In this blog you will have the opportunity to complement the content you will see in your classes.
Welcome ABS international students. This blog is a tool for you to supplement your classes through interesting activities. You will even be able to contact your teacher and fellow students. We hope you have a great time and look forward to hearing from you.
Welcome to your course! In this Unit, you will find lots of concepts and idiomatic expressions related to communication. Check these exercises and examples in order to master them:
Welcome to your course! In the first Unit, you will find adjectives related to leadership and different styles. Here you have some exercises for you to review these concepts:
You will also work on the use of modal verbs to describe good and bad leaders. Watch this animated video to refresh this grammar point:
Now that you have refreshed the use of modals, practice!
Welcome to your course! In the book's first unit, you have a revision on the use of comparative and superlative forms. You will also learn how to be more specific when comparing. Here you have a presentation for you to refresh how it is done:
Check this link if you need more examples Now that you got it, try these exercises:
In the book's first unit, there's a revision of the use of the simple present and the present continuous. Here's a short refreshment and a few exercises for you to practice.
If you don't remember the difference between one and the other, go to this link. NB: Remember, present continuous and present progressive are the same grammar point. Now that you could revise the use of each grammar structure, try the exercises below:
In this unit you will address international marketing. Watch the following video and check some of the international business strategies used by Coca Cola.
This article offers detailed explanation on all the elements that should be contemplated by companies before expanding abroad.
Andrew J. Sherman, Partner, Dickstein Shapiro Morin and Oshinsky LLP
Many ENTREPRENEURS have identified international expansion as a critical component of their overall growth strategy. Many countries, even developing ones, take a positive view of the expansion of U.S. companies into global markets via partnering, alliances, franchising, licensing, distribution and local branches. Not only is it a way to import U.S. products and services, it's also a readily acceptable source of technological development and system support. Taking your company overseas can introduce American know-how to a fledgling business community in a cost-effective manner.
The economic interdependence created by a truly integrated international financial system and the advent of strong regional associations such as the European Union, NAFTA and ASEAN have also contributed to the need for companies of all sizes, in virtually every type of industry, to be thinking in terms of global business. Your next customer may be global, and so may your fiercest competitor. Your best solution for outsourcing may be an overseas company. Your next legal battle may take place in a foreign courtroom. Your next round of capital may be from a foreign investor and your next hire may be a citizen of another country, triggering immigration challenges and costs.
Geography no longer stands in the way of an emerging company's aspirations. However, it also no longer serves to protect local market share. Business growth strategies need to be built around a global vision where quality, pricing, service, distribution, etc. must be globally competitive but also be custom-tailored to meet local requirements and market conditions. Technological developments such as the rapid growth in the use of the Internet to facilitate international e-commerce, advances in telecommunications and videoconferencing and satellite technology have made that process considerably easier and less expensive.
Do Your Homework
Before you embark on an international expansion program, consider the following factors:
Language barriers. Translating your core marketing and operational materials into the local language may seem simple enough at the outset. However, marketing may present unforeseen difficulties if the concept itself does not translate well. Make sure your product name, slogans and concepts say something meaningful in and are acceptable to the target language and culture.
Marketing barriers. Perceptions at the deepest cultural levels may have repercussions on overseas marketing. The American taste for fast food may not be appreciated in cultures where meals are supposed to be leisurely and relaxing. In France, cultural demand actually forced McDonald's to offer beer and wine on the premises. Cultural norms can also be affected by other factors, such as the high cost and limited availability of retail space in Singapore and Japan. Certain retail concepts may be tailored for large regional malls, readily available in North America but rare in the Middle East.
Legal barriers. A country's legislation may not be conducive to the establishment of certain types of distributorship arrangements. Tax laws, customs laws, import restrictions, corporate organization and agency or liability laws may all prove to be significant stumbling blocks. Technology transfer laws and foreign INVESTMENT laws may force a given business relationship to be essentially a joint venture, when it was originally intended as a master franchise or license.
Access to raw materials and human resources. Not all countries offer the same levels of access to critical raw materials and skilled labor that may be needed to operate your core business. If your company requires highly trained computer technicians, you may need to locate these resources in a country where educated employees are available for lower salaries than you would have to pay at home.
