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Topics for Speaking for 721 students

Topic 1: Communication
1. What qualities make a good communicator?
2. How do you think business communication will change in the future?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages for companies of using email?
!. "#acetoface communication can$t be beaten.$ %o you agree?
&. How will communication change in the office of the future?
'. What factors are important for communication?
Topic 2: International marketing
1. What are the advantages for a company of e(panding beyond its domestic market?
2. What kinds of problems do companies face when they go international?
3. What methods can companies use to enter overseas market?
!. What are some of the main benefits of political stability?
&. )s it possible to achieve equal income distribution in a country? *(plain why or why not.
Topic 3: Building relationships
1. What is the best way to build a business relationship?+ How can you build good business relationships?
2. What can spoil relations between companies?
3. , foreign company is opening a branch in your country. What factors should it consider?
!. ,re certain nationalities better at building relationships than others? )f so- which ones?
&. What do you know about blogs web logs? ,re they a good way for corporation to build relationships
with their employees or customers? How do you think this might work?
'. .o what e(tent do you think technology can replace people in the relationship with customers?
Topic 4: Success
1. %o you agree with the saying/ 0.he only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.1
2. What do you think makes a successful person?
Topic 5: o! satisfaction
1. %o you agree with the following statement/ 0 2eople who work sitting down get more paid than people who
work standing up.1?
2. What factor do you think motivate people to work harder?
3. , recent 34 survey showed children preferred parents to go out and earn money rather than spend more time
with them. What does this show - in your opinion?
!. Would you prefer a male or female boss? Why?
&. #or what reasons might you change 5obs ? How often would you e(pect to do so in your lifetime? )s
changing 5obs often a sign of success in your culture?
'. What do you find satisfying and frustrating about your work+studies?
6. How true do you think the following statement is/ 07ou should work to live not live to work1?
8. What kind of perks would you like to have when 5oining a new company?
9. %iscuss these statements/
:ompanies should be fully involved in the lives of their employees.
"4ick days$ are a perk.
, pay rise is better than a 5ob in a caring company.
1;. What can companies do to have satisfied employees?
11. What can companies do to have satisfied customers?
Topic ": #isk
1. 4hould safety be the main priority in every company- regardless of what its business is? Why do you think
this?
2. What effects can strikes and industrial action have on the reputation of a company?
3. )f a company has a wellknown brand- what are the risks to its brand value?
!. What risks do businesses face?
&. Why are companies paying more attention to risk management?
'. %o you agree with the following saying/ 07ou miss 1;;< of the shots you never take1?
Topic 7: $%commerce
1. What goods or services do you buy over the )nternet? What do you prefer not to buy?
2. What problems have you had buying on the )nternet?
3. What kind of products or services are best sold on the =et?
!. ,re there any things which could not or should not be sold on the =et?
&. What are the risks of ecommerce for a> the companies involved? b> their customers?
'. Which search engines do you use?
6. What makes a website easy or difficult to use? Why?
8. What do you like about the sites you visit regularly?
9. How much time do you spend browsing on the =et?
1;. How can businesses make sure their websites receive more hits than their competitors?
11. %o you think that all retailers will have to sell online?
12. :omment on the statement/ ".here is no safe way of buying goods online.$
13. %o you think that some products and services can not be sold online?
1!. How important is online shopping where you live?
1&. What is important for a company website to have in order to promote its business?
1'. Which of these are the most important characteristics of a good website? ?good graphics- easy navigation-
interesting information- fun to visit- useful links- helpful with your work or studies- others>
16. What should be the main purpose of a company$s website?
18. Why is important to update a company$s website regularly?
19. What are the benefits to a company of doing business online?
2;. Which of these is most important for you when you are considering buying something online/ cheap prices-
an easytonavigate website- quick delivery service- good customer service?
21. )f you were to start up an online business- what kind of products or services would you sell?
22. What are the disadvantages of a supermarket selling its goods online?
23.What kinds of business do you think are not successful online? Why?
Topic &: Team !uilding
1. What are the advantages of working in teams?
2. What are the disadvantages of working in teams?
3. %o you agree with the saying/ "None of us is as smart as all of us.$ )n what situations is it true or not true?
@ive e(amples.
!. %o you think that a team always needs a leader?
&. %o you think that a team should change its leader regularly?
'. %o you agree with the statement/ ".ension between team members makes a team more effective.$?
6. %o you think that teams need people with similar personalities in order to succeed?
8. %o you have any qualities which would be useful for a team?
9. What would you find difficult about working in a team?
1;. )f you were a team leader- how would you get your team members to cooperate?
11. What can you do to build a good team?
12. ,re there any teambuilding activities that you have done in your life? Were they effective? Why or why not?
Topic ': #aising finance
1. How can startup companies raise capital? What can they do if they need further investment in their
companies after several years of successful operation?
