LANC2070 - SBH 22.8.2022 3.16pm

Centre for Preparatory Studies
LANC 2070
English for Business
2022 – 2023
1
LANC 2070
ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS
STUDENT’S NAME
EMAIL
SECTION
TEACHER’S NAME
TEACHER’S EMAIL
CPS OFFICE NUMBER
TEL. EXT. NUMBER
CONTACT NUMBER
Copyright: Centre for Preparatory Studies, Sultan Qaboos University

Sultanate of Oman, 2022
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Acknowledgements
Thanks are due to everyone who contributed to past and present editions by providing materials, editing
the materials or sharing their thoughts for this course book. Very special thanks is extended to the following
teachers for material writing, material selection and for their continuous assistance, feedback and
constructive thoughts:
2022-2023 Nemat Baraka

Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh (CL Fall 2021 –Present) Mohammed Al Saidi (cover)
Balquees Neji (Co Author) Fall 2011-Spring 2017
Dr.Khalfan Al Kemyani (Editing support) Dr. Misbah Naqvi, PC
Duane Daniels (CCU Rep) Jason Bundrage, CC
Dr. Ndrew Allmark (CCU Rep) Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh
Jenya Pronoza (AU Head)
Duane Daniels
Elizabeth Stockham (Testing Support)
Lilia Hermi
Tareq al Damen (Testing support)
Nicholas Hilmers
2021-2022
Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh (CL Fall 2021) Khalfan Al Kemyani
Balquees Neji Elizabeth Ross (formatting Fall 2011-Spring 2017
Dr. Mariam Mazboudi Mohammed Al Saidi (cover)
Megan Torman Robert Poulton, CC Fall 2014
Valentyna Matusevych Keith Drummond (CC, Fall 2013-Spring 2014)
Dr. Rashid Al Marmari (CCU Rep) Sara Sutton CC, Fall 2012-Spring 2013
Duane Daniels (CCU Rep) Steve Harbord CC, Fall 2011-Spring 2012
Dr. Nazneen Dahdari (CCU Head) Fall 1998- Spring 2011
Adam Lang (Testing support) Steve Mahony, PC and CC, Fall 2006- Spring 2011
2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 Eds Khalfan Al Kemyani PC, Fall 2005- Spring 2006
Peter Heckadon (CL Fall 2017 – 2021) Sally Burn PC, 1998-2005
Dr. Victoria Tuzlukova Robert Poulton
Spring 2017 Edition Duane Daniels
Dr. Misbah Naqvi, PC, Fall 2011-Spring 2017 Dr. Shahid Abrar
Jason Bundrage, CC, Spring 2015-Spring 2017 Jo Ingram
Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh Ratna Mullik
Peter Heckadon (CL Fall 2017) Trevor Cleland
LANC 2070 Business English is the second book in the series of teaching materials for English for Business courses.
The book focuses on logical thinking and applying the topmost cognitive skills to prepare the students not only for
their college courses, but for lifelong learning for their future professional paths. Students’ attention is particularly
focused on evaluating texts and creating meaning productively of their own from the contemporary concepts that
they have acquired, thus making their own truth about the world by creating knowledge. Business factors are
highlighted through contemporary themes such as entrepreneurship, apprenticeship, organizational structure and
its culture, brand building, Employment and impact of Artificial Intelligence along with ethical, political, economic,
social and technological issues. The texts vary in length and their reading levels are between 12 and 15 on the
Flesch-Kincaid Grade level. The vocabulary and English language grammar and convention exercises are in context
and other tasks have been developed and exploited from the texts. The texts also highlight Academic Words (AWL),
which enable students to learn academic words related to their field of study. The aim is also for students to have
hands-on-experience (experiential learning) to enable them to complete a problem-based project and independent
study work, where the deeper learning skills of future business students are encouraged. Students get opportunity
to work individually and in groups to develop 21st Century skills, which are relevant in the world of work.
Series Editor
Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh (Fall 2021-present)

Peter Heckadon (Fall 2017-Spring 2021)
Dr. Misbah Naqvi (Fall 2011-Spring 2017)
College of Economics and Political Science

LANC 2070 English for Business Credit Course
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CONTENTS
Content Page
Unit 1: Entrepreneurship and innovation Week 1-2 6-27

Unit 2: Business Strategies Week 3-4 28-39
Unit 3: Success of Organizations Week 5-6 40-51
Unit 4: Brand Development and Digital Marketing Week 9-10 52-69
Unit 5: Organizational Behavior Week 11-12 70-79
Unit 6: Future Skills in leadership Week 13-14 80-91
Unit 7: Artificial Intelligence in Economics Week 15 92-101
Problem Based Learning Week 1-13 102

Introduction Week 1 103-107
Unit 1: Research and Brainstorming Week 1-2 108-112
Unit 2: Explaining the Charity Week 3-4 113-118
Unit 3: Setting up the Charity Week 5-6 119-130
Unit 4: Reporting about your Charity and
Review of APA Citation Style Week 9 131-138
Contents of the PBL Report 139-140
Appendices 142
Practice Readings 142-151
Rubrics for Assessment 152

Presentation Rubric 153
Reflection Rubric 154
PBL Report Rubric 155-156
Summary Rubric 157-158
Critical Paragraph Rubric 159-162
Article Review Rubric 163-165
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Sultan Qaboos University
College of Economics and Political Science
Vision
To be internationally recognized for excellence in business and political science
education, research and innovation
Mission
To provide a learning environment benchmarked to international standards, to
engage in innovative and multi-disciplinary research, and to contribute to
national development and international cooperation
Values
 Ethics
 Excellence
 Critical Thinking
 Leadership
 Innovation
 Entrepreneurship
 International Engagement
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LANC2070 Syllabus
College College of Economics and Political Science

Title of the course English for Business II
Course Code LANC 2070
Pre-requisites LANC 1070 or LANC 1071
Equivalency None
Number of hours per week 6
Number of credits 3
Number of hours devoted to evaluation Approximately 10 hours
Introduction to LANC2070
LANC2070 focuses on logical thinking and applying the higher order cognitive skills to prepare
students not only for their college courses but also for lifelong learning for their future professional
paths. The emphasis of the course is on the English language skills of reading, writing, listening and
speaking. Students focus on evaluating texts and creating meaning of their own from the
contemporary concepts that they are exposed to, and on interpreting newly acquired and existing
knowledge. A significant proportion of assessed work in the problem-based learning component
involves students researching, assessing and completing task requirements independently, with
minimum or no guidance from the teacher. Vocabulary and grammar revision necessary in all areas
of study in CEPS is provided as in the previous courses, LANC1070 and LANC 1071(now
discontinued).
LANC2070 Learning Outcomes
1. Infer meaning of words from context in business-themed texts.

2. Demonstrate ability to accurately use academic vocabulary in various contexts.
3. Distinguish main ideas from supporting details in business-themed texts.
4. Understanding the author's main message.
5. Make inferences based on the information in a text.
6. Demonstrate accurate use of the intended grammar
7. Demonstrate appropriate use of cohesive devices (linkers and transition words)
8. Do note taking, note making, and annotation as part of the writing process.
9. Write a summary of a business -themed text.
10. Write an analytical paragraph on business-themed topics (200-250 words).
11. Write a review using a business-themed text.
12. Evaluate multiple sources of information to use for research purposes.
13. Collaborate on project work using various strategies for teamwork.
14. Organize information from academic and non-academic sources to prepare the PBL report.
15. Develop a bibliography based on the references (APA Style) for the PBL report.
16. Produce a persuasive academic report of 1500 to 2000 words on a problem-based issue
demonstrating evidence of content progression, research, and critical analysis.
17. Deliver a well-organized group presentation that highlights the main ideas in the PBL report.
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Course Layout
Topics discussed Focused Skill/Area Area of discussion and timeline
Unit 1
 What is Entrepreneurship and who is an Reading and Entrepreurship and innovation
Entrepreneur? Vocabulary Week 1-2
 5 ways business can support and
partner with social entrepreneurs Summary Writing
Unit 2 Reading and
 Training on the job: Apprenticeship for Vocabulary Business Strategy
youth employment in Oman Week 3-4
 The 5 stages of Product Cycle Paragraph Writing
Unit 3
Reading and
 Organizational Structure
Vocabulary
Summary and Success of Organizations

 Google’s Organizational Culture Paragraph Writing Week 5-6
Reading, Vocabulary
 To be provided and Writing Week 7 (Practice)
Reading and
Unit 4
Vocabulary
 Brand Building, Launch and Promotion Brand Development and Digital
on Social Media Article Review Marketing
 What Is Digital Brand Management and Writing 1 Week 9-10
Why Should You Care
Reading and
Unit 5 Vocabulary
 Understanding Organizational Culture Organizational Behavior
 IKEA: SWOT Analysis and Sustainable Article Review Week 11-12
Business Planning Writing 2
Unit 6
 GCC Countries must lead the Next Reading and Future Skills in Leadership
Industrial Revolution Vocabulary Development
 How to create more jobs in a fast- Article review Week 13- 14
changing Middle East Writing 3
Unit 7
 The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Artificial Intelligence in Economics
the World Economy Reading and Week 15 (Practice)
 To be provided Vocabulary
Writing
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Learning Materials
LANC 2070 English for Business: In-house course book
English Dictionary (online lexicographic resource)
Moodle: Reading Comprehension Practice, Vocabulary Quizzes, Supplementary PBL support
(Moodle self-access material)
Learning & Teaching Methods

Learner focused instruction that involves both class work and independent study will be the focus
of this course. This combination will help in developing ability to reflect, form an opinion, think
critically and synthesis of information through whole class, individual, pair and group work. The PBL
component will lead to spoken presentation and written academic report. This will be achieved
through independent research of a Problem based learning (PBL) project.
Weighting of Marks
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 50%
Moodle Reading and Vocabulary Quizzes 5%
PBL Group Report 10%
PBL Mini- and Group- Presentations 10%
Individual Reflections 5%
TOTAL 100%
What is expected of the learner?
Assessment marks
During the course, students should keep a record of their Minimum Letter
assessment marks and the contribution of these marks to their final Percent % Grade
grade and to take responsibility for confirming this record with their 0 F
teacher. 59.5 D
Pacing Schedule 64.5 D+
The Pacing Schedule provided for the course is subject to change, 69.5 C-
and students need to keep up with what is planned for their future 72.5 C
classes and to confirm this with their teacher in class time. If a 76.5 C+
learner has been absent for partial or entire classes, it is his/her sole 79.5 B-
responsibility to catch up on the missed material.
82.5 B
Attendance 86.5 B+
All classes, which are missed, are absences. If an absence is 89.5 A-
unavoidable, evidence of the reason needs to be provided; this will 92.5 A
allow the student to have an excused absence. If 6 hours are missed,
students will receive an official warning. Students will be referred to the CPS advisor if they do not
take the warning seriously. If another 8 hours are missed without an appropriate excuse, the student
can be barred from taking the final exam.
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Punctuality
Punctuality means arriving to class on time. If students are continually late, they can expect the
missed time to be counted as an absence. All students are to cooperate with the teacher for the
smooth conduct of the classes.
Exams
Tests and exams should be treated seriously. This means bringing all the equipment/material that is
needed. Any use of a mobile phone is likely to be treated as cheating. Cheating of any kind will result
in a score of zero. Students should be ready to start on time for all tests and exams.
Moodle (e learning)
Students need to be both enrolled on their course on Moodle and subscribed to their teacher’s
section discussion/forum. Students need to confirm that they are enrolled and subscribed with their
teacher after taking the following steps:
1. Go to the SQU main page, then go to E-learning (Online Services)
2. Use user ID and password to log on (choose E-learning Academic)
3. Click on the correct semester
4. Click on Centre for Preparatory Studies and choose Credit Courses
5. Click on Department of English for Social Sciences
5. Click on LANC 2070 English for Business
6. Enter your enrolment key, which is the word “section” followed by (no space) the section number,
for example section100
7. Click on “enroll me in this course”
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UNIT 1
In this Unit, you will be able to:
 Demonstrate understanding and use of academic vocabulary to use in other contexts.
 Identify different genres of business writing to show awareness of its uses.
 Review short business-related articles and write summaries.
 Write a short paragraph of a business -themed text.
READING THEME 1: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

.
Before you read:

A. Discuss the following questions in small groups of 3-4 members.
1. Who is an entrepreneur? Watch the video What they don't tell you about
entrepreneurship by Mark Leruste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6nxcfbDfZo
and write two ideas you think are very useful tips given by the speaker.
2. According to you, what are some of the skills and abilities an entrepreneur should
have?
3. Do you know of any entrepreneur in Oman? If yes, share what you know about him/
her. Maybe, you are an entrepreneur too!
4. What is an innovative idea?
5 . With a partner, think of one innovative idea, which could become a successful
business in Oman in the future?
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B. Here are some Entrepreneur types. Match the Column A with Column B. You may consult
Google search to find the answers, if needed.
Entrepreneur type Description*
a. Innovators 1. Those who copy existing business ideas and improve upon them.
They are eager to find out ways to make a particular product
better in order to gain an advantage in the market.
2. 2. Those who spend time to collect all the relevant information
b. Hustlers
about the idea. They depend a great deal on data and facts
rather than instincts and intuition.
3. 3. Those who come up with new ideas and convert them into
c. Imitators
viable businesses. They create a new crowd and way of thinking.
4. 4. Identify a business and assess the viability and feasibility of the
d. Researchers
business and then acquire it. They find the most suitable person
to run and grow it.
5. 5. Focus on a manageable goal of becoming bigger in now, with
e. Buyers
the dream of expanding in the future. They are motivated by
their dreams and will work sincerely to achieve them.
Source: https://lonelyentrepreneur.com/types of entrepreneurs
C. Predicting: Discuss in your group, the following questions.

a. Look at the title of the text. What are some the ideas the article is likely to discuss?
b. Note down two ideas that are likely to be discussed in the article.
D. Scanning: Look at the words highlighted in the text. Which of these words are familiar to you.
Discuss the meaning of the known words with a partner and write them below.
No. Word Meaning in English Meaning in Arabic
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A Note of Reading Strategies
Active readers tend to use many reading strategies to save on time and effort. Remember, the
purpose of reading will determine which strategy you will use.
Reading Strategy 1 - Skimming

Skimming is usually done to preview the text to get the overall idea of a text. It means quickly
reading just to get the main idea, the gist, or the significance of the text. It involves running the eye
very quickly over large chunks of text. The purpose is to pick up the main ideas without giving
attention to details. It is a useful strategy to locate relevant information from an article or book.
You can skim by the following steps:
 Read the title
 Look at all the visuals and read their captions
 Read the introduction
 Read the sub-headings
 Read the first sentence of main body paragraphs
 Think about highlighted words and other captions
 Read the conclusion
Activity: When you start a Unit, use skimming techniques to get the general idea of
the main ideas in all the articles in the course.
. Discuss your findings with your group.
Reading Strategy 2 -Scanning

Scanning means reading for specific information. As with skimming, scanning is done quickly. You
scan for answers by sweeping your eyes over a [part of a text to find specific answers. Therefore,
you should first
 Try to understand questions before you scan
 Use the headings to guide your search
 Search quickly for key words
 Skip sections that aren’t relevant to your particular question
Activity: Use scanning techniques to answer the questions for each reading text in
the course. Discuss your answers with your classmates.
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Reading Strategy 3 – Intensive reading
Intensive reading is detailed, focused reading of important parts of the text. This strategy will be
useful for your writing activity. To do intensive reading, here are some steps to follow:
 Start at the beginning
 Underline any unfamiliar words or phrases as you continue to read
without stopping.
 Highlight and make brief notes* in the margin or on a separate table.
 Check unfamiliar vocabulary and guess from context. Refer to a
dictionary, if needed.
 Use the notes, to write answers.
Activity: Read the texts (given for the reading and writing tasks). Underline and
highlight main ideas and relevant information and prepare notes. Use the information
to complete the reading and writing tasks given to you in the course.
Please note: *Note taking and Note making can help to identify the development of writing by
the learner. This can be very effective when doing research and synthesizing information. Notes
should use key words, phrases, symbols and abbreviation, rarely full sentences. In other words,
the information should be in note form.
Reading Strategy 4 – Extensive reading

Extensive reading involves reading widely without focusing on only one text. This will be useful
for the PBL component of the course. You will need to select articles from different sources and
make notes to develop a point of view about the topic. The article review, which you will do in
the second half of the course will give you, practice on how to use extensive reading better in
your student life.
To do extensive reading, you can follow these steps:
 Read the main article given in the course

 Read other articles related to the topic to gain a broad understanding of the topic.
 Make notes to develop your point of view by comparing ideas from different articles
 Use your creativity to connect ideas in new ways.
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Pre Reading Activity: Understand the theme of the Unit. Read the articles
(given for reading and writing) in the Unit. Now, read other articles that are not
in the Student handbook to improve your understanding of the topic. Discuss
the new ideas with your classmates.
Now, read the article below and answer the questions. Pay attention to the vocabulary
highlighted in bold.
READING TEXT 1: What is Entrepreneurship and who is an Entrepreneur?

1.We often hear that an entrepreneur is a person who has started his or her own business.
The formal definition of entrepreneurship is that it is the process of starting a business or an
organization for profit or for social needs. We have used the phrase “for profit or for social
needs” to delineate1 commercial entrepreneurship (making profit) from social
entrepreneurship (non-for-profit). After defining entrepreneurship, it is now time to define
who an entrepreneur is and what he or she does.
2. An entrepreneur is someone who develops a business model, acquires the necessary
Source:https://www.dreamstime.com/entrepreneur-concept-business-vector-icons-banner-entrepreneur-concept-business-elements-
drawn-white-background-vector-image116948203
physical and human capital to start a new venture, and operationalizes it and is responsible
for its success or failure. Note that an entrepreneur is distinct from the professional manager.
While the former either invests his or her own resources or raises capital from external
sources and thus takes the blame for the failure as well as reaps the rewards in case of
success, the latter does work that is assigned to him or her for monetary compensation. In
other words, the entrepreneur is the risk taker, innovator and creator of new enterprises
whereas the professional manager is simply the executor.
Source:
Attributes of Entrepreneurs
3. An entrepreneur needs to have certain skills and capabilities. First and foremost, he or
she has to be an innovator who has a game changing2 idea or a potentially new concept that
can succeed in the crowded marketplace. Investors usually tend to invest in ideas and
concepts, which they feel, would generate adequate returns for their capital and
investments. Hence, the entrepreneur needs to have a truly innovative idea for a new
venture. Apart from this, the entrepreneur needs to have excellent organizational and
people management skills as he or she has to build the organization from scratch and has to
bond with his or her employees. Additionally, an entrepreneur needs to have a good vibe
with other stakeholders to ensure success of the venture. He/she needs to be a leader who
can inspire his or her employees as well as be a visionary and a person with a sense of
mission as it is important that the entrepreneur motivates and drives the venture. This
1
0
means that leadership, values, team building skills, and managerial abilities are the key skills
and attributes that an entrepreneur needs to have.
An Entrepreneur is a Risk Taker

4. We have discussed what entrepreneurship is and the skills and attributes needed by
entrepreneurs in order to succeed. This does not mean that all entrepreneurs are successful
as research shows that a majority of new ventures do not survive past the one-year-mark of
their existence. When news ventures fail, the obvious question is: who takes the blame for
the failure and whose money is being lost? The answer is that the entrepreneur puts his or
her own money or raises capital from investors and venture capitalists, which means that if
the venture fails, both the entrepreneur and the investors lose money. This means
therefore, that the entrepreneur is the risk taker in the venture and that the success or
failure of the firm reflects on the entrepreneur.
Some Famous Entrepreneurs

5. Given this basic introduction to entrepreneurship, we can now turn to some famous
examples of entrepreneurs, who have succeeded despite heavy odds3 because they had
game changing ideas,
Source: https://www.stoodnt.com/blog/why-innovation-is-at-the-core-ofentrepreneurship/
and more importantly, they had the necessary traits and skills that would make them legendary.
For instance, both the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and the late Steve Jobs, the founder of
Apple, were college dropouts (one could quibble over the term) their eventual success meant that
they had only truly innovative ideas. These entrepreneurs were also ready to strike it out for the
longer term and hang on when the going got tough. Additionally, the founders of Google, Larry
Page and Sergey Brin, can be considered revolutionary entrepreneurs. What all these legends
have in common is the vision and the sense of mission that they were going to change the world
and with hard work, perseverance, and a nurturing ecosystem, they were able to self-actualize4
Entrepreneurship Needs a Nurturing Ecosystem

6. Finally, note the use of the term nurturing ecosystem. This means that just as entrepreneurs
cannot succeed if they lack the necessary attributes, they also cannot succeed if they live in an
environment or a country that does not encourage risk or tolerate failure and more importantly,
is unable to provide them with the monetary and human capital needed for success. Based on
this, some business-friendly countries are better than others in terms of the existence of a
nurturing ecosystem for ambitious entrepreneurs. In many countries, by contrast, it is often
impossible to find funding, and government regulations make it almost impossible to be
rewarded for one’s hard work. Therefore, in sum, the business environment can help to
eventually determine if an entrepreneur can thrive or not.
Adapted from Juneja, P. (n.d.). What is entrepreneurship and who is an entrepreneur? Management Study Guide. Retrieved 30
March,2020 from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/what-is-entrepreneurship.htm
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Glossary
1 delineate - to separate
2 game changing – brings a big difference
3 heavy odds- difficulties
4 self-actualize – to reach a high level of satisfaction about oneself
Comprehension Questions: Answer the questions given below.

Part A: Understanding Main Ideas
1. The best summary for the article is
a. There are many famous entrepreneurs who inspire the world who create a good
environment for business.
b. Entrepreneurship needs a nurturing environment and the help of role models in
order to flourish with the help of role models.
c. Every entrepreneur has some special traits, which make him or her successful and
everyone takes care of the environment.
d. Entrepreneurship is defined by highlighting the attributes, role model and the
need for a good business environment.
2. The purpose of paragraph 2 is to show the difference between and
.
a. Innovators and risk-takers
b. Entrepreneurs and managers
c. Managers and executors
d. Risk-takers and environment protectors
3. Which of the following is the best summary for the underlined sentence in
paragraph 4?
a. Since most new businesses fail before one year; it means that being an
entrepreneur is too risky.
b. Most entrepreneurs are not successful because so many new companies fail after
one year.
c. More than half of new companies fail in the first year, which means that not all
entrepreneurs are successful.
d. All entrepreneurs are successful since most new businesses fail when they reach
one year old.
4. The main idea of paragraph 6 is _ .

a. In certain places, it is extremely difficult for entrepreneurs to be successful even if
they are talented.
b. Most entrepreneurs succeed in business-friendly countries.
c. In some environments, there are too many government rules and it is difficult for
a new business to borrow money.
d. If entrepreneurs are strong enough, they will succeed even when there are many
challenges.
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5. Which of these statements about the article is NOT TRUE.
a. All entrepreneurs must have only skills and attributes to succeed.
b. Commercial entrepreneurship is not the same as social entrepreneurship.
c. Entrepreneurs do not give up easily and have long-term plans.
d. The sense of mission of the entrepreneur motivates the employees.
Part B: Understanding Details

6. In paragraph 1, what is the synonym (word with same meaning) for the word
“delineate”?
1. Outline
2. Emphasize
3. Separate
4. Summarize
7. In paragraph 5, line 1, the phrase “game changing ideas” refers to

a. have an idea that leads to a game that can be played
b. have a change, which bring people back to their jobs
c. have a group of people that produces ideas
d. have a creative thought that changes everything
8. Which of the following entrepreneurial qualities is NOT mentioned in paragraph 3?

a. getting along with other people
b. leading other people
c. having an original idea
d. having some money to start the business
9. In paragraph 3, a word that does not have the same meaning as “vibe” is .
a. connect badly
b. connect well
c. look for new connections
d. mislead others
10. In paragraph 6, does “nurturing ecosystem” refer to

. The need for appropriate attributes for business
a. Be in a country that encourages risk taking
b. The environment looks down on failure
c. Get enough money and people
i.a, b and c ii.a, c and d iii.a, b and d iv.a, b, c and d
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Part C: True and False Statements
State whether the following statements are true or false. Circle T for True, F for False and
NI for Not indicated.
11. The entrepreneur seeks ideas from others for a business model. T F NI
12. The entrepreneur is not responsible for success or failure. T F NI
13. The professional Manager is an executor in and entrepreneurial venture. T F NI
14. The entrepreneur will always have others who supports with capital. T F NI
15. Entrepreneurs can succeed even if they do not have skills or attributes. T F NI
Vocabulary Development
In this section, we will practice the use of selected Academic Words
Task 1
Choose the appropriate word from the options given below:
Many people are considering the option of starting one’s own business these days. However,
some factors needs to be taken into consideration in order to be successful. Every
1 2
should be a , who has the relevant
information on the political, economical, social and technological environment in the country
3
in which the business is planned. A simple definition of is
the capacity to take risks; the ability to organize along with a desire to diversify and to
4 5
.The, new is seen as an opportunity to
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time, money and creativity. The individual should possess
7
like a positive attitude, the willingness to take risks and the discipline to
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meet goals and to take immediate appropriate action. The needed for
starting a business can be obtained from varied sources. In the end, the
9 10
spirit of the individual to
problems from opportunities will make the difference.
1. a. shareholder b. customer c. stakeholder d. entrepreneur

2. a. missionary b. visionary c. subsidiary d. illusionary
3. a. ownership b. partnership c. entrepreneurship d. trusteeship
4. a. innovate b. appropriate c. legitimate d. differentiate
5. a. infrastructure b. venture c. manufacture d. expenditure
6. a. interest b. manifest c. invest d. latest
7. a. personality b. character c.factors d.traits
8. a. directional b. capital c. institutional d. professional
9. a. distinguishing b. understanding c. enterprising d. comprehending
10. a. delineate b. desalinate differentiate d.substantiate
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TASK 2
Match definitions with the words given below:
1 entrepreneur a. undertake a risky course of action
2 entrepreneurship b. project or business
3 delineate c. money deposited to earn income
4 venture d. It is all about innovation along with the ability to see problems
as opportunities, and about bringing innovative changes.
5 Innovator e. a person with original ideas about how the future can be.
6 enterprise f. wealth in the form of money available for starting a company
7 capital g. describe something accurately and show differences.
8 investment h. a unique quality that a person has
9 visionary i. person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks with

creative ideas and plans towards profit
10 trait j. person who introduces a new idea, thought or action.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
TASK 3
Let us get creative. Using any 5 (minimum) words from the above, write any of the options- a
paragraph on business ideas, a poem, a story or a piece of advice.
Use this link www.skell.sketchengine.eu to learn more about the uses of each word (examples,
collocations & synonyms).
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WRITING
In the LANC 2070 course, we will first revise how summary is written using a
reading text( in Week 1) We will then use the same text, to write a paragraph
on some questions given about the article ( in Week 2. After the Midterm, you
will practice article review writing. Article review is also part of the PBL Project
which you will be work as groups from Week 1.
WRITING: 1 SUMMARY WRITING

Let us look at Summary Writing: Why is Summary Writing useful?
Summary Writing is useful in many ways.
 It helps you to improve your reading skills.

