Менеджеры и менеджмент (Executives and Management). Коломейцева Е.М - 29 стр.

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Companies are a very important part of a country's economy. Businesses produce goods and services, and they
come in every shape and size. Although the vast majority of the world's companies are small, in many countries the
economy is dominated by large firms. Large businesses differ from small ones in a wide variety of ways. In many coun-
tries there are nationalized companies belonging to the state, as well as private companies. A private company might be
a small firm with just one owner or a very large firm with thousands of shareholders ‘owning’ the firm.
In very large firms the shareholders have very little to do with the day-to-day running of the firm. This is left to the
management. Large companies may be organized into several large departments, sometimes even divisions. The organ-
izational structure of some companies is very hierarchical with a board of directors at the top and the various depart-
mental heads reporting to them. Often the only time shareholders can influence the board is at the yearly shareholders'
meeting.
Some firms may only produce one good or service. Others may produce many different products; in fact they may
seem to be like a collection of 'businesses' inside one company. As a company gets bigger it may expand geographi-
cally. Many large firms are multinationals with manufacturing plants and trading locations in several different countries
spread around the world.
Offices
The physical surroundings of most modern places of work, especially offices, are becoming more and more simi-
lar. Although there are some differences from country to country, one office looks much like another. Office furniture
and equipment tends to be similar- desks, chairs, lamps, filing cabinets, computers, phones, photocopiers, etc.
The 'atmosphere' of the workplace can influence the effectiveness of a company's employees. Modern offices are
more spacious and better lit, heated, ventilated and air-conditioned than in the past. But of course this is a feature that
varies from firm to firm and may be dependent on the size of the company and its corporate 'philosophy'. In some com-
panies, the employees work in large open-plan offices without walls between the departments. In others, the staff works
more privately in individual offices.
Work relations with other people at the place of work include relationships with fellow employees, workers or col-
leagues. A great part of work or job satisfaction – some people say the major portion – comes from 'getting on' with
others at work. Work relations will also include those between management and employees. These relations are not al-
ways straightforward; particularly the management's assessment of how you're performing can be crucial to your future
career.
Industrial relations
There will always be matters about which employees will want to talk to the management. In small businesses the
boss will probably work alongside his or her workers. Anything, which needs to be sorted out, will be done face-to-face
as soon as a problem arises. There will be no formal meetings or procedures. The larger the business, the less direct
contact there will be between employees and management. Special meetings have to be held and procedures set up, to
say when, where, how and in what circumstances the employees can talk to the management. Some companies have
specially organized consultative committees for this purpose.
In many countries of the world today, particularly in large firms, employees join a trade union and ask the union to
represent them to the management. Through the union all categories of employees can pass on the complaints they have
and try to get things changed. The process through which unions negotiate with management on behalf of their members is
called 'collective bargaining'. Instead of each employee trying to bargain alone with the company, the employees join to-
gether and collectively put forward their views. Occasionally a firm will refuse to recognize the right of a union to negoti-
ate for its members and a dispute over union recognition will arise.
Where there is disagreement, bargaining or negotiating will take place. A compromise agreement may be reached.
Where this is not possible, the sides can go arbitration and bring in a third party from outside to say what they think
should happen. However, sometimes one of the sides decides to take industrial action. The management can 'lock out'
the employees and prevent them from coming to work. This used to be quite common, but is rarely used today.
The main courses of action open to a trade union are: a strike, a ban on working overtime, 'working to rule' (when
employees work according to the company rule book), 'go-slows' (employees may spend more time doing the same job)
and picketing (employees stand outside the entrance to the business location holding up signs to show that they are in
conflict with the management).
Every country has its own tradition of industrial relations, so it is difficult to generalize. In some businesses, un-
ions are not welcomed by the management. But in other countries the unions play an important role both in the every-
day working relations in individual companies and also in the social and political life of the country.
T a s k 2. Listen to the recording about the structure of Biopaints International
Presenter: Today we are talking to Philip Knight about the structure of Biopaints International. Philip's the Gen-
eral Manager of the Perth factory. Philip, do you think you could tell us something about the way Biopaints is actually
organized?
Philip Knight: Yes, certainly. Er...we employ about two thousand people in all in two different locations. Most
people work here at our headquarters plant. And this is where we have the administrative departments, of course.
Presenter: Well, perhaps you could say something about the departmental structure?

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