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
furniture
Can you add other words to the three columns?
photocopier
window envelope
franking machine
paper clip
word processor
swivel chair
anglepoise
folder
filing cabinet
desk
carbon paper
telex appointments diary
parcel scales
calculator
note pad
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) ribbon
2. Write in pencil and …………… out any mistakes.
a) rub
b) clean
c) scratch
d) wipe
3. The paper was so thin that the ………… of the pencil went right through it.
a) edge
b) end
c) point
d) top
4. With a word ………… you can produce a document much faster than with a typewriter.
a) computer
b) processor
c) copier
d) printer
5. She ………… up the sheet of paper and dropped into the waste paper basket.
a) bent
b) crumpled
c) broke
d) curled
6. Paper clips, drawing pins and safety-pins were …………. all over her desk.
a) scattered
b) sprayed
c) separated
d) dispersed
7. I need a ………… to fasten the sheets of paper in this file.
a) stapler
b) ribbon
c) tie
d) bolt
8. Ted is in charge of the ………… cupboard in the office.
a) stationary
b) pen
c) pencil
d) stationery
9. Alice hurriedly ………… the message on a scrap of paper.
a) wrote up
b) scribbled away
c) dashed off
d) jotted down
10. The word processor ………… of a keyboard, a monitor and a printer.
a) composes
b) consists
c) comprises d) constitutes
TASK SHEET 3:
Match the descriptions a) to j) with the explanations 1) to 10):
a) Amanda was headhunted by a multinational
company.
b) Samantha is at the end of her tether.
c) Monica’s assistant was given the sack.
d) Jennifer really has her nose to the grindstone.
e) Sonia was given a golden handshake.
f) Claire took on a new secretary.
g) Alison is on the go all day.
h) Brenda was overlooked.
i) Christine has made good.
j) Ellen’s boss keeps her on her toes.
1) She is always busy.
2) She doesn’t have the chance to become
complacent.
3) She’s working hard.
4) She didn’t get promoted.
5) She was offered a better job.
6) She has become successful.
7) She was dismissed.
8) She received a cash bonus on leaving her job.
9) She has run out of patience.
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:
call
hang up
come through
ring
answer
receiver
directory
tone operator
message
mouthpiece
save
number
replaced
identify
reach
telephone
caller
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.
Here is a simplified representation of a telephone conversation. Follow the orientation on
the arrows and you will get out of the “labyrinth”.
CALLER
TELEPHONIST
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.
There is no answer.
This is (name) speaking.
My name’s (name).
I’m (name).
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
functional structure
A
---------------------------------------
matrix structure
staff structure
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
2. decentralization
3. function
4. hierarchy
5. line authority
6. report to
7. subordinates
A. a system of authority with different levels,
one above the other
B. a specific activity in a company, e.g. production,
marketing, finance
C. independent, able to take decisions without consulting
a higher authority
D. people working under someone else in a hierarchy
E. dividing an organization into decision-making units
that are not centrally controlled
F. the power to give instructions to people at the level
below in the chain of command
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 capacity
2. a large advertising budget
3. a large sales force earning high commission
4. a standard product without optional features
5. a strong cash balance
6. a strong market share for new products
7. generous credit facilities for customers
8. high profit margins
9. large inventories to make sure that products are available
10. low research and development spending
11. machines that give the possibility of making various different products
12. self-financing (using retained earnings rather than borrowing)
TASK SHEET 4:
This is an example of part of a company organization chart:
Board of Directors
with a Chairman (GB)
or President (US)
Managing Director (GB) or
Chief Executive Officer (US)
Production
Finance
Marketing
Research &
Development
d
Personnel
uction
Market
Research
Northern
Region
Sales
Advertising &
Promotions
Financial
Management
Accounting
Southern
Region
The most common verbs for describing structure are:
consists of
is composed of
contains
is made up of
includes
is divided into
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:
to be in charge of
to be responsible for
to support or to be supported by
to assist or to be assisted by
to be accountable to
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.
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 wholesaler
b) a secretary
c) a chairperson
d) an auditor
e) a managing director
f) a shareholder
g) a Yuppie
h) 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 stake
2. states the exact actions it demands
3. notifies the staff of their responsibilities
there is no ending (Yours faithfully/sincerely) as long as the salutation is missing too.
To:
From:
Subject:
Date:
All Staff
Kyle Ronson, Office Manager
New Security System
25 May 2001
MEMORANDUM
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 Ronson
Office Manager
TASK SHEET 1:
Now try to write a memo yourselves, filling in the following format:
INTER
OFFICE
To:
…………………………………………………. Financial Manager
From : ………………………………………………………………………
Subject: ………………………………………………………………………
Date:
MEMO
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
Subject
Object
Possessive
Place

PERSON
who/that
(who/that)
whose
-
THING
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
It wasn’t Alex
who spoke to you, not Alex.
(who you met)
that spoke to you. It was John.
(that) you met.
 Cleft sentences with What or The thing (that):
What
I really enjoy is eating outside.
The thing
What
I hate about Mondays is getting up early.
The thing
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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
We need quality, not quantity.
The Government now needs a new sense of purpose.
An inquest revealed that poisonous mushrooms had caused his death.
I didn’t realize the value of education until after I left school.
You learn a foreign language only by constant practice.
Two persistent journalists uncovered the scandal.
He takes after his mother rather than his father.
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 administratie
a chairman/ a president = presedinte
a chief executive = presedinte (delegat)
a deputy chairman = vicepresedinte
a high flier = persoana cu ambitii foarte inalte
a managing director = director general
a subsidiary = sucursala
a watchdog = organism de supraveghere
a Yuppie = tanar functionar ambitios
agency agreement = contract de reprezentare
agenda = ordine de zi
an executive = director, administrator, un cadru cu functie inalta
an offshoot = sucursala
annual general meeting = adunare generala anuala
annual report = raport anual
articles (of association) = statutul societatii
articles of incorporation (memorandum of association) = statutul unei societati
auditors = revizori contabili
balance sheet = bilant
company secretary = secretar general
debenture = obligatiune
financial year = exercitiu financiar
holding company = societate-mama
limited partnership = societate in comandita
merger = fuziune
minutes = proces verbal
one-man business = intreprindere individuala
partnership = societate de persoane
plc = societate pe actiuni (S.A.)
public company = societate anonima
registered (head) office = sediul social
relief agency = organizatie caritabila
retailer = detailist
share capital = capital social
shareholders = actionari
shares = actiuni
sleeping partners = comanditari
sole agent = concesionar, agent exclusiv
stock exchange = bursa de valori
takeover = preluare
to file one’s account (with the Company Register) = a depune la Registrul Comertului documentele de
constituire
to hold a position = a detine si exercita o pozitie
to incorporate = a se constitui in societate
to issue = a emite actiuni
wholesaler = engrosist