 It improves your ability to pick out the main points from the reading.
 You learn to identify vocabulary and its meaning in context
 You learn to paraphrase the main ideas
 You develop your critical thinking skills.
 Your writing and editing skills will also be improved.
 You get the opportunity to learn collaboratively with your classmates
in small groups
 It will help you in your study of other subjects in your college
 It prepares you for the workplace requirements.
Here are some steps you can follow to write an effective summary –
A Summary is defined as a short and clear description, which gives

information about the main facts and ideas discussed in a written or spoken
text.
Remember, a summary does not include the following:
● supporting ideas
● opinion
● examples
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A summary
● can be a single sentence for a whole text or a one or two
sentences for each section of the text.
● reduces the length of the entire reading text to six - eight
sentences one-third the length of the text.
● must have the same ideas as the original text and stand on its own
in terms of its structure and meaning.
● Highlights and/or underlines important ideas.
Task: Take notes on the margin of the text. Look for the answers
for the questions- who, what, when, where, why and how.
.
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Summary-Writing
SUMMARY WRITING: POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Sort out the ideas and focus on the most important ones
Once you decide on the main ideas, look at whether these ideas are in the
right order as the original text, plan to write it down and connect them with
transitional words.
2. Write in your own words

You can paraphrase the sentences, change vocabulary, word form and
reduce the length of sentences. Remember, do not plagiarize. Write it in
your own unique style using academic language.
3. Include a concluding sentence

The last sentence should be a concluding sentence. Do not repeat the ideas
in the reading text or include any new idea here. You can state the
introductory idea and make sure the sentence closes the ideas in the
summary.
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Let us now look at an example of SUMMARY WRITING –
Go back to the READING TEXT 1:

What is Entrepreneurship and Who is an Entrepreneur?
Let us look closely at this example of a summary of the text:

In the article, What is entrepreneurship and who is an entrepreneur?
, Juneja, P. discusses entrepreneurship and the qualities of an Topic sentence
entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is seen as a business or organization

Main controlling idea
either for profit or to address a social requirement. An entrepreneur
is defined as a person who has a business idea, with the necessary
resources, and who invests it and is responsible for the outcomes of
Supporting details
business. The entrepreneur is seen as innovative, creative and as a
person who has a vision that inspires others. Their commitment and
skills in management of people, risk-taking and ability to work hard
enable long term planning that leads to self-fulfillment. However, a
supportive environment along with suitable rules are needed to Concluding sentence
encourage entrepreneurs to succeed. Therefore, entrepreneurship
develops when the qualities of the entrepreneur is given an
opportunity to grow well. (136 words)
Let
Notice usthe
how seearticle
howisthe abovein summary
reduced was
size when you written.
write a summary, while retaining the main
ideas in the article. Your teacher will discuss the details with you.
Note: Observe the highlighted words in yellow as main points, the ones in blue as sub headings
and the notes on the right side of the page. Your teacher will discuss this example with
you. Please note how the summary was written. You can also see how notes are taken on
the right margin of the article
18
EXAMPLE: TEXT TO BE SUMMARISED
What is Entrepreneurship and Who is an Entrepreneur?
1. We often hear that an entrepreneur is a person who has started his or her own business.
The formal definition of entrepreneurship is that it is the process of starting a business or an
What is
organization for profit or for social needs. We have used the phrase “for profit or for social
entrepreneur
needs” to delineate commercial entrepreneurship (making profit) from social
ship?
entrepreneurship (non-profit). After defining entrepreneurship, it is now time to define who
an entrepreneur is and what he or she does.
2. An entrepreneur is someone who develops a business model, acquires the necessary

Who is an
physical and human capital to start a new venture, and operationalizes it and is responsible
entrepreneur?
for its success or failure. Note that an entrepreneur is distinct from the professional manager
in the sense that the former either invests his or her own resources or raises capital from
external sources and thus takes the blame for the failure as well as reaps the rewards in case
of success whereas the professional manager does work that is assigned to him or her for
monetary compensation. In other words, the entrepreneur is the risk taker and an innovator
in addition to being a creator of new enterprises whereas the professional manager is simply
the executor.
Attributes of Entrepreneurs
3. Moving to the skills and capabilities that an entrepreneur needs to have, first and foremost,
he or she has to be an innovator who has a game changing idea or a potentially new concept
that can succeed in the crowded marketplace. Investors usually tend to invest in ideas and
concepts which they feel would generate adequate returns for their capital and investments
and hence, the entrepreneur needs to have a truly innovative idea for a new venture. Apart Points about
from this, the entrepreneur needs to have excellent organizational and people management entrepreneurs
skills as he or she has to build the organization
from scratch and has to bond with his or her
employees as well as have a good vibe with other
stakeholders to ensure success of the venture.
Further, the entrepreneur needs to be a leader
who can inspire his or her employees as well as
be a visionary and a person with a sense of
mission as it is important that the entrepreneur
motivates and drives the venture. This means that
leadership, values, team building skills, and
managerial abilities are the key skills and attributes that an entrepreneur needs to have.
An Entrepreneur is a Risk Taker

4. We have discussed what entrepreneurship is and the skills and attributes needed by
entrepreneurs in order to succeed. This does not mean that all entrepreneurs are successful as
research shows that a majority of new ventures do not survive past the one-year-mark of their Why is it
existence. When news ventures fail, the obvious question is: who takes the blame for the important
failure and whose money is being lost? The answer is that the entrepreneur puts his or her to be a risk
own money or raises capital from investors and venture capitalists, which means that if the taker ?
venture fails, the entrepreneur and the investors lose money. Therefore, this means that the
entrepreneur is the risk taker in the venture, which means that the success or failure of the
firm reflects on the entrepreneur.
19
Some Famous Entrepreneurs
5. Given this basic introduction to entrepreneurship, we can now turn to some famous examples
of entrepreneurs who have succeeded despite heavy odds because they had game changing ideas Inspiring
examples of
entrepreneurs
and more importantly, they also had the necessary traits and skills that would make them
legendary. For instance, both the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and the late Steve Jobs, the Entrepreneurial
founder of Apple, were college dropouts though their eventual success meant that they had only qualities
truly innovative ideas, but they were also ready to strike it out for the longer term and hang on
when the going got tough. Even the founders of Google, Larry Paige and Sergey Brin, can be
considered revolutionary entrepreneurs. What all these legends have in common is that they had
the vision and the sense of mission that they were going to change the world and with hard work,
perseverance, and a nurturing ecosystem, they were able to self-actualize.
Entrepreneurship Needs a Nurturing Ecosystem How to

6. Finally, note the use of the term nurturing ecosystem. This means that just as entrepreneurs promote
cannot succeed if they lack the necessary attributes, they also cannot succeed if they live in an entrepreneur
environment or a country that does not encourage risk or tolerate failure and more importantly, is ship?
unable to provide them with the monetary and human capital needed for success. This means that Importance
some business-friendly countries are better than others in terms of the existence of a nurturing of right
ecosystem for ambitious entrepreneurs. In many countries, by contrast, it is often impossible to environment
find funding, and government regulations make it almost impossible to get rewarded for one’s hard for
work. Therefore, in sum, the business environment can help to determine if an entrepreneur can entrepreneur
thrive or not (825 words) s to succeed
Adapted from Juneja, P. (n.d.). What is entrepreneurship and who is an entrepreneur? Management Study Guide. Retrieved 30
March, 2020 from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/what-is-entrepreneurship.
Picture 1 Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/entrepreneur-concept-business-vector-icons-banner-entrepreneur-concept-business-
elements-drawn-white-background-vector-image116948203 Picture 2 Source:https://www.stoodnt.com/blog/why-innovation-is-at-
the-core-of-entrepreneurship/
SUMMARY WRITING - TASK A (Optional):

Write a similar summary for the same text in your own words, using the model given above.
20
WRITING 2: PARAGRAPH WRITING
Let us now look at Paragraph Writing
Why is Paragraph Writing useful?

Paragraph writing helps you to do the following:
● write on a specific topic
● develop coherence and cohesion in writing
● choose words in an appropriate manner
● substitute words from original text with synonyms
● avoid repletion of ideas
Discussion Questions:
1. Think of the parts of the paragraph, which you discussed in your last English course. Discuss
what you remember with your partner. You can write the parts of the paragraph here.
2. What are some of the ways in which entrepreneurship can be promoted? Discuss in a small
group of three to four members.
3. See this interesting TEDx Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b483sxGu630

Why All Young People Should Be Entrepreneurs. By Justin Lafazan.
a. How many reasons does he give?
b. What are they? List them.
c. Do you agree with him? Why?
21
Example of a paragraph for the prompt –
What is entrepreneurship and how can entrepreneurship be promoted? Give real examples to
support your answer.
● Your teacher will discuss the example with you.
Sample paragraph:
Entrepreneurship is seen as an alternative to regular employment in all Topic sentence
sectors. Entrepreneurship can be defined as the way to start either one’s
own business for profit or to attend to the needs of society. To achieve
success in promoting entrepreneurship, three factors: the right skills of Focus sentence
the entrepreneur, role models of successful entrepreneurs and a suitable
environment are needed. First of all, the appropriate skills needed by Thesis sentence
an entrepreneur will include the ability to develop a business idea,
Point 1
necessary physical, human and financial resources and the ability to
invest it resources appropriately. The entrepreneur should also take full Point 1 supporting
ownership of the growth of the organization. The entrepreneur also details
needs to be an innovator, creator and risk-taker. With new ideas and a
long-term vision, the entrepreneur can inspire others with the ability to Point 2
work hard with a deep sense of commitment. Another important factor
to promote entrepreneurial spirit is the lives of entrepreneurs who serve Point 2 supporting
as role models. Entrepreneurs should have the ability to be consistent details and examples
with their dream and have long-term plans, which will change the
world and inspire many people. Notable among entrepreneurs are Bill
Gates and the late Steve Jobs. Another crucial factor that ensures the Point 3
success story of entrepreneurship is a growth-oriented business
environment. Risk taking, acceptance of failure, easy availability of Point 3 supporting
funding and supportive government rules are essential to help details
entrepreneurs to succeed. It is therefore seen that entrepreneurship can
be nurtured and promoted with the right mix of skills, inspiring role Summary statement
models and a suitable business scenario and can flourish only if these
factors support the entrepreneur. (256 words) Concluding statement
Pre Writing Discussion:

1. Watch the video on How Start-ups Can Push Middle East Economy into the 21st Century
https://youtu.be/rclILf0SMu0 Discuss with small groups of two or three members what you
learnt from this video.
2. Look at the title, subheadings and pictures in the article below. In small groups, discuss how the
writer has developed the content of the article.
22
TASK 1: Reading for Writing Practice: Week 1 and 2
Read the article and do the two writing tasks (summary and paragraph
writing)
3 Striking trends shaping start-ups in the Middle East
The Middle East region is undergoing major changes as it deals with the increased need for youth
employment and a shift away from oil-based economies. In this context, the success of its start-
up will make a big difference. In May 2017, the World Economic Forum brought together 100 of
the top Arab start-ups at the Middle East North Africa Summit, hosted at the Dead Sea in Jordan.
They came together to discuss common challenges and opportunities for growth and reform and
were joined by leading CEOs and policymakers in the region. Start-ups are now increasingly
partnering with large corporations, lobbying governments successfully and securing investment
from non-traditional sources. In addition, they tackle regional challenges with regional solutions.
As the Middle East embraces the digital revolution, three striking trends are emerging in its start-
up scene:
1. Businesses are seeking partnerships with start-ups
Companies realize that collaborating with start-ups gives them access to fresh, innovative ideas
that can help shape their own business. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate their efforts
to support local communities. In Beirut, telecommunications company Zain is sponsoring an
innovation programme that provides office space, mentorship and sales support to six selected
start-ups. At the Arab Supply Chain Impact Initiative in Sharjah, companies signed 16
memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with small and medium-size businesses. Meanwhile,
members of the World Economic Forum’s Regional Business Council (RBC), which includes some
of the leading businesses in the region, had pledged to allocate 10% of their annual procurement
budget to SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs by 2020.
Large businesses realize that it is a win-win situation to partner with start-ups. In addition to
contributing to socio-economic progress, they also tap into an unlimited source of innovation.
On the other hand, start-ups are eager to prove themselves. This will help them to provide large
businesses with excellent service and cutting-edge solutions.
2. Start-ups are shaping government policymaking
Start-ups look for success by lobbying governments and to assist in bottom-up policy making.
After two years of work from a group of local entrepreneurs, and with the support of key
ministers, the Tunisian government passed the Startup Reform Act, a 20-measure law and legal
framework to support the creation, development and internationalization of Tunisian start-ups.
A similar initiative in Egypt, known as the Startups Manifesto, is able to provide a thriving
entrepreneurship ecosystem in Egypt. The current challenges and the concrete solutions that are
proposed, enable continuous dialogue between all relevant stakeholders. Lamsa, an Abu Dhabi-
based start-up operating across the region to support the development of Arabic-speaking
children, recently partnered with the United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation
Fund. The $550 million fund will provide the resources to Lamsa to accelerate its growth and
impact. The Dubai Future Foundation has launched a number of innovative projects such as Area
2071, Dubai 10x, and a 12-week accelerator programme to providing a nurturing environment
for start-ups. The Government in Bahrain has collaborated with entrepreneurs, investors, and
23
academic institutions to create the Startup Bahrain initiative. This provides entrepreneurs with
tools and funding to help create and scale their business, and take advantage of the newly created
FinTech sandbox. In Oman, the government has begun to involve start-ups in the decision-
making processes. It recently appointed entrepreneurs as Board Members on government
entities, including on the Omani Public Authority of SME Development. This helps the
government understand start-ups’ needs and create an empowering and enabling ecosystem in
Oman.
3. Regional e-commerce is heating up
Start-ups address regional challenges with regional solutions. Competition is heating up from
regional and international players. Over the past year, this has been especially true in the e-
commerce space, in a way that few outsiders would have predicted. In July 2017, Amazon
purchased Souq.com for a record-breaking $580 million. The acquisition served not only to
validate the viability of e-commerce in the region, but also helped related sectors like logistics
and payment systems. Dubai’s Emaar Malls, announced $1 billion in capital for Noon.com, an e-
commerce platform to compete directly with Amazon in the region. Acquired companies had also
been proven business models in the region. For example, the Souq.com acquisition included
Payfort, an online payment gateway that is already popular in the region. However, it is
important to keep in mind that what works in one country will not necessarily be a one-size-fits-
all solution for expansion into others. Start-ups will have to continue to adapt their business
models as they grow.
4. What does this mean for the region?
Ideas and businesses coming out of the Middle East, combined with the renewed interest and
investment in its start-up ecosystem, give the Arab world an important position. . However, these
challenges also force those who remain to think creatively about how to work around the system.
This helps companies to become better, say many entrepreneurs, and creates the space for the
youth looking for new opportunities. As one founder puts it: "Our youth no longer want handouts.
They want to build their own futures." Arab entrepreneurs are certainly taking their future - and
that of their countries - into their own hands.
Source :Adapted from article written by Khaled Kteily Founder and CEO, Legacy and Kelly Ommundsen Chief of Staff,
Chairman office, World Economic Forum https://shapingtheodds.com/recommended/3-striking-trends-shaping-start-
ups-in-the-middle-eas842 Words. FK Level -12
Source: Dubai skyline. Image courtesy Dubai Media Office Twitter handle.ZAWYA 1,200 startups from 33 countries
participate in Entrepreneurial Nation's Startup Leap competition
24
Summary Writing and Paragraph Writing (Week 1/2)
TASK 1 – (Week 1) Write a summary within 50 -75 words highlighting the
main points discussed in the article.
TASK 2 - (Week 2)
Write a paragraph for 200-220 words that critically analyzes the following:
The Middle East region is moving away from oil-based economies into utilizing startups as an
opportunity for growth. Discuss any two trends that start-ups are moving into in the Middle
East. Give examples for your answer.
Space for notes( writing down points) :
After you finish writing your first draft, use the editing checklist below to edit your
writing before submission to your teacher.
Content
Summary: Are there only main points and no details or examples provided?
Are all main points clearly explained?
Critical analysis: Does your answer evaluate the points of view of the author?
Does the paper give a fully supported and logically supported answer?
Is your opinion clearly stated?
Organization: Are your ideas organized well in a logical manner in one paragraph?
Are linking/ transitional devices used appropriately?
Vocabulary Is the summary and paragraph written in your own words with only key
& Spelling academic words from original text.
Is the information in the article paraphrased effectively?
Is there a range of vocabulary used?
Are the words correctly spelled?
Grammar Is grammar use correctly? Are tenses used appropriately?
& punctuation: Are sentences complete (no fragments/ no run-on sentences)?
Is there a wide range of sentence structures?
Is there an accurate use of punctuation and capitalization?
25
Academic Words from Unit 1
Please fill the table with the appropriate word form and the meaning.
Word Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Meaning(English)&
Meaning (Arabic)
Entrepreneur
entrepreneurship
delineate
venture
Innovator
capital
investment
Visionary
trait
adequate
enterprise
compensation
eventual
investors
regulations
coherence
26
discrimination
collaboration
global
impact
27
UNIT 2
READING THEME 2: APPRENTICESHIP AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
In this Unit, you will be able to:
28
Pre-reading Discussion Questions:
PART A
1. What is Apprenticeship? Do you have the experience of being an Apprentice? Share your
thoughts with a partner.
2. According to you, what are some of the advantages of doing apprenticeships? Discuss in a
small group of three or four members.
3. Do you know anyone who has done Apprenticeship in any industry? (It maybe a friend or a
family member.)Share your experience in your group and with the class.
4. If you were given a chance to do Apprenticeship, which industry would you choose? Why?
Discuss in groups of three to four members. Share your group summary to the class.
5. PART B: Match the Apprentice type in Column A to the examples in Column B.
Column A Apprenticeship type Column B Examples

a. Business, Administration and Law 1.Care leadership, Children and young people’s
apprenticeships workforce, Court, tribunal and prosecution admin,
Emergency fire service, Allied health professions,
Emergency care, Optical retail, Pharmacy, HM Force,
Policing
b. Health, Public Services and Care 2.Hairdressing and barbering, Beauty therapy, Catering,
apprenticeships Fashion and textiles, Funeral operations, Hospitality,
International trade and logistics, Property services, Retail
management, Vehicle sales
c. Construction, Planning and the Built Construction civil engineering, Construction building,
Environment apprenticeship Construction management, Plumbing and heating,
Surveying
d.Engineering and Manufacturing 4.Accounting, Banking, Bookkeeping, Insurance, Criminal

Technologies apprenticeships investigation, HR, Legal services, Management,
Marketing, Payroll, Financial advice, Social media
marketing
e. Retail and Commercial Enterprise 5. Engineering construction, Aviation ground operative,
apprenticeships Building services, Composite engineering, Manufacturing
processes, Electrotechnical, Gas industry, Heating and
ventilation, Nuclear working, Rail engineering, Vehicle
maintenance and repair
*Source: https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/blog/five-most-popular-types-apprenticeship
29
6. See this video on Solving global youth unemployment by Mona Mourshed at TEDxUNPlaza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDjD8iAgnR4
Think of two ways in which employment can be generated by the youth in Oman. Discuss in
small groups of three to four members
Two ways of employment generation by youth in Oman.
1.
2.
7. Predicting: Discuss in your group, the following questions.

c. Look at the title of the text. What are some the ideas the article is likely to discuss?
d. Note down two ideas that are likely to be discussed in the article.
8. Scanning: Look at the words highlighted in the text. Which of these words are familiar to
you. Discuss the meaning of the known words with a partner and write them below.
30
Read the article below and answer the questions. Pay attention to the vocabulary
highlighted in bold. Do the vocabulary exercises in Moodle.
Reading Text 1: Training on the job:

Apprenticeship for Youth Employment in Oman
1. Apprenticeship programs are occupational training programs that combine on-the-job
work experience with technical or classroom study. Such programs are designed to develop
useful job skills in individuals entering the workforce. These programs, which address the
need for better-trained entry-level workers and help young people make the transition1
from school to the work world, can also serve as a good source of labor for businesses of all
shapes and sizes.
2. Many people will confuse an apprenticeship program with an internship. This

confusion is understandable, but they have some fundamental differences. An
apprenticeship program combines on-the-job training with academic instruction, while an
internship is purely on-the-job training. Apprenticeships are also called dual-training
programs because of the combined occupational and in-class components. Internships are
focused solely on the development of a particular skill, while apprenticeships help
individuals put their academic skills to practical use in a variety of careers. Time
involvement also makes a difference. Apprenticeships are formal, paid, long-term training
programs that provide valuable classroom instruction coupled with on-the-job training for
skilled, high-paying jobs. Internships are usually short-term (rarely lasting more than a
year), whereas apprenticeship programs can last for four or five years. Apprenticeships also
differ from internships in terms of monetary gain. Most apprentices are paid, with salary
increases as for employed workers and which increase as the apprentice completes various
parts of the program. Working as an apprentice can lead to a permanent job in the field,
whereas an internship will only move the candidate up the ladder. As for types of
opportunities, apprenticeship programs have traditionally focused on skilled trades in
industries like manufacturing and construction. Opportunities are now more diverse,
including additional areas like healthcare, IT, energy, telecommunications,
business/finance, transportation, landscaping, and hospitality. Internships are more likely
to focus on pre-professional roles for potential college graduates, such as advertising,
marketing, public relations, law, medicine, engineering, finance, and information
technology.
0. Apprenticeships have a long tradition2 in Europe, where they have been well
established for more than 800 hundred years. In Oman, apprenticeships have been
introduced quite recently mostly in the construction and petroleum engineering sectors. It
is believed that here apprenticeships could support the local economy in the long run. In the
construction sector, the duration3 of an apprenticeship is usually three years. The
requirement is a secondary diploma and apprentices are selected by the companies.
Throughout the three years, youngsters are trained on the job. Many businessmen in the
construction sector and vocational training managers believe that training on the job is the
key to solve youth unemployment in Oman. According to Mrs Heiderose Moossen, Manager
Vocational Training at German University of Technology (GUtech) in Oman, with more than
91% foreign labour, the construction sector is the biggest employer for foreigners in Oman.
From a young age onwards, children grow into their social responsibilities by watching and
learning from the elders, taking them as role models and supporters of the future
generations. During an apprenticeship program a young person learns to work
autonomously. In addition, they get three years of professional experience after their
apprenticeship and qualify for the highest level (Level 5) of vocation training worldwide.
The qualification proves their worth for employment.
31
4. In the Petroleum Engineering sector, Oman National Apprenticeship Programs are
formal, paid, long-term training programs. These provide valuable classroom and workshop
instruction coupled with the on-the-job learning and can last for a duration of 2 to 4 years.
One of such programs is offered by Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL). OPAL
National Apprenticeship program is designed based on the New Oman National Occupation
Standards (ONOS). These standards have been initiated and developed by subject matter
experts from the Oman Oil and Gas Industry and approved by the Ministry of Manpower,
Oman.
5. The benefits for the employers include meeting industry and international standards,
moving towards Omanization, motivational learners, reducing attrition rates and fully
supporting on-the-job learning. The candidates benefit from learning while earning, gaining
employability skills, receiving national and international qualifications, hands-on training
and increased future earning potential.
6. A report in Times of Oman on March 8, 2020, stated that a new apprenticeship program
has been launched in Oman that aims to accelerate the quality of talent entering Oman’s
desalination market. This is expected to raise the country’s profile as a regional leader for
sustainability. This new apprentice program, sponsored by Madayn and Petroleum
Development Oman (PDO) and certified by the Ministry of Manpower in Oman, is based
upon the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 4, a UK-based work-based
qualification that tests candidates on their knowledge and skills for technical and
professional work-related activities.
7. The Oman Technology Institute (OTI) hosted the first batch of apprentices who joined the
program. This consisted of 10 trainees, who underwent a rigorous selection process for the
right training to grow within Oman’s fast-evolving desalination and sustainability market.
Upon successful completion of the program, candidates will have the potential to be
immediately recruited by companies in the water sector. Therefore, the focus will be on
providing training to fresh Omani graduates on par with global standards to improve their
skills .This will help them to have an active role in the development of Oman. This program
is in line with Oman’s Ninth Five-Year Development Plan and such initiatives will make the
private sector more attractive for Omani youth.
Readability FK 12.7 Words: 888
Source: Adapted from https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/apprenticeship-programs.html
Glossary:
1. transition – make a smooth movement to another
2. tradition – usual way of doing something
3. duration – period of time
We will now look at how to understand main ideas and specific details in the text.
Answer the questions given below:

Part A: Understanding Main Ideas
1. Paragraph 3 is best summarized as
a. Qualifications will ensure jobs for the trainee

b. Apprentice tradition in Europe
32
c. Youth look up to adults as role models
d. Apprenticeship supports economy in the long run
2. Which of the following is the best summary for the underlined sentence (During an
apprenticeship program a young person learns to work autonomously) in paragraph 3?
a. A trainee is usually a young person.

b. A trainee develops confidence to work on his or her own
c. A trainee will work for three years to become independent.
d. A trainee will work without anyone knowing about him/her.
3. The main idea of paragraph 5 is .

a. Benefit for employers.
b. Benefit for trainees.
c. Both a. and b.
d. Neither a. nor b.

a. Both Apprenticeship and internship is needed for the youth of today.
b. Apprenticeship brings long-term benefits to companies
c. Oman will benefit from the long-term training given to local youth.
d. Apprenticeship trains school leavers to make a better entry to the world of work.
Part B: Understanding Details

“occupational”?
a. A suitable occasion
b. Difficult situation
c. Related to employment
d. Related to market
6. Paragraph 2 shows the difference between and .
a. Opportunities and professional roles

b. Formal and informal training
c. Apprenticeship and Internship
d. Permanent and Part-time jobs
7. Which of the following characteristics of apprenticeship is NOT mentioned in

paragraph 2?
a. involves paid training
b. has dual components
c. focuses on long-term training
d. no guarantee of jobs after training
33
8. In paragraph 4, line 3, the phrase “coupled with” refers to
a. Work with a couple
b. Done along with the other
c. Become a pair of colleagues
d. Learn how to collaborate
9. In paragraph 6, what does” to accelerate the quality of talent” (line 2) refer to? Read
the sentence and answer the question.
a. Increase the number of nationalities working
b. Improve the training given to candidates
c. Fast forward the way skills of candidates are developed
d. Increase the number of trainers in training sessions

a. Apprenticeship and internship are not the same.
b. Internship is of short-term duration.
c. Apprenticeship programs have usually focused on skilled trades in industry.
d. Training given in Oman in not in par with global standards.
PART B True or False Statements:

State whether the following statements are true or false. Circle T for True, F for
False and NI for Not indicated.
1. Programs are designed to develop in individuals the skills needed for
employment. T F NI
2. Apprenticeships are called dual-training programs because of the occupational and in-
class aspects of the training. T F NI
3. Apprenticeship programs have been introduced in construction and petroleum
engineering sectors in Oman. T F NI
4. In the construction section, the duration of an apprenticeship program is two
years. T F NI
5. The new Apprenticeship program in Oman in based on National Voting Qualifications
(NVQ). T F NI
Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-internship-business-concept-head-light-bulb-text-
white-background-image84249185
34
In this section, we will practice the use of selected Academic Words.
Task 1
In today’s CoVID-19 influenced market, finding a full-time job in an appropriate-
1 2
can be a challenge. for college students is
3
emerging as a useful to career preparation. Hand-on experience is also
4
useful for those looking for a smooth from college into the global
5
workforce. An internship opens up opportunities to employees as they
undergo the required training. Those who complete internship can stay ahead of the competition.
6
They can be in a professional setting and pursue a location- independent
7
career in the future. , too provides scope for reducing
8 9
rates in workplaces. Graduates are into different
10 11
industrial , if they show to take on challenges, have
an innovative mind and are flexible. Therefore, internships and apprenticeships prepare
University graduates for the work of work and entrepreneurship.
Source: Adapted from http:// the interngroup.com/internships-for-college-students/
1. a. beneficial b. academic c. fundermental d. occupation

2. a. entrepreneurship b. internship c. leadership d. clientship
3. a. potent b. prominent c. permanent d. component
4. a. opposition b. transition c. disposition d. position
5. a. potential b. beneficial c. occupational d. essential
6. a. enormous b. famous c. anonymous d. autonomous
7. a. internship b. apprenticeship c. entrepreneurship d. leadership
8. a. absorption b. calculation c. attrition d. elicitation
9. a. accredited b. inherited c. recruited d. habited
10. a. sectors b. vectors c. marketers d. recruiters
11. a. initiative b. adaptive c. illustrative d. competitive
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
TASK 2
Match definitions with the words given below:
1 initiative a.the position of a student/trainee who works in an organization often without pay to get
work experience
2 recruitment b.period of changing from one state/ condition to another
3 autonomous c.reducing in number due to retirement/resignation/layoff/death
4 internship d.capable of development into something more complete
5 apprenticeship e.area into which the economic activity of a country is divided
6 transition f.the process of seeking out, finding and hiring candidates for a job
7 attrition g. part of a larger whole
8 potential h. an arrangement in which someone learn an art ,trade or job under an expert
9 component i.the power to act or take change before others do
10 sector j. having the freedom to do things oneself
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. _ 8. 9. 10.
35
TASK 3
Let us get creative. Using any 5 (minimum) words from the above, write any of the options-
a paragraph on business ideas, a poem, a story or a piece of advice.
TASK 4
Accelerate your career with a global internship:
abroad or online
Log on to the website and select an internship program. If you were to apply for an
internship in the country of your choice, which would you select and why?
https://www.theinterngroup.com/
https://www.theinterngroup.com/documents/the_interngroup_brochure.pdf
What role would you select? What are your main skills that you can share
with the team? Discuss your answers in your group.
If you do not see the role listed that you are looking for, and think you have
the skills to add to our dynamic team, and then please send us an email
entitled “Job Application/Enquiry”, attaching your resume and a very brief
covering letter to talent@theinterngroup.com.
36
Unit 2: Reading for Writing Practice (Week 3 and 4)
Pre Reading Discussion

