新世紀(jì)商務(wù)英語(yǔ)綜合教程2-Unit3

u3ActivationActivation_main

Whatistheroleofuniversity?ThemeoftheUnitWhatdoyouexpecttoachievefromuniversitystudy?23133ActivationActivation_1.1Whichofthefollowingwouldyouagreeabout“education"?Wecannotalwaysbuildthefutureforouryouth,butwecanbuildouryouthforthefuture.—FranklinD.RooseveltTheonlypersonwhoiseducatedistheonewhohaslearnedhowtolearnandchange.

—CarlRogersGiveamanafishandyoufeedhimforaday.Teachamantofishandfeedhimalifetime.—ChineseproverbActivationActivation_1.2Menarebornignorant,notstupid;theyaremadestupidbyeducation.—BertrandRussellEducationwouldbesomuchmoreeffectiveifitspurposeweretoensurethatbythetimetheyleaveschooleveryboyandgirlshouldknowhowmuchtheydon'tknow,andbeimbuedwithalifelongdesiretoknowit.—SirWilliamHaleyActivationActivation_2.1Whatdoyouthinkistheroleofuniversity?educateresearchteachknowledgehelpfindajobimpartinformationtrainskillsbroadenhorizonActivationActivation_2.1Whatdoyouexpecttoachievefromuniversitystudy?degree,certificateknowledgejobopportunityfriendssocialstatusfindtruthDetailedReadingTextI_warmup1Warm-upBackgroundTEXTIWhatkindofpeopleshoulduniversityproduce?LookatthefollowingpeoplementionedinTextI.Whatdoyouthinktheyhaveincommon?Whatrolesdoesauniversityplayinturningoutthesepeople?businessmenmenofscienceprofessionalmendoctorspresidentsoflargecorporationsstatesmenmenofletterspriestslawyersTextI_warmup2DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIWhatqualitiesdobusinessmenshare?Howaboutdoctors?Trytomakeacomparison.TextI_BG_main

DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIAbouttheAuthor—AlfredNorthWhitehead1861－1947BritishmathematicianandphilosophertaughtprincipallyattheUniversityofCambridgeandHarvardUniversitycollaboratedwithBertrandRussellontheepochalPrincipiaMathematicaTextI_BG_1DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIWhiteheadwasalsoanimportantsocialandeducationalphilosopher.HisthoughtresemblesmuchinthephilosophyofJohnDewey.HispopularwritingsincludeScienceandtheModernWorld,AdventuresofIdeas,ProcessandReality,andTheAimsofEducation.TextI_DR_1DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIUniversitiesandTheirFunctionTheuniversitiesareschoolsofeducation,andschoolsofresearch.Buttheprimaryreasonfortheirexistenceisnottobefoundeitherinthemereknowledgeconveyedtothestudentsorinthemereopportunitiesforresearchaffordedtothemembersofthefaculty.AlfredNorthWhiteheadTextI_DR_2DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIThejustificationforauniversityisthatitpreservestheconnectionbetweenknowledgeandthezestoflife,byunitingtheyoungandtheoldintheimaginativeconsiderationoflearning.Theuniversityimpartsinformation,butitimpartsitimaginatively.Atleast,thisisthefunctionwhichitshouldperformforsociety.Auniversitywhichfailsinthisrespecthasnoreasonforexistence.Thisatmosphereofexcitement,arisingfromimaginativeconsideration,transformsknowledge.Afactisnolongerabarefact:itis

investedwithallitspossibilities.Itisnolongeraburdenonthememory:itisenergizingasthepoetofourdreams,andasthearchitectofourpurposes.TextI_DR_3DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIImaginationisnottobedivorcedfromthefacts:itisawayofilluminatingthefacts.Itworksbyelicitingthegeneralprincipleswhichapplytothefacts,astheyexist,andthenbyanintellectualsurveyofalternativepossibilitieswhichareconsistentwiththoseprinciples.Itenablesmentoconstructanintellectualvisionofanewworld,anditpreservesthezestoflifebythesuggestionofsatisfyingpurposes.Youthisimaginative,andiftheimaginationbestrengthenedbydisciplinethisenergyofimaginationcaningreatmeasurebepreservedthroughlife.Thetragedyoftheworldisthatthosewhoareimaginativehavebutslightexperience,andthosewhoareexperiencedhavefeeble

