Everyone knows the functions of company departments such as Marketing and Finance. Marketing is about promoting the company, and making sure that customers can find products that _________(1).

Finance is about controlling the resources of a company to make sure that the business _________ (2) .

But what about Operations? The department name is less well-known, yet many large companies are run on a _________ (3) by Operations Managers. Operations is about the internal processes of a company.

In a manufacturing company an Operations Manager will make sure the production process is running smoothly. In a hotel they are responsible for bookings, front desk, maintenance, etc. In a bank they look after the administration of accounts and other _________ (4). Operations Managers have to _________ (5) with people from other departments. In the factory, it is with Purchasing Managers who buy the raw materials. In the hotel, it is with Human Resources Managers who_________ (6) new staff. In the bank it is with IT Managers who work _________ (7) to keep everything running. So the Operations Manager has to be careful not to _________ (8) .

3.5      Read what Peter says about company culture at his previous company and his current company. The text has eight wrong words. Find them and correct them.

In my last job I worked for a large telecommunications company. It used to be the estate-owned monopoly, but they privatized it in the nineties. Unfortunately, the cultural there hasn’t really changed. Decision-making is very slowmoving and bureaucracy – everything has to be agreed all the way up the chain before action can be taken.

I didn’t really like working there, and I moved to a smaller competitor two years ago. It’s much better now – I have more responsible because my boss trusts me and he relegates a lot of interesting projects to me. Everybody knows what is going on and can make a contribution –communication works well in both directions, both bottom down and top-up. It’s a dynamic, innovation company and we’re growing fast. I hope to continue working here for several more years.

3.6 Jobs and positions. Look at the list of different jobs in the box, and match each one with the person who is speaking in 1 – 14.

Assistant Manager                                        Chairman                            

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)                  Company Director

Company Secretary                                     Secretary             

Human Resources(HR) Manager            Trainer                                 

Managing Director (MD)                        Non-executive Director    

Personal Assistant (PA)                           Production Manager

Technical Support Consultant                   Receptionist        

1. Hello. Welcome to Wy-T Computers. Have you got an appointment? Good. Take a seat and I'll call up to her office. Would you like a coffee while you wait?

2. Good morning. My name is Angela Ranscombe, and I am responsible for my company's productive use of its workforce.

3. Hello. I'm Hilary Hannah. I type letters, file documents, arrange meetings and so on, for the various people in my office.

4. My name's Ryan Briggs. I'm responsible for developing our employees' potential through courses and other staff development programmes.

5. Hello. My name's Adam Dent. I help customers who are having problems with our products. I spend most of my day on the phone.

6. I'm Anne Langsdale, and I've been appointed by the shareholders to help run the company.

7. Hello there. Don Brown. Nice to meet you. I make sure that the company is being run efficiently and effectively.

8. My name's Liz Hamley, and I suppose I'm the big cheese around here. Basically I'm the most important director in charge of the company.

9. I'm Judy Briers. I work directly for Liz Hamley, and for her alone. I perform various secretarial and administrative duties for her.

10. I'm Laurence Woodham. I'm a senior employee here, with director status and administrative and legal authority. This is a legal requirement for all limited companies in the UK.

11. Good morning. I'm Peter Feltham, and I preside over the company's board meetings.

12. And I'm Helen Brown. I attend board meetings, but only to listen and give advice. I cannot usually make decisions on behalf of the company.

13. Hi there. My name's Mark Searle, and I supervise the production process.

14. And I'm Bob Wheatley. I help Mark Searle.

Look at the jobs and positions in the box above again. Without referring back to the sentences, try to explain in your own words what each job involves.

3.7   Underline the correct verb form in italics. See the example.

Example: I’ve started working / started working here five years ago.

1 I study / ’ve studied English for two years.

2 I left / ’ve left the company in 1976.

3 I still worked / work with him after all these years.

4 If I get / got my bonus this month, I’ll buy a new motorbike.

5 If you won’t / don’t have any plans this evening, will you come with me to the cinema?

6 She has been / is being interviewed at the moment.

7 They are delivered / deliver the components every morning by six.

8 We ’re going / are gone to present a new product next month.

9 No, it’s OK if he’s busy. I’m going / ’ll call him back later.

3.8   Complete the sentences using has to, have to, doesn’t have to or don’t have to and the verbs below.

1        My job isn’t stressful because I _________ many decisions.

2        A receptionist _________ the public.

3        Most people in modern business _________ a computer.

4        We’re very busy at the moment so I often _________ late.

5        It’s Sunday so she _________ anything!2

3.9   Complete the e-mail using the words in brackets in either the Past Simple or Present Perfect.

Dear Ralph

(1) ­­­_________ you _________ (get) my message yesterday about the meeting? I’m afraid it (2) _________ (go) very well. They were interested, but if they (3) _________ (buy) the rights to our invention, they’d want all the rights – yes, 100%! I (4) _________ (give) them a final answer yet because I (5) _________ (want) to talk to you first. What do you think? We (6) _________ (already / try) three other investors and this is the first with a serious offer. How about I suggest 75%?

3.10  Learn the words and read  the text below.

Glossary