Stage 1 Topic
Stage 2 Task Sheet
Task Sheet 1
A: What is important when selecting applicants for a job or employees for promotion?
Suggestion:
●Work experience;
●Personal qualities;
Education background;
Current position;
Business achievements;
B: What is important when choosing a new supplier?
Suggestion:
●Prices and discounts;
●Reputation;
Punctuality of delivery;
Scope of business;
C:What’s important when aiming to improve production quality? Suggestion:
●Up-to-date equipment
●Staff training
Research and Development
Customer feedback
Task Sheet 2
A: What's important when preparing for a job interview?
Suggestion:
●Studying the job advertisement
●Finding out about the company
Psychological preparation
Clothes
Manner
B: What's important when deciding whether to attend a conference? Suggestion:
●Venue;
●Speakers;
Content;
Schedule;
Accommodation;
C: What's important when developing new products?
Suggestion:
●Market Research
●Costs Involved
Trial production
Customer feedback
Task Sheet 3
A: What's important when selecting a job to apply for? Suggestion:
●Salary
●Career opportunity
Additional benefits
Instructions for applying
Responsibilities of job
Working hours
B: What's important when choosing a magazine to buy regularly? Suggestion:
●Contents
●Cost
Title of magazine
Availability
Its contributors
C: What's important when choosing a business book to study from? Suggestion:
●Topics
●Writer
Price
Suppliers
Date Available
Task Sheet 4
A: What's important when giving a presentation?
Suggestion:
●Type of audience
●Equipment needed
Length
Assistant Required
Reason for the presentation
B: What's important when choosing a business course to attend? Suggestion:
Content
Cost
Type
Qualifications offered
Course leaders
Fees
C: What's important when choosing a language course?
Suggestion:
●Length of course
●Cost
Title
Entry requirements
Course leaders
Task Sheet 5
A: What's important when deciding which type of company you would like to work for?
Suggestion:
●Opportunities for staff training
●Foreign travel
Type of products
Location of premises
Main activities
Number of staff
B: What's important when choosing a magazine to advertise a product or service in?
Suggestion:
●Cost of advertising
●Type of readers
Contents
Price of magazine
Number of readers
C: What's important when planning business trips?
Suggestion:
●Purpose
●Travel arrangements
Length
Destination
Accommodation arrangement
Task Sheet 6
A: What's important when choosing a conference center? Suggestion:
●Facilities
●Location
Type of events organized
Accommodation
Transport connections
Charges
B: What's important when choosing a business journal? Suggestion:
●Topics included
●Cost
Editors
Availability
Intended readers
C: What's important when choosing a business training course? Suggestion:
●Topics
●Venue
Suitable applicants
Dates
Speakers
Task Sheet 7
A: What's important when choosing the location for a new factory? Suggestion:
●Transport connections
●Availability of workforce in area
Location
Cost to rent
Space available
Date of completion
B: What's important when choosing a training video? Suggestion:
●Topics covered
●Cost
Title
Distributor
Availability
C: What's important when planning a business trip?
Suggestion:
●Schedule
●Contact person
Transport arrangement
Accommodation
Task Sheet 8
A: What's important when deciding whether to apply for a new post? Suggestion:
●Location
●Career prospects
Place where it is advertised
Company information
B: What's important when organizing an in-house training course? Suggestion:
●Course content
●Participants selected
Course leaders
Cost involved
C: what’s important when recruiting senior staff?
Suggestion:
●Recruitment agencie s
●Financial incentives
Requirements from them
Posts for them
Task Sheet 9
A: What's important when attending an interview?
Suggestion:
●Appearance of applicant
●Applicant’s knowledge of company
Punctuality
Promises from company
B: what’s important when planning market research?
Suggestion:
●Types of questions
●Type of people
Ways of information feedback
Analysis of current complaints
C: what’s important when predicting profits?
