Topic 13

Word

Definition

Example

senior

a senior person has an important position or rank

I sent my letter to senior management.

executive

someone who has an important job as a manager in a company or business

One of the BBC's top executives was working under a freelance contract.

non-executive

someone who has a non-executive role is not involved in the daily management of a company or other organization but attends board meetings and gives advice

He will continue as a non-executive member of the board.

director

someone who controls or manages a company

The company is run by a board of directors.

board of directors

the group of people who have been elected to manage a company by those holding shares in the company

The bank's board of directors will vote on the merger proposal at a meeting today.

company secretary

someone with a high position in a company, dealing with legal and administrative matters

The company secretary has requested a full audit of the budget approval procedures.

chairman

a person chosen to preside over a meeting

I was chairman.

managing director

the person who is in overall charge of the running of an organization or business

Sofia is the Managing Director of Webmex Solutions.

chief executive officer

(abbreviation CEO) the person with the most authority in a large company

Antonio Marcegaglia is the Chief Executive Officer.

annual general meeting

an official yearly meeting of the shareholders and directors of a company, at which the company's accounts are presented, the auditors are chosen, and the amount of dividend is decided, as required by

Two of the directors are standing for re-election at the annual general meeting.

management style

the methods used by a person in managing an organization or group of people

Not all employees liked his management style.

hierarchy

system of authority within an organization

Many Swedish firms have very flat hierarchies.

collective

shared by several people

This has to be a collective decision.

decision-making

the process of making important business, political, or legal decisions

Lobbyists will always try to influence the government's decision-making process.

crisis management

the skill or process of dealing with an unusually difficult or dangerous situation

The panel's report reveals results of the crisis management assessment.

change management

the process of organizing and introducing new methods of working in a business or other organization

However, pilot countries report that support for change management should continue.

leader

the person who directs or controls a group, organization, country etc

Ghandi was an important leader.

autocratic

relating to a ruler who has absolute power

He had an autocratic leadership style

democratic

relating to or supporting democracy or its principles

She had a democratic management style

laissez-faire

the policy of leaving things to take their own course, without interfering

Their laissez-faire policy into the educational field helped private universities

subordinate

someone who has a lower position than someone else in an organisation

I am responsible for six subordinates.

delegate

a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference

A good manager knows when to delegate.

corporate culture

the ethos of a particular company

McKinsey's corporate culture continually reinforces confidentiality

bureaucratic culture

a hierarchical and formal organization that has several levels where tasks, authority and responsibilities are delegated between departments, offices or people

In many countries, the railway management, which was generally entangled in a bureaucratic culture, is being revolutionized.

performance culture

a set of behaviors and norms that leads an organization to achieve superior results

A performance culture supports teamwork and collaboration and the growth and development of staff.

facilitate

make (an action or process) easy or easier

Computers can be used to facilitate language learning

dress code

the way that you are expected to dress in a particular situation, especially as an employee of a particular company

Most evenings there's a party and the dress code is strict - black tie only.

dress-down Friday

a Friday when people who work for a company are allowed to wear informal clothes to work

I love to wear dresses on dress-down Fridays.

hot-desking

when people working in an office do not each have their own desk, but work where there is one available

Hot-desking ensures that desks are never left unoccupied while people are away from the office.

empower

give someone the power or ability to do something

Staff are empowered to shape their career development

human resource management

the work of employing, training, and helping the people who work in an organization

The human resource management policies of Japanese firms created well-trained workforces committed to the company's aims.

human resources

the department in a company that deals with recruitment, training and helping employees

He works in human resources.

human resources planning

is the continuous process of systematic planning ahead to achieve optimum use of an organization's most valuable asset—quality employees

The Service will monitor trends in workforce requirements as a principal driver for human resources planning.

staff

all the people employed by a particular organization

200 assembly line workers and 30 sales staff were employed there

personnel

people employed in an organization or engaged in an organized undertaking such as military service

Our personnel mustn't take personal calls at work.

workforce

the people engaged in or available for work, either in a country or area or in a particular firm or industry

Contractors have reported that they expect 70% of the workforce to be local

employee

someone who is paid to work for someone else

An employee is a person who works for somebody.

line manager

a person with direct managerial responsibility for a particular employee.

I really can't stand my line manager.

management philosophy

s a set of beliefs or rules used by managers to help them make decisions

He considered his management philosophy to be of particular importance.

hierarchical

if a system, organization etc is hierarchical, people or things are divided into levels of importance

Some cultures are hierarchical with a caste or class system.

flat

a flat fee, price etc is fixed and does not change or have anything added to it

We charge a flat fee for car hire.

entrepreneur

a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit

Colin's first taste of being an entrepreneur was in junior school

talent

natural aptitude or skill

He has a lot of talent, and his work is fresh and interesting.

flair

a way of doing things that is interesting and shows imagination

Irwin has real entrepreneurial flair.

tycoon

someone who is successful in business or industry and has a lot of money and power

One was Pierre Poivre, the son of a prominent Lyons silk tycoon.

skill

an ability to do something well, especially because you have learned and practised it

I offer you difficult work, requiring great skills.

guru

someone that people respect because they are very wise or skilful in a particular subject

I will attend the seminar of that management guru.

self-employed

working for oneself as a freelance or the owner of a business rather than for an employer.

Being self-employed carries risks because you can't rely on receiving a salary every month.

multi-skilling

when employees learn and use a number of different skills in their work

Their 'people policies' include job enrichment, multi-skilling, and teamwork.

run

to go somewhere quickly on foot, esp. as a sport or for pleasure

All the children run a race on Sports Day.