to buy in bulk - to purchase items in mass, a large quantity or volume
date of expiration - when the date on which an option, right or warrant expires, and becomes worthless if not exercised.
at par - the sale of a security, typically a bond, at a price equal to its face value
bear market - A prolonged period in which investment prices fall, accompanied by widespread pessimism.
money laundering - is a process whereby the origin of funds generated by illegal means is concealed (drug trafficking, gun smuggling, corruption, etc.
promissory note - document signed by a borrower promising to repay a loan under agreed-upon terms. also called note
stock dividend - a portion of the net earnings of a corporation paid to the corporation's stockholders of record, with the payment consisting of additional shares of stock or cash.
endorsement - An owner's signature that serves to transfer the legal rights to a negotiable certificate to another party, as on a check
abaft - toward or at the stern : aft
abase - to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Business Vocabulary, Class 05/04/09
litigation - legal action against an individual or organization
EX: Litigation has increased significantly over the years.
protectionism - protecting a country’s trade by taxing foreign goods
EX: Protectionism usually increases the prices of basic goods to the consumer.
quota - an official limit on the amount of something
EX: Quotas have been imposed on 25 categories of imported clothing.
subsidy - money given by a government to certain producers to help them to produce without losing money
EX: World Bank economists are urging rich countries to cut subsidies to certain industries.
overload - an excessive quantity of something
EX: You may be overwhelmed by the overload of information that is available on the Net.
prioritize - to put things in the order of importance so that you can deal with the most important things first
EX: Prioritizing your work will help you to avoid backlogs
white-collar - employees who work in offices
EX: White-collar jobs are moving abroad.
supply chain - the interactions between the suppliers, manufacturers and distributors when making and selling a product
EX: Information technology has changed the dynamics of the supply chain
breakthrough - an important new discovery
EX: The iMac was a major breakthrough in computer design.
prototype - the first form that a new design takes
EX: The prototype has revealed areas where the design can be improved
EX: Litigation has increased significantly over the years.
protectionism - protecting a country’s trade by taxing foreign goods
EX: Protectionism usually increases the prices of basic goods to the consumer.
quota - an official limit on the amount of something
EX: Quotas have been imposed on 25 categories of imported clothing.
subsidy - money given by a government to certain producers to help them to produce without losing money
EX: World Bank economists are urging rich countries to cut subsidies to certain industries.
overload - an excessive quantity of something
EX: You may be overwhelmed by the overload of information that is available on the Net.
prioritize - to put things in the order of importance so that you can deal with the most important things first
EX: Prioritizing your work will help you to avoid backlogs
white-collar - employees who work in offices
EX: White-collar jobs are moving abroad.
supply chain - the interactions between the suppliers, manufacturers and distributors when making and selling a product
EX: Information technology has changed the dynamics of the supply chain
breakthrough - an important new discovery
EX: The iMac was a major breakthrough in computer design.
prototype - the first form that a new design takes
EX: The prototype has revealed areas where the design can be improved
Saturday, May 9, 2009
BBC NEWS - The layman's finance crisis glossary
The layman's finance crisis glossary
The BBC has compiled a list of some business buzz words culled from reporting on the current world financial crisis. The hyperlinks provide an easy way to quickly increase your vocabulary.
How many words do you already know?
The BBC has compiled a list of some business buzz words culled from reporting on the current world financial crisis. The hyperlinks provide an easy way to quickly increase your vocabulary.
How many words do you already know?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
How to Sell Soap!
A novel video presentation to sell a basic household item.
The #3 Business Communication Skill - Selling!
The #3 Business Communication Skill - Selling!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Taxpayers to get rude surprise - Yahoo! Finance
Taxpayers to get rude surprise - Yahoo! Finance
"Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.
"Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.
The government is going to want some of that money back."
What the government 'giveth,' the government can 'taketh.'The Trillion Dollar Fix - The Atlantic Politics Channel
The Trillion Dollar Fix - The Atlantic Politics Channel
"Up until now, Obama has largely done the fun part of governing: promising people free stuff. ...Unless Obama thinks he can borrow something like a trillion dollars a year indefinitely, he is going to have to ask Americans to make sacrifices to pay for the goodies...But when Americans actually have to start paying more for gas, electricity, and heating oil, they will not be so enthusiastic -- especially if their budgets are still shrinking."