imaginations.TextI_DR_4DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIimaginations.Foolsactonimaginationwithoutknowledge;pedantsactonknowledgewithoutimagination.Thetaskofauniversityistoweldtogetherimaginationandexperience.Thesereflectionsuponthegeneralfunctionsofauniversitycanbeatoncetranslatedintermsoftheparticularfunctionsofabusinessschool.Weneednotflinchfromtheassertionthatthemainfunctionofsuchaschoolistoproducemenwithagreaterzestforbusiness.Inasimplerworld,businessrelationsweresimpler,beingbasedontheimmediatecontactofmanwithmanandonimmediateconfrontationwithallrelevantmaterialcircumstances.TodaybusinessorganizationrequiresanimaginativegraspofthepsychologiesofpopulationsengagedTextI_DR_5DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIindifferingmodesofoccupation;ofpopulationsscatteredthroughcities,throughmountains,throughplains;ofpopulationsontheocean,andofpopulationsinmines,andofpopulationsinforests.Itrequiresanimaginativegraspofconditionsinthetropics,andofconditionsintemperatezones.Itrequiresanimaginativegraspoftheinterlockinginterestsofgreatorganizations,andofthereactionsofthewholecomplextoanychangeinoneofitselements.Itrequiresanimaginativeunderstandingoflawsofpoliticaleconomy,notmerelyintheabstract,butalsowiththepowertoconstruethemintermsoftheparticularcircumstancesofaconcretebusiness.Itrequiressomeknowledgeofthehabitsofgovernment,andofthevariationsofthosehabitsTextI_DR_6DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIunderdiverseconditions.Itrequiresanimaginativevisionofthebindingforcesofanyhumanorganization,asympatheticvisionofthelimitsofhumannatureandoftheconditionswhichevokeloyaltyofservice.Itrequiressomeknowledgeofthelawsofhealth,andofthelawsoffatigue,andoftheconditionsforsustainedreliability.Itrequiresanimaginativeunderstandingofthesocialeffectsoftheconditionsoffactories.Itrequiresasufficientconceptionoftheroleofappliedscienceinmodernsociety.Itrequiresthatdisciplineofcharacterwhichcansay"yes"and"no"toothermen,notbyreasonofblindobstinacy,butwithfirmnessderivedfromaconsciousevaluationofrelevantalternatives.TextI_DR_7DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTITheuniversitieshavetrainedtheintellectualpioneersofourcivilization—thepriests,thelawyers,thestatesmen,thedoctors,themenofscience,andthemenofletters.Theconductofbusinessnowrequiresintellectualimaginationofthesametypeasthatwhichinformertimeshasmainlypassedintothoseotheroccupations.

