Unit Title English in International Business 1 ... - Blc.lsbu.ac.uk

Unit Title
Programme(s)/Course
English in International Business 1
HND Business Studies 2 nd year
BABA/BABS 2 nd year
Level
Semester
5
1
Ref No:
Credit Value
20 CAT Points
Student Study hours Contact hours: 60
Student managed learning hours: 140
Pre-­‐requisite learning
Co-­‐requisites
Excluded combinations
Unit Coordinator
[Name + e mail address]
Parent Department
Parent Course
Description
[100 words max]
JACS Code
Aims
None
None
None
Gail Langley
langleg@lsbu.ac.uk
Business Studies
BABS/BABA 2 ND Year
This unit aims to develop students’ awareness and competence in the use
of English language in the context of international business. The focus will
be on the development of language and communication skills appropriate
to cross-­‐cultural communication in international business situations such
as in global branding and marketing and advertising in multinational
companies. Students will develop meeting and team-­‐building skills, further
developing their cultural awareness and academic language skills.
The unit aims to develop students’ awareness of and competence in the
language of international business with reference both to the academic
study of the subject and to the contexts of international business.
1. To enhance students’ awareness and competence in the use of English
language in the study and practice of international business.
2. To develop students’ business communication skills in conducting
meetings and negotiations.
3. To develop students’ business communication skills in preparing
questionnaires for surveys written up as reports.

Learning outcomes
4. To develop students’ ability to write business letters across a range of
situations.
5. To further develop students’ academic language skills, spoken and
written.
6. To enhance students’ understanding of current issues in international
business.
On successful completion of the unit students will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding:
Prepare questionnaires, conduct surveys and write a report from the data
collected.
Write business emails and letters across a range of general business
situations.
Understand how to communicate effectively in meetings and negotiations
Intellectual Skills:
Critically analyse information
Practical Skills:
Understanding of the use of language in international business.
Present business information orally through a paired presentation
requiring teamwork.
Develop surveys using questionnaires
Write a report using the data collected.
Use the language of international business through improved
understanding of cross-­‐cultural communication.
Transferable Skills:
Language skills: to further develop range, register and appropriacy across
all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).
Communication skills: to further develop written and spoken presentation
skills.
Information skills: to further develop the ability to exploit a wide range of
information sources efficiently, particularly from the current media.
IT skills: to further develop the ability to use computers to find and
present information effectivelyIndependent learning skills: to further
develop independent learning skills through self-­‐managed learning
activities.
Employability
The unit aims to enhance your employability by improving your language
and communication skills in general, academic and business registers.
Research shows that employers are keenly interested in the quality of
employees’ language and communication skills so continuing to improve in

this area can make you more employable.
Teaching & Learning
Pattern
Indicative content
The teaching and learning methods require you to participate fully in class
as a range of interactive and communicative teaching methods will be
used such as pair and group work, role play and simulations. There will be
analysis of authentic texts from different media and simulation of real-­world
situations through role plays and case studies.
The syllabus will bring together a blend of skills and topics using topics
which allow effective contextualisation of language and business
communication skills. Topics are broad-­‐ranging as the focus is on the
language and language skills which can be derived from them.
The main topics are:
The use and role of language in international business considering the
place of English language, issues of globalisation such as global branding,
global marketing, as well as enterprise, monopolies, corporate structure
and innovation; cross-­‐cultural communication in the context of
international business.
The main language skills to be developed are:
Cross-­‐cultural communication skills, vocabulary development, extending
the range of expression, improving accuracy, improving mastery of
different/appropriate registers.
The main business communication skills to be developed are:
Oral presentation skills, meeting and negotiating skills, report writing,
business letter writing and cross-­‐cultural awareness
The main study skills are:
Survey and questionnaire techniques, oral and written presentation skills,
research and analytical skills.

Assessment method
(Please give details –
elements, weightings,
sequence of elements,
final component)
Total 100%: coursework 50%; examination 50%
COURSEWORK 50%
1. Meeting to negotiate: (10%) week 6-­‐7
Negotiate some aspects of a business deal eg sales agreement, import-­export
agreement etc prepared from a case study
2. Oral presentation in pairs (10%) week 9-­‐10
The aim is to develop a new product to be launched in the near future.
From the market research, prepare a 10 MINUTE presentation with a
partner to outline the aims, specifications and marketing strategy for the
product /service.Include a webpage and/ or short visual commercial to
promote the product service.
3. PORTFOLI0 (30%) week 12
Report (20%) On a plan to launch a new product or service via the
internet in the near future. To find out what potential the product or
service has in the market place, prepare and administer a questionnaire
survey.
Personal development progress review (10%):
Write 200-­‐250 words reviewing personal development in language and
communication skills for this unit.
EXAMINATION : 50%
A two-­‐hour written examination in which there are two questions:
1) Write 2 business letters or emails in response to a situation: 20% each
= 40%
2) Write a report in response to a case study presented mainly in the
form of data. 60%
Total: 100%

Indicative Reading
CORE READING:
BAADE K., HOLLOWAY C.,SCRIVENER J. & TURNER R. 2009 Business Result
Advanced-­‐ coursebook Oxford: Oxford University Press
COTTON D., FALVEY D. & KENT S. 2000 Market Leader Upper Int –
coursebook Harlow: Pearson Education
LITTLEJOHN A. 2003 (3 rd ed) Company to Company -­‐ a new approach to
business correspondence in English Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press
PILBEAM A. 2000 Market Leader – International Management Harlow:
Pearson Education
OPTIONAL READING:
BAILEY, S. 2006 Academic Writing . A Handbook for International
Students. London: Routledge
BAILEY, S 2010. Academic Writing for International Students of Business.
London:Routledge
CAMERON S. 2009 Business Students’ Handbook London: Financial
Times/Pitman Publishing
COTTRELL S. 2008 (3rd ed) The Study Skills Handbook Basingstoke:
Macmillan
CRÈME & LEA 2003 (2 nd ed) Writing at University – a guide for students
Buckingham: Open University Press
JILLETT R. 2000 Market Leader – Business Leader Briefings London:
Financial Times/Longman (Pearson)
MACKENZIE I. 1997 Management and Marketing Hove: Language
Teaching Publications
MACKENZIE I. 2002 2 nd ed. English for Business Studies Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press
MACKENZIE I. 1995 Financial English Hove: Language Teaching
Publications
MASCULL B. 2004 Business Vocabulary in Use Advanced Cambridge: CUP
POWELL M. 1996 Business Matters Hove: Language Teaching Publications

Other Learning Resources:
ACADEMIC ASSISTANT: www.blc.lsbu.ac.uk/aa
Academic study and language skills prepared by Andy Gillett at the
University of Hertfordshire: www.uefap.co.uk
Advice on academic writing from one of the 50 or so OWLs (On-­‐line
Writing Labs) in the USA and Canada. This one is from the University of
Toronto in Canada: www.utoronto.ca/writing
Language learning: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
Language discussion at Dave Sperling's ever-­‐popular ESL café in California:
www.eslcafe.com