Tag: CAE

Companies Are Debranding

C1 – Advanced

Debranding is when companies purposely decide to change or get rid of their familiar brand identity. It’s a smart move that challenges the idea that a strong brand should never change. In this quick look, we’ll uncover why companies debrand, what it means for them, and why businesses are choosing to rethink how they look and tell their story.

Watch the video to know this interesting world of debranding and the stories it creates in the ever-changing business world. Be able to answer the questions below:

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “design inflation“. “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
  2. What does the expression “to spiral out of control” mean? “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does the saying “the pendulum swings” mean? “It seems likely that debranding will be with us for a while, but who knows when the pendulum will swing and the trend reverts to detail complexity and personality.” Make one sentence with this idiom.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on the trend of companies debranding in recent years?
  2. Do you believe that one day the pendulum will swing and the trend will revert to detail complexity and personality when it comes to branding? Explain.
  3. Is debranding a risky move for companies, considering the potential loss of brand recognition and identity? Share your insights.
  4. How does debranding impact consumer trust and loyalty towards a company?
  5. Share some branding moves your company has made the past years to reinvent itself.

More Education Is Not Always Better

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It has been demonstrated that education has the greatest impact on one’s economic success. Does this imply that increased education has more positive economic effects, taking into account the numerous factors brought about by technological development that influences the skill set needed by the economy.

Watch the video below to learn more why more education is not always necessarily better.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “skilled migration“. “Finding the right balance is going to be hard, especially as new technologies are constantly changing the skill sets that are demanded by the economy and that’s before considering variables like skilled migration, which can add or subtract skills to the labor market very quickly.” Please create your own sentence using the phrase.
  2. What does “too much of a good thing” mean? “Are our modern economies becoming overeducated and if they are, what are the consequences of having too much of a good thing?” Use this expression in a sentence.
  3. What is the meaning of “egalitarian“? “In some highly egalitarian countries, education is paid for by the government.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you agree that more education isn’t always better? Why or why not?
  2. What are the consequences of an overeducated population?
  3. Should we slow down the trend of people becoming more and more overeducated? Share your thoughts on this.
  4. Do you believe that the “Labor Theory of Value” is a perfect way of measuring value? Explain.
  5. What is the importance of subjective value?
  6. Talk about the balance of research and labor in your country.

Making Poor Areas Richer

C1 – Advanced

Even in the rich countries, financial hardships that is brought about by inflation and the global economic crisis are felt, and the poorest areas are the ones hit hardest by this pinch.

Amidst the continuously widening economic divide, is there hope for these declining areas?

Watch the video on how to tackle regional inequality.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “to feel the pinch” mean? “Many across the rich world are feeling the pinch and it’s hitting hardest in its poorest regions. ” Use this expression in your own sentence.
  2. What does “to be left in the lurch” mean, “Although globalization benefited many in well-off countries, large areas have been left in the lurch.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. What does ”top-down” in governance mean, “[In] countries which tend to be very centralized and top-down in terms of governance what we see is only certain parts of the country seem to really enjoy the benefits of prosperity and they tend to leave other parts of the country behind.”? Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is regional inequality also an issue in your country? Talk about how evident it is and how the government is addressing this problem.
  2. How can countries with the problem of the dark divides fix this issue?
  3. In a country with the government system like the UK, should Mayors be given more autonomy to address their respective city’s crises? Explain your stance.
  4. How does economic globalization worsen regional inequality?
  5. How might regional inequality affect a country?

Central Banks Can’t Print Unlimited Money

C1 – Advanced

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has caused a great shock to the global economy. Governments’ solution was to release huge amounts in the form of stimulus packages.

Perhaps the biggest question in everyone’s mind is, where was this money from? How come banks do not produce as much money as we need in times of need? Instead, their response is quantitative easing.

Though the monetary policy quantitative easing has become common in the recent years, it is still in its nascency and the governments and economies have yet to uncover the extensive scope of its consequences.

Learn more about quantitative easing and why central banks can’t print unlimited amount of money even during severe economic crisis.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why can’t central banks just print unlimited money even if it is to help an economy in crisis?
  2. Explain quantitative easing, buying bonds, and treasury bonds.
  3. Treasury bonds are considered as a safe form of investment. What is your opinion on this?
  4. In your opinion, when central banks buy government bonds/debts, does it only undermine a system that is designed to protect the economy or do you think these measures are actually necessary and helpful in stabilizing economies?
  5. Talk about the economic relief packages by your government as a response to the pandemic crisis.
  6. Share your thoughts on this statement by John Kenneth Galbraith, “The process by which banks create money is so simple the mind is repelled”.

