English 2.

	BizEnglish Under construction... It will be sometime before we are able to update this page, as the material is in preparation in China. Enjoying English runs short courses for business and industry whishing to expand internationally. Contact us on the enquiries link above. AC/WB. i BULATS * In Business * Theo Paphatis _ 12 Rules for Succeess * Resources * BULATS: In these pages I will examine various topics related to Business English. Business English , as the name suggests, is English as used in a real working environment, whether that be in an office, letter writing, on the telephone, job descriptions, making presentations and a host of other ordinary working situations. We will have an opportunity to examine some of those situations in more detail later. First, I want to look at BULATS - the Business Language Testing Service, because English as it is used in business, is different to English that we use in everyday life. A question commonly asked is... 'How many words do you (me as a native speaker), actially know?' It is a question which is almost impossible to answer. Experts put the answer at 35,000 plus. That is not very meaningful, as many words or phrases, I might be aware of, but never use - words from old English are good examples. However, research shows that for a person of my age, with my level of education, in one week, I am likely to use between 800 - 2,000 different words and phrases depending on tmy situation, excluding 'professional English', words which I only use at work or when talking about my job. So, let's take a look... Business English pays more attention to practical language skills in communication, and gives you the tools or skills that you need to follow your career. This is particularly noticeable in the armed services - Army, Navy & Air Force, and Local Government, where people talk in an abreviated form. In education in China, 'CET4' is a good example. It means 'College English Test Band 4', but by simply saying 'CET4' every student and every teacher, knows exactly what you are talking about. It is understood. Language is about being able to communicate effectively and making yourself understood. BULATS is a testing service which covers everything said and done in a working environment. At the risk of repeating myself; job descriptions, company and product profiles and introductions, business trips, management and marketing, direct sales e.g. selling insurance or automobiles, making plans, taking or making telephone mesages or calls, writing reports, letters and presentations. Everything! I expect that you have understood the message by now!!! It is a comprehensive testing service, and like others, assesses listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. It provides a benchmark or standard for individual jobs, which enables companies to manage their recruitment and management training. Using the International Language School 'EF' - 'English First', - based in Sweden, as an example; the Teaching Staff are are foreign native speakers from the UK, Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Australia and others. Each foreign teacher has a Chinese assistant who is bi-lingual in Chinese and English. The front desk is manned by Course Consultants who are Chinese and similarly have a competent level of English. This is the first call for foreign teachers, if they have a problem, or if they will not be in work due to illness, for example. It is also the first point of contact of potential new customers wanting them or their children to join classes at all levels from beginners in kindergarten to adults wishing to increase their English skills or level of competence. The company,'EF' holds meetings and training sessions on a weekly basis to enable it's staff to be familiar with happenings within the company, and maintain a good level of competency in English for its staff development. Back to BULATS - At Level 4, candidates are able to make speaches and effective communication within the range of work they are expected to manage. At Level 3, candidates can write reports or instructions of a factual nature, but their work still needs ratification (checking). A big plus from the point of view of employers, is that BULATS tests are flexible and can be arranged anywhere, at any time. On-demand testing can be arranged to fit in with the needs of the employer, examining listening, speaking, language knowledge, reading comprehension and writing skills. My former students want to learn English because they need it for their careers. But learning English for business, is not a matter of taking the odd test now and then, it is a career long journey, and BULATS supports you all the way. So, How does BULATS work? One hundred and ten minutes (1 hour 50 minutes) are allowed to take the BULATS Public Standard Test. It covers three main working situations; Exchanging Personal Information. Very straightforward, you might think, but not so. The asking for, giving and recording of information such as your name, address, telephone number, occupation and general information about work, is frequently very important, requiring good listening skills, good pronunciation and accurate recording. People do not always speak clearly, and you may need to check information, e.g., the spelling of a person's name. The Business Environment and Office Routine. The day to day work situation,, including