Where will the money come from?
"Up until now, Obama has largely done the fun part of governing: promising people free stuff. ...Unless Obama thinks he can borrow something like a trillion dollars a year indefinitely, he is going to have to ask Americans to make sacrifices to pay for the goodies...But when Americans actually have to start paying more for gas, electricity, and heating oil, they will not be so enthusiastic -- especially if their budgets are still shrinking."
Where will the money come from?
Business Vocabulary, Class 04/27/09
empower - v - to give someone the power or ability to do something.
EX: Staff are empowered to shape their career development. - empowerment - n
infringement - n breach of the law or of another person’s rights
EX: The company is being sued over infringements of copyright technology.
intellectual property - n - something that a person or business has invented and which is protected by patent.
EX: All international businesses are having to spend more on protecting their intellectual property.
trademark - n - a special, registered picture or symbol that is associated with a particular brand or product
EX: Our trademark is now well-known in most countries in the region.
B2B (business-to-business) - adj - refers to any business or correspondence between two
companies
EX: The B2B sector will be the biggest growth area in internet traffic.
e-commerce - n - selling activities that are conducted using internet technology
EX: Some consumers still lack confidence in e-commerce
glitch - n- a minor fault with a computer program or machine
EX: A glitch in the computer system has led to the cancellation of several flights
mass market - n - the market for standardised consumer products
EX: Licensing is one way for small businesses to enter the mass market
tender -n- a written offer by a supplier to provide goods or services at a certain price
EX: Your tender has been accepted at the agreed price - v– tender
boycott -n- a protest where people refuse to buy or use a product or service
EX: The consumer group is calling for the boycott of all tobacco products
EX: Staff are empowered to shape their career development. - empowerment - n
infringement - n breach of the law or of another person’s rights
EX: The company is being sued over infringements of copyright technology.
intellectual property - n - something that a person or business has invented and which is protected by patent.
EX: All international businesses are having to spend more on protecting their intellectual property.
trademark - n - a special, registered picture or symbol that is associated with a particular brand or product
EX: Our trademark is now well-known in most countries in the region.
B2B (business-to-business) - adj - refers to any business or correspondence between two
companies
EX: The B2B sector will be the biggest growth area in internet traffic.
e-commerce - n - selling activities that are conducted using internet technology
EX: Some consumers still lack confidence in e-commerce
glitch - n- a minor fault with a computer program or machine
EX: A glitch in the computer system has led to the cancellation of several flights
mass market - n - the market for standardised consumer products
EX: Licensing is one way for small businesses to enter the mass market
tender -n- a written offer by a supplier to provide goods or services at a certain price
EX: Your tender has been accepted at the agreed price - v– tender
boycott -n- a protest where people refuse to buy or use a product or service
EX: The consumer group is calling for the boycott of all tobacco products
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Class Notes, 04/27/2009
WOD: (from GMAT list) - alkaline- having the properties of a chemical substance known as alkali
Ex: The alkaline content of the water made it bitter and impossible to drink.
Quotable: "If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own. - Henry Ford
Business Expression of Week - "With advertising rates for the Super Bowl running as high as $3 million for a 30-second spot, some marketers are wondering whether during these tough economic times they can afford the big game."
10 Biz Words for May 5, 2009:
Communications
Business Skill #3 - Public Speaking
Public speaking ranks high amongst the worlds most popular fears. You must overcome it and the best way is to practice. It might feel more comfortable working from the safety of your desk but at some point you are going to have to present. Better to have some experience under your belt before being forced to perform unprepared when it really counts.
Understanding your own attitude toward public speaking
Doing the initial planning and knowing your audience
Setting the right benchmarks
Planning the basic structure of your presentation
Making your presentation convincing
Making your presentation surprising
Using the right kind of visuals
Handling questions and answers with ease
Remembering the basic purpose of the presentation – to inform
Developing Your Thesis
Your thesis is your central idea for the talk. Generally this is a one-sentence assertive statement. Communication experts Beebe and Beebe recommend that your thesis meet these criteria:
1. Central ideas use specific language;
2. Central ideas must express only a single idea; and
3. Central ideas should be audience-centered.
Generally, identifying your central idea comes after you have explored and researched your topic. As communication expert Grice and Skinner assert, "A thesis statement is one sentence that summarizes the main points you are trying to communicate or prove." This is your argument, from which your main points will stem. While developing your talk, refer back to your thesis statement often and ask yourself, "Does this prove my thesis to be true?"
