Slobovic Gunter Slobovic, Financial Director at Ivory Press Plc, has a formidable reputation as a ‘hard nosed’ negotiator. He does not agree to anything easily, especially if it costs money and he does not normally indulge in social pleasantries, unless it gets him concessions from whatever is proposed to him by suppliers unlucky enough to have him on their ‘slow paying’ clients’ list and due for a ‘motivational’ visit. While occasionally affable, Gunter is unfriendly. He is always in a hurry to finish a meeting with a supplier and go somewhere else. He gives the impression that time is so scarce for a busy man like him that whatever time he spends with you, the people who should be benefiting from his presence that very moment are making a supreme sacrifice in him stopping long enough to say ‘hello’. So he doesn’t say much more, except ‘good bye’. Most visitors are intimidated by Slobovic’s manner and usually drop on his desk the paperwork about their visit and get out as fast as they can. Those (few) brave enough to stay and conduct their business suffer indignities, including being kept waiting well beyond their appointed interview time, having to endure constant interruptions while in his presence, having to ignore obvious signs that he is not listening very attentively, having to put up with sneers about their company or its services and suffer being threatened with outrageous consequences if they do not ‘sharpen their pencils’. In short, Gunter Slobovic is a difficult person with whom to deal. Only his firm’s growth and profitability as a customer saves it from being dropped by suppliers as ‘more trouble than it is worth’ (though over the years, several firms have done just that, because they cannot endure the personal costs of trying to deal with Gunter). He is also abusive, given to ‘bad language’, highly prejudiced about ‘foreigners’ (and not too fond of younger people) and can be outright rude when challenged over his statements during a debate. He…