GLOBALISATION GENERATES RISKS FOR BUSINESS
NTERNATIONAL businesses believe they are not fully prepared to handle a growing number of threats in an increasingly volatile global marketplace, according to a report published by leading business risk consultancy Control Risks Group. According to the company's annual assessment of risks facing international business, globalization and the development of communications technologies have precipitated significant concerns among executives concerning risks, including organised crime, terrorism, internal fraud, corruption and direct action by pressure groups. Globalisation has also exacerbated many pre-existing, low-probability, high-impact risks, such as kidnappings. These concerns were revealed through a business survey, conducted by the Industrial Research Bureau, of US and European companies about attitudes to risk and risk management among international business development directors. “Although executives see globalisation as a driving force behind unprecedented opportunities internationally, there is real apprehension about a plethora of risks that may stand in their way,” according to Richard Fenning, Director of Control Risks New York, who released the report at a press conference today in Washington DC. “Anything from international sanctions, terrorism and currency devaluation, to extortion and kidnapping.” According to the survey, a significant majority (68%) of those US executives polled believe that globalisation generates more risk for investors. Additionally, the survey indicated that businesses expect to be increasingly forced to address the challenge of reputational risks. Business development executives are firmly placing consumer activism, corruption, and human rights on their agendas. The survey revealed shareholder action as the most critical reputational risk; kidnap as the most significant security risk; and international sanctions as the foremost political risk. Most respondents of the survey considered risks to be increasing in Russia and the former Soviet Union, with sophisticated fraud, corruption and organised crime as the driving factors. Interestingly, 76% of those polled considered the risks to be static or decreasing in the Middle East; 59% of respondents had the same feeling about North Africa; and 67% held a similar view about Latin America (excluding Brazil) where — with some clear exceptions — political and economic issues have replaced security as the prime source of risk over the past decade. “Although traditional risks, such as political and extremist terrorism, are decreasing in incidence — yet not impact — problems such as organised and petty crime are likely to present a specific and harder range of risks than previously,” said Martin Stone, Head of Research for Control Risks. From PR Newswire
TEST 1 (-ING / TO+INFINITIVE) 1. Is there anything in that new magazine worth....? a) to read b) reading
2. Although I was in a hurry, I stopped.... to him. a) to talk b) talking
3. I really must stop..... a) to smoke b) smoking
4. Would you mind.... the front door? a) to close b) closing
5. You should remember.... him. He'll be at home. a) to phone b) phoning 6. All parts of London seem.... to different towns and epochs. a) to belong b) belonging
7. Do you enjoy....? a) to teach b) teaching
8. Why have you stopped? Go on..... a) to read b) reading
9. The teacher asked us some questions and went on..... us about the climate of England. a) to tell b) telling
10. When we had finished...., the waiter brought the bill. a) to eat b) eating
11. My elder brother went to college, and I hope.... there too a) to go b) going
12. My car needs a service badly, and Tom offered... me with it. a) to help b) helping
13. Avoid.... and you'll feel better soon. a) to overeat b) overeating
14. I can't help.... about that awful accident. a) to think b) thinking
15. The Brains want... Boston this week. a) to leave for b) leaving for
16. I'll always remember.... you for the first time. a) to meet b) meeting TEST 2 (-ING / TO + INFINITIVE / INFINITIVE) 1.She always avoids …..decisions. a) making b) to make c) make d) from making
2. Do you object ……on Sundays? a) to work b) be working c) to working d) working
3. Mary needs …….her grades if she wants to get into graduate school. a) to rise b) to.rose c) to raise d) to risen
4. I think he'll admit to …… involved in the business. a) had b) had been c) have been d) has been
5. She decisively refused ….. back to the hospital. a) go b) going c) to going d) to go
6. Don't hesitate …… if you need my help. a) to contacting b) contacting c) to contact d) be contacting
7. The price was much more than we expected ……. a) paying b) to pay c) pay d) for paying
8. He says he hopes………… them the other day. a) would see b) seeing c) to see d) see