Ex: The alkaline content of the water made it bitter and impossible to drink.
Quotable: "If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own. - Henry Ford
Business Expression of Week - "With advertising rates for the Super Bowl running as high as $3 million for a 30-second spot, some marketers are wondering whether during these tough economic times they can afford the big game."
10 Biz Words for May 5, 2009:
| empower | infringement |
| intellectual property | trademark |
| B2B | e-commerce |
| glitch | mass market |
| tender | boycott |
Communications
Business Skill #3 - Public Speaking
Public speaking ranks high amongst the worlds most popular fears. You must overcome it and the best way is to practice. It might feel more comfortable working from the safety of your desk but at some point you are going to have to present. Better to have some experience under your belt before being forced to perform unprepared when it really counts.
Understanding your own attitude toward public speaking
Doing the initial planning and knowing your audience
Setting the right benchmarks
Planning the basic structure of your presentation
Making your presentation convincing
Making your presentation surprising
Using the right kind of visuals
Handling questions and answers with ease
Remembering the basic purpose of the presentation – to inform
Developing Your Thesis
Your thesis is your central idea for the talk. Generally this is a one-sentence assertive statement. Communication experts Beebe and Beebe recommend that your thesis meet these criteria:
1. Central ideas use specific language;
2. Central ideas must express only a single idea; and
3. Central ideas should be audience-centered.
Generally, identifying your central idea comes after you have explored and researched your topic. As communication expert Grice and Skinner assert, "A thesis statement is one sentence that summarizes the main points you are trying to communicate or prove." This is your argument, from which your main points will stem. While developing your talk, refer back to your thesis statement often and ask yourself, "Does this prove my thesis to be true?"
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Business Vocabulary, Class 04/20/09
productivity - the relationship between the output of goods and the resources needed to produce them
EX: Productivity has continued to grow strongly.
offshoring - transferring work to an outside supplier based in another country
EX: Offshoring is only suitable for tasks that have been clearly defined and can be managed at a distance.
overhead - a cost that does not vary with output (e.g rent, salaries)
EX: The pressure on corporate mangement to reduce overheads is increasing.
pilot project - a trial project to test performance: The pilot project will start operating in June
balance sheet - a statement showing the wealth of a business or organization at a particular date. The balance sheet has two parts showing assets and liabilities
EX: Buildings and machinery are assets that should be listed on the balance sheet.
bottom line - the last line on a financial document which shows the final result (total profit once all costs have been deducted
EX: Falling sales are going to have a negative impact on the bottom line.
merger - the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies
EX: The merger will have to be approved by the authorities.
income statement - a financial statement showing revenue, expenditure and profit from operations during a given period
EX: Enron’s income statement did not accurately reflect its losses.
mismanagement - poor quality management
EX: Lack of cashflow is often due to mismanagement.
Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) - abbreviated SEC - the US agency responsible for stock market regulation
EX: The SEC is currently investigating ten cases of fraud.
EX: Productivity has continued to grow strongly.
offshoring - transferring work to an outside supplier based in another country
EX: Offshoring is only suitable for tasks that have been clearly defined and can be managed at a distance.
overhead - a cost that does not vary with output (e.g rent, salaries)
EX: The pressure on corporate mangement to reduce overheads is increasing.
pilot project - a trial project to test performance: The pilot project will start operating in June
balance sheet - a statement showing the wealth of a business or organization at a particular date. The balance sheet has two parts showing assets and liabilities
EX: Buildings and machinery are assets that should be listed on the balance sheet.
bottom line - the last line on a financial document which shows the final result (total profit once all costs have been deducted
EX: Falling sales are going to have a negative impact on the bottom line.
merger - the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies
EX: The merger will have to be approved by the authorities.
income statement - a financial statement showing revenue, expenditure and profit from operations during a given period
EX: Enron’s income statement did not accurately reflect its losses.
mismanagement - poor quality management
EX: Lack of cashflow is often due to mismanagement.
Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) - abbreviated SEC - the US agency responsible for stock market regulation
EX: The SEC is currently investigating ten cases of fraud.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Class Supplement, 04/20/09
More Resources: Essential Business Skill - Social Networking
4 Secrets to Small Talk Success
Secrets to Small Talk
Twenty-five Steps to Successful Networking
Business Small Talk
4 Secrets to Small Talk Success
Secrets to Small Talk
Twenty-five Steps to Successful Networking
Business Small Talk
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Class Supplement - 5 Mistakes in Business English
MSN Encarta has a list and explanation of five mistakes made in Business English.
Are you making these same mistakes?
Are you making these same mistakes?
Class Vocabulary, 04/13/2009
to gulp - to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one swallow; (n) a gulp
laid-off - without a job, but could be called back to work again
to commute - to travel back and forth regularly (as between a suburb and a city)
to forgo - to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
at the pump - at the gas station
steepest - highest, fastest, or greatest than is usual or expected
jet fuel - fuel used by jet aircraft
to resume - to begin again, to pick where one left off
to shrink - to decrease, to get smaller
innovative - new and creative, especially in the way that something is done
one-off - happening only once, not as part of a series
millennials - those members of the generation of children who were born between the years 1977 and 1994
anecdotal - consisting of or based on secondhand accounts rather than firsthand knowledge or experience or scientific investigation
to shepherd - to guide
stakeholders - person or group with a direct interest, involvement, or investment in something, e.g. the employees, stockholders, and customers of a business concern
laid-off - without a job, but could be called back to work again
to commute - to travel back and forth regularly (as between a suburb and a city)
to forgo - to give up the enjoyment or advantage of : do without
at the pump - at the gas station
steepest - highest, fastest, or greatest than is usual or expected
jet fuel - fuel used by jet aircraft
to resume - to begin again, to pick where one left off
to shrink - to decrease, to get smaller
innovative - new and creative, especially in the way that something is done
one-off - happening only once, not as part of a series
millennials - those members of the generation of children who were born between the years 1977 and 1994
anecdotal - consisting of or based on secondhand accounts rather than firsthand knowledge or experience or scientific investigation
to shepherd - to guide
stakeholders - person or group with a direct interest, involvement, or investment in something, e.g. the employees, stockholders, and customers of a business concern
Business Vocabulary, Class 04/13/09
severance pay - money paid by an employer when an employee’s services are terminated -
Ex: Severance pay for top executives has increased significantly in recent years.
stock option - an option given to executive employees allowing them to buy shares in the company at a favorable price -
Ex: Microsoft has announced that it plans to end stock options for employees.
consortium - an association between two or more companies to work together on a specific project (usually a major construction or engineering project) -
Ex: SK Gas has formed a consortium with automakers to produce gas-powered vehicles.
revenue - money received especially from selling goods and services:
Ex: Revenues have increased by six per cent to $183m.
barrier to entry - any factor which prevents new competition from entering a market:
Ex: A strong brand can become a barrier to entry in some markets, while a simple product cannot.
brand loyalty - fidelity to a product or service:
Ex: I always buy Sony products because of brand loyalty.
marketing mix - the four different components of marketing: 1) place - the distribution and delivery of goods to market; 2) price - the amount of money for which something can be sold; 3) product - normally a manufactured item but also refers to everything that surrounds the product: the brand, the packaging, the product’s features and performance characteristics;
4) promotion- activities that help sell a product -
Ex: Coca-Cola used a combination of marketing tools to satisfy customers and company objectives in its recent marketing mix.
point of sale - (POS) - the place where a consumer can buy a product or service:
Ex: New electronic systems can approve credit for customers at the point of sale.
back office - the departments of a financial company where routine administrative tasks are done without direct contact with customers:
Ex: Efficient management of the back office can reduce costs.
downsize - to reduce the number of employees in an organization:
Ex: European companies are continuing to downsize their manufacturing operations.
