【正文】 to upgrade our products or develop new products.Zhang: And QC can have a better idea as to how to ensure our quality or how to make it even better.Factory SiteWang: You know, ABC amp。 Co. Ltd, one of our clients in the UK, is considering building a factory in Shanghai.Zhang: Yes. I think it39。s a wise decision. More and more multinational corporations are ing here to invest.Wang: They want to know where to build their factory. Have you got anything in mind?Zhang: Well, I think they could build their factory in Pu Dong HighTech amp。 Development area.Wang: Yeah. It39。s a very nice place, with a very friendly investment environment.Zhang: You said it. They provide firstrate service for foreign investors. And the traffic there is really convenient.Wang: And there are quite a lot of preferential policies for foreign investors.Zhang: But the fee for land use is a bit too high there. Wang: Yeah. That39。s about the only thing some of the foreign investors plain about. Zhang: I hear some of the development areas around Shanghai, like those in Kunshan and Suzhou, are also good and they charge a much lower fee for land use. Wang: So ABC amp。 Co. Ltd could also invest in those cities.Zhang: I think so. And what do you think the pany need to know about work practices in our country?Wang: There39。s quite a number of things, I think. Zhang: Like what?Wang: I think they should get to know if there is any restriction on the employment of the local people.Zhang: And especially the policies in relation to the overtime and paid holidays.Wang: That39。s right.Language AuditZhang: You know we are going to make a survey of all our staff members in terms of their foreign language skills.. Wang: Good idea. This will be beneficial to both the management and the staff members themselves.Zhang: Yes, that makes sense. But how can we convince the staff members that the survey would be beneficial to them?Wang: I don39。t think it39。s difficult. Just let them know that we are running a series of training classes for them. A survey of their skills in foreign language will help us place them in a class appropriate for them.Zhang: And I think that we should also get across to them that we are thinking of assigning some sales reps to the States. Those whose English is better than the others have a better chance to be chosen.Wang: I think that will be convincing enough. And we39。ve actually touched upon the question of how to put into use the survey results.Zhang: Yeah. And I think there39。s more uses that we can put the results into. For example, some of our staff members have been plaining about our foreign language textbook being too difficult. This way, we shall be able to pile books appropriate for them. Wang: Good. And it also helps us in placing our staff members. You know, some of the positions need people with better foreign language skills than others.Zhang: Yes, indeed. Job sharing Wang: You know our pany is considering a job sharing system. Zhang: Yeah, a system that allows some jobs to be shared by two staff members.Wang: So if we introduce this scheme, which types of job do you think it would be suitable for?Zhang: Not many, I am afraid. Obviously most of the managers cannot work on a jobsharing basis. Wang: That makes sense. It would be difficult to split a managerial task between two managers.Zhang: But I think this scheme would be perfectly suitable for some clerical work. For example, two clerks can share a typing task.Wang: Then what kind of people do you think would be most suited to sharing jobs?Zhang: Mostly working mothers, who need to take care of their babies while working with a pany.Wang: And also employees who hope to pursue a higher degree. Zhang: Yeah, they can share a job with a colleague so that they can afford some time to attend lectures in colleges or universities.Wang: Anyway, do you think this scheme should be introduced in our pany? Zhang: Well, there are quite a lot of young people in our pany, who39。re thinking of a higher degree, an MBA or something. If they are allowed to share their jobs with others, they can have more flexibility in arranging their time schedule.Wang: And there they39。ll have more chances to get a higher degree.Zhang: Right.Foreign Trade MissionZhang: You know a foreign trade mission from the USA is ing to visit our country early next month. Wang: Yeah. I was told that one week ago. And we are supposed to give a talk to them about our pany.Zhang: What do you think should be included in the talk?Wang: Naturally, we should brief them on the track record of our pany. Zhang: You mean to emphasize that our pany has a long history of more than 100 years old.Wang: Not only that. We should let them know that we have been very successful in our line of business. Zhang: Do you think we should let them know that we are a leading exporter of Silk Garments in East China?Wang: Exactly. I think we can give out some pamphlets about our pany before the talk.Zhang: Good idea. But mind you, do not bare everything about us at the meeting. I mean there39。s certainly a lot that we have to keep as a secret.Wang: You mean marketing intelligence.Zhang: Sort of. I mean there is no need for us to tell them how our products are priced. And also our detailed plan to expand into overseas markets.Wang: I know what you mean. Well, what types of social activities do you think we can provide for them after the talk.Zhang: I think we can show them around one of our main manufacturers.Wang: A factory tour?Zhang: Exactly.Wang: And we may invite them to a dinner at a restaurant nearby.Zhang: That39。s what we usually do. I don39。t think we need to make this trade mission an exception.Staff TurnoverThe managing Director of your pany is keen to reduce the number of staff leaving after a short time. You have been asked to suggest ways of encouraging staff to stay in the panyDiscuss, and decide togeth