Suggestion:
●Current sales figures
●Market trends
Technology development
Changes of social codes
Task Sheet 10
A:what’s important when deciding whether to obtain a further qualification?
Time commitment required
Suggestion:
●Career benefits
●Profession concerned
Loss of experience
B: what’s important when placing a newspaper advertisement? Suggestion:
●Newspaper sales figures
●Cost of advertising
Newspaper circulation
Readers
C: what’s important when considering whether to invest in technology? Suggestion:
●Benefits to the company
●Cost involved
Development and research
Innovation
Task Sheet 11
A: what’s important when planning a presentation?
Suggestion:
●Finding out about the audience
●Researching the topic
To practice the presentation before giving it
Different types of equipment
B: What’s important when aiming to impro ve customer service? Suggestion:
●Staff training
●Customer satisfaction surveys
Prices and discounts
Rewards for customers
C: What’s important when managing a project?
Suggestion:
●Encouraging teamwork
●Keeping to schedule
Motoring progress
Staff training
Task Sheet 12
A: What’s important when motivating staff?
Suggestion:
●Financial benefits
●Career development opportunities
Training opportunities
Social events
B: What’s important when dealing with competition? Suggestion:
●Pricing policies
●Advertisin g strategies
Customer service
A wide range of goods or services
C: What’s important when planning health and safety training? Suggestion:
●Selecting topics
●Selecting staff to attend
Length
Re-training
Task Sheet 13
A: What’s important when choosing new office equipment? Suggestion:
●Price and discounts
●Brand names
Consulting staff before buying
After-sales service
B: What’s important when entertaining foreign business clients? Suggestion:
●Venue for entertainment
●Cultural differences
Information about the client
Cost of entertaining them
C: What’s important when aiming to reach new markets?
Suggestion:
●Market research
●Advertising
Cost involved
Competitor’s products
Task Sheet 14
A: What’s important when choosing a management training course to attend?
Suggestion:
●Program contents
●Length of course
Reputation of the course provider
Formal qualification offered
B: What’s important when relocating a business?
Suggestion:
●Local workforce available
●Location of site
Transport network
The costs involved
C: What is important when advertising a new product?
Suggestion:
●Target markets
●Choice of media
Timing
Cost
Task Sheet 15
A:What’s important when starting a new job?
Suggestion:
●Knowledge of company procedures
●Help from company staff
Training
Ability to use company equipment
B: What’s important when selecting staff for marketing trips abroad? Suggestion:
●Position in the company
●Previous experience of other countries
Foreign language skills
Social activities
C: What’s important when aiming to reduce production costs? Suggestion:
●Efficiency of production line
●Cost of raw materials
Shift work
Monitoring overheads
Task Sheet 16
A: What’s important when choosing people to work in teams? Suggestion:
●Variety of experience
●Personal qualities
Qualifications
Your own impression
B: What’s important when dealing with a heavy workload? Suggestion:
●Time management
●Sharing tasks
Technology used
Assistance from colleagues
C: What is important when developing new products? Suggestion:
●Market research
●Pricing
Product testing
Competition from other products
Task Sheet 17
A: What’s important when being interviewed for a job? Suggestion:
●Information about the company
●Personal appearance
Self-confidence
Questions asked by candidates
B: What’s import ant when exhibiting at trade fair？Suggestion:
●Quality of display
●Staff selected
Written information for visitors
Feedback from visitors
C: What’s important when introducing a reward system for staff? Suggestion:
●Purpose of the reward system
●Types of reward offered
Kinds of achievement to reward
Ensuring fairness
Task Sheet 18
A: What’s important when entertaining clients?
