III. Read the following text and say what the numbers below stand for.
14 630 1918 366,937 114,000,000,000 Panasonic The Panasonic Corporation is a Japanese multinational consumer electronics corporation. It is based in Osaka, Japan. It specializes in electronics manufacturing and produces goods under a variety of names including Panasonic and Technics. Panasonic started in 1918 first selling duplex lamp sockets.It operated factories in Japan and other parts of Asia through the end of World War II. Today it is one of the largest electronics manufacturers in the world, along with its main competitors Sony and Toshiba, with annual sales of about $ 114 billion. There are currently more than 630 companies including the parent company and its subsidiaries. 366,937 employees work for the corporation worldwide. Panasonic consists of 14 business domain companies. Each company has its own production and sales divisions that respond to its own business segment, such as home appliances, office equipment, healthcare products, industrial equipment, original equipment for automobile brands such as Toyota, Honda and Subaru, and other electronic and consumer products. The photographic cameras launched by Panasonic are still on top along with other giants like Sony, and their professional cameras are the best. In addition to electronics, Panasonic offers non-electronic products and services such as home renovation services. IV. Match the words from the text with their definitions.
V. Fill the gaps with a suitable word or phrase. Consists of, extensive renovations, goods, business segment, multinational, equipment, division, variety, business domains, provide services, launched, home appliances, respond to.
1. The shop sells a large ……………… of ……………… ……………… from TV-sets to washing machines to electronic clocks. 2. Having 30 % of the market, the company is the leader in its ……………… ………………. 3. Panasonic is a large ……………… corporation operating all over the world. 4. The corporation ……………… ……………… 630 companies which ……………… ……………… a number of ……………… ……………… according to their main activities. 5. The advertising ……………… has ……………… a new brand of breakfast cereals onto the market. The brand is a big success. 6. The company’s head office is located in an old historical building which needs extensive ………………. 7. We produce industrial ……………… for car manufacturers and ……………… after-sale ………………. 8. The retailer offers a 25% discount on all electrical ……………… until the end of the week.
VI. Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of company is the Panasonic Corporation? 2. What does it produce? 3. Where is its head office? 4. Where does Panasonic operate? 5. What is the company’s structure? Which business domains is it active in? 6. What are the company’s main competitors? VII. Discussion points. Work with your partner to discuss the following questions:
1) Do you own any Panasonic products? If yes, what are they? Do you like them? If not, which Panasonic product would you like to have? 2) Please explain what a multinational company is? 3) What other world famous companies do you know? What do they produce? 4) Look at the two profiles below. Choose one of the companies and tell your partner about it using the information in the profile.
Grammar
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