Unit 6. Company structure

1. What is the structure of a modern business? What positions are necessary at a developing enterprise? What do you know about it? Read and translate.

Each company, firm, joint venture, stock-holding company, concern, bank, fund has its own complicated business structure and the staff which is necessary for the work. But still there are some general principles how to organize the work at the enterprise.

The Managing Director or the Chief Executive or President is the head of the company. The company is usually run by a Board of Directors – each Director is in charge of a department. The Chairman of the Boards is in overall control and may not be the head of any one department.

Vice-President or Vice-Chairman is at the head of the company if the President or the Chairman is absent or ill.

Most companies have Finance, Sales, Marketing, Production, Research and Development, Personnel, Tax, Logistics Departments. These are the most common departments, but some companies have others well.

Most departments have a Manager, who is in charge of its day-to-day running, and who reports to the Director. The Director is responsible for strategic planning and for making decisions. Various personnel in each Department report to the Manager.

Let’s dwell on some positions in details.

General Manager – Supervises and leads the company’s employees. Maintains relations with customers, executes sales contracts and provides problem analysis and resolutions. Represents the company at fairs and distributors’ conferences. In some companies maintains a local warehouse. Provides quality audits. Self-motivated, decision maker.

Sales Manager – Manages the sales staff of a company, supervises sales activity including a staff of sales representatives, plans and achieves target sales revenues and maintains a positive relationship between the company and its clients. Must have extensive sales experience, often as many as 5 years in the position of sales representative before moving up to the position of sales manager. Excellent communication and management skills are required. The person must be a proven problem solver and possess management skills necessary to develop a sales team.

Finance and Administration Manager – Must have strong accounting experience including maintenance of Internal Controls, costing, budgeting, forecasting and the development of Management Information Systems. Must possess proven general management skills, including development of Logistics and Administration Systems to support a rapidly growing business.

Marketing Manager – Manages marketing department. Plans, directs and executes all marketing and related activities. Initiates and/or implements advertising strategy and promotional programs. Oversees creative effort and media plans. Must have 3 year commercial experience, strong interpersonal skills, ability to manage a team and lead personnel, excellent communication skills, computer literacy.

Customer Service Manager – Finds proper persons, organizes and supervises the job of Customer Service Clerks, Receptionist. Provides the solution for all existing conflict situations. Provides information and orders forms for distributors, directors. Prepares monthly reports regarding performance of distributors.

Product Development Manager – Develops branded products for the company. Prepares a brief of the project, a timeline with priorities and options for the successful competition of the project. Researches on potential facilities, provides competitor’s analysis. Realizes market research on product quality and packing. Negotiates with the producer.

Training Manager – Organizes and supervises trainers, develops and implements training courses for distributors, directors, staff, etc. Learns the existing training practice in other countries with the aim to extract, develop and implement the best ideas. Tests courses to satisfy all distributors’ and directors’ needs in training.

Forecast, Supply and Transport Supervisor – Makes monthly forecasts of all products. Works with a company software system (product Forecast). Provides logistics, works with suppliers concerning shipments of product. Arranges shipments.

Treasury, Budget Specialist – Realizes treasury and cash flow management. Prepares, reviews and monitors reports on all capital expenditure projects. Provides budget cycle and management reporting. Ensures the company’s costing system. Deals with internal projects, company’s legal documents. Coordinates all insurance matters. Trains and develops staff in functional expertise.

Sales Representative – Realizes coordination of commercial activities. Conducts negotiations with customers. Markets intelligence functions targeting new customer group identifying business opportunities and introduction of new technologies. Is responsible on and controls the selling activities in the frame of the regional strategy. Frequently travels to customers. Must have the following qualifications: Engineering degree in some sphere, 3-5 year experience in the chosen field.

Financial Controller – Develops accounting policies and procedures. Inputs and oversees confidential and complex transactions. Implements auditing techniques that ensure accuracy of financial results. Analyzes data and provides recommendations to senior management for improvement. Prepares consolidated results. Provides financial analysis. Improves internal controls. Must have University education, be well-organized, accurate, detail-oriented personality.

Active Vocabulary

company – компания

firm – фирма

joint venture – совместное предприятие

stock-holding company – акционерное общество, компания

concern – концерн

bank – банк

fund – фонд

complicated – усложненный, сложный

enterprise – предприятие

Managing Director – управляющий

Chief Executive – руководитель

President – президент

to run a company – руководить компанией

Board of Directors – совет директоров, правление

the Chairman of the Board of Directors – председатель правления совета директоров

be in overall control – полностью контролировать

Director – директор

department – отдел

Vice-President – вице-президент

Vice-Chairman – заместитель председателя

Finance Department – финансовый отдел

Sales Department – отдел торговли и реализации

Marketing Department – отдел маркетинга

Production Department – производственный отдел

Research and Development Department – отдел финансового прогнозирования и развития