Thereisonegreatdifficultywhichhampersallthehighertypesofhumanendeavor.Inmoderntimesthisdifficultyhasevenincreasedinitspossibilitiesforevil.Inanylargeorganizationtheyoungermen,whoarenovices,mustbesettojobswhichconsistincarryingoutfixeddutiesinobediencetoorders.Nopresidentofalargecorporationcorporationmeetshisyoungestemployeeathisofficedoorwiththeofferofthemostresponsiblejobwhichtheworkofthatcorporationincludes.Theyoungmenaresettoworkatafixedroutine,andonlyoccasionallyevenseethepresidentashepassesinandoutofthebuilding.Suchworkisagreatdiscipline.Itimpartsknowledge,anditproducesreliabilityofcharacter;alsoitistheonlyworkforwhichtheyoungmen,inthatnovicestage,arefit,anditistheworkforwhichtheyarehired.Therecanbenocriticismofthecustom,buttheremaybeanunfortunateeffect—prolongedroutineworkdullstheimagination.TextI_DR_8DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTITextI_DR_9DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIThewayinwhichauniversityshouldfunctioninthepreparationforanintellectualcareer,suchasmodernbusinessoroneoftheolderprofessions,isbypromotingtheimaginativeconsiderationofthevariousgeneralprinciplesunderlyingthatcareer.Itsstudentsthuspassintotheirperiodoftechnicalapprenticeshipwiththeirimaginationsalreadypracticedinconnectingdetailswithgeneralprinciples.Theroutinethenreceivesitsmeaning,andalsoilluminatestheprincipleswhichgiveitthatmeaning.Hence,insteadofadrudgeryissuinginablindruleofthumb,theproperlytrainedmanhassomehopeofobtaininganimaginationdisciplinedbydetailedfactsandbynecessaryhabits.Thustheproperfunctionofauniversityistheimaginativeacquisitionofknowledge.Apartfromthisimportanceoftheimagination,thereisnoreasonwhybusinessmen,andotherprofessionalmen,shouldnotpickuptheirfactsbitbybitastheywantthemforparticularoccasion.Auniversityisimaginativeoritisnothing—atleastnothinguseful.TextI_DR_10DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIFoolsactDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIFoolsactonimaginationwithoutknowledge;pedantsactonknowledgewithoutimagination.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Sillypeopledowhattheythinkbutsincetheyhavenoknowledge,theycanhardlyrealizetheirthought;thosewhogostrictlybythebook,ontheotherhand,lacktheabilityofimagination.FoolsactDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIWeneednotflinchfromtheassertionthatthemainfunctionofsuchaschoolistoproducemenwithagreaterzestforbusiness.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Thereisnoshameinclaiming/declaringthatthefunctionofsuchaschoolistoproducebusinesspeoplewithgreatenthusiasm.ItrequiresanDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIItrequiresanimaginativegraspoftheinterlockinginterestsofgreatorganizations,andofthereactionsofthewholecomplextoanychangeinoneofitselements.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Todayinordertorunabusinesssuccessfully,onehastodevelopagoodunderstandingoftheadaptationsmadebythelargecorporationasawholetomeetthenewconditionsinoneofitsbranches.ItrequiresthatDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIItrequiresthatdisciplineofcharacterwhichcansay"yes"and"no"toothermen,notbyreasonofblindobstinacy,butwithfirmnessderivedfromaconsciousevaluationofrelevantalternatives.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Thereisaneedforcharactertrainingsothatwhentheymakedecisions,theyhavedeterminationandstrongbeliefwhichcomefromasoberconsiderationofrelatedchoicesandpossibilities,andtheyarenotgivingconsentornegationsimplyoutofunreasonablestubbornness.TheconductofDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTITheconductofbusinessnowrequiresintellectualimaginationofthesametypeasthatwhichinformertimeshasmainlypassedintothoseotheroccupations.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Themanagementofamodernbusinessdemandsitsemployeestoacquirethecapacitytoapplytheirknowledgeimaginatively,whichusedtobetheabilitycultivatedinotherprofessions.ThereisoneDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIThereisonegreatdifficultywhichhampersallthehighertypesofhumanendeavor.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Onegreatdifficultycanrestricthumanbeingsfrommakingprogress,orachievements.TherecanbenoDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTITherecanbenocriticismofthecustom,buttheremaybeanunfortunateeffect—prolongedroutineworkdullstheimagination.Canyouparaphrasethesentence?Thecontinuingusualornormalwayofworkinginacorporationtendstoblunt,orsuffocatetheimaginativepower/maketheimaginationlesssharpandclear.actonDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIacton:toregulateone'sbehaviorinaccordancewith(advice,information,etc.)Themanagerrefusedtoactonthehotelguest'scomplaints.flinchDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIflinch:v.todrawback,shrinkfromsthunpleasant,dangerousHetoldparentstorespecttheirchildrenbutnottoflinchfrominsistingthatthisrespectbereturned.Heneverflinchedfromdoinghisduty.assertionDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIassertion:n.apositivestatementordeclaration,oftenwithoutsupportorreasonanunwarrantedassertionTheotherassertion—thatmonetaryexpansionisn'tdoinganything—iswrong,

orisatleastpremature.另一個(gè)斷言，即貨幣擴(kuò)張沒(méi)有起到任何作用，這一觀點(diǎn)是錯(cuò)誤的，至少是不夠成熟的。justificationDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIjustification:n.agoodandacceptablereasonThereisnomoraljustification

forchiefexecutives'beingpaidhundredsoftimesmorethanordinaryemployees.justifyDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIjustify:v.tojustifysthbysth

