This unit looks at the effect of a mix of cultures at a European steel plant.

BEFORE YOU READ

Discuss these questions.

1 What are the benefits and disadvantages of a mixed-culture workforce?

2 In your opinion. what are the relative strong points of German and French cultures,
especially in the technical area?
3 What is a melting pot?

READING '

El Understanding the main points

Read the article on the opposite page and answer these questions.

1 In which country is Dillinger Hutle located?

2 Why does it have a mix of German and French employees?
3 What does Paul Seiche consider 10 be the strong points of German and French
cultures in their approach to work?
4 Why does the writer choose the words of the article's title?

D Understanding details
Read the article again and answer these questions.
1 What is the connection between making mayonnaise and making steel?
2 What products does Dillinger Hi.itte produce?
3 How many people work at the Dillinger HUUe steel plant?
4 What is the proportion of German·speaking to French-speaking employees in the workforce?
5 Is Paul Belche German or French?
6 Which group - German speakers or French speakers - are better at plant safety. and why?
7 How is lunch organised in the company?
8 What services does Dillinger HUtte offer to its customers?
9 How difficult is it to make money out of making steel?
10 What does Paul Belche consider 10 be Oillinger HUlte's strength?
11 What other metaphor from cooking is used to describe the mix of cultures at Oillinger HUtte?

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UNIT 14 ~~ A MIXED-CULTURE WORKFORCE

VOCABULARY

El Word searc h
Find words and phrases in the article which fit these meanings.

1 related to cooking (paragraph A)

2 to persuade, get something out of someone (paragraph A)
3 methods or plans for achieving something (paragraph C)
4 national rule over a country (paragraph D)
S asks (a question) (paragraph G)
6 to connect (paragraph I)
7 to visil extensively (paragraph j)
8 practical. with real experience (paragraph J)
9 difficult (paragraph L)

Il Senten ce completion
Use words and phrases from Exercise A in the correct form to complete these sentences.

1 It's quite popular for some manufacturing companies 10 encourage visitors to ........ Ihe plant.
2 About every decade, Ihe steel induslry goes through ....... times, when demand goes down.
3 You need 10 have good ...... to get different cultures to work well together.
4 The best way to learn a practical skill is 10 have lots of.. . ...... experience.
S Managing a multi cultural workforce well means trying to. . the best ou t of the mix of cultures.
6 Good international managers are successful at ....... different cultures together.
7 Some parts of Europe have been under the .. of differen t countri es during their history.

D Word fam ilies

1 Write the nouns for each of these verbs.

1 explain 7 announce
2 mix 8 develop
3 produce 9 demonstrate
4 manage 10 solve
5 recogni se 11 provide
6 encourage 12 invite

2 Write the verbs for each of these nouns.

1 leader 4 st rength
2 theory 5 sales
3 weakness 6 success

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 UNIT 14 ~~ A MIXED-CULTURE WORKFOR(E

III Prepositions
Complete these sentences using the prepositions in the box.

at al between from of on out of out of to 10 wilh with

1 If you pay attention ........ details, you will get a good result.
2 The management skill is to mix one cultural group .. .... another.
3 The French are generally better .. .. .. . theory.
4 Mr Belche wants to take advantage .. ...... the diversity of the workforce.
5 lI's important for the two cultures to learn ....... each other.
6 By working ....... something, you can become better.
7 If you invest the time and effort, you will end up . .. .... something good .
S When it comes ..... ... practical work, the Germans are stronger.
9 In the seminars held at DiIlinger Holte, the accent is .. . ... ideas.
10 Paul Belche wants to get the best .... . .. his mixed ·culture workforce.
11 Over the centuries, Saarland has switched. German and French sovereignty.
12 Making money .. ... .. steel making is a tough job.

OVER TO YOU

1 When we make a generalisation about another group of people, it is often called 'stereotyping'.
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about stereotypes? Give your reasons.
• National stereotypes are dangerous because they may create prejudice.
• Stereotypes contain a certain amount of truth and are therefore useful.
• There is no such thing as national character, and therefore the idea of national stereotypes is
completely wrong.
• The reason stereotypes exist is because people are afraid of diversity and what is unknown. They
prefer to hold on to simple classifications, which maintain an old. familiar and established order.
• Stereotypes are simply harmless sorts of jokes we tell about other nationalities or groups of people.
2 You may be familiar with this joke about heaven and hen in Europe. based on stereotypes of various
nationalities. Can you complete the two descriptions wi th the list of professions in the box?

cooks engineers lovers organisers police

Heaven is a place where the ...... ..1 are British. the .. . .. .2 are French. the ..... ...) are German. the.
are Swiss and the . .... ..~ are Italian.
Hell is where the .......6 are Briti sh, the .. . .. ..7 are French, the .. ... ...s are German, the .... . ..9 are Swiss
and the .......10 are Italian.
3 What do you think of the two descriptions in the previous task? What stereotypes do they use? Do you
find the descriptions amusing, or do you feel they are in poor taste?

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