国际商务英语串讲1.doc

International Business EnglishLesson 1International BusinessBusiness Knowledge:The major differences between international business and domestic businessA. Differences in legal systemsB. Differences in currenciesC. Differences in cultural backgroundD. Different in natural and economic conditionsThe major types of international businessA. Tradea. Commodity tradeb. Service tradeB. Investmenta. Foreign direct investmentb. Portfolio investmentC. Other typesa. Licensing and franchisingb. Management contract and contract manufacturingc. Turnkey project and BOTAnswer the following questions:1. What does international business refer to? Please tell the difference between international business and domestic business.A: International business refers to transaction between parties from different countries. Sometimes business across the borders of different customs areas of the same country is also regarded as import and export. Some major differences between international business and domestic business is following:(1) Differences in legal systems(2) Differences in currencies(3) Differences in cultural background(4) Different in natural and economic conditions2. Please explain the differences between visible trade and invisible trade. Which is becoming more and more important and accounts for an increasing proportion in international trade?A: Visible trade is the form of commodity trade. The form of transportation, communication, banking, insurance, consulting, information etc. is called invisible trade or service industries. The later is become more and more important.3. Can you cite some examples to illustrate cultural differences in international business?A: Cultural differences including language, customs, traditions, religion, value, behavior etc.4. Please elaborate on the two categories of international investment. What is their major difference?A: FDI (Foreign direct investment) is made for returns through controlling the enterprises or assets invested in in a host country. Portfolio investment refers to purchases of foreign financial assets for a purpose other than controlling. Such financial assets may be stocks, bonds or certificates of deposit.5. What is licensing? Why do firms sometimes choose it as a means of entering a foreign market?A: In licensing, a firm leases the right to use its intellectual property to a firm in another country. They choose licensing because they do not have to make cash payments to stat business, and can simply receive income in the form of royalty. Besides, they can benefit from locational advantages of foreign operation without any obligations in ownership or management. The use of licensing is particularly encouraged by high customs duty and non-tariff barriers on the part of the host country.6. What is franchising? How is it different from licensing?A: Under franchising, franchisee is allowed to operate in the name of another, franchiser who provides the former with trademarks, brand names, logos and operating techniques for royalty. In comparison with the relation between the licenser and the licensee, the franchiser has more control over and provides more support for the franchisee.7. What is a management contract? Under what conditions is it most applicable?A: Under a management contract, one company offers managerial or other specialized services to another within a particular period for a flat payment or a percentage of the relevant business volume. When a government forbids foreign ownership in certain industries it considers to be of strategic importance but lacks the expertise for operation, management contracts maybe a practical choice enabling a foreign company to operate in the industry without owning the assets.8. What is an international turnkey project? In what way is its variant BOT different from it?A: For an international turnkey project, a firm signs a contract with a foreign purchaser and undertakes all the designing, contracting and facility equipping before handing it over to the latter upon completion. For a BOT project, a firm operates a facility for a period of time after building it up before finally transferring it to a foreign company. Making profit from operating the project for a period is the major difference between BOT and the common turnkey projectTranslate the following sentences into English:1.国际贸易一般指不同国家的当事人进行的交易，它涉及到许多因素，因而比国内贸易要复杂得多。International business refers to transaction between parties form different countries. It involves more factors and thus is more complicated the domestic business.2.随着经济一体化进程的发展，很少人和公司能完全独立于国际商务之外而存在。因此，在此方面具有一定的知识是十分必要的，这既有益于企业的发展又有益于个人的进步。With the development of economic globalization, few people or companies can completely stay away from international business. Therefore, some knowledge in this respect is necessary both for the benefit of enterprises and personal advancement.3.其他参与国际贸易的形式有管理合同、承包生产和“交钥匙”工程。Other forms for participating in international business are management contract, contract manufacturing and turnkey project.4.国际贸易最初以商品贸易的形式出现，即在一国生产或制造商品而出口或进口到另一国进行消费或转售。International business first took the form of commodity trade, i.e. exporting and importing goods produced or manufactured in one country for consumption or resale in another.5.除了国际贸易和投资，国际许可和特许经营有时也是进入国外市场的一种方式。Besides trade and investment, international licensing and franchising are sometimes taken as a means of entering a foreign market.Lesson 2Income Level and the World MarketBusiness Knowledge:(1) GNP and GDP(2) Per capita income and per capita GDP(3) High-income, middle income and low-income countriesA. Standards for classificationB. Representative countries(4) Triad and QuadA. United StatesB. Western EuropeC. JapanD. Canada(5) Other important markets for ChinaAnswer the following questions:1. Explain the concepts of GNP and GDP respectively and point out their major difference. Can we use them interchangeably?A: GNP (Gross national Product) refers to the market value of goods and services produced by the property and labor owned by the residents of an economy. