DISCUSSION ESSAY

In the past, most people worked for small businesses, while more people now work for large
businesses.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of working for large businesses?

Analysis

1. The rise of large corporations has led to a fundamental shift in the workforce towards large
businesses. 2. The chief advantages of this relate to opportunity and the downsides are larger,
societal dilemmas.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.

2. Include your main ideas if possible in the introduction. Read more about
introductions here.

1. On the one hand, proponents of big business can point to career advancement and the variety of
roles within a large company. 2. Small businesses, by their nature, draw on a limited possible source
of revenue that naturally caps promotions. 3. Large companies have nearly unlimited profit potential
and can thus employ a large number of managers, executives and other high-salaried
positions. 4. Moreover, a small business is more likely to be limited in the number of roles, while
larger companies will have departments ranging from legal to marketing to research and
development to human resources, all of which are potential destinations for motivated employees.

1. Write a topic sentence with your main ideas.

2. Begin to develop the first one.

3. Develop it deeply and specifically.

4. Switch to a second advantage and develop it fully.

1.However, the disadvantages of these large companies relate less directly to individuals and more to
society at large. 2. Firstly, although there are more quality jobs available in big companies, the
disappearance of small, local entrepreneurs means that capital becomes concentrated in the
company’s chief shareholders, who are often living in other countries and already extremely
rich. 3. Over time this has led to the division of wealth that defines the 21st century. 4. Secondly, as
executive decisions become further removed from local communities it is harder to regulate large
companies. 5. A good example of this would be the environmental cost of drilling for oil and
extracting natural gas, which hurts local residents but continues unabated because those in authority
are unaffected.

1. Write another topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.

2. Develop that main idea.

3. State the full results of your idea.

4. Move on to another disadvantage.

5. Develop it fully with an example.

1. In conclusion, the opportunities provided by big business do not outweigh the negative potential
for all of society when power becomes concentrated and distant. 2. It is therefore important to check
the reach of corporations and empower individuals.

1. Summarise your main ideas and choose a side.

2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

The rise of large corporations has led to a fundamental shift in the workforce towards large
businesses. The chief advantages of this relate to opportunity and the downsides are larger, societal
dilemmas.

Proponents of big business can point to career advancement and the variety of roles within a large
company. Small businesses, by their nature, draw on a limited possible source of
revenue that naturally caps promotions. Large companies have nearly unlimited profit potential and
can thus employ a large number of managers, executives and other high-salaried positions.
Moreover, a small business is more likely to be limited in the number of roles, while larger companies
will have departments ranging from legal to marketing to research and development to human
resources, all of which are potential destinations for motivated employees.

The disadvantages of these large companies relate less directly to individuals and more to society at
large. Firstly, although there are more quality jobs available in big companies, the disappearance of
small, local entrepreneurs means that capital becomes concentrated in the company’s chief
shareholders, who are often living in other countries and already extremely rich. Over time this has
led to the division of wealth that defines the 21st century. Secondly, as executive
decisions become further removed from local communities it is harder to regulate large companies.
A good example of this would be the environmental cost of drilling for oil and extracting natural
gas, which hurts local residents but continues unabated because those in authority are unaffected.

In conclusion, the opportunities provided by big business do not outweigh the negative potential for
all of society when power becomes concentrated and distant. It is therefore important to check the
reach of corporations and empower individuals.

Answers

rise of large corporations more big companies

fundamental shift basic change

workforce employed people

chief advantages main benefits

relate to have to do with

downsides disadvantages

societal dilemmas problems affecting all people

proponents supporters

big business large companies

point to career advancement argue about promotions and opportunities

variety of roles many different jobs

by their nature naturally, of course

draw on take from

limited possible source of revenue only so much money they can make

naturally caps of course limited to

nearly unlimited profit potential no limits on the money that can be made

employ give jobs to

executives CEOs, CFOs, etc.

high-salaried positions well-paying jobs

departments ranging from … to parts of the company including

legal lawyers

research and development coming up with new ideas

human resources managing employees, HR

all of which are everything is

destinations places to go

motivated employees workers who really want to

relate less directly don’t have much to do with

society at large all people

disappearance going away

local entrepreneurs small businesses

capital money and resources

concentrated focused

chief shareholders those who own the country

division of wealth how money is spread out

defines the 21st century represents 2000 to 2100

executive decisions choices from the higher ups

further removed more and more distant

local communities small businesses

regulate control

environmental cost negative impact on the environment

drilling for oil getting oil out of the ground

extracting natural gas taking gas from the Earth

hurts local residents does not benefit locals

continues unabated keeps going on without slowing down

authority power

unaffected no effect

outweigh stronger than

distant far away

check the reach control the influence

empower individuals give power to people