pros and cons of working in big companies

5D Speaking lessons

Unit 3 Activity 1

Topic: read the question paper on p.31.

Listening practice: listen to the recording and fill in the blanks.

B: I think there are a lot of advantages of working in big companies. For example, you get better pay and more fringe benefits. In short, you are better looked after in big companies.

A: That’s right. On top of that, another advantage is job security in big companies. Even during bad time, it’s less likely for big companies to lay off staff because of their higher financial power and ability to deal with business fluctuations.

C: Yes, I agree with you. There are many advantages to work in big companies. __________ _________ what you have just mentioned, big companies often have a good ____________ of putting best practices in place. For example, good practices and their ________________ areas, such as _______________ and _________________.

D: In addition, another good thing about working in big companies is their resources, Big companies often have bigger budgets, better equipment, more up-to-date information and more support for work. This is definitely an advantage over small companies.

B: Well, _________ _________ so many advantages of working in big companies, I do think there are ____________ disadvantages. First, it is difficult to get noticed unless you are exceptionally ___________________. Even you are a very smart and ______________ person, you still need to wait for the ____________ ____________ to show your ___________ _______________. It is not easy.

A: Hmm…you’ve got a point. Also, there are other problems working in big companies, such as office politics and keen competition. It is particularly difficult for new young staff like those who have just entered the working world to handle the office politics and the complicated social networks within the company.

B: Besides that, many big companies are very ____________________, especially in _____________ societies. They don’t easily accept ________________ ideas or ___________concepts from _____________ staff members. That is definitely a ____________ for young people like us. Our__________________ may be suppressed or even ________________.

D: Oh yes, I have just thought of another downside of working in big companies. Although you get more resources, there is more bureaucracy.

A: Sorry to interrupt but what is bureaucracy?

D: Oh..how can I explain? Hmm….let me think…hmm

B: I think what it means is that there are lots of ____________, regulations and ________________ you have to follow.

D: Yes, that’s it. Thanks. OK, let me continue. There are many rules and regulations to follow. That means it will take a long time to make consultations and get approvals from different departments before you get anything done. And that could be annoying.

B: That is true. I have not ____________ about that before. Big companies have more _____________ and __________________ to follow. Also people working in big companies are ______________ by the bureaucracy and red tape.

C: That’s true. There are obviously many advantages of working in big companies. However, we must not overlook the drawbacks. It really depends on your personality and what you are looking for in a career.

Expressions:

更好的人工 __________ ____________

福利 __________ _____________

解僱 ___________ __________                    壓抑 _______________

資金 _________________     

缺點 ___________/______________/________________

激烈競爭 ___________ _____________________

保守的 __________________                     尤其地 _____________

創新大膽的 _________________                  一定地 ________________

Bureaucracy means _____________________________________________________

_______________________________

5D Speaking lessons answers

Unit 3 Activity 1

Topic: read the question paper on p.31.

Listening practice: listen to the recording and fill in the blanks.

B: I think there are a lot of advantages of working in big companies. For example, you get better pay and more fringe benefits. In short, you are better looked after in big companies.

A: That’s right. On top of that, another advantage is job security in big companies. Even during bad time, it’s less likely for big companies to lay off staff because of their higher financial power and ability to deal with business fluctuations.

C: Yes, I agree with you. There are many advantages to work in big companies. __Apart ________ _from________ what you have just mentioned, big companies often have a good ___practices _________ of putting best practices in place. For example, good practices and their ____successful____________ areas, such as ____marketing___________ and ___management______________.

D: In addition, another good thing about working in big companies is their resources, Big companies often have bigger budgets, better equipment, more up-to-date information and more support for work. This is definitely an advantage over small companies.

B: Well, __having_______ __mentioned_______ so many advantages of working in big companies, I do think there are _several___________ disadvantages. First, it is difficult to get noticed unless you are exceptionally ___outstanding________________. Even you are a very smart and __outstanding____________ person, you still need to wait for the __right__________ ____chance________ to show your __top _________ __performance_____________. It is not easy.

A: Hmm…you’ve got a point. Also, there are other problems working in big companies, such as office politics and keen competition. It is particularly difficult for new young staff like those who have just entered the working world to handle the office politics and the complicated social networks within the company.

B: Besides that, many big companies are very ___conservative____, especially in ___Asian__________ societies. They don’t easily accept ____progressive____________ ideas or ___new________concepts from ____younger_________ staff members. That is definitely a ___drawback_________ for young people like us. Our_____creativity_____________ may be suppressed or even __blocked______________.

D: Oh yes, I have just thought of another downside of working in big companies. Although you get more resources, there is more bureaucracy.

A: Sorry to interrupt but what is bureaucracy?

D: Oh..how can I explain? Hmm….let me think…hmm

B: I think what it means is that there are lots of __rules__________, regulations and ___procedures_____________ you have to follow.

D: Yes, that’s it. Thanks. OK, let me continue. There are many rules and regulations to follow. That means it will take a long time to make consultations and get approvals from different departments before you get anything done. And that could be annoying.

B: That is true. I have not __thought__________ about that before. Big companies have more ___rules__________ and __regulations________________ to follow. Also people working in big companies are __restricted____________ by the bureaucracy and red tape.

C: That’s true. There are obviously many advantages of working in big companies. However, we must not overlook the drawbacks. It really depends on your personality and what you are looking for in a career.

Expressions:

更好的人工 __better________ ____pay________

福利 __fringe________ __benefits___________

解僱 __lay _________ ___off_______                    壓抑 __suppress_____________

資金 __budget_______________     

缺點 __drawback_________/___con__________/__disadvantage______________

激烈競爭 ___keen________ ___competition__________________

保守的 ___conservative_______________                     尤其地 __particularly___________

創新大膽的 ___progressive______________                  一定地 _definitely_______________

Bureaucracy means __ there are lots of __rules__________, regulations and ___procedures_____________ you have to follow.________