Business English communication skills

1. Human Resources – manpower, skills, performance evaluation, appraisals, conflict resolution, recruitment, training and development, well-being of staff.

2. Organizations – different types of teams, decision-making process, autonomy, authority, supervision, decentralized structures.

3. Change – business models, market forces, change agents and change champions, restructuring, cultural mindsets, implementation and resistance.

4. Responsibility – CSR, Corporate Citizenship, good conduct, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, ethical business, risk management.

5. Governance – Corporate governance, stakeholders, regulatory agencies, legislation, incentives, shareholder activism.

6. Start-ups – ventures, entrepreneurs, market research, feasibility, business plan, incubators, venture capital firms, business angels, capital and grants.

7. Resources – limited supplies, energy, minerals, capital, renewable resources, sustainable resources, non-renewable resources, geo-political pressures, scarcity, security concerns, global warming, carbon emissions.

8. Power – leadership, behaviour, power, leaders, business agenda, status, hierarchy, management, followers, subordinates, empowerment, abuse and exploitation.

9. E-marketing – digital technologies, websites, e-mail, sms, pop-ups, banner ads, social media.

10. Risk – Risk exposure, probability of risk, impact, risk management, assessment, mitigation, strategic risk, operational risk, financial risk, hazard risk, contingency planning, insurance and hedging.

11. Misconduct – fraud, money laundering, identity theft, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, white collar crimes, tax evasion, bribery, whistleblowing, internal controls, law suits.

12. Development – Learning organizations, knowledge management, personal and professional development, academic qualifications, training programmes, coaching, mentoring and e-learning.

13. Exploring business through a series of business case studies.

14. Business in the future.

15. Reflections and conclusions.

A. obligatory reading:

A.1. used in class

Trappe, T., & Tullis, G. (2011). Intelligent Business Coursebook

A.2. used for self-study

B. supplementary reading

Dignen, B. & McMaster, I. (2013). Effective International Business Communication. Collins.

Trappe, T., & Tullis, G. (2011). Intelligent Business Coursebook

Business English Magazine. Colorful Media.

Knowledge

s-W-1 has the ordered knowledge of the English business language; knows the lexical-grammatical and stylistic rules of the English business language, and the rules of the selection of means for expressing specific types of information.

Skills

s-U-2 is able to use the English language in writing and speaking with relative fluency, accuracy and communication efficiency in a wide range of business topics.

Social competences

s-K-1 can specify the priorities for the implementation of their goals and tasks designated by others.

1. Active participation in activities and discussion to demonstrate that the student is able to use the English language in writing and speaking with relative fluency, accuracy and communication efficiency in a wide range of business topics (s-U-2) and has the ordered knowledge of the English business language; knows the lexical-grammatical and stylistic rules of the English business language, and the rules of the selection of means for expressing specific types of information (s-W-1).

40%

2. Giving an oral presentation in English to demonstrate that the student has the ordered knowledge of the English business language; knows the lexical-grammatical and stylistic rules of the English business language, and the rules of the selection of means for expressing specific types of information (s-W-1) and is able to use the English language in writing and speaking with relative fluency, accuracy and communication efficiency in a wide range of business topics (s-U-2).

30%

3. Completing a research project to demonstrate that the student can specify the priorities for the implementation of their goals and tasks designated by others (s-K-1). Demonstrating that the student is able to use the English language in writing and speaking with relative fluency, accuracy and communication efficiency in a wide range of business topics (s-U-2) and has the ordered knowledge of the English business language; knows the lexical-grammatical and stylistic rules of the English business language, and the rules of the selection of means for expressing specific types of information (s-W-1).

30%