Business English 3 Course introduction

Contact information for Boglarka Kiss Kulenović Office hours: Tuesdays: 10:00 – 12:00 and 16:00 -17:00 Office 20 Webpage:

Course objectives increase language competence in spoken and written English develop business communication skills in English expand business English vocabulary to encourage critical thinking (analysis, synthesis, foreseeing, deducing, selecting, etc.) practice working in teams further develop presentation skills

Business English 3 elective course 5 ECTS points Course description:

Grading: 60% for class work! Class participation: 10% Individual contributions: 15% (3 x 5%) Project progress report: 15% Group project presentation: 20% Progress tests / Final written exam: 40% (2 x 20%) _________________ 100%

Project ideas – example 1) Solve a problem that disturbs you Problem: overcrowded motorways in peak traveling times  A waste of time  More pollution of air (cars waiting with running engines) Solution 1: build more lanes  expensive Solution 2: “smart motorway”

Where is the hard shoulder?

“Smart motorway” Source: “Tailblazers”, The Economist, 16 Aug 2014 Active traffic management: gantries with electronic signs every 500 metres along the motorway, CCTV cameras the hard shoulder to be used as an extra lane at busy times  boosting capacity by around a third. A variable speed limit: Cars that travel at a slower, more uniform speed  more can be squeezed on the roads. more effective signs with pictures  non-English speaking truck drivers understand it better.

Research based project Find existing solutions to a problem. Do research on these solutions. Show how successful they are. Present these solutions from different angles. (e.g., financial viability, effect on the environment, speed, etc.)

Schedule Group 3 (room 31) Lecture: 14:00 – 15:15 Seminar: 15:30 – 16:30 Group 2 (room 31) Lecture: 17:00 – 18:15 Seminar: 18:30 – 19:30

Required Literature Trappe, T., Tullis G. (2006) Intelligent Business: Upper Intermediate Coursebook

Topics Teamworking (teams, meetings) Projects (management) Alliances (mergers and acquisitions) Information (information management, information flows) Technology (describing a product, presentations) Advertising (advertising techniques, story telling) Brands (dealing with people at work)