Eachnationseekstojustify

warfarebycreatingamonstrousimageofitsenemy.Youractionwastotallyjustifiedbythecircumstances.tojustifysthtosbIcanjustifyyouractiontonoone.Doyouknowthisproverb:Theendjustifiesthemeans.Youcanusebadorimmoralmethodsaslongasyouaccomplishsomethinggoodbyusingthem.(Noteveryoneagreeswiththisidea.)Doyouagreewiththeproverb?interlockingDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIinterlocking:a.mutuallyconnectedSyn.

interlinking,interlacing,interwovencomplexDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIcomplex:n.1)awholemadeupofcomplicatedorinterrelatedpartsacomplexofwelfareprogramsthemilitary-industrialcomplex 2)abuildingorgroupofbuildingshousingrelatedunitsanapartmentcomplexasportscomplexbyreasonofDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIbyreasonof:onaccountof;becauseofHewasconsultedabouttheproblembyreasonofhislongexperience.derivedfromDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIderivedfrom:totracefromasourceororiginFromtheexperienceofthepastwederive

instructivelessonsforthefuture.preserveDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIpreserve:v.tokeepup;maintaintopreservehistoricalmonumentspreservation:n.theactivityofprotectingsthfromlossordangerThepreservation

ofnaturalsoundsinournationalparksisarelativelynewandstillevolvingproject.preservative:n.achemicalsubstanceusedtopreservefoodsorotherorganicmaterialsfromdecompositionorfermentationhamperDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIhamper:v.tomakeitdifficultforsbtodosthAnattempttorescuethemenhasbeenhamperedbybadweather.Syn.

hinder,impede,thwartinvestwithDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIbeinvestedwith:tohaveaparticularqualityorcharacter;tobeofficiallygivenpowertodosthThemilitarygovernorhasbeeninvestedwithfullauthority.Theoldruinswereinvestedwithromance.Inhispoems,everydayrealityisinvestedwithasenseofwonderanddelight.bedivorcedfromDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIdivorce:v.

(~from)separatesb/sthfromsthAmericaneedtodivorce

thepracticeofmedicinefromthebusinessofmedicine,toseeaseachangeinthisarea.Syn.

dissociate,divide,disconnect,split,disjoinYoucan'tdivorcesciencefromethicalquestions.illuminateDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIilluminate:v.tomakeeasilyunderstood;clarifyCouldyouilluminateyouranswerwithalittlemoredetail?n.illustrationapictureinabook,article,etc.,esp.onethathelpsyoutounderstanditelicitDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIelicit:v.togetinformationorareactionfromsb,oftenwithdifficultyTheirappealforfundsdidn'telicitmuchofaresponse.Aftermuchquestioning,heelicitedthetruthfromtheboy.suggestionDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIsuggestion:n.1.communicationofanideawithoutstatingitdirectlythesuggestionofhisguilt2.aslightamountortraceofstha.suggestiveasuggestionofanIrishaccent(fml)givingideaTheamplifiedsoundsaresuggestiveofdolphinschattingtoeachotherunderthesea.feebleDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIfeeble:a.1.lackingstrengthorforce;frailYou'llfindyourgrandfatherisalotfeeblerthanwhenyoulastsawhim.2.weak,silly;notwellthoughtoutafeeblesuggestion/excusetranslateDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTItranslate:v.tochangesthintoanewform,esp.,toturnaplanintorealitySohowdoesthistheorytranslateintopracticalpolicy?Thewaysofworkingthathehadlearntatcollegedidnottranslatewell(werenotsuitable)totheworldofbusiness.translatesthassth:todecidethatwords,behaviororactionsmeanaparticularthingHemumbledsomethingwhichItranslatedasagreement.construeDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIconstrue:v.1.toanalyzethearrangementandconnectionofwordsin(asentenceorsentencepart)2.tounderstandorexplainthesenseorintentionof,usuallyinaparticularwayorwithrespecttoagivensetofcircumstancesHemistakenlyconstruedmyactionsashostile.Myremarkshavebeenwronglyconstrued.underlieDetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIunderlie:v.tobeahiddencauseormeaningofIthinkalackofconfidenceunderlieshisaggressivemanner.Theunderlyingmessageofthereportwasquiteoptimistic.cf.underline:v.togiveforceto(anidea,feeling,etc.,whichhasbeenexpressedorshown);toemphasize(underscore)Sheunderlinedherdisapprovaloftheproceedingsbywalkingout.issue1DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIissue:v.1.toofficiallymakeastatement,giveanorder,warning,etc.Silvaissuedastatementdenyingallknowledgeoftheaffair.2.toofficiallyproducesth

