Responsibilities in a company

1. Match phrases with their definitions.

- get the sack, get fired, get dismissed - get a higher position at work

- get promoted (get a promotion) - be told to leave

- be made redundant - get a lower position at work

- get demoted - be no longer in employment, because

there's no more work

2. In pairs discuss the reasons why people get promoted, demoted, dismissed.

3.Complete the passage opposite about Mr. Pat Guerin, Industrial relations Manager of Guinness Ireland. Use these expressions.

a. this job involved… e the next position I held was…

b. I reported directly to… f. I was then promoted to…

c. I was employed as… g. in this role…

d. I worked… h. I've worked…

When I first started working in Guinness 1 ________________ a general worker. For three years 2 ______________ in the bottling plant as a machine operator. 3___________ for a period of seven years in the engineering department as a maintenance assistant.

This involved working with technically skilled personnel in maintaining plant and equipment. In both jobs 4 ______________ a supervisor.

Since then, however, the structure of the company has significantly changed and the supervisor layer no longer exists. General workers now report to a plant manager. 5 _______________ the position of laboratory officer in the quality assurance laboratory.

6 _______________ carrying out a wide range of analyses on all aspects of the brewing process. For the past year 7 ______________ in the personnel department

as an industrial Relations Manager. 8 ______________ I report directly to Personnel Manager of the company.

1. Read the text and correct the mistakes in the sentences below.(in company pre-intermediate p. 51-52)

Bill and Steve –two men and a destiny

Who is the boss of the world’s leading manufacturer of personal and business computing software? Ask most people and they will say the mega rich Bill Gates. But no, the planet’s wealthiest man stepped down from the top in January 2000 to take on a new appointment and pursue what he claims is his real passion. Apparently this is not making money, but designing software. Since then, the chief executive of Microsoft Corporation has been his old university chum, Steve Ballmer. History tells us that gates dropped out of Harvard to set up Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Meanwhile, his other friend Steve, who lived down the hall, graduated with a degree in mathematics and economics. He then went on to work for two years at Procter & Gamble, and attend the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Ballmer has worked for Microsoft since 1980, when Gates remembered his college mate and hired him as the company’s first business manager. Over the last 20 years Ballmer has been in charge of several Microsoft divisions, including operations, operation system development, and sales and support. In July 1998 he was promoted to president, a role that gave him day-to-day responsibility for running the company.

However, since Gates became ‘Chief Software Architect’, Ballmer has assumed full management control of Microsoft. (Just in case, Bill has retained some power as Chairman) Legend has it that in spring 1986, soon after hiring Ballmer, Gates called him into his office. Microsoft’s deadline to produce Windows was getting behind schedule, and Gates reportedly threatened to fire his friend if the software wasn’t on the shelves by the end of the year. Needless to say, Windows was ready by the end of the year, and they have remained the best friends. Proof of this is that Steve was best man at Bill’s wedding. Ballmer has influenced Microsoft with his own brand of energy and discipline. He says, ‘I want everyone to share my passion for our products services. I want people to understand the amazing, positive way our software can make leisure time more enjoyable, and businesses more successful.’ Ballmer jogs daily and loves basketball.

Glossary: pursue –try to do smth, follow smth apparently –undoubtedly, obviously assume –to take responsibility retain –include, have reportedly – as it was sad, announced

1. Gate’s real passion was not making money, but his art collection.

2. Gates dropped out Yale to set up Microsoft.

3. Steve graduated from university with a degree in social science.

4. Steve attended the Manchester Business School.

5. Ballmer has been in charge of operations, marketing, and sales and support.

6. Ballmer was promoted to managing director.

7. The production of Office 97 was getting behind schedule.

8. Steve was godfather at Bill’s wedding.

9. Ballmer wants everyone to share his passion to cats and dogs.

10. Steve Ballmer plays squash.

2. Look through the text again and find words and phrases which mean the same as the following:

aresign/leave a job f responsible for