UNIT 3

COMPANY STRUCTURE

SECTION A: FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND THE OFFICE

TASK SHEET 1:

Group the following words under the following headings:machinery stationery furnitureCan you add other words to the three columns?

TASK SHEET 2:Choose the most suitable word or phrase and fill in the blanks:

1. The ………… needs changing on your typewriter; otherwise we won’t be able to read a word.a) letter b) key c) oil d) ribbon2. Write in pencil and …………… out any mistakes.a) rub b) clean c) scratch d) wipe3. The paper was so thin that the ………… of the pencil went right through it.a) edge b) end c) point d) top4. With a word ………… you can produce a document much faster than with a typewriter.a) computer b) processor c) copier d) printer5. She ………… up the sheet of paper and dropped into the waste paper basket.a) bent b) crumpled c) broke d) curled6. Paper clips, drawing pins and safety-pins were …………. all over her desk.a) scattered b) sprayed c) separated d) dispersed7. I need a ………… to fasten the sheets of paper in this file.a) stapler b) ribbon c) tie d) bolt8. Ted is in charge of the ………… cupboard in the office.a) stationary b) pen c) pencil d) stationery9. Alice hurriedly ………… the message on a scrap of paper.a) wrote up b) scribbled away c) dashed off d) jotted down10. The word processor ………… of a keyboard, a monitor and a printer.a) composes b) consists c) comprises d) constitutes

photocopier window envelope desk filing cabinet

franking machine word processor carbon paper

paper clip swivel chair telex appointments diary

anglepoise folder parcel scales calculator note pad

TASK SHEET 3:Match the descriptions a) to j) with the explanations 1) to 10):

a) Amanda was headhunted by a multinational company.

1) She is always busy.

b) Samantha is at the end of her tether. 2) She doesn’t have the chance to become complacent.

c) Monica’s assistant was given the sack. 3) She’s working hard.d) Jennifer really has her nose to the grindstone. 4) She didn’t get promoted.e) Sonia was given a golden handshake. 5) She was offered a better job.f) Claire took on a new secretary. 6) She has become successful.g) Alison is on the go all day. 7) She was dismissed.h) Brenda was overlooked. 8) She received a cash bonus on leaving her job.i) Christine has made good. 9) She has run out of patience.j) Ellen’s boss keeps her on her toes. 10) She gave someone a job.

TASK SHEET 4:

Put each of the following words and phrases into its correct place in the passage below:

TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE

1. Know the right number before making a …………. When in doubt, consult a …………, your personal number list, or the information ………….

2. Allow time to …………. Give the person you are calling enough time to ………… his telephone. A little patience may ………… you a second call.

3. Speak distinctly and in a normal ………… of voice. Your lips should be about an inch away from the ………….

4. Answer promptly. Try to answer your telephone on the first …………. Otherwise the ………… may hang up and you might miss an important message.

5. ………… yourself when you answer the …………. Do not merely say “Hello”. Give your name, your telephone …………, or the name of your firm.

6. Take messages for people who are not there. Write down the name and telephone number of the person calling. Place the ………… where it can be seen.

7. …………… gently. Slamming the ………… down is discourteous. Be sure the receiver is always ………… properly. Otherwise no calls can ………… to you.

call hang up come through ring answer receiver directory tone operator message mouthpiece savenumber replaced identify reach telephone caller

Here is a simplified representation of a telephone conversation. Follow the orientation on the arrows and you will get out of the “labyrinth”.

TELEPHONIST CALLER

Good morning/afternoon. This is (name of company).Can I help you?

Could/ Can I speak to (name of person), please?

Could/ Can/ Would you put me through to (name of person), please?

Who’s calling please?May I have your name?

Hold the line, please.One moment, please.

This is (name) speaking.My name’s (name).I’m (name).

There is no answer.Your call is connected.

I’m afraid:- the line is engaged.- s/he’s not in.- s/he’s not here at the moment.- there’s no reply.

Can I take a message?Can I get him/her call you back? Could I leave a message?

Would you ask him/her to call me back?I’ll try later again.

