THE ORGANISATION - ENGLISH COURSE

A.    The interview.

It is not correct to consider as an interview a declaration made in a hurry by a personality or even a detailed discussion with a specialist in a certain field. These are conversations or materials for documentation. If it were so simple, the role of the reporter would be that of an investigator and his questions would be of no use. The interview is a conversation, usually taking place between two persons, for obtaining information for the benefit of an unseen audience. It is an informational exchange which provokes a new level of understanding.

A1. Read the following texts and comment upon them. Try to accomplish an interview of your own, on a social topic.

How do we choose a certain interlocutor in a certain moment?

The person occupies an important position.

The person has accomplished something important.

The person has been accused of serious wrongdoings.

The person knows something or somebody important.

The person has witnessed an important event.

Which is the purpose of accomplishing the interview?

To gather facts.

To gather anecdotes.

To characterise a situation.

To confirm data you have already gathered.

To prove that you have been there.

How can you convince a person to speak?

Appeal to the pride and honesty of the person.

Appeal to the person’s need to get to be known.

Appeal to the person’s capacity to present a point of view.

Appeal to the person’s need to use the opportunity to clarify a situation.

Appeal to the person’s need to answer the accusations of his opponents.

The structure of an interview:

The funnel type, beginning with a general idea and coming down towards details and particularities (resembling the court investigations).

The reversed funnel type, beginning with a very well determined topic and enlarging towards a general theme.

The tunnel type, gathering a series of questions grouped round a certain theme, in order to obtain rapid comments about an important event.

The interview with masked order, in which the reporter tries to “cheat” the interlocutor by alternating the easy and the difficult questions.

The interview with free form, used when there is no time limit and when the reporter wants the interlocutor to express his thoughts freely.

Which questions should not be asked?

Questions proving the absence of documentation.

Vague, general questions.

More questions in one sentence.

Long questions.

Explanatory questions.

Hypothetical questions.

Questions with enclosed answers.

Questions with Yes/No answers, although you need an explanation.

How to write the interview.

When writing an interview the reporter should select the necessary information, give it the best form and correct the grammar and the style of the oral discussion. The reporter should not modify declarations, renounce certain pieces of information which could change the context or provoke meaning modifications.

A2. Translate the following text and then answer the questions below. Conceive an interview of your own with a professor from your faculty, on the theme of an international workshop organised by your faculty this year.

“Pentru functionarea administratiei publice din România, cunoasterea experientei franceze este utila”

Interviu cu dl. Michel Daynac, profesor la Universitatea de Stiinte Sociale din Toulouse

- Domnule Daynac, în primul rând, spuneti-ne cu ce ocazie ati venit la Timisoara.

- Am venit pentru un seminar organisat de Consiliul Judetean Timis, privind problemele de dezvoltare economica locala, seminar care este o parte dintr-o serie mai larga de seminarii (din care câteva s-au desfasurat deja). Aceste schimburi, sa le spunem, fac parte din schimburile generale franco-române, iar în particular ele sunt posibile datorita relatiilor ce exista între Universitatea din Toulouse si Consiliul Judetean Timis.

- Pentru ca ati avut contacte cu reprezentanti ai Consiliului Judetean Timis, v-as ruga sa caracterizati aceste întâlniri cu autoritatile locale.

- Apreciez faptul ca, la rândul lor, participantii la aceste seminarii si contacte au considerat util schimbul de experienta. Pentru ca serviciile de administratie publica din România sa functioneze normal, cunoasterea experientei franceze în domeniu a fost, cred eu, foarte interesanta. Asta si daca tinem seama de similitudinile dintre sistemul administrativ francez si cel român.

- Cum vedeti pe viitor aceasta colaborare?

- Din punctul meu de vedere, sunt foarte interesat de aceste seminarii. Tocmai de aceea am acceptat un prim contact în domeniul meu de activitate. La o adica, as putea foarte bine analiza anumite probleme carora specialistii dumneavoastra le cauta înca rezolvarea.

- În aceasta seara ati avut un prim contact cu Scoala de Înalte Studii Europene Comparative, mai precis cu viitori specialisti în probleme europene. Ce impresie v-au lasat cursantii?

- Impresia lasata este una foarte buna. Aceasta conferinta – improvizata – la care am participat a fost una calda, iar întrebarile ce mi s-au pus au fost foarte interesante.

