind — быть объективным, непредубеждённым

to make judgement on – выносить решение, судить о чем-л.

issue - проблема, дело

gender – пол (e.g. gender differences)

challenge – сложная задача (e.g. cultural challenges – проблемы из-за разницы в культурах)

to make time – спешить

to learn from mistakes - учиться на ошибках

to make a decision – принимать решение

to keep one’s dignity and self-respect – сохранять достоинство и самоуважение

strong negotiating skills – мастерство / виртуозность в ведении переговоров

to be sensitive to – тонко чувствовать

common mistake – распространённая ошибка

3 Listen to Sunit Jilla, a cross-cultural expert, giving advice to people who want to do business in India. Number these features of India in the order in which he mentions them.

a) Things can be much slower than in your country. b) There are strong regional differences. c) It is important to have an open mind. d) There is need for harmony. e) There are many sub-cultures.

………. ………. …1….. ……… ………

4 Listen again and complete these summary notes about two of the points Sunit makes. The notes do not contain every word that Sunit says.

- Secondly, there is a modern¹ India, which you will meet when you arrive; then you will see the ……………….² India, which is the foundation of modern India.

You should try to understand how these two are part of the same country. This will really ………….³ you to be ………………⁴ and ………………⁵ in India.

 

- In summary: before going to India, you need to ‘do your ……………⁶ . You need to learn about several aspects of Indian life, both ………………⁷ and …………………⁸.

5 Listen to the second part of the interview. Then choose the best answers for these questions.

1. The first mistake foreigners make when doing business in India is that they ……….

a) come for a very short time.

b) don’t spend enough time socializing with Indian people.

c) don’t think that there are big cultural differences.

2. Secondly, foreigners do not always understand that ……….

a) Indian people see time in a flexible way.

b) they may shock people if they are not punctual for meetings.

c) they mustn’t work during national holidays.

3. Thirdly, foreigners sometimes ……………

a) think that Indians are aggressive, which is not true.

b) complain that Indians do not respect people from other countries.

c) forget that Indians like to keep their self-respect.

4. Fourth, foreigners are often surprised that Indians ……..

a) are very good negotiators.

b) have no negotiating skills.

c) use forceful negotiating language.

5. Finally, another cultural difference is that ……

a) foreigners usually think that they should start by building a personal relationship.

b) Indians are less task-focused than many foreigners.

c) Indians have more respect for traditional values.

6. Listen again to the both parts of the interview, check your answers and be ready to speak about doing business in India.

I = Interviewer, SJ=Sunit Jilla

I	What advice do you give to companies wanting to do business in India?
SJ	Firstly, India can be a land of surprises. So if you want to do business there, be patient and have an open mind. Do not make quick judgements on what you see or hear because there isn’t only one culture, there are many sub-cultures, and there are strong regional differences. Secondly, there are two Indias. I mean, there is a modern India, which you will meet when you arrive; and then, soon after that, you will probably see the traditional India, which is the foundation of modern India. You should try to understand how these two are part of the same country. This will really help you to be effective and successful in India. Thirdly, in some large Indian businesses, things can be much slower than in your country, because of cultural issues such as status, respect, a sense of community and the need for harmony. Depending on the type of your business, be prepared for bureaucratic delays. You should also remember that religion and gender differences play an important role in India. So, in summary, you need to do your homework before going to India. I mean, before you start your business journey, you need to learn about several aspects of Indian life, both social and business.
I	What mistakes do foreigners sometimes make when doing business in India?
SJ	Firstly, foreigners can have unrealistic expectations. They don’t think about the possible problems, for example all the cultural challenges. They do not make time to learn from their mistakes. They don’t have enough time to learn the right skills to communicate with Indian people. Secondly, people in India can be very flexible about time, and that is another shock to many foreigners. Meetings, for example, do not always start or end on time. There are many different regional holidays, and if you don’t know about these, there can be delays. Thirdly, Indians don’t like aggressive people, so you should not force them to make a decision quickly. Foreigners sometimes forget that it is very important for Indians to keep their dignity and self-respect. Fourth, foreign businesspeople are often surprised by the strong negotiating skills of their Indian colleagues. And finally, foreigners focus very much on the task, while Indians prefer to build the relationships first. So, in summary, you should be sensitive to the values which are important to Indians. This can help to minimise many of the common mistakes made by foreigners.

GRAMMAR FOCUS 2 –LARGE AND SMALL DIFFERENCES

i We can use a lot/a bit (especially in conversations) or much/a little (more formal) before comparatives.

- for large differences, we use much/a lot/far.

- for small differences, we use a little/a bit.

e.g. Here are the prices of four products:

Product A $200 Product B $250 Product C $400 Product D $450

- Product B is a little more/a bit more expensive than Product A.