2. What is important when looking for finance to start up a business?
3. What is important when starting up in business?
!. What problems would you e(pect to have if you started your own business?
&. What are the advantages and disadvantages for a private individual of borrowing money from the following
sources? ?a bank- a friend or colleague- a member of your family- a loan shark- a credit card company- ..>
'. )f you needed to raise money for the following- which source of finance would you use? ?to buy a car- to buy
an apartment or house- to go on an e(otic holiday- to finace your children education- to buy your partner an
e(pensive present>
6. %o you think that people with overdrafts are bad money managers?
8. )s it good business practice for a company to pay its bills late.
Topic 1(: Customer ser)ice
1. How important to a company$s success is customer care? )s it possible to have too much customer care?
2. Why is customer service difficult to implement?
3. Why are some companies not very good at providing customer service?
!. Which do you think is more important in a customerservice employee/ efficiency or ability to form a
friendly relationship?
&. .o what e(tent do you think technology can replace people in the relationship with customers?
'. Why is it important to get customers$ views on your products and services?
6. %o you think staff can be trained to treat customers well- or is it 5ust a natural ability?
8. When your company launches a new product or service- who would you send the information to first/
e(isting customers or potential new customers? Why?
9. Why is it important to keep e(isting customers happy- even when they give you problems?
1;. Why are dissatisfied customers dangerous for a business? How much should you do to make them happy?
11. )t is often said that "the customer is always right.$ )s this true? Why?+Why not?
12. %o you think a long term relationship with 5ust one supplier is better than having many suppliers?
Topic 11: Crisis management
1. What crises do business managers have to face?
2. When- in your opinion- does a business problem become a crisis?
3. What kind of crises do companies face? How can they be anticipated? How can they be managed?
!. )n a crisis A when a business is losing money and orders A what can a company do to survive? What are the
consequences if the rescue plan is successful? ,nd what are the consequences if it is not successful?
Topic 12: *anagement st+les
1. What is the role of a manager? ?coach+motivator- mediator- problemsolver- instigator- dictator- organiBer-
facilitator- leader- mentor- decisionmakerC>
2. Which of these skills or qualities ?a handson approach- ability to delegate- attention to detail- good
communication skills- good interpersonal skills- originality- troubleshooting skills- vision> do you think are
necessary for business leaders- which for managers and which for both? ?Leaders look at the big picture,
welcome change, are good at motivating and influencing, and work well alone or at the head of teams.
Managers look at the details, welcome stability, are good at supervising and work well as team members.
Managers tend to get their authority from their role (a boss with subordinates), while leaders get their
authority from their personality. People turn to leaders for guidance, regardless of their position. hey have
a !uality of personal impact." #ource$ %usiness &ocabulary %uilder>
3. What do you think are the key qualities for a successful manager today?
!. What things can managers do to get the most from their staff?
&. What typical mistakes do managers make when managing staff?
'. )n what ways can managers motivate their staff? ?performance pay and bonuses- annual performance
reviews+ appraisal- competitions for new ideas- empowerment- working in teams- regular training>
6. %o you agree with the statement/ "#emale managers are generally better managers than male managers.$?
8. How can companies find good people for their management+leader positions?
9. %o you agree with the following statement/ "@ood managers are born- not made.$?
1;. %o you agree with the following statement/ "Deaders and managers are different.$?
11. .alk about a recent occasion when you successfully influenced someone ?or a group>. %escribe how you did it.
Topic 13: Takeo)ers and mergers
1. .hink of three reasons why one company might wish to take over another company?
2. )f two large companies merge- how can they save costs? How else can they benefit?
3. What do you think are the most difficult problems following a takeover for a>management? b> employees?
How can they be solved?
!. When a company acquires or merges with another company- what changes happen?
&. )s it better for a company to e(pand by acquisition or by internal growth? What do you think?
Topic 14: The future of !usiness
1. What are your predictions for the future business world? ? 2eople will have more leisure time. #ew people
will have full time 5obs. .here will be cities of 1;; million people. .here will be a world stock market. :ash
won$t be used any more. 2eople will live and work in space. .rade unions will disappear. .here will be no
retirement age. :ountries will be run by big businesses rather than governments. #resh water will be more
valuable than oilCC>
2. How do you think your career will develop in the future?
3. How optimistic are you about the future of business in your own country? *(plain your answer.
!. How do you think the way people work will change in the future?
&. Which five countries do you think will dominate the world economy in twenty years$ time? Eank them in
order of importance and give reasons. :ompare your ideas with your partners.
'. Which of these ways of working ?fle(ible working- parttime working- home working+ teleworking- 5ob
sharing- freelancing- tempingworking as a temporary office worker> do you think will become common in
the future? Which of these ways of working would you welcome?
6. What would you like to be doing in the future- say in five or ten years$ time?

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