Unit 10

Exercise 1. Match English words and expressions with their Russian

equivalents:

Exercise 2. Read and translate the text:

Span of control

Span of control refers to the number of people who report to one

manager or supervisor. A wide span of control results in a flat organization—

that is, a large number of employees reporting to one supervisor. A narrow span of control results in a tall organization, in which a small number of employees report to a supervisor, necessitating a larger number of supervisors. No formula exists for determining the ideal span of control. The following factors determine the most appropriate span of control: task similarity, training and professionalism, task certainty, frequency of interaction, task integration, and physical dispersion. When a large number of employees perform similar tasks, the span of control can be increased. When the employees perform very different tasks, the supervisor must give each subordinate more individual attention in order to keep in touch with the different types of tasks; this requires a narrower span of control. For example, the rooms department manager might easily manage the front desk agents and housekeepers until the brand standards for check-in or checkout of a guest increase in complexity and the standards for the various types of rooms and their cleaning procedure increase in detail. At this time, the rooms department manager’s span of control must be narrowed. The better trained and more skilled a subordinate is, the less supervision is required. For example, a front desk agent might require

a higher level of training and skill than a room service waiter. Thus, a front desk supervisor can supervise more employees (wider span of control) than the room service supervisor (narrower span of control). Task certainty refers to the predictability of a task. Routine tasks allow management to devise standard procedures for subordinates to follow, minimizing questions about the job and widening the span of control. On the other hand, close supervision is called for when tasks are ambiguous and uncertainty is great. For example, the task of checking a guest in or out of the hotel can be documented and standard

procedures can be created, so the front desk manager can have a relatively wide span of control over the front desk agents. However, because of the diversity of customers the sales manager encounters, the tasks of a hotel sales manager are less certain. The director of sales is responsible for coaching the sales managers, observing sales calls, and ensuring deal closings; these tasks require a hands-on approach that limits the number of employees the director of sales can handle, narrowing the span of control. If the supervisor-subordinate relationship requires frequent interaction, the span of control must be narrow. If interaction is infrequent, the span of control can be wide. For example, the hotel controller

must review regularly the status of collections and payments with staff. In contrast, the frequency of interaction between the chief engineer and his or her subordinates is directed by written work orders in most circumstances and thus requires less direct communication, enabling a wider span of control. If the supervisor must integrate and coordinate the tasks of subordinates, the span of control narrows. For example, in the production of a meal for one table of four guests with different appetizers, salads, and entrees, the chef must have a narrow span of control to ensure that each component of the meal is assembled correctly and delivered

to service personnel on a timely basis. The span of control of the executive housekeeper can be much wider because the procedure for cleaning and preparing each guest room is similar, if not exactly the same, for every room. Physical dispersion refers to the distribution of employees within the lodging establishment. For example, if the executive housekeeper has guest room attendants on 20 floors in two buildings and the front desk manager has all front desk agents located in one place, the span of control would narrow for the executive housekeeper and widen for the front desk manager. The ideal number of people that one person can supervise depends on a variety of factors. Consistent with trends in organizational

structure such as teams, quality circles, and employee empowerment,

many hotel and lodging organizations are widening their span of control.

The objective behind these trends is to develop a flatter, more responsive

organizational structure in which employees can make decisions

without going through several levels of management.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions:

1. What is a span of control?

2. What is a wide span of control?

3. What is a narrow span of control?

4. What happens when a large number of employees perform similar tasks?

5. Does the formula exist for determining the ideal span of control?

6. Which of the factors determine appropriate span of control?

7. How can the rooms department manager manage the front desk agents?

8. When is less supervision required?

9. When does the span of control narrow?

10. Why are many hotel and lodging organizations widening their span of control?

Exercise 4. English Grammar.

Present Continuous Test

Present continuous gap-fill exercise

Write questions from these words by filling the gaps.

Using is or are put the words in order.

Don't forget to put the verb into the correct ......ing for

1)

a) - (what / do / you?)

- ?

b) - (where / study / English / you?)

- ?

c) - (who / work / today?)

- ?

d) - ( work / today / you?)

- ?

e) - (you / look / at me?)

- ?

f) - (they / in a restaurant / eat?

- ?

g) - (listen / he / to her?)

- ?

h) - (she / coffee / drink?)

- ?

i) - (surf / the net / we?)

- ?