The Philips company

Philips headquarters are still in Eindhoven. It employs 256,400 people all over the world, and has sales and service outlets in 150 countries. Research laboratories are located in 150 countries, staffed by some 3,000 scientists. It also has an impressive global network of designers. Its shares are listed on 16 stock exchanges in nine countries and it is active in 100 businesses, including lighting, monitors, shavers and colour picture tubes. Royal Philips is managed by the Board of Management, which looks after the general direction and long-term strategy of the Philips group as a whole. The company creed is ’Let’s make things better’. It is committed to making better products and systems and contributing to improving the quality of people’s work and life. One recent example of this is its ‘genie’ mobile phone. To dial a number you just have to say it aloud. Its web TV Internet terminal brings the excitement of cyberspace into the living room. And on travels around the world, whether passing the Eiffel Tower in Paris, walking across London’s Tower Bridge, or witnessing the beauty of the ancient pyramids of Giza, you don’t have to wonder any more who lit these world famous landmarks, it was Philips.

4.7. Match the words from the text with their corresponding definitions.

1 an innovation a a planned series of actions

2 a patent b main offices

3 headquarters c the introduction of a new idea

4 a location d a place or address

5 a strategy e the right to make or sell an invention

4.8. Read the texts about seven people talking about their work and decide which department each one works for.

1. Every six months we produce a report showing how the company is doing. This past week we’ve been busy with our accountants preparing the results that will be included in our next report.

2. I’m a member of a team of engineers and we’ve just finalised the design of our new portable computer. This model will be more powerful and more adaptable than our previous one. We are constantly looking for new ideas and experimenting with new products.

3. Before selling our latest product, our department must decide in which regions it will be the most successful and what types of consumers we want to reach.

4. Communication is a key aspect of my department’s work. We answer inquiries made by our customers and are also in contact with the press to inform them of our new products and changes within the company.

5. We’ve been having problems with the quality of certain electronic parts in our factories. So several members of the department have got together to talk about ways of improving some of our manufacturing techniques.

6. Our company is going through a difficult period and we have to reduce the number of employees in several departments and to review salaries throughout the organisation.

7. In today’s changing work environment, computer systems play an essential role in how the company is run. In our department we not only ensure that all systems are working properly but we also design and develop new applications to make it easier for our employees to exchange and share information.

The departments are: a Marketing b Production c Finance d Public Relations or PR e Research and Development or R D f Personnel or Human Resources g Information Technology.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20