ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS STUDIES

UNIT 1. MANAGEMENT
DISCUSS
What do you think makes a good manager? Which four of the following qualities do you think
are the most important?
A. being decisive: able to make quick decisions
B. being efficient: doing things quickly, not leaving tasks unfinished, having a tidy desk, and
so on
C. being friendly and sociable
D. being able to communicate with people
E. being logical, rational, and analytical
F. being able to motivate, inspire and lead people
G. being authoritative; able to give orders
H. being competent: knowing one’s job perfectly, as well as the work of one’s subordinates
I . being persuasive: able to convince people to do things
J. having good ideas
K. being highly educated and knowing a lot about the world
L. being prepared to work 50 to 60 hours a week
M. wanting to make a lot of money

What qualities create a good leader or manager?

Stimulating work Open-minded
Inspiration Integrity
Focus on team interests and needs A good example
Recognition (sự công nhận) Clear communication
Encouragement Support
Clear vision

VOCAB
1. On so’s own = alone
2. Despite = In spite of the fact that + SV
3. Happen = arise = occur = take place
4. Value = profits
5. To fire = to sack = to lay off
6. The eighties: Những năm 80
7. Co-founder: Người đồng sáng lập
8. Be fired (no + O)
9. Run for: ứng cử
10. Resign (v): từ chức
11. Integrity (n): chính trực
12. Shareholders (cổ đông: người nắm giữ cổ phiếu)/stockholders
13. Pursue (v) = follow
14. Meet the targets: đáp ứng mục tiêu
15. Make decisions
16. Perform tasks
17. Measure performance: đánh giá quá trình làm việc
18. Set objectives: đặt ra mục tiêu
19. Supervise subordinates: giám sát cấp dưới
20. Developing s.o abilities/people
21. crisis noun /ˈkraɪ.sɪs/ a situation of danger or difficulty sự khủng hoảng, cơn khủng hoảng
 Deal with crises: giải quyết khó khăn
The country's leadership is in crisis.
22. This involves developing strategies, plans, and precise tactics (chiến thuật chính xác)
23. allocate verb /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ to give something to someone as their share of a total amount, to
use in a particular way phân bổ, phân phối
Allocate all the human, physical, and capital resources.
As  a project leader, you will have to allocate jobs to people.
24. attain verb /əˈteɪn/ to reach or succeed in getting something đạt tới = to acquire = to gain =
to get = to achieve
We need to identify the best ways of attaining our objectives/goals 
25. classification noun /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ the act or process of putting people or things into a group
or class (= of classifying them) sự phân loại
Do you  understand the system  of classification used in ornithology?
26. consultant noun /kənˈsʌl.tənt/ a person who provides expert advice to a company chuyên
viên, cố vấn
We ought to  hire  a public relations  consultant to help improve our image.
27. execute something /ˈeksɪkjuːt/ (formal) to do a piece of work, perform a duty, put a plan into
action, etc. thực hiện, thi hành = perform
They drew up and executed a plan to reduce fuel consumption.
28. innovation noun /ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/ a new idea or method sáng kiến, phương pháp mới
The company is very interested in product design and innovation.
29. motivate verb /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪt/ to make someone want to do something well thúc đẩy, làm
động cơ thúc đẩy
Teaching is all about motivating people to learn. 
30. not-for-profit organization an organization whose most important goal is something that
does not involve making a profit tổ chức phi lợi nhuận
This  section deals with the tax-exempt status  of  not-for-profit organizations.
31. objective noun /əbˈdʒek.tɪv/ something you plan to do or achieve mục tiêu
Our main  objective is to improve the company's productivity.
32. promotion noun /prəˈməʊ.ʃən/ when someone is raised to a higher or more important
position sự thăng chức, sự thăng cấp, sự đề bạt
The  job  offers  excellent promotion prospects.
33. public sector noun /ˈpʌb.lɪk ˌsek.tɚ/ the section of the economy under government control
lĩnh vực công
Most  doctors work in the public  sector.
34. resource noun /rɪˈzɔːs/ a useful or valuable possession or quality of a country, organization,
or person nguồn lực
The country's greatest resource is the dedication  of  its  workers
35. strategy noun /ˈstræt.ə.dʒi/ a plan for achieving chiến lược
We're  working on new strategies to improve our  share of the market.
36. subordinate noun /səˈbɔː.dɪ.nət/ a person with a less important position in an organization
người cấp dưới, người dưới quyền
He  left  the routine  checks to one of his subordinates.
37. tactic /ˈtæk.tɪk/  a planned way of doing something chiến thuật
We need to agree with tactics before the game.