Suggestion:
●Types of activities
●Cost
Venue
Company personnel involved
B: What’s important when choosing retail premises to ren t? Suggestion:
●Location
●Length of contract
Cost
Condition of the premises
C: What’s important when deciding on packaging for products？Suggestion:
●Image
●Production process
Cost of packaging
Market research to carry out
Task Sheet 19
A: What’s import ant when selecting staff for promotion? Suggestion:
●Attitude to work
●Current performance
Their ambition
Appropriate skills
B: What’s important when considering a career change? Suggestion:
●Further study or training
●Opportunities for future promotion
Financial rewards
Flexible working arrangements
C: What’s important when planning an advertisement campaign? Suggestion:
●Market research
●Selecting appropriate media
Task Sheet 20
A: What’s important when choosing transport for a business trip?
●Convenience
●Cost-effectiveness
●Comfort
B: What’s important when aiming for promotion?
Suggestion:
●Quality of performance
●Company loyalty
Gaining extra qualifications
Skills and personal qualities
C: What’s important when exporting goods services for the fir st time? Suggestion:
●Personal contacts
●Professional advice
Target country
A preliminary trip
Stage 3 Topic
1. Export office
Your company has decided to open an export office in order to deal with an increase in orders from abroad. This office will be responsible for the company’s exports, and will be visited by foreign representative.
●What kinds of jobs will be available in the new office
●What training will be needed for these jobs
2.Cost cutting
Your company has decided to try to reduce costs. You have been asked to investigate the possibility of cutting the financial costs of operating your department.
●Which are the areas where costs could be cut?
●What problems might arise from cutting costs?
3. New factory
Your company is expanding and wants to open a new factory in another area. You have been asked to consider where the best place would be to locate it.
●What factors need to be considered in choosing a good location
●Which of these factors are the most important to consider
4. Staff recruitment
Your factory urgently needs to recruit a large number of temporary staff in order to fulfill an unexpected order. The staff needs to be ready to start work as soon as possible.
●What you need to do in order to find suitably skilled staff?
●What type of induction program the new staff will need before they start work?
5. Customer complaints
Your manager is not satisfied with the way staff reacts to complaints from clients about products or services. You have been asked to suggest how this could be improved.
●How the company can make effective use of will be available in the new office?
●What training will be needed for these jobs?
6.Modernization Program
You work for a large company which has decided to introduce a program of modernization and improvement. You are involved in setting up this program.
●How to prepare staff for major changes within the company
●What other factors have to be considered when introducing major changes in
a company
7. Language Courses Abroad
Your company has offered you the opportunity of attending a six month English language course abroad. You have to decide whether to accept, and are therefore going to attend a meeting to find out more about the offer.
●What the advantages are of learning languages abroad
●What plans you will h ave to make for work and home if you go away for a long period
8. Potential Supplier
A potential supplier will soon be visiting you at your workplace. You think this supplier and the products or services or services they offer could be very important for the future of your company.
●What you need to find out about the supplier and the products or services before the visit
●How you could entertain the supplier the negotiations
9. Foreign Business Travel
Your company has decided that it needs to introduce a clear policy on foreign business travel. You have been asked to help draw up the guidelines.
● What the various reasons are why members of a company make business trips abroad
● In what ways a company might be affected if the number of foreign business trips was reduced
10. Company Directory
Your company is going to be included in an international directory of all the types of businesses operating in your country. You have been asked to write a brief profile of your company for the directory.
● What information you will include abou t your company
● How the directory would be useful to companies
11. Business Presentation
a local business college has asked your company to give a short presentation to a group of young business students about the work of one of the departments in your company. You are in charge of organizing the presentation.
●Which department would be the most interesting for the students to hear about
●Which methods or aids could be used to make the presentation interesting for young people
12. Working from Home
Your company is considering allowing some employees to work from home for part of the working week. Your managing director has asked you to write a report on this proposal.
●Which employees this system would be most suitable for
●How technology could help to make the system of working from home effective
13. Office Space
Your company’s offices have become too small. However, because of their excellent location, many of the staff are opposed to moving. You have been asked to suggest ways of solving the problem of lack of office space.
