Unit 4 Company Structure

Exercise 1.

Using Box 1 ( sentences 1-9), Box 2, Box 3 make up a short text about different ways in which companies can be structured. Complete each sentence, by taking a middle part from Box 2 and an end from Box 3.

Box 1

1. Most organizations have a hierarchical or pyramidal structure,

2. A clear line or chain of command runs down the hierarchy,

3. Some people in an organization have an assistant who helps them;

4.Yet the activities of most large organizations are too elaborate

5. Large companies manufacturing a wide range of products, e.g. General Motors,

6. Businesses that cannot be divided into autonomous divisions with their own markets

7. An inevitable problem with hierarchies is that people at lower levels

8.One solution to this problem is matrix management, in which people report to more than one superior:

9. Another, more recent, idea is to have a network of flexible groups or teams,

Box 2

a. are normally decentralized into separate operating divisions,

b. are unable to make important decisions, but are obliged to pass on responsibility to their boss,

c. can simulate decentralization, setting up divisions that use

d. instead of the traditional departments, which are often at war with each other;

e. so that all employees know who their superior or boss is, to whom they report,

f. e.g. a brand manager with an idea can deal directly with

g. this is an example of a staff position: its holder has no line authority,

h. to be organized in a single hierarchy, and require functional organization,

i. with a single person or a group of people at the top,

Box 3

j. and an increasing number of people below them at each successive level

k. and is not integrated into the chain of command.

l. and who their immediate subordinates are, to whom they can give instructions

m. each with its own engineering, production and sales departments.

n. internally determined transfer prices when dealing with each other

o. the appropriate managers in the finance, manufacturing and sales departments.

p. they are formed to carry out a project, after which they are dissolved and their members reassigned.

q. unless responsibilities have been explicitly delegated.

r. usually with production or operations, finance, marketing and personnel departments.

Sentence 1: i , j Sentence 4 : … , … Sentence 7: … , …

Sentence 2 : … , … Sentence 5 : … , … Sentence 8 : … , …

Sentence 3 : … , … Sentence 6: …, … Sentence 9 : … , …

Exercise 2.

Match up the sport metaphor on the left (taken from horse –racing, boxing, athletics, football, baseball and chess) with the meanings on the right.

1. the favourite	a. a contestant thought to have little chance of winning
2. an outsider	b. an action that causes damage to whoever does it
3. the front runner	c. a serious setback that ends your hopes
4. neck and neck	d. a situation in which neither side can win
5. the odds	e. a situation that is fair and the same for all contestants
6. a knockout blow	f. a wholly new and changed situation
7. on the ropes	g. barriers or obstacles to be overcome
8. hurdles	h. describes a competition etc. that lasts a long time
9. marathon (adjective)	i. in an absolutely equal position
10. an own goal	j. the chances or possibilities of winning
11. to be shown the red card	k. the most important participants
12. a level playing field	l. the contestant considered most likely to win
13. to move the goalposts	m. the contestant currently leading a race
14. key players	n. to be disqualified
15. a new ball game (US)	o. to be in a difficult situation, close to defeat
16. a stalemate	p. to change the rules while something is in progress

Exercise 3.

Read the text and use the sports metaphors in the left-hand column above once each to complete the text below.

The (1) …takeover battle for the British food company Lewis & Son took a new turn yesterday when the Swiss conglomerate NFC claimed that they had evidence that their British rival Associated Foods are engaging in an illegal share support operation i.e. buying their own shares to increase their share price and so look attractive to Lewis& Son’s shareholders.

If this allegation is proved it could be a (2) … for Associated Foods, previously an (3) … in this race, but recently thought to be running (4) … with NFC. If Associated Foods are (5) ... by stock exchange investigators, NFC will once again be the firm (6) ...to take over Lewis &Son.

Lewis &Son’s chairman Mark Younger said yesterday that this certainly looked like an (7) … on the part of associated Foods, but he complained again angrily that NFC were not playing on (8) … as Swiss companies are protected from foreign takeovers by a system of registered shares .He asserted that there are other financial (9) ... facing foreign bidders in Switzerland, and that the authorities often seemed to (10) …

A spokesman for the third contender, the American company FoodCorp, whose bid last week seemed to be (11) …, said yesterday that if Associated Foods withdrew there would be a whole (12) …, in which NFC, currently the (13) ….., would once again find itself in a close race.

None of the big financial institutions, who are after the (14) … in the battle, have yet decided whether they are going to sell their shares or to whom. But a city analyst said yesterday that there currently seemed to be a (15) … Between Associated foods and NFC, with the American contender in a poor third place, so that Associated Foods’ withdrawal would not help Food Corp; at least, the (16) … are firmly against it.

Exercise 4.

People – especially journalists – talking and writing about business, use a lot of metaphors about health and sickness. Companies or economic sectors can be healthy, strong or robust, or they can be sick, weak or ailing, and so on.

Here are 15 words and expressions normally associated with people’s health. Read and translate them.

ailing	disease	give a clean bill of health
healthy	robust	vitality
paralysed	recover	return to form
surgery	terminal	injection
suffer	casualty	in good shape

Use the given sport metaphors in the sentences given below.

1. After a thorough investigation by the aviation authorities, the airline was ……. , and will resume flying tomorrow.

2. Although it seemed at one stage that it would never …., the housing market is now showing new signs of……..

3. He started that thousands of small businesses are continuing to …. because of the current high interest rates.

4. Like many small companies in its industry, Jacksons was a ….of the last recession.

5. Since its CEO (Chief Executive Officer) was arrested last month, the company seems to be completely …

6. The …. car manufacturer is reported to be in talks with a Japanese company, which will give it an …. of cash and launch a joint venture.

7. The box office figures seem to show that with this new block buster movie, Disney has …..

8. The company’s Singaporean subsidiary is showing a ….profit.

9. These excellent figures suggest that the company is ….

10. The minister stated that Britain’s “industrial ….” was now a thing of the past. The number of strikes had diminished, and the economy was now …..

11. Commentators believe that the textile industry in the North is in ….decline

12. Fairly drastic …. is required if the Bristol plant is to be saved from closure.