- Product C is much more/a lot more expensive than Product A.

- Product D is far more expensive than Product A.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

A Complete these sentences about the cars.

1 The Rolls-Royce is …………. bigger than the Ferrari.

2 The Ferrari is ………….. bigger than the Smart Car.

3 I think the …………… is faster than the …………...

4 In my opinion, the ………….. is ……………. comfortable than the …………….

 

B Read the information about two mobile phones. Then match the sentences halves to describe the differences between them.

	Virga M 100	Pronto - X
Price	? 299.99	?149.99
Weight	120 grams	90 grams
Size	6 × 11 × 3 cm	6 × 10 × 2 cm
Special features	Has 20 ringtones Has built-in digital camera Comes with 3 fun games Get?80 of free calls when you buy one!	Has 5 ringtones Has built-in digital camera Comes with 10 fun games Get?40 of free calls when you buy one!

 

1 The Virga M100 is much	a) cheaper than the Virga M100.	1______
2 The Pronto-X is a lot	b) than the Virga M100; it is only 6 × 10 × 2 cm.	2 ______
3 You get a lot more free calls	c) heavier. It weighs 120 grams!	3_______
4 The Pronto-X is a bit smaller	d) fun games than the Pronto-X	4_______
5 The Virga M100 has a lot	e) more expensive than the Pronto-X.	5_______
6 The Virga M100 has a lot fewer	f) more ringtones than the Pronto-X.	6_______
7 The Virga M100 is much	g) when you buy a Virga M100.	7_______

 

C Read the information about a third mobile phone. Then complete the sentences.

	Star 8	1 The Star 8 is a lot cheaper than the Pronto-X. 2 The Pronto-X is ……………... heavier that the Star 8. 3 The Virga M100 is ………...........that the Star 8. It is 6 × 11 × 3 cm. 4 The Star 8 has …………… ringtones than the Virga M100. 5 Both the Virga M100 and the Pronto-X are ………… he Star 8, which costs only? 90. 6 The Star 8 weighs only 85 grams. It is …………..……. the Virga M100.
Price	? 90
Weight	85 grams
Size	6 × 10 × 2 cm
Special features	Has 2 ringtones Get?10 of free calls when you buy one!

VOCABULARY BOOSTER

A Complete the text with the best words:

What is the secret of successful marketing? The answer is easy: think about your ……1. First, …………2 market research to get some information about the customers’ needs. Then, supply exactly what the customers want. A successful product needs to be at the right ……….3, and it needs to be …………..4 at the right place. This means that you distribute it in the right way.

Finally, how do you want to present the product to customers? Think about …………..5, image, advertising – in one word: promotion. In ………………..6, just remember: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. These are ‘the four Ps’ of the marketing mix. To market a ……………..7 successfully, you need to get this mix right.

 

1 a) customers	b) orders	c) sellers
2 a) do	b) make	c) work
3 a) expenses	b) cost	c) price
4 a) reliable	b) available	c) profitable
5 a) design	b) shop	c) type
6 a) end	b) conclusion	c) final
7 a) client	b) profit	c) product

B Fill in the gaps in the text with the words from the box. Translate and retell the text.

market (*3) activity start prices companies from government forces economy

 

In China, all economic _________¹ used to be* controlled by the state. Prices were fixed by the ___________ ², not by buyers and sellers in the _____________³ place. But in the last 20 years there has been a series of _____________⁴ reforms that have allowed people to go into business and ___________⁵ their own companies. Market ____________ ⁶ are determined** by what buyers are willing to pay, rather than by the state. There are still state-owned _____________⁷ that lose a lot of money. Until recently, they have been protected ______________⁸ market pressures, but market ____________⁹ will eventually mean that they close down. Of course, the market ______________¹⁰ has its losers: those without work, and victims of crime, which used to be very rare.

used to be* - оборот used to используется при описании

событий, которые регулярно происходили в прошлом,

а потом прекратились: либо на время, либо насовсем

are determined**- устанавливаются, определяются

C Read this description of a language training market. Answer the questions.

In Paris, 500 organizations offer language training to companies. However, 90 per cent of sales are made by the top five language training organizations. The market is not growing in size overall.

Organization A has 35 per cent of the market, and faces tough competition from B, which has about 25 per cent of the market, and from C,D and E, who each have 10 per cent, but who are trying to grow by charging less for their courses.

1 How many competitors are there in this market?

2 Is competition in the market strong?

3 Who is the market leader?

4 Who are the two key players?

5 Who mainly makes up the competition, from the market leader’s point of view?

6 If one competitor increases its market share, can the others keep their market share at the same

level?