retailers requires transportation. The cost of transporting some products can exceed the cost of producing them. An efficient form of transportation can result in higher costs and lower profits for the firm. For each form of transportation, firms should estimate timing, cost, and availability. This assessment allows the firm to choose an optimal method of transportation. The most common forms of transportation used to distribute products are truck, rail, air, water, pipeline. Transport Management: the importance of using environmentally friendly means of transport whenever possible

Health & Safety

Employee Safety: Firms ensure that the workplace is safe for employees by closely monitoring the production process. Some obvious safety precautions are to check machinery and equipment for proper working conditions, require safety glasses or any other equipment that one can prevent injury, and emphasize any special safety precautions in training seminars.

Firms that create a safe working environment prevent injuries and improve the morale of their employees. Many firms, such as Allied Signal, now identify workplace safety as one of their main goals. Levi Strauss and Company imposes safety guidelines not only its U.S. facilities but also on Asian factories where some of its clothes are made. Starbucks Coffee Company has developed a code of conduct in an attempt to improve the quality of life in coffee-producing countries.

Life Skills: the importance of being able to cope with stress in a job

Technology: the importance of training staff in how to use new technology when introducing it into the workplace

Speaking Test Part III

Sample Dialogues

Time Management

[Definition: the manner by which managers allocate their time when managing tasks] Sample

Zhang: Hi, Ms Wang, you know, our company is sort of out of control these days. Don't you think so?

Wang: Yeah. Everything seems to be in disorder here in our company. And that obviously has a lot to do with poor time management.

Zhang: You mean poor time management has caused all these problems. Why?