Tag: Business

What Everyone Should Know About Teamwork

C1 – Advanced

We are living in a modern world where people rely much on technology and machines. This only means that competition is also rapidly tougher than before. As competition rises, individualism occurs along with it. Therefore, if we talk about teamwork nowadays, it is almost as impossible as climbing the Himalayas Mountain.

Everyone knows that teamwork is the key to any organization’s success and challenges are dealt with more easily when two or more heads are taking part, but teamwork is a challenge in itself. It requires effective communication and humility towards a common goal.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisromero/2016/01/20/what-everyone-should-know-about-teamwork/#55eecea73631

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you describe your ability to work as a team member?
2. Do you prefer working in a team or independently?
3. Have you ever had difficulty working with a team?
4. Talk about your own experiences that demonstrate teamwork.
5. What strategies would you utilize to cultivate teamwork within your team/department?

Relationship-building

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Employees spend a good deal of time in the office. You interact with different people with different personalities all the time.

It is vital that you establish a good relationship with the people you work with everyday.

Listen to the audio and learn some practical ways to develop relationship-building competency.

 

Discussion Questions:
1. Differentiate team building and relationship-building.
2. What are ways to develop relationship-building competency?
3. Why is this competency important in the workplace?

Foreign Home Buyers Ban

B2 – Upper Intermediate

New Zealand has been an attractive place for holiday homes. Hence, more and more foreigners have been buying houses there. This lead to a massive demand in properties and consequently, rise in property prices.

Find out more about PM Ardern’s plans to make buying their first homes easier for Kiwis through the article below:

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1711/171102-home-buyers.html

Discussion Questions:

1. How is it like to purchase your first home in Spain?
2. Should non-citizens be allowed to buy homes in a country?
3. Do you agree that houses are good investments?

Spain Sets New Rules for Airbnb

B1 – Intermediate

Airbnb connects people looking to have their homes rented with those who are trying to find a place to stay in specific locations. Airbnb offers its users a lot of options on different kinds of houses or properties and a stress-free way for house or apartment owners to make money by renting out their property.

However, Airbnb’s popularity has not come without any problems in some countries and their governments are quick to respond.

Read the article below on the new set of rules in Spain on Airbnb rentals.

In Barcelona and Madrid, Airbnb hosts will be required to register the rental property with the city government before listing it. New York and Paris already use this rule.

Spanish provinces are cracking down on Airbnbs. They have put in place several new rules that will limit the number of Airbnb rentals in Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, Valencia, and Andalusia.

In Madrid, the city has proposed a rule (it’s not law yet) that would limit apartments to be rented only 90 days out of the year. It would also require that every property in the city center have a separate entrance for Airbnb guests. This proposal came after Madrid natives protested against tourists, saying that Airbnb has caused the city to have a lot more tourists. Some also believe that housing prices went up since Airbnb became so popular. With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.

In Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza, the rules have already become laws. Starting July, only houses, no apartments, will be allowed to be rented out as an Airbnb. In addition, every property must be registered. As of right now, only 700 out of 20,000 properties are correctly registered. Airbnb is expected to remove illegal listings from the site. This means that a lot of people who rented properties in July and August will lose their reservations.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about the new rules set for Airbnb rentals?
  2. What is your opinion on this: “With these new rules, 95% of Madrid’s existing Airbnbs would become illegal.”?
  3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of putting up properties on platforms like Airbnb for rental?
  4. Have you used Airbnb before? What are the good and bad things about using it to book accommodations? If you haven’t, are you interested to try it out?
  5. What kind of accommodations do you prefer when you travel and why?

Government-Run Crowdfunding Platform

© The Locale ES

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Crowdfunding Bizkaia is the first ever state-run crowdfunding platform. Now, business-minded individuals can invest in local start-ups that catch their interest.

Read more about this here:

https://www.thelocal.es/20180315/spanish-province-launches-worlds-first-state-run-crowdfunding-bizkaia

Discussion Questions:
1. What are the advantages of having a government-run crowdfunding platform?
2. What do you think about this?
3. What are your thoughts on crowdfunding?

Effective Customer Service during Mergers and Acquisitions

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When a company goes through transition after a merger and acquisition, there are some negative impact on the business’s operations and in some cases, customer relations.

Read more to find out about how to provide effective customer service during M&A.

https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-you-provide-effective-customer

Discussion Questions:

1. Explain the three challenges companies face during an M&A transition.
2. Have you ever worked for a company that underwent re-organization? Talk about this period.
3. Give some ways on how to ensure smooth M&A transition.

Conversation with Colleagues

B1 – Intermediate

Business is all about good communication. While communicating with customers is important, internal communication must be given attention, too.

Communicating effectively with your colleagues minimizes misunderstandings and increases work efficiency. Active communication also produces healthy working relationships. This, in turn, creates a more pleasant and less stressful work environment.

Watch the video about a conversation with a colleague.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is it easy to communicate with your colleagues? Why or why not?
  2. What do you often talk about with your colleagues?
  3. What are ways to communicate effectively with colleagues?
  4. Talk about a situation when you had a miscommunication with your colleagues. How was the problem resolved?
  5. What can be done to avoid miscommunication at work?

Rip-off Restaurant

B1 –  Intermediate

Japanese tourists were allegedly ripped off their meal at a Venice restaurant. The tourists reported the incident to the police which was then escalated to the mayor.

Let’s find out more by clicking on the links.

Audio  (Listen before reading the text)

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1801/180124-rip-off-restaurant.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s your take on the issue?
2. What do you think of the mayor’s reaction?
3. Have you ever been ripped off? If so, how and why?
4. Do you check TripAdvisor.com for a certain establishment’s rating?

Corporate Social Responsibility

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We normally associate business with financial gains. But at the end of the day, is it really just about the money?

In recent times, a lot of companies are moving toward dedicating their efforts to developing their company’s corporate social responsibility’s arm.

Check out the link below for a better understanding of CSR.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/corp-social-responsibility.asp

Discussion Questions:

1. In your own understanding, what is CSR?
2. In your opinion, should CSR be an important part of any company? Why or why not?
3. Talk about your company’s CSR.

UK Ban on Petrol and Diesel Cars

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Undeniably, air pollution has been a problem in every country around the world. No wonder a lot of car companies are heading for electric and hybrid cars in the future. Just recently, the UK has announced its plans to fight air pollution by banning petrol and diesel cars starting 2040.

Is it a good idea or will it be a little too late by then?  Let’s read the article below and let us know your opinion about the subject.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-26/uk-to-ban-sales-of-petrol-diesel-fuelled-cars-from-2040-reports/8744076

Let’s talk:

1. What do you think about Britain’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040?
2. Would you support such a ban in your country? Why? Why not?
3. How long do you think it will be before all cars on the road are electric? Why?
4. Do you believe that electric cars will be cheaper to maintain than ICE cars by 2025-2029? Why? Why not?
5. What do you think governments should do to encourage people to buy electric cars?
6. Why do you think some people are still skeptical about electric cars?