Government barriers. A particular country's government may or may not be receptive to foreign investment in general or to certain types of distribution relationships. A government's past history of expropriation, government restrictions, high tariffs and limitations on currency repatriation may all prove to be decisive factors in determining whether the cost of market penetration is worth the potential benefits. You may need to review the tax treaties between your country and the targeted nation or even to seek governmental intervention.
In the United States, the U.S. TRADE Representative or the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration may be able to intervene on your behalf with trade authorities elsewhere. It is also a good idea to have a lawyer who is experienced in international matters review the laws of the targeted nation and establish a liaison with a local attorney who can represent your interests in the foreign country.
Checklist for Gathering Data
Take the time to measure market demand and competition for your company's products and services. Be sure to gather data on the following:
economic trends
political stability
currency exchange rates
foreign INVESTMENT and approval procedures
restrictions on termination and non-renewal (where applicable)
regulatory requirements
access to resources and raw materials
availability of transportation and communication channels
labor and employment laws
technology transfer regulations
language and cultural differences
access to affordable capital and suitable sites for the development of units
governmental assistance programs
customs, laws and import restrictions
tax laws and applicable treaties
repatriation and immigration laws
trademark registration requirements, availability and protection policies
the costs and methods for dispute resolution
agency laws and availability of appropriate media for marketing efforts
In this unit, you are going to revise the use of defining and non-defining relative clauses. Watch these animated videos to spot the difference between one and the other.
In this unit, you will be discussing different ways of going global and approaching new markets. Watch the following video and check the tips given by Michelle Greenwald, author of Catalyzing Innovation. Would you include any other point?
You will explore some concepts with regard to this topic, here you have some of them and a couple of exercises for you to practice.
Let's take advantage of this unit's topic to listen to this very inspirational speech by Steve Jobs at Stanford. In this Unit you will expand on the use of prefixes and how they can help us understand the meaning of a word. Watch the following video which contains many examples:
To set the mood for this unit, we are going to listen to a very interesting Ted Talk on job satisfaction by Stephen Kellogg.
Can you summarize the main points exposed througout the talk?
Do you agree with him? Why? Why not?
How can job satisfaction be improved?
In this unit you will also revise the use of passive voice. In case you don't remeber how it is formed, here you have a short video lesson which explains when to use it, what for and how.
Now that you have revised the use of this structure, practice!
In this unit you are going to talk about brand strategy. Read the following article about McDonald's. Ronald McDonald has had a makeover. The mascot clown from the world’s largest fast food chain of restaurants is to become a more athletic, active and health conscious icon. TV ads will start screening on June 10 revealing the new look, sportier Ronald kitted out in a more figure-hugging jumpsuit. He will be overflowing with vitality as he juggles fruit, snowboards with superstar basketball player Yao Ming and plays basketball and soccer. The ads exude energy and fitness. Succulent, fresh strawberries abound, while hamburgers and fries are conspicuously absent. There will be nothing of what McDonald’s actually sells in the colorful commercials.
The company is attempting to jettison traditional images of cholesterol-laden fries and fat-soaked burgers to encourage children to get on the move. Jeff Carl, McDonald’s corporate vice-president of global marketing, said of this change of tack: “We felt it more appropriate to expand the discussion to all foods at this point.” He made no indication that the company would replicate the health conscious message of the ads into his restaurants’ menus. Mr. Carl explained that Ronald is “encouraging children to get up on their feet and start moving.” This may help to reduce the burden of blame on McDonald’s for obesity in children.
taken from: breakingnewenglish.com
Do you know all the words in bold?
Can you get their meaning from context?
What do you think about this new McDonald's?
Is this new McDonald's a lot better? a bit better?
In this Unit, you will also analyse how to modify comparative forms. Check this presentation (you have this information on page 48):
Can you come up with some examples to compare the old McDonald's and the new one? You can use the following lines:
The new McDonald's is ..... healthier than the old one.
In this unit, you will go over management styles. Read the following quotes to start thinking about what a good manager is.
Do you agree with all of them? What is a good manager? Watch the following video. Which of the adjectives below would you use to describe this manager?
In this unit, you will talk about work and leisure and explore the difference between two grammar points. Check the following presentation to analyse when to use simple past and when to use present perfect.
