WORKING CONDITIONChairiyani+... · Web viewEkonomi dan Bisnis Manajemen 04 90026 Ika Chairiyani,...

MODUL PERKULIAHAN

BAHASA INGGRIS IIIWORKING CONDITIONS

Fakultas Program Studi TatapMuka Kode MK DisusunOleh

Ekonomi dan Bisnis Manajemen 04 90026 Ika Chairiyani, M. Pd.

Abstract KompetensiIn this unit, students will learn about reading comprehension related about the working conditions. it shows some conditions that may happen in the working area. Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing also learnt in this chapter.

1. Students are able to comprehend the Reading passage related working condition.

2. Students are able to answer the question in the reading passage.

3. Students are able to write the essay based on the given topic.

4. Students are able discuss some topics about working condition.

WORKING CONDITIONA. GETTING STARTED

Discussion! Discuss the following topic with your friends.

1. How do you involve working in your company?

2. How do you differ the working condition between Indonesian and American?

3. Which do you prefer working in International Company or National Company?

B. LISTENING COMPREHENSION

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING

What are companies doing to make staff get along better and work more efficiently as a team? What does a work awayday look like these days? Neil and Sophie discuss the growing industry of corporate team building – from zombie bootcamps to horse training for executives.

This week's question

What did Chairman Mao introduce in China in1951 as a compulsory activity for workers and was reintroduced by the government a few years ago? Was it…

a) calisthenics

b) calligraphy

c) English language lessons

2012 2 B. Inggris III (Pilihan)

PusatBahan Ajar dan eLearningIka Chairiyani, M. Pd. http://www.mercubuana.ac.id

c. READING COMPREHENSION

The following is about the working culture in Japan. After reading the passage, do the

exercises carefully!

CLOCKING OFF; Japan Calls Time on Long-Hours work culture

NEW YORK – Working for long periods under extreme stressful work conditions can lead to sudden death, a phenomenon the Japanese callkaroshi, literally translated as “death from overwork,” or occupational sudden death, mainly from heart attack and stroke due to stress. Karoshi has been more widely studied in Japan, where the first case of this phenomenon was reported in 1969.In 1987, as people’s concerns about karoshi increased, the Japanese Ministry of Labor began to publish statistics on the problem. Concomitantly death by overwork lawsuits have been on the rise in Japan, prompted by the deceased’s relatives demanding compensation payments.

This phenomenon is not limited to Japan. Other Asian nations such as China, South Korea and Bangladesh have reported similar incidents. In China, where the phenomenon is called guolaosi, it was estimated in 2010 that 600,000 people had died this way.Increasingly, workers in more than 126,000 Chinese factories are organizing and demanding better work conditions.

In South Korea, where the work ethic is Confucian-inspired, and work usually involves six-day workweeks with long hours, the phenomenon is called gwarosa.In Japan, the number of cases submitted for compensation has increased significantly in the past few years. So has the number of court cases in which the government refuses to compensate the victims’ families. In Japan, if karoshi is considered a cause of death, surviving family members may receive compensation from the government and up to $1



million from the company in damages. However, death may be the most visible effect of overwork in Japan.

The causes and consequences of karoshi have been studied in particular by Japan’s National Defense Council for Victims of Karoshi, established in 1988. Japan has much longer working hours that any other developed country. The country’s grueling work schedule has been suggested as one of the main causes of karoshi. It is not however, the only cause.

A growing body of evidence indicates that workers in high-demand situations who have little control of their work and low social support are at increased risk of developing and dying of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke. Stressful work conditions are a critical component of this phenomenon.

In this regard, it has been found that workers exposed to long overtime periods show markedly elevated levels of stress hormones.

The consequences of long working hours and stressful situations at work are not limited to men. Several studies have shown strong links between women’s job stress and cardiovascular disease.

In the Women’s Health Study (WHS) — a landmark study involving 17,000 female health professionals — a group of Harvard researchers found that women whose work is highly stressful have a 40 percent increased risk of heart disease compared with their less stressed colleagues.

The results of the WHS were confirmed both in Denmark and in China. A large 15-year study conducted in Denmark found that the greater the work pressure, the higher the risk for heart disease among women under the age of 52.

In Beijing, a study among white-collar workers found that job strain was associated in women with increased thickness of the carotid artery wall.

Deaths by overwork affect not only the families themselves who may lose the main breadwinner in the family but also the industries that are hit with lawsuits and suffer lost productivity. That, in turn, affects the national economy. It is therefore urgent to devise ways to curb this problem.

It is important for workers to get regular exercise, which will reduce anxiety and depression and improve sleep. Whenever possible, they should practice relaxation techniques and, if they feel overwhelmed by their personal situation, seek help from a mental health professional.

