Transcript Document

Products
Presenting a product
When we think of products we usually
think of tangible products:
The products we can see or touch:
computers on the desk or cars in the
showroom
We think of physical objects or things
while products very frequently come in the
form of services
We also mention primary products like
coal or agricultural goods
We must keep in mind that:
Manufacturing forms only a small part of
most advanced economies: only 17% of
the US economy, for example
However, some kind of manufacturing is
present: just-in-time ordering of
components and total quality
management
Just-in-time (JIT) is:
A management philosophy that reduces
manufacturing waste by producing the
right part in the right place at the right
time
In this control system no products are
manufactured until they are needed
Just-in-time manufacturing coordinates
demand and supply so that desired
materials arrive just in time for use
The question is: do economies need
manufacturing at all to survive?
Manufacturing as a physical process
may not be necessary but most people
still feel sorry when a traditional factory
closes
There is something more “real” about
work in a car factory than in a call centre
(the call centre sells intangible products
such as mortgages and more and more
services are described in product terms)
Economies in different parts of the world
are at different stages of development:
The difference is mainly in the way the
products are bought and perceived
In newly industrialised countries (in Asia),
more and more people are now able to
afford consumer durables (washing
machines...) for the first time. Companies
that sell these products can make large
amounts of money.
 In the West, the market for televisions or
washing machines is basically one of
replacement (the products are not repaired
but replaced).
 In a situation like this, design, brand name and
image become more important. Some luxury
cars become more affordable, and
manufacturers have to stay ahead of the game
to avoid their brands being perceived as
ordinary.
Consumerism is a modern force that
manufacturers have to take into account:
 It is an increased consumption of goods seen
as economically beneficial
 It is also a term used to describe the effects of
identifying personal happiness with
purchasing material possessions
 There is some difference in the way people
preceived the products in the past and the way
we see them today: the cars, televisions and
washing machines of the 1950s had more style
and they were made to last, but modern
products are techically better now.
When a new product is developed it must
be tested:
Animals are very often used to test
products which causes protests in some
parts of the world
Some people volunteer for medicine
testing which is not without
consequences for their health (in return,
they receive money)
Product testing represents an important
and costly stage in its development
Medtronic of the US is the world’s biggest
maker of medical implants:
 The company specialises in implanted
devices that manage heart disease and
epilepsy and could start trials (testing) in
humans
 The implant is inserted under the skin by the
chest and wired up to receive signals from the
brain
 If all goes well in the clinical trials, products
could be in routine use later this decade
Do multinational companies help the
world economy by manufacturing in
developing countries?
This is one of the key issues in the
globalisation debate
Pro-globalisers say that this is a good
way of getting poor countries onto the
development ladder (after assembling
multinational’s products, countries with the
right leadership will start manufacturing
their own products)
Anti-globalisers say that multinationals
take advantage of low wage costs and
then move on somewhere else if they rise
too high
The present trend is to move production
to some Asian countries which offer the
cheapest labour force
Do companies spend too much on
launching and promoting new products?
Unfortunately, some products have high
marketing and advertising costs which
increase the “real” cost of goods
It is also true that competition depends
on good communication and
marketing, and this competition drives
down the cost of products in the long run
Some new products are produced by
one company and put together by
another:
 In this case it is important that the two
companies communicate often enough
 The best example is Shimano, the world’s
biggest maker of bicycle components
 Mr. Shimano himself often borrows a bike form
the company’s R&D division to keep in touch
with what researchers are up to
 In this way he can test the part and evaluate it
form the customer’s point of view
Launching a new product: Kiwifruit
Zespri is risking millions of dollars on the
launch of an entirely new product-the
bald, gold kiwifruit
Nevertheless, the company must be
careful to continue to promote the
traditional hairy green variety which has
big annual sales and it is New Zealand’s
single most important fruit export
 In Japan Zespri managers decided to
emphasise some of the fruit’s qualities to
make it more attractive to Asian tastes
(sweeter)
 The result: it is selling very well (apart from
different taste, the new kiwifruit is bigger)
 The successful launch of the gold fruit is
expected to increase profits in the long term
The Marketing Board has already signed
contracts with the four largest kiwifruit cooperatives in Italy, and planting has begun
The area for planting is expected to
grow steadily, eventually producing
millions of trays.
Presenting a product
Useful language
Introducing the product: Describing the
product:
 This is our new
product.
 I’m going to tell you
about our new
product.
 Let me tell you about
its special features.
 It’s made of
leather/wood/steel/alu
minium.
 It weighs just 2.3
kilos.
 It comes in a wide
range of colours.
Mentioning selling points: Inviting questions:
 It has several special
features.
 A very useful feature is
the energy-saving design.
 Another advantage is its
very small size.
 Does anyone have any
questions?
 Would anyone like to ask
a question?
Stating the product’s
uses:
 It’s ideal for travelling.
 It’s designed to be used
with any type of material.
Comparison of adjectives
Past perfect
Comparison of adjectives:
There are three degrees of comparison:
positive
comparative superlative
dark
darker
darkest
tall
taller
tallest
useful
more useful most useful
Short adjectives (one syllable) add –er
and –est to the positive form: bright,
brighter, brightest
Long adjectives ( three and more s.) add
more and most before the positive:
frightening, more frightening, most
frightening / beautiful, more beautiful,
most beautiful
 Adjectives with two syllables can follow
one or other of the above rules:
1) Those ending in –ful, -re take more and
most (doubtful, obscure)
2) Those ending in –er, -y, -ly take er, est
(clever, pretty, silly)
The Past Perfect tense:
Form:
HAD + past participle of the main verb
(had eaten, had entered, had bought)
Use:
The past perfect tense is mainly used to
describe an action which happened
before another past action:
After I had written the letter I went out to
see Ann.
Complete with either the simple past or
the past perfect tense:
When the old lady (return) to her flat she
(see) at once that burglars (break) in
during her absence, because the front
door (be) open and everything in the flat
(be) upside down. The burglars
themselves (be) no longer there, but they
probably only just (leave) because a
cigarette was still burning on an
ornamental table.