arranging appointments or meetings, planning future events, taking telephone calls and recording messages, if the person who a client wishes to speak to is out of the office. It includes any task within the office that needs communication skills in English. Talking to Clients and Customers may appear to be an easy roll, but it's importance shouldn't be underestimated, because you are likely to be the first point of contact with the Company. Customers are not always polite and easy going, especially if they have a complaint - and particularly when they are on the phone. It may also include 'small talk' - incidental 'chat' about the weather or something else. It may include discussing interests, leisure activities, or your family. You may be giving, accepting or declining invitations. *This is general conversation in action!* Sample questions can be downloaded from: www.bulats.org/samplepapers/samplepaperen00.pdf Preparation. BULATS assesses English language skills in real situations. It therefore, follows that the best place to prepare for the test is in the workplace, where mistakes can be easily corrected - assuming that your colleagues have a good standard of English. In the reading test, candidates have a set time to answer questions relating to a number of different types of documents. They vary from; business letters, memos, records and notices, to advertisements, promotional material and catalogues. Your Assessment. BULATS does not have pass or fail scores. It offers thorough assessment of your English competency by numerical scores linked to a banding system. The Test. Candidates can register through www.cpta.com.cn . It is now available for individual candidates. BULATS was developed by a consortium of examination providers, members of the Association of Language Testers in Europe - ALTE, including The British Council, whose information you will find on the Website page. The test is recognised by hundreds of companies and enterprises in more than 30 countries. It hs been adopted by International companies such as DHL - Worldwide Express and Cadbury - Schweppes, the confectionary and soft-drinks group. Provincial and municipal personnel department all over China have adopted BULATS as an in-service test for civil servants. The British Council recommends 'Business Explorer', published by the Post and Telecom Press as a suitable book for prearation of the test. Your results will be issued by University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndecate (UCLES), in a Report Form, with an official seal of the Personnel Testing Authorities of the Ministry of Personnel. The test fee is 380RMB + 10RMB for registration. Incentives... the top 30 candidates in the test will recieve electronic dictionaries. Others, who achieve Level 4 or above will included in the prestigious 'China BULATS Elite Pool' Problems or suggestions, please contact us via the link at the top of the page. Please put a marker in the Subject box for us to be able to channel your enquiry. In Business I have lost count of the number of times I have heard students say, 'I want to have my own business.' For many, the prospect of being their own boss, rather than working in industry or for a corporation, is very attractive. But there are many pitfalls, and don't be under the illusion that it is easy, because it isn't. Apart from the fact that you are often 'on your own', there are financial implications; if you don't work, you don't earn. You may be dependent on employees who don't have the same drive or expectations that you have. There are problems in finding the right product or service in the place that you want to work; filling the gap, or satisfying a need in a community or area of business. There is also the fact that you will inevitably have competition, unless you are very lucky. And the rewards, before you can take a cent for yourself, overheads such as rent, insurance, repayment of loans and salaries, if appropriate, have to be paid. Some useful tips are presented by 'News Magazine' (US) and 21st Century. Start a business that is down to earth and easy to administer; there is less likelihood that something will go wrong. Top graduates may be prestige-conscious, dreaming of being the next Bill Gates. Dream on! In reality this is unlikely to happen. Take a close look at the venture you propose to do; where it is and how you propose to approach marketing strategies. Advertising in Newspapers is an option, but statistics show that the average life of a newspaper is less than 3 hours. It appears on the news stand, is purchased, thumbed through and discarded. As far as the market is concerned, try to decide if there are enough people who may want to purchase you product or service. At home we ask ourselves, 'Are there enough chimney pots?' That means that unlike China, traditionally people live in houses rather than apartments or flats. Most houses used to have fire places, and thus chimneys for the smoke to escape. The expression means simply, are there enough households to potentially support your venture. Innovation: similarly, if you find a niche that has not been exploited, in other words, if there is a gap in the market, you have to ask yourself whether it is a viable proposition. Can you raise the money necessary to follow your idea? Parents may be able to help, but it is probable that you will be reliant on your own resources, or savings, or a