Module 1.  Business Operations by Function

Module 2.  Accounting, Cash Flow, and Financial Statements

Module 3.  Business Analysis

Module 4.  Communications — Image and Identity

Module 5.  International Business Concerns

Module 6.  Industries and Economics

Module 7.  Finance and Investments

Module 8.  Banking Industry

Module 9.  Government in Business

Module 10. Communications — Clarity, Persuasiveness, Arguments, and Presentations

The whole course is about 135-210 hours* (*depending on student English skills)

= about 22-35 weeks at 6 academic (AH) hours/week (3 classes  x  2 AH/class), or

= about 34-52 weeks at 4 AH/week (2 classes  x  2 AH/class)

NOTE:

Take the modules you want. If you don’t want all modules, you need not take them all.

Business English      Course Description

Learn business English from a U.S. native speaker who has 35 years of business experience as a professional successful communicator, teacher, project manager, director of special projects, and business management system consultant to company founders, owners, executives and officers.

The companies had 25 to 1200 employees in 20+ industries from aerospace to food processing; electronics to material handling; automobiles to real estate financing and management; and producing electricity, plastic and steel.

As needed to illustrate key points, real-life anecdotes connect the students’ work experiences to the lesson. This makes Business English more memorable. It ensures students use English effectively.

In each module students get the Learning Objectives and perform measurable tasks to verify learning. They listen to English, read, write, and speak it with correct pronounciation. They increase their skills and proficiency. They learn business idioms and verb phrases. They learn American and British English variants. They build English skills by doing exercises, pair work, group/team tasks, business workshops and case studies. Students can ask about real-life work situations and –for clarification and specific coaching– bring documents written in English.

Requirements: Students must already have intermediate or better skills; a working knowledge of English grammar and a functional vocabulary. Pre-intermediate students are possible but will probably use 210 hours or the greater quantity of hours to complete the course or any module(s).

Business English – Course Outline

Module 1 35-50 hours* (*per student’s English skill)

Business — General Functions and Operations

1.1   The Business Cycle

1.2   Business Ethics

1.3   Corporate Strategy and Structure

1.4   Business Plans

1.5   Strategy

1.6   Product Development

1.7   Marketing/Promotion Strategy

1.8   Building Relationships

1.9   New Business

1.10  Operations Management

1.11  Production

1.12  Human Resources

1.13  Training

1.14  Managing People

1.15  Project Management

1.16  Consultants

1.17  Partnerships

Module 2 20-30 hours*

Following Money — Accounting, Cash Flow, and Financial Statements

2.1   Accounting and Accountancy

2.2   Money and Income

2.3   Financing Business

2.4   Bookkeeping

2.5   Corporate Law

2.6   Accounting Principles, Standards and Practices

2.7   Accounting and Financial Statements

2.8   Income and Expense Statements – cash flowing in and out

2.9   Cost Accounting

2.10  Depreciation and Amortization

2.11  The Balance Sheet – overview and assets

2.12  The Balance Sheet – liabilities and equity

2.13  Auditing

Module 3 5-8 hours*

Financial Analysis

3.1   Pricing

3.2   Financial Ratios — debt to equity and long-term viability

3.3   Financial Ratios — profitability and shareholder value

3.4   Risk Assessment

Module 4 12-20 hours*

Corporate Communications — Image and Identity

4.1   Overall Communications

4.2   Overview of Internal and External Communications

4.3   Create, Establish and Build-up Company Image

4.4   Create, Establish and Build-up Brand Identity

4.5   Formal and Informal Internal Communications

4.6   Customer Connectivity

4.7   Information and Communications Technology

Module 5 12-20 hours*

International Business Concerns

5.1   Going International

5.2   Globalization

5.3   Globalized Economics

5.4   International Trade

5.5   Exchange Rates

5.6   Financing and International Trade

5.7   Incoterms

Module 6 10-15 hours*

Industries and Economics

6.1   World Economics

6.2   Sectors and Industries

6.3   National Economies and Industrial Sectors

6.4   Industries and Companies

6.5   Economic Reports

6.6   Deflation, Inflation and Devaluation of Wealth

Module 7 15-25 hours*

Finance and Investment

7.1   Corporate Financial Planning

7.2   Asset Management

7.3   Raising Start-up Money — Venture/Risk Capital

7.4   Raising More Operating Cash — Bonds

7.5   Raising Capital — Selling Stock/Shares

7.6   Shareholders / Stockholders

7.7   Describing Charts & Graphs

7.8   Share Review

7.9   Share Prices and Values

7.10  Financial Markets

7.11  Fund Managing

7.12  Hedge Funds and Structured Products

7.13  Futures

7.14  Derivatives

7.15  Mergers and Takeovers

7.16  Leveraged Buyouts

Module 8 15-25 hours*

Banking Industry

8.1   Personal Banking

8.1.1  Internet/Cyber Banking

8.1.2  Electronic Money

8.1.3  A “Do-It-All, One-Stop” Account

8.2   Corporate, Commercial and Retail Banking

8.2.1  Banks for Businesses

8.2.2  Company Accounts

8.3   The Banking Industry

8.3.1  Central Banks,

• Controllers of the Money Supply

• Interest Rates, Inflation and Economic Depression

8.3.2  The European Central Bank and Federal Reserve Bank

8.3.3  The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the

Bank of International Settlements (“bankers’ bank”)

8.3.4  Investment Banks

8.3.5  “For Profit” Banks and Interest Rates

8.3.6  Bad High-Risk Investments, Giant Bank Failures, and Taxpayer-Funded Bailouts

8.4   Islamic Banking

8.4.1  Vested-Interest Risk Sharing

8.4.2  Win-Win

8.5   Money Markets and Financial Institutions

8.6   International Banking

8.6.1  Currency Markets

8.6.2  Foreign Trade

8.6.3  Send Money (priority payments) Internationally

Module 9 3-5 hours*

Government in Business

9.1   Taxation

9.2   Financial/Securities Regulation

9.3   Mandated Insurance

Module 10 10-15 hours*

Effective Communications — Clarity, Persuasiveness, Arguments and Presentation

10.1  Cultural Awareness and Using English in Business, Social, Formal and Informal Settings

10.2  Clarity and Highlighting Key Points

10.3  Softening (“couching” phrases) — Sensitivity, Politeness, Tact and Diplomacy

10.4  Create and Deliver Presentations —

10.4.1  Ensure Your Audience Understands Your Message, but

10.4.2  From Your Audience’s Viewpoint, Be Lively, Magnetic and Persuasive

10.5  Lead, Facilitate or Merely Participate in Discussions/Meetings

10.6  Graphics — “A picture saves 1000 words!” When Explaining Trends

10.7  Speak and Write Coherently

10.7.1  Speak Lucidly

10.7.2  Make the Theme Strong with Paragraph Continuity and Smart Transitions

10.8  Develop an Effective Argument

10.8.1  Establish Clear Key Points

10.8.2  Use Linking Words, Set-Ups and Transitions

10.8.3  Effectively Follow Through with Ensuing Ideas

10.8.4  Finish Powerfully

10.9  Write a Winning CV (résumé)

10.10 Win the Interview to Get the Job Offer