(“Realitatea banateana”, mai 1995)

a). What could make interesting the publication of this interview:

the topics of this seminar;

the hypothesis that it would have been organised for the first time;

the fact that it is done with a personality from abroad;

-the fact that something important and with real chances to be applied has been decided on this occasion.

b). Reformulate or make better the title.

c). Reformulate the first question and, implicitly, the first answer.

d). What else should we have found out from this interview?

e). What pieces of information asked by the reporter go beyond the topic announced in the title?

A3. The negotiation and preparation of an interview by the PR specialist.

When a reporter wants to take you an interview, you should follow certain rules.

Rule a. Adopt a “public relations” behavior:

be polite, honest and helpful;

highlight your need for certain information;

be professional, control your behavior, negotiate;

avoid the unrecorded conversation;

don’t say things you wouldn’t like to see written or to hear recorded;

don’t say “No comment”;

be calm.

Rule b. Questions you should ask the reporter:

Your name, please?

Whom do you represent?

Which aspects are you interested in?

What other people would you like to talk about the subject to?

What do you know about our organisation?

Which is the deadline for your article/news?

Can I call you back later?

Rule c. Supplementary elements for negotiation:

speak only about those subjects you have previously agreed to talk about;

send a CV and supplementary information about your organisation by fax or e-mail before the interview;

make suggestions about other experts related to the topics you discuss;

if the reporter wants to record, negotiate before the recording what you will say;

be brief, your time is limited.

A4. Write a pro discourse and an against one about the advantages and the disadvantages of using the interview, from the point of view of the journalist/from the point of view of the PR specialist.

B.     Phrasal Verbs

In the English language, which is a language with very developed vocabulary, phrasal verbs are vital for being able to express yourself and to understand what is said by the others. They enrich the language and we should learn as many as possible.

B1. Remember the following verbs with the particle down:

to be down = a fi la pamânt, a avea depresie, a fi calcat în picioare

to break down = a sfarâma, a nimici, a strica, a se prabusi, (despre sanatate) a se subrezi

to bring down = a doborî, a reduce

to come down = a scadea, a reduce

to get down = a coborî

to get down to = a se apuca de

to go down = (despre preturi) a scadea; (despre soare) a apune

to let down = a coborî, a dezamagi, a lasa la ananghie

to look down = a privi de sus

to pull down = a darîma, a slabi, a deprima

to put down = a înabusi, a micsora, a scrie, a înscrie

to run down = a defaima, (despre autovehicule) a calca

to sit down = a se aseza, a sta jos

to step down = a reduce, a parasi un post

to turn down = a respinge, a da jos, a dezamagi

B2. Complete the sentences below with a suitable verb, making sure that it fits grammatically into the sentence:

a.     The anxious husband …………down the door when he smelt gas coming from the kitchen.

b.     Prices of all sportswear are going to be …………by 20%.

c.      The rebellious boy was told to …………down to studying by his concerned parents.

d.     The psychiatric nurse …………down yesterday because of the strain of work.

e.     The hypochondriac got a shock the other day when he …………down with flu.

f.      That irresponsible youth was always …………down his parents until he got married and left home.

g.     Our snobbish neighbour …………down on us because we aren’t as well off as he is.

h.     On the last day, the boy scouts …………down their tents, packed their bags and caught the bus home.

i.       The insurance underwriter …………down the details of the accident on his notepad.

j.       Bill was …………down by the police because he was too short.

B3. Rewrite the sentences, using a phrasal verb with down, to produce the opposite meaning of the words in italics:

a.     We all stood up when the managing director came in.

b.     The building society has set up a branch in Warmsley.

c.      Inflation has been rising steadily since Christmas.

d.     When Caroline heard the terrible news, she remained calm.

e.     Rain was gently falling.

f.      The teacher quietly put the book on the table.

g.     The company will probably want to publicise the results.

h.     The old lady was adamant that her cat should be kept alive.

i.       After three days of continuous bombardment, the White Tower remained standing.

j.       Having Bruce to stay has really cheered me up.

C. The organisation

The organisation is a social system in and through which people get in touch, co-operate, in order to accomplish common purposes.

C1. Read, translate and comment upon the following text, giving examples:

The simplest and most significant classification of the organisations takes into account their degree of ordering. From this perspective, the organisations can be divided in two main types: informal and formal ones. As it is hard to find pure forms, each organisation comprising both informal and formal parts, it is more proper to analyze the informal level and the formal level of an organisation.

