Syllabus

Title
4349 Fremdsprachliche Wirtschaftskommunikation III - Englisch
Instructors
Dr. Miya Komori-Glatz, MA
Contact details
Type
PI
Weekly hours
2
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
02/26/24 to 03/01/24
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Tuesday 03/12/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 03/19/24 12:00 PM - 02:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 04/09/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 04/16/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 04/23/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 04/30/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 05/07/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 05/14/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 05/28/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 06/04/24 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM D4.0.144
Tuesday 06/11/24 12:00 PM - 02:30 PM TC.5.15
Contents

The curriculum of this class is comprised of general language skills, core business content (i.e. the understanding of business principles and activities, technical terminology and registers) and communicative competence.

Please note that this course uses the Canvas learning platform. You will be expected to work through self-study material and asynchronous contributions on a regular basis as well as participating actively in class. There is a strong focus on interaction both in and out of class. Please read the syllabus through carefully to make sure you wish to participate in this class! However, if you are able to engage with the course, it should be interesting and rewarding.

Learning outcomes

THIS COURSE IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS 'ENGLISH BUSINESS COMMUNICATION3' (EBC3). Bachelor students are required to have passed EBC2 prior to attending EBC3.

LEARNING OUTCOMES (LOs)

After successfully completing this course, students will be able:

  • LO1: to demonstrate a level of general English competence equivalent to at least C1 on the Common European Framework, in particular:
    • Can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts or media likely to be encountered in professional or academic life
    • Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on complex subjects, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion
    • Can produce clear, well-structured texts of complex subjects, underlining the relevant salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary points, reasons and relevant examples, and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion
    • Can employ the structure and conventions of a variety of genres, varying the tone, style and register according to addressee, text type and theme
    • Can demonstrate sensitivity to different viewpoints, using repetition and paraphrase to demonstrate a detailed understanding of each party’s requirements for an agreement
    • Can formulate a diplomatic request to each side in a disagreement to determine what is central to their position, and what they may be willing to give up under certain circumstances
    • Can use persuasive language to suggest that parties in disagreement shift towards a new position
    • Can identify differences in sociolinguistic/-pragmatic conventions, critically reflect on them and adjust their communication accordingly
    • Can deal with ambiguity in cross-cultural communication and express their reactions constructively and
      culturally appropriately in order to bring clarity
  • LO2: to understand and apply concepts from certain business and economic fields (globalisation and sustainability, international market entry, financial management, legal English) and to recall as required the essential terminology associated with them;
  • LO3: to recall at will, and use, the English equivalents of basic German terminology from these fields, as well as other typical features (structures, collocations, prepositional usage, etc) of the associated language, to discuss the above fields in an appropriate manner, to understand the principles of report writing, and to apply these in practice;
  • LO4: to combine the various abilities mentioned above in order to:
    a) understand upper-level written texts about the above business and economic fields
    b) write communicatively-effective texts, both descriptive and analytical (specifically reports), relating to these
    c) plan and hold an oral discussion (presentation & interaction) in small groups on a relevant topic
    d) role-play a simple negotiation with students from a foreign university

In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:

  • Improved aural/oral skills, particularly in discussions and simple negotiations
  • Improved ability to analyse and understand texts in general
  • Critical thinking
  • Intercultural communication and using English as a business lingua franca
  • Effective university-level study
    Attendance requirements

    As with all PI courses, attendance is a requirement to pass EBC3. As a special concession, you may miss up to two (2) meetings of your LV. However, if you miss a third, you will no longer be able to pass the course. This condition applies whatever the reasons for your absences may have been.

    Please note that the online session on 19 March is held jointly with students from NHH Bergen (Norway). It is not necessary to attend it (providing you can otherwise meet the regular attendance requirement), but it is strongly recommended as it provides you with a unique opportunity to engage with students from a different university and apply the principles you have learned in class. Please ensure that you will have a steady and reliable internet connection for video conferencing (i.e. Zoom). There are also assessment elements linked to this session.

     

    Teaching/learning method(s)

    This EBC3 course consists of a mix of self-study, interactive online activities, and in-person classes relating to different aspects of the course. Please note that we do not have a coursebook. All learning materials will be made available via Canvas.

    In the first part of the course, we will focus on preparing for our joint session with NHH Bergen, working through the content topics and discussing the orals and report writing.

    The second part of the course will comprise presentation sessions and the larger assessment elements (Report and Business English in Context tests). The orals will be held during the presentation sessions and students not presenting will be required to listen actively, ask questions and give feedback in class and/or asynchronously online. The Report and Business English in Context tests will be held in the final session scheduled at the regular time.

    Self-study materials
    Self-study materials will be posted regularly and are designed to be used alongside class materials. These comprise language, comprehension and content exercises to help you understand and be able to discuss business topics pertaining to globalised trade and sustainable business, international market entry, risk in international trade, financial management and legal English.