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measures the market value of all goods and services produced within the geographic area of an economy. The difference between them is that GNP focuses on ownership of the factors of production while GDP concentrates on the place where production takes place. The difference between GNP and GDP can be ignored since it very small in most cases. Therefore, we can use them interchangeably.2. In what different ways are GDP and per capita income significant in assessing the potential of a particular market?A: Total GDP indicates the overall size of an economy, which is important in market assessment for durable equipment or bulk goods (grain, steel or cement). Per capita GDP reveals the average income level of consumers, which is important when marketing consumer durables.3. What are meant by high income, middle income, and low-income countries according to the World Bank? Cite some examples for each group.A: High-income countries: those enjoying annual per capita income of $9386 and above. In this group comprise three types of countries; most members of OECD, rich oil producing countries of the Middle East, small-industrialized countries or regions. Middle-income countries: those with annual per capita income below $9386 but above $765. Included in this category is most East European countries and most members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, six OECD members, quite a number of Latin American countries and some comparatively developed countries in Asia, South Africa and oil-producing countries in African. Low-income countries: those that have per capita incomes of only $765 or even less. Most African countries, some Asian countries and a few Latin American countries are included in this group.4. Why are high-income countries important to trade and investment? Should we neglect low-income countries in international business?A: High-income countries often have good infrastructure, high purchasing power, and advanced technology, efficient management and favorable environment for trade and investment. They offer prime markets for expensive consumer goods and are both attractive sources and destinations of investment. In international trade the low-income countries should not be neglected, because they constitute markets for lower-priced staple goods, provide cheap labor and are often rich in resources. Once tapped, the business potential of these countries will one day become real business opportunities.5.Was China a low-income country a few years ago? How about now?A: China with a per capita income of over $1100 is a middle-income country though it was a low-income country just a few years ago.6.What does the term “Triad” refers to? What is meant by Quad?A: The term Triad refers to the three richest regions of the world; the United States, the European Union and Japan that offer the most important business opportunities. The scope of Triad to include Canada and name the broadened grouping Quad.7. How much do you know about OECD? Please make a brief account.A: OECD means Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The organization is included 29 members, 23 of them are high-income countries and 6 are middle-income countries. The headquarters is in Paris.8. What is the best policy for China to develop business opportunities? A: So far as China is concerned, other markets we should pay particular attention to are those around us: the Four Tigers, the ASEAN countries, Russia, India and a bit farther away Australia. These countries or regions either have rich consumers and offer good business opportunities or are developing fast with very promising market potential. And their geographical proximity to China is a great advantage for us in developing business relations with them.Translate the following sentences into English:1. 民生产总值和国内生产总值是表明一国收入的两个重要概念。区别在于前者强调的是生产要素的所属权而后者着重于进行生产的国家。GNP and GDP are two important concepts used to indicate a countrys total income. The difference between them is that the former focuses on ownership of the factors of production while the latter concentrates on the country where production takes place.2. 要评估某一市场的潜力，人们往往要分析其收入水平，因为它为那里居民的购买力高低提供了线索。In assessing the potential of a country as a market, people often look at per capita income since it provides clues about the purchasing power of its residents.3. 世界各国被世界银行分为三大领域：高收入国家，中等收入国家和低收入国家。Countries of the world are divided by the World Bank into three categories of high-income, middle-income and low-income economies.4. 中国现在年人均收入为1100美元以上，但几年前它还是个低收入国家。China with a per capita income of over $1100 is a middle-income country though it was a low-income country just a few years ago.5. 就中国来说，周围还有其他应特别关注的市场，如亚洲四小虎、东盟国家、俄罗斯等国，这些国家都具有前景看好的市场潜力，能为中国提供很好的商机。As far as China is concerned, other markets we should pay particular attention to are those around us: the Four Tigers, the ASEAN countries, Russia, etc. These countries with very promising market potential and can offer good business opportunities to China.Lesson 3Regional Economic IntegrationBusiness Knowledge:(1) Major objectives of regional integration *(2) For levels of regional economic integrationA. Free trade areaB. Customs unionC. Common marketD. Economic union(3) European Union (EU)(4) Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)(5) Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)Answer the following questions:1. What is a free trade area? Make a brief account of the most notable free trade area in the world.A: Free trade area is the loosest form in the regional economic integration. Members in this form removes barriers to the flow of goods and services among themselves while each member still adopts its own policy as regards to trade with outsiders. The