At the industrial level, they should provide the workers with the best conditions for their work, a policy that will be of better economic value in the long run. Business executives should realize that it is counterproductive for them to place excessive demands on their workers.

At the government level, legislation should be passed to increase job security and skill training as well as employee participation in considering issues that directly affect them such as transfers and promotions. Workers who have better control of their jobs will increase productivity and suffer less from the stressful component of their jobs.

In the long run, prevention is the more humane and cheapest alternative to a very serious problem.



Cesar Chelala, M.D. and Ph.D., is an international public health consultant and a winner of the Overseas Press Club of America Award.

Differences in business culture between Japan and West

By Andrew Miller

LIFESTYLE APR. 02, 2013 - 06:03AM JST ( 46 )

TOKYO —

Below is an account from Sayaka, a reporter over at our sister site Pouch. It is an intriguing

look at differences in business culture between Japan and the west. It makes one realize

that there is no perfect business strategy as such but by incorporating the best parts from

each culture, one can get pretty close to their own perfect business model. Moreover,

Japan’s business culture has to be one of the most unique in the entire world.

Just the other day I had the privilege of liaising with several western businessmen who gave

me some rather interesting views relating to differences in business customs between Japan

and the West. They mentioned having recently listened to a lecture before coming to Japan

on how to conduct business the Japanese way. Something that really stood out to me were

their impressions of the Japanese business culture as a whole:

“Out of all the countries we’ve visited so far, Japan’s business culture has got to be the most

uniquely different.”

Those who took part in the business lecture included two Frenchmen, an Englishman and an

American. All four men worked in such high power roles as international manufacturing or as

planning designers at construction companies. They are the type of elite that upon coming to

Japan enter into managerial positions giving Japanese workers orders and undertaking

transactions with other high-ranking Japanese companies. Their period of employment is

usually no longer than a year and a half, after which they often shift to positions in other

countries.

Below, I would like to introduce the five most interesting things from the lecture imparted to

me by the foreign businessmen.

1. If a Japanese person says they can complete the job, it is best to take them on face value.Many may think “what’s so surprising about that!?” However, looking at trends on the foreign

market, a lot of workers claim to be able to complete a given task even when it clearly



http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/differences-in-business-culture-between-japan-and-west#comments

http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle

exceeds their capabilities. The businessman from England commented that in contrast to

their foreign counterparts, the Japanese modestly accept the job at hand while delivering

exceptional results.

He went on to comment: “With regard to suppliers in Japan, workers have a clear

comprehension of the production scale and necessary production time. Whether it be the

person who places the order from the supplier, or those who deal with the transaction

thereafter, from beginning to end the level of service is consistently high. If we look at

Western business culture, incompletion of a task within the designated period often sees the

worker placing the blame on the boss by claiming that his directions weren’t clear. Thus, for

the Western worker, one can, to some degree, avoid responsibility.

“In contrast, in Japan, if business doesn’t go according to plan, it becomes the problem of

the individual undertaking the task. What’s more, the Japanese deliver a service that goes

far beyond what was originally requested, leaving many customers very satisfied. The fact

they carry out the job with consistency means they are easy to work with.”

2. From a Japanese perspective, the customer is God.According to the American businessman: “Westerners, particularly the French, tend to go by

the ideology that the customer and customer service are on an equal footing. This takes root

through the idea that one is exchanging money for a service and the view that both are

equal components. In this way, it is seen as fully acceptable for the person providing the

service to declare from the outset that they refuse to do something as they see fit. However,

in Japan customer service is paramount, which also has the benefit of keeping the customer

happy and maintaining healthy mutual relations.”

Nevertheless, he does have one suggestion for improvement when it comes to Japanese

business ethics.

“The reservation of both the customer and supplier not to offend the other party is perhaps a

little too strong. In order to produce the best result, speaking one’s mind more is what’s

required.”

3. For the Japanese, the company conference room is not a place for discussion but rather somewhere to report progress.From a Westerner’s viewpoint, a meeting room is a place for discussion about current work

projects and serves as place to dedicate time to reach a conclusion about something. Many

westerners find the idea that Japanese workers use the conference room simply to report

findings rather bewildering.

However, one French businessman takes a more positive approach to this style of conduct.

“This is all part of Japan’s product efficiency and when you think about it, contacting the

parties involved and reaching a decision before the meeting can actually have the benefit of

making everything go more smoothly in the meeting room itself.”



On a negative note, he commented that due to the nature of the Japanese meeting room,

even when asked their opinion, few people ever feel inclined to respond honestly.

4. A delay in reaching a decision is a not a reflection of a Japanese person’s inefficiency.At first I was a little taken aback by what I thought was criticism of the speed at which

Japanese work, but as the second French businessman explained, “It is difficult to deny that

the Japanese take time to reach a decision, however this is by no means a reflection of

inefficiency. Rather, it has to do with a difference in the decision making process.”