loan from a bank. Often it is better to look at an idea which is proven, offering a service or product which is less expensive. I am reminded of two boys I taught in the late 1970's. During their last year at school they were constantly complaining about the difficulty getting a job. In the heat of the moment and in a state of annoyance, I said, 'Get off your arse (backside or bottom), and do something!' Several days passed and they returned saying that no-one was cleaning household or shop windows in their district. They had bought a collapsible ladder, sponges and buckets and had set up 'a round' - a list of customers who wanted their windows cleaned regularly. Thirty years on, these two men have one of the largest window cleaning businesses in the country, servicing restaurants, hotels and office blocks with branches across England and Wales. Back to the point. Business on the rebound. This happens. Despite your best research and planning, it is possible that things may not go as planned. Frequently it puts financial factors under pressure. If it is possible to diversify your sources of income or financing, all the better, as it will soften the impact of difficulties you may face. People with drive and determination will face the problem and find a solution. Those who are not really serious will give in. In China, help is available from banks and institutes that promote young people's entrepreneurship, such as Youth Business China - www.ybc.org.cn It takes money to make money is a mis-conception. It is not true. It takes vision, drive, determination, a sprinkling of luck and a lot of sweat. Working from home, or small rented facilities saves money. If you are in retailing (selling), research competitive suppliers. Remember that the 'middle-man' is also in business to make a living. Sensible, well-ordered negotiating skills are essential. Use search engines such as; www.taobao.com or www.ebay.com Even if you don't buy from them, it will give you a good idea of the prices you have to pay at wholesale rates. Making money is the reward, but being honest, fair and providing a good service will put you on the road to success. Your reputation will go before you and is often spread by word of mouth by satisfied customers. Be assured of one thing, that if you cheat, are dishonest or argue with customers, you will be labeled with a bad tag, and that will be difficult to change. sources: News Magazine, 21st Century, Agencies. Theo Paphitis - 12 Rules for Success in Business. Theo Paphitis is a business entrepreneur and is 'filthy rich'. At 48, his is the rags - to riches story of the son of a Cypriot (From Cyprus in the Mediterranean) immigrant to London. There was little money in the family. Theo's first job was as a tea boy working for an Insurance firm making tea for their staff. During the 1980's he made his money during the booming property business. He says that success in business is the result of very hard and dedicated work. There are 12 rules for success. * Reduce the Risk - f a project is high risk then it is reasonable to expect a high reward. Base your expectations and strategy on a risk / reward basis. * Don't Fool Yourself - if a project has gone wrong or that you think an idea is worthless, then accept the fact. True friends will tell you honestly what they think. * Learn to Let Go - the important thing for an entrepreneur, is to be able to let go and sell a successful business, or to be to change direction if an enterprise is turning out to be worthless. * Know that Cash is King - cash flow in a business is king. Very basic and simple advice is that you must have cash to pay the bills, including wages. Without t, just like a heart attack, everything will close down. * Embrace Change - the business environment changes rapidly, especially with new technologies. Consumers have an insatiable appetite for something new. If you can adapt and supply their demands, whatever your field of business, you will make money. * Use Common Sense - business is common sense, but common sense is not common. Look at an idea carefully and decide on the good and bad points - and the risk. * Make Decisions - Encourage yourself and your staff to make decisions. Some you will get wrong, then put them right. If you make more right than wrong, then you will do OK. * Start Small - small is manageable. If you begin with the responsibility of many staff, there are problems. Legislation (the legal aspects of running a business - accounting, tax etc) is complicated and restrictive. * Get Your Staff On Board - your staff are the most important people in your business. It is your job to make their working environment as stress-free and rewarding as possible; - bonuses and long-tern incentives such as holidays or business trips are a good idea. * Capitalise on Other People's Ideas - modify and adapt other people's ideas, if appropriate. * Turn Your Dreams Into Reality - we all have dreams, but the trick is to be able to turn them into reality. This means talking to friends, thorough preparation and researching the market. You have to be passionate about your ideas, but realistic at the same time. If you can do that, you are halfway there. 'Enter The Dragon' by Theo Paphitis is published by Orion @ 18.pounds 99 pence. Resources: www.cbc.org/china-guide/culture.html - from China-Britain Business Council (London) for those interested in Sino_British trade.