Trickle-Down Economics

C1 – Advanced

Tax cuts for the wealthy is implemented in order to ideally boost the economy by creating more jobs. Thus, providing income for everyone else. As the wealth tax continues, more and more economists hypothesized that these wealth from 1% of the population has not been able to reduce poverty.

Let’s watch the video and know more about the trickle-down economics.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is trickle-down economics and does it actually work?
  2. Do you have tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations in your country? What do you think of this?
  3. Does increasing workers’ take-home pay translate to increased household demand? Explain.
  4. What do you think would improve the circumstances of the less wealthy?

Why Are We Wasting So Much Food?

C1 – Advanced

It’s all too common in this day and age that food waste statistics are jarring. Food can be wasted in the supply chain that begins on the farm, then goes through the harvest, packing, processing, and retail shops.

There are 1 billion malnourished people around the globe and yet one-third of edible food products are wasted every year.

Watch the video to know more about food waste.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can food-waste minimization be achieved? What can you do in your daily life to limit food waste?
  2. With food prices so low, how can we convey to consumers the value of food and importance of not wasting it? 
  3. What are the top three things governments can do to encourage food loss and waste reduction in their countries? 

Make Applying for Jobs Less Painful

C1 – Advanced

Many companies receive a high volume of applications every day and you may be wondering if your applications are being read at all.

Watch the video as it talks about the possibilities of using algorithms that can help companies organize job applications and ensure none fall through the cracks.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do hiring algorithms have benefits for workers?
  2. Is there evidence that these algorithms work? Explain.
  3. Do you think their claim about “fairness” is convincing? Elaborate.
  4. To attract employees, should companies focus on pay and benefits instead of complicated hiring algorithms?
  5. What are your hopes about the future of hiring algorithms?

Perfectionism Makes Us Ill

C1 – Advanced

People with perfectionism hold themselves to impossibly high standards. They think what they do is never good enough. But it is a serious problem that has been linked to many mental health issues, including depression and eating disorders.

Let’s watch the video below to know more about this personality trait and its dangers.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you describe yourself as a perfectionist? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think is the root cause of perfectionism?
  3. Can you think of any benefits to being a perfectionist?
  4. Do you find it surprising that perfectionism can lead to mental health issues? Why or why not?
  5. Never aim for perfect. That will guarantee failure almost every time. – Caroline Ghosn. What do you make of this statement?
  6. What advice would you give to someone who has a hard time dealing with failure?

The Dark Secret of Oreos

C1 – Advanced

To this day, Oreo is one of the most famous cookie snacks ever to exist and for good reason. The day it was created, people immediately fell in love with it.

However, with success comes copycats; trying to take advantage of how famous these creations are. The same happens to Oreos as well, which is not surprising at all.

The good name of Oreo, however, is what makes every copy fail in comparison to the “original”.

But what if I told you that Oreo wasn’t the original and is in fact, a copycat!

You wouldn’t believe me, would you?

Well, how about we take a look at this video and figure it out for ourselves, then?

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think Hydrox should be more famous than Oreo? Why or why not?
  2. With this revelation, do you think you’d try Hydrox? If you’ve already, what do you think of this Oreo competition?
  3. In your opinion, do you think Hydrox is being done dirty by the company that owns Oreos?
  4. Will Hydrox eventually rise again, one day? What is your stance on this situation.

Travel in 2021: What To Know About Flying

C1 – Advanced

Vaccination against the coronavirus is ramping up as year 2020 ends. As a result, many people in the U.S. feel optimistic about traveling again in the year 2021.

Watch the video to know how might the vaccines impact traveling and what people need to know to prepare for following our wanderlust again. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about the video? Do you think it’s safe to travel this 2021? Why or why not? Would you consider traveling this year after having the vaccine? Why or why not?
  2. How often did you use to go on a trip before the pandemic? How important is traveling to you?
  3. What are your thoughts on this statement: “After nearly a year of lost travels, some say, it’s just the thought of a future escape that counts.”?
  4. “Plan a trip. Even if you don’t end up taking it, it’s good for your mental health to have something to look forward to.” Do you agree or disagree with this? What are you most looking forward to do soon?
  5. “Experts say that the return to travel would start with leisure travels. Unlikely that the business travel would pick up right away because people are finding that you can do business fine over Zoom.” Share your thoughts on this. Would you like to be sent on a business trip around and out of your country again as soon as possible? Why or why not?