1. See the video on Product Life Cycle. Click on https://study.com/learn/lesson/product-life-
cycle-overview-examples.html Discuss in small groups of 2-3 members on your main takeaways
from this video.
2. Look at the title, subheadings and pictures in the article below. In small groups, discuss
how the writer has developed the content of the article.
Read the article given below and write a paragraph critically analyzing the text.
Five Stages of Product Life Cycle
A company needs to develop new products and manage them in the face of changing
tastes, technologies, and competition. Products generally go through a life cycle that is
closely linked to marketing and management decisions within businesses. Marketers use
the product life cycle to identify strategies to promote products. The five stages of the
product life cycle (PLC), as shown in the graph are:
1. Product development
2. Market introduction
3. Growth
4. Maturity
5. Decline.
Each stage has its costs, opportunities and risks and individual products differ on how
long they remain in each stage of the life cycle.
Source: https://marketing-insider.eu/product-life-
1. Product development: At this stage, costs are accumulating with no corresponding

revenue. Some products require years and large capital investment to develop and then test
their effectiveness. Since risk is high, outside sources of funding are often limited. While
existing companies often fund research and development from revenue generated by current
products, in startup businesses, this stage is typically funded by the entrepreneur from their
own personal resources.
2. Market Introduction: Once a product has been developed, the first stage is its introduction
stage. In this stage, the product is being released into the market. The introduction stage is about
developing a market for the product and building product awareness. Marketing costs are high
37
at this stage, as it is necessary to reach out to potential customers. This is perhaps best
showcased in Apple's famous launch presentations, which highlight the new features of their
newly (or soon to be released) products. It is in this stage that the company is first able to get a
sense of how consumers respond to the product, if they like it and how successful it may be and
intellectual property rights protection is obtained. Product pricing may be high to recover
product development costs. Funding at this stage is typically through investors or lenders
though there is no guarantee that the product will pay for itself through sales. The costs are
generally very high and there is typically little competition.
3. Growth: By the growth stage, consumers are already using the product and increasingly
buying it. The product concept is proven and is becoming more popular and sales increase.
Other companies become aware of the product and its space in the market. If competition for
the product is especially high, the company may still heavily invest in advertising and
promotion of the product to beat out competitors. As a result of the product growing, the market
itself tends to expand. The product in the growth stage is developed to improve functions and
features. As the market expands, more competition often drives prices down to make the
specific products competitive. However, sales increase in volume and revenue is generated.
Marketing in this stage is aimed at increasing the product's market share.
4. Maturity: When a product reaches maturity, its sales tend to slow or even stop - signaling a
largely saturated market. Pricing at this stage can tend to get competitive, signaling margin
shrinking as prices begin falling due to the weight of outside pressures like competition or lower
demand. Marketing at this point is targeted at fending off competition, and companies will often
develop new or altered products to reach different market segments. IN the highly saturated
market, the less successful competitors are pushed out of competition - often called the "shake-
out point." In this stage, saturation is reached and sales volume is maximum. Companies
innovate to maintain or increase their market share. In other words, they change or develop
their product to address new customers or developing technologies. The duration of the
maturity stage will depend on the product. For some brands, the maturity stage is very drawn
out, like Coca-Cola.
5. Decline: Although companies will generally attempt to keep the product alive in the maturity
stage as long as possible, decline for every product is inevitable. In the decline stage, product
sales drop significantly and consumer behavior changes as there is less demand for the product.
The company's product loses market share, and competition tends to cause sales to deteriorate.
Marketing in the decline stage is often minimal or targeted at already loyal customers, and
prices are reduced. Eventually, the product will be retired out of the market unless it is able to
redesign itself to remain relevant or in-demand. For example, products like typewriters and
telegrams went through decline stages (and in fact are almost or completely retired from the
market).
Successful manufacturing companies generally have multiple products each at different points
in the product life cycle at any given time. It is important to know the stages of the product life
cycle to sustain the market space of the company.
Source: Adapted and simplified from Original Article - Soto, A. What is a Product Life Cycle?
https://articles.bplans.com/what-is-a-product-life-cycle/ Word count 780 words. FK 10.3
38
Source: www.alphamd.com
TASK 1 – (Week 3) Write a summary within 50 -75 words highlighting the

main points discussed in the article.
TASK 2 - (Week 4) Write a paragraph for 200-220 words that critically analyzes the
following:
1. The 5 stages of the Product Life Cycle contribute to the development and growth of
a product. Analyze and comment on a business strategy that is useful in each stage
of the Product Life Cycle.
Content
39
UNIT 3: SUCCESS OF ORGANISATIONS
This Unit will address the following learning outcomes:

Pre-reading Discussion Questions:
PART A
1. According to you, what are some of the characteristics of an effective business strategy?
2. Why do you need an effective Business strategy to be successful? Share your thoughts in your
own words to a small group of three to four members.
40
3. Find out about the business strategy used by a successful company. How was it implemented?
Choose any company of your choice. Share your findings with the class.
4. If you are given a chance to do develop a business strategy, what are the three most important
features that you will include for a business in a sector of your choice? In your answer to your
group,
a. State the business sector b. State the three features of the business strategy.
PART B: Match Column Business Strategy type with the Column on Examples
Business Strategy type Examples
a. Cost Leadership strategy 1.not only competing through differentiation (uniqueness of
product/service) but also by selecting a small portion of the market
to focus on
b. Differentiation 2. not only competing through differentiation (uniqueness of
strategy product/service) but also by selecting a small portion of the market
to focus on
c. Focused differentiation 3. competing with a wide range of businesses based on price

Strategy
d. Focused low-cost 4. competing not only through price but by also selecting a small
Strategy portion of the market to focus on competing by using both low cost
and differentiation
e. Integrated low-cost 5. competing in the business by using a product or service with

differentiation strategy specific unique features
Source:https://granthigginson.com/develop-a-digital-business-strategy/
C. Predicting: Discuss in your group, the following questions.

a. Look at the title of the text. What are some the ideas the article is likely to discuss?
b. Note down two ideas that are likely to be discussed in the article.
41
D. Scanning: Look at the words highlighted in the text. Which of these words are familiar to
you. Discuss the meaning of the known words with a partner and write them below.
Read the article below and answer the questions. Pay attention to the vocabulary
highlighted in bold. Do the vocabulary exercises in Moodle.
Unit 3: Reading Text: 1

Rolls Royce’s Middle East Strategy in Oman market
1. A car manufacturer’s situation for

strategic planning is complicated by market
trends. Currently the market is seeing
increasing dynamics and globalization of
the supply chain, including sales markets,
production sites, and suppliers.
Competition forces car manufacturers to
launch new car models frequently to
provide new functions for customers, new
concepts, such as sports utility vehicles, or
new materials or electronic components.
Besides all of that, new markets are
Source: https://www.flipkart.com/athah-mansory-rolls-
emerging in developing countries. Royce-phantom-poster-paper-print/p/itmf85125bccf5e7
2. Rolls-Royce is a British multinational company with operations all over the world and since
1904 has created instantly recognizable motor cars that have made its marque an enduring icon
globally. Oman is an important part of Rolls Royce’s whole Middle Eastern strategy. Al Jenaibi
International Automobiles is the authorized dealer for Rolls-Royce in Oman. It has been doing
business with Rolls-Royce for a number of years now. Al Jenaibi Company was appointed local
business partner in 2006 and since then has been able to grow business year after year with a
considerable degree of success.
3. Indeed, Oman is not a very big market, keeping in mind the small size of the Sultanate’s
population and economy compared to some of its wealthier and bigger neighbours. ,
Rolls-Royce has lots of customers in Muscat, and in other parts of the country. For a company
like Rolls-Royce, every single market is important because every single customer and every
single car counts to them. They are not in the volume driven business. They have to make sure
that they listen to their customers, and they must understand their requirements and should be
able to meet them. In order to do that, Rolls-Royce has to be very attentive to customers in the
market they operate in, irrespective of the size of the market.
4. The Middle East region was passing through an economic turmoil during the past two to three
years, and Rolls-Royce felt the pinch. All of their markets reported growth, but the situation in
the region wasn’t that good. But on the other side, it is the testimony of the company’s partners
42
that even in times of declining markets, they gained market share. Despite all the discouraging
factors, they were able to keep selling cars in Oman in substantial numbers, though sales were
not on levels that they used to witness in earlier times. However, the company is confident that
they will see this region going back to much better times in the next couple of years. They do
not have direct competition from other carmakers, but they do compare how many units other
luxury carmakers, such as Bentley, Ferrari or others, are selling as it gives them an indication
how the market is performing.
5. Rolls-Royce is hopeful about its recovery in particular market segments and in the overall
economy in the near future. This is mainly due to the fact that the delivery of the new Phantom
car model will start in all markets in the Middle East region in the second half of this year. And
later Cullinan, their SUV projects, will become a reality towards the end of this year. This is in
conjunction with a healthier looking economy due to the fact that oil prices are trading at higher
levels, bringing new life to the market. It will also bring the confidence level back, among both
consumers and retailers in the market.
6. Instead of focusing more on sedans, Rolls Royce is changing their course of action with their
first SUV in many years. In fact, Rolls Royce is the only brand that can credibly look back at its
history and say, ‘we have done similar kinds of cars many years ago’. Some of the well-known
examples are Lawrence of Arabia, which went through all of deserts of the Middle East with six
Rolls-Royce SUVs. In its history, Rolls-Royce has also seen four wheel-driven silver models in
India for tiger hunts with Maharajas. However, these were outdated. Now, the reason why the
company is back into the SUV segment is the change in customer behavior. Rolls-Royce has seen
recently that people who are very affluent are getting younger and younger on an annual basis.
Rolls-Royce is targeting younger customers, who are mostly from bigger cities. Many of them
would love to have a Rolls-Royce to call their own. In addition, the SUV is a car for all sorts of
different purposes in which individuals can transport the whole family to anywhere be it to
higher elevations up in the mountains or down to beaches.
7. Globally there is a shift happening from internal combustion to electric power engines. Rolls-
Royce is planning to launch electric vehicles in the next decade. However, the shift is not so
much customer driven, rather it is regulator driven, often due to government initiatives.
Therefore, from a legal standpoint, there might come a time when, in certain cities, you might
not be allowed to enter the city center using a combustion engine. You will need to have an
electric vehicle to go there. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean that the company will end
combustion engines suddenly, rather, they will have both electric and combustion engines for
some time in future.
8. In the next 25 years, things will not remain the same in the global auto industry since
technological advances are coming at a dizzying pace. For instance, the near future may witness
autonomous cars that drive themselves; voice controls, artificial Intelligence, and even voice
powered steering of cars.
Source: Adapted from https://www.pressreader.com/oman/muscat-daily/20180219/2818142843387
Glossary:
1. economic turmoil – a difficult time for the economy
2. feel the pinch – know the difficulty
3. substantial – a good amount
4. indication – idea
5. become a reality – will happen
6. conjunction – along with
43
Comprehension Questions. Answer the questions given below:
PART A Comprehension Questions
“globalization”?
a. Spherical
b. Communism
c. Internalization
d. International
2. The best summary for the phrase in Paragraph 2 “Rolls- Royce, a British Multinational
company with international operations…”
a. Rolls Royce employs people from different companies
b. Rolls Royce has multiple operations in Britain
c. Rolls Royce has several activites across the world
d. Rolls Royce employs only British nationals in its international branches
3. Every single market is important for Rolls Royce is important because

a. it is a volume –driven business
b. the size of the market matter to the company
c. every single customer is valuable to the company
d. the company listens to some customers of their choice.
4. Paragraph 4 is best summarized as

a. The Rolls Royce market in Middle East is not very strong currently
but it likely to improve.
b. The Rolls Royce market has strong competition from other luxury carmakers.
c. The Rolls Royce is not selling cars in good numbers in Oman.
d. The Rolls Royce company is not optimistic about its future though it has
reported growth.
5. Market segments in Paragraph 5 refers to

a. A group of market connected together
b. A group of people going to sell together in market
c. A group for customers who has similar interest in buying similar products
d. A group of places, which offer good business to anyone
6. In paragraph 6, line 8, the word affluent refers to

a. Independent
b. Courageous
c. Wealthy
d. Intelligent

a. Bringing out new models of sedans
b. Advertising the history of Rolls Royce
c. Bringing out SUV that goes only to mountains
d. Adapting to young customer behaviour
44
8. In paragraph 7, what does” legal standpoint” (line 4) refer to? Read the underlined
sentence and answer the question.
a. Taking a firm stand outside the court
b. Having to follow rules of the country
c. Making a point using the help of a company lawyer
d. Understanding how to use a new law for the future

a. Rolls Royce is hopeful of recovery in some market segments.
b. In the future, there will be autonomous cars that will drive themselves.
c. Competition encourages car manufactures to launch new models.
d. The Middle East region is going through an economic turmoil.

a. There will be both electrical and combustion engines for some time in the future.
b. Oman is a very big market for Rolls Royce.
c. Rolls Royce is not in the volume driven business.
d. Rolls Royce has been very attentive to customers.
PART B True or False Statements:
State whether the following statements are true or false. Circle T for True, F for
False and NI for Not indicated.
1. Market in the car industry is not influenced by globalization. T F NI
2. Al Jenaibi International Automobiles is the authorized dealer for Rolls-Royce in
Oman T F NI
3. Rolls Royce has direct competition from other carmakers. T F NI
4. Rolls Royce is targeting loyal affluent customers. T F NI
5. Rolls Royce is planning to launch only electric vehicles in the future. T F NI
In this section, we will practice the use of selected Academic Words
Task 1
Tesla, is one among the leaders in the automobile industry, especially in the
1
category of electric cars. Tesla is known for its unique marketing .
The company believes in investing in customers by giving them quality
products through effective launches rather than spending millions of
dollars in marketing and promotion. There are three models for its vehicles- S, X and 3.
2 3
enables Tesla to reach out to regular and
4
customers worldwide. The is restricted, and has no
5 6
branches or franchises. However, the company is _
45
7
to the high demand for its status driven cars. Tesla is not customer and does
not produce too many vehicles. The technological advancement has been used to make
8
ecofriendly and powerful vehicles. Tesla looks into customer and
draws customers to them, with features like autopilot and world class service support. This
keeps the customers happy and enthusiastic about the Tesla products. The social media
9
presence of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla also helps to increase the share of
the products. It is seen engaging with the audience through online platforms also makes Tesla
10
a popular in the automobile industry.
Source: Adapted from https://iide.co/case-studies/tesla-marketing-strategy/
1. a. categories b. quantities c. strategies d. domains
2. a. democratization b. globalization c. demonetization d. recession
3. a. affluence b. affluent c. influent d. affluent
4. a. market share b. market segment c. market policy d. market capital
5. a. uninational b. multinational c. affluent d. market
6. a. attentive b. incentive c. interactive d. effective
7. a. featured b. attention c. driven d. shared
8. a. loyalty b. behaviour c. support d. list
9. a. consumer b. custom c. customer d. market
10. a. product person c. brand d. customer
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. _ 8. 9. 10.
TASK 2
Match definitions with the words and phrases given below:
1 customer a. paying close attention to something.
behaviour
2 affluent b. developments that can improve the speed, quality, and cost of
goods and services, but they also displace large numbers of workers.
3 strategy c. including or involving several countries or individuals of several
nationalities
4 attentive d. putting customer needs at the center of the business strategy.
5 multinational e. the percentage of an industry, or a market's total sales, that is earned
by a particular company over a specified time
6 globalization f. having a great deal of money
7 customer driven g. a broad population divided into subgroups according to certain
shared factors.
8 technological h. the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across
advancement nations.
9 market share i. the study of individuals and organizations and how they select and use
products and services.
10 market segment j. a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. _ 8. 9. 10.
46
TASK 3: Please fill the table with the appropriate word form and the meaning.
Meaning (Arabic)
1.Strategy
2.Globalization
3.Multinational
4.Attentive
5.Market Share
6.Market Segment
7.Affluent
8.Customer Driven
9.Customer
behaviour
10.Technological
Advancement
11.
12.
13.
14.
47
TASK 4:
In small groups, write a paragraph using as many words as you can from the ten key academic
words. Your teacher will inform you how you can share your paragraph with the class.
TASK 5
Let us get creative.
In groups of three, discuss ideas about what will cars look like in the future (20 years from now).
Using any (five minimum) words from the above, write a short email to
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls Royce

Torsten.Mueller-Oetvoes@rolls-roycemotorcars.com
or
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla
ElonMuskOffice@TeslaMotors.com
about three ideas for vehicles of the future.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls Royce Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla

TASK 6
Accelerate your career with The CEO Magazine

Log on to the website https://www.theceomagazine.com/careers-at-the-ceo-magazine/
and select a possible career option.
Answer the following questions- Discuss in small groups.
a. If you were to apply in the country of your choice, which would this country be? Why?
b. Would you like to work in more than one country?
c. What are three business strategies that are needed to promote a professional business
magazine?
48
Unit 3: Reading for Writing Practice (Week 5-6)
Pre Reading Discussion

1. See the video on Inside Google's Massive Headquarters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-pT0XDYvDM Discuss in small groups of 2-3
members on your main takeaways from this video.
2. Look at the title, subheadings and pictures in the article below. In small groups, discuss how
the writer has developed the content of the article.
You will read the article “Google’s Organizational Culture” and write two paragraphs:
(1) a summary of the article; (2) a critical analysis of the article.
Google’s Organizational Culture
Source: https://www.mbaknol.com/management-case-studies/case-study-analysis-of-organizational-culture-at-google/
1. Google’s organizational culture is synonymous with employee engagement. The company

is constantly innovating and experimenting with its culture, and to great effect, so much so
that the results speak for themselves: among its accolades, the company has topped
“Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For” list for six years running, 86% of employees say that
they are satisfied with their jobs and it has a 4.4/5 rating on Glassdoor. From their Stanford
University dorm rooms back in the 1990s, students Sergey Brin and Larry Page built a search
engine that judged the importance of each page on the Internet, which they named Google,
inspired by “Googol”, the name for the number 10. Fast forward to today, Google’s products,
from YouTube to Google Earth to Google Translate to Google Search, are used by billions of
people worldwide on a daily basis.
2. Fun perks have popularized Google’s company culture to the extent that there is a
Hollywood film about it called “The Internship”. However, there is more to Google’s
approach to employee engagement than free food and bringing your pet into the office.
According to Laszlo Bock, the company is former Senior Vice President of People Relations,
“If you took all of that stuff away… you would still have the same company, the same drive
for creativity and innovation.”
3. While Google’s unofficial motto “don’t be evil” is both relatable and relatively easy to
achieve, its official company mission, “to organize the world’s information and make it
universally accessible and useful” is somewhat less so. However, it is the challenge that
49
appeals. Most employees say that it is this mission, not the perks, which keeps them engaged
and motivated. In Bock’s words, “It’s rare to find a place where everyone actually knows the
mission, let alone, finding a place where they genuinely believe it.” Due to the fact that the
company’s goal is “noble” and “inspirational”, it resonates with employees. This is in
contrast to companies in which the values shared by the organization are not actually upheld
by upper management. In other words, Google does not just give “lip-service” to its values
and mission. Bock explains that “what really makes Google tick is this tremendous focus on
data, this tremendous willingness to experiment, this tremendous focus on users, and this
unbelievable assemblage of talent: which when you put it together creates an environment
where people are constantly challenging themselves to come up with new, interesting
things”.
4. Having a clear set of core values is a fundamental part of building a healthy company
culture that stands out from everyone else. Google’s core values were first outlined when
the company was only a few years old, and since then, very few of those values have changed.
Among Google’s original core values, here are some gems: focus on the user and all else will
follow; it is best to do one thing really, really well; you can be serious without a formal suit;
and great just is not good enough. These core values paint a picture of what a Google
employee might look like focused on the user, a specialist at what he/she does, serious and
ambitious. Clearly defined values help companies to hire people that will fit with the culture
and reinforce important behaviours.
5. One of the hallmarks of Google’s organizational culture is flexibility. For instance,

employees are encouraged to work when they like and how they like. It is also a fun place to
work - offices have nap sofas, video games and ping-pong. In addition, most importantly, it
is founded on trust. Collaboration is the crucial key, so much so that employees are
encouraged to coach each other in the ‘Googler to Googler’ programme, which includes but
is not limited to key business skills such as public speaking, managerial communication as
well as extra- curricular activities like kickboxing and rock-climbing.
6. Building a sense of community is one of the first steps to creating a more positive company
culture. Numerous micro-kitchens located around the Google offices are one way the
company helps to bring people together. Breakout spaces give people a spot to grab a drink
or have lunch. This not only builds community, but also drives efficiency since employees
do not leave the building or spend time deciding which coffee shop to go to, and creates
more opportunity for innovation. According to Bock, conversations in the breakout spaces
are usually about work, such as products, users and new ideas.
7. Google also prizes creativity, actively encouraging employees to innovate. At the Google X
lab, employees are encouraged to ‘shoot for the moon’ and are rewarded for their failures.
Failing is seen as a learning tool, and essential for employees to go on to bigger and better
things. When the fear of ridicule or punishment is removed, employees feel safer. In
addition, people respond better when they feel they are supporting each other rather than
attending an HR-enforced training session. Innovation is one of the driving factors that
enables the company to maintain its competitiveness against other technology behemoths,
such as Apple, Facebook, IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel and Twitter.
8. Trust is at the core of what makes Google’s organizational culture so successful. In fact,
one of the biggest challenges of creating a positive culture is moving away from a top-down
style of management that sees people as inherently untrustworthy. Instead, the company’s
approach is to make people accountable and then give them the resources and freedom they
50
need to get the job done efficiently and effectively, while still adhering to the central tenets
of the company’s culture. Adapted from https://www.inmagine.com/how-inmagine-is-googlising-its-workplace/
Source: https://www.feedough.com/the-history-of-google/
TASK 1 – (Week 5) Write a summary within 50 -75 words on the

Organizational Culture of Google Corporation.
TASK 2 - (Week 5/6) Write a paragraph for 200-220 words that critically analyze the
following:
1. The Organizational culture of Google gives importance to the employees. Analyze

and comment on how the key elements of the organizational culture of Google is
effective for the employees.
Content
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Unit 4: Brand Development and Digital Marketing
In this unit you will

 read about brand development & digital marketing
 predict the content of the reading passage
 distinguish main ideas from supporting details
 infer meaning of words from context
 use academic vocabulary in various contexts
 do critical thinking activities
 make inferences
 write a review using a business-themed text
 do notetaking, note making, and annotation as part of the writing process
 demonstrate appropriate use of cohesive devices
 demonstrate accurate use of intended grammar
Before you read

A. Read the questions. Discuss your answers in small groups.
1. Think of some basic products that you usually get (soft drinks, fast food, clothes). What brands
are they?
2. Look at the picture below. Is there a brand that you trust? Give reasons by you trust it.
Source: https://www.campaignlive.com/article/whats-iconic-brand-past-60-years/1662774
3. Why do people often buy the same brand?
B. Watch the video ‘What is a brand?”https://youtu.be/sQLlPC_alT8 on Moodle and take notes.
Use your notes to discuss the content of the video in small groups. The following
questions may help you.
1. What is the secret of a strong brand?
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2. What key elements can help maintain and grow a brand?
3. Who owns a brand according to the video? Do you agree? Why/ Why not?
C. Academic vocabulary: Guessing meaning from context
Find the academic words in bold in the reading passage. Which words are familiar to you.
In small groups, check whether you know the same words.
Use the context to help you understand the meaning of the new words.
Then write each word (1-10) in the provided space to match its
synonym(s).
1 (adj) enough/ adequate
2 (adj) coming out/ appearing

3 (n) purchaser/ customer
4 (n) aspect/ facet
5 (v) help/ aid
6 (n) plan/ approach/ scheme
7 (v) encouraging
8 (v) exaggerated/ overrated
9 (n) group/ society
10 (v) communicate/ connect
D. Predicting
a. Look at the title of the reading passage. What do you think the author will focus on? Check
( ) your answer.
 Positive aspects of brands being on social media
 Negative aspects of brands being on social media
 The crucial role of social media in assisting brands in different ways.

b.What do you expect to learn from this article? Write your answer on the lines.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Now read the article and find out if your guess was correct.
READING 1: Brand Building, Launch and Promotion on Social Media
1. Social media provide great opportunity for advertising as well as promoting the brands.
The fact that you can present your brand in front of over two billion people who are
participating in the discussions of various social media provides a different dimension to
the traditional concept of advertising.
2. It is important for us to remember that social media are essentially different from
traditional media channels. While traditional media channels are purely one-way
communication channels where the viewers have no choice, such as watching TV and
movie commercials, seeing a magazine advertisement or driving by a billboard, social
media on the other hand allow for consumer participation and active discussion, and
therefore they promote the building of the reputation of the brand.
3. Social media thrive on connections with others, discussions as well as conversations

about experiences of people and provide a platform for expression of opinions and
reviews. This process of how the reputation and opinions are formed on social media
holds the key to building a successful brand promotional strategy on the social web. The
value of a positive brand image on social media cannot be overestimated as mistakes can
be expensive and cost the company dearly.
4. While the bigger brands and proven brands may be present in the same platform, there is
sufficient scope for new emerging brands to make their mark and create a buzz among
the viewers, which then is likely to spread across the media and thus help grow their
brand reputation. Having an understanding of communication processes and human
psychology absolutely assists a marketer in positioning a product or brand in the
consciousness of consumers on the social web.
5. One of the major noticeable characteristics of social media is that people often make
comments and give opinions based on the experiences that they have with companies
they interact with. (A ). The normal conversation tends to be centered on what one
did or experienced. For example, if the topic of the conversation happens to be a stay in a
well-known hotel chain, they are likely to provide real and authentic feedback about their
stay. When the hotel becomes the topic of conversation, others also join in and share their
experiences as well as comments that in turn forms a collective opinion. (B ). This
in turn can lead to good brand publicity or reputation. The fact that the hotel is present
and is able to participate officially lends a sense of credibility, and the participants are
more likely to accept what is presented by the hotel as authentic and official. (C ).
Thus, the interaction between the participants and the hotel can help build loyalty and a
good reputation among the community. (D_ ). Most importantly, marketing
research shows that an unfavorable consumer review spreads more quickly than a
positive review, necessitating the importance of providing a good experience to
customers.
6. When companies wish to introduce a new brand into the market, social media provide the
right platform for launching it. In fact, companies are known to engage with consumers
over social media for a long time before the planned launch and thereby build an online
community around the same. Thus, they are able to present their plan, understand and
54
evaluate the reactions of the consumers that gives them a huge insight into the psyche of
the market and understand the consumers better. If used intelligently, such online
communities that have been created around the specific brand can be used as a launch
vehicle which will help the marketing and advertising immensely during the actual launch.
Adapted from Juneja, P. (n.d.). Brand building launch and promotion on social Web. Management Study Guide.
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/brand-building-and-promotion-on-social-web.htm
A. Understanding main ideas

1. The main idea of the reading passage is .
1. Social media thrive on connecting with others, discussing and sharing opinions and reviews.
2. Brands at different stages can thrive through social media.
3. Emerging brands are not likely to be as persuasive as bigger and proven brands.
4. Reviews on social media provide a sense of credibility to emerging brands.

