Tag: Business

Egg Freezing Perk for Female Employees

B1 – Intermediate

Apple and Facebook are among the biggest tech firms known for giving their employees, some might call, “awesome” work perks.

Recently, some companies decided they will provide financial assistance to their female staff should they opt to go for egg-freezing in their 20s or 30s.

Read the article to know more about this egg freezing perk.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1704/170426-egg-freezing.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of this perk?
2. What are your thoughts on this statement: “When [IVF] is done purely to protect their job, I think it’s extraordinary that women think this is liberating.”?
3. What unique perks are given to employees at your company?
4. What perks do you want your company to start giving out to its employees?
5. What do you think is the best age to start having children. Tell some reasons why.

In the Wine World, Does Bottle Size Matter?

C1 – Advanced

Wine has been around for as long as we can remember. And most of the time, we’re after the taste and not the bottle. A Napa Valley wine maker is redesigning wine bottles.

Watch the video below of a discussion about wine bottles and the issue of changing them.

Discussion Questions:

  1. According to the video, why are wine bottles being changed?
  2. In your opinion, it a good idea to change the size and shapes of wine bottles?
  3. What did the guest say about retailers and wine bottles?
  4. What are your preferences when it comes to wine and other alcoholic beverages?
  5. Is it better to showcase wine in a new and different way or the standard way? Explain.

Supermarkets Are not Cheating Customers

C1 – Advanced

Consumers are always on the look out for promotions and discounts on almost every products. But are all promotional products worth your cash?

Read the article below and express your thoughts about it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38967432

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think multi-buy packages are a good deal or is it a way to entice customers to buy more than what they really want? Share your thoughts.
  2. How could supermarkets handle this issue with multi-buy better without causing annoyance to their customers?
  3. Do you like these kinds of offers? Why or why not?
  4. What are other ways you think supermarkets are tricking their customers?
  5. Share your experience getting tricked by a store or supermarket offer?

The Pros and Cons of Advertising

B1 – Intermediate

Advertising is very important. It is a good way for consumers to know a product very well. Advertising also influences people’s mood and emotions. It makes people buy things they don’t need and makes them feel depressed for not being able to buy items that are in fashion.

Read the article below to know more about the good and bad in advertising.

http://www.english-online.at/media/advertising/pros-and-cons-of-advertising.htm

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it necessary to advertise?
2. Is there truth in advertising?
3. What kind of advertisements attract your attention?
4. Do you find advertising persuasive? Why do you buy one product over another?
5. Should alcohol or tobacco companies be allowed to advertise? Why or why not?
6. What is the most advertised product in your country?
7. What are the harmful and the beneficial effects of advertising?

Africa’s Coffee Renaissance

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Nigeria’s young entrepreneurs are thinking creatively and boldly. Watch the video and read the article about two Nigerian brothers who profited on coffee.

2 brothers have tapped into Africa’s coffee renaissance

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe the coffee business of Ngozi and Chijioke Dozie. What makes their coffee bar different?
2. What do the brothers hope for in the future for their business?
3. How are coffee bars faring in your city/country?
4. Are there many start-up businesses in your city/country? Are they being supported by the local government?

The First Starbucks in Italy

B1 – Intermediate

Starbucks is one of the most popular American coffee shop chains known around the world. Presently, it has more than 20,000 stores in 67 countries. Starbucks has achieved worldwide recognition and success. Can it also be successful in Italy, a country that is known to have long cultural ties with coffee?

Let’s find out more about it.

http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/starbucks-to-open-first-store-in-italy.htm#

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the article, when will Starbucks open its first store in Italy?
2. Have you tried Italian espresso? How about Starbucks coffee?
3. Why do Italians have mixed reactions/feelings about the opening of Starbucks in their country?
4. What was the article pertaining to when it mentioned  the “watery undrinkable” coffee?
5. Can Starbucks succeed in Italy?
6. Are there Starbucks stores in your country? What’s the most popular coffee shop chain in your country/Europe?

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

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C1 – Advanced

Food trucks. Their evolution has been a good one. Sprouting up like mushroom, people seem to enjoy every bit of it.

Read the article below and be ready to increase your vocabulary by going through the different terms and expressions. Feel free to read the article section per section with your teacher.

How Food Trucks Took Over City Streets

Discuss:

1. Describe the change of food trucks since it began.
2. Why are food trucks so appealing to the young? The culinary graduates?
3. Explain why having a food truck business is not as easy as some think. What are the challenges business owners face?
4. On the other hand, what are the advantages of having a food truck as a business?
5. Are food trucks a trend in your city as well? What is your general opinion of them?

Pfizer Forbids Sales of Drugs For Lethal Injection

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Certain states in the US that allow lethal injections are having a challenging time sourcing their substances for their execution.

Read the article below to know the reason behind Pfizer’s decision to stop selling specific narcotics used in lethal injections.

The American pharmaceutical conmpany Pfizer has said it will no longer sell drugs that can be used for lethal injections to the Amercian government.  A total of 7 substances on the list are mostly used for operations and certain illnesses but are also in liquids used for executions. According to a Pfizer representative, the company’s aim is to save lives and not help kill people.

Pfizer says it will closely monitor buyers who try to resell the drugs to state institutions, which may use  them for executions.

After Pfizer’s decision , there are no more companies in the USA and Europe that sell lethal injection drugs to the Amercian government . The European Union  has banned the export of such drugs to the US.

As a result, state authorities are trying to find new drugs and combinations of substances that can be used for executions. Normally, three mixtures of drugs are used to execute a prisoner. The first one makes you unconscious , the second liquid paralyses the muscles  and the third stops the heart from beating.

In the past few years, the number of executions has decreased, in part due to the availability of lethal drugs. Last year only 28 executions were carried out in the US. Among the 32 states that allow capital punishment, all of them use lethal injections as the main method of execution but some allow the electric chair,hanging, the firing squad and the gas chamber as alternatives.

Human rights organizations and other groups opposed to capital punishment have welcomed Pfizer’s decision as a bold move to ban the death penalty in the United States.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of Pfizer’s decision?
  2. Why did several drug companies refuse to sell these drugs to the US government?
  3. In your own opinion, is lethal injection humane? Explain your opinion.
  4. Is there death penalty in your country? If none, should there be one?

Customer Service

B2 – Upper Intermediate

How important is it really to take care of the customers’ needs? Customer service is making sure a customer is rendered superior quality service and assistance before, during and after a purchase of a product.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss Jackie’s recent customer service experience.
  2. What is the importance of having an excellent customer service?
  3. Do you think companies should invest more on this area? Why or why not?
  4. Talk about the best and worst customer service you’ve ever had.

Breakfast: The Power Hour for Success

coffee shop scence with London red bud behind in window. Image shot 2008. Exact date unknown.

C1 – Advanced

It is a well-known fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But to some business people, breakfast time is not just for meals. It’s also for meetings.

Read the article below to find out the benefits of having morning meetings and the right time to have after-hours meetings.

Breakfast is the real power hour for success

Discuss:

1. According to the article, what are the benefits of having meetings early in the morning?
2. Do you agree with the points mentioned in the article?
3. How often do you have meetings at work? What time do you usually have them?
4. What is the most productive time for you at work? Are you a morning person or an evening person?