I’ll get him/her to call you back.I’ll pass the message on.

Say goodbye.Say goodbye.

SECTION B: DESCRIBING THE COMPANY STRUCTURE

TASK SHEET 1:

Read the text below, about different ways of organizing companies and then label the diagrams, according to which of these they illustrate; the underlined words may prove useful in your final decision.

line structure matrix structurefunctional structure staff structure

A B C D

-------------------- --------------------- -------------------- ---------------------------------------- --------------------- -------------------- --------------------

COMPANY STRUCTURE

Most organizations have a hierarchical or pyramidal structure, with one person or a group of people at the top, and an increasing number of people below them at each successive level. There is a clear line or chain of command running down the pyramid. All the people in the organization know what decisions they are able to make, who their superior (or boss) is (to whom they report), and who their immediate subordinates are (to whom they can give instructions).

Some people in an organization have colleagues who help them: for example, there might be an Assistant to the Marketing Manager. This is known as a staff position: its holder has no line authority, and is not integrated into the chain of command, unlike, for example, the Assistant Marketing Manager, who is number two in the marketing department.

Yet the activities of most companies are too complicated to be organized in a single hierarchy. Shortly before the first world war, the French industrialist Henry Fayol organized his coal-mining business according to the functions that it had to carry out. He is generally credited with inventing functional organization. Today, most large manufacturing organizations have a functional structure, including (among others) production, finance, marketing, sales and personnel or staff departments. This means, for example, that the production and marketing departments cannot take financial decisions without consulting the finance department.

Functional organization is efficient, but there are two standard criticisms. Firstly, people are usually more concerned with the success of their department than that of the company, so there are permanent battles between, for example, finance and marketing, or marketing and production, which have incompatible goals. Secondly, separating functions is unlikely to encourage innovation.

Yet, for a large organization manufacturing a range of products, having a single production department is generally inefficient. Consequently, most large companies are decentralized, following the model of Alfred Sloan, who divided General Motors into separate operating divisions in 1920. Each division had its own engineering, production and sales departments, made a different category of car (but with some overlap, to encourage internal competition) and was expected to make a profit.

Businesses that cannot be divided into autonomous divisions with their own markets can simulate decentralization, setting up divisions that deal with each other using internally determined transfer prices. Many banks, for example, have established commercial, corporate, private banking, international and investment divisions.

An inherent problem of hierarchies is that people at lower levels are unable to make important decisions, but have to pass on responsibility to their boss. One solution to this is matrix management, in which people report to more than one superior. For example, a product manager with an idea might be able to deal directly with managers responsible for a certain market segment and for a geographical region, as well as the managers responsible for the traditional functions of finance, sales and production. This is one way of keeping authority at lower levels, but it is not necessarily a very efficient one. Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman, in their well-known book In Search of Excellence, insist on the necessity of pushing authority and autonomy down the line, but they argue that one element – probably the product – must have priority; four-dimensional matrices are far too complex.

A further possibility is to have wholly autonomous, temporary groups or teams that are responsible for an entire project, and are split up as soon as it is successfully completed. Teams are often not very good for decision-making, and they run the risk of relational problems, unless they are small and have a lot of self-discipline. In fact they still require a definite leader, on whom their success probably depends.

SUMMARY:

Most business organizations have a hierarchy consisting of several levels and a clear line of command. There may also be staff positions that are not integrated into the hierarchy. The organization might also be divided into functional departments, such as production, finance, marketing, sales and personnel. Larger organizations are often further divided into autonomous divisions, each with its own functional sections. More recent organizational systems include matrix management and teams, both of which combine people from different functions and keep decision-making at lower levels.

TASK SHEET 2:

Match up the words on the left with the definitions on the right:

1. autonomous A. a system of authority with different levels,one above the other

2. decentralization B. a specific activity in a company, e.g. production,marketing, finance

3. function C. independent, able to take decisions without consulting a higher authority

4. hierarchy D. people working under someone else in a hierarchy5. line authority E. dividing an organization into decision-making units

that are not centrally controlled6. report to F. the power to give instructions to people at the level

below in the chain of command7. subordinates G. to be responsible to someone and to take instructions

from him or her

TASK SHEET 3:

The text mentions the often incompatible goals of the finance, marketing and production (or operations) departments. Classify the following strategies according to which departments would probably favour them.

