Tag: business and business english

Barbie the Most Famous Doll in the World

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The Barbie doll has always been an iconic toy. It’s  famous throughout the globe. During the past decades, Barbie doll has undergone through many developments in terms of its appearance. But recently, another toy company has produced a doll that also captures the eyes of children.

Read this lesson about Barbie, the most famous doll, turning 50.

http://www.english-online.at/hobbies/barbie/barbie-famous-doll-at-50.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think Barbie is very famous? Was the Barbie doll famous in your country during your time? How about now?
  2. What are some of the toys that became a very important part of your childhood?
  3. Why is playing important for little kids?
  4. Should parents be very particular with the toys that their children play with? Share your opinion.
  5. Do you think traditional toys will disappear in the future? Why or why not?
  6. Why do some adults continue to collect or enjoy toys?

Business Ethics on the Job

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Ethics is all about doing the the moral or right thing and making sure that you know how your decisions will affect others. It is a very important to uphold some ethics when doing business.

For this activity, you will be able to know words and phrases used when dealing with business ethics. Be ready to answer some discussion questions.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In your opinion what is the purpose of business? Is it just to make money? Share your opinion.
  2. Why do you think some jobs are more ethical than others?
  3. What examples of companies do you know of that have been involved unethical business practices?
  4. What are some ethical issues in your industry/profession?
  5. What can employees do to change the behavior of their company that engages in unethical practices?
  6. Why do you think companies are becoming more interested in corporate social responsibility (CSR)?

South Korean Government Made K-Pop a Thing

B2 – Upper Intermediate

K-pop or Korean pop music is big in Asia and is now spreading to some European countries. But, in South Korea, K-pop is more than just music. Read the article below and discover how the government of South Korea treats their music industry.

This resource includes an audio clip so feel free to listen to the audio as well.

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/04/13/399414351/how-the-south-korean-government-made-k-pop-a-thing

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you familiar with K-pop? Describe the music industry in your country.
2. Who are some of the very famous musicians in your country? Talk about your preferences in music.
3. Talk about some of the industries in your country that are doing very well or are being taken care of by the government.

Successful 20-year-old Owns a Chinese Factory

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Take a peek into the life of a young and successful man who started creating his products when he was 11 and now owns a factory in China:

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/20-old-brooklyn-successful-owns-133159062.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What were you doing when you were 20?
2. What do you think are the perks and pitfalls of being a young millionaire?
3. Are there many start up businesses in your city run and managed by young entrepreneurs?
4. If you became a multimillionaire, how would you manage your wealth?

Lego Ends Ties with Shell

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Lego had a partnership with Shell and made toys that had Shell logo on them. There were over a million people who emailed Lego asking it to end its deal with Shell that brought pressure to finally end its contract with the oil company.

Read the article about Lego ending its tie-up with Shell.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1410/141012-lego.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Give your opinion about Greenpeace’s move to pressure Lego from ending their contract with Shell.
  2. How can companies balance doing business and protecting the environment?
  3. Do you think that parents have the responsibility of choosing the right toys to educate their children about preserving the environment? Explain.
  4. Talk about some projects that deal with environmental issues in your country.

PepsiCo CEO Indra K. Nooyi Women Can’t Have It All

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Being a women and a CEO of one of the world’s top companies might not be a walk in the park for anybody. But we’ve watch a lot of boss ladies successfully conquer both family and work life.

Watch the interview of Indra K. Nooyi and why she said, “Women can’t have it all.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. How would you react to your mother if you were Indra?
  2. Do you agree or disagree that women can’t have it all? Explain.
  3. If you are/were a working parent, what do you think would be your coping mechanisms in being a good parent and at the same time, the best employee/boss at your company?
  4. Share your thoughts on this statement, “The biological clock and the career clock are in total conflict with each other.“