9. Do you deny………… there at 6.15? a) be b) to be c) being d) was
10. Finally, the boss consented ……. the transaction. a) to okay b) okay c) okaying d) for okaying
11. He thinks……… his own business. a) of starting b) to start c) starting d) start
12. She could not sleep without ….. to him once more. a) seeing and talking b) to see and talk c) see and talk d) have seen and talked
13. She suggested ……… together. a) to travel b) traveling c) to traveling d) travel I
14. Why not let me finish ……… her and you go shopping? a) feeding b) feed c) to feed d) fed
15. The Committee recommends……… public spending. a) cutting b) for cutting c) cut d) to cut TEST 3 (-ING / TO + INFINITIVE / INFINITIVE) 1. Paul's cousin was twenty-five, but she was exceptionally naive, and, at first failed …… what was up. a) realize b) realizing c) to realize d) to realizing
2. He enjoyed ……… of her as his future wife. a) thinking. b) to think c) think d) in thinking
3. They were looking forward ……… in the occasion a) to participate b) participate c) participating d) to participating
4. I didn't feel like…… them there. a) seeing b) to see c) about seeing d) see
5. I'm afraid you risk ……… your job. a) to lose b) losing c) of losing d) lose
6. It may be worth ……… an ad in the local paper. a) putting b) of putting c) to put d) put
7. We……… together. a) used to working b) are used to work c) used to work d) got used to work
8. We managed …… the discrepancy of the data. a) in eliminating b) eliminating c) eliminate d) to eliminate
9. Prices tend ……… this time of the year. a) raise b) to raise c) to rise d) raising
10. I did not want to see him, so I pretended ……… asleep. a) being b) of being c) to be d) be
11. Soon you'll appreciate ………… a swimming pool nearby. a) having b) to have c) have d) of having
12. He is most likely………. at work. a) being b) be c) to be d) to being
13. He succeeded ……… her stay for another three days. a) to make b) of making c) in making d) make
14. The walls need………. a) painting b) to paint c) be painted d) in painting
15. Would you mind……… a week or two? a) waiting b) to wait c) wait d) to waiting
TEST 4 (-ING / TO + INFINITIVE / INFINITIVE) 1.Icouldn't help……. her everything. a) telling b) to tell c) tell d) but to tell
2. We are all looking forward…….. you this month. a) to meeting b) meet c) to meet d) meeting
3. He claimed ……. a president. a) to be b) be c) to being d) being
4. Is it worth ……… it all over again? a) starting b) of starting c) in starting d) to start
5. Workers who broke the strike risk ……… when they left the factory. a) being attacked b) to be attacked c) to attack d) be attacked
6. I wouldn't tolerate……… like that. a) being treated b) to be treated c) to being treated d) to treat
7. Negotiators have not succeeded ……… a cease-fire. a) to establish b) in establishing c) on establishing d) establish
8. She tends ………… in other people's business. a) interfere b) to interfering c) interfering d) to interfere
9. She was used ……. on television. a) to be b) be c) being d) to being
10. It will help you avoid ………… sick while traveling. a) getting b) from getting c) to get d) got
11. I waited until she had finished ……. before telling them the truth. a) speak b) to speaking c) to speak d) speaking
12. They suggested …… the terms of the agreement a) reconsidering b) reconsider c) reconsider d) about reconsidering
13…………… my coat carefully on the bed, I crept towards the door. a) lying b) laying c) lieing d) lain
14. I quit …… her when it got obvious she'd never accept. a) to ask b) ask c) asking d) to asking
15. I chose……. his words. a) ignoring b) of to ignore c) to ignore d) to ignorance TEST 5 (COMPLEX OBJECT) 1. Teddy's words made me ……. uncomfortable. a) to feel b) feeling c) feel
2. Mrs. Pottson allowed her guests …….. in the living-room. a) to smoke b) smoking c) smoke
3. Has the secretary come yet? I want to have my papers ……... a) to type b) type c) typed
4. I watched my cat ……… with her kittens. I couldn't tear myself away from that funny sight. a) played b) playing c) to play
5. Granny didn't want my Mom ……. my Dad. a) marry b) to marry c) married
6. Our English teacher told us ……… shy and speak English as much as possible. a) not to feel b) not feel c) felt
7. I have to get my photograph …….. for a new passport. a) took b) take c) taken
8. There wasn't much traffic in the street. I saw a little girl ……. the road. a) crossed b) cross c) to cross
9. I have never heard Helen ……….. a) sang b) sings c) singing 10. Mary would like her brother ……… Tom's company. a) to avoid b) avoid c) avoided
11. We expected the Harrisons ……… later than usual. a) to arrive b) arrive c) arrived
12. What makes you ……. such rash actions? a) do b) to do c) doing
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