1. a factory working at full capacity2. a large advertising budget3. a large sales force earning high commission4. a standard product without optional features5. a strong cash balance6. a strong market share for new products7. generous credit facilities for customers8. high profit margins9. large inventories to make sure that products are available 10. low research and development spending11. machines that give the possibility of making various different products12. self-financing (using retained earnings rather than borrowing)

TASK SHEET 4:

This is an example of part of a company organization chart:

The most common verbs for describing structure are:

e.g. The company consists of five main departments. The marketing department is made up of three units. The sales department is divided into two sections.

Other verbs frequently used to describe company organization include:

e.g. The marketing department is in charge of the sales force. The marketing department is responsible for advertising, sales promotions and market research. The five department heads are accountable to the Managing Director.

Board of Directorswith a Chairman (GB)

or President (US)

Managing Director (GB) orChief Executive Officer (US)

Production

duction

PersonnelResearch &Development

FinanceMarketing

MarketResearch

Sales Advertising &Promotions

FinancialManagement

Accounting

NorthernRegion

SouthernRegion

consists of contains includesis composed of is made up of is divided into

to be in charge of to be responsible forto support or to be supported by to assist or to be assisted byto be accountable to

Using the above mentioned structures, comment upon the company organization chart, trying to figure out, at the same time, the domain of interest and activities of each department and the nexus of relationships existing among them.

TASK SHEET 5:

Choose among the three options given for each and every sentence the most appropriate one. After you have decided on the correct answer, make up definitions using the same structure as in the following example:e.g.: A retailer is a person who/that sells goods to ultimate consumers, usually in small quantities.

1) The employees responsible for carrying out general office duties, filling in forms and keeping statistics are:a) clerks b) accountants c) supervisors

2) The employees who sell a company's products are the sales representatives, usually known as:a) vendors b) renters c) reps

3) The employees who decide what to purchase, and who make the purchases of finished goods or components to be made into goods, are the:a) choosers b) procurers c) buyers

4) The employees who are responsible for seeing that the finished goods are well made are the: a) packers b) quality controllers c) financial staff

5) The clerical workers who use typewriters or word processors and who produce letters, memos or other documents, are:a) secretaries b) editors c) copywriters

6) The employees who check a company's financial affairs are the:a) statisticians b) accountants c) counters

7) The employees who are responsible for preparing checks, pay packets and pay lips are the:a) wages clerks b) filing clerks c) paying clerks

8) The workers who process data, under the control of managers and supervisors, are the computer:a) hackers b) operators c) screeners

9) The person who gets a visitor and tells him or her how to get to the right office is the:a) manager b) president c) receptionist

10) The employees who deal with the company's telephone calls are the:a) VDU operators b) telex operators c) switch operators

TASK SHEET 6: Give your own definitions of the following “positions” in a company; then check your own answers with a dictionary:a) a wholesalerb) a secretaryc) a chairpersond) an auditore) a managing directorf) a shareholderg) a Yuppieh) Human Resources Manager

SECTION C: LETTERS: MEMORANDA (MEMOS)

A MEMORANDUM TUTORIAL

a memo is an internal company document;its purpose: to inform or remind the recipient of some company activity or decision that need to

be brought to their attention;it is not necessary to write the address of the sender or recipient, as they are in the same company,

although you may find a company heading on a memo form;there is no official salutation (Dear Mr./Mrs……)the sender’s name and position may be written either at the top or at the end;there is a heading at the top with all the essential information labeled clearly, with a different

lay-out from that of a letter;the date should be specified, as the recipient needs to know how recent the information is in case

it requires action; at the same time, it will probably have to be filed, which makes the date more relevant;

a memo, basically, contains three parts:1. introducing the notion at stake2. states the exact actions it demands3. notifies the staff of their responsibilities

there is no ending (Yours faithfully/sincerely) as long as the salutation is missing too.