1. Interactions between the company and consumers on social media is a
powerful way to build brand image
2. Consumers usually like to post good or bad reviews of products and
services on social media and other people react to this in a good or bad
way
3. Hotels are active in building their images and brands on social media
4. Social media allows interaction between consumers and companies, but
mistakes are the worst and these can be very damaging to the company’s
brand
B. Understanding details
3. Which of the following ideas is NOT mentioned in paragraphs 1, 2 or 3?
a. A TV commercial is an example of one-way communication
b. Social media have a huge audience
c. Social media marketing involves the study of opinion formation
d. It can be costly to advertise on social media
4. In paragraph 4, “their” refers to .

a. Bigger brands
b. Proven brands
c. Emerging brands
d. Viewers
2. Where is the best place for the following sentence in paragraph 5? If the
particular hotel is also contributing to the conversation, it is likely that
they can help influence the discussion.
a. Space A
b. Space B
c. Space C
d. Space D
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6. Which of the following phrases is used to show something negative?
a. Create a buzz (paragraph 4)
b. Holds the key (paragraph 3)
c. Cannot be overestimated (paragraph 3)
d. Spreads more quickly (paragraph 5)
Decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or there is No Information
(NI) about them in the reading passage. For True and False statements, justify your answers from
the text.
7 Brands should work on customer satisfaction if they want to be promoted on T F NI

social media.
8. Negative reviews outnumber positive ones on social media. T F NI

9. Online communities usually give feedback about a brand as soon as it is launched. T F NI
10 The “psyche of the market” refers to how people feel about the company. T F NI
C. Vocabulary practice
TASK 1:
Complete the following text with words from the table below. Choose A, B, C or D.
Marketing on Instagram
It was not a long time ago when Instagram was a place for sharing images. Today, it is fast
(1) as a platform for brands which want to connect with more users. With a
higher engagement rate than Facebook and Twitter, Instagram seems to be providing a
different (2) to advertising. This is not surprising since it is (3)
that about 65% of social media users are more likely to (4) with a brand on
Instagram rather than on other social media channels.
For companies, the app is a platform where they can not only consolidate their brand
aesthetic but also engage in a direct conversation with (5) in order to get their
reviews. This may (6) _ them to launch, develop and (7) their brands.
However, is being on Instagram (8) for companies to guarantee having a large
(9) and gain a high profit ? According to a recent survey, 85% of Instagram
users follow at least 6 brands. Hence, the competition is stiff between brands and using
distinguished (10) on Instagram is the way to make them unique and more
engaging for more users to interact with them and buy their products.
Adapted from Ugbaja, L. (2021, May 18). 26 most engaging Instagram brands. Databox. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from
https://databox.com/best-brands-on-instagram#2
1. (A) consuming (B) emerging (C) interacting (D) estimating
2. (A) dimension (B) consumer (C) estimation (D) promotion
3. (A) assisted (B) promoted (C) estimated (D) emerged
4. (A) emerge (B) estimate (C) promote (D) interact
5. (A) strategies (B) consumers (C) estimations (D) assistance
6. (A) assist (B) promote (C) emerge (D) estimate
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7 (A) estimate (B) assist (C) promote (D) interact
8. (A) strategical (B) communal (C) promotional (D) sufficient
9. (A) community (B) strategy (C) dimension (D) estimation
10. (A) communities (B) strategies (C) consumers (D) dimensions
TASK 2: In small groups, write a paragraph using as many words as you can from the ten
keyacademic words. Your teacher will inform you how you can share your paragraph with the class.
After you read

Discuss these questions in small groups. Be ready to share your ideas with the class.
1. What are the benefits and drawbacks of social media users controlling a brand reputation?
2. If the Marketers are not able to control the content and discussions on social networks, how do
think they should participate and get their message across the audience?
57
TASK 3: Please fill the table with the appropriate word form and the mea

Meaning (Arabic)
1. 1. Promoting
2. Dimension
3. Consumer
4. Strategy
5. Overestimated
6. Sufficient
7. Emerging
8. Assist
9. Interact
10.Community
11..
12.
13.
14.
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Writing: Article Review
Brief Overview
Article reviews are part of the course requirements in order to:
 Introduce you to the research literature in Business studies
 Help you to develop critical reading strategies
 Help you to develop academic writing skills
There are different types of review articles such as journal review, research review and
science review. They are however not written in the same way and do not have the same
focus. You are going to write a review of a business article, which is generally published in a
business magazine.
By writing an article review, you can demonstrate that you have read, understood, and can
apply your academic and critical thinking abilities.
Let us start:
1. Read carefully the article below. Take note of words, phrases, and concepts you need to
research, define, and look up meanings for. Jot down any questions you may have as you read.
Write down your reactions to certain areas of the article and any major issues the article
covers.
Rethinking Marketing
by Roland T. Rust, Christine Moorman, and Gaurav Bhalla
Today, companies have such powerful technologies for interacting directly with customers, collecting
and mining information about them, and tailoring their offerings accordingly. Customers expect to
interact deeply with companies, and each other, to shape the products and services they use. To be
sure, most companies use customer relationship management and other technologies to get a handle
on customers, but no amount of technology can really improve the situation as long as companies are
set up to market products rather than cultivate customers. To compete in this aggressively interactive
environment, companies must shift their focus from driving transactions to maximizing customer
lifetime value. That means making products and brands subservient to long-term customer
relationships and changing strategy and structure across the organization.
The exhibit “Building Relationships” shows where many companies are headed, and all must
inevitably go if they hope to remain competitive. The key distinction between a traditional and a
customer-cultivating company is that one is organized to push products and brands whereas the other
is designed to serve customers and customer segments. In the latter, communication is two-way and
individualized.
B2B companies, for instance, use key account managers and global account directors to focus on
meeting customers’ evolving needs, rather than selling specific products. IBM organizes according to
customer needs, such as energy efficiency or server consolidation, and coordinates its marketing
efforts across products for a particular customer.
Some B2C companies are making notable progress in customer orientation too. For instance, Tesco, a
leading UK retailer, has recently made significant investments in analytics that have improved
customer retention. Tesco uses its data-collecting loyalty card to track which stores customers visit,
what they buy, and how they pay. This information has helped Tesco tailor merchandise to local tastes
and customize offerings at the individual level across a variety of store formats. What does a
customer-cultivating organization look like? The most dramatic change will be the marketing
59
department’s reinvention as a “customer department.” The first order of business is to replace the
traditional CMO with a new type of leader—a chief customer officer.
The CCO
Chief customer officers are increasingly common in companies worldwide. Companies as diverse as
Chrysler, Hershey’s, Oracle and Samsung now have CCOs. But too often, the CCO is merely trying to
make a conventional organization more customer-centric. To be effective, the CCO role must be a
powerful operational position, reporting to the CEO. This executive is responsible for designing and
executing the firm’s customer relationship strategy and overseeing all customer-facing functions.
A successful CCO promotes a customer-centric culture and removes obstacles to the flow of customer
information throughout the organization. This includes getting leaders to regularly engage with
customers. At USAA, top managers spend two or three hours a week on the call-center phones with
customers. This not only shows employees how serious management is about customer interaction
but helps managers understand customers’ concerns.
Customer Managers
In the new customer department, customer and segment managers identify customers’ product
needs. Brand managers, under the customer managers’ direction, then supply the products that fulfill
those needs. This requires shifting resources and authority from product managers to customer
managers. This structure is common in the B2B world. In its B2B activities, Procter & Gamble, for
instance, has key account managers for major retailers like Wal-Mart. They are less interested in
selling than in maximizing the value of the customer relationship over the long term. Some B2C
companies use this structure as well, foremost among them retail financial institutions that put
managers in charge of segments—wealthy customers, retirees etc-rather than products.
As the nexus of customer-facing activity, the customer department assumes responsibility for some
of the customer-focused functions that have left the marketing department or have not been part of
it. This includes the customer relationship management (CRM) which has been taken on by
companies’ IT groups because of the technical capability CRM systems require. Yet CRM is a tool for
gauging customer needs and behaviors and should be in the customer department.
The emphasis of market research also changes in a customer-centric company. First, the internal users
of market research extend beyond the marketing department to all areas of the organization that
touch customers including finance and distribution. Second, the scope of analysis shifts from an
aggregate view to an individual view of customer activities and value. Third, market research shifts
its attention to acquiring the customer input that will drive improvements in customer-focused
metrics such as CLV and customer equity.
Customer service is another function that should be handled under the customer department’s wing
not only to ensure that the quality of service is high but also to help cultivate long-term relationships.
Once companies make the shift from marketing products to cultivating customers, they will need new
metrics to gauge the strategy’s effectiveness.
First, companies need to focus less on product profitability and more on customer profitability.
Second, companies need to pay less attention to current sales and more to CLV. A company in decline
may have good current sales but poor prospects. The CLV metric evaluates the future profits
generated from a customer, properly discounted to reflect the time value of money. Third,
companies need to shift their focus from brand equity to customer equity. Increasing brand equity is
best seen as a means to an end, one way to build customer equity. Fourth, companiesneed to pay less
attention to current market share and more attention to customer equity share. Market share offers a
snapshot of the company’s competitive sales position, but customer equity share is a measure of the
firm’s long-term competitiveness with respect to profitability.
Like any other organizational transformation, making a product-focused company fully customer-
centric will be difficult. The IT group will want to hang on to CRM; R&D is going to fight hard to keep
60
its relative autonomy; and traditional marketing executives will battle for their jobs. Because the
change requires overcoming interests, it will not happen organically. Transformation must be driven
from the top down. However, daunting, the shift is inevitable. It will soon be the only competitive way
to serve customers.
Source: Adapted from: Rust, T.R. Moorman, C. & Bhalla, G. (2010, January). Rethinking marketing. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved
March 1, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2010/01/rethinking-marketing
2. Read the article again and take notes of the main ideas. Do not forget to
paraphrase them.
3. In small groups, talk about the article.
 Retell the main ideas and discuss the authors’ arguments. What are the strengths of
the article? Are there any weaknesses?
 Do you agree with the authors? Your opinion should be based on some strong
evidence. You can research experts’ views about the same topic and take notes of
them to support your opinion. What conclusion can you draw?
 Be ready to share your thoughts with the class.
You have just verbally done an article review. Good job!
Look at a review of the above article. Does the writer share the same opinion as yours?
Rethinking Marketing article review
The revolutionary shift in communication between businesses and customers due to the
use of social media has led to significant changes in some marketing strategies. Customers
now play an influential role in deciding how brands should be. In their article “Rethinking
Marketing” (2010), Rust, Moorman and Bhalla argue that because companies can now
interact directly with customers, they must radically reorganize to put cultivating
relationships ahead of building brands. This paper will show that while the authors have
some interesting suggestions, they fail to provide a balanced view that can equally show
importance to customer as well as brand equity.
According to the authors, today companies cannot keep thriving if they do not shift their
focus from driving transactions to maximizing customer lifetime value. They point out that
the key distinction between a traditional and a customer-cultivating company is that one is
organized to push products and brands whereas the other is designed to serve customers
and customer segments. The authors suggest reinventing the traditional marketing
department as a “customer department” that replaces the CMO with a chief customer
officer, makes product and brand managers subservient to customer managers, and
oversees customer-focused functions including R&D, customer service, market research,
and CRM. In addition, in order for the companies to shift their focus from product
profitability to customer profitability, the authors recommend measuring this shift by
using metrics such as customer lifetime value and customer equity.
61
Rust, Moorman, & Bhalla, (2010) argue that companies must move emphasis from building
brands to cultivating relations. This is obviously a compelling argument given the fact that
customers interactions with companies via social media platforms have created numerous
opportunities for companies to gather data about the customers’ needs. Therefore, it makes
sense for businesses to shift their attention from traditional marketing to customer
relationship marketing to create customer lifetime value. However, whereas the authors
make a good point regarding the need to reorient marketing, the importance of brands and
products has been downgraded. Without company-driven brand visibility, a customer
cannot be attracted to the company. Therefore, rather than put the work of building brands
subservient to that of building long-term customer relationships, the two approaches
should go hand in hand. In addition, instead of disrupting the operations of entire
departments, and in some cases entire operations merely to reorient the marketing
strategy, companies are better off starting by gradually elevating the status of customer-
driven marketing to the same level with brand-driven marketing. They can adopt a
“customer-centered brand management” (Rust, Zeithaml, & Lemon, 2004) which focuses
on creating the best experience for the customer, and by doing so builds brand loyalty.
From there, a period of transition from product-driven marketing to customer-driven
marketing would become a possibility. Failure to do this will create a scenario where the
current operations of the business are severely disrupted, thereby inconveniencing the
existing customers. Furthermore, According to Hoeffler (2012), the role of brand manager
is as important as that of the customer manager. Although customers now have numerous
avenues of interacting with business executives to say what they want, this does not
indicate that the role of brand image has been diminished. The company still reserves the
duty to make a value proposition to the customer by developing and presenting a brand.
In conclusion, the article by Rust, Moorman, & Bhalla (2010) has raised an important
question on the need to rethink contemporary marketing. Today, companies have at their
disposal numerous opportunities to interact with customers and understand the products
that they need and therefore should put customers at the heart of the product development
process. However. the authors’ suggestion that the company’s brands and products should
be made subservient to long-term relationships with customers is too ambitious. The work
of building brands and long-term customer relationships should rather go hand in hand.
Companies should gradually elevate the status of customer-driven marketing to the same
level as brand-driven marketing.
References
Hoeffler, S 2012, ‘Building Brand Equity through Corporate Societal Marketing’, Journal of Public
Policy & Marketing, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 78-89.
Rust, R Zeithaml, K & Lemon, N 2004, Customer-centered brand management, Harvard Business
Review, April- May, 2004.
Rust, R, Moorman, C & Bhalla, G 2010, Rethinking Marketing, Harvard Business Review, January–
February 2010.
62
Structure of an article review
Introduction:
Read the introduction of the above article review and answer the questions in pairs.
1. What do the first two sentences inform the reader about?
2. What information does the third sentence contain?
3. What is the thesis statement about?
Body (review)
1. How many paragraphs are there in the body of the above article review?
2. What is each body paragraph about?
Conclusion
3. What is written in the conclusion of the above article?
Language Resources
Language resources for analysis and evaluation
To write a successful review of an article, you need to explore and use a number of language
resources. Some key resources are:
Comparison and concession
Comparing aspects of the article to other readings and concepts in the course is a good way
of analyzing and evaluating. You can either quote, paraphrase or summarise. However, in all
cases, it is important to provide references to the sources. For example:
• Similarly, Lamberton & Stephen (2016) suggest that the social media revolution has
completely changed consumer behavior and the consumer–company relationship
• Adding to this, the process of adopting new technological innovations in SMEs has
been supported by many researchers (Carroll & Wagar, 2010; Chatzoglou, Vraimaki,
Diamantidis, & Sarigiannidis, 2010; Lohrke et al., 2006; MacGregor & Vrazalic, 2005; Parker
& Castleman, 2007)
63
Conjunctions such as ‘While’, ‘Although’ and ‘However’ are useful resources for making
concession/contrast in academic writing. For Example:
Despite the prevalence of smartphones, several statistics revealed that thousands of apps
have never been downloaded while other studies have shown that the average smartphone
user has around 30 apps on his mobile phone but only uses three or four of them on a regular
basis (Ingram, 2016).
Evaluation: You will need to evaluate the main information of the article and the opinion/
message of the author(s). Your evaluation can be explicit or implicit.
a. Explicit evaluation involves stating directly how you intend to evaluate the text. E.g., I will
review this article by focusing on the following questions. First, I will examine the extent to
which the authors contribute to current thought on business ethics...
b. Implicit evaluation is less direct.
e.g · While the title might suggest...
· The tone appears to be...
· This article nicely contributes to the field of...and complements other work by this
author...
· The second claim is based on…
c. Evaluation Language
· This argument is not entirely convincing, as...furthermore it commodifies /

rationalizes the...
· There are difficulties with such a position.

· Inevitably, several crucial questions are left unanswered
· It might have been more relevant for the author to have written this article as...
· This analysis intends to be...but falls a little short as...
· The beginning of...provides an informative overview into...
· This explanation has a few weaknesses that other researchers have pointed out (see
Author, Year; Author, Year). The first is..
Attribution verbs
In the summary paragraph or the review section, you can use the verbs below to analyze the
position of the article, or to reflect the author/s’ tone.
affirm / argue /confirm / contend/ reject/ mention/ state/ disagree/concede/ suggest/
emphasize/ predict
Tempering opinions and evaluations
When writing an article review, you have the authority to present opinions and judgements
about the article. However, you need to remember that your opinions need to be supported
64
by sources, which are considered authorities in your field. Opinions which use expressions
such as ‘Everyone knows’ or ‘It is obvious that..’ are not appropriate expressions. Using more
‘open’ modal verbs (possible, may, could) and other modal and grading expressions (eg.
always, often, limited, to some extent, suggests, a great deal) help to moderate the
evaluations.
Academic style
You are expected to:
• Avoid involving your background, personal feelings and experience. Student writers should
not use the ‘I’ voice or to refer to their personal experience or feelings.
• Avoid contractions (eg. won’t, can’t), abbreviations (eg. TV) and colloquial expressions.
• Ensure a correct use of conjunctions and connectors when linking information between
sentences and paragraphs. Words such as ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘so’ should only be used to link
information inside a sentence not between sentences. Conjunctions should never be at the
beginning of the sentence in academic writing. Linkers such as Moreover, However and
Therefore are used for linking information between sentences or paragraphs.
Tense
Article reviews are generally written in the present simple tense.
Source: https://uclalibrary.github.io/research-tips/review-articles/
65
Structure of Article Review
Introduction
1. Start by introducing the topic of the article
2. Identify the article, its author, where it comes from and when it was published (APA format)
3. Provide general information about the article: its main topic, the author’s thesis and claims.
4. Finish the introduction with your own thesis – address the issues you pointed out and state
what you intend to prove. E.g., ‘The article proposes some valuable alterations to the accepted
business practices, but closer scrutiny shows certain inconsistencies that will be addressed in my
review’.
Body
1. paragraph 1: Provide a short summary of the article in your own words. Mention the main
points, primary arguments and the conclusions the author comes to.
2. Critique/ review: Critically analyze and Evaluate the article. Cover both positive and negative
aspects and express your general opinion about it: tell if it is clear, unambiguous, persuasive and
comprehensive. Discuss the author’s contribution to the field and relationships between this
article and the existing body of research on this general topic. If the author has any biases, point
them out and prove their existence using the material from the article.
Conclusion
The conclusion of the article review brings together the main points in a general way. It intends
to:
• Summarise points evaluated in review stage
• Provide an overall critical assessment of the article with the possibility of adding a final
comment
E.g.
In conclusion, Makrides, Vrontis and Christofi’s article achieves a great deal in reflecting the
noteworthy and rapid emergence of different digital marketing techniques to build brand
awareness and to expand into a global image in international markets. It is also successful in
drawing together substantial body of research in the domain of digital marketing and exploring a
substantial number of digital media tools including the four-best known platforms. However,
their argument remains limited by the lack of focus on issues related to digital media including
fast development and gender behavior.
You should now be ready to write your first article review.
66
Read the article below to write an article review. Remember to read it critically as you did
with the first article. You may complete this step in small groups.
What Is Digital Brand Management and Why Should You Care

By Smarter Digital Marketing
Source: https://www.scientificworldinfo.com/2021/02/how-to-build-your-brand-online.html
Despite the availability of the Internet as a marketing platform, digital brand management has not yet
evolved in the same way as direct or offline marketing. Marketers do not read everything a company
publishes as obsessively as they read brochures, flyers, or other offline marketing materials. This can
put your brand at risk as customers are exposed to your brand consistently across multiple channels;
both online and offline. Failure to establish a consistent identity across your online and offline
channels can cause customer confusion and ultimately loss of brand loyalty.
What is Digital Brand Management?
Digital brand management is mainly a combination of policies that directly or indirectly affect how
your customers interact with your brand online. This includes your landing pages, apps, social
interactions, blog marketing, PPC, and anything else that runs digitally.
Brand management is straightforward in the offline segment. This is because the approval of
brochures, flyers, and print ads is done by a centralized agency that is essentially a brand manager. In
the case of digital brand management however, some key components of professional web design,
PPC advertising, and social media marketing are outsourced to third-party agencies. Communicating
your brand mission to these third-party service providers is essential.
It is important for a brand to have a single brand management policy that applies to all marketing
channels - both offline and online. In other words, your brand management policy should be the same
for both offline channels and online branding. There are two main types of brand management to
consider: design and positioning. The design factors include all the marketing materials deriving from
the company's digital accounts. This includes the look and feel of your landing pages, ad copy, and
even the cover photos on your social media accounts. Positioning is the actual communication
provided through digital means. In addition to the text, images, and promotional slogans used in
digital media, positioning can also include the tone and tenor of tweets and emails sent from business
accounts.
The next step is to identify the unique elements in each of your marketing channels and find ways to
tailor the universal material to that specific marketing channel. Take the example of social media
marketing. There have been thousands of cases over the past decade where tweets have inadvertently
led to a social boycott or negative publicity for a brand. In other cases, legitimate social media
campaigns have been highjacked by critics. This led to the brand losing control of its campaigns. For
instance, when McDonald's launched the #McDStories hashtag campaign, it was quickly hijacked by
posters tweeting stories about food poisoning and restaurant hygiene. In another case, an employee
from Vodafone UK's social media team posted an obscene tweet from the company's official account
that plunged the company into crisis. A comprehensive digital brand management policy should
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consider the internal and external factors that affect social media brands. Additionally, it should
create a policy that aligns with the brand's social media strategy.
Communicating the Digital Brand Management strategy
Perhaps the most important component of digital brand management is communicating with the
stakeholders. As mentioned above, digital campaigns are typically decentralized to any organization
and are often handled by external media agencies that specialize in specific channels. Brands should
schedule a face-to-face meeting with their account manager to educate them about their brand
management policy. This includes transferring comprehensive knowledge of the general brand
philosophy as well as explaining the specific branding strategy for the agency-managed marketing
channel.
The limitations of Digital Brand Management
One of the key differences between offline and digital brand management strategies is the limited
space that comes with the latter. In the offline world, brands have full control over the materials they
post, the channels through which they distribute the material, and the language used in
communication. This may not always be the case with digital brand management. While brands can
completely control what shows up on their landing pages, they do not have the ability to influence
what consumers see. For example, brand colors can vary widely across different monitors and
graphics cards. A brand like Starbucks that relies heavily on its trademark green color for brand recall
may not be able to tell which green a website visitor is seeing. In addition, much of the digital brand
management is done on third-party platforms that have proprietary policies and brands. Platforms
like Facebook and Twitter have unique thematic interfaces. As a result, a brand can have limited
control to influence how their posts appear on these social media channels. Google has strict rules
when it comes to ad text, which can affect branding.
Digital brand management is evolving to become a much-required component of a company’s overall
brand strategy. With so many stakeholders involved here, businesses need to create an overall well-
studied strategy that can address all their digital branding goals without compromising on their
overall brand strategy.
Adapted from Smarter Digital Marketing. (2020, October 13). What is digital brand management and why should
you care. https://www.smarterdigitalmarketing.co.uk/digital-brand-management-care/
Writing Task:
Write a four-paragraph review of the article. Write about 500 words.
Please remember to include four paragraphs as indicated above, add a title and references if
you include other writers’ work as evidence for your claim(s).
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Source: https://bmmagazine.co.uk/business/tips-on-how-to-write-great-articles
writing before you submit for feedback from teacher.
Content
Critical analysis: Does the paper completely evaluate claims and points of view of the author?
Is your opinion clearly provided?
Organization: Are your ideas synthesized and organized in an excellent flow of one
paragraph?
Are your linking devices correctly written?
Do your citations and references follow an APA format?
Vocabulary Is the paper completely written in your own words with only key
& spelling: academic words from original text.
Is the information in the article well paraphrased?
Is there a variety of vocabulary?
Grammar Is your grammar correct? Are tenses correctly used?
Source: https://www.fiverr.com/nami30491/write-compelling-and-well-researched-article-for-your-site
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Unit 5
Organizational Behavior
 read about an example of organizational behavior

 make inferences
 understand the author's main message
Before you read

A. In small groups: Look at the comics and discuss the following:
Source: Too much information? (n.d.). [Illustration].

Flickr.https://www flickr.com your people pulled in different directions. (n.d.). [Illustration]. Flickr./photos/global
integration/5276524283/in/photo stream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/globalintegration/5277134640/in/photostream/
a. What is the message in the comic strips?
b. What does it say about the organization?
c. According to you, what is the best way to run an organization?
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B. Academic vocabulary: Guessing words from context
Find the academic words in bold in the reading passage. Use the context to help you understand the
meaning. Then circle the correct words to complete the definitions.
1. Paragraph 2, line1: If you contribute something, you give it / take it to help achieve
something.
2. Paragraph 2, line 6: If you motivate someone, you inspire/ discourage them.
3. Paragraph 2, line7: If you work for a corporation, you work at a small/ large company.
4. Paragraph 3, line 3: If someone implies something, they hide/ indicate it.
5. Paragraph 3, line 5: When you use “nevertheless”, you mean in spite of/ in addition.
6. Paragraph 3, line 9: If you approach something, you start to do it/ finish doing it.
7. Paragraph 4, line 3: The elements of something are its components/ results.
8. Paragraph 5, line 2: If something has an impact, it has an effect/ a cause.
9. Paragraph 5, line 5: If you adjust to an environment, you adapt to it/ reject it.
10. Paragraph 6, line 9: An entity is an organization/ contract.
C. Predicting:
Read the title of the text and the first two sentences. What do you think the passage will be about?
Read the article and check whether your guess was right.
Reading Text : Understanding Organizational Culture
What is an organization?
1. An organization is simply a common platform (physical or online) where individuals

from different backgrounds are hired to come together and work as a collective unit to
achieve certain objectives and targets. Typically, in organizations, people cooperate for the
dual purposes of earning a living for themselves as well as earning profit for the company.
An organization consists of individuals with different specializations, educational
qualifications and work experiences all working toward a common goal.
2. The employees are the major assets of an organization and contribute effectively to its
successful functioning. It is essential for the employees to be loyal toward their
organization and strive hard in furthering its financial success and brand image. An
organization can’t survive if the employees are not at all serious about it and treat their
work as some sort of distasteful burden. , a majority of the employees not
only have a certain sense of satisfaction in their work, which motivates them to deliver
their best efforts day after day, they also have an emotional attachment to the well-being
of the corporation.
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What is culture?
3. The attitude, traits and behavioral patterns which govern the way individuals interact
with others is termed “culture”. Culture is intangible, which implies that it exists only in
peoples’ minds for the most part; nevertheless, it is very powerful since it governs peoples’
behaviour and attitudes at work. It influences peoples’ behaviours in a myriad of ways –
from the way they communicate with each other, to the way
they approach their daily tasks, to how hard they work during business hours, to what
degree they are trusted or not trusted at the office to get their job done, to whether or not
managers keep a close eye on staff or do not observe their staff, to whether employees are
encouraged to take risks or “play it safe”.
What is organizational culture?
4. Every individual has certain personality traits which helps him or her stand apart from
the crowd. No two individuals behave in the same exact way. Similarly, each organization
has a certain “personality”, which covers elements such as values, policies, rules and
guidelines.
5. Organizational culture refers to the beliefs and principles of a particular organization.

