ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson (55)
7月8日(水)
A week after Mia's call from the supermarket, Daiichi meets with Mia online to look for a way forward.
What is Daichi suggesting to Mia?
- He's suggesting that she come to Japan and process her firsthand.
We are close to a stalemate. My team keeps asking for numbers they can defend, but I don't yet have enough to push back with confidence.
I see. We are concerned that short-term adjustments would erode the trust we've built with our farmers.
It's hard to see what can realistically be adjusted and what can't.
I agree. Those constraints don't show up clearly in spreadsheets.
Then maybe I'm just missing part of the picture.
That's possible. It's not something I can fully explain in a call or a slide deck. Seeing the process up close would make things much clearer.
Are you suggesting that I visit Japan and see the process firsthand?
Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to propose.
All right, I'll come. Let's take it from there.
- stalemate /ˈsteɪlmeɪt/ 行き詰まり、膠着状態（交渉や議論で、どちらも前に進めない状態）
- erode /ɪˈroʊd/ （徐々に）蝕む、弱める（信頼・利益・支持などを少しずつ失わせる）
- constraint /kənˈstreɪnt/ 制約、制限、制約条件（予算・時間・法律などによる制約）
- up close /ˌʌp ˈkloʊs/ 間近で、すぐ近くから（対象を近距離で細かく見ること）
- firsthand /ˌfɜːrstˈhænd/ 直接、自分自身で、じかに（人づてではなく、自ら見聞き・体験して）
Hannah, could you expand on that?
Sure. Up close means seeing something right there in person and in detail.
I see.
- Let's take it from there.
- Once we hear back from the legal department, we can take it from there.
- Let's finalize the proposal today and take it from there.
- We'll go from there.
- That gives us a good place to start.
- take it from there /teɪk ɪt frəm ˈðer/ そこから先は状況に応じて進める
- hear back from ... /hɪr ˈbæk frəm/ ～から返事・回答をもらう
- legal department /ˈliːɡəl dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/ 法務部
- finalize /ˈfaɪnəlaɪz/ 最終決定する、完成させる
- proposal /prəˈpoʊzəl/ 提案、提案書
- go from there /ɡoʊ frəm ˈðer/ そこから先を進める
- give someone a good place to start /ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ə ɡʊd pleɪs tə stɑːrt/ （人）に良い出発点を与える
- a good place to start /ə ɡʊd pleɪs tə ˈstɑːrt/ 良い出発点、取りかかりやすいポイント
That's an interesting idea. An outdoor tasting event would be something new for us. If the weather were to change suddenly, do you think the event would still run smoothly? Or would we need a backup plan?
Hannah, turning disagreement into a question is a smart approach, isn't it?
Oh, yes, exactly. It's a kind of gentle pushback. And sometimes the other person may not even realize they're being disagreed with.
Hmm, gentle pushback. I like the way you put it.
ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson (54)
7月7日(火)
Daichi and Mira continue their conversation. They're discussing how to deal with strict retail demands, and whether there are alternatives to price cuts.
What are other options beyond straight price cut?
-Logistics, packaging, and promotional design.
Retailers are reacting faster than expected. Supermarkets especially are pushing hard on margins. The buyers are quite firm.
I understand. Sudden price cuts would ripple back to the farms.
Specialty stores can wait. But supermarkets need clear reason to keep SKUs. In short, buyers want options they can act on quickly.
Then we should look beyond straight price cuts.
Such as?
Logistics, pack sizes, and promotional design. Those could give us room to maneuver. Would that make the story easier to lay out internally?
Yes. That's something I can take back to management.
We won't win on price. But we still need to stay in the game.
Okay. Let's talk about concrete options next week.
• firm /fɜːrm/ 会社、企業；堅い、断固とした
• ripple back to /ˈrɪpəl bæk tuː/ （影響が）～にまで波及する、～にさかのぼって影響を及ぼす
• maneuver /məˈnuːvər/ 巧みに立ち回る；策略、駆け引き
• lay out /leɪ aʊt/ （計画・考えなどを）明確に説明する、示す
• take back to /teɪk bæk tuː/ （人・話題・記憶などを）～へ連れ戻す、～を思い出させる
- We still need to stay in the game.
