Communication skills for specific purposes 1 1.S3.EP.PP.22

Course objectives
The objective of the course is providing students with an extended English communication practice for business at C1 level..
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Course content:
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.
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Methods of instruction/ forms of classroom activity:
- case studies
- discussion
- pair-work & small group activities (either face to face or online in breakout rooms)
- ICT tools/MSTeams
- presentations
- oral and listening activities