Ex: Severance pay for top executives has increased significantly in recent years.
stock option - an option given to executive employees allowing them to buy shares in the company at a favorable price -
Ex: Microsoft has announced that it plans to end stock options for employees.
consortium - an association between two or more companies to work together on a specific project (usually a major construction or engineering project) -
Ex: SK Gas has formed a consortium with automakers to produce gas-powered vehicles.
revenue - money received especially from selling goods and services:
Ex: Revenues have increased by six per cent to $183m.
barrier to entry - any factor which prevents new competition from entering a market:
Ex: A strong brand can become a barrier to entry in some markets, while a simple product cannot.
brand loyalty - fidelity to a product or service:
Ex: I always buy Sony products because of brand loyalty.
marketing mix - the four different components of marketing: 1) place - the distribution and delivery of goods to market; 2) price - the amount of money for which something can be sold; 3) product - normally a manufactured item but also refers to everything that surrounds the product: the brand, the packaging, the product’s features and performance characteristics;
4) promotion- activities that help sell a product -
Ex: Coca-Cola used a combination of marketing tools to satisfy customers and company objectives in its recent marketing mix.
point of sale - (POS) - the place where a consumer can buy a product or service:
Ex: New electronic systems can approve credit for customers at the point of sale.
back office - the departments of a financial company where routine administrative tasks are done without direct contact with customers:
Ex: Efficient management of the back office can reduce costs.
downsize - to reduce the number of employees in an organization:
Ex: European companies are continuing to downsize their manufacturing operations.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Class Vocabulary - 04/06/2009
In our class discussion, we reviewed these terms from the news article:
to plunge - to dive suddenly or descend precipitously
Big Blue - IBM's nickname
to rebuff - to reject
board - in the article's context, Board of Directors
top spot - in the article's context, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sun
acquisition - what is acquired, bought or otherwise obtained
impasse - a standoff
to falter - to fail
speculation - rumor, gossip
to cite - to refer to
due diligence - being thorough
array - an assortment or collection of things
assurances - guarantees
scrutiny - subjected to close review or inspection
to plunge - to dive suddenly or descend precipitously
Big Blue - IBM's nickname
to rebuff - to reject
board - in the article's context, Board of Directors
top spot - in the article's context, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sun
acquisition - what is acquired, bought or otherwise obtained
impasse - a standoff
to falter - to fail
speculation - rumor, gossip
to cite - to refer to
due diligence - being thorough
array - an assortment or collection of things
assurances - guarantees
scrutiny - subjected to close review or inspection
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Collapse of IBM deal could weaken Sun even more | Special Coverage | Reuters
Collapse of IBM deal could weaken Sun even more (Reuters)
This is an update to our class discussion on Monday, 04/06/09.
This is an update to our class discussion on Monday, 04/06/09.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Business Vocabulary, Class 04/06/09
entrepreneur - someone who starts a company, arranges business deals and takes risks
freelance - someone who works for different companies and is not employed by one
hierarchy - system of authority within an organisation
merger - the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies
share - a unit of the capital of a company Shares in listed companies can be bought and sold on the stock market
trade union - an organization that exists to protect the rights of employees in a company
appraise - to assess the value of something
autonomy - the freedom to make your own decisions without having to request authorization
subordinate - a person who works under a more senior member of staff
compensation - payment, including salary and other incentives like stock options
freelance - someone who works for different companies and is not employed by one
hierarchy - system of authority within an organisation
merger - the creation of a new company by joining two separate companies
share - a unit of the capital of a company Shares in listed companies can be bought and sold on the stock market
trade union - an organization that exists to protect the rights of employees in a company
appraise - to assess the value of something
autonomy - the freedom to make your own decisions without having to request authorization
subordinate - a person who works under a more senior member of staff
compensation - payment, including salary and other incentives like stock options
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Quotable Business
"There is only one boss, the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company...simply by spending his money somewhere else."
-- Sam Walton (late founder of WalMart stores)
-- Sam Walton (late founder of WalMart stores)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Quotable Business
A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
Welcome to Smile Business English!
Welcome to our class blog!
I am thrilled you are interested in learning more about Business English.
Our blended class - formally meeting in a classroom and using the Internet outside it - is an increasingly common trend in education.
You are a partner in maintaining our class blog by adding content each week. Our blog is also a two-way street of communication between you and your humble professor.
Watch for more features to come online in the near future to improve the functionality and utility of our blog.
So, let our adventure begin together!
I am thrilled you are interested in learning more about Business English.
Our blended class - formally meeting in a classroom and using the Internet outside it - is an increasingly common trend in education.
You are a partner in maintaining our class blog by adding content each week. Our blog is also a two-way street of communication between you and your humble professor.
Watch for more features to come online in the near future to improve the functionality and utility of our blog.
So, let our adventure begin together!
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