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  3. Minority-owned business in the United States had unprecedented opportunities as well as new and significant risks. Civil rights

Minority-owned business in the United States had unprecedented opportunities as well as new and significant risks. Civil rights

admin2010-06-30  61
问题      Minority-owned business in the United States had unprecedented opportunities  as well as new and significant risks. Civil rights activists have long argued that one of the principal reasons why Blacks and other minority groups have difficulty establishing themselves in business is that they lack access to sizable orders and subcontracts that are generated by large companies. Now Congress, in apparent agreement, has required by law that business awarded federal contracts of more than $500,000 do their best to find minority subcontractors and record their efforts to do so on forms filed with the government. Indeed, some federal and local agencies have gone so far as to set specific percentage goals for apportioning parts of public works contracts to minority enterprises.
     Corporate response appear to have been substantial: According to figures collected in 2003. the total of corporate contracts with minority business rose from $77 million in 1998 to $1.1 billion in 2003. The projected total of corporate contracts with minority business for the early 2004 is estimated to be over $3 billion per year with no ceasing anticipated in the next decade.
     Promising as it is for minority business, this increased protection poses dangers for them, too. First, minority firms risk expanding too fast and overextending themselves financially, since most are small concerns and, unlike large business, they often need to make substantial investments in new plants, staff, equipment, and the like in order to perform work subcontracted to them. If, thereafter, their subcontracts are for some reason reduced, such firms can face potentially crippling fixed expenses. The world of corporate purchasing can be frustrating for small entrepreneurs who get requests for elaborate formal estimates and bids. Both consume valuable time and resources, and a small company’s efforts must soon result in orders, or both the morale and the financial health of the business will suffer.
     A second risk is that White-owned companies may seek to cash in on the increasing apportionments through formation of joint ventures with minority-owned concerns. Of course, in many instances there are legitimate reasons for joint ventures; clearly, White and minority enterprises can team up to acquire business that neither could acquire alone. But civil rights groups and minority business owners have complained to Congress about minorities being set up as "fronts" with White backing, rather than being accepted as full partners in legitimate joint ventures.
     Third, a minority enterprise that secures the business of one large corporate customer often runs the danger of becoming--and remaining dependent. Even in the best of circumstances, fierce competition from large, more established companies makes it difficult for small concerns to broaden their customer bases; when such firms have nearly guaranteed orders from a single corporate benefactor. they may truly have to struggle against serf-satisfaction arising from their current success.
Which of the following is true about the joint ventures formed by White-owned companies and minority-owned concerns?
选项 A、Many joint ventures formed by White-owned companies and minority-owned concerns are for illegitimate reasons.
B、White-owned companies and minority-owned concerns have equal status in the joint ventures.
C、Minority-owned concerns are not taken as full partners in legitimate joint ventures.
D、It is a risk for White-owned companies to form joint ventures with minority-owned concerns.
答案C
解析 根据文章第四段可知在白人所持有的企业与少数民族所持有企业组成合资企业时，少数民族企业并未被当作完全的参与者而接受。A与文意不符，文章认为在很多情况下组成合资企业是有合理原因的。B与文意不符，白人所持有的企业与少数民族企业组成合资企业后，双方的地位并不平等。D与文意不符，文章说对于少数民族企业来说可能是个危险，而不是对于白人所持有的企业来说。
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