The informal level of an organisation is constituted by the spontaneous, indefinite relations between its members. The norms and regulations of the organisation are spontaneously agreed upon and are not imposed, so that the degree of acceptance is high. Similarly, the members of the organisation can adopt an informal leader, which is not the formal and official one, who has moral authority through his or her ability to establish stimulative relations.

The formal level of an organisation takes into account the official structure, clearly defined through the description of the establishment and behavioural norms, of the roles and relations between the members of the organisation (of power, authority and responsibility), through the specification of the leaders, the hierarchy, the conditions of access into and quitting the organisation.

Hughes identifies five different types of organisations occurring in contemporary societies, according to their purpose:

voluntary associations (religious, scientific, etc.);

military organisations

charities (social assistance organisations);

corporations (industrial and financial organisations

family organisations (small enterprises, Mafia).

Blau and Scott propose a taxinomy in five types, according to the clients, the persons who benefit from the specific organisation activity:

organisations of mutual benefit, which have as beneficiaries subscribers and members (political parties, trade unions, clubs);

business organisations, which have as main beneficiaries owners and managers (firms, banks, insurance companies, shops);

organisations providing services, which have as beneficiaries clients (hospitals, schools, social security agencies, employment agencies);

public organisations with a large audience (state institutions, army, police, firemen).

Amitai Etzioni classifies the organisations according to the behavior of the organisation’s members, establishing a kind of conformist behavior, of adherence to the purposes and the specific of the organisation. People having power over their subordinates exercise it through punishment, reward or norms. Thus, the members of the organisation adopt a conformist behavior, of submission to punishment, reward or norms. Etzioni classifies the organisations after the types of conformation, establishing three dual structures (between the leaders and the people who are led):

punishing organisations (prisons, concentration camps);

utilitarian organisations (firms, research institutes, farms, military organisations on peace time);

normative organisations (churches, hospitals, schools, professional organisations).

The dual structures have as consequences the following combinations:

punishing-normative organisations (army);

utilitarian-normative organisations (almost all structures);

utilitarian-punishing organisations (traditional agricultural and industrial corporations).

C2. Organisational decision making. Summarise the following paragraphs and compare the conclusions they reach:

a. Decision-making ordinarily presumes an ordering of the confusions of life. The classic ideas of order in organisations involve two closely related concepts. First, it is assumed that events and activities can be ordered in chains of means and ends. We associate action with its consequences, and participate in making decisions in order to produce intended outcomes. Thus, consequential relevance arranges the relation between solutions and problems and the participation of the decision makers, second, it is assumed that organisations are hierarchies in which higher levels control lower levels and in which policies control implementation. Observations of actual organisations suggest a more confusing picture. Actions in one part of an organisation appear only loosely coupled to actions in another. Solutions seem to have only a vague connection to problems. Policies aren’t implemented. And decision makers seem to wander in and out of decision arenas. The whole process has been described as a kind of funny soccer game:

Consider a round, sloped, multi-goal soccer field on which individuals play soccer. Many different people (but not everyone) can join the game (or leave it) at different times. Some people can throw balls into the game or remove them. Individuals, while they are in the game, try to kick whatever ball comes near them in the direction of goals they like and away from goals they wish to avoid.

Disorderliness in organisations has led some people to argue that there is very little order to organisational decision making. A more conservative position, however, is that the ways in which organisations bring order to disorder is less hierarchical and less a collection of means-ends chains that is anticipated by conventional theories. There is order, but it is not the conventional order. In particular, it is argued that any decision process involves a collection of individuals and groups who are simultaneously involved in other things. Understanding decisions in one arena requires an understanding of how those decisions fit into the lives of participants. The logic of order is temporal. Problems, solutions, and decision makers fit together because they are available at the same time. Thus, decisions depend on attention, and important elements of the distribution of attention are exogenous to any specific decision process.

b. Most theories of choice assume that a decision process is to be understood in terms of its outcomes, that decision makers enter the process in order to affect outcomes, and that the point of life is choice. The emphasis is instrumental, and the central conceit is the notion of decision significance. Studies of organisations, on the other hand, seem often to describe a set of processes that make little sense in such terms. Information that is ostensibly gathered for a decision is often ignored. Individuals fight for the right to participate in a decision process, but then do not exercise that right. Studies of managerial time persistently indicate that very little time is spent in making decisions. Rather, managers seem to spend time meeting people and making managerial performances. Contentiousness over the policies of an organisation is often followed by apparent indifference about their implementation.