The culture followed by the organization has a deep impact on the employees and their
relationship among themselves. Every organization has a unique culture making it
different from others and giving it a sense of direction. It is essential for the employees to
understand the culture of their workplace to adjust well. However, employees who
understand the organizational culture but do not accept it are in an unfortunate situation.
Essentially, they do not “fit” with the company and will not feel satisfied over the long term.
Organizations A and B and their differences
6. In organization A, the employees are not at all disciplined and are least bothered about
the rules and regulations. They reach their office in their own sweet time and spend their
maximum time gossiping and loitering around. On the other hand, Organization B follows
employee-friendly policies and it is mandatory for all to adhere to them. It is important for
the employees to reach their workplace on time and no one is allowed to unnecessarily
roam around or spread rumours. Which organization do you feel would perform better?
Obviously, organization B. The employees follow a
certain culture in organization B making it more
successful than organization A. No two organizations
can have the same culture. The values or policies of a
non-profit organization would be different from that
of a for-profit entity or employees working in a
restaurant would follow a different culture as
compared to those associated with the education
industry or the manufacturing industry.
7. Broadly there are two types of organizational culture. First, there is the Strong
Organizational Culture: Strong organizational culture refers to a situation where the
employees adjust well, respect the organization’s policies and adhere to the guidelines. In
such a culture people enjoy working and take every assignment as a new learning
opportunity and try to gain as much competence as they can. They accept their roles and
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responsibilities willingly. Second, there is the Weak Organizational Culture: In such a
culture, individuals accept their responsibilities out of fear of superiors and harsh policies.
The employees in such situations do things out of compulsion. Often, they are micro-
managed by superiors, with the implication that they need to be watched closely. In
essence, they just treat their organization as a mere source of earning money and never get
emotionally attached to it.
Adapted from Juneja.(n.d.-b). Understanding organization and organization culture. Management
Study Guide.https://www.managementstudyguide.com/organization-culture.htm

Choose the correct option a, b, c ord.
1. The main idea of the article is .
a. An organization’s culture is powerful and can be an advantage or a disadvantage.
b. All organizations are made up of people, each of whom has his/her own cultural beliefs
and attitudes.
c. All organizations have cultures. and some are good and some are bad.
d. Generally speaking, a strong organizational culture will lead to financial success for a
company.
B. Understanding details
2. Which phrase is most suitable for the blank in paragraph 2? Check a, b, c or d.
a. In financially successful organizations
b. In organizations that are very famous
c. In the best-managed organizations
d. In the worst-managed organizations
3. According to paragraph 3, “intangible” is something .
a. you can see in your mind and you can physically touch
b. you can feel in your heart and you can physically touch
c. you can feel in your heart but cannot physically touch
d. that brings positive emotions to you
4. According to paragraph 3, “myriad” means .
a. A few (2 or 3)
b. Great number
c. Some (more than 4)
d. A high percent of the total
5. According to paragraph 6, which of the following verbs is NOT used to suggest something
negative?
a. roam
b. loiter
c. adhere
d. spread
6. In paragraph 6, the phrase “in their own sweet time” implies that employees arrive at the
office .
a. without caring about the time
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b. often late, but they try to hurry up
c. always late
d. usually on time
7. “They” in paragraph 7 refers to .
a. harsh policies
b. situations
c. superiors
d. employees
8. According to paragraph 7, which of the following is NOT a feature of a weak organizational
culture?
a. Management trusts the employees to do their work.
b. Employees are afraid of their boss.
c. Employees see their job only as a way to get money and nothing else.
d. Company rules are usually very strict.
Answer the questions below using your own words. Then check with a partner.
9. Why do employees in Organization A behave differently from those in Organization B?
10. What elements exist in a strong organizational structure?
11. Why did the writer write this article? What was her purpose? Circle a, b, c or d.
a. inform b. persuade c. explain d. entertain
C. Vocabulary practice
Complete the following text with words from the box below. Choose A, B, C or D.
When you want to start a business, it is important that you first choose the structure of your company.
In other words, you select a business (1) type. This will determine how your business will be
structured and taxed. If you establish your business as a (2) - a large company- for
example, you will be eligible for more tax deductions than any other type of businesses.
Another important thing to plan well is the (3) of your organization’s culture. These will
strongly (4) your employees. You may want to research examples of healthy company cultures
which keep (5) their employees to do their utmost in order to (6) adequately to the
success of the organization. Take the example of L.L. Bean and Adobe. They are ranked in Fortune’s
100 Best Companies to Work For, which (7) that their employees enjoy a lot of benefits.
(8) , their staff happily work for long hours if need be and (9) their tasks with a lot of
enthusiasm. A business where employees can easily (10) is definitely a successful business
with strong organizational culture .
74
Adapted from Wojda, K. (2022, January 6). 6 organizational culture examples worth following. Spectrio. Retrieved
January 20, 2022, from https://www.spectrio.com/case-studies/6-organizational-culture-examples/
1. (A) element (B) impact (C) approach (D) entity
2. (A) impact (B) corporation (C) element (D) implication
3. (A) elements (B) corporations (C) entities (D) impacts
4. (A) approach (B) impact (C) adjust (D) contribute
5. (A) implying (B) contributing (C) motivating (D) adjusting
6. (A) contribute (B) impact (C) imply (D) adjust
7 (A) adjusts (B) implies (C) motivates (D) contributes
8. (A) adjust (B) approach (C) motivate (D) nevertheless
9. (A) approach (B) corporate (C) imply (D) adjust
10. (A) motivate (B) imply (C) adjust (D) element
After you read:

In small groups –Consider these sayings:
1. “Create the kind of workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you
hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.” (Richard Branson)
2.“Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of
people.” (Steve Jobs)
3. “I think as a company, if you can get those two things right - having a clear direction on
what you are trying to do and bringing in great people who can execute on the stuff - then
you can do pretty well.” (Mark Zuckerberg)
Discuss these questions then share your insights with the class.
1. Do you think hiring the right people can change the organization culture and improve
productivity?
2. These are important 21st skills, which you should develop: critical thinking,
communication, collaboration, creativity, social responsibility and emotional
development. How do you think these can help you become a “brilliant” person that
successful companies would like to hire? (You expand your ideas by searching needed
information on the Internet)
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Word Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Meaning (English)
&Meaning (Arabic)
1. contribute
2. motivate
3. corporation
4. imply
5. nevertheless
6. approach
7. elements
8. impact
9.adjust
10.entity
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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Writing: article review practice
Read the article given below to write a review of the text
IKEA: SWOT Analysis and Sustainable Business Planning

By Business Case Studies
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI_xITa_OMU
Introduction
Known internationally as a home furnishing retailer, IKEA has grown rapidly since it was
founded in 1943. Currently, it is the world's largest furniture retailer - known for its
Scandinavian style. A range of 9,500 products, including home furniture and accessories are
offered by IKEA at all its stores worldwide or can be ordered online. In 2017, IKEA welcomed
936 million visitors to its stores and 2.3 billion visits to its website, leading to a total of 38.3
billion Euros in sales. Moreover, it opened 14 new stores around the world.By the start of 2018,
the IKEA group owned 276 stores in 25 countries, with an additional 37 stores owned and run
by franchisees in 17 other countries. The five countries with the highest amount of sales in 2017
were Germany, the USA, France, the UK and China.
One of the cornerstones of the IKEA concept which also helps to make customers want to buy
IKEA products is its low prices. This low-price strategy is combined with a wide range of sturdy,
well designed and functional products along with a wide variety of offerings which cater to
every lifestyle and life stage. IKEA believes a strong environmental stance is good business. Its
goals of sustainability and environmentally friendly designs are central to its business strategy.
Therefore, social, environmental and economic issues are combined within its sustainability
plan.
SWOT analysis, a strategic planning tool which helps businesses focus on key issues, is used by
IKEA to help it reach its objectives.
Strengths
Strengths can include a company's specialist marketing expertise, its location or any internal
aspect of the business that adds value to its product or service. IKEA's strengths include:
 a strong global brand attracting major consumer groups which promises the same
quality and product range worldwide
 its vision 'to create a better everyday life for many people'
 a strong concept based on offering a wide range of well designed, functional products
at low prices
 a simple design which achieves a good balance between function, quality, design and
price.
These strengths contribute to IKEA’s ability to attract and retain its customers.
77
Weaknesses
Weaknesses must be acknowledged by IKEA so it can manage them. IKEA's weaknesses include:
 the size and scale of its global business- This could make it challenging to control
standards and quality since legislation to control working conditions are not implemented
in some countries where IKEA products are made. However, this potential issue is
managed by staff training and inspector visits to factories to ensure that suppliers meet its
conditions.
 the need for low cost products- Differentiating itself and its products from competitors
is crucial for IKEA which is why IKEA believes there is no compromise between being able
to offer good quality products and low prices simultaneously.
 the need to ensure effective, transparent communication with its consumers and
other stakeholders about its environmental activities- The scale of the business makes
this a difficult task, and therefore IKEA produces publications in print and online, and
carries out major TV and radio campaigns to enable the business to communicate with a
variety of target audiences.
Opportunities
A business uses its strengths to take advantage of opportunities that arise. IKEA believes that its
focus on being an environmentally friendly business will result in good returns. Some
opportunities IKEA takes advantage of through its sustainability agenda are:
• a growing demand for greener products
• a growing demand for low priced products.
• demand for reduced water usage and lower carbon footprints.
Here are a few ways IKEA supports with opportunities:
1. Sustainable use of resources; Zero waste to landfill, wastewater treatment and programmes
to reduce its use of water
2. Reducing carbon footprints; Reduced nonrenewable energy use, increased use of renewable
energy, decreased use of air transport and diminished packaging
3. Developing social responsibility; support for charities, such as the World Wildlife Fund, UNICEF
and Save the Children
4. Transparency with all stakeholders; building trust through effective communication with
consumers, co-workers, key opinion formers and the press - being sustainable is a significant
part of IKEA's image
Picture 1Source: IKEA. (n.d.). [Image]. IKEA. https://seafood.media/fis/companies/details.asp? l=e& filterby=companies&

company=ikea Picture 2Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/ikea-puts-off-hyd-store-opening-to-
aug-9/articleshow/64981736.cms
Threats
If a company is aware of potential external threats, it can develop strategies to counteract them.
By generating new ideas, IKEA uses its strengths to defend itself against market threats.
Threats to IKEA may stem from:

 social trends, such as the lessening of first-time buyers entering the housing market. These
buyers are a core market segment for IKEA products.
78
 market forces triggering the entrance of more competitors into the low-priced household
and furnishings industry.
IKEA manages these threats to create a positive outcome. IKEA’s low prices attract its customers
during difficult financial times; therefore, it is vital to keep prices as low as possible when the retail
sector is depressed.
Conclusion
IKEA is a well-known global brand with hundreds of stores across the world. In order to improve
its performance, it is essential that it assesses its external and competitive environment using a
SWOT analysis. The outcome of this analysis reveals key opportunities it can take advantage of,
and threats it must deal with. Since IKEA responds to findings in a proactive and dynamic manner,
it is able to generate the strong growth it needs to retain its strong identity in the market. IKEA's
vision has led to its attractive designs, low prices, economical use of resources, and assumption of
responsibility for people and the environment.
Source: Adapted from: Business Case Studies. (2021, November 9). Swot analysis and sustainable business
planning. https://businesscasestudies.co.uk/swot-analysis-and-sustainable-business-planning/
Writing Task:
Please remember to include 4 paragraphs as you did in unit 4, add a title and references
if you include other writers’ work as evidence for your claim(s).
Use the editor’s checklist to check and edit your writing before you submit to the teacher
for feedback.
Content
Critical analysis: Does the paper completely evaluate claims and points of view of the
author?
Does the paper give a fully supported and logically supported
answer?
paragraph?
79
Unit 6
Future Skills in Leadership
 read about future skills in leadership
 make inferences
 understand the author's main message
Before you read

Discuss the question in small groups. Share your ideas with the class.
A. What is industry 4.0 or 4IR? How much do you know about it?
B. Watch this video about the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) of the 4 Industrial
th
revolution https://youtu.be/rOFWiXK3-IA on Moodle.

Take notes in the table below.
Advantages (Pros) Disadvantages (Cons)
C. Talk about the notes you took with a partner using your own words. Can you think of other
advantages and disadvantages?
D. Academic Vocabulary: Guessing words from context
80
Find the following words in bold in the reading passage. Use context to identify
their meanings. Match the sentence parts in A to complete the definitions in B.
A B
Parag 1, line 3: if something is altered, a. it is essential or fundamental.
______
Parag 1, line 5: if you transfer something, b. a component or an ingredient that
_____ affects a result.
Parag 1, line 8: if things exceed, ______ c. it is changed in character or
composition.
Parag 2: if something is fundamental, d. you have a particular way of
______ regarding something; a point of view.
Parag 3, line 2: if there is an ethical e. you move it from one place to
question, _____ another.
Parag 3, line 3: when you have a f. you make it easy or easier.
perspective,
7. Parag 5, line 4: If you facilitate g. they go beyond what is allowed or
something, estimated.
8. Parag 5, line 6: If you’re integrating you play a part in it.
something with something else.
9. Parag 7: If you make a contribution in h. it relates to the moral principles.
something,
10. Parag 8: A factor is i. you’re combining them to form a
whole.
E. Predicting
Read the first paragraph of the article then answer the questions. Discuss your
answers with a partner.
1.Does the author believe that GCC countries are coping with Industry 4.0 demands?
2. Is he hopeful about the future of jobs in the GCC countries?
81
Now read the rest of the text and check whether your predictions were
correct.
Reading Text:
GCC Countries must lead the Next Industrial

Revolution
by Mazen Pharaon
Source: 1.https://gulfbusiness.com/2022-in-focus-putting-data-at-the-core-of-gulf-innovation/
2. https://www.arabianbusiness.com/industries/technology/gcc-countries-must-develop-tech-champions-to-compete-
with-us-and-china
Introduction
1. There is particular urgency for countries in the Gulf to lead Industry 4.0 and to
wean themselves off reliance on oil-derived revenues. The world now finds itself being
dramatically altered by a new industrial revolution– called “Industry 4.0” – bringing
technological developments that will transform economies and societies far more
profoundly than any previous period of rapid development and change. The
technological singularity, the moment when the capabilities of artificial intelligence
finally exceed that of humans for good, is potentially within the lifetime of most young
people, bringing unfathomable opportunities and threats to all.
2. In the coming years, we will need to answer fundamental questions about the future
of the workplace as well as life at home: What is the point of using employees if work
can be done more efficiently by machines? How protective should we be of our data and
who is using it? How can we use technology to improve our quality of life? Will people
still have privacy in the future, or will government and corporations know everything
about us? If most jobs can be automated, what will people do in society?
3.There is not one person, one organization or even one generation that can provide
the solutions to such big, and often ethical, questions. What is clear, however, is that
change needs to happen quickly and, in this region; it requires a combination of training
younger generations as well as international perspective as to what is working
effectively elsewhere. While nations around the world are researching and evaluating
how they can harness the potential of technology such as big data, robotics and AI, there
is particular urgency for countries in the Gulf to lead Industry 4.0 and to wean
themselves off of oil-derived revenues and adopt new economic models, not all at once,
but systematically.
82
4.Fortunately, the nature of this threat has been recognized by GCC governments and is
starting to be addressed in the form of national visions, such as Oman’s Vision 2040 and
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Both of these plans state that a sophisticated digital
infrastructure is integral to today’s advanced industrial activities.
5. In November 2019, the UAE took action, becoming the first country in the world to
appoint a dedicated ambassador for the fourth industrial revolution. The ambassador
will be mandated to not only ensure the successful delivery of the government’s
Industry 4.0 program, but also to facilitate greater collaboration between the public
and private sectors, an alliance that will be critical for successfully handling the
complexity and all-encompassing nature of technological change. This alliance will look
at integrating technologies such as block chain, cloud computing and nanotechnology
into society.These developments only deliver value if used in the right way, and there
must be safeguards to ensure that technology is always being used to make a positive
impact and improvement on everyday lives to elevate the human experience.
6.There will also be a big push to help clients train their workforces with the skills needed
for Industry 4.0. Indeed, the Saudi Government’s National Transformation Program has
set out a series of interim goals to be achieved by 2030 that include the creation of over
450,000 jobs in the non-government sector and the strengthening of partnerships with
the private sector to increase the private sector’s contribution to GDP.
5.GCC nations have a clear opportunity to drive forward the next industrial revolution.
The roadmap has been laid out by key decision makers across the region, who have been
among the first in the world to understand and accept what is at stake. The journey is
underway, and while there will undoubtedly be challenges to overcome and disruptions
to manage, the promise of working together for brighter tomorrow should remain a
highly motivating factor for all of us.
Source: Adapted from Pharaon, M. (2020, March 4). Ceo-middleeast.com. CEO MIDDLE EAST. https://www.ceo-
middleeast.com/ceo/business/438054-gcc-countries-must-lead-the-next-industrial-revolution
A. Understanding main ideas.

Choose the appropriate answer – a, b c or d.
1. The main idea of the article is .
a. Technological development will bring huge changes to the GCC countries
and at the same time these countries must rely less on oil exports.
b. Advancements in technology will be both an opportunity and a threat to
the GCC countries so they need to prepare for it.
c. Technological changes will make life better for most people in the GCC
countries both in the government sector and the private sector.
83
d. Some countries in the GCC are more prepared than other countries in the
GCC going forward into new technological societies.
B. Understanding Details
Decide if the following statements are True (T), or False (F), or no information
is given in the text about them (NI). For True and False statements, justify your
answers from the text.
1. Industry 4.0 will have the deepest impact on people and economies compared
to other period of economic growth. T F NI
2. Artificial Intelligence will bypass human abilities in the future generations.
T F NI
3. One of the questions people will need to ask about the future of the workplace
and homes is how to use technology to improve space tourism. T F NI
4. Big firms and corporations can have the answer to the concerns around
Artificial Intelligence. T F NI
C. Write answers to the following questions. Then discuss with a

partner.
5. What is the urgent matter Gulf countries need to consider in order to meet the
coming technical change?
6. How are the Gulf countries addressing the rapid technological changes? Give
examples.
7.Which of the following information is NOT mentioned in paragraph 7?

Choose the appropriate answer ( ) a, b, c or d.
a. workers will be coached with the necessary skills in Industry 4.0.
b. Thousands of jobs will be created in the private sector.
c. The achievement of the interim goals depends on the Saudi
government sector.
d. Cooperation with the private sector will be stressed
8. The phrase “wean themselves off” (paragraph 3, underlined)
means .
a. Stop using something suddenly
b. Reduce using something over time
c. Increase using something over time
d. Use it the same amount in the future as now
9. In paragraph 8, the words “roadmap” and “is underway” (underlined) mean:
a. Streets; has started
b. Plan; has begun
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c. Strategy; will start soon
d. View; will begin soon
TASK 2: Vocabulary Practice .Complete the following text with words from
the table below.Choose A, B, C or D.
The fourth industrial revolution, also referred to as Industry 4.0 is starting to (1)
the way goods are produced and organizations are operating. The rise of new and
advanced digital industrial technology is the main (2)
behind this fourth industrial revolution. The (3) brought by the
new technologies have allowed companies to work alongside machines in new, highly
productive ways. Thousands of companies have had their productivity increased (4)
previous figures. Industry 4.0 is based on
(5) several technologies including big data, Artificial Intelligence, cloud
computing, the Internet of Things, robotics… The use of such technologies combined will
(6) the creation of capabilities that have never been possible before. This is
why a sound digital infrastructure is(7) to today’s
advanced industrial activities.
However, workers, small and medium sized companies have a different perspective
regarding Industry 4.0. They are concerned about the advance of Industry 4.0. They
raise some (8) question about the future of the
workplace and their (9) to the industry, and whether industry
automation will take away jobs and close down their businesses. People are also
concerned about the (10) issues around data protection andprivacy.
Adapted from Schwab, K. (2020, September 22). The fourth industrial revolution: What it means and how to respond. World Economic Forum.
Retrieved December 26, 2021, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the- fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-
how-to-respond/
1. (A) exceed (B) alter (C) facilitate (D) transform
2. (A) integrity (B) ethic (C) factor (D) altercation
3. (A) transformation (B) ethics (C) altercation (D)integrity
4. (A) integrating (B) facilitating (C) altering (D) exceeding
5. (A) exceeding (B) integrating (C) facilitating (D)altering
6. (A) facilitate (B)exceed (C) alter (D) transform
7 (A) fundermental (B) integral (C) ethical (D) altered
8. (A)integral (B) ethical (C) fundermental (D) exceeding
9. (A) ethics (B) facility (C)factor (D)contribution
10. (A)exceeding (B) ethical (C) facilitating (D) altering
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TASK 3:
In small groups, write a paragraph using as many words as you can from the ten
key academic words. Your teacher will inform you how you can share your
paragraph with the class.
Use this link www.skell.sketchengine.eu to learn more about the uses of each
word (examples, collocations & synonyms).
After you read

Consider this excerpt from an article in Oman Observer:
Discuss the question in small groups. Be ready to share your insights with
the class.
How should businesses in Oman prepare for the adoption of the

technologies of the 4th industrial revolution?
You may refer to these links for more information or do your own search:
Sas Center for 4th Industrial Revolution in Oman

https://www.ita.gov.om/ITAPortal/Pages/Page.aspx?NID=2299&PID=8764
Omanuna https://oman.om/wps/portal/index/DigitalOman2030
Digital Oman 2030 https://oman.om/wps/portal/index/DigitalOman2030
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Meaning (Arabic)
1. alter
2.transform
3. exceed
4. fundermental
5.ethical
6. perspective
7.factor
8. facilitate
9. integrate
10.contribution
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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Read the article given below to write a review of the text.

How to create more jobs in a fast-changing Middle East
By Omar Fahoum
Source: 1. https://www.townofirmosc.com/departments/human-resources/
2.https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Future-Fourth-Industrial-Revolution/dp/0241366372
3. https://octantai.com/2020/01/reflections-on-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-insights-for-major-capital-projects/
1.With the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution1 raising expectationsof

efficiency and productivity, along with concerns of constant digital and economic
disruption, no entity can remain competitive with a business as-usual approach.
Global conditions are transforming so fast that it will be necessary to takeaction. This
applies to governments as well.
2.For countries in the Middle East, this is a challenge. As the largest employer for a
growing and youthful population, governments face a daunting scenario: efficiency
gains through automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will undoubtedly enhance
their competitiveness on the world stage; however, it will likely result in the
potential shrinking3 of the government workforce, with negative employment
consequences for a key segment of the population.
1The Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to a series of social, political, cultural, and
economic changes that will unfold over the 21st century due to the widespread
availability of digital technologies. These technologies, such as artificial intelligence,
genome editing, augmented reality, robotics, and 3-D printing, are rapidly changing
the way humans create, exchange, and distribute value and information.
2 The public sector refers to organizations that are owned and operated by the
government. 3 Decreasing in size 4 Bigger than it needs to be 5 Refers to a situation

in which investors pull their money out of a countr
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The employer of choice
3.While artificially intelligent robots may not be coming into the Middle Eastern job
market just yet, countries in the region are starting to deal with the challengesof
automation and innovation brought on by the current global industrial revolution.
Technology is rapidly pervading every aspect of the region’s business landscape,
from automated immigration clearances to banking services, compliance and media
programming. Every sector in the economy is being affected by this.
4.The difference in the Middle Eastern business landscape compared to other regions
is the role the public sector plays in the workforce. Government is by far the region’s
main employer. Two thirds of Saudi workers are employed by the public sector, and
Jordan’s public sector employs 55% of workers. These are two of the highest ratios
in the world.
5.But as countries are increasingly rated on the efficiency of doing business, an
inflated4 public sector is no longer an option if states wish to compete, among
themselves and for foreign direct investment, as well as avoid capital flight5. And just
as with private entities, governments are now under pressure to become more
efficient by using Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as AI and
automation.
6.That could mean fewer jobs. Consider what kinds of jobs are at a high risk for
automation according to an Oxford University study: data entry, account clerks,
inspectors, tax preparers, accountants, and title searchers. The study names a range
of office work, of the type often used in the public sector.
7.Adding to this is the growing population of young people now entering the
workforce, and the pressure on the public sector will only increase. According to
the International Monetary Fund, about five million workers are entering the Middle
East job market annually. And the percentage of the population under the age of 25
ranges from 25% in Qatar to 50% in Oman.
Pivoting to the private sector
8.Clearly, governments in the Middle East must start finding ways to employ their
workforce other than by public sector hiring. But recent efforts at nationalizingthe
workforce by instituting quotas on domestic hiring may potentially harm national
and foreign businesses alike. And again, while this may offer a short-term solution, it
does nothing to reduce a bloated6 public sector or address the impact of efficiency
gains on the number of government jobs.
9.A more promising long-term solution is to encourage workers to seek out
employment in the private sector7. But as governments turn to the private sector,
striking the right balance is key as challenges in this changing business landscape are
many.
10. Educating and upskilling the population is one of these challenges. To pivot
successfully to the private sector, education will need not only to emphasize
innovation and the right skills for an automated future, it will also need to highlight
the advantages of private sector work. Career advancement, creativity, rewards for
inventiveness, and the potential to make more money are all possibilitiesin the private
sector that can counteract the perceived stability of public sector work.
11. Another challenge is for governments to keep up to speed with technological
innovation so that the private sector can create the jobs needed. The
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fact that technological advancement is outpacing the promulgation of laws and
regulations to govern it is a universal issue, but is even more pronounced in the
Middle East. One example is data protection. Current rules that ban enterprise
information and data from leaving the physical boundaries of a country are just not
tenable when information is stored in the cloud. Businesses need to be able to
operate on a transregional and global scale without being limited by outdated rules
and regulations.
Ready to rebalance
12. None of this is to say that the Middle East is not eager to capitalize on advanced
technologies. Dubai’s government recently announced its intention to be the world’s
first blockchain8-powered government by 2020. Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia and
mega-projects such as Neom and Al Qiddiya also point to the fact that theregion is
gearing up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Oman Vision 2040 also looks into
how youth across the local communities can be provided employment opportunities
in the private sector and the public sector, along with encouraging entrepreneurship.
13. But any next steps in this technological journey must include a focus on how
to balance the adoption of innovative technology and the overall welfare of the
citizenry. With one of the youngest populations in the world looking for jobs, the
region can’t afford not to.
Adapted from Fahoum, O. (2 April, 2019). How to create more jobs in a fast-changing Middle East. World Economic
Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/create-jobs-middle-east-fast-changing-business-landscape/ and
Notes:
6 Toolarge and inefficient
7 All
businesses that are not owned or operated by the government (small businesses and
private companies)
8A blockchain is a database that is shared across a network of computers. It is a record of
economic transactions that can be programmed to record not just financial transactions
but virtually everything of value. The main purpose of the blockchain is to allow fast, secure
and transparent peer-to-peer transactions. It is a trusted, decentralized network that
allows for the transfer of digital values such as currency and data.
Writing Task:
Please remember to include 4 paragraphs as you did in unit 4, add a title and references if
Use the editor’s checklist to check and edit your writing before you submit for feedback to
your teacher.
90
Content
Critical analysis: Does the paper completely evaluate claims and points of view of the
author?
paragraph?
91
Unit 7
Artificial Intelligence in Economics

 read about AI in economics
 make inferences
Before you read:
A, Discuss the questions in small groups.
4. What is artificial intelligence (AI)? How much do you know about Artificial
Intelligence?
2. Have you dealt with AI at any point in your life? Give examples.
Watch this video to confirm or correct what you spoke about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=056v4OxKwlI
B. Academic vocabulary: Guessing meaning from context.
Find the academic words in bold in the reading passage. Which words are familiar to you.
In small groups. Check whether you know the same words.
Use the context to help you understand the meaning of the new words.
Then write each word (1-10) in the provided space to match its
synonym(s).
1 (adv) eventually/ afterwards

2 (adv) roughly/ around
3 (n) proof/ affirmation
4 (n) application/ execution
5 (v) showed/ displayed
6 (n) size/ extent
7 (adj) present/ contemporary
8 (v) approximate/ judge
9 (n) change/ transformation
10 (adj) significant/ substantial
C. Predicting
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a. Look at the title of the text. What relation between AI and the world economy will the article
discuss?
b. Write one question or more that you want the article to answer.
Now read the article and find out whether your prediction was right. Check if there are
answers to your questions in the article.
Reading Text: Artificial Intelligence and the World Economy
Source: 1.https://towardsdatascience.com/artificial-intelligence-is-going-to-change-the-future-8107b2122d60
2. https://www.analyticsinsight.net/what-is-the-scope-of-artificial-intelligence-in-our-daily-lives/
1. According to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute on the impact of AI on

the world economy, Artificial Intelligence has the potential to gradually add 16
percent or around $13 trillion by 2030 to current global economic output. There will
likely be an annual average contribution to productivity growth of about 1.2 percent
between now and 2030.
2. The McKinsey report is based on simulation models of the impact of AI at the
country, sector, company and worker levels. It looked at their adoption of five broad
categories of AI technologies. These comprise computer vision, natural language,
virtual assistants, robotic process automation, and advanced machine learning. Data
sources included survey data from approximately 3,000 firms in 14 different sectors
and economic data from several organizations including the United Nations, theWorld
Bank and the World Economic Forum.
3. The McKinsey report offers evidence that AI will deliver big economic
opportunities for those companies and workers best positioned. Key findings of the
report show that several factors will significantly impact such AI-driven economic
changes. AI could lead to a gross GDP growth of around 26 percent or $22 trillion by
2030. The major contributors to this figure are the automation of labor, which could
add up to 11 percent or around $9 trillion to global GDP by 2030. Additionally,
innovations in products and services, could increase GDP by about 7 percent or
around $6 trillion by 2030.
4. However, in addition to its economic benefits, AI will also lead to significant
disruptions for workers, companies and economies. There will likely be considerable
costs associated with managing labor-market transitions, especially for workers being
left behind by AI technologies. This could reduce the gross impact of AI by around 10%,
leading to the net GDP increase of 16 percent or $13 trillion by 2030.
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5. The economic impact may appear gradually and be visible only over time.
McKinsey’s models demonstrated that AI marketplace adoption will likely follow a
typical S curve pattern with a slow start in the early stages. This will be followed by a
rapid growth as the technology matures and firms learn how to best use it.
Subsequently, it will decrease in the technology’s late stages. In the case of AI, the
contributions to growth are likely to be 3 to 5 times higher by 2030 than between now
and 2023.
6. Over time, AI will become a historical transformative technology. But other than
a relatively small number of leading-edge firms, we’re still in the early stages of AI’s
implementation. Considerable innovations and investments are required for its wider
implementation in robotics, self-driving cars, truly intelligent personal assistants, and
advanced applications like smart health care.
7. AI adoption could widen gaps between countries, companies, and workers. Best
positioned, of course are China and the US, the two countries are currently responsible
for most AI-related activities. Developed economies, such as those in Germany Japan
and Canada, and smaller globally economies like Sweden, Singapore and Finland are
well positioned to capture the benefits of AI. They are also highly motivated to do so
due to their slow productivity growth. Economies with moderate foundations -- like
India, Italy, and Malaysia--may fall behind the leaders, but they have strengths in
specific areas around which they may be able to build their AI capabilities. But
developing economies, which have relatively underdeveloped foundations in
investment capacity, digital infrastructure and talent risk falling further behind.
8. Adoption rates among firms generally fall into three main categories:
 Front-runners. Early adopters, about 10 percent of companies, will dramatically
benefit by adopting a broad set of AI technologies and applications over the next
5 to 7 years. As a result, they will gain a lot of profit in their respective industries.
 Followers. This group, 20 to 30 percent of firms, are slowly adopting AI, having
seen the benefits enjoyed by front-runners as well as the competitive threats of
falling behind.
 Laggards. This final group, 60 to 70 percent of firms, are not seriously investing
in AI, if at all. Capability issues may prevent such companies from adopting AI.
9. In addition, AI will lead to large shifts in the demand for skills, potentially
widening the gaps between workers. The report estimates that “up to 375 million
workers, or 14 percent of the global workforce, may need to change occupations - and
virtually all workers may need to adapt to work alongside machines in new ways.”
While some workers are at risk of being replaced by machines, there could be a shortage
of workers whose value is greatly increased by working alongside machines. “Overall,
the picture that emerges is one of rising wage and employment opportunity inequality…
groups with superior skill sets may capture a disproportionate share of gains.”
10. “The economic impact of AI is likely to be large, comparing well with other
general-purpose technologies in history,” notes the report in conclusion. “At the same
time, there is a risk that a widening AI divide could open between those who move
quickly to embrace these technologies and those who do not adopt them, and between
workers who have the skills that match demand in the AI era and those who don’t. The
benefits of AI are likely to be distributed unequally, and if the development and
deployment of these technologies are not handled effectively, inequality could deepen,
fueling conflict within societies
Source: Adapted from Wladawsky-Berger, I. (2018, November 16). The impact of artificial intelligence on the world economy.
WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-on-the-world-economy-1542398991
94
1. What do you think the passage is about? Check your idea against the options below.
a. The purpose of Artificial Intelligence

b. The differences between countries in Artificial Intelligence
adoption
c. The impact of AI on workers and the potential loss of jobs
d. The influence of Artificial on the global economy
B. Understanding Details
Decide if the following statements are True (T), or False (F), or no information is
given in the text about them (NI). For True and False statements, justify your
answers from the text.
1. The McKinsey report is built on real models. T F NI
2. Little information is used to develop the report T F NI