To: All Staff MEMORANDUMFrom: Kyle Ronson, Office ManagerSubject: New Security SystemDate: 25 May 2001

A new security system has been established for the safety of the employees and of all office equipment due to the recent increase in robberies from companies in the area. The new security guards are now employed by the company and will take it in shifts (8am-2pm, 2pm-8pm) to guard the front door. They will be introduced to all the employees when they start work next Monday.

The guards will have the following duties: to examine any large bags brought in or taken out by visitors to question the purpose of anyone they think looks suspicious entering the building and

check by phone with the employee being visited to lock the building once all the employees have left, i.e. at 8pm and set the burglar alarm to take responsibility to evacuate the building in the event of the fire alarm being sounded

We hope you will enable them to do their work as efficiently as possible by respecting the closing time of the office and by informing them of any visitors or deliveries you are expecting after 5.30pm.

Should you have any complaint about the way they do their work, then please report it to me directly.

Kyle RonsonOffice Manager

TASK SHEET 1:

Now try to write a memo yourselves, filling in the following format:

INTER MEMO

OFFICE

To: …………………………………………………. Financial ManagerFrom : ………………………………………………………………………Subject: ………………………………………………………………………Date:

TASK SHEET 2:

Read the following memos and decide on their subject:

TO: Members of the Research Department

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT

It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of George Black as assistant director in our Research Department. He will fill the position left open by Jane Clark, who recently moved to Atlanta.

George, who has worked in market research for more than a decade, is familiar with all stages of activity in our department, having once handled each major function from questionnaire development to product testing. His solid background and full understanding of our varied needs and problems make him exceptionally well qualified to handle the challenges that characterize his position.

I know that George will welcome your full cooperation and consideration as he assumes his new duties. We all wish him much success.

TO: All Department Heads

APRIL MEETING

The next meeting of department heads will be on Wednesday, April 11, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Conference Room. Lunch will be provided in the Executive Dining Room.

An agenda will be mailed on March 28. Please send any items to be included to my secretary by March 25.

I would appreciate hearing from you right away if you are unable to attend. Thank you very much.

GRAMMAR SECTION: RELATIVE CLAUSES

There are two kinds of relative clause in English:- Defining (or identifying) relative clauses tell us which person or thing the speaker

is talking about: The people who live next door have bought a dog. Where’s the book that I lent you?

- Non-defining (or non-identifying) relative clauses just give us more information about the person or thing: Mrs. Smith, who lives next door, has bought a dog.

I’m reading “The Idiot”, which is a novel by Dostoyevsky.

DEFINING RELATINE CLAUSES: PRONOUNS

PERSON THINGSubjectObjectPossessivePlace

who/that(who/that)

whose-

which/that(which/that)

-where

If the relative pronoun is the object of the relative clause, it can be left out:- She’s the person you met on Saturday. ( = who/that you met)- Where’s the book I lent you? ( - which/that I lent you)

In more formal English, we use whom as an object pronoun to refer to people:- He is the man whom I admire greatly.

If the relative clause contains a preposition, it can be left “hanging” at the end of the clause:

- Are you the person I spoke to yesterday?- This is the chair I usually sit in.

In more formal English, the preposition comes before the relative pronoun:- Are you the person to whom I spoke yesterday?- The village in which I grew up no longer exists.

NON-DEFINING RELATIVE CLAUSES

Non-defining relative clauses are used to give additional information. Compare:- My best friend Anna has just moved to Clichy.- My best friend Anna, who I went to school with, has just moved to Clichy, which

is a town just near Paris.They are always separated from the main part of the sentence by commas.

In non-defining relative clauses we can use who, which, whose or where, but not that. It is not possible to leave out the pronoun:

- My grandmother, who is 80 next month, has just gone into hospital.- My oldest possession is my camera, which I was given at my tenth birthday.

