With the exponential growth of globalization, it is not surprising that the communication between companies and business partners alike is becoming just as important as the business itself. For young professionals preparing to embark on their respective career paths, it is of vital importance to be able to adapt to, and to flourish in this very dynamic and new environment. In addition to becoming proficient in more than one language, it is crucial to be able to communicate effectively across the business world's wide spectrum of national and corporate cultures. Intercultural Business Communication provides a hands-on approach to exploring the communication styles of various cultures and offers insights and practical tips on how to effectively communicate in these multicultural settings, all while improving business-centric English skills.
Develops the following skills:
The course “Current Topics” focuses on recent developments in politics and business in the United States and Great Britain. Trends in society, business and the economy are examined and news stories are analysed:
What are the headlines in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Fox News or the Guardian, the Financial Times and the Telegraph? How do journalists report the current news? How do media companies adapt to digitalization and the decline in print circulation? Which socio-economic trends help to explain the recent developments in politics? Which facts about the strategies of multinational companies are reported in the business news? How do start-ups successfully win investors and drive innovation in the economy?
In “Business Translation” students learn to translate advanced business texts from English into German.
Texts from the Financial Times, the New Yok Times, Business Insider and Wired Magazine for example are translated. Typical topics include “The Strategy of Apple”, “Silicon Valley Start-ups”, “The Financial Results of Disney”, “The Annual Reports in the Luxury Goods Industry – Hermes, LVMH and Prada” as well as “Multinational Companies in China.” Texts about the economy focus on macroeconomic data and GDP growth forecasts for advanced economies.
In addition, videos explaining the role of lexicographers in compiling dictionaries are shown and the use of English words in German business language is explored and discussed.
The ability to translate English business texts into German well can be a key skill in an internship or job focussing on communication at a company in Germany.