AS201408 International Business Communication

Course Code: Course Name: Course level: Credits: Duration: AS201408 International Business Communication undergraduate/first cycle 7.50 ECTS 1 semester (spring)

Teaching language: English Admission requirements: General university college entrance requirements Learning outcome: Upon completing the course, the candidate should be able to use business English and have social skills related to internal and external company business, language and etiquette used in daily communication, and in special contexts within business life. Topic list: The course is in two equal parts: 1) written business communication and 2) oral business communication. Both parts are related to business life in general and to international marketing and negotiations. After completing the course the candidate should have confidence in his/her use of English in a future career or workplace. 1) Written communication: models for essays, letters, memorandums, meeting minutes, contracts, emails, and text messaging, as well as analyzing the writing process. Job interviewing and writing of resums may also be discussed as needed. The course focuses on standard English used in formal and informal business life; paticular attention is given to correct sentence construction, punctuation, and spelling, as well as proof-reading for errors in the first draft and recognizing Norenglish expressions. The course also underlines the importance of adapting language and message to the reader/receiver. 2) Oral communication: introduction to informal and formal speaking in a job context, conversing about journal and newspaper articles with topics from business, using land and cellphone, making business presentations using Power Point Slides, and tips on how to represent the company both in Norway and in international situations. Communication across cultural barriers and respect for persons is also stressed. 3) Negotiation in English as a second language is presented through the required negotiation of a business case. The negotiation includes analyzing the case situation/problem, preparation, carrying out the negotiation, and writing a group report summarizing the negotiation process as well as a short, specific contract/agreement. The negotiation strategy presented in the book, Getting to Yes, will be the basis for the case negotiations. 4) The television series, "The Apprentice," designed by Donald Trump and Trump University, will be studied to provide insight into the personal relationships one must deal with as the leader of a business team/company. Teaching Methods: - Lecturing - Individual and group work on grammar, writing, and speaking skills - Individual work with Class Fronter and GradeMax - Collaborative teamwork - Short in-class presentations Evaluation: The evaluation for the course is based on a 5 hour written final exam counting 50% of the grade for the course. After having passed the written examination the candidate takes a 20 minute oral

examination which consists of a business presentation using Power Point slides, and a dialogue with the examiner and external censor over selected topics from the course. The oral examination counts 50% of the the final grade. Scale of marks: Grade A-F (F is Fail) Supporting material allowed on exams: English - English Dictionary Mandatory Assignments: One required in-class written essay and one collaborative team report must be approved. Two inclass oral presentations, one short and one long, must be approved before the candidate can sit for the final exam. Students must be present for 80% of the teaching and group work hours in the course in order to take the final examination. Responsible department: Department of International Marketing Responsibility for subject content: Henry R. Norton, Ph.D. Audit by Henry Norton, Audit date 11.03.2008, Modification date 12.03.2010

Literature
Title Author Publishers Year ISBN Comment Type Mandatory

Business Communication: Making Connections in a Digital World

McGraw Hill

2008 978-0071101288

Book Yes

English-english dictionary

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary is recommended

Book No

English grammar Arnesen Aschehoug tasks: The Tricky Twelve Getting To Yes Fisher & Ury

Book No

Book Yes