3. The report proves that AI will increase the revenues of companies and
workers by 26% in 2030. T F NI
4. The automation of labor is the main drive behind the increase in the
world GDP T F NI
Write answers to the following questions. Then discuss with a

partner.
5. What is the downside of managing labour-market transition on the

progress of AI?
6. How does the report describe the adoption of AI by the marketplace?
7. Why does the author feel that AI is still in its early stages? What is
required for AI take off?
8. Write the description that matches each of the figures below.
a. 375 million:
b. 26%:
c. 60% - 70%:
d. $13 trillion:
9.Which of the following information is NOT mentioned in paragraph 9?
a. Some workers will change jobs.
b. Some workers will be substituted.
c. Some workers will be more important than others.
d. Some workers will gain some of the shares of the companies.
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10. The phrase “left behind” (paragraph 4) means .
a. remain at a lower level than others
b. get coached for new skills
c. leave work
d. transition to different work
11. In paragraph 10, the phrase “fueling conflict” means .

a. create a conflict
b. solve a conflict
c. make a conflict become worse or more intense
d. avoid a conflict
TASK 2: Vocabulary practice
Complete the following text with words from the table below. Choose A, B, C or D.
A question that has been baffling scientific minds since the 1950s is what constitutes ‘thinking’
and ‘intelligence’ with regards to machines. The explanation is still quite tricky; however, it has
been deduced that a machine is artificially intelligent if it has the (1) to process queries
the way humans generally do while (2) a certain level of intelligence. This intelligence
requires (3) knowledge which is attained through learning.
AI is (4) used in many fields such as healthcare and sports analytics and activities.
There is also (5) that it is under process to get fully (6) and launched in other
domains in the upcoming years.
With regards to economy, the revolution instigated by AI is not at its beginning, but it is (7)
that its impact is still yet to come. Even now, it has (8) altered all the ways
companies operate and affects economic growth in various ways too. AI can (9) __________ increase
the productivity of companies multi-fold and (10) companies management with an
effectively centralized system which will help them better handle multiple production units,
predict consumer demand, and improve the accuracy of delivery systems.
Adapted from Jalil, M. (2022, March 8). The Impact of artificial intelligence on the global economy. Lucrative. Retrieved
March 13, 2022, from https://www.lucrative.ai/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-on-the-global-economy/
1. (A) innovation (B) capacity (C) approximation (D) currency
2. (A) implementing (B) innovating (C) demonstrating (D) estimating
3. (A) considerable (B) estimated (C) approximate (D) demonstrated
4. (A)approximately (B) currently (C) subsequently (D) innovatively
5. (A) estimation (B) innovation (C)demonstration (D) evidence
6. (A) innovated (B) estimated (C) implemented (D) approximated
7 (A) estimated (B) innovated (C) approximated (D) implemented
8. (A) subsequently (B) currently (C) innovatively (D) approximately
9. (A) innovatively (B)approximately (C) currently (D) subsequently
10. (A) approximate (B) innovate (C) implement (D) estimate
96
After you read
Consider the opinions about the future of the world with the advance of AI then discuss the
questions in small groups.
1. “There is no reason and no way that a human mind can keep up with an artificial intelligence
machine by 2035.” —Gray Scott
2. “Artificial intelligence will reach human levels by around 2029. Follow that out further to,
say, 2045, we will have multiplied the intelligence, the human biological machine intelligence of
our civilization a billion-fold.” —Ray Kurzweil
3. “Some people call this artificial intelligence, but the reality is this technology will enhance us.
So instead of artificial intelligence, I think we'll augment our intelligence.” —Ginni Rometty
4. “The pace of progress in artificial intelligence is incredibly fast. Unless you have direct
exposure to groups like Deepmind, you have no idea how fast—it is growing at a pace close to
exponential. The risk of something seriously dangerous happening is in the five-year
timeframe. 10 years at most.” —Elon Musk
5. “Artificial intelligence would be the ultimate version of Google. The ultimate search engine
that would understand everything on the web. It would understand exactly what you wanted,
and it would give you the right thing. We're nowhere near doing that now. However, we can get
incrementally closer to that, and that is basically what we work on.” —Larry Page
Marr, B. (2021, December 10). 28 best quotes about artificial intelligence. Forbes. Retrieved March 12, 2022, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/07/25/28-best-quotes-about-artificial-
intelligence/?sh=318f75084a6f
1. Which opinions sound positive and which ones seem to be negative?
2. Which ones do you agree with? Why?
3. How do you see the future with AI being implemented everywhere?
97
Meaning (Arabic)
1. current
2. approximately
3. innovations
4. considerable
5. demonstrate
6. subsequently
7. implementation
8. capacity
9. estimate
10. evidence
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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Read the article given below to write a review of the text.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Business

By Ben Eubanks
While the changes that AI could bring are not yet fully understood, we know it has the capacity to
change work as the world knows it.
Source: 1 https://www.flickr.com/photos/189311489@N08/50880250011/in/photolist
2 https://techstoryin/how_to_leverage_the_growing_potential_of_enterprise_ai/
The impact of artificial intelligence in business contexts isn't always clear-cut or easy to
understand. However, today's business leaders should know a few things in order to be conversant
on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). What's the basic premise of AI, and how does it work? How
will AI impact jobs and workers? What skills will be needed in an automated workplace?
The Basics of Artificial Intelligence

AI is a term that encompasses multiple types of computerized programs. In fact, someone talking
about AI can be discussing anything from facial recognition tools powered by neural networks to
machine learning that predicts the best word to use in a subject line to improve email open rates.
According to an article on Talent Tech Labs, "To be true AI, the technology must first learn from
known inputs, then derive additional layers of abstraction to reach predictions that refines itself as
the machine learns."
There are a few key areas of artificial intelligence worth understanding that fall under that broader
category. The two types of AI technology most applicable to the business field today include:
 Machine Learning — a type of AI that provides computers with the ability to learn without being
explicitly programmed. It works by examining large volumes of data and uses patterns in that data
to improve a program's understanding and resulting predictions. An example of this is your favorite
video streaming service being able to predict what movies you will enjoy based on your previous
views and activity.
 Natural Language Processing — technology that reads, understands and responds to

conversational language. An example is a chat bot. It's valuable because it can extract data from
ambiguous, unstructured data sets like conversations. Elements such as context and tone can also
be interpreted by the computer. Common applications of this software today include translation
and speech recognition.
The innovative algorithms that run these underlying technologies can be applied to numerous use
cases, both consumer and business focused. These technologies could change the workplace as we
know it.
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How Artificial Intelligence in Business Affects Jobs
A LinkedIn article points out the highly dynamic nature of the U.S. jobs market: "Finally, while 3.5
million jobs sound like a lot to lose, there are almost that many layoffs every two months in the
United States, and another six million or so people voluntarily leaving their jobs. The American
economy is both huge and dynamic; large numbers of jobs are lost all the time, and even more are
created."
There is no shortage of headlines about robots taking jobs. However, while there may be some jobs
that are changed or eliminated, others will be created or enhanced. And while some of that creative
destruction of jobs may be true, it's also true that history provides examples of how labor and work
change when new technologies are introduced.
Consider Google, Bing and other search engines. Prior to these tools being available, there was no
way to easily find information on the internet. Today, these are essential technologies and new jobs
have been created to support this shift. Search engine optimization has risen as a specific career
discipline used to design more search-friendly websites, even though this job didn't even exist 20
years ago.
We don't know how AI will ultimately impact all jobs, but it's logical to look at more routine jobs
that can be mechanized as low-hanging fruit. This could mean anything from data analysis to
manufacturing, but algorithms can target any task that is repetitive.
Skills That Matter in an Al-Driven Workplace

According to Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds of Americans say computers will take over
the work of humans, but paradoxically, 80 percent of Americans say it wouldn't affect their own
jobs. People think their work is immune to this technological advance, but it simply can't be true
that all jobs are going to remain unchanged by these new tools.
Hiring, engaging and retaining a skilled workforce is an essentially human process. While there is
incredible value to having tools — whether artificially intelligent or not — involved in the
workflow, there's also value to personal connection and the human touch. For example, when you
have a problem with your power, cell service or home internet connection, would you rather be
directed to an automated message or speak to a human?
The same is true for candidates and employees — they need human interaction, even if it's
augmented by technology. Historically, changes in technologies lead to changes in skills and
competencies. The following five skills could become increasingly valuable as more and more work
is automated:
 Dealing with ambiguity
 Understanding the emotions of others
 Leveraging credible expertise
 Determining reliability of information sources
 Influencing others
Overall, the important message to gather is this: while the changes that AI could bring are not yet
fully understood, we know it has the capacity to change work as the world knows it. By
understanding some of the areas of impact and ensuring the right skills are prioritized in your
employees, you can maintain a proper balance of relying on machines and algorithms to handle
some tasks while keeping the "human" element alive in your workforce.
Source: Eubanks, B (n.d) The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in BusinessRetrieved from

https://www.adp.com/spark/articles/2019/01/the-impact-of-artificial-intelligence-in-business.aspx
100
Writing Task:
Please remember to include 4 paragraphs as you did in unit 4, add a title and references if
Use the editor’s checklist in unit 4 to check and edit your writing. Then write a second
draft.
After you finish writing your first draft, use the editing checklist below to edit
yourwriting before you submit for feedback from teacher.
Content
Critical analysis: Does the paper completely evaluate claims and points of view of
theauthor?
Does the paper give a fully supported and logically supported
answer?Is your opinion clearly provided?
Organization: Are your ideas synthesized and organized in an excellent flow of
oneparagraph?
Is the information in the article well
paraphrased?Is there a variety of vocabulary?
Is there an accurate use of punctuation and capitalizat
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Problem Based
Learning
Figure 1 problem based learning [digital image] (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://presentlygifted.weebly.com/problem-based-learning.html
102
Problem Based Learning (PBL)
Social Entrepreneurship through the Proposal of a Charity outside Oman
PBL Content
Introduction
What is social entrepreneurship?
Project guidelines and students’ reflections on previous project experiences, including
challenging aspects
Unit 1: Research and brainstorming

Defining the problem related to any humanitarian problem in any country in the world;
determining what you know about the problem (background knowledge about the country
and the humanitarian problem) and what you need to learn more about (topics for research,
e.g. history, location, political, social, economic, technological aspects, etc.), and where you
need to look to find relevant information). Here, students write the problem as a statement
or research question; select a country where the proposed charity will be based; decide upon
group roles, and assign responsibilities for researching the topic.
Unit 2: Explaining the charity

Identifying and explaining the key characteristics of the charity, describing a current
example of the charity
Students do exercises in the book that compare profit and non-profit organization,
focusing on how charities are organized and run
Unit 3: Setting up the charity

How to set up a charity, how to write mission and vision statements, how to design a logo,
how to design a website, how to develop the organizational structure of the charity, how to
raise funds, and how to make the charity sustainable, are the important aspects covered.
Here, students set up an organizational structure for their charity. They discuss the posts
and skills they need to hold those posts. They also create a flow chart of the organization
that explains the roles of the members briefly. Students also discuss sources of Funding/
Sponsorship / Advertising. They make a table showing the funds raised, the money
needed for the expected expenditure followed by a graph. Students discuss the strengths,
the opportunities, the weaknesses, the threats (SWOT Analysis) and any political,
economic, social, or technological factors (PEST Analysis) that might affect the charity
positively or negatively, and identify the significance of the project, focus on formulating
the conclusion, and give recommendations.
Unit 4: Reporting about the charity

Reporting about the proposed charity
o how to make an effective
presentation o how to write a report
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PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (PBL) LANC2070 COMPONENT
The general objective of English for Business III

(LANC2070) course is to further develop
students’ skills for academic studies in the
College of Economics and Political Science. The
course consists of two components: a business
case studies’ component, and a PBL component
that emphasizes the use of task-based problems
from the disciplines related to business studies
to engage students in active and
multidisciplinary learning.
Through problem-based learning (PBL), students learn how to solve problems that are ill
structured and open-ended, and to apply knowledge in an authentic manner.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
 Demonstrate evidence of reading business texts with comprehension
o Explain the key characteristics of a non-profit organization such as a

charity and describe a current example of a charity
 Explain fundraising methods
 Use technology meaningfully to complete PBL tasks
 Apply learning to develop solutions and present findings
o Demonstrate evidence of identifying and using strategies for effective

presentations Demonstrate evidence of identifying and using strategies for
effective report writing Demonstrate confidence and responsibility as learners
INTRODUCTION
PBL scenario and tasks
PBL guiding points
PBL assessment
Group setting and team building
Reflections on previous team work and

project work experiences
Problem-based learning exposes students to real-world challenges, higher order thinking skills,
interdisciplinary learning, independent learning, information mining skills, team work and
communication. In problem-based learning, students work together, discuss, compare, review and
debate what they have learned. The main principles of PBL in the context of the LANC2070
course include:
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collaborative learning that involves groups of students working together to solve a
problem, complete a task, or create a product
constructive learning that suggests constructing knowledge and meaning from
experiences
contextual learning that involves making learning meaningful to students through its
connection to the real world. It draws upon students' diverse skills, interests, experiences,
and cultures and integrates these into what and how students learn and how they are
assessed.
self-directed learning refers to a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or
without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals,
identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing
appropriate learning goals and objectives.
During the PBL classes, you will speak, read and write to explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on
your thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences. Since the problem assigned for you to solve is
usually open-ended and does not require a prescribed approach to problem solving, you will
be expected to demonstrate higher order thinking skills. You will also be expected (a) to engage
in collaborative decision-making and team-building; (b) to select, read, and view with
understanding a range of literature, information, media, and visual texts; (c) to use writing and
other forms of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and
experiences; (d) to interact and create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety
of forms for a range of situations; (e) communicate information and ideas effectively and
clearly, and respond personally and critically.
Figure 2 Problem Based Learning [digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/vevallejos1/problem-based-learning-37420906
105
The PBL Assignment
Similar to previous English for Business LANC courses, in the LANC2070 course the content of the
PBL component is introduced in the context of complex real-world problems. These are
researched through an open-ended real life scenario. You will work in small groups of three to four
members to discuss the problem scenario and work on your charity proposal. Your teacher will
guide you by asking you to define and analyze the problem, generate ideas and identify learning
issues to help solve the problem.
The problem scenario in LANC2070 pertains to setting up a charity in a country outside Oman with
a group of peers who share a passion for a similar cause. You will be asked to make a presentation
of your charity and write an academic report.
PBL scenario and tasks
1. Scenario: In small groups, play the roles of enthusiastic Omanis who want to set up a
charity that will address some humanitarian issues in a country outside Oman. Focus on
issues and matters of importance to you.
2. Your tasks: You are to deliver a presentation about your charity and write a report
presenting the PEST analysis of the country where your charity will operate, the
organizational structure of your charity, fundraising acts and other related financial
issues, and SWOT analysis.
3. Your mini-tasks: Create a WhatsApp group for communication of the team members,
contribute two annotated articles (per student) to the project report, deliver a mini- and
final- group presentation about your charity, design a website of your charity, and
provide individual reflections on the Moodle platform.
Figure 3 Problem based learning. [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.emaze.com
106
PBL guiding points
Rationale: The aim of the proposed charity is to address a current humanitarian need. As well,
the charity should eventually be able to raise its own funds and be sustainable.
1. State the humanitarian problem, illustrate this problem by providing some

facts/statistics, and then state your suggested solution.
2. Select a country where your charity will be based. Explain why you chose this country.
3. Have a clear Vision Statement and a Mission Statement.
4. Develop a name and a logo for your organization. Explain your choices.
5. Research the background of the country where your charity will be based – show a map
of this country, give some demographics, provide some relevant facts, and briefly
discuss some key features of the country.
6. Set up an organizational structure for your charity. Focus on the roles of the group
members and skills they need to hold different posts in your charity; prepare the flow
chart that explains your charity’s organizational structure.
7. Brainstorm the sources of fundraising. Make a table showing the funds to be raised.
Make another table showing the money needed for the proposed expenses. Make two
graphs visually communicating information about the funds raised and the money
needed for the expected expenditures. You must give captions and explain the table
and the graphs in words.
8. Develop an official website of your charity to market it for fundraising.
9. Discuss political, economic, social and technological (PEST) factors of the country and
the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the proposed charity.
Here you are using the higher order cognitive skills of analyzing, evaluating and
applying.
10. Identify the significance of your charity.
11. Formulate your conclusion.
12. Focus on the weaknesses, the threats and any political, social, economic, or
technological factors that might affect the charity negatively, and give
recommendations for its sustainable future.
13. Prepare the report following the requirements of APA citation style.
14. Provide appendices in your report (include a map, presentation slides, and a screenshot
of the charity’s website).
15. Prepare a presentation that illustrates your work, and explains the charity proposal to
the audience.
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UNIT 1: RESEARCH AND BRAINSTORMING
Defining the problem related to a humanitarian problem in

any country in the world

Determining what you know about the problem
(background knowledge about the country and the
humanitarian problem) and what you need to learn more
about (topics for research, e.g. history, location, political,
social, economic, technological aspects, etc.), and where
you need to look to find data)

Writing the problem as a statement or research question
Selecting a country where the charity will be based
Deciding upon group roles
Assigning responsibilities for researching the topic
Finding research articles about the country
Task 1: (a) Read the following article entitled Humanitarian Crisis5

The United Nations (UN) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945.
It has issued a plea to all nations to help avoid "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator,
Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people face the threat of starvation and famine in
Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there was an urgent need for,
"accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian action on the ground". Mr. O'Brien told the UN
Security Council: "We stand at a critical point in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are
facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the UN."
The UN warned of a bleak future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said:
"Without collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk starving to death and succumbing
to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed development
gains." While the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the
problems fueling the crisis are man-made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries
and are hampering efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid convoys being attacked. Mr.
O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these looming human
catastrophes. It is all preventable."
5 Breaking News English. (n.d.). World faces biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. Retrieved May 8, 2018, from
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1703/170313-humanitarian-crisis.html
108
(b) In pairs / groups, talk about these words from the article. What do these words mean in
the article? What do these words mean to you personally?
humanitarian / crisis / plea / catastrophe / starvation / global action / bleak future /
disease conflicts / aid convoys / famine / relief efforts
(c) Who is responsible for helping the victims of this crisis? How much responsibility do they
have? What should they do? Complete this table with your partner. Discuss with the members
of your group and share your findings with the class.
How much responsibility? What should they do?

The UN
The World Bank
Your country
You
Billionaires
Big business
Task 2: (a) Look in your dictionary to find collocates, synonyms, and additional information for
these words:

humanitarian

crisis
(b) Share your findings with your group members.

(c) Make questions using the words you found, and ask your partner / group these questions.
109
(d) In small groups, spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with
the word "catastrophe". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together,
put the words into different categories.
(e) Rank the following items from most important to least important in terms of what crisis
victims need. Share with your partner.
 seeds  blankets
 livestock  Internet
 a water well  money
 protection  tents
(f) Punctuate this text using capital letters, commas and full stops.
to its initial goals of safeguarding peace protecting human rights establishing the framework for
international justice and promoting economic and social progress in the seven decades since its
creation the united nations has added on new challenges such as climate change refugees and
ageing while conflict resolution and peacekeeping continue to be among its most visible efforts
the UN along with its specialized agencies is also engaged in a wide array of activities to improve
people’s lives around the world from disaster relief through education and advancement of
women to peaceful uses of atomic energy
110
Task 3: (a) Study the table “Phases of the problem solving process”
Figure 4 Phases of the problem solving process [digital image]. (2012, February 3). Retrieved from http://www.click4it.org/index.php/Problem-
Based_Learning_ (PBL)
(b) In small groups, brainstorm a problem in the real world which is humanitarian in nature.
Determine what you know about the problem (background knowledge), what you need to learn
more about (topics to research), and where you need to look to find data (databases, interviews,
etc.).
111
What we know What we do not know and must research
(c) Define the problem to tailor it to the idea of a charity. Write the problem as a statement or
research question.
Task 4: In your groups, brainstorm and select a country where your charity will be based.
Determine what you know about the country of your choice (background knowledge), what you
need to learn more about (topics to research), and where you need to look to find data (databases,
interviews, etc.). Make a template like this:
Background knowledge Topics to research Sources
Task 5: Decide upon group roles and assign responsibility for researching topics necessary for you
to fully understand your problem and the country where your charity will be based.
Name Role/Task
Task 6: Find resources to develop background knowledge that informs your understanding of a
problem and the country where your charity will be based. Choose two articles, highlight and
annotate them.
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UNIT 2: Explaining the charity

Identifying and explaining the key
characteristics of the charity

Describing a current example of the
charity

Comparing profit and non-profit
organizations

Focusing on how charities are organized and
run
N.B.: As the topic for the PBL assignment is based on a charity which is a non-profit organization,
this unit will explain the charity and how to identify differences between for-profit and non-profit
organizations to better understand how effective charities are organized, operated, and to see
what possible consequences can arise.
Figure 5 non-profit organizations [digital image] (n.d.) Retrieved from https://dlmedia.com/dl-media-now-offers-nonprofit-organizations-google-

grants-program-package/
113
Task 1: Fill in the blanks with the words given at the bottom of the table.
FEATURES FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Deal with sales and credit Generate income through

INCOME arrangements …………………………donations and
Generate profit for owners grants from people, governments
(… ................. and employers) and and organizations
employees Income channeled into programs and
………………channeled into services to meet unmet ……………
the business to make a among people and the natural world.
profit
Pay various taxes Tax……………………….

TAX (BUT given tax rebates and
incentives for donations to
NPOs)
Owners liable for debt Founders not liable for
…………………. Organizational ……………….
To maximize profit by To maximize benefits for their

PURPOSE of meeting demand through service or recipients who have under-
ORGANISATION ……………… industries met/unmet needs =
………………………..aims
Local, national, The needy and those in danger,

DEMOGRAPHIC international; also community .............. (Places of
GROUPS all income groups in the …………..….. worship, museums, etc.)
chain, consumers Aid is …………………….
Employees earn salaries; A few employees earn salaries;

HUMAN have...................... tasks many employees are volunteers
RESOURCES Must adapt to multi-tasking and
shifting of …………………..
manufacturing uplift income needs humanitarian liability exemption

shareholders skill-sets supply specialized non-partisan fundraising debt
114
Task 2: Read and discuss the significance of
the following article Bad Charity. The countries that have
collected the most development aid are
also the ones that are in the worst shape.
Bad Despite the billions that have poured in to
Charity? Africa, the continent remains poor.
1. In the history of foreign aid, it looked pretty James Shikwati

harmless: a young American businessman
decided to collect a million shirts and send 4. Sadler has never visited Africa or worked on a
them to poor people in Africa. Jason Sadler foreign aid project. To his critics, his idea
just wanted to help. He thought he'd start seemed naive with its exhortation, "Share the
with all the leftover T-shirts from his wealth, share your shirts — we're going to
advertising company, I Wear Your Shirt. But change the world." Millions of Africans who
Sadler received criticism from a group of have no trouble getting shirts, and who never
foreign aid bloggers, which he didn’t asked Sadler for a handout, might object to the
understand at first. idea that giving them more clothes will change
the world. Stung from watching people donate
2. "I have thick skin, I don't mind, but it's just the old, useless stuff after the tsunami and
way they responded — it was just, 'You're an earthquake, aid workers got angry. "I'm sorry
idiot, here's another stupid idea, I hope this to be so unkind to someone who has good
fails,' “Sadler, 27, tells TIME. “It really was intentions, but you don't get a reward just for
offensive because all I'm trying to do is trying having good intentions. You have to do things
to make something good happen and that make sense," says William Easterly, an
motivate people to get off the couch and do author and New York University economics
something to help.” professor who is a leading critic of bad aid. "If a
surgeon is about to operate on me, I'm not all
that interested in whether he has good
intentions. I'm much more interested in
whether he knows what he's doing. People
have a double standard about aid."
5. But why gang up on a guy who just wants to

help clothe people in Africa? First, because it's
not that hard to get shirts in Africa. Flooding
3. Little did Sadler know he had stumbled into a the market with free goods could bankrupt the
debate that is raging in the aid world about people who already sell them. Donating
the best and worst ways to deliver charity, or clothing is a sensitive topic in Africa because
whether to give aid at all. He crashed up many countries' textile industries collapsed
against a rather simple theory that returned under the weight of second-hand clothing
to prominence after aid failures following the imports that were introduced in the 1970s and
2004 Asian tsunami and 2010 Haiti 1980s. "First you have destroyed these villages'
earthquake: wanting to do something to help ability to be industrious and produce cotton
is no excuse for not knowing the products, and then you're saying, 'Can I give
consequences of what you're doing. you a T-shirt?' and celebrating about it?" says
James Shikwati, director of the Nairobi-based
Inter Region Economic Network, a think tank.
"It's really like offering poison coated with
sugar."
115
6. People looking to help the poor often think people that have the experience that I
any products that are donated are an effective don't have."
way to help, but it’s not always true, Easterly
says. They're certainly an easy way to inspire
potential donors. There was the boy in Grand
Rapids, Mich., who collected 10,000 teddy
bears for Haiti's earthquake victims.
Soles4Souls.com is sending shoes. "Years of
calm, reasoned discussion do not seem to
have worked," an aid worker who blogs told
TIME Magazine by e-mail. "People are still
collecting shoes, socks, T-shirts, and are
somehow under the delusion that it is helpful.
Sometimes loud shouting down is the only
thing that gets heard." Then there's the
9. There are some critics who argue that all
matter of cost. Money spent shipping toys to
foreign aid — whether from individuals or non-
kids might be better spent providing for more
profits or governments — is keeping Africa
pressing needs. The same goes for T-shirts.
poor. A vast body of research shows that
foreign aid has done little to spur economic
growth in Africa — and may have actually
7. Sadler says he never planned to dump a slowed it down. "The long-term solution is not
million shirts on the market at once. With his aid. It may seem cruel that aid should stop, but
two partners, HELP International and really it should," says Rasna Warah, a Kenyan
WaterIsLife.com, he wanted to send a few newspaper columnist and editor of the book
thousand shirts at a time to orphanages in Missionaries, Mercenaries and Misfits, a call to
Kenya and Uganda that asked for them. arms against aid. "Africa is the greatest
Widows would sell the shirts and make a dumping ground on the planet. Everything is
little money. "We're looking at bringing in dumped here. The sad part is that African
several thousand shirts and it being a year- governments don't say no
long process of distribution," says Ken
— in fact, they say, 'Please send us more.'
Surritte, founder of WaterIsLife.com. "The They're abdicating responsibility for their
goal is not to hurt the economy in these own citizens.”
areas but to be an asset and to be a blessing
to these people that otherwise wouldn't
have jobs." Adapted from Wadhams, N. (2010, May 12).
Bad Charity? (All I got was this lousy t-shirt).
Time. Retrieved September 5, 2016, from
8. Sadler has proven flexible: he says he is http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8
listening to his critics and no longer plans to 599,1987628,00
send the shirts to Africa. He says he will find
another way to use the T-shirts he collects,
possibly for disaster relief, giving them to Discussion Questions
homeless shelters or using them to create
1. Identify and explain the problem with
other goods. He says any profits would then giving aid to developing countries.
"go back to the company's goal of helping
foster sustainability." And judging by the
response on the internet, he's getting a lot of 2. What are your suggestions to solve this
donations. "I've now listened to a lot of these problem?
people," he says. "I want to change this thing
into something that's better, that's more
helpful and that listens to the
116
Task 3: Answer the questions and discuss in your group:
1. What is a non-profit organization?
2. What is the aim of a non-profit organization?
3. What is the structure of a non-profit organization?
4. What are the characteristics and qualities that make an effective non-profit organization?
5. What is a mission statement?
6. What should an overall plan of the charity indicate?
7. What kind of support can be offered to charities?
117
Choose the best word for each blank.
A B C D
1 charity firm business sponsor
2 remark feedback relief recommendation
3 personal commercial philanthropic political
4 charitable commercial political for profit
5 directors volunteers students women
6 simple mission spoken written
7 media directors public shareholders
8 purpose vision budget business
9 fundraising business arrangements technical
10 viable impossible easy kind
11 resources roots sources obstacles
12 work advertisements events contributions
13 events meetings seminars conferences
14 ignore diversify impose give
15 stakeholders shareholders directors beneficiaries
16 children students beneficiaries women
17 expenses expenditure savings budget
Effective Charities
A non-profit organization that raises money from the public for causes that benefit the society is
called a 1- . Most charitable organizations are launched to offer 2- to the
poor and distressed people. However, others work for health, religious or 3- causes.
Their structure is very different from that of 4- corporations because they include a
number of unpaid positions in which mainly 5- do the work.
A number of distinct characteristics can make a charity more effective. The most important quality
a charity should have is clarity about its purpose. This should be stated in a clear and
understandable 6- statement. This must be communicated to all its stakeholders -
board, staff, donors and the general 7- . Another quality is having an inspirational and
memorable 8- statement. It is a one-sentence statement that describes the long-
term changes that will be achieved through the work done by the charity. The third thing is
developing an overall 9- plan in order to maintain a 10- and financially-
stable organization. The plan must indicate the different 11- of funding. There is a
diverse range of support that could be offered to charities, such as individual or institutional
12- , as well as earned income generated from special 13- . Some of these
could be silent auctions where donated items could be sold. Today, it has become mandatory for
charities to 14- their financial sources of support. Charities must find out how much
and how often these sources are likely to give. In addition, having a dedicated board of
15- is essential to the success of the charity as they make decisions, select the staff
and describe their functions within the charity. Moreover, being visible and making the best impression
on potential donors, volunteers and 16- through advertisement is also vital.
However, most charities might not have a large enough 17- to advertise expensively.
Luckily, social media could be a much cheaper way. There are, of course, other qualities that make a
charity effective. However, clear mission and vision statements, a well-designed fundraising plan, a well-
structured board of directors and not spending too much on advertising are the most fundamental
characteristics that help the charity achieve its purposes and deliver good results.
118
UNIT 3: Setting up a charity