He then went on to give an example. “Let’s say you have a financial budget of 500,000 yen.

You’re looking to request the work of an outside company and have two months to complete

the task. Imagine that you have the option of considering four different companies. Company

A estimates that it can complete the work in two months for 500,000 yen. Company B

estimates 2.5 months at 480,000 yen. Company C estimates two months at 490,000 yen.

Lastly, company D estimates over a course of a month and a half that it can complete the

project for 50,000 yen.

“In the case of the French company, company A and B would be dismissed as possible

contenders almost immediately, with only C and D remaining. However, from a Japanese

perspective one would consider each company on their individual merits. Increase the

budget by 500,000 yen or extend the work for an extra two weeks, are factors that would

also enter into the consideration process. Ultimately, the priority lies with the company that

provides the best service. Therefore for the Japanese, the entire decision making process

takes considerably longer.”

Theoretically, calculating one’s budget and the completion period also takes time. The

French therefore view paying too much attention to which company to use a waste of time.

In other words, a French company treats the job at hand with great importance and upon

reaching a decision is reticent to negotiate or return to a previous deliberation process.

However by looking back on their decisions and considering how it could affect the overall

result, the Japanese demonstrate a clear focus on the end result rather than the decision-

making process itself.

This same French businessman mentioned that after actually having worked with the

Japanese, what the lecture taught him was correct. “I can’t help but admire the spirit with

which the Japanese strive for high quality.”

5. Alcohol allows many Japanese to reveal their true thoughts; however drinking with business colleagues is also regarded as work.From a Western perspective, a beer with your work colleagues after a hard day’s work is

only something that you do with those you are close with. However, from the lecture, it is

recommended for anyone working in Japan to make a positive effort to go drinking with your



sub-ordinates. The reason being that alcohol helps us relax and allows us to share opinions

that we keep to ourselves in the work place. During the daytime conference meeting, a

subordinate may have seemed to agree with a particular decision, but after a few drinks it

becomes clear that his feelings couldn’t be more to the contrary.

The English businessman added another comment about what he learned from the lecture.

“It’s not like you’re in a company meeting saying all these things. Speaking what’s on your

mind doesn’t hinder your reputation and it certainly doesn’t make any one get mad at you.”

Returning back to the French businessman’s comments: “I’ve worked in many countries

before but there are only two business cultures that stand out as being so remarkably

different. One of them is India. The other one is Japan. From the way people work, the

process of decision making and the fine attention to detail, there are many things to be

learned from Japan’s business world.”

Admittedly not all these Japanese business traits can be applied to the Japanese youth of

today, but after hearing about the lecture from the foreign businessmen the following things

became apparent to me.

Maintaining the aspects of Japanese business deemed as virtuous in the lecture and

discarding of the areas that received criticism can be advantageous. In addition, when

working with colleagues from the western world, being adaptable to alternative working

methods might also be beneficial.

DISCUSSION

1. What’s your opinion about the working culture/condition in Japan?

2. What if this condition happen in Indonesia?

3. What do you think about the culture in our country? Can our employees work well in

Japan?

EXERCISES!

Read the postcard



Hello from Brazil!

April, 5 2013

Dear Sasfica,

I’m having a great time in Sao Paulo. It’s

really nice today-sunny and warm. But

yesterday it was cloudy and a little cold.

I started staying with my host family last

nights. In total, I’ll stay with them for three

nights. They have a daughter, Manu, who is

the same age as me. I was worried, but they

all speak great English. We talk about music

and movies, and we even like the same

ones!

How are things at school? If you have time,

we can video chat next weekend. I want to

hear how everyone is. The month will be

over before I know it!

Leah

Sansfica Salazar

1785 Old Maple Lane

Hollywood, CA 72013

Air mail

Write the correct word(s) to complete the sentences!

1. ………………….. is in Brazil right now

2. She’s staying with her host family for ……………. More nights

3. Leah and ……….. are the same age.

4. On April 4, the weather was …………….

5. Leah is going to be gone for ………………….

PAIR WORK

Discuss the Question

1. When do most people write postcard, and to whom do they send them?

2. Do we need to make small talk when we write postcards? Give reasons for your

answer/

3. What kinds of personal information should you not write on a postcard?



DaftarPustakahttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening-skills-practice/work

http://www.ielts-mentor.com/reading-sample/academic-reading/29-ielts-academic-reading-

Azar, Betty. 1989. Understanding English Grammar and Usage . New Jersey: Prentice Hall,

Inc.

Richards, Jack, C. 2013. Speak Now. Communicate with Confidence. Oxford: Oxford

University Press

Whitby, Norman. 2013. Business Benchmark. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.



http://www.ielts-mentor.com/reading-sample/academic-reading/29-ielts-academic-reading-

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening-skills-practice/work

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