UNIT 4: ORGANISATION

READING 1: A SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATION

Activity 1: Here is the list of top international organisations, how many do you know?

1.
2. The world bank
3. GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL
4. WTO
5. The United Nations
6. NATO
7. THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)
8. WWF
9. THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY
10. The World Health oRGANIZATION

Activity 2: Useful Vocabulary

Word / Part of
Definition and Example
Phrase Speech
 (n) an unexpected result of a situation
 Ex: His treatment had some nasty side effects.
side effect

(adj) of food) very high quality:

(adj) producing or serving food that is very
Gourmet
high quality

(n) an advantage or something extra, such

as money or goods, that you are given because
Perk of your job

Racing in go-karts
go-karting

(n) a new plan or process to achieve something
or solve a problem:
Initiative Ex: The peace initiative was welcomed by both sides.

(n) a thing aimed at: mục tiêu

(adj) not influenced by personal opinions etc:
Objective
khách quan

(n) = attraction
Appeal

(v) to encourage or give help to: thúc đẩy, khuyến

khích
Foster

(n) the power or right of
a country etc to govern itself: quyền tự trị
Autonomy

empowerment (n) the process of gaining freedom and power to do

what you want or to control what happens to you:
 Trao quyền

Activity 3:
Read paragraph 1 of the article and choose the best definition for perks.
a) happiness and confidence in the workplace
b) something your employer gives you in addition to your pay
c) high-quality food and drink

Activity 4:
Read the following article:

Success can be a game with many players

by Sarah Murray

One of the side effects of the free food for Google staff is what is known as the 'Google 15' - the
number of pounds that employees typically gain after joining the Internet company. But whether
it is providing snacks and gourmet meals in the canteen, annual skiing trips or games rooms at
the office, the philosophy behind such perks is the same - getting staff to meet each other,
interact in informal settings and encourage teamwork.

One way the company does this is to hold competitions in everything, from office decorating to
dancing and football, with prizes for the winners. Managers also receive a quarterly ‘celebratory
fund’ either to reward accomplishments or to build teamwork by going bowling, go-karting or
dining out.

The Best Workplaces survey indicates that such initiatives have a powerful effect. At Google
Italy, for example, 90 per cent of the employees agreed that ‘people celebrate special events
around here’. Also in Italy, 100 per cent agreed that ‘this is a friendly place to work’ and 96 per
cent agreed that 'there is a “family" or “team" feeling here'.

Another part of Google's objective is to make its workplace feel fun. Massage chairs, table-
tennis tables, video games, lava lamps, hammocks, beanbags, bicycles, large rubber balls,
couches and scooters are all part of the furniture in Google offices.

However, when it comes to the serious business of work, great emphasis is placed on engaging
employees. 'What makes Google a great workplace is that the nature of the work itself is very
challenging and interesting.' says Nick Creswell, the company's university programmes manager
for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ‘And for the type of people who really enjoy an
intellectual challenge, that's the biggest appeal of working here.’
Fostering this intellectual activity is a policy giving employees a large degree of independence
in deciding how to work - both in terms of the hours they work and how they do their jobs.
‘There's a real culture of autonomy and empowerment,' says Mr Creswell. ‘Individuals within
the business understand what their own goals are within the context of their teams, and they
have a lot of freedom to go out and make those happen.’

Even when it comes to learning and development, many programmes are voluntary and
informal. Often it may be a case of inviting university faculty in to discuss their latest research.
Google also invites prominent writers to give lunchtime talks about their books.

Activity 5: Look at these key phrases that summarise paragraphs 1-3. Then write similar
phrases for paragraphs 4-7.
1. Philosophy behind the perks
2. Competitions and celebratory funds
3. Celebrating special events / friendly place to work
 4. Making offices interesting places to be
 5. Intellectually challenging work
 6. A culture of autonomy and empowerment
 7. Learning and development programme

Activity 6:
Decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false ones.
1. Google promotes the idea of staff getting together. T
2. Every month, managers get money to build teamwork or reward staff. F (quarterly)
3. Ninety per cent of Google Italy workers thought it was a friendly place to work. F (100)
4. The furniture in Google offices is different to that in most offices. T
5. The work is challenging, and you need a university degree to work there. F
6. Employees know what their objectives are and have the freedom to achieve them. T
7. Employees have the opportunity to listen to well-known or important authors. T