Identifying and explaining how to set up a charity

Discussing the organizational structure of a charity

Explaining sources of funding

Analyzing a variety of factors that will have an impact on the charity

Identifying the significance of the project

Formulating conclusions

Giving recommendations
Figure 6 Charity [digital image]. (Mar. 22, 2017). Retrieved from http://www.wordspring.co.uk/
Task 1: In small groups, identify what you know, and what you don't know and must learn
about a charity to solve a problem.
What we know What we do not know and must research
119
Task 2: Read and discuss the article.
How to Start a Charity6

By Steve Odland
Start by developing your vision and mission.
A vision is an inspiration and aspirational destination on the horizon. It should not include
quantitative measures but descriptions of what you want to create.
The mission is a more concrete description of purpose and intent. It is a clear and concise
expression of the basic purpose of the organization: what it does, for whom, and what the
basic service is. Missions should be complemented with specific, measureable, achievable,
and challenging goals. Also, you should develop a set of values, the beacon by which your
organization will be led.
Next you need a name.
Charities are organizations by design but require philanthropy for support—and people
like to donate to people. So the name of the charity can (1) describe the function of the
organization (e.g., The American Cancer Society), and (2) be named in memory of
specific people but with a mission to help others; this may encourage donations (e.g.,
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, The Jimmy Fund, etc.)
Differentiate your charity.
According to The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) there are over 1.5
million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. Many organizations compete with one
another for funding to support the same cause.
NB: You have to clearly differentiate your organization and hopefully stimulate the same
kind of passion in potential donors to your charity that you have for it yourself.
Write a plan.
What can be in your plan?

your vision statement

Your mission statement

The name of the charity

Your point of differentiation

Your strategies and tactics including fundraising
strategy, operational strategies, budget, etc.
6Adapted from Odland, S. (2012, May 15). How to Start a Charity. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveodland/2012/05/07/how-to-start-a-charity/#7bbf136f5277
120
Start your website.
To create your website you can use different online

tools and services, for example:

Weebly website builder (www.weebly.com) or

Wix free website builder (www.wix.com)
On your website, you can announce your

inspiration, intentions, plan outlines, etc. all on
your website and begin fundraising using the site
as the primary tool. You can also seek contacts for
donations via the site.
Establish an Advisory Board.
Initially this could be a handful of people with significant nonprofit experience (including
financial and fundraising experience) who can help you launch. Ideally they should available
real time as resources to you and should meet more formally weekly or monthly until
operations are established. Once the charity is up and running, the board should be
expanded to include significant donors, potential donors, and people with significant
fundraising contacts. Choose sincere people who will guide you well. Limit the size of the
Board to a maximum of 20 people who volunteer in these positions.
Begin operations. It is recommended that you have cash raised to fund initial capital
requirements and at least a year of operating funds before getting started. Remember to
treat every rial you spend as if it is your last rial. Be frugal. You need to stretch your rials as
far as possible. Also, many organizations forget that spending is supposed to go to the
mission of the organization, not into the pockets of the people who work there.
Keep your spending efficient. While in time you may need to hire professional help, be very
cautious about spending. A rule of thumb is that nonprofits should spend 80%+ on program
expenditures and 20% or less on administration and fundraising. Donors want their money
to go to the actual beneficiaries not the employees.
Be patient.
Hopefully you want to help the maximum number of people possible. But you won’t be able
to help for long unless you engineer your organization for longevity. This means expanding
only at a rate that is supported by your fundraising. Take your time. Every organization
started somewhere but they are what they are through discipline. Survival is key and this
requires patience.
Task 3: In small groups, brainstorm issues related to their charity, including its mission,
vision, organizational structure, financial issues, etc.
121
Task 4: Read and discuss the following article Mission Statement
Mission Statement7
By Susan Ward
A mission statement is a brief description of a company's fundamental purpose. It answers

the question, "Why does our business exist?" The mission statement articulates the
company's purpose both for those in the organization and for the public.
Why is having a Mission Statement Important?
Every business should have a mission statement, both as a way of ensuring that everyone
in the organization is "on the same page" and to serve as a baseline for effective business
planning. Because mission statements are part of a company's public face, they are also
often used in a company's marketing. Businesses always include them on their websites,
for instance, often in the 'About Us' section. Sometimes a company's mission statement
even becomes the core of a business's advertising, such as when the B.C. Credit Unions used
the slogan "people before profits" as the basis of their marketing campaign.
How to Write a Mission Statement:
Here's how to write a mission statement in three easy steps:
Step 1: Describe what you company does.
My company's purpose is to:
Examples: Sell shoes/Provide educational services/Grow market vegetables/Design phone

apps/Provide financial advice/Sell women's clothing
Step 2: Describe how your company does what it does. Here, we're not looking for a detailed
description of your business's physical operations; we're looking for a description of how
your business operates generally. For most people, this means incorporating one ormore of
your core values into your description. So take a moment to think of the core valuesthat are
important to you that are expressed in your business.
E.g. Sample Values
Provide high product quality
Provide superior customer service
Protect the quality of the environment
Ensure equal access to resources
Encourage innovation/creativity
Practice sustainable development
It might be helpful to focus on your business's core competencies when you're considering
which values are worthy of being a part of your mission statement. Once you've decided
7Adapted from Ward, S. (2017, February 27). What Is a Mission Statement (with Mission Statement
Examples). Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/mission-statement-2947996
122
which core values are most important, add one (or two at the most) to your description of
what your company does.
Mission Statement Examples
Here's what the first three example companies used in Step 1 of how to write a
mission statement might look like when you add values to them.
Sell shoes of the highest quality.
Provide educational services that allow all children to experience learning
success.
Grow market vegetables using organic, sustainable farming practices.
Remember, these are not done yet. There's one step to go before your mission
statement is complete.
Step 3: Add why (your company does what it does).
When you write a mission statement, this is the part that describes your spark, or the
passion behind your business. Why does your business do what it does? For some people,
it helps to think back on why they started their business in the first place.
Mission Statement Examples
This is what our three mission statement examples might look like when you add
"why" to them:
Sell shoes of the highest quality so every customer can find a pair of shoes
they actually love to wear.
Provide educational services that allow all children to experience learning
success and become life-long learners and contributing members of our
community.
Grow market vegetables using organic, sustainable farming practices to give
people safe and healthy food choices.
When you're finished, have another look at your mission statement and see if it says
what you want to say or if there's a better way of phrasing it. Be sure to change the
phrase "my company's purpose" to the name of your company.
For example:
"My company's purpose is to grow market vegetables using organic, sustainable

farming practices to give people safe and healthy food choices",
might be rephrased to produce this finished mission statement:
"At Earth's Bounty, we grow market vegetables in a way that's good for the earth
and good for the table".
123
Step 4: Put your new mission statement to work.
Once you've crafted your business's new mission statement, you'll want to put it
to work right away.
What's the Difference Between a Mission Statement and a Vision Statement?
The difference between a mission statement and a vision statement is that a mission
statement focuses on a company’s present state while a vision statement focuses on
a company’s future. Think of it this way; a mission statement answers the question
"Who are we?" and the vision statement answers the question "Where are we going?"
Examples of Mission Statements
Task 5: Having a coherent, realistic mission statement is fundamental to engaging

your employees and fulfilling your goals. Study the mission statements of some
well-known active companies and government entities. Do they clearly describe
what the companies do, how they do it, and why? Discuss with a partner.

Amazon: "To be Earth's most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to
find and discover anything they might want to buy online."

Tesla: "Tesla's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy."

Apple: "Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students,
educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative
hardware, software and Internet offerings."

Virgin Atlantic Airways: "... to embrace the human spirit and let it fly."

Tata Motors: "A USD 42 billion organisation, Tata Motors Limited is a leading global
automobile manufacturer with a portfolio that covers a wide range of cars, sports vehicles,
buses, trucks and defence vehicles. Our marque can be found on and off-road in over 175
countries around the globe."

Walmart: "Walmart helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and
anywhere - in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices.”

Costco has a very similar mission statement, "to continually provide our members with quality
goods and services at the lowest possible prices", which is enshrined in its code of ethics.

Canadian Tire: “Canadian Tire is a growing network of interrelated businesses... Canadian
Tire continuously strives to meet the needs of its customers for total value by offering a
unique package of location, price, service and assortment.”

The IRS: Provide America's taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet
their tax responsibilities and enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all.

The Canada Revenue Agency: "To administer tax, benefits, and related programs, and to
ensure compliance on behalf of governments across Canada, thereby contributing to the
ongoing economic and social well-being of Canadians."
124
Mission Statements of Well-known Corporations
125
Fundraising
What is Nonprofit Fundraising?8

Fundraising is the process of asking for
contributions from individuals, companies, and
foundations. Nonprofits can fundraise through a
variety of digital and traditional communication
methods.
Why is Fundraising Important?
Fundraising, in all of its forms, is crucial for nonprofits to complete

their projects and fulfill their causes. Without fundraising,
organizations would have no incoming revenue.
Task 1: Tick the fundraising ideas which you think are good for your charity.
Idea Your decision
Put your own funds into the charity.

Raise support from others, e.g. friends or
relatives
Raise broader support from grassroots
organizations or other donors, e.g.
individuals, foundations
Run a Mini-Campaign
Pre-Sell Future Events and Activities
Develop significant activity through
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other
social media sites.
Get mobile donations
Get community grants
8Adapted from Nonprofit Fundraising: A Complete Overview (20 Methods!). (n.d.). Retrieved May 8,
2018, from https://doublethedonation.com/nonprofit-fundraising/
126
Task 2: Read the article and make note of the charity’s various fundraising methods.
Fundraising techniques9
The techniques used by charities to raise funds differ from one organization
to another depending on the field of work and the organization’s goals, but
most charities depend on donations as their main source of funds.
Philanthropic fundraising has grown to be one of the major business
activities worldwide. To illustrate, for the Children’s Cancer Centre of
Lebanon (CCCL) non-profit organization, fundraising is the only source of
income, so a big emphasis is targeted towards the fundraising practices. The
centre uses a multiplicity of fundraising practices, both traditional and
contemporary. These include one-on-one
contact and direct mail, in addition to corporate fundraising, major gift donors, event
fundraising, community fundraising, static and collection fundraising, online fundraising,
direct response fundraising, educational fundraising, bequest, in memorial and tribute
giving. Each of these is discussed below from the most to the least used.
Corporate fundraising
CCCL have created different kinds of programs and campaigns that target corporations.
Corporate giving is “understood to be a narrower term, restricted to the charitable
giving that a company may do to meet part of its felt citizenship responsibilities”
(Burlingame & Smith, 1999). It comes in many forms including sponsorship, cause-
related marketing (CRM), donations given by the company or even involving the
company’s employees and clients in a donation program. According to the World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF, 2006), corporate fundraising is about building an association
with a company that “involves a gift, commitment of support or other monetary
transfer to the fundraising party” (n.p.).
Cause-related marketing
CCCL implements different programs and campaigns that are associated with cause-related
marketing (CRM). CRM is considered an important practice of corporate social
responsibility (CSR), when a company decides that a portion of their sales will be
contributed to support a specified worthy cause. Today, many non-profit organizations are
adopting CRM as a method of giving back to the community, and it has been known to
benefit charities on so many levels other than fundraising for the cause, such as helping
increase public awareness, public interest and involvement in the cause (Rozensher, 2013).
One of the programs related to CRM that the CCCL implements is “Eat out for Life” which
started in 2011. Different restaurants from all over Lebanon partnered with CCCL in an
agreement that stipulated that a percentage of each dinning bill at these restaurants would
be donated to CCCL for a certain period of time (Sparkle of Hope, 2012). It is important for
CCCL that the traffic in the restaurants increases to ensure that restaurants generate more
profit; hence, the amount donated for the
9 Yaacoub, H.K., El Kfoury, J., Ayoub, E., & Rihana, L. (2015). Fundraising for life: the children's cancer
centre of Lebanon, Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, 5(6), 1-15, https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-
12-2014-0298
127
centre rises (N. Tannous, personal communication, 14 April 2014). “Donate for Life –
retail campaign” is another used CRM program that was started in December 2006
where some retail stores partnered with CCCL. During this campaign, partner retail
stores ask customers if they would like to add a donation of US$1 or more onto their bill
while they are paying. Some restaurants, such a Leila and Leil Nhar, have preferred to
participate in the “Donate for Life” program instead of participating in the “Eat Out for
Life” program. In addition to restaurants and retail stores, CCCL has two programs that
involve banks. The first one is called the “Loyalty Points” program which encourages
customers to use plastic transactions to collect points and to use these points in
exchange for items the bank offers. The second program is the “Credit Card Donation”
where some banks, such as Standard Chartered and BBAC, donate either all or part of
their profit share from the card payments to CCCL (Sparkle of Hope, 2012).
Corporate donations
Corporate donations can be given to the centre on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.
Some companies grant financial support as part of their CSR program, while others
donate funds for the sake of supporting the cause that they believe in and improving
their company’s image. CCCL ensures that these corporations and companies get the
recognition they deserve through the recognition scheme “Sponsor a Child”, “Tree of
Life”, “and Paola’s friends”, “Naming of Facilities”, “Wishing Star and Hands of Hope”.
Employee-directed donations are another form of corporate donations. This is
implemented through a program called “Partner for Life” where a company’s
employees are approached to voluntary donate the amount they please from their
monthly salaries (N. Tannous, personal communication, 14 April 2014).
Major gift donors
Major donations at CCCL can come from individuals or corporations: Major donors are
individuals who make sizeable personal contributions. Major gifts are, broadly speaking,
those that are large relative to the majority of the gifts the organization receives. The
definition of a major gift thus varies from one organization to another (Sargeant &
Shang, 2010). Different recognition programs are allied with this kind of fundraising
technique to provide recognition to major individual donors or companies. “Tree of Life”
is one of the recognition venues used by the centre and is basically a tree drawn on a
wall at the CCCL’s outpatient facility.
Event fundraising
The CCCL organizes prestigious fundraising gala dinners. The Beirut Annual Gala Dinner is
one of the major fundraising events and is attended by well-known guests with the biggest
hearts ready to serve the CCCL cause. CCCL also organizes a variety of events such as the
“Basketball Gala Game” featuring Lebanese basketball veterans and stars (CCCL, 2014).
Moreover, the CCCL has initiated its “Overseas Fundraising campaign”. CCCL has gained the
support of the communities in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, KSA and Qatar (CCCL, 2014). The
centre is currently targeting its efforts towards Europe.
128
Community fundraising
“Call for Life” is another major fundraising campaign seeking everyone’s support and
donations. The Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon (CCCL) launched two “Call for Life”
campaigns, the first in 2008 and the second in 2012. “Call for Life” can also be linked to
social activations, such as the “Bus of Hope”, which aims to spread awareness and seek the
instant donations from the community (CCCL, 2014). The “Bus of Hope” was a major success
for CCCL’s “Call for Life” campaign 2012. Artists, celebrities and elites gathered in the “Bus
of Hope”, to celebrate the 10 years of hope by visiting patients at the CCCL and conducting
an enjoyable program. In the bus, the celebrities were accompanied by CCCL
representatives along with patients, their family members and medical staff. The media and
municipalities aided in organizing such events.
Static and collection fundraising
The most common form of this type of fundraising involves

the presence of fixed collection areas that are usually
equipped with collecting boxes. These boxes can be placed
on the counters in many places, including retail shops,
hotels, pubs or hospitals. Voluntary workers guard the
station and motivate donors to contribute. This type of
fundraising helps the cause to be recognized by a large
number of people in different communities (Higgins &
Lauzon, 2003).
Online fundraising
A donor can donate the amount he/she pleases to the centre by simply going to the
CCCL Web site and filling in an online form. CCCL’s online form includes personal
information, contact information and donation information. The donation information
identifies the amount of money the donor wants to donate and what the donation is
related to. Some of the donations can be related to a one-time donation or monthly
donation. In addition to the Web site, CCCL uses social media, such as Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram, to advertise upcoming fundraising campaigns that are going to take
place in the future. By posting their upcoming plans, CCCL would be able to reach people
interested in donating and being a part of the campaigns.
Direct response fundraising
CCCL organized various “1105 SMS Campaign” during various festive seasons, where
donors have the chance to send and SMS to the number 1105 to help save the lives of
kids fighting cancer at the CCCL. Every time an SMS is sent to 1105 from local numbers,
a US$1 is automatically donated to the treatment of CCCL kids (CCCL, 2014). In addition,
flyers, catalogue distribution, promotional letters and outdoor advertising are all used
(O’Guinn, 2008).
129
Educational fundraising
CCCL initiated in 2003 the educational “Math-A-Thon” program targeting school

students in grades three through seven, ranging in age from 8 to 14 years old. This
program aids students in improving their skills in math and making the kids more aware
of social causes and encourages them to feel responsible towards the less fortunate
members of their society. “When you help the CCCL, you help kids in Lebanon” is the
motto and all participating schools are offered certificates as a token of gratitude and
appreciation (CCCL, 2014). Furthermore, the “Letter-A-Thon” program targets high
school students who are asked to write a 250-word composition about anything related
to cancer.
Bequest, in memorial and tribute giving
The funds that are given to CCCL in memorial of someone can be collected through a
program called “Gift for Life” where part of the donations in this program are made in
memory of a deceased relative or a friend. Memorial gifts can be given in different forms,
directly from the donor, on behalf of the deceased from relatives or family, or from the
funeral home on behalf of the deceased. Moreover, CCCL also receives tribute giving which
offers the bereaved the opportunity to create a lasting memorial that they can manage at
their own level (Sargeant & Shang, 2010). However, bequest fundraising is not very popular
at the CCCL because it is not inscribed in the Arab culture. In Lebanon, people usually leave
their legacy to their relatives and immediate family.
Face-to-face fundraising
The CCCL staff is trained to “make things happen”. Face-to-face fundraising is not
restricted by a number of work hours nor days. It is a skill used by every employee at
the right place at the right moment. For example, Mr Edde, along with a team from the
centre, visited Sheikha Moza of Qatar and invited her to come to the centre and she
donated US$1 million after meeting the kids. Mr Edde’s efforts also led to get KWD
200,000 from Sandouk El Arab and US$1 million from the Kuwaiti Prime Minister. “I
cannot take the credit for what I am doing. The people with me are all great. Teamwork
is actually at the heart of everything we do”, reiterated Mr Edde.
Endowment funds
A new donation technique is initiated, whereby rich potential donors are approached
and urged to contribute. The donor can deposit the money and retrieve the same
amount 10 years later and the interest accrued during the time goes to CCCL. The donor
could also donate the money and identify how he/she would prefer it to be spent or can
leave it up to the centre to decide how to spend it. This is an independent donation
program where the interest of the money is used to cover the extra needs related to
extreme situations that the customarily fundraised money cannot cover (P. Edde,
personal communication, 11 June 2014).
130
UNIT 4: Reporting about your charity

Making an effective presentation

Demonstrating understanding of
the topic, audience, and the
purpose of different types of
presentations

Writing a report

Organizing references and in-text
citations
 Figure 7 PBL digital collaboration [digital image]. (n.d.).
Reflecting Retrieved from
https://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com
Task 1: In your group, specify the technology that you intend to use in order to work
collaboratively on the presentation and written report. What is your plan for outside-of-
class digital collaboration?
Brainstorm your ideas
Task 2: Is giving a presentation similar to writing a report? Discuss with your partner.
Brainstorm your ideas
131
Report Writing – Words to Remember
Task: Match the words and the definitions. Find the Arabic meaning, if necessary.
A) a formal system that is used to show when you take ideas

Report
from other sources in your own writing
Referencing B) a piece of writing where information is taken from
C) a short form of referring to a source in the body of the text.

Attribution
E.g. (Black, 2010)
In-text citation D) words printed near a picture to explain what it is about
Plagiarism A) a list at the end of your report, consisting of all the

sources you used in your writing
Source B) taking somebody else’s ideas and presenting them as

your own
Reference list
C) a written piece of work based on research
D) a form of in-text citation when you say that something

Illustration
was written by another person in the body of the text E.g.
According to Black (2010), it is…
Caption
E) a picture, table, diagram, etc. used to explain something
132
Webpage or Piece of Online Content
If the page names an individual author, cite their name first:

Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of page. Site name. URL
Price, D. (2018, March 23). Laziness does not exist.

Medium. https://humanparts.medium.com/laziness-does-not-
exist-3af27e312d01
If the resource was written by a group or organization, use the name of the
group/organization as the author. Additionally, if the author and site name
are the same, omit the site name from the citation.
Group name. (Year, Month Date). Title of page. Site name. URL
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2019,

November 21). Justice served: Case closed for over 40 dogfighting
victims. https://www.aspca.org/news/justice-served-case-closed-over-40-
dogfighting-victims
If the page's author is not listed, start with the title instead. Additionally, include
a retrieval date when the page's content is likely to change over time.
Title of page. (Year, Month Date). Site name. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from
URL
Tuscan white bean pasta. (2018, February 25). Budgetbytes. Retrieved March 18,
2020, from https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuscan-white-bean-pasta/
If the date of publication is not listed, use the abbreviation (n.d.).

Author or Group name. (n.d.). Title of page. Site name (if applicable). URL
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Mental health

conditions. https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions
133
Article from an Online Periodical with DOI Assigned
Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of article. Title of

Periodical, Vol.(Issue), page numbers. DOI
Drollinger, T., Comer, L. B., & Warrington, P. T. (2006). Development and

validation of the active empathetic listening scale. Psychology &
Marketing, 23(2), 161-180. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20105
Article from an Online Periodical with no

DOI Assigned
Perreault, L. (2019). Obesity in adults: Role of physical activity and
exercise. UpToDate. Retrieved January 12, 2020,
from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/obesity-in-adults-role-of-physical-
activity-and-exercise
Online News Article

Note: The format for this type of source depends on whether your source
comes from a site with an associated newspaper. If the source does
come from a site with an associated newspaper, leave the title of the
article unformatted, but italicize the title of the newspaper.
Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of article. Title of Publication. URL
Richards, C. (2019, December 9). Best music of 2019: Lana Del Rey sings
lullabies about the end of America. Washington
Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/best-music-
of-2019-lana-del-rey-sings-lullabies-about-the-end-of-
america/2019/12/06/6e82c5ec-15d8-11ea-a659-7d69641c6ff7_story.html
On the other hand, if the source doesn't come from a site with an
associated newspaper, italicize the title of the article, but leave the name of
the site unformatted.
Lastname, F. M. (Year, Month Date). Title of article. Name of publishing website.

URL
Jones, J. (2020, May 10). Why flats dominate Spain's housing market.
BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200506-why-do-flats-
dominate-spains-housing-market
134
Electronic Books
Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. URL
Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of book [eBook edition]. Publisher. URL
Entry in an Online Dictionary, Thesaurus,

or Encyclopedia with a Group Author
Note: An online dictionary, thesaurus, or encyclopedia may be continuously
updated and therefore not include a publication date (like in the example
below). If that’s the case, use “n.d.” for the date and include the retrieval
date in the citation.
Institution or organization name. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work.

