BUSINESS INITIATIVES

Introduction

This course introduces students to the basic language and concepts of business English and encourages them to apply this knowledge to the creation of an imaginary start-up.

Acquis d'apprentissage

The objective of this course is for students to master the fundamental language of business English as well as understand the necessary mindset of the business world, and to apply this knowledge to the creation in groups of an imaginary start-up. Students should be able to :

use their negotiating skills while finding ways of financing their project
write a job advert to recruit a team member
carry out some market research
analyse the competition
think up an advertising campaign
work in teams to handle any potential difficulty which may occur while setting up the project
assess the finances of the project
sell their start-up

Contenu

Each class will begin with some specific language work (listening, vocabulary, role-plays), based on the different steps of the creation of a start-up (finding the idea, recruiting, money, marketing, advertising, negotiating…). Then this knowledge will be put into practice. The students will work in groups of four and use the tools at their disposal (internet, PowerPoint).

Attentes du cours

Students should expect a high degree of interaction. I expect active participation, discussion in class and obviously the course involves a lot of group work. I have certain requirements with regard to in-class behaviour such as no mobile phones or watch alarms ringing. I also insist that you don’t speak French at any time while working in groups.

Evaluation

Grading will be on a scale of 0 to 20.
You will be graded on your participation in class and on assignments outside and during class time (two summaries and one negotiation) : 50% of overall grade.
Presence at all class periods is an essential aspect of a language course and will be taken into consideration in the continuous assessment grade.
The final grade will be based on the presentation of your start-up to the class using PowerPoint and on its written format handed in to me : 50% of overall grade.
Validating the tandem course will add 2 bonus points in the continuous assesment grade of the corresponding language course.
Validating the tandem course will add 2 bonus points in the continuous assesment grade of the corresponding language course.
Chaque absence injustifiée entrainera 1 point en moins sur votre note de CC.

Programme

Programme grande école,Programme Ingénieur,Programme Bachelor

Plan du cours

1 Are you an entrepreneur?
Quiz + brainstorm ideas after having read two different texts
Company organisation
Team building Start thinking of an idea for your start-up
Summarize the text “doing the business” (this will be part of the continuous assessment grade)
In groups, find information about the birth of a high-tech company (to be presented in class the following week)
2 Presentation of the high-tech company
Recruitment :
Listening : “interviews”, New International Business English
Case study : “discrimination”, Business Matters
Brainstorm the different items of a classified ad
Summarize the text “fit for hiring” (continuous assessment)
Look up information about competition in the field of your start-up. To be presented to the class on the following week (use graphs and figures)
3 Presentation of the ideas for the start-up and possible competition in this field to the class
Management : what makes a good manager (video listening + discussion of different problems within a company and how to solve them)

Define a profile you need and write an advert (part of the final test)
4 The project and competitive analysis
Draw up a provisional business plan for your start-up using “Business Plan Checklist” (part of the final presentation)
Banking concepts (vocabulary and listening) Finish work on the start-up if necessary
5 Role play : prepare a meeting between a ban k employee and a business person applying for a loan.
Have the meeting


6 Marketing
The marketing concept : study different slides on marketing, read the texts and present the marketing concepts to the class
Listening
Draw up a marketing questionnaire for your start-up (this will be part of the final test)
7 Advertising
Discuss TV commercials
Create an advertising campaign for your product
Make the presentation to the group which will be given an assessment sheet (exercise graded at this point as part of the final test)
Finish work on the start-up if necessary
8 Presentations of the previous week to be continued
Finish work on the start-up if necessary
9 Company performance and describing trends
Vocabulary, reading listening exercises
Work on graphs
10 Draw up the forecast of the Profit and Loss account for the first year (this will be part of the final presentation)
11 Negotiating and Meetings
Vocabulary, tips, quiz, video watching and discussion about the conflicts shown in the video
12 The first important contact : prepare the meeting with the first potential “big” customer
Have the meeting
(this will be part of the continuous assessment grade)
13 CF1 : Presentation of the start ups:
1. An advert defining one profile for your start-up
2. One slide summarizing your Business Plan
3. A list of the points to convince a banker or sponsor
4. A market study questionnaire for your potential customers
5. A forecast of your Profit and Loss Account (first Year)
The presentations must last about 30 mn