most notable one is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the largest free market formed by the United States, Canada and Mexico in 1991 with over 360 million consumers and total GDP of more than 6 trillion US dollars.2. In what way is a customs union different from a free trade area?A: The Customs Union goes a step further by adopting the same trade policy for all the members toward countries outside their organization in addition to abolishing trade barriers among themselves. Imports from other countries are subject to the same tariff.3. What are the characteristics of a common market? Which organization remained a common market for some years in the past?A: The common market is further up the scale of regional economic integration. Besides free movement of goods and services and adoption of common external trade policy, factors of production such as labor, capital and technology are free to move among members so that they can be utilized in a more efficient and productive way. In the past, the European Community remained a common market for some years.4. How much do you know about an economic union? Can members of an economic union keep all of their national sovereignty?A: The economic union is the highest form of economic integration, which is characterized by integration of the domestic policies of its members in respect of economy, finance etc. in addition to absence of trade barriers, practice of common external policy and free production factor mobility. The members of an Economic Union are required not only to harmonize their taxation, government expenditure, industry policies, etc., but also use the same currency.The member countries of an economic union are required to surrender some of their national sovereignty, which is eroding the tradition of the world political system based on the autonomy and supreme power of sovereign states.5. Make a brief account of the origin and development of the EU.A: The first community, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was established in 1952, which set the stage for more ambitious integration efforts.The signing of the monumental Treaty of Rome in 1957 marks the establishment of the European Economic Community with the aim of gradually realizing the free movement of goods, services, labor and capital as well as the harmonization of economic policies of the member countries.Ten years later in 1967, the European Community was formed by merging EEC, ECSC and European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).1992 it became a true common market as envisaged by the Single European Act. Then on January 1, 1994 the European Union (EU) came into being on the strength of the Maastricht Treaty.From the beginning of 1999 most of the members began to use the common European currency for accounting and settlement and in 2002, euro banknotes and coins were put into circulation.6. What is the most powerful institution of the EU? What is the executive body of the EU? How does it operate?A: The most powerful institution of the EU is the Council of Ministers. Its executive body is the European Commission composed of 20 commissioners overseeing 23 departments in charge of different affairs.Decisions of the council are made by votes allocated to member countries on the basis of their size. Different ministers attend the council meeting depending on the matters discussed. The council even has the power to pass legislation.7. Explain briefly the five layer organizational structure of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.A: a. the Informal Meeting of Economic leaders b. Dual-Ministerial Meeting c. Ministers Responsible for Trade d. The Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) e. Subordinate committees under SOM: Committee of Trade and Investment, Economic Committee, Economic and Technical Cooperation Sub-committee of SOM and Budget Management Committee.8. What are the tenet and objectives of APEC? What do its two wheels mean?A: The tenet and objectives of APEC are inter-dependence, mutual benefits, adhering to an open and multilateral trading system and reduction of regional trade barriers. Its two wheels mean trade and investment liberation and facilitation (TILF) and economic and technical cooperation (ECOTECH).9. What are the nature and objectives of OPEC?A: OPEC is a commodity cartel. It tried to limit the overall crude oil supply of the world for the purpose of maintaining higher oil prices.Translate the following sentences into English:1. 过去的几十年，地区经济一体化越来越重要。The past decades witnessed increasingly growing importance of regional economic integration.2. 最著名的自由贸易区是北美自由贸易区，它是由美国、加拿大和墨西哥于1991年建立的。The most notable free trade area is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the largest free market formed by the United States, Canada and Mexico in 1991.3. 经济联盟成员国不仅要在税收、政府开支、企业策略等方面保持一致，而且还应使用同一货币。The members of an Economic Union are required not only to harmonize their taxation, government expenditure, industry polices, etc., but also use the same currency.4. 欧洲委员会是欧盟的管理机构之一，此机构将提议呈交给部长理事会做决定，并监督各成员国根据所制定的条约履行自己的义务。The European Commission is one of the governing organs of the European Union. It is the body that puts proposals to the Council of Minister for decision and sees that the members carry out their duties under the treaty.5. APEC建立于在澳大利亚首都堪培拉召开的一次部长级会议上。当时有12位成员国出席，分别为澳大利亚、美国、加拿大、日本、新西兰和东盟六国。APEC was set up at the Ministerial Meeting held in the Australian capital Canberra attended by 12 members of Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and six ASEAN countries.Lesson 4Economic GlobalizationBusiness Knowledge:(1) Economic globalization as an objective trendA. Basic feature *B. Advantages and negative impacts(2) Multinational corporationsA. Organization- parent and affiliatesB. Characteristicsa. Enormous in sizeb. Wide geographical spreadc. Longevity and rapid growthC. Need, goals