sales and personnel. Larger organisations are often further divided into autonomous divisions, each with its own functional sections. More recent organisational systems include matrix management and teams, both of which combine people from different functions and keep decision-making at lower levels.
Third summary
Most businesses are organised as hierarchies, with a clear chain of command: a boss who has subordinates, who in turn have their own subordinates, and so on. The hierarchy might be internally divided into functional departments. A company offering a large number of products or services might also be subdivided into autonomous divisions. Communication among divisions can be improved by the introduction of matrix management or teams.
Task 3. Talking Point 1
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. Consult Speaking References p. 126–130.
The most common verbs for describing structure are:
consists of, contains, is composed of, includes, is made up of, is divided into
Model 1
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 organisation include:
to be in charge of, to support/to be supported by, to be accountable to, to be responsible for, to assist/to be assisted by.
Model 2
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
▪ a factory working at full capacity
▪ a large advertising budget
▪ a large sales force earning high commission
▪ a standard product without optional features
▪ a strong cash balance
▪ a strong market share for new products
▪ generous credit facilities for customers
▪ high profit margins
▪ large inventories to make sure that products are available
▪ low research and development spending
▪ machines that give the possibility of making various different products
▪ self-financing (using retained earnings rather than borrowing)
Task 4. Writing 1
Write a description of a company you know, in about 100–150 words.
Task 5. Reading 2
Getting started
▪ Before reading the text, discuss in small groups what you know about the Apple Computer Company and their structure.
▪ What do you think about reorganisations that sometimes take place in companies? How often should they happen? Is it really necessary to reorganise companies? What for? Give reasons for your point of view.
▪ The text below is from a history of the personal computer industry by Robert X. Cringely, who is not convinced that the loose organisational structure of the Apple Computer Company and its regular reorganisations are a good idea.
▪ Read the text. Consult Vocabulary p. 143–144.
Somehow, early on, reorganisations – “reorgs” – became part of the Apple culture. They happen every three to six months and come from Apple's basic lack of understanding that people need stability in order to be able to work together.
The problem with reorgs is that they seem to happen overnight, and many times they are 5 handled by groups being demolished and people being told to go to Human Resources and find a new job at Apple. And so the sense is at Apple that if you don't like where you are, don't worry, because three to six months from now everything is going to be different. At the same time, though, the continual reorganizations mean that nobody has long-term responsibility for anything. Make a bad decision? Who cares! By the time the bad news arrives, you'll be gone and someone else will have to handle the problems.
If you do like your job at Apple, watch it, because unless you are in some backwater that no one cares about and is severely understaffed, your job may be gone in a second, and you may be 'on the street' with one or two months to find a job at Apple.
Today, the sense of anomie – alienation, disconnectedness – at Apple is major. The difference between the old Apple, which was crazy, and the new Apple is anomie. People are alienated. Apple still gets the bright young people. They come into Apple, and instead of getting all fired up about something, they go through one or two reorgs and get disorientated. I don't hear people who are really happy to be at Apple any more. They wonder why they are there, because they've had two bosses in six months, and their job has changed twice. It's easy to mix up groups and end up not knowing anyone. That's a real problem.
Taks 6. Talking Point 2
▪ Dwell on criticism of Apple’s policy, say if you agree with this policy or disagree. Explain why.
▪ Which half-sentence near the beginning of Cringely's account summarizes his argument?
▪ Summarise in your own words the negative consequences (according to Cringely) of Apple's regular reorganisations. Consult Speaking References p. 126–130.
Task 7. Vocabulary 1
Multiple choice. Choose between two options a) and b) the meaning of the words and phrase according to their use in the text above.
1. Overnight:
a) between midnight and 6 a.m. b) suddenly, from one day to the next
2. demolished:
a) reorganised b) wholly destroyed
3. severely understaffed:
a) very low down in the hierarchy b) with many too few workers
4. alienated:
a) feeling that you don’t belong b) feeling like a foreigner
Task
