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Чуркіна Англійська мова 2006 частина 2.doc
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I. Make up situations of your own using the given words and word combinations

1. Adam Smith remains a towering figure in the history of economic thought (after two centuries; attract the admiration of; boldness of his vision; breadth of his knowledge; crowded with life; cutting edge of his generalization; economic thought; for his generation; image of society; in particular; in the history of; rich in imagery; social scientists; towering figure).

2. The sources of economic wealth (acute powers; appropriate length; be responsible for; bear on this question; craft of pin making; cut off; different work­ers; division of labour; draw attention to; economic wealth; new technologies; productive powers of labour; same actions; short work-cy­cles; solve the problems of; sources of; stretch out; various tasks).

3. The importance of an appropriate division of labour (among countries; appropriate division; as large as possible; be increased to; be limited by; division of labour; extent of the market; free trade; importance of; in the opening sentence; incredible degree; invisible hand; manufacture of; order of the day; possible economic choice; productive powers of labour; within a country).

4. The pace of change is increasing (advance of technology; be in con­tinuous production; boring jobs; bring prosperity; identical units; mass-production lines; narrow fields; over­crowded towns; population of the country; powerful skills; repetitive operations; robotic production lines; specialists in inventing; trail of misery; worldwide phenomenon; worst of all).

II. Complete the open dialogue and learn it by heart

L.

R.

As far as I remember Adam Smith introduced some ideas which were to bring about a world revolution over two hundred years ago.

L.

R.

The matter is that after two centuries, Adam Smith remains a towering figure in the history of economic thought.

L.

R.

To my mind like so many ideas which have earth-shatter­ing effects, his was a disarmingly simple notion.

L.

R.

On the contrary, he wanted to understand the sources of economic wealth, and he brought his acute powers of observation and abstraction to bear on this question.

L.

R.

As far as I am concerned he de­scribed the technique as the division of labour, whereby workers perform short work-cy­cles, repeating the same actions again and again and again.

L.

R.

In my opinion the importance of an appropriate division of labour was underlined in the opening sentence of Adam Smith’s classic text in political economy “The Wealth of Nations”.

L.

R.

As far as I know Smith identified the division of labour as the source of the greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour.

L.

R.

As a matter of fact he convinced the world that specialization could solve the problems of poverty and want.

L.

R.

I'm of the same opinion. The division of labour became even more productive when applied to creating new technologies.

L.

R.

I don't think so. If these tech­niques have brought Britain prosperity, they have also brought the population of the country a trail of misery in over­crowded towns, boring jobs and, worst of all, unemployment.

UNIT 9

MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

BEFORE YOU READ

Answer these questions

1. Do you know what the Personnel Department is concerned with?

2. What are the main functions of the Personnel Department?

3. What do applicants for jobs need?

READING TASKS

A. Understanding main points

Read the text below about the personnel department means of travelling and answer these questions, beginning your answers with the fol­lowing phrases: as a rule …; to tell the truth …; as far as I know …; the matter is that …; as far as I remember …; as far as I am concerned …; frankly/strictly speak­ing …; to make a long story short …

1. How many facets does the personnel function in an organization have? What are they?

2. What programmes will need to be organized after staff have been appointed? Why will they need to be arranged?

3. Do you agree that every employee in the United Kingdom must receive a written statement setting out the terms and conditions of their employment?

4. What may any employee, who is dismissed unfairly, be entitled to?

5. What policies does the Personnel Department have an overall responsibility for?

6. What matters should the Department be concerned with?

7. What does the Personnel Department carry the main responsibility for?

8. What is each employee on the production line able to choose?

9. When is it expe­dient to make clear the firm's policy on the important subject?

10. What system has there to be with the more important customers receiving attention first?

B. Understanding details

Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text. Give your reason using the fol­lowing phrases: as a matter of fact ...; I don't think so …; I'm of the same opinion …; in my opinion …; on the contrary …; strictly speaking ...; to my mind ...

1. The Personnel Department is concerned with the provision and maintenance of a work­force.

2. There will have to be contact with workers to ascertain staffing requirements.

3. The records maintained for all employees will show the remuneration paid, together with tax deductions.

4. In the United Kingdom, there is no requirement that every employee must receive a written statement setting out the terms and conditions of their employment.

