全通翻譯/翻譯社

Adidas and Reebok: The Perfect Double-Team?

What do you do when you're the world's second biggest brand but you just can't dislodge the market leader from the top spot? How about acquiring the third-placed player and double-teaming? That's precisely what Adidas did when, in 2005, it purchased the U.S.-based Reebok brand for US$3.8 billion in an attempt to challenge the supremacy of Nike.

>From the beginning there were mixed views of the merger. Reebok's shares rose 30 percent on the back of the move. Adidas execs naturally trumpeted it as the best thing since sliced bread, with CEO Herbert Hainer hailing it as “a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Some analysts, though, were puzzled by the acquisition, believing it would weaken both brands. Initially it looked like the naysayers had been proven right as Adidas continued to perform solidly, but Reebok's revenue declined for three straight years.

Wang Pei-hua — Ace Producer

It may have opened with low ratings, but TTV's television series “The Fierce Wife” has now become so popular that it has helped coin a phrase. Dealing with the fallout from a husband's infidelity, the show introduced the term “little third party” into Taiwan's modern lexicon.

Developing the show's plot from a friend's anecdote, ace television producer Wang Pei-hua successfully turned a cliched theme into a hot topic. Wang is now on the verge of selling the rights to the show and its original screenplay to 16 countries.

Grin and Bear It: Six Benefits of Annoying People

At work and in our personal lives, we all have people who rub us the wrong way. Rather than becoming annoyed, however, there may be something to learn from such people. With a positive attitude, you can use the antics of irritating associates to your benefit.

‧People Skills

看懂原汁原味原文書摘：The Runaway Trolley

Suppose you are the driver of a trolley car hurtling down the track at 60 miles an hour. Up ahead you see five workers standing on the track, tools in hand. You try to stop, but you can't. The brakes don't work. You feel desperate, because you know that if you crash into these five workers, they will all die. (Let's assume you know that for sure.)

Suddenly, you notice a side track, off to the right. There is a worker on that track, too, but only one. You realize that you can turn the trolley car onto the side track, killing the one worker, but sparing the five.

Groupon: A Force to Be Reckoned With

With group buying a pervasive phenomenon in Taiwan, leading companies in the sector have been cashing in. Founded in 2008, the market leader Groupon saw revenues surge to US$760 million in 2010, up from US$33 million in 2009. By January 2011, Groupon's value had reached US$4.75 billion. Named as the fastest growing company ever by Forbes Magazine, Groupon has over 70 million subscribers worldwide. All this has happened in the company's first two years of existence.

The secret lies in Groupon's service model. Featuring discounts of at least 50 percent every day, Groupon provides a platform for users to purchase vouchers for a variety of services and products. Subscribers receive an e-mail offering different daily deals, which kick in after the amount of people signing up reaches the required number for the deal. If this minimum target is not met, the deal is canceled. Coupled with the Web site's user-friendly interface, these unbeatable discounts make group buying a no-brainer.

Dried Fruit — A Cut Above

Shu Rei-ji has spent years preserving fruit, and is proud of her unique, natural approach to the craft. Unlike many manufacturers of preserved foods, Shu insures no artificial flavoring or colors are used to enhance the look and taste of her fruit. It may not be as pleasing to the eye as shiny, candied fruit, and it has only a three-month shelf life, but the flavor and texture are a class apart.

After a failed business venture more than a decade ago, Shu and her husband returned from the big city to their hometown of Nanshi in Tainan. There, she noticed farmers with surplus fruit. Naturally thrifty, Shu decided to take advantage of this windfall. Learning the preservation process as she went along, she spent a year perfecting a new product. To promote their business, Shu and her husband set up stalls at night markets far and wide. Initially, sales of the fruit were low. They, therefore, decided to draw a following by offering other treats such as sugar scallions, a kind of sugary stick that gets its name from its resemblance to the shape of the vegetable.

人氣俠客告別籃壇原汁原味退休感言

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming out. Appreciate you guys very, very much. Never thought this day would come, and Father Time has finally caught up with Shaquille O'Neal and I just wanna say — (he is handed a cell phone) who's this? Yes. For real? You want me to come up and apply for the New York Knick general manager job? Ok sure, I'll be up right after the press conference. OK. Sure. Thank you. That was the president of the Knicks. He want[s] me to fly out right after the press conference and try out for the general manager job. After 19 years, I'm announcing my retirement from professional basketball. It is now time for me to begin my new life.

I'm going to miss a lot about the game. I'm going to miss the competition, the camaraderie, the friendship, the fans, joking with the media, and I'm really going to miss the free throws. Basketball has opened many doors in my life. I've represented the country in the Olympics, I secured my Master's degree, and I'm now working on my Ph.D in human resource development in [at] Barry University of Miami. I've acted in award-winning movies such as “Kazam,” I've created business opportunities, I've created lifelong friendships, and — most important — I was able to help those in need.

Paul Mitchell's Key to Success

Thirty years ago, a celebrated hairstylist and a struggling salesman had a vision of a company catering specifically to hair salons. They started their business with a loan of US$700. Today, the company, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Inc., is perhaps the most recognized name in the beauty industry, boasting 100 trademarks, and products in over 100,000 U.S. salons and 80 countries. Churning out US$900 million in revenues every year, John Paul Mitchell Systems has also set up more than 100 beauty schools around the world.

The success did not come easily, though. The founders, Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria, encountered a setback at the onset when a friend unexpectedly pulled out US$500,000 of funding. The economic recession in the U.S. at that time put a double whammy on their plan. To get through these financial difficulties, cost reduction was the top priority. The partners went for simple black-and-white product packaging, which turned out to be the company's iconic look.

When “No” Is the Only Answer

Most of us want to be amenable at work, but we're often put in positions where we want to say “no.” Indeed, sometimes it's the only real option. When refusing a request, diplomacy is important, especially when dealing with managers. Here are some tips on how to give your boss a polite brush-off.

● Spell Out Your Priorities

資料來源：biz 互動英語電子報

Nokia: Playing Catch-up

The new CEO assembled the company's workers and informed them that their whole outlook was wrong. He put them on the spot, asking which of them used their competitors' products. Tentatively, several hands went up. The CEO was dismayed. However, his disappointment was not due to his employees' lack of faith in their own products. On the contrary, he had hoped more of them would be sizing up the competition.

The company in question is Nokia. The CEO is Stephen Elop, a Canadian who in September 2010 became the first non-Finn to helm the communications corporation. “I'd rather people have the intellectual curiosity to understand what we're up against,” Elop said of employees' reluctance to try iPhones or Google Androids. He has good reason for this attitude.

Howard Schultz Brews Change at Starbucks

When Howard Schultz established Starbucks in the 1980s, he reinvented the coffee experience, offering gourmet coffees and a special relationship with customers. Two decades later, in dire need, the company called him back to reinvent that experience again.

In 2007, Starbucks was struggling, a victim of both the bad economy and its own rapid growth. Expansion over the previous three years had doubled the number of locations to more than 16,000. In the process, many people felt the company had commodified its business, watering down its special coffee experience. What's more, chains including McDonald's were entering the gourmet coffee market, offering new competition.

The Power of Positive Thinking

We all feel a little low now and then, but it's important to bounce back from these slumps. Figuring out how to change your outlook is not always easy. Let's take a look at some ways to dispel negative energy and start thinking positively.

Identify the Problem Areas