(not: that I was given)- In 1993, Steven Spielberg made “Schindler’s List”, for which he received an

Oscar.- The shop at the end of the street, where I usually buy my bread, has closed down.

In more formal English, we can use whom as an object pronoun or after prepositions:- Professor Johnson, whom you may already know, will talk to us about butterflies.- Her brother, to whom she dedicated her first novel, is still alive.

CLEFT SENTENCES

We use cleft sentences to give emphasis to a particular part of the sentence. Compare:The Americans landed on the Moon, not the Russians.→ It was the Americans who landed on the Moon, not the Russians, or: It wasn’t the Russians that landed on the Moon. It was the Americans.I admire Peter’s honesty.→ The thing I admire most about Peter is his honesty.

Cleft sentences with It:

It was John who spoke to you,(who you met)

not Alex.

It wasn’t Alex that spoke to you.(that) you met.

It was John.

Cleft sentences with What or The thing (that):WhatThe thing

I really enjoy is eating outside.

WhatThe thing

I hate about Mondays is getting up early.

EXERCISE 1:

Add relative clauses defining the words in italics, using contact clauses where appropriate.

e.g.: He’s the sort of person. He’s the sort of person that must always be doing something new.

There was nothing.There was nothing I could do to help. (Contact clause)

1. Any man should be sent to prison.2. Laws should be repealed.3. The yacht arrived first.4. the house has been demolished.5. Would you like to see the photographs?6. He will do anything.7. He’s the most intelligent man.8. The man was her uncle.9. That’s the third telephone call.10. He enjoys talking to anyone.11. I always feel confidence in someone.12. Nothing is ever a success.

EXERCISE 2:

Add non-defining clauses relating to the words in italics, using which, who or whom. Insert the appropriate punctuation.

e.g.: The Foreign Minister held a short press conference at the airport. The Foreign Minister, who was besieged by reporters when his plane landed, held a short press conference at the airport.

1. His latest book is about his adventures in Africa.2. The Royal Shakespeare Company is world famous.3. British Leyland’s latest sports car should boost British exports.4. His father has offered him a partnership.5. The new highway code should make for grater safety for all road-users.6. The missing woman’s bicycle has been found in the river.7. The Company didn’t reply to his letter of application.8. The Boat Race takes place annually from Putney to Mortlake on the Thames.9. last night’s meeting broke up in disorder.10. Spring flowers are a delight to the eye.

EXERCISE 3:

Complete the following sentences with who, which, that, of which, whose, of whose, if necessary. Make sure you include commas where suitable.

1. One reason for using TV advertising _____________ is very expensive is to reach the customers ______________ don’t read magazines.

2. Our model is the only one __________ can do word processing, stocktaking and mailing ______ is a great help to the secretary _______ time can now be spent more efficiently.

3. This is the agency agreement _________ I brought back from Osaka.

4. Their profits this year have risen to $20.000.000 ________ is an increase on last year’s results _________ were much lower because of the modernization programme _______ they were carrying out.

5. The job _________ is based in central London but _______ requires some traveling would be suitable for a young woman _________ has experience in this field and ______ is between 25 and 35 years old.

6. Could I speak to someone __________ could give me some information on your after sales service as I’ve got a brand new washing machine _________ has broken down ______ is very annoying.

7. The letter _______ the main point is a complaint about goods ________ were delivered late also mentions that the consignment arrived in a damaged condition _____________ I find particularly surprising.

8. Each time a consignment __________ is covered by an open policy is despatched a declaration form is filled in ____________ informs the insurers on the value of the goods; an amount ______________ includes freight charges is then deducted from the amount of cover __________ is provided by the policy.

EXERCISE 4:

Join the sentences by changing the second sentence of each pair into a defining or non-defining relative clause. The structure of your relative clause should reflect the structure of the original sentence.

e.g.: The headmaster spoke to the boys. Their work was below standard.The head master spoke to the boys whose work was below standard. (Defining)

We came within sight of Everest. Its summit has attracted so many climbers.We came within sight of Everest, whose summit has attracted so many climbers. (Non-defining)

We came within sight of Everest. The summit of Everest has attracted so many climbers.We came within sight of Everest, the summit of which has attracted so many climbers. (Non-defining)

1. Bertrand Russel died in 1970. his philosophical writings made a profound impact on philosophers all over the world.

2. The US President is unlikely to seek a second term of office. His administration has been under constant fire during the last eighteen months.