5. Modern employment law accepts that the employee's job cannot be taken from him unfairly.

6. Some employees who are dismissed unfairly may be entitled to compensation if an industrial tribunal considers the dis­missal was wrongful or unfair.

7. When a worker is no longer required he or she is made re­dundant and this entitles him or her to compensation depending on his or her length of service and pay.

8. Workers can be discriminated against either because of their race or their sex, by law.

9. The Personnel Department has no responsibility for carrying out the policies of the Board of Directors in relation to staffing.

10. There doesn’t have to be a system of priorities, with the more important customers receiving attention first.

THE PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT

The Personnel Department is concerned with the provision and maintenance of a work­force. There are two dimensions to the task. The first is to ensure that employees are available in the right numbers, at the right time and with the necessary skills for the jobs that need to be done. This is the dimension of quantity. The second dimension relates to the quality of the workforce and is evidenced by the workers' enthusiasm and motivation. Highly motivated workers will be more productive.

The personnel function in an organization has many facets. There will have to be contact with line and departmental managers to ascertain staffing requirements. Applicants for jobs will need to be interviewed and recommendations made for appointments. Procedures will need to be developed for upgradings and promotions as well as selection. After staff have been appointed induction programmes will need to be organized so that the new re­cruits can fit in as efficient members of the team as soon as possible. Further framing may be necessary, either in the firm on-job or at college off-job. Such programmes need to be arranged to fit in with the normal work schedules.

The whole framework of pay is obviously of concern to personnel, including salary scales, overtime and bonus payments where appropriate. The calculations are complicated some­what by flexible working hours which give staff the opportunity to choose their own atten­dance times within certain limits. There is generally a core time during which all staff are expected to be present.

The records maintained for all employees will show the remuneration paid, together with tax deductions, and will include details of training, examination successes, lateness and absences. There is, in effect, a personal profile for every member of staff.

In the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement that every employee must receive a written statement setting out the terms and conditions of their employment. The statement will include a job title which could be relevant if the employee is subsequently dismissed for refusing some task for which he was not employed. Modern employment law accepts that the employee's job cannot be taken from him unfairly. Any employee who is dismissed unfairly may be entitled to compensation where an industrial tribunal considers the dis­missal was wrongful or unfair. When a worker is no longer required he or she is made re­dundant and this entitles him or her to compensation depending on his or her length of service and pay. Workers cannot be discriminated against either because of their race or their sex, by law.

The Personnel Department has an overall responsibility for carrying out the policies of the Board of Directors in relation to staffing, but is also expected to help in the formulation of that policy. A vital area of involvement would be the negotiations with trade unions and the shop stewards, listening to grievances and attempting to cope with them, but also at­tempting to anticipate them. The Department should be concerned with all matters of wel­fare, from lighting and heating through to safety and personal hygiene.

No matter how automated production becomes, the roles of people are central in every business. The most expensive equipment is ineffective in the hands of careless or disgrun­tled workers and the Personnel Department carries the main responsibility for ensuring that morale is high in the organization.

Each employee on the production line is able to choose the starting and finishing times each day, so long as prior approval of the appropriate line supervisor is obtained. Employees must attend during the core time each day, but the remaining hours can be absorbed within the flexbands.

If a number of new staff joins the firm it is expe­dient to make clear the firm's policy on this important subject. Whatever has to be written in a letter the tone should always be courte­ous. No matter what has been said or written by the customer, rudeness can never be justified. By the same token curtness should be avoided, no matter how overworked you might be. The aim should always be to act in a professional manner.

Incoming mail should be dealt with promptly. Delays do not reflect favourably on the organization or the individuals concerned. There has to be a system of priorities, with the more important customers receiving attention first. However, there is no merit in maintaining a backlog of unanswered mail. With a suitable effort the backlog could be eliminated. Of course there will be peaks of work from time to time which create tem­porary difficulties.

In replying to a letter or writing in response to a telephone call you should always make sure you have covered all the points at issue. If it is going to take time to look into some of the questions raised it would be polite to briefly acknowledge receipt of the message and explain the reason for the delay. A diary note a few days hence would help make sure that any promises made are kept.