“Diversity” has become a buzzword in business, and providing equal access to work and career opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender or ability, has become an important issue. This course explores the various ways in which diversity, for example in gender, culture or ability, affects communication in business and workplace settings.

Specific topics will include:

• Language and gender, looking at such questions as: Do men and women speak differently? Do women’s communication styles affect their ability to break through the professional “glass ceiling”?

• Linguistic and cultural diversity, considering for example: What kind of miscommunication can occur in cross-cultural interactions? Do professional “gatekeepers”, for example in job interviews, discriminate against people with different cultural or linguistic backgrounds?

We will explore these issues by looking at real examples, such as case studies, interviews and recordings of workplace interactions. Literature will include journal articles and extracts from books on the above topics, as well as articles from the popular business press.

THIS COURSE IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 'ENGLISH BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 4' (EBC4). After attending this course, students will be able to:

• to demonstrate a level of general English competence equivalent to C1 (lower) on the Common European Framework ( Common European Framework ) with respect to aural and oral skills;
• to understand essential concepts related to language and diversity and use related language and terminology appropriately;
• to successfully apply a range of methods for critically analysing business communication in terms of diversity;
• to combine these abilities in order to enter effectively into oral discussion about selected issues in this field.

In addition, this course fosters improved reading & writing skills.

Since this class is held in an LVP Format, attendance is generally not required of regular WU students; still, continuous attendance is, of course, highly recommended.

NOTE: Incoming students are subject to different regulations and must attend at least 70%, i.e. at least seven (7), of all classes.

Up front lecture, combined with class discussion, group work and group presentation.

A.) WU students: Oral exam

In the exam, students will present and discuss a small piece of research that they have carried out in the course of the Semester.  

NOTE: Registration for the course is required to register for the exam, which can be taken at the end of the semester at the earliest. For the material covered and the structure of the exam, please see information on the homepage of the Institute for English Business Communication: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/ebc/student-platform/bachelor/ebc4/

B.) For exchange students who want / need to take an exam the requirements are: class attendance and an exam (oral or written) at the end of the semester

Please refer to the homepage of the Institute for English Business Communication: https://www.wu.ac.at/en/ebc/contact/