BEC-2 Reading Exercise(3)

    Questions 15-19

    Read the text below about the management of documents.

    Choose the best sentence from the opposite page to fill each of the gaps.

    For each gap 15-19, mark one letter (A-H) to complete the sentences.

    Do not use any letter more than once.

    How do you improve white collar productivity?

    For many years technological development was thought to be the key to improving productivity in the office. In the 1980s cheap small computers first appeared on desktops. Since then, these machines have caused a revolution in the way we work in the office.

    The power of personal computers has increased dramatically and uses of software have expanded too. Companies both large and small have spent large sums of money on improving office computer facilities.15)____. It seems that business has failed to apply the developments in technology to greater effect to increase the amount of time which office workers have available for non-routine tasks. To do this we need to understand how information is processed in business ventures.

    Typically information is first gathered, then processed and finally produced in its changed form as output. 16)____. Increasingly complex programs have been invented to feed ever more powerful processing systems.

    But what about output? A recent study by an American management institute shows that the processing of documents takes up 60% of office workers' time, 40% of labour costs and up to 10% of business income. 17)____. In fact, the international companies studied for the research show that this breakdown is true world-wide, wherever the company operates.

    Taking these findings into account, the management of documents has become extremely important. Documents support nearly all business transactions. They are increasingly the way to communicate with customers, suppliers and employees. It is therefore upon document output and distribution that we should focus. 18)____.

    Unfortunately technological developments in equipment for document management seem more impressive than they really are. 19)____. New technological solutions are needed to tackle the problem, to help drive businesses forward to improve their productivity and output.

    Only now are we beginning to study business objectives and to structure technology to suit them. Our company is attempting to understand how people use technology and how it can be applied to business problems.

    15.

    16.

    17.

    18.

    19.

    A.These new methods of handling paperwork have already greatly improved efficiency.

    B.This would be a key way of improving white collar productivity.

    C.It will help them to make better use of all office employees.

    D.However this enormous investment has not improved productivity as expected.

    E.Laser printers have many limitations and photocopiers have few applications.

    F.Most technology has concentrated its attention on the first two of these stages.

    G.These figures are hardly surprising since documents convey nine-tenths of all information.

    H.Nevertheless it is an important way to improve business processes and workflow.