商務英語閱讀3UNIT7BUSINESSCONFLICTSLearningObjectivesExplaintheconceptofbusinessconflictanditstypes.Distinguishhealthyworkplaceconflictsfromunhealthyones.Setupasetofstandardsfor“bestemployers”.ReflectonthereasonsforconflictsbetweenemployersandemployeesinAmazon.CONTENTS04.ChineseValues02.

TextB03.Exercise01.TextA02.

TextB03.Exercise01.TextA“Earth’sBestEmployer”TextACanyoulistsomeexamplesofconflictsintheworkplace?WarmingupConcerningtheconflictsbetweenemployersandemployees,doyouthinktheyareirreconcilable?WarmingupAmazon(A)istheworld'slargestonlineretailerandaprominentcloudserviceprovider.Originallystartedasanonlinebooksellingcompany,Amazonhasmorphedintoaninternet-basedbusinessenterprisethatislargelyfocusedonprovidinge-commerce,cloudcomputing,digitalstreamingandartificialintelligence(AI)services.HeadquarteredinSeattle,Amazonhasindividualwebsites,softwaredevelopmentcenters,customerservicecenters,datacentersandfulfillmentcentersaroundtheworld.Backgroundknowledge“Earth’sBestEmployer”：aphrasefromAmazon’sleadershipprinciples“StrivetobeEarth’sBestEmployer”addedbyJeffBezospriortohissteppingdownasCEOin2021.Amazonhasbeentroubledbynegativereportsaboutworkingfortheorganization,includinggenderandracialbiastowardworkersand“abusivemistreatment”bymanagers,anintensivepaceofworkleadingtohighincidenceofworkerinjuryandworkersbeingunderpaid.Backgroundknowledgeping

v.tomakeashort,highringingsound;tomakesomethingproducethissound發出撞擊聲；砰地發聲

(CET4)Hethrewhimselftothegroundasbulletspingedoffthemetalbehindhim.他撲倒在地，子彈砰的一聲打到他身后的金屬上。

WordsandExpressionspreachv.totellpeopleaboutaparticularreligion,wayoflife,system,etc.inordertopersuadethemtoacceptit.宣揚(CET6;TEM4)Shepreachedaboutthebenefitsofahealthylifestyle.

WordsandExpressionstrim

v.toremovebyorasifbycutting削減(CET4;TEM4)Thankstoitsongoingstimulusspending,whichitisnotproposingtotrim,Germany’sunderlyingbudgetdeficitisforecasttorisethisyear.

WordsandExpressionsbacklash

n.astrongnegativereactionbyalargenumberofpeople,forexampletosomethingthathasrecentlychangedinsociety強烈反應(IELTS)It’sbecomesoiconicthatattemptstochangeitstastein1985—sweeteningitinamoveprojectedtoboostsales—proveddisastrous,withwidespreadbacklashandangerfromconsumers.

WordsandExpressionswrappedupin（idiom）.fullyinvolvedorinterestedin(something)包含，關心(CET4;TEM4)Iwascompletelywrappedupinmywork,soIdidn'thearyoucomein.

WordsandExpressionsstray

adj.occurringatrandomorsporadically離散的，雜亂的(CET6;TEM4)Weoftenfeeltheneedtotellothershowwefeel,whetherit'saconcernaboutaproject,astraythought,oracompliment.

WordsandExpressionswhirlwindn.asituationorseriesofeventswherealotofthingshappenveryquickly旋風般/匆忙的事(TEM8)Thewhirlwindthatsweptthroughnewsroomsharmedeverybody,butmuchofthedamagehasbeenconcentratedinareaswherenewspapersareleastdistinctive.WordsandExpressionslenient

adj.ofmildandtolerantdispositionoreffect;notharsh,severe,orstrict仁慈的，寬大的(CET6;TEM8)Thestudyfoundthat,amongprosecutedfirms,thosewiththemostcomprehensiveCSRprogramstendedtogetmorelenientpenalties.