- Without sufficient funding, it's hard to stay in the game.
- Innovation is key to staying in the game.
- We still need to stay competitive.
- We still need to remain in the market.
I agree that replacing the defective item is the right thing to do, and I'm fully on board with that. I'm just not completely convinced that offering a blanket discount is the best approach. I'd like to avoid setting a precedent we might regret later.
Any thoughts, Hannah?
The last sentence begins with, "I would like to avoid," which sounds polite, but still firm. It acknowledges the other side, but it doesn't shy away from making the key point.
Exactly. Polite but firm.
ラジオビジネス英語 Lesson (53)
7月6日(月)
One month has passed since sample shipment to California began. Daichi received an unexpected call from Mia via an international messaging app. The reality seemed to be proving more challenging than expected.
What's a real question for Daichi?
- It's how they stay competitive without compromising their foundation.
Daichi, sorry to call you out of the blue. I'm actually at a supermarket in the suburbs of San Francisco.
No problem, have something serious come up?
I was actually just speaking with the buyer. They said local farmers are cutting prices and cheaper imports are starting to show up.
I expected that. Once we entered the market, some pushback is inevitable.
Exactly. Appreciation alone won't keep a product on the shelf for long.
I'm not brushing that reality aside. We need to be realistic about how the market works.
From our side, we need to explain clearly and quickly why your product belongs there.
Then the real question is, how we stay competitive without compromising our foundation.
That's a tough challenge.
• out of the blue /ˌaʊt əv ðə ˈbluː/ 突然、不意に
• pushback /ˈpʊʃˌbæk/ 反発、抵抗
• inevitable /ɪnˈevɪtəbəl/ 避けられない、不可避の
• appreciation /əˌpriːʃiˈeɪʃən/① 感謝 ② 理解・評価 ③ 価値の上昇（経済・金融）
• compromise /ˈkɑːmprəˌmaɪz/ 妥協、歩み寄り ① 妥協する ② 損なう・危険にさらす（ニュースで頻出）
• foundation /faʊnˈdeɪʃən/ ① 土台・基盤 ② 財団 ③ 基礎
Compromise, True. In this context, compromise means giving up or weakening core standards or values.
• compromise /ˈkɑmprəˌmaɪz/ （信念・品質・安全性などを）損なう、妥協して弱める
• in this context /ɪn ðɪs kɑntɛkst/ この文脈では
• give up /ɡɪv ʌp/ 放棄する、手放す
• weaken /ˈwiːkən/ 弱める、損なう
• core standards /kɔr stændərdz/ 中核となる基準、根本的な基準
• values /ˈvæljuːz/ 価値観、理念
- I'm not brushing that reality aside.
- We are not brushing the data aside. We are reviewing it carefully.
- I'm not brushing your concerns aside.
- I'm not ignoring that reality.
- I'm not dismissing that reality.
That's one way to look at it. Another might be to focus less on quick sales through heavy advertising and more on building brand recognition over time. If cash flow isn't an issue, giving the brand a year or two to settle could lead to stronger brand value in the long run.
I feel like the discussion is being handled with a lot of care and thought.
Yes, very carefully and thoughtfully.
• feel like ... /fil laɪk/ ～のように感じる
• discussion /dɪˈskʌʃən/ 議論、話し合い
• be handled /bi ˈhændəld/ 扱われる、進められる、対処される
• with a lot of care /wɪð ə lɑt əv kɛr/ 細心の注意を払って
• thought /θɔt/ 熟考、十分な検討
• with care and thought /wɪð kɛr ən θɔt/ 慎重に、よく考えながら
• carefully /ˈkɛrfəli/ 慎重に
• thoughtfully /ˈθɔtfəli/ 思慮深く、よく考えて