These anomalous observations appear to reflect, at least in part, the extent to which organisational decision processes are only partly concerned with making decisions. March and Olsen observe:

“Indeed, the activity within a choice situation may be explicable only if we recognize the other major things that take place within the same arena at the same time. A choice process provides an occasion for a number of other things, most notably:

an occasion for executing standard operating procedures, and fulfilling role-expectations, duties, or earlier commitments;

an occasion for defining virtue and truth, during which the organisation discovers or interprets what has happened to it, what it has been doing, what it is going to do, and what justifies its actions;

an occasion for distributing glory or blame for what has happened in the organisation, and thus, an occasion for exercising, challenging and reaffirming friendship and trust relationships, antagonisms, power or status relationships;

an occasion for expressing and discovering “self-interest” and “group interests”, for socialization, and for recruiting (to organisational positions, or to informal groups);

an occasion for having a good time, for enjoying the pleasures connected to taking part in a choice situation.

The several activities are neither mutually exclusive nor mutually inconsistent.

They are aspects of most choice situations and illustrate their complexity. Decisions are a stage for many dramas”.

Decision making is an arena for symbolic action, for developing and enjoying an interpretation of life. The rituals of choice infuse organisations with an appreciation of the sensibility of organisational arrangements and behavior. They tie routine organisational events to belief about the nature of things. The rituals give meaning, and meaning informs life. The meanings involved in decision making in an organisation may be as grand as the central ideology of a society committed to reason and participation. Or they may be as local as the ego needs of individuals or groups within the organisation.

C3. Complete the following text about Executive Directors with the words below:

A modern business enterprise is often a ………… system requiring a lot of …………, which is provided by the public when they ………… shares in the company. Since they have ………… the capital, it is appropriate that they choose the people who are to ………… the company for them, namely the board of directors. Many of the ………… also have executive responsibilities. Thus, a marketing director may be a full director of the board, ………… by the shareholders at the annual ………… meeting like the other directors. Yet he might also be responsible for the day-to-day ………… of the marketing department. Most of his time will be ………… on administrative matters, organising market research, dealing with ………… and generally ensuring that the ………… sales are maximised. But he will function as a director when the board of directors meets. The ………… of managing director also ………… the roles of chief executive with membership of the board and this allows him to act as a vital ………… between the board of directors and their ………… management team. The managing director is also chairman of the board of directors.

Executive directors have the advantage that they are ………… involved with the ………… affairs. If the board of directors wish to move in a ………… direction, the executive directors will know whether such a ………… of action is practicable. For example, the board might wish to ………… their products in a particular ………… market. The market would be profitable for the company, but the ………… director knows that his team of salespeople lack the experience to take advantage of the situation. Or perhaps the board would like to ………… the advertising expenditure during the ………… year but the ………… director knows that the company will have to meet some heavy commitments during the ………… months and it would be better to ………… the campaign.

Perhaps the best board is one which contains a ………… of executive and non-executive directors. In this way the board has the ………… of some directors who know the practical problems ………… by the business, while others bring their own ………… to expertise to the boardroom discussions.

Words:

link, increase, capital, certain, combines, benefit, general, directors, company’s, delay, provided, mixture, course, appointed, advertising, management, actively, sell, run, brand, coming, marketing, complex, post, coming, company’s, spent, overseas, faced, financial, buy, appointed.

C4. Translate the following organisation charts, discuss their structures and give examples:

	Board of Directors

Chairperson & Managing Director

Marketing DirectorProduction Manager                     Personnel ManagerFinancial Director

Overseas Sales Market Research Recruitment Officer Welfare Officer

Manager Manager U.K. Sales Training Officer

Manager

A Line B Line C Line Chief Cost Computer WagesBudgetChief

Manager Manager Manager Engineer Accountant Manager Officer Officer Accountant

The Department for Information and Public Relations (DIPR):

Office for Communication Evaluation and Mass Media Communication

Office for Relations with Public Administration and Civil Society

Office for Analysis And Communication Planning

Office for Syntheses and Information

Office for International Information

Press Office

Data Processing Office

Administrative- Secretariate Office

Spokesman

Head of Department

Head of Department

The Department for Co-ordination of Communication and Public Relations

The Department for Press and Public Information

Deputy Chief of DIPR