    Interactive activities
    During the course you will be invited to participate in a range of synchronous and asynchronous interactive activities, such as creating mini-presentations, posting and responding to threads in a discussion forum, peer-reviewing reports, and working together in small groups (2-4 people). These activities are intended to help build a class community as well as help you go deeper into the material and prepare for the assessments.

    In-person classes
    The in-person classes will be held during the scheduled times and will have a content and/or language focus, depending on the relevant unit.  These sessions will also comprise a mix of teacher-led input, spontaneous and prepared presentations and discussions, and preparation for the assessment elements.

    Please note that the attendance requirement refers to these sessions.

    Assessment

    As EBC3 is a PI course, you must meet the Learning Outcomes by completing various tasks:

    (1) Oral group discussions (17%): This element includes an oral assessment (up to 15 points) in which you will need to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English at the level of C1 under the European Framework of Reference, in particular:

    • Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning
    • Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions
    • Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes
    • Can show sensitivity to different perspectives within a group, acknowledging contributions and formulating any reservations, disagreements or criticisms in such a way as to avoid or minimise any offence
    • Can develop the interaction and tactfully help steer it towards a conclusion

    In groups of 3-4 people, you will conduct an "expert round table" (presentation and discussion) on current business topics. You can also earn up to 2 points for audience contributions to the discussions.

    (2) Report practice and peer review (7%): This is practice for the Final Report (see below). I will inform you about requirements and will set a deadline by which the homework must be submitted. You will receive 2 points for a constructive peer review of one of your colleague's reports, and 5 points for the submission of your own report.

    (3) Intercultural communication and negotiations (11%): One of the main activities in this course is the intercultural negotiations unit with NHH Bergen. In your WU teams, you will work on summarising input material in a social-media friendly format as preparation for the negotiation (up to 5 points), and comment on each others' posts (1 point). You will also reflect on and give feedback on your NHH colleagues' performance after the negotiation (up to 5 points).

    (4) Final Report (35%): In this assessment element you will need to write a new report on a market entry topic, as practised in (2) above. You will receive up to 5 points for compiling part of a market research dossier at home before the test, and up to 30 points for writing the report in the final session. This will take place in class on 11 June and can be taken on paper only.

    (5) Business English in Context (30%): This test combines the content knowledge covered in the self-study and interactive sessions with reading comprehension and text-based tasks. This will take place in class on 11 June and can be taken on paper only.

    In order to pass the course, you must fulfill the following requirements:
    • score at least 60% of the overall points total achievable
    • complete at least TWO of the elements listed in tasks 1-3 above
    • not miss more than 2 class sessions AND complete the Final Report and Business English in Context tests.

    Please note that you may use dictionaries, AI and other tools in the brainstorming and research phases of the performance components but you are NOT permitted to use any of these tools to create the assessed product (presentation, report, etc.). You may be required to repeat any performance components that seem to have been produced using forbidden tools, including in another mode (e.g. changing from oral to written or vice versa).

    ---

    The grade boundaries for EBC3 are as follows:

    Grade 1: 90-100%
    Grade 2: 80-89%
    Grade 3: 70-79%
    Grade 4: 60-69%
    Grade 5: 0-59%

     

    Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

    Bachelor students must have passed EBC2 prior to attending EBC3. Please note that registration via LPIS is required for 'EBC3'.

    Registration is effected on a first-come, first-served basis. Any unfilled slots will be filled from waiting lists in accordance with study progress and in cooperation with the Vizerektorat für Lehre und Studierende.

    Individual EBC3 instructors are NOT involved in registration and will NOT reply to mails on the subject.

    Readings

    Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

    Recommended previous knowledge and skills

    In order to take this course you must have passed

    • the course EBC1
    • the course EBC2 (at the latest, at the Exceptional Test before the start of the semester in which you wish to take EBC3)
    Availability of lecturer(s)

    You can contact your instructor during his/her office hours, immediately before or after class or by mail.

    Provisional schedule below

    Please note that, while all scheduled dates are confirmed, the exact content of each class and/or the order of the topics covered is still subject to change. In particular, the dates of the orals may vary depending on the final number of students. However, there will be at least one opportunity for students going on exchange in January to do their oral before the Christmas holidays.

    Unit details
    Unit Date Contents
    1 12 October

    Introduction & Global business I: Globalisation and sustainability

    2 19 October

    Global business II: Risk in global trade & Introduction to intercultural negotiations

    3 2 November

    Global business III: Joint session with NHH Bergen

    Please note that this session takes place from 10:00-12:30!

    4 9 November

    Report writing I

    5 16 November

    Report writing and market entry II

    6 23 November

    Orals (Group 1) & Report writing and market entry III

    7 30 November

    Orals (Groups 2&3)

    8 7 December

    Orals (Group 4) & Accountability I: Financial management

    9 14 December

    Orals (Group 5) & Accountability II: Legal English

    10 11 January

    Orals (Groups 6&7)

    11 18 January

    Final Report & Business English in Context tests

    Last edited: 2024-02-15



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