Методическое пособие по английскому языку для студентов 4 курса, обучающихся по программе бакалавриата
Task 1. Read the following text about
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пособие для 4 курса
| Task 1. Read the following text about Corporate Strategy and Structure and do the tasks.
Strategy and planning Strategy and planning begins with analysis, and a well-known tool to do this is a SWOT analysis (looking at the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of the company, and the external Opportunities and Threats). Planning itself can be categorized into two main types depending on the time-scale and purpose of the planning. Strategic planning is concerned with the longer term and 'the big picture'. It is the process of defining the company's mission, determining the overall goals of the organization and allocating resources to reach those goals. It is done by top and middle managers. Operational planning is concerned with translating the general, long-term goals into more specific, concrete objectives. It involves monitoring the day-to-day work of departments. It is done by middle and supervisory managers. Company structure Having decided on its strategy, a business needs to organize itself into a structure that best suits its objectives. This can be done in several ways. Organization by function. The company is divided into departments such as production, finance, marketing, human resources. Organization by product. The company brings together staff who are involved in the same product line. Organization by customer type. The company is organized around different sectors of the market. Large customers are called 'key accounts'. Organization by geographical area. The company is organized according to regions. A large multinational may use several of the above: for example a functional division initially (at an international level), then a national structure for each country, and within this some level of division according to customer types. The business must also decide on the best way to organize its management hierarchy (= chain of command). The company is run by top (= senior) managers with job titles such as: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and a series of Vice-Presidents or Directors of different departments. Top management set a direction for the organization and aim to inspire employees with their vision for the company's future. This vision is often written down in a mission statement. The next level is middle management, where managers are in charge of (AmE head up) a department, division, branch, etc. Middle managers develop detailed plans and procedures based on the firm's overall strategy. Finally there is supervisory (AmE first-line) management, and typical job titles are: Supervisor, Team Leader, Section Chief. Supervisory managers are responsible for assigning non-managerial employees to specific jobs and evaluating their performance. They have to implement plans developed higher up the hierarchy. In some companies - or for specific projects - there can be a matrix structure with cross-functional teams. Here employees from different parts of the organization work together and bureaucracy is reduced. Above everything there is the Board, chaired by a Chairman or President, which gets involved in 'big picture' strategic planning and meets perhaps once a month. The CEO will be on the Board, but most Board members are not involved in running the company - they are elected by and responsible to the shareholders. Their main interest is shareholder value: getting a good return on investment in terms of both dividend payments and a rising share price. Centralization vs Decentralization A key issue for the company is to decide on the degree of centralization. Should authority be kept at Head Office (centralization)? If so, this would mean: A strong corporate image. Decisions made by experienced managers who see the whole picture, not just one part of the business. Standardized procedures which could lead to economies of scale (lower costs) and simpler distribution channels. But decentralization also has advantages: Lower-level managers are more familiar with local conditions and can therefore give a stronger customer focus. The delegation of decision-making is likely to lead to a higher level of morale at the grassroots. There are other closely-related questions. Should the structure be 'vertical', with many layers of management, or 'flat', with fewer layers? And how many subordinates should each manager supervise? Exercises жүктеу/скачать 3,86 Mb. Достарыңызбен бөлісу:
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