PREPOSITION
1. The success or failure of a company depends ON the quality of their managers. 
2. One well-known classification of the tasks of a manager comes FROM Peter Drucker.
3. According to Drucker, the work of a manager can be divided INTO five tasks.
4. Managers have to communicate objectives TO the people responsible FOR attaining them.
5. They have to work WITH people in other areas and functions.
6. Managers have to see whether the objectives or targets set FOR the organization are being
achieved. 
7. Top managers have to manage a business’s relations WITH customers, suppliers and so
on. 
8. They have to deal WITH any crisis that arises. 
9. Some people are good AT management.
10. Some people will be unable to put management techniques INTO practice. 

WRITING
Imagine you work for a recruitment agency or a headhunting firm. Write an email of 50-100
words to your boss recommending your choice of candidates for the positions above and
outlining the reasons.
Dear Mr. White
I would like to recommend Candidate 4 for the position of Company A, which needs to
implement new systems and could use a skillful communicator. Candidate 2 would be suited to
Company B, which needs to make its creative people work in teams. Candidate 1 is the most
suitable for Company C, which needs its staff to execute senior management’s strategies.
Best regards
 UNIT 4. MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES
1. Culture = the way of life (general customs and beliefs): cách sống, phong tục tập quán,
niềm tin
*Importance of culture: understanding a country’s culture is a sign of respect. It also
helps to foster effective communication, a vital factor in business success (encourage)
2. Globalization (quốc tế) = Internation = the process of interaction (tương tác) and
integration (hội nhập) among people, companies, and governments worldwide
Worldwide = global = international
3. Localization (địa phương, trong nước) = the process of organizing a business or industry
so that its main activities happen in local areas rather than internationally
Regional = local
4. A multinational company = a large company that produces and sells goods in many
different countries
5. Cross culture = two or more different cultures
6. Imperative (adj): đòi hỏi, đáng chú ý
7. Even/much/still/far/a lot + comparative (a little bit): một chút
Ex: much simpler (đơn giản hơn một chút)
8. Create ways = formulate approaches
9. Suit both parties: phù hợp cho cả 2 bên
10. Three types of cultures:
- ‘Multi-active’ cultures – warm, emotional, loquacious (nói nhiều), impulsive (hấp tấp)
 Attach more importance to feelings, emotions, intuition (trực giác), relationships,
and connections.
 People like to do many things at the same time; they are flexible, good at
changing plans, and happy to improvise (ứng biến).
 Social or company hierarchy: hệ thống cấp bậc, tính kỷ cương của xh hay
cty/respect status (tôn trọng địa vị)
 Particularist (người theo chủ nghĩa phân lập): They believe that personal
relationships and friendships should take precedence over rules and regulations.
- ‘Linear active’ cultures: plan in advance, and like to do one thing at the time (lên kế
hoạch và làm đúng theo nó) – cool (lạnh lùng), factual (sống thật), decisive planners
 Theorist: nhà lý luận
 Universalists (người theo thuyết phổ biến): They think rules apply to everybody.
They are not afraid of confrontation (sự đương đầu) but will compromise (thỏa
hiệp) when necessary to achieve a deal. They are essentially individualists.
- ‘Reactive’ cultures – courteous (lịch sự), amiable (tử tế), accommodating (dễ tính),
compromiser (người dễ thảo hiệp), good listener
 Prefer to listen to and establish the other’s position, and then react to it.
 Try to avoid confrontation, and don’t want to lose face (mất thể diện) or cause s.o
else to.
11. Glocalization = Globalization + Localization
12. collectivist adjective /kəˈlektɪvɪst/ believing that the group is more important than the
individual. chủ nghĩa tập thể
In collectivist cultures, the effect of working hours is not as disruptive as for managers
working in individualistic, anglo-saxon cultures.
13. compromise noun /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪz/ reducing demands or changing opinions in order to
agree sự thoả hiệp
In a compromise between management and unions, a four percent pay rise was agreed in
return for an increase in productivity.
14. confront verb /kənˈfrʌnt/ to deal with a difficult situation đương đầu với
It's an issue we'll have to confront at some point, no matter how unpleasant  it is.
15. confrontation noun /ˌkɒn.frʌnˈteɪ.ʃən/ a face-to-face disagreement or argument sự chạm
trán, sự đương đầu
Some couples seem to like confrontation, but josh and I hardly ever argue.
16. connections noun /kəˈnek.ʃən/ people of influence or importance with whom you are
associated mối quan hệ
They're sisters?
I  knew their  surname  was the same, but I never made (= thought of) the connection.
17. eye contact /ˈaɪ ˌkɒn.tækt/ looking directly at the people you are talking or listening to
giao tiếp bằng ánh mắt
He's very shy  and never makes eye contact.
18. formulate verb /ˈfɔː.mjə.leɪt/ create or devise a plan/ a strategy  đề ra
The compost is specially formulated for pot plants.
19. hierarchy noun /ˈhaɪə.rɑː.ki/ a system in which people or things are arranged according
to their importance tôn ti
He  rose quickly  through the political hierarchy to become party leader.
20. improvise verb /ˈɪm.prə.vaɪz/ to do something when necessary without having already
planned it ứng biến, làm ngay được
I hadn't prepared a speech  so I suddenly had to improvise.
21. interrupt verb /ˌɪn.təˈrʌpt/ to cut into someone else’s turn to speak ngắt lời
Please  feel free to interrupt me if you don't  understand anything.
22. intuition noun /ˌɪn.tʃuːˈɪʃ.ən/ understanding or knowing without consciously using reason
trực giác
Often there's no clear evidence one way or the other and you just have to base your
judgment on intuition.
23. lose face idiom /luːz feɪs/  to be humiliated or disrespected in public mất thể diện
She had to accept  defeat without losing face.
24. precedence noun /ˈpres.ɪ.dəns/ the condition of being dealt with before other things or of
being considered more important than other things địa vị cao hơn, địa vị trên
Business people often think that fluency and communication take precedence over grammar
when speaking.
25. principle noun /ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/ a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something
happens or works nguyên lý, nguyên tắc
The organization works on the principle that all members have the same rights.
26. rational adjective /ˈræʃ.ən.əl/ based on reasons rather than emotions  có lý trí, dựa trên
lý trí
There must be some rational explanation for what happened.
27. regulation noun /ˌreɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ an official rule or the act of controlling something điều
quy định, quy tắc, điều lệ
Safety regulations are being ignored by company managers in the drive to increase profits. 
28. represent verb /ˌrep.rɪˈzent/  to speak, act, or be present officially for another person or
people thay mặt, đại diện
Women were well represented at the conference.
29. status noun /ˈsteɪ.təs/ respect, prestige or importance given to someone cấp bậc, địa vị
xã hội cao 
The association works to promote the status of retired people as useful members of the
community.

