Company structure
If you are already working,
1. What is your function or job title?
2. What are you responsible for?
3. Who are you responsible to? (Who do you report to?)
4. Does anybody report to you?
5. What other units, departments or divisions do you regularly have to work
with?
6. What other departments do you occasionally have conflicts with?
Vocabulary:
Match up the words on the left with the definitions on the right.
1. autonomous A a system of authority with different levels, one above the
other
2. decentralization B a specific activity in a company, e.g. production, marketing,
finance
3. function C independent, able to take decisions without consulting a
higher authority
4. hierarchy D people working under someone else in a hierarchy
5. line authority E dividing an organization into decision making units that are
not centrally controlled.
6. report to F The power to give instructions to people at the level below
in the chain of command.
7. subordinates G to be responsible to someone and take instructions from
him or her
DIFFERENT STRUCTURES OF ORGANIZATION
1. Hierarchical or pyramidal structure-one person or a group of people at the top, and
an increasing number of people below them.
2. Functional organization-divided into functions like production, finance, marketing,
sales, etc.
3. Decentralization- organization divided into competing autonomous divisions
4. Matrix management-allow people from functional departments like production,
finance, marketing, etc. to work in teams.
Discussion:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each structures?
2. What are the structure prevalent in the businesses in your country?
3. In your opinion, what is the best structure?
If you are already working,
1. What is your function or job title?
2. What are you responsible for?
3. Who are you responsible to? (Who do you report to?)
4. Does anybody report to you?
5. What other units, departments or divisions do you regularly have to work
with?
6. What other departments do you occasionally have conflicts with?
Vocabulary:
Match up the words on the left with the definitions on the right.
1. autonomous A a system of authority with different levels, one above the
other
2. decentralization B a specific activity in a company, e.g. production, marketing,
finance
3. function C independent, able to take decisions without consulting a
higher authority
4. hierarchy D people working under someone else in a hierarchy
5. line authority E dividing an organization into decision making units that are
not centrally controlled.
6. report to F The power to give instructions to people at the level below
in the chain of command.
7. subordinates G to be responsible to someone and take instructions from
him or her
DIFFERENT STRUCTURES OF ORGANIZATION
1. Hierarchical or pyramidal structure-one person or a group of people at the top, and
an increasing number of people below them.
2. Functional organization-divided into functions like production, finance, marketing,
sales, etc.
3. Decentralization- organization divided into competing autonomous divisions
4. Matrix management-allow people from functional departments like production,
finance, marketing, etc. to work in teams.
Discussion:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each structures?
2. What are the structure prevalent in the businesses in your country?
3. In your opinion, what is the best structure?