issueacommemorativesetof8-fenstampsissueanorder/apassport/permit/visa3.giveissuewinterclothingtotroopsissue2DetailedReadingWarm-upBackgroundTEXTIn.Whatcollocationsdoyouknowaboutissue?toraiseanissue(saythatanissueshouldbediscussed)toaddressanissue(discussordealwithanissue)toresolveanissuetoavoid/dodge/duck/evadeanissue(avoiddiscussinganissue)toconfuse/cloudanissue (makeanissuemoredifficultbytalkingaboutthingsnotrelatedtoit)animportant/key/major/bigissueathorny/vexedissue(difficultissue)acomplexissueasensitiveissuepolitical/social/economic/environmentalissuesBackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_mainWhatdoyouknowabout“l(fā)eadership"?HaveyouheardofHarvardBusinessSchool?HaveyouheardofCaseMethod?Canyounamesomewell-knownalumniofyouruniversity?TEXTIIBackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_1.1HaveyouheardofCaseMethod?TEXTIISomebusinessschoolscentertheirteachingaroundtheuseofcasestudies.Ithasbeenusedingraduateandundergraduatebusinesseducationfornearlyonehundredyears.WhenHarvardBusinessSchoolwasfounded,thefacultyquicklyrealizedthattherewerenotextbookssuitabletoagraduateprograminbusiness.Theirfirstsolutiontothisproblemwastointerviewleadingpractitionersofbusinessandtowritedetailedaccountsofwhatthesemanagersweredoing.TheprofessorsinstructedtheirstudentstoreadthecasesandtocometoclasspreparedtodiscussthecasesandtoBackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_1.2TEXTIIcasesandtoofferrecommendationsforappropriatecoursesofaction.Basicallythatisthemodelstillbeingused.Nowthedescriptioncanbea(real)caseoraproblemof2—50pagestakenfromthestudents'occupationalarea.Itcansometimesincludeavideo,etc.BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_2.1HaveyouheardofHarvardBusinessSchool?TEXTIIknownasHBSoneofgraduateschoolsofHarvardfoundedin1908topbusinessschoolsintheworldmonthlyHarvardBusinessReviewthefirstbusinessschooltoofferadegreecalledthe"MBA"BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_3.1Whatdoyouknowabout“l(fā)eadership"?TEXTIITheprocessofsocialinfluenceinwhichapersoncanenlisttheaidandsupportofothersintheaccomplishmentofanobjectiveanddirectstheorganizationinawaythatmakesitmorecohesiveandcoherent.IntegrityRelationshipsMagnanimitySense

ofhumorDecision-makingEmpathyBackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_3.2TEXTIIVision/strategy