PREPOSITION
1. The conflict between globalization and localization has led to the invention of the word
“glocalization”. 
2. Were you successful in persuading him to change his mind? 
3. Children need to be aware of the danger of taking drugs.
4. A good manager is one who always makes plans in advance.
5. Businesspeople in Britain, the USA and Germany believe in respecting rules, regulations
and contracts.
6. Multi-active cultures in Southern Europe, Latin America and Africa attach more
importance to emotions, intuition, and relationships.
7. People in multi-active cultures are good at changing plans.
8. According to universalists, rules should be applied for everybody.
9. People in linear-cultures are not afraid of confrontation.
10. People in multi-active cultures often like to do many things at once.

WRITING
Write a short text (100-150 words) explaining which five of the factors listed below you think
have had the most influence on your behavior and attitudes. Put them in order of priority.
I think my genes or DNA are the most important influence because these are inherited
characteristics that you cannot change. I think the early family environment is also important,
even if its influence is unconscious.
I expect that I also have a lot of characteristics that are considered typical of my country,
which I cannot change. I think I am consciously influenced by my friends and social life, and
social life, things I choose to do in my free time. In 5th place I’d but higher education; I think
my university and what I studied had a big effect on me.
 NOTES
 THE + ADJ + NOUN
 A/AN + ADV + ADJ + singular countable noun
Ex: A hugely successful business
 A/AN + ADJ + singular countable noun
 NOUN + prepositional phrase (preposition + noun) + V (NOUN)
Ex: well-known = famous
 S + V + HOW/WHERE/WHAT + S + V + O
Ex: I want to know where you are living in HCM City.
 BE responsible for + V-ing + NOUN/NOUN = Be in charge of
 Other + plural noun (ADJ)
 Others = other + pl. N (Pronoun)
 S + V + IF/THAT/WHETHER + S + V + O (noun phrase)
 S + BE + IF/THAT/WHETHER + S + V + O (noun phrase)
 THAT/WHETHER + S + V + O + V
 Authority: the power or to do something (uy quyền)
 With regards to = concerning = regarding: liên quan đến
 Aspect (n) = feature: đặc điểm, khía cạnh
 A completely attitude
 Aware of: nhận thức
 Round the corners = conveniently
 Appear to be: có vẻ, dường như
 Advertising (U.N) = advertisement (C.N)
 No + Noun vs Be not/do,does not/can not
 Fit s.o requests: phù hợp với nhu cầu của ai
 Oriented toward NP/V-ing: định hướng theo
 Be in favour of: ủng hộ, có thiện cảm
 Scratch the surface: thảo luận qua loa
 During + Noun/NP vs While + S + V + O