Activity 7:
Match these nouns from the article (1-5) to their meanings (a-e).
1. accomplishments (paragraph 2) b a) important new plans to achieve an aim
2. initiatives (paragraph 3) a b) success in doing something
3. autonomy (paragraph 6) e c) giving people the power to do something
4. empowerment (paragraph 6) c d) teaching staff
5. faculty (paragraph 7) d e) independence/freedom to make your own
decisions
Activity 8: Choose the correct answer for each question.
1. What does Google NOT do to encourage teamwork?
A. providing gourmet meals
B. bringing games to the office
C. holding ski trips every year
D. providing free luxury cars to managers
2. How often do managers at Google receive a “celebratory fund”?
A. once a year
B. twice a year
C. 3 times a year
D. 4 times a year
3. What can you see at Google’s workplace?
A. large rubber bands
B. hammers
C. ping pong tables
D. coaches
4. Who is Nick Creswell?
A. the company’s CEO
B. a senior student
C. a marketing manager
D. a senior staff
5. When does Google invite writers to give talks about their books?
A. in the morning
B. in the afternoon
C. in the evening
D. in the night

Activity 9: Pronoun Reference

What does the underlined word refer to?
1. “One way the company does this is to hold competitions in everything”
.way to make staff getting to meet each other, interact in informal settings and encourage
teamwork
2. “100 per cent agreed that this is a friendly place to work”
...........................................................................................................................................................
 Google Italy’ workplace
Activity 10: Word Form
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the word.
1. competitive
…… competitive ……… requires companies to become more efficient in order to reduce costs.
Fast-food restaurants McDonald’s and Burger King are examples of two … competitive
………… which have been trying to …… competitive ……… with each other.
2. emphatically
……. emphatically ……… gestures are hand movements used to stress a word or idea that is
important in your message. However, the key to …. emphatically ………… is to use it
sparingly. ……. emphatically ……… everything and you’ll have the opposite effect.
3. encourage
You always feel … encourage
………… when someone praises you. Life is full of problems, and we need to deal with
them. But if we aren’t careful, all we see are the problems. There are lots of good things we can
focus on. Instead of “catching people being bad,” catch them being good. Say … encourage
… encourage……… words daily. Make it a habit to …… encourage……… others because
words of …… encourage……… change people.
4. informality
An …. informality ………… leader is an individual within an organization that is viewed as
someone worth listening to due to their perceived experience and reputation among peers. He
does not hold any position of …. informality ………… authority or power over the peers
choosing to follow their lead but can influence the decisions of other.
5. interactively
How to make your presentation . interactively ……………? Having audience . interactively
…………… makes our presentation more interesting and easier on everyone. We can only hope
for a dynamic, engaged crowd who …. interactively ………… with us and with each other. But
that ……. interactively ……… doesn’t come by accident – it’s up to the speaker to frame their
presentation to encourage audience participation.

Activity 11: Words in Phrases

Go back to the article. Find prepositions to complete the following phrases and write them
in the blanks.
Paragraph 1
1. the philosophy …behind………… such perks is the same
2. getting staff to meet each other, interact ………in…… informal settings and encourage
teamwork
Paragraph 2
3. to hold competitions ……in……… everything
4. to build teamwork ………by…… going bowling, go-karting or dining out
Paragraph 5
5. great emphasis is placed …on………… engaging employees
6. that’s the biggest appeal …of………… working here
Paragraph 6
7. a large degree of independence ……of……… deciding how to work
8. ………both in…… terms of the hours they work
Paragraph 7
9. to discuss …………… their latest research
10. to give lunchtime talks ……about……… their books
Activity 12: Focusing on Words
Fill in each blank in the paragraphs below with ONE suitable word. When you finish, go
back to the article and check your answers.

initiatives c appeal intellectual furniture

objective interesting feeling challenging celebrate

The Best Workplaces survey indicates that such (1) … initiatives ………… have a powerful
effect. At Google Italy, for example, 90 per cent of the employees agreed that “people (2) …
celebrate ………… special events around here”. Also in Italy, 100 per cent agreed that “there is
a “family” or “team” (3) …… feeling ……… here”.
Another part of Google’s (4) … objective ………… is to make its workplace feel fun. Massage
chairs, table-tennis tables, video games, lava lamps, hammocks, beanbags, bicycles, large rubber
balls, couches and scooters are all parts of the (5) … furniture ………… in Google offices.

However, when it comes to the serious business of work, great (6) … emphasis ………… is
placed on engaging employees. “What makes Google a great workplace is that the nature of the
work itself is very (7) … challenging ………… and (8) … interesting …………,” says Nick
Creswell, the company’s university programmes manager for Europe, the Middle East and
Africa. “And for the type of people who really enjoy an (9) … intellectual ………… challenge,
that’s the biggest (10) … appeal ………… of working here.

Activity 13:
Discuss these questions.
1. Would you like to work in a company likeGoogle? Why? / Why not?
 I would love to. Because Google workplace is the best work environment, having a chance to
work and communicate with people around the world.
2. Would Google’s philosophy work in your organisation? Why? / Why not?
3. Which of the perks or ideas mentioned in the article appeals to you the most?
 It is gourmet meals, teambuilding and the furnitures sound comfortable