URL
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Braggadocio. In Merriam-Webster.com

dictionary. Retrieved January 13, 2020, from https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/braggadocio
Entry in an Online Dictionary, Thesaurus,

or Encyclopedia with an Individual Author
Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of entry. In F. M. Lastname (ed.), Title of
reference work (edition). Publisher. URL or DOI
Martin, M. (2018). Animals. In L. A. Schintler & C. L. McNeely (Eds), Encyclopedia of

big data. SpringerLink. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32001-4_7-1
YouTube or other Streaming Video

Last Name, F. M. [Username]. (Year, Month Date). Title of video [Video].
Streaming Service. URL
Lushi, K. [Korab Lushi]. (2016, July 3). Albatross culture 1 [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AMrJRQDPjk&t=148s
Note: The person or group who uploaded the video is considered the author. If the
author’s name is the same as the username, you can omit the [Username].
135
APA Style Quiz
Q1. Select the correct usage of in-text citation in APA style.
A. Experienced listeners are better able to comprehend accented speech, regardless of

the type of accent (Susan Gass and Evangeline Varonis).
B. Experienced listeners are better able to comprehend accented speech, regardless
of the type of accent (Gass & Varonis).
C. Experienced listeners are better able to comprehend accented speech, regardless
of the type of accent (Gass & Varonis, 1984).
D. Experienced listeners are better able to comprehend accented speech, regardless
of the type of accent (Gass and Varonis 1984).
Q2. Select the correct usage of in-text citation in APA style.
A. Barks and Watts (2001) provide an excellent outline of interactive classroom activities
for addressing plagiarism in a cross-cultural setting.
B. Debbie Barks and Patricia Watts (2001) provide an excellent outline of interactive
classroom activities for addressing plagiarism in a cross-cultural setting.
C. Debbie Barks and Patricia Watts in their study “Textual borrowing strategies for
graduate-level ESL writers” (2001) provide an excellent outline of interactive
classroom activities for addressing plagiarism in a cross-cultural setting.
D. Barks & Watts provide an excellent outline of interactive classroom activities for
addressing plagiarism in a cross-cultural setting.
Q3. Select the reference example that has the correct format for APA style.
A. Gu, Qing and Brooks, Jane. (2008). Beyond the accusation of plagiarism. System: An
International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, 36(3),
337–352.
B. Gu, Q., & Brooks, J. (2008). Beyond the accusation of plagiarism. System: An
International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics,
36(3), 337–352.
C. Gu, Q., Brooks, J. (2008). Beyond the accusation of plagiarism. System: An
International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 337–352.
Q4. Select the reference example that has the correct format for APA style.
A. Jackson, P. A. (2006). Plagiarism Instruction Online: Assessing Undergraduate Students'

Ability to Avoid Plagiarism. College & Research Libraries, 67(5), 418–428.
B. Jackson, Pamela A. (2006). Plagiarism instruction online: Assessing undergraduate
students' ability to avoid plagiarism. College & Research Libraries, 67(5), 418–428.
C. Jackson, P. A. (2006). Plagiarism instruction online: Assessing undergraduate students'
ability to avoid plagiarism. College & Research Libraries, 67(5), 418–428.
136
Q5. If you were referencing an e-book what would be the proper format on the
References page?
A. Kraizer, S. (2011). Safety on the Internet. http://safechild.org/categoryparents/safety-

on-the-internet/
B. Post, E. (2016). Etiquette in society, in business, in politics, and at home. New York, NY:
Funk & Wagnalls. http://www.bartleby.com/95/
C. Johnston, J. (Director). (2004). Hidalgo. [Motion Picture]. United
States, Touchstone/Disney.
D. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovation (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.
Q6. If you were referencing a website with an author without a publication date, what
would be the proper format?
A. Kraizer, S. (2011). Safety on the Internet. http://safechild.org/categoryparents/safety-

on-the-internet/
B. Krazier, Stephanie. (2011). Safety on the Internet.
http://safechild.org/categoryparents/safety-on-the-internet/
C. Krazier, S. (n. d.). Safety on the Internet.
http://safechild.org/categoryparents/safety-on-the-internet/
Q7. The year of publication should be included in parentheses after an author's name
whenever the author is named in the text. For example: "Lastname (year) argued that..."
A. True
B. False
Q8. In-text citations related to a source that is paraphrased must provide page
or paragraph numbers:
A. True
B. False, though the APA rules allow authors to provide them
Q9. Choose the correct in-text citation format for a direct quotation:
A. (Merkle, 2018)
B. (2018, p.62)
C. (Merkle, 2018, p. 62)
137
Q10. What is the correct in-text reference format for a direct quote?
A. Veit and Gould (2010) emphasise the importance of ‘using your own words and your
own style’ when paraphrasing. Veit & Gould (2010, p. 158) emphasise the importance
of ‘using your own words and your own style’ when paraphrasing.
B. Veit & Gould (2010, p. 158) emphasise the importance of ‘using your own words and
your own style’ when paraphrasing.
C. Veit and Gould (2010) emphasise the importance of “using your own words and your
own style" (p. 158) when paraphrasing.
D. Veit and Gould, page 158, emphasise the importance of ‘using your own words and
your own style’ when paraphrasing.
Q11. The list of sources in the reference page is arranged in the order in which resources
are cited in your assignment.
A. True
B. False
Q12. Which of the following is the correct reference format for a web document?
A. What is holistic medicine? 2012. Retrieved from

http://www.holisticmed.com/whatis.html
B. Gold, M. (2012). What is holistic medicine? http://www.holisticmed.com/whatis.html C.
Martin Gold. (2012). What is holistic medicine?
D. Gold, M 2012, What is holistic medicine?, viewed 30 July 2014,
Q13. What is the correct reference format for a book?
A. Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2011). (6th ed.).
B. Weinberg, RS and Gould, D 2011, , Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL.
C. R. S. Weinberg & D. Gould, (2011). (6th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
D. Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2011). (6th ed.). Human Kinetics.
Q14. The sources on the reference page are numbered.
A. True
B. False
138
CONTENTS OF THE PBL REPORT
word count of report: minimum 2500 words (not including Appendices)

Cover page The cover page should include the following:
(1) SQU name and logo, (2) name of college, (3) course name,
(4) title of report, (5) team members’ names and ID numbers,
(6) section number, (7) charity name and logo, (8) semester,
(9) word count
Certificate of Originality Write a statement explaining that this report is your original
idea and sign your names under the statement.
Acknowledgements Express your thanks and gratitude to the people who helped
you, directly or indirectly, to complete the report
Contents List of Contents of report with corresponding page numbers
Introduction Give background information related to the humanitarian issue
(200 – 300 words) that is important to you. Provide some facts/statistics/data that
shows why this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
Explain the reasons why your team has decided to set up this
charity. Explain specifically what your charity will do and who it
will help.
Details of the Charity Name and Logo of Charity: explain why you chose your
(150 – 200 words) name and logo
Vision Statement: provide the vision statement
Mission Statement: provide the mission statement
Specific Location: explain where in the country your
charity will operate and why this location was chosen.
PEST Analysis of Country Explain the political, economic, social and technological status
(600 – 800 words) of the country that you have chosen. Include at least 5 in-text
citations in APA format for the sources of the country’s
information. Make sure these are listed in the References
section of the report.
Evaluation of PEST Analysis From the information of the PEST Analysis, evaluate the impact
(150 – 200 words) that it will have on your charity. In other words, what does the
PEST analysis mean to you and your charity? Summarize the key
findings.
Organizational Structure Write a paragraph explaining the roles of the group members.
(100 – 200 words) Give the names, qualifications and reasons why you have chosen
this organizational structure. In addition, explain how many local
people you will hire and what their responsibilities will be.
Create a chart showing the roles that each group member will
have in the charity.
139
Funding Write a paragraph that explains the fundraising techniques.
(150 – 300 words)
Create a table and a graph that shows where the charity will get
its funding. List the fundraising methods and the monetary
amounts.
Proposed Expenses Write a paragraph that explains the expenses in detail.
(150 – 300 words)
Create a table and a graph that shows how the charity plans to
spend its money. List the proposed expenses and the monetary
amounts.
SWOT Analysis of the Charity Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the charity. These are
(500 – 800 words) internal elements of your organization.
Analyze the opportunities and threats that will impact the

charity. These are external elements related to the country
itself.
Significance Explain how your charity will make a difference to that country.
(100 – 150 words) Is it a sustainable project? Discuss your views.
Conclusion What is the conclusion of the report?

(100 – 150 words)
Recommendations What are your recommendations in regards to the future of the

(150 – 200 words) charity? What problems will be faced? Discuss the limitations
and challenges the charity will face going forward.
References Create a reference list of the publication information for the

sources you have cited in your report. Organize your list in
alphabetical order and follow APA format.
Appendices -Map of the country

-the charity’s website homepage
-the PowerPoint Slides of your presentation
140
141
Practice Reading 1: SWOT Analysis of Huawei
1. This detailed SWOT analysis of Huawei aims to examine the strengths and
the weaknesses of Huawei. It also aims to examine the opportunities the
company should explore and the likely threats it should keep an eye on.
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd is a Chinese multinational technology
company headquartered in Shenzhen, China. It was founded in 1987.
Strengths of Huawei
2. Huawei has already reached out to and established a footprint in more than 170 countries and
regions within a relatively short period of time and serves more than 3 billion people around the
world. It is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT)
infrastructure and smart devices. Phones, laptops, tablets, wearables, smart homes, mobile
broadband, cloud computing, web security, and mobile device management are some of the popular
products and services of Huawei (Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, 2019).
3. Huawei’s products are very popular around the world. Most particularly, the company has reached
its greatest fame and brand recognition through its global smartphone sales. The company offers
both high-end and low-end handsets. Its Mate 20 Pro is one of the best smartphones in the world
with a beautiful design, excellent screen, and snappy performance (Eadicicco & Villas-Boas, 2019). As
of the first quarter of 2019, Huawei holds 19% of global smartphone market share making it the
second largest giant after Samsung (IDC, 2019). It is worth noting that Huawei is the market leader in
its home market of China.
4. One of the biggest strengths of Huawei’s products is the combination of high quality and affordable
prices. Huawei is indeed one of the cheapest smartphone manufacturers out there in the market. Its
laptops and tablets are also cheaper than most of its competitors. Another important strength to
note is the ownership of the company. Huawei is a private company wholly owned by its employees.
No outside organizations or agencies hold its shares (Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, 2019).
5. Huawei is very committed to research and innovation. It invests 10% of its annual revenue in research
and development (R&D) every year. Its long-term commitment to innovation is reflected in its
classification of innovation into three types: application innovations, product innovations, and
fundamental technology innovations (Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, 2019). Its exceptional efforts in
innovation are well recognized and are reflected through its winning of a number of awards and
accolades over the years, e.g. prestigious awards such as ‘Best Telecom Service Innovation’ and
‘Leadership in IoT’, that it won at the TechXLK8 Asia Awards 2018 in Singapore.
Weaknesses of Huawei
6. There is no doubt that Huawei is the smartphone market leader in China and some
other countries. However, its performance in many countries is rather poor so far.
For instance, its mobile vendor market share in the UK as of September 2019 is
9.24% which is weak compared to Apple’s 48.71%, and Samsung’s 29.14% market
share. Likewise, its market share in India is 2.83%, while 6.41% is its share in the
Canadian market (Stat Counter, 2019).
7. Many people perceive that Huawei as a provider of cheap tech devices and services. This perception has
not been helpful for the company. Likewise, it continues to be accused of corporate espionage
142
for the Chinese government. It has also been accused of breaching various intellectual property rules.
For example, some countries believe that Huawei has stolen technological secrets. These allegations
have negatively impacted on the brand image, though Huawei has unequivocally rejected them,
insisting that they have never broken any laws or incurred any ethics violations.
Opportunities for Huawei
8. Huawei should pursue the opportunity to increase its smartphone market shares in countries such
as India, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, and some others around the world.
Demands for other tech products such as tablets, wearables, mobile broadband, cloud computing,
and web security are also high in many countries; hence an opportunity for Huawei for growth. It
should also target its advertising to tout its ethical principles and not only its technological prowess.
This might result in the company developing a better image in the minds of potential customers.
9. As Huawei is a R&D-oriented company, surely many new opportunities are likely to emerge with the
passage with of time. , 5G technology and artificial intelligence (AI) offer the company
opportunities for further growth. In fact, the company is now behind two-thirds of the commercially
launched 5G networks outside China, including but not limited to countries such as South Korea,
Switzerland, the UK, Germany, and Finland (Liao, 2019).
Threats to Huawei
10. Threat is the last element to address in the SWOT analysis of Huawei. Huawei faces a number of
competitors in its global markets. For instance, its main competitors in the worldwide smartphone
market are Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Sony, OnePlus, Lenovo and LG. Likewise, its main
competitors in the tablet market are Apple, Samsung, Amazon, Lenovo, and Microsoft. Many of these
competitors are quite formidable, having both positive images in the minds of consumers and war
chests of cash that can be used in the global fight for smartphone supremacy.
11. Bans on Huawei by some countries pose a significant threat to the company. For example, as of May 2019,
countries such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Taiwan have decided to ban and phase out
the company’s products within their mobile networks (Buchholz, 2019). Likewise, some countries have
already decided to restrict the activities of Huawei as well. Many of these are motivated by the perception
of Huawei not truly being an independent company, insinuating that the company works for the Chinese
government directly. These bans and restrictions are likely to cause damages to the company’s financial
situation and brand image globally.
Adapted from David, J. (18 October, 2019). SWOT analysis of Huawei. https://www.howandwhat.net/swot-analysis-huawei/
Reading Comprehension Questions
1. According to paragraph 2, the phrase with the closest meaning to “establish a

footprint” is:
A. Take a small step
B. Take a big step
C. Enter the market
D. Sell a lot of products
143
2. According to paragraphs 3 and 4, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The company’s market share is about one-fifth of the global market
B. International investors and Chinese investors hold shares (ownership) of the
company.
C. The company’s products are both for consumers with a lot of money
and consumers with less money.
D. Most people know the name Huawei because of mobile phones.

A. Huawei spends 10% of its budget on research and development.
B. Huawei has won a number of awards over the years, making it proud of itself.
C. Research and development is very important and most companies should do it.
D. The company believes it’s very important to create new technological features.
4. In paragraph 7, the words “breaching” and “unequivocally” mean .

A. Breaking; mostly
B. Destroying; absolutely
C. Breaking; absolutely
D. Destroying; strongly
5. Which word or phrase is the most suitable for the blank in paragraph 9?
A. Specifically
B. In other words
C. Similarly
D. However
6. According to paragraphs 10 and 11, which of the following is NOT mentioned as a threat?
A. Some of Huawei’s rivals have lots of money.
B. Some governments believe that Huawei is not really an independent company.
C. Many of Huawei’s competitors have good brand awareness.
D. Governments have evidence that Huawei has stolen technology in the past.
7. In paragraph 11, “these” refers to .

A. Activities of Huawei
B. Countries
C. Good actions
D. Bad actions
E. Mobile networks
F. Bans/restrictions
8. How many sources were used to write this article?

A. 6
B. 7
C. 8
D. 10
144
Practice Reading 2: Starbucks Coffee SWOT Analysis
1. Starbucks Corporation (also known as Starbucks Coffee

Company) maintains its position as the biggest
coffeehouse chain in the world through innovative
strategies that utilize business strengths in overcoming
weaknesses to exploit opportunities and overcome success
barriers, such as the threats in the coffee industry
environment, as identified in this SWOT analysis. The
SWOT Analysis model is a strategic management tool that
assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats (SWOT) relevant to the business and its internal
and external environment.
2. Starbucks Coffee’s main strengths are: strong brand image; extensive global supply chain; and
moderate diversification through subsidiaries. Starbucks Corporation has one of the world’s strongest
and most popular brands. The company has a growing population of loyal customers, which adds to
the stability of the coffeehouse business. In the SWOT analysis model, the extensive global supply
chain strengthens Starbucks by supporting operations. For example, the company has a global network
of suppliers that are carefully selected based on criteria pertaining to quality, such as the quality of
Arabica coffee beans. Also, the company gradually diversifies its business, such as through the
acquisition or development of subsidiaries like Ethos Water, Seattle’s Best
Coffee, and Teavana. Diversification minimizes the effects of market and industry risks. The
internal strategic factors identified in this part of the SWOT analysis of Starbucks Corporation
shows that the business has strengths that promote resilience through diversification and a global
supply chain.
3. Weaknesses are internal factors that reduce or limit business capabilities. Starbucks Corporation’s
weaknesses are as follows: high price points; generalized standards for most products; and
imitability of products. Starbucks has high price points that maximize profit margins but reduce
the affordability of its products and this internal strategic factor is a weakness because it limits
the company’s market share, especially in areas with relatively lower disposable incomes. Also,
this SWOT analysis considers generalized standards a weakness that limits the flexibility of the
coffee and coffeehouse chain business. For example, the company’s generalized standards for its
crafted beverages reduce these products’ cultural alignment with local target markets and
associated consumer preferences. In addition, many Starbucks products are imitable. For
instance, small local competitors could develop beverages that are not the same as but similar to
the company’s products. Even the design and ambiance of the company’s cafés are imitable. This
business environment condition empowers competitors. The internal factors in this part of the
SWOT analysis of Starbucks Coffee Company show that the business must develop strengths to
reduce the adverse effects of imitation and the influence of high price points on the company’s
market share in the global industry.
4. The external strategic factors in this part of the SWOT analysis show that Starbucks can improve its
industry position by developing its operations to exploit the opportunities in the global industry
environment. (A ). This opportunity draws attention away from the U.S., where most of the
company’s revenues are generated. (B ). Another significant opportunity involves business
diversification, which can improve Starbucks’s long-term stability. (C ). For example, through
higher diversification, the company can reduce its dependence on its current
145
industries, thereby improving overall revenue growth opportunities. Diversification is currently a
minor growth strategy as shown in Starbucks Corporation’s generic competitive strategy and
intensive growth strategies. (D ). The industry environment also presents the
opportunity to strengthen the company’s presence and market share through partnerships or
alliances with other firms. For instance, alliance with major retailers improves distribution and
market share of the company’s consumer goods, such as ready-to-drink coffee.
6. Threats are external factors that reduce or limit business performance. In this company analysis case,
the following are the main threats relevant to Starbucks Coffee Company: competition involving low-
cost coffee sellers; imitation; and independent coffeehouse movements. Starbucks Corporation
competes against a wide variety of firms in the international market. For example, the company
competes against major restaurant chains that offer low-cost coffee products. This external strategic
factor threatens Starbucks because such competitors can reduce the company’s market share by
competing based on low prices. Also, this SWOT analysis considers imitation as a major threat against
the coffeehouse business. In light of the company’s weaknesses, the threat of imitation involves firms
that try to copy the taste, look and feel of Starbucks products. In addition, the industry environment
is subject to independent coffeehouse movements. These movements are sociocultural efforts that
support the operations of small independent local coffeehouses, and oppose the expansion of
multinational coffeehouse chains. Such sociocultural trends influence consumer perception and
purchasing behaviors. For example, news stories showing that Starbucks Corporation underpays and
exploits coffee farmers draws attention to corporate greed and provides support to people who are
concerned with social justice. Successful marketing campaigns and branding strategies are needed to
counteract the effects of these trends. This part of the SWOT analysis of Starbucks Coffee Company
identifies external strategic factors that impose challenges to international expansion and market
penetration.
1. Which of the following is NOT a strength of Starbucks according to paragraph 2?
A. People who buy Starbucks coffee like to return to the store

B. Starbucks can source its coffee beans from many places in different countries
C. The company pays attention to the quality of the coffee beans
D. Starbucks has diversified its business through ownership of coffee farms
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence in paragraph 2?
A. Starbucks makes a lot of money from its products, but it has trouble increasing its
market share in areas where there are lots of poor people, and this becomes a weakness
for the company.
B. High-priced drinks are good for revenue, but since there is a limited number of
customers in poorer neighbourhoods who have enough money to buy them, it’s hard
to further penetrate the market.
C. Profit margins can be a weakness in the case where people have lower disposable
incomes, and this is the main factor in reducing Starbucks’ market share, especially due to
their high price points.
D. In places where people have low disposable incomes, Starbucks high price
points are actually a weakness since market share can grow, which results in lower profit
margins.
146
3. According to paragraph 3, the word “imitable” means .
A. It is too expensive
B. It is of a low quality
C. It can be copied
D. It is hard to maintain quality
4. Which of the spaces in paragraph 4 is the most suitable for this sentence: Starbucks
Corporation can increase its revenues through expansion in developing markets.
A. Space A
B. Space B
C. Space C
D. Space D
5. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that a person who supports independent

coffeehouse movements .
A. Likes to buy Starbucks coffee but thinks the price is too high
B. Doesn’t like to buy Starbucks coffee because the price is too high
C. Doesn’t like to buy Starbucks coffee because it is a big company
D. Likes to buy Starbucks coffee but also likes to buy coffee from other shops
6. The best synonym for the word “counteract” in paragraph 5 is: .
A. Support
B. Prevent
C. Strengthen
D. Slow down
7. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the article? Starbucks should .
A. Work with other food and drink retailers

B. Consider the impact of its pricing of products
C. Provide similar but cheaper drinks
D. Keep working to improve its company image
147
Practice Reading 3: Factors that Affect the Price of Oil
1. Crude oil, or “black gold,” is one of the world's most precious commodities.
Price changes in the commodity can affect the economic ecosystem at
every level, from family budgets to corporate earnings to the nation's GDP.
Indeed, sudden price drops or unexpected spikes can send global financial
markets into a tizzy, which causes a headache for
government planners around the world due to the general unpredictability of the situation.
2. Crude oil prices change quickly in response to news cycles, policy changes, and fluctuations in the world's
markets. Since 2014, oil prices have experienced a downward journey, falling from highs of around $150
per barrel. In February and March of 2020, crude prices accelerated their decline in reaction to the
coronavirus pandemic and an expected sharp drop in demand for oil. In addition, major oil producers
failed to come to an agreement on production cuts, exacerbating the problem. By mid-March 2020, the
price of U.S. crude oil was fluctuating just around $30 per barrel. So, what causes these dramatic swings
in the price of oil, and what can we expect going forward?
3. In the Spring of 2020, oil prices collapsed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown.
OPEC and its allies agreed to historic production cuts to stabilize prices, but they dropped to twenty-
year lows.
Supply
4. For several decades, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) 10 has been the
elephant on the world's trading floors, with its oil-producing member nations working together to
determine prices by boosting or reducing crude oil production. While OPEC's grip on the market has
loosened some in past years, its decisions continue to play a dominant role. OPEC's every move is
watched closely by governments, oil companies, speculators, hedgers, investors, traders,
policymakers, and consumers.
5. OPEC's policies are affected, in turn, by geopolitical developments. Some of the world's top oil
producers are politically unstable or at odds with the West (issues pertaining to terrorism or
compliance with international laws, in particular, have been problematic). Some have faced
sanctions by the U.S. and the United Nations.
6. In the past, supply disruptions triggered by political events have caused oil prices to shift drastically;
the Iranian revolution, Iran-Iraq war, Arab oil embargo, and Arabian Gulf wars have been especially
notable. The Asian financial crisis and the global economic crisis of 2007-2008 also caused
fluctuations.
7. The supply of crude oil is also determined by external factors, which might include such things as
weather patterns, exploration and production costs, investments, and innovations. Due to their
unpredictable nature in the long term, they can be either problematic and costly, or beneficial and
profitable. For example, thanks to advances in technology that allow companies to extract oil from
10 OPEC’s member countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, the United Arab Emirates,
Algeria, Nigeria, Gabon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Congo
148
rock—so-called shale oil—the United States became the world's largest producer of oil in 2018
and a major source of global oil supplies.
Demand
8. Strong economic growth and industrial production tend to boost the demand for oil—as reflected
in changing demand patterns by non-OECD nations, which have grown rapidly in recent years.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Oil consumption in the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)11 countries declined between 2000 and 2010, while
non-OECD oil consumption increased more than 40%. China, India, and Saudi Arabia had the largest
growth in oil consumption among the countries in the non-OECD during this period.” Other
important factors that affect demand for oil include transportation, both in commercial andpersonal
sectors, population growth, and seasonal changes; for instance, oil use increases during busy
summer travel seasons and in the winters, when more heating fuel is consumed.
Derivatives and Reports

9. More and more, market participants are buying and selling crude oil, not in its physical
form, but in the form of contracts. For example, airlines and oil producers use derivatives,
like futures and options, to a hedge against swings in the price of oil, while speculators
drive those prices upwards or downwards when there are waves of buying or selling amid
incoming news. Furthermore, reports on production figures, spare capacity, target
pricing, and investments can be a crucial factor in the setting of crude oil prices. Some of
the most keenly followed reports are OPEC's monthly oil report, International Energy
Agency (IEA) oil market report, and weekly inventory data
from both the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration
(EIA).
The Bottom Line

10. Oil has long been the engine of the world's economy, and even today, as the search for alternative energy
sources gains ground, life without crude oil is hard to imagine. Carbon-based fuels are used in heavy and
light manufacturing, in the production process, such as chemicals, textiles, detergents, and medicines,
and in every sector of our transportation industries. For now, at least, oil companies and oil-rich nations
will surely weather dips, deeper plunges, and sudden spikes in crude oil prices.
, even though some companies and governments are searching for and trying to utilize
more sources of green energy, it’s difficult to visualize our world not using oil in the next 50 years
at least. Nevertheless, the future of energy is somewhat unpredictable, so no one really knows what
will happen, especially in the longer term horizon of a century.
Adapted from Bajpai, P. (21 April, 2020). Top factors that affect the price of oil.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/072515/top-factors-reports-affect-price-oil.asp
11
Most of the 35 OECD countries are in Europe. There are four countries from the Americas: Canada, Chile, Mexico, and the
United States. The four Pacific members are Australia, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. Israel and Turkey are also OECD
members.
149
1. According to paragraph 1, all of the following are affected by the price of oil, EXCEPT
A. The size of a country’s economy
B. How much money a typical family has available to spend
C. The prices of other commodities
D. The amount of profit that a company can generate
2. In paragraph 1, the phrase “into a tizzy” refers to .

A. A calm situation
B. A confusing situation
C. A predictable situation
D. An extremely dangerous situation
3. The word “exacerbating” in paragraph 2 means .

A. Making it worse
B. Making it better
C. Not having an effect
D. Having only a temporary effect
4. According to paragraphs 2 and 3, which of the following is TRUE?

A. Several countries that produce lots of oil made an agreement
B. In the early months of 2020, the price of oil dropped gradually
C. Oil prices went down in 2014 but came back up a couple years later
D. Oil prices dropped to a level not seen for two decades
5. According to paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7, which of the following is NOT true?

A. The United States produces more oil than any other country
B. OPEC’s influence is now stronger than ever before
C. Wars and major economic problems have caused the price of oil to
change suddenly
D. Changing technology has had a big impact on oil production
6. Which of the following does “they” refer to in paragraph 7?

A. Oil supplies
B. Exploration and production costs
C. External factors
D. Investments and innovations
150
7. Which of the following sentences is the best summary for underlined sentences in
paragraph 8?
A. More oil is being used in winter and summer, and this fact together with
increasing numbers of people and transportation means that more oil is
demanded by countries.
B. Demand for oil is also determined by growing populations, transportation needs
and seasonal changes since oil is not consumed consistently through the year.
C. Commercial and personal transportation needs, population growth and
the changing of the seasons influences the demand for oil.
D. People travel more in the summer, and heat more in the winter and this
influences how much oil is needed; as well, transport and number of people
affect this need for oil.
8. Which of the following phrases is most suitable for the blank in paragraph 10?
A. However
B. In other words
C. Similarly
D. In conclusion
9. According to the article, which of the following is NOT true?

A. Crude oil prices can vary greatly, with a price near $150 per barrel in 2014 and
$30 in 2020.
B. Crude oil prices react to many variables, including economic news, overall
supplies, and consumer demand.
C. Both OPEC and OECD refer to groups of countries and each of these 2 groups has
approximately the same number of countries.
D. OPEC is an international oil producing cartel that plays an important role in
determining global oil supplies.
E. Economic growth and increased industrial production can drive up the demand for
crude oil.
151
RUBRICS FOR ASSESSMENT
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159

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Centre for Preparatory Studies

CPS OFFICE NUMBER

TEL. EXT. NUMBER

Copyright: Centre for Preparatory Studies, Sultan Qaboos University

2022-2023 Nemat Baraka

Dr. Vindhya Sathya Singh (Fall 2021-present)

College of Economics and Political Science

Unit 1: Entrepreneurship and innovation Week 1-2 6-27

Problem Based Learning Week 1-13 102

Rubrics for Assessment 152

College College of Economics and Political Science

LANC2070 Learning Outcomes

1. Infer meaning of words from context in business-themed texts.

Summary and Success of Organizations

Learning & Teaching Methods

READING THEME 1: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION

Before you read:

4. What is an innovative idea?

C. Predicting: Discuss in your group, the following questions.

No. Word Meaning in English Meaning in Arabic

Reading Strategy 1 - Skimming

Reading Strategy 2 -Scanning

Reading Strategy 4 – Extensive reading

To do extensive reading, you can follow these steps:

 Read the main article given in the course

READING TEXT 1: What is Entrepreneurship and who is an Entrepreneur?

An Entrepreneur is a Risk Taker

Some Famous Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship Needs a Nurturing Ecosystem

Comprehension Questions: Answer the questions given below.

4. The main idea of paragraph 6 is _ .

Part B: Understanding Details

7. In paragraph 5, line 1, the phrase “game changing ideas” refers to

8. Which of the following entrepreneurial qualities is NOT mentioned in paragraph 3?

10. In paragraph 6, does “nurturing ecosystem” refer to

i.a, b and c ii.a, c and d iii.a, b and d iv.a, b, c and d

In this section, we will practice the use of selected Academic Words

1. a. shareholder b. customer c. stakeholder d. entrepreneur

1 entrepreneur a. undertake a risky course of action

2 entrepreneurship b. project or business

3 delineate c. money deposited to earn income

6 enterprise f. wealth in the form of money available for starting a company

7 capital g. describe something accurately and show differences.

8 investment h. a unique quality that a person has

9 visionary i. person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks with

WRITING: 1 SUMMARY WRITING

Summary Writing is useful in many ways.

 It helps you to improve your reading skills.

A Summary is defined as a short and clear description, which gives

SUMMARY WRITING: POINTS TO REMEMBER

2. Write in your own words

3. Include a concluding sentence

Go back to the READING TEXT 1:

Let us look closely at this example of a summary of the text:

entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is seen as a business or organization

What is Entrepreneurship and Who is an Entrepreneur?

2. An entrepreneur is someone who develops a business model, acquires the necessary

An Entrepreneur is a Risk Taker