WordsandExpressionssilov.toisolate(someoneorsomething,suchasagroupingordepartment)inawaythathinderscommunicationandcooperationwithothers隔絕(TEM8)Onestepbankscantaketobalanceeffortsistostopsiloingmobileandonlinebankingdevelopmenteffortsandchannels.

WordsandExpressionsbumpupagainstphrase.toexperienceaproblemorfactorthatyoudidnotexpect碰到困難，遭受阻礙(CET4;TEM4)Inalotoflocalmarkets,IthinkthatGrouponisgoingtobumpupagainstthatcapacityfairlyquickly,particularlyascompetitorslikeLivingSocialmakeinroads.

WordsandExpressionsremorse

n.thefeelingofbeingextremelysorryforsomethingwrongorbadthatyouhavedone懊悔，自責(CET6;TEM8)Forseasonedshoppers,"buyer'sremorse"isafamiliarfeeling.

WordsandExpressionsscrutinize

v.tolookatorexaminesomebody/somethingcarefully仔細查看(CET6)Thiswillenableyoutoscrutinizetherateofturnoverandwhetherkeypeopleareabandoningship.

WordsandExpressionsStructuralAnalysisPara.MainTopicsPara.1-3IntroductionofjobcutsinAmazon,“Earth’sBestEmployer”.Para.4-15Differentreactionsofthelaid-offworkers.Para.16-19ImpactofthelayoffsonAmazon,thecompanyanditsemployees.DiscussionWhatarethestandardsof“agreatemployer”inyouropinion?Giveyourreasons.ConflictsinWorkplaceTextBCanyoulistsomeexamplesofconflictsintheworkplace?WarmingupInwhatcasesdoyouthinkworkplaceconflictsaredestructive?Warmingup

Nonflict:TheArtofEverydayPeacemakingWrittenbyAmirKfirandStephenHecht,co-foundersofthenon-profitMillionPeacemakers，thebookoffersathree-stepapproachtodealwithconflict—UnderstandYourselfandYourPartner,UnderstandYourSharedReality,andCo-Create.BackgroundknowledgeStephenHechtTheco-founderandChiefExecutivePeacemakerofMillionPeacemakers,aninternationalorganizationwhichpromotespeaceculturearoundtheworldthoughamethodologycalled‘Nonflict’;thewinneroftheCanadaAwardforBusinessExcellenceandtheYMCAPeaceMedal,andisaleaderinYPO.Backgroundknowledgerife

adj.ifsomethingbadorunpleasantisrifeinaplace,itisverycommonthere(常指壞事)普遍的;猖獗的（GRE）Pricesarerisingandwagegrumblesarerife.WordsandExpressionsfosterv.topromotethegrowthordevelopmentof;toencourage促進(CET6)Mutualrespect,supportandencouragementinateamhelpsfosterasenseofbelonging,maintainharmonyintheworkplaceandthusimprovejobsatisfaction.WordsandExpressionsalertv.towarnsomebodyaboutadangeroussituationoronethatrequiresimmediateaction提醒，使警覺(CET6,GRE)Thecoastguardwerealertedthatayachthadrunintodifficulties.WordsandExpressionscommitmentn.thedesiretoworkhardandgiveyourenergyandtimetoajoboranactivity投入；決心(CET6;TEM4)Hehasdemonstratedexceptionalcommitmentanddedication.WordsandExpressionsplaguev.tocausepainortroubletosomebody/somethingoveraperiodoftime困擾(CET6;TEM4)Economicproblemscontinuedtoplaguethecountry.WordsandExpressionsintegraladj.beinganessentialpartofsomething不可或缺的，必須的(CET6;TEM4)Practicalexperienceisintegraltothecourse.WordsandExpressionsculpritn.apersonorthingresponsibleforcausingaproblem（造成問題或麻煩的）原因(TEM8)Financialneedsaren’ttheonlyculpritforthe“unretirement”trend.WordsandExpressionscohesionn.(formal)theactorstateofkeepingtogether凝聚力(CET6)However,thisapproachdoesnotincludeinvestmentinnewinfrastructure,nordoesitguaranteebetterregionalcohesion.WordsandExpressionsdetractv.todiminishtheimportance,value,oreffectivenessofsomething,oftenusedwithfrom減損(TEM8)Shedidnotcarefortheideaofsocializingwithherclients.Itwoulddetractfromherprofessionaldetachment.WordsandExpressionsmaneuverv.tocontrolorinfluence;tomoveorturnwithskillorcare操縱(CET6;TEM8)Cashbuffersgavedebtmanagersmoreroomtomaneuverwhenmarketsclosedduringthepeakmonthsofthecrisis.WordsandExpressionsStructuralAnalysisPara.MainTopicsPara.1-3IntroductionofconflictsinworkplacePara.4-8HealthyworkplaceconflictsPara.9-14UnhealthyworkplaceconflictsPara.15ImportanceofconflictsmanagementinworkplaceDiscussionHowdomanagerskeepconflictsintheworkplacehealthy?Exercises