Personnel Department – отдел кадров

Tax Department – налоговый отдел

Logistics Department – транспортный отдел

Manager – менеджер

report to smb – докладывать кому-либо, отчитываться

be in charge of smth – быть ответственным за что-либо

supervise – наблюдать, быть начальником, руководить

maintain relations – поддерживать отношения

execute – исполнять

fair – ярмарка

cost – цена, стоимость

budget – бюджет

forecasting – прогнозирование

target – цель

revenue – прибыль

relationship – отношения

move up to the position – получить повышение

require – требовать

initiate – проявлять инициативу

implement – внедрять, применять

oversee – предусматривать

computer literacy – компьютерная грамотность

regarding – что касается, относительно

extract – освобождать, почерпнуть, вытаскивать

branded product – фирменный продукт

timeline – срок

priority – приоритет

option – выбор

research – исследовать, изучать

facility – оборудование

competitor – конкурент

quality – качество

negotiate – вести переговоры

software system – система программного обеспечения

shipment – отгрузка, поставка

arrange – договариваться, устраивать

treasury – сокровищница, казна

cash flow – оборот наличных денег

ensure – обеспечивать

coordinate insurance – координировать страхование

Sales Representative – представитель по реализации

market – привезти на рынок, купить или продать на рынке, находить рынки сбыта, торговать

identify – устанавливать, идентифицировать

frame – рамка, оправа

frequently – часто

coordinator – координатор

2. Find in the text English equivalents for:

совместное предприятие; акционерное общество; сложная структура предприятия и штат сотрудников; управляющий; руководить компанией; вице-президент или заместитель директора; отдел финансового прогнозирования и развития; быть ответственным за что-либо; наблюдать и руководить служащими компании; поддерживать позитивные отношения между компанией и ее клиентами; цена, бюджет, прогнозирование; проявлять инициативу; разрешать все существующие конфликтные ситуации; вести переговоры с производителем; система программного обеспечения; иметь дело с внутренними проектами; внедрение новых технологий; финансовый анализ.

3. Give Russian equivalents for:

a company; a Board of Directors; to be in overall control; the head of the company; Personnel Department; to be responsible for smth; to execute sales contracts; to maintain a local warehouse; to achieve target sales revenues; a proven problem solver; to have strong accounting experience; to oversee creative effort and media plans; a distributor; to develop branded products; to arrange shipments; to realize treasury and cash flow management; to implement auditing techniques.

4. Fill in the gaps with the words or word combinations given below:

a big enterprise, runs, the Board of Directors, is in overall control, departments, branded products, the Manager of Logistics Department, maintain.

1. … at the bank consists of 17 persons.

2. There are 8 … at our stock-holding company. The biggest is Sales Department.

3. She is …, don’t you know?

4. Our company is … with complicated structure.

5. He has a great experience in developing food products that’s why he is the head of the Research and Development Department, and also one of the creators of

our ….

6. Will your company participate in the next fair and … relations with your old partners?

7. The Managing Director … this firm successfully.

8. Mr. Williams, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, … of our bank.

5. What would you say if you took part in these dialogues? Act them out.

1. A.: I don’t know personally the Managing Director of your company, but I’ve heard that he is a perfect specialist with big experience. Can you tell me what his responsibilities include now?

B.: I’m pleased to help you understand …

2. A.: I can understand why you have so many departments: Finance, Sales, Marketing, Production, Research and Development, Personnel. But who leads their work in the company?

B.: It’s very simple …

3. A.: You are a Sales Manager at this firm. I see that every day you work since morning till night, you travel frequently to the customers. What duties do you have at the firm? Who is your chief?

B.: I agree with you, it’s a hard work but very interesting …

4. A.: Why do you have such a big Finance Department at your company? I counted 12 people there. I know who is the Chief Accountant and what are his responsibilities. But I see you have also the Cash Accountant, the Treasurer, the Statutory Accountant, etc. What do all the people do there?

B.: You are quite right but don’t forget that …

6. Look at this two job advertisements. What positions do you think they are for?

1. We are a successful advertising agency located in the central business district. We are looking for someone with good keyboard skills. A pleasant telephone manner and the ability to deal with clients are also essential. We can offer the successful applicant an attractive salary and a pleasant work environment.

2. Our firm is one of the leading importers of engineering tools with offices close to the city centre. We are seeking a person who can sell and is willing to travel. A clean driving licence is essential. We are offering an attractive salary and benefits package including six weeks’ holiday a year. For an application form or further information, please ring 01225 334455.

7. Match a word in column A to a word or expression in column B.

1. leading

2. keyboard

3. telephone

4. attractive

5. pleasant

6. successful

a. applicant

b. manner

c. salary

d. suppliers

e. skills

f. work environment

Now complete the blanks in the advertisement using some of the expressions above.

Secretary to the Export Sales Manager We are one of the _____________ of tractor parts. We are looking for a Secretary for the Export Sales Manager. The _____________ will have: excellent _____________ and a working knowledge of Spanish and French. In return we offer an _____________ and 6 weeks’ holiday. Please write for an application form. Human Resources Officer Massey Robertson Willowdale Ontario M5X 1B4 Canada

8. These people all work for Acme International. What department do you think each person works in? Match their responsibilities in A to the departments in B.

1. Frank: I’m responsible for invoicing our customers.

2. Suzanne: I’m in charge of the training programme.

3. Peter: I deal with customer problems.

4. Uschi: I deal with enquiries about our products.

5. Rolando: I’m responsible for buying raw materials.

a. Purchasing Department.

b. Technical Services.

c. Accounts.

d. Human Resources.

e. Marketing.

9. Act as an interpreter at a big enterprise. The Managing Director (Mr.Smirnov) will have a meeting with a new partner (Mr.Simms) and wants him to get acquainted with the structure of the enterprise, leading persons, and staff responsibilities.

Mr.Smirnov: Добрый день. Рад встрече с Вами. Меня зовут Петр Иванович Смирнов. Я директор этого предприятия. Мы слышали много лестных отзывов о Вашей фирме как о поставщике современнейших компьютерных технологий.