Companies (anglais)

COMPANIES

A . Discovering corporate culture

1. What “Corporate culture” means

a) Discover the topic: Facebook New York offices :

COMPANY’S IMAGE: (message conveyed by the firm)

Facebook New York offices provide a great social thanks to a relaxed / casual work atmosphere. (opp.: stressful). As far as company policy is concerned, Facebook employers care about their staff’s well-being. The work atmosphere looks really casual / relaxed, as employees can wear flipflops / sandals (they do not have to wear suits) and are gathered in open-space areas. Consequently / Therefore / As a result / Thus the open-space area can improve productivity and facilitate team work. They do not feel too much pressure, and do not face burn-outs. Moreover / In addition / Furthermore the fact that the different fields / sectors have the possibility to communicate together, which is pretty / rather / fairly pioneering. The open space makes communication between coworkers easier, even if they work in different sectors / fields. This attractive image can be a way to recruit future employees.

 INTRODUCING A CONSEQUENCE // so

 INTRODUCING A NEW IDEA // and

Avoid: what? > Could you rephrase that, please? / Would you mind repeating your question please?

b) Defining a corporate culture :

A corporate culture is expressed in the company’s mission statement (an announcement which is used as a way of communicating the purpose (/ aim / goal) of the organisation), in the architectural style or interior décor of its offices, by what people wear to work, by how people address each other and in the titles given to various employees. (is there a hierarchy ?)

2. What corporate culture is a good fit for you ?

a) Different company cultures

Power culture : there is a boss, who is the leader and the founder of the company. He’s the one who makes decisions. The boss has little time for argumentation and discussion. His values dominate the company. His decisions are based on his intuition rather than his logic.

Person-oriented culture : Small groups take decisions collectively. Those groups reflect their personal values. The only downside (/drawback/ con/ disadvantage) is that it can lead to disagreements (/ quarrels).

Role culture : focuses on ( /Thrives on/ concentrates on/ is turned towards) proper procedures, system and stability. It’s extremely hierarchical. What matters is how things are done rather than the results. Following the path in order is the most important.

Task culture : Hierarchy is poorly defined. A’chievements matter more than the way you achieve things. Work is based on intellectual discussion and analyses. High tech and management firms thrive on this culture.

b) Examples of corporate culture

A bevy of firms claim to (/ pretend to) be family-friendly, but the mere fact that Google's staffers share the

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