3. Very few people understood his lecture. The subject of his lecture was very obscure.4. The car driver was sent to prison for six months. The entire blame for the accident rested

on his shoulders.5. Lord Nelson was famous for his naval exploits. A column was erected in his memory in

Trafalgar Square in London.6. “I have pleasure in introducing to you the man. Without his generosity your society

would cease to exist.”7. Sir – Mr. Jack Smith should check his facts more carefully. His letter was published in

our columns yesterday.”8. The fire started on the first floor of the hospital. Many of its patients are elderly and

infirm.9. The latest model of this car gives much more passenger room. Its exterior dimensions

remain unchanged.10. We would not advise buying shares in this Company. Its results last year were worst even

than forecast and its long-term recovery must remain a matter of doubt.11. I interviewed several of the men. Their contracts had been terminated by the company at

short notice.12. Many back-benchers are finding it difficult to support the Government. They have

considerable misgivings over some of the Government’s policies.

EXERCISE 5:

Rewrite the sentences so as to emphasize the words in italics using It is or It was:

1. We need quality, not quantity.2. The Government now needs a new sense of purpose.3. An inquest revealed that poisonous mushrooms had caused his death.4. I didn’t realize the value of education until after I left school.5. You learn a foreign language only by constant practice.6. Two persistent journalists uncovered the scandal.7. He takes after his mother rather than his father.8. Cheap rented accommodation is now desperately needed in London and other large

cities.9. Cheap rented accommodation is now desperately needed in London and other large

cities.10. The trouble started when the police arrived.11. He doesn’t pass his exams because he doesn’t work hard enough.12. I telephoned you in order to warn you about what was happening.

EXERCISE 6:

Decide whether it is possible to leave out the word or words underlined in each sentence:

1. It was the first car that I ever drove.2. He was the first man who landed on the Moon.3. She was the first woman who was elected to parliament.4. Harry isn’t the kind of person who gets on with everybody.5. In the whole book there was only one chapter which interested me.6. There is only one Greek island which I haven’t visited.7. It’s the long winters here that really depress most people.8. Do you like the person who sits next to you in class?9. The letter that arrived this morning contained ban news I’m afraid.10. There is no one whom I would prefer to you as a co-driver.

BASIC VOCABULARY:

a board of directors = consiliu de administratiea chairman/ a president = presedintea chief executive = presedinte (delegat)a deputy chairman = vicepresedintea high flier = persoana cu ambitii foarte inaltea managing director = director generala subsidiary = sucursalaa watchdog = organism de supravegherea Yuppie = tanar functionar ambitiosagency agreement = contract de reprezentareagenda = ordine de zian executive = director, administrator, un cadru cu functie inaltaan offshoot = sucursalaannual general meeting = adunare generala anualaannual report = raport anualarticles (of association) = statutul societatiiarticles of incorporation (memorandum of association) = statutul unei societatiauditors = revizori contabilibalance sheet = bilantcompany secretary = secretar generaldebenture = obligatiunefinancial year = exercitiu financiarholding company = societate-mamalimited partnership = societate in comanditamerger = fuziuneminutes = proces verbalone-man business = intreprindere individualapartnership = societate de persoaneplc = societate pe actiuni (S.A.)public company = societate anonimaregistered (head) office = sediul social relief agency = organizatie caritabilaretailer = detailistshare capital = capital socialshareholders = actionarishares = actiunisleeping partners = comanditarisole agent = concesionar, agent exclusiv stock exchange = bursa de valoritakeover = preluareto file one’s account (with the Company Register) = a depune la Registrul Comertului documentele de

constituireto hold a position = a detine si exercita o pozitieto incorporate = a se constitui in societateto issue = a emite actiuniwholesaler = engrosist