PersuasionMotivationCoaching

anddevelopmentCreativityDedicationCommunication

Adaptability

Teamwork

Planning

Thefollowingaresomecharactersaleaderissupposedtohave.Guesswhatarethey?BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_BG_4Canyounamesomewell-knownalumniofyouruniversity?TEXTIIAnalumnus(pl.alumni)accordingtotheAmericanHeritageDictionaryis"amalegraduateorformerstudentofaschool,college,oruniversity."Inaddition,analumna(pl.alumnae)is"awomangraduateorformerstudentofaschool,college,oruniversity."BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTextII_DR_1TEXTIITheCaseMethodofHarvardBusinessSchoolThegoalofHarvardBusinessSchoolistopreparestudentsforthechallengesofleadership.Webelievethatthecasemethodisbyfarthemostpowerfulwaytolearntheskillsrequiredtomanage,andtolead.Thecasemethodforcesstudentstograpplewithexactlythekindsofdecisionsanddilemmasmanagersconfronteveryday.Indoingso,itredefinesthetraditionaleducationaldynamicinwhichtheprofessordispensesknowledgeandstudentspassivelyreceiveit.Thecasemethodcreatesaclassroominwhichstudentssucceednotbysimplyabsorbingfactsandtheories,butalsobyexercisingtheskillsofleadershipandteamworkinthefaceofrealproblems.UnderTextII_DR_2BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIItheskillfulguidanceofafacultymember,theyworktogethertoanalyzeandsynthesizeconflictingdataandpointsofview,todefineandprioritizegoals,topersuadeandinspireotherswhothinkdifferently,tomaketoughdecisionswithuncertaininformation,andtoseizeopportunityinthefaceofdoubt.PioneeredbyHBSfacultyinthe1920s,thecasemethodbeganasawayofimportingslicesofbusinessrealityintotheclassroominordertobreathelifeandinstillgreatermeaningintothelessonsofmanagementeducation.Today,althoughwealsomakeuseoflectures,simulations,fieldwork,andotherformsofteachingasappropriate,morethan80percentofHBSclassesarebuiltonthecasemethod.TextII_DR_3BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIIWhatisanHBSCase?Typically,anHBScaseisadetailedaccountofareal-lifebusinesssituation,describingthedilemmaofthe"protagonist"—arealpersonwitharealjobwhoisconfrontedwitharealproblem.Facultyandtheirresearchassistantsspendweeksatthecompanythatisthesubjectofthecase,detailingthebackgroundofthesituation,theimmediateproblemordecision,andtheperspectivesofthemanagersinvolved.Theresultingcasepresentsthestoryexactlyastheprotagonistsawit,includingambiguousevidence,shiftingvariables,imperfectknowledge,noobviousrightanswers,andatickingclockthatimpatientlydemandsaction.TextII_DR_4BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIICollectively,HBScasescovereveryinchoftherichlandscapeofissuesgeneralmanagersconfront—fromfinanceandmanufacturingtomarketingandhumanresources,fromthebroadlystrategictothedeeplypersonal,fromcompaniesandinstitutionssmallandlarge,fromplacesaroundtheglobe.Theyalsodrawonthefullrangeofknowledgeandanalyticaltoolsbusinessstudentsmustknowtoconfronttheseissues,providingarichcontextfortheirapplication.Thougheverycaseisdifferent,nearlyallcenteronone

overarching

question:Whatshouldtheprotagonistdo?IntheirtwoyearsatHBS,studentsstudymorethan500cases—500chancestojoinwiththeirclassmatestotestthemselvesagainsttherock-hardrealitiesoflifeinbusiness.TextII_DR_5BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIIHowDoestheCaseMethodWork?Everyweek,ourMBAstudentspouroverfourteenorsocases,whichusuallyincludearangeoffinancialandothersupportingdata.Afterspendingacoupleofhoursstudyingeachcaseontheirown,andconductingquantitativeanalysesasappropriate,theytesttheirthinkingbeforeclassinsmallstudygroups.Fromyearsofpreviouseducationalexperience,mostpeopleareaccustomedtolarge,passivelectures,amidstfacestheybarelyknow,andproblemsetswithanunclearrelationshiptoactualbusinesssituations.AtHBS,first-yearsectionsofaboutninetystudentsshareanamphitheatre-styleclassroom,designedexpresslyforthecasemethod,foraboutTextII_DR_6BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIIaboutfourhoursadayfortheentireyear.Byworkingtogetherdailyonawidearrayofrealcases,theynotonlylearnthelessonsofbusinessandmanagement,buttheyoftenforgerelationshipsthatlastalifetime.

Almostinevitably,classbeginswitha"coldcall,"aprovocativequestiontheprofessorposestoonespecificstudenttoopenthecaseandignitethethinkingofthesectionasawhole.Inthecourseofayear,everyMBAstudentiscold-calledatleastonce,andyouneverknowwhenitwillbeyourturn—apowerfulincentivetocometoclassprepared.TextII_DR_7BackgroundListeningDetailedReadingTEXTIIFromthespringboardofthisopeningquestionandtheresponse,theclasscollectivelydivesintoarivetingeightyminutesofanalysis,argument,insight,andpassionatepersuasion.Inmoretraditionalclassrooms,practicallytheonlyvoiceyouhearistheprofessor's.HBSprofessorsaren'tsoloists,butratherconductorswhoeverydayorchestrateastimulatingrapid-firediscussion,playingoffallninetymindsintheroomtoanalyzeandsynthesizethesituation.Sincefiftypercentofeachstudent'sgradedependsonclassparticipation,everyoneisinspiredtocontribute.It'scommonplaceatHBSforyourprofessortobetheauthorofthecaseunderdiscussion.It'salsonotunusualfortheactualcas