TextAI.1-5BDACDII.1-5ACBDD6-10CADAB1.inresponseto2.makesenseof3.spreadout4.setin5.bumpupagainst6.bringon7.lenientwith8.figureout9.wrappedupin10.yearntoKeystoexercisesIII.(1)sufficient(2)productivity(3)inadequate(4)complaints(5)internally(6)violated(7)against(8)directly(9)resolution(10)arbitrationKeystoexercisesIV.1.參與裁員浪潮的員工表示，這一消息令人震驚，并改變了他們對亞馬遜的看法，因為該公司的目標是成為前首席執行官杰夫貝索斯喜歡說的“地球上最好的雇主”。2.有些人回顧了他們在公司的時光，說他們離開時感到工作過度和被低估了。雖然一些人表示如果有機會他們會回到亞馬遜，但另一些人則表示裁員過程讓他們對這家他們曾經渴望工作的公司的看法蒙上了陰影。KeystoexercisesIV.3.在那兩周的時間里，很多工人被辭退導致生產力下降，經理們試圖在最后期限上放寬；因為不清楚參會名單上的每個人是否仍然能繼續在亞馬遜工作，很多會議也被推遲。4.亞馬遜云科技的一名現任員工表示，對于仍在亞馬遜工作的一些人來說，“幸存者內疚”已經開始。亞馬遜云科技是該公司的一部分，沒有受到裁員的嚴重影響。5.隨著團隊感受到員工流失的影響，他們預計經理們將不得不在要求亞馬遜解除招聘凍結并讓更多人承擔工作量之間做出選擇，或者接受今年的一些目標無法實現。KeystoexercisesV.HerearesometipsforagreatemployerAflexibleworkscheduleKid-friendlyworkplaceAculturethatiscreativeandfunGreatcustomerservicerewardsWithamissionthatinspiresworkerstodotheirbestAgoodincentiveprogram:AdecentwageKeystoexercisesTextBI.Howdomanagerskeepconflictsintheworkplacehealthy?Herearesomesuggestions:a.Hireandretaintherightpeople.Sometimesconflictcomesfrompersonalitiesthatdon’tmix.“There’snotalotyoucandotochangepeople’segos,”Peltiersaid.“Intheshortterm,youcanonlydodamagecontrol,butinthelongterm,don’tkeepthosepeopleontheteam.”Keystoexercises

Giveeveryoneavoice.Poulsonnotedthatwhilenoteveryideaistherightoneforacompanytorunwith,evenseeminglybadideascansparkcreativitythatresultsinnewsuggestionsthatwillwork.Plus,ifyougiveeveryoneachancetobeheard,you’llavoidtriggeringresentment.(Continued)Keystoexercises

Understandthepartiesinvolved.Tohandleconflictconstructively,givesomethoughttotheperson’sbackground,howtheycommunicate,andtheirparticularapproachtotheproblem.Thisframeworkcanhelpyoubetterunderstandandaddresstheirposition.“Wehavedifferentlifeexperiencesthatmakeuswhoweare,”Hechtsaid.Whenyoutakethoseintoconsideration,youcanmeetyourstafferswheretheyareandfacilitatea