Exercise 3. Read, complete the dialogue with the expressions from the box and dramatize it

(Peggy Forman is talking with Jaff Downing, an administrative assistant in her company)

Jaff: How are you today, Peggy?

Peggy: Oh, fine, thanks.

Jaff: Glad to hear that. By the way, are you familiar with the …………for the company?
Peggy: No, I am not. What is it like actually?
Jaff: Well, the chart shows how the employees are divided into groups. It gives one an overview of the chain of command in the company.
Peggy: I see. The positions can be line and staff ones.
Jaff: Yes. The subject is not new to you. What else do you know about it?

Peggy: As far as I know a worker in a ………….receives orders from his immediate subordinate.
Jaff: Exactly, that's the line chain of command.

Peggy: A worker in a ………… reports directly to a line worker but he neither gives nor receives orders to line workers. Am I right?
Jaff: Yes, you are. But someone may have line authority over people in his department and not be considered a line administrator.
Peggy: How can it be?
Jaff: That's possible when a whole department is a………... For example, in our company, the head of the credit department or the personnel department can hardly ever be president of the company.
Peggy: And what do the people in staff departments do, how is their work different?
Jaff: Well they are usually busy with services and they could do the same service for any company. So they are not in the line.
Peggy: It seems to be rather complicated.
Jaff: It only seems so. I think the chart should help.

Peggy: Oh, sure. But, Jaff, would you explain me what …………..is?
Jaff: Oh, …………..refers to the number of people whom one manages directly.

Peggy: Can you give me an example?
Jaff: Well. The President of our company directly manages the Vice-President of Production, the Vice-President of Marketing and the Controller. Thus, his span of control includes three people.
Peggy: Yes, now I see. Thank you for your help.
Jaff: Not at all.

Exercise 4. Explain the difference between staff position and line position in a company. Define the span of control. Use words and word combinations from the dialogue given above.