Knowing the history and the
general information about a company
is one of the first lessons for new employees.
They also need to know how the company functions
as a whole organization.
Now let’s watch a video clip to see how Bill Smith,
the Sales Manager of TAF,
introduces the company organizational structure to Alice.
May I come in?
Yes, come in, please.
Good morning, Sir. My name is Alice Zhao.
I’m a newcomer to Sales & Marketing Department.
Good morning, Alice. Sit down, please.
I’m Bill Smith, Manager of this department.
Welcome to Sales & Marketing.
Thank you, Mr. Smith.
Just call me Bill.
Have you reported to the Human Resources Department?
Yes, Sir.
Then, you’ve already got a brief introduction of our company?
Yes, Mr. Smith.
But I am a bit confused about the organizational structure.
Well, it’s not that complicated.
Look at this organization chart.
The company is headed by the Board of Directors,
which takes charge of company strategies and general policies.
The Board usually appoints a CEO to take
responsibilities for the company’s daily operation.
Oh, I know Mr. Bruce Anderson is the CEO of our company.
He was a business professor at a famous college
before he joined our company.
Yes. Our company is divided into five areas.
They are: the R&D, the Sales & Marketing,
the Production, the Finance, and the Human Resources.
The biggest one is the Production Department.
It has four sections: Purchasing,
Quality Control, Transport and After-sales.
What about our department then?
Since our markets are mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa,
our department is accordingly
divided into two regional branches.
Is that clear now?
Yes, very clear. Thank you.
The company is headed by the Board of Directors
who make general company policy and develop strategies.
The Board appoints a CEO to run the
general operation of the company.
The company is divided into 5 departments,
namely, the R&D,
the Sales & Marketing, the Production,
the Finance, and the Human Resources.
The largest one is the Production Department.
It has four sections: Purchasing, Quality Control,
Transport and After-sales.
There are some details we need to know about TAF.
Please answer the following questions
according to the information from the video clip.
1. Who is the CEO of TAF?
Mr. Bruce Anderson is the CEO of TAF.
2. What did he do before he joined TAF?
Before he joined TAF,
he used to be a business school professor
at a famous college.
3. How many regional branches does the
Sales & Marketing Department have?
The Sales & Marketing Department has
two branch offices in Southeast Asia and Africa.
Sometimes, the Board appoints a General Manager
instead of a CEO to operate the company.
They both do the same work, only with a different title.
Company structure may vary,
and depends on the company size and the business type.
Now, let’s review the use of a word from the video clip.
“The company is headed by the Board of Directors.”
Head is often used as a noun,
referring to the most important part of the human body.
When it is used as a verb, it means “to guide” or “to lead”.
Please compare the meaning of the words
in red in the two sentences.
The Frisbee hit him right on the head.
The sales director heads a team of 20 members.
Please look at the following words
indicating parts of the human body used as verbs.
Translate each into Chinese.
• This scarf looks nice over your shoulders.
• She will shoulder all the blame for the mistake.
• The clown has a funny nose.
• The ship nosed its way into the harbor.
• His face turned white on hearing the news.
• You have to face all those difficulties ahead.
• He lost an eye in World War II.
• He is eyeing me up and down with suspicion.
Now, it’s your turn to practice!
Please look at the following
organization chart of a Chinese company.
Can you translate it into English
and then introduce it to your partner?