Organization Unit 02

Unit 02

Organization
Learning Objective
After studying this unit, you will be able to

• describe the activity/staff of a department

• describe the equipment/premises of a department

Warming-up Class Work

* Describe the picture in 1 minute using your own words.

1. How many departments are there in your company?

2. On average how many people are there in one department?

3. Does your company have overseas branch offices?

If yes, where?

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Unit 02 Organization

Dialogue Class Work

The structure of Biopaints International

Presenter: Today we are talking to Philip Knight

about the structure of Biopaints International. Philip is
the General Manager of the Perth factory. Philip, do you
think you could tell us something about the way
Biopaints is actually organized?

Philip: Yes, certainly. We employ about two

thousand people in all in two different locations. Most
people work here at tour headquarters plant. And this is
where we have the administrative departments, of course.

Presenter: Well, perhaps you could say something about the departmental structure?

Philip: Yes, certainly. Well, now first of all, as you know we've got two factories, one here in Perth,
Australia, and the other in Singapore. Lee Boon Eng is the other General Manager, over there in Singapore.

Presenter: And you are completely independent of each other, is that right?

Philip: Oh, yes. Our two plants are fairly independent. I mean, I am responsible to George Harris,
the Production Manager, and we have to co-operate closely with Rosemary Broom, the Marketing Manager.

Presenter: Mmm, yeah.

Philip: But otherwise, as far as day to day running is concerned, we're pretty much left alone to
get on with the job. Oh, and I forgot to mention finance. The Finance Director is Weimin Tan. She's a very
important woman. And her task is to make sure the money side of things is OK. The accountant and such
people, they report to her directly.

Presenter: Is that all?

Philip: Oh, no, no. There's Personnel too.

Presenter: Oh, yes.

Philip: That's quite separate. Deirdre Spencer is Personnel Manager. And the Training Manager
reports to her, of course.

Presenter: Are there any other features worth mentioning?

Philip: There's the planning department—Brian Jones is in charge of that. And a purchasing
department—they buy in the materials for production.

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 Organization Unit 02

Comprehension Questions

1. What is Philip Knight's job?

2. How many employees does Biopaints International have?
3. According to Philip Knight, they have two factories. Where are they?
4. To whom would the accountant directly report?
5. To whom would the Training Manager report?
6. What department is Brian Jones in charge of?

Dialogue Practice
Practice the conversation below with your partner.
A: Well, perhaps you could say something about the departmental structure?
: Yes, certainly. We've got two (factories), one here in (Perth, Australia), and the other in (Singapore).
A: And you are completely independent of each other, is that right?
B: Oh, yes. Our two (plants) are fairly independent. I am responsible to (George Harris, the Production
Manager), and we have to co-operate closely with (Rosemary Broom, the Marketing Manager).

Class Work
Useful Expressions

[Describing the activity of a department]

My department deals with marketing.

My department is responsible for administration. We organize tests/studies/research.
We work with customers/suppliers/subsidiaries/other companies in the group.

[Describing the staff of a department]

There are (20) people in the department.

Pierre Ducros is in charge of the department.
I am one of the managers/technicians/secretaries/engineers.

[Describing the equipment/premises of a department]

We have a large office/three laboratories/a small building.

We use computers/fax/e-mail a lot.
We have a well-equipped laboratory/a lot of technical equipment.

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Unit 02 Organization

Reading Class Work

Sysco
Sysco makes over 4,500 products, developed specifically for customers -
food retailers and foodservice providers. As such, Sysco makes and markets
products for some of the largest restaurants and hotel chains in Canada.
Company Structure
Sysco operates a decentralized divisional structure. The board
establishes corporate strategy and the Group's business objectives.
Divisional management integrates these objectives into divisional business strategies with supporting
financial objectives.
Managing Directors are responsible for the organic and new
business development growth opportunities within their divisions. These
divisions are composed of three to seven business units -- grouped by a mixture of
market, manufacturing skills or customer expertise.
Each business unit is led by a General Manager, responsible for
the achievement of business objectives and sustainable business
performance. Each General Manager has a profit-responsible management team which concentrates on
specific markets and customers.
This devolved Group structure allows a close working relationship with our customers and one
where day-to-day decisions can be made at business unit level, which is vital to the fast-moving nature of
our business.
Each Managing Director, together with functional heads, sits on the Sysco Management Board
(operational executive team).

Comprehension Questions

1. What are the Managing Directors responsible for?

2. How many business units are there in the divisions?
3. At which level are the day-to-day decisions made?
4. Who sits on the Sysco Management Board?

Activity
Company Tour
Work with your instructor. Role play this situation: Person A works at the EEB Bank. Person B works at
the Goldcrest Hotel. Take turns to show each other around your company. Say what happens in each area
and what is happening now.

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 Organization Unit 02

Person A
"This is the main hall. We serve customers here.
At the moment, a cashier is talking to a customer."

EEB Bank
Area What happens What is happening now
Main hall serve customers cashier/talk/to a customer
customer/change/
Currency section exchange foreign currency
dollars into euros
assistant manager arranges loans for assistant manager/talk/
Loans Section
customers to a customer on the phone
manager/meet/
Manager's office manager works
an important client
receptionist/listen/
Reception desk staff answer questions form customers
to a customer's complaint

Person B
Goldcrest Hotel
Area What happens What is happening now
Kitchen prepare and cook meals chefs/prepare/today's lunch
Restaurant serve breakfast, lunch and dinner waiter/clear/the tables
Reception welcome guests, answer calls receptionist/talk/to a guest
Gift shop sell souvenirs sales assistant/help/a customer
A bedroom guests stay maid/clean/the room

"This is the kitchen. We prepare and cook meals here.

At the moment, the chefs are preparing today's lunch."

Discussion Class Work

1. What department do you work in?

2. What is your department in charge of?
3. Which department(s) do you work closely with?
4. If you had a chance to work in an overseas branch office,
a. would you accept it?
b. what benefits would you expect?
c. how long would you like to work overseas?

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Unit 02 Organization

Business Culture Individual Work

Japan: Female Bosses

• Women account for fewer than 0.8% of the CEOs at Japanese companies that have shares listed
on the stock market. In the USA, women head nine (1.8%) of the Fortune 500 companies.
• Japan ranks well below average — No. 38 out of 58 countries studied — in providing economic
opportunities to women, according to a recent study by the World Economic Forum. (The USA
ranked No. 17, and Sweden was No. 1.

Write Aloud
What do you think about female bosses?

Vocabulary Individual Work

Dialogue
headquarters: the main offices of a company
accountant: a person whose job is to keep financial accounts

Reading
market: to organize the sale of a product, by deciding on its price, where it should be sold, and
how it should be advertised
decentralized: to move some departments away from the main administrative area, or to give
more power to local departments
expertise: special skill or knowledge that is acquired by training, study, or practice
sustainable: continued at the same rate or level of activity without any problems

Vocabulary Exercise
Fill the gaps with the words above.

1. Mr Hisashi Hara is a certified public _______ at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsy (NO&T), one of
Japan‘s leading law firms.
2. They have _______ the company and made it less bureaucratic.
3. The creation of an efficient and _______ transport system is critical to the long-term future of London.
4. The problem is that most local authorities lack the _______ to deal sensibly in this market.
5. It's _______ under the trade name `Tattle'.
6. The Google _______ sign is seen in a Mountain View, Calif. file photo from July 21, 2005.

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