●How new technology could help to solve this problem
●How staff could be persuaded to move to a new location if necessary
14. Community Relations
Your company has recently moved and would like to establish a good relationship with the local community. You have been asked for some suggestions on how to do this.
●What types of activities the company could become involved in
●How these projects could benefit both the company and community
15. Health and Safety
Your company intends to carry out a health and safety review of its premises. You have been asked to make the preparation for the review.
Which aspects of health and safety should be included in the review
How to ensure that the review runs smoothly
16. Teamwork
Your company is keen to encourage staff to work together in teams. You have been asked to suggest ways in which this could be implemented.
● How to convince staff of the advantage of teamwork
● How to evaluate the results of the company's policy
17. Staff Fitness
Your company is keen to have a fit and healthy workforce. You have been asked to suggest ways in which this could be achieved.
● Wh at the advantages are to a company of having a fit and healthy workforce ● What facilities a company should provide in order to encourage staff to be fit and healthy
18. Investing in Staff Training
Your company has recently had a problem with staff leaving the company shortly after completing training courses. You have been asked to write a report for senior management on this situation.
● How to encourage staff who have undertaken training courses to stay with
the company
● How to ensure that a company be nefits from providing a range of facilities for its workforce
19. Corporate Entertainment
Your company is keen to establish a policy for entertaining important clients. You have been asked to make recommendations for a policy for corporate entertainment.
● What are the advantages and disadvantages to a company of entertaining clients
● What are the criteria for selecting entertainment for clients
20. Staff Retirement
Your company wants to introduce a program to help staff prepare fully for retirement.
● What practical preparations staff need to make for their retirement
● What the advantages and disadvantages are to a company of staff retiring
21. Promoting Tourism
An international conference on tourism will held soon. You have been appointed to a committee which will make recommendations on how your region should be promoted at the conference.
●Which types of tourist attractions and facilities generate most income from foreign visitors?
●How other attractions and facilities should be promoted effectivel y to foreign visitors?
22. Recruitment Video
Your company wishes to recruit more young business graduates. You have been asked to produce a recruitment video, which will be used to attract more job applications from business students.
●What types of infor mation about the company to include in the video?
●Which members of staff should be involved in making the video?
23. Foreign Workers
Your company has recently singed an agreement with a foreign company, which means that foreign business people will be working in your company for short periods. You have been asked to help with preparations for their arrival.
●How to familiarize foreign business people with the working practices of your company?
●What arrangements need to be made for the foreign staff for ou tside working hours?
24. Newspaper Article
A local newspaper is planning a series of articles about successful companies
in the area, including your company. You have been asked to communicate with the newspaper about the content of the article on your company.
●What kinds of information about the company should be included?
●How the company could benefit from the newspaper article?
25. Program for New Staff
The manufacturing company you work for would like to introduce a full program of training for new staff.
You have been asked to help prepare the program.
Discuss the situation together, and decide:
What should be covered by the training program?
How else new staff can be helped to settle into their jobs as quickly as possible?
.What was your first day at work /college like?
What advice would you give to a new colleague joining your company or college?(Why?)
Should all staff continue to receive training after they join a company?(Why /Why not?)
Is there any training that you would like to receive?(Why /Why not?)
Why is it important for staff to receive feedback on their performance at work? How shou1d a company deal with a member of staff whose performance is poor?(My?)
26. Company Dress Code
Your managing director is unhappy with the general standard of dress among staff. Your have been asked to make recommendation about introducing a dress code or company uniform.
●What the advantages and disadvantages of having a company uniform would be?
●What kind of dress would be appropriate for staff in diffe rent types of jobs? .Interlocutor:[Select one or more of the following questions as appropriate, to redress any imbalance or to broaden the discussion.]
What do you think about people wearing uniforms at work?
Do you think it is important what people wear to work?
Do you think business dress is becoming less formal nowadays?
What other kind of rules for staff should company have?
Is there any rule you would like to change or introduce at your place of work or study?
Do you think relationships between employers and staff will change in the future?