What do you do?
I'm a/an (job)
I work in (department)
I work for (company)
I work on (project)
What is the purpose of economic activity?
Economic activity is to earn money and create wealth (producing, providing, purchasing, selling, distributing and consuming various goods or services).
Boom/upturn-wealth, high demand, employment
slump/downturn-demand falls, low prices, unemployment
Non-economic activities are those for which people don´t receive money (volunteering at a local charity, spending time helping a friend, recreational activities).
What is business communication?
Business communication is the process of sharing information between employees within and outside an organisations. (goal oriented/uclear)
Internal communication is business communication within the company (employees)
External Communication is business communication outside the company (customers, suppliers, shareholders)
What is a business organisation?
Business organisation converts inputs, for example labour, material, and capital into outputs – the goods and services that it sells.
What are printed media?
Printed media include newspapers and magazines.
There are two basic types of newspapers: tabloids (smaller in size, have shorter articles with big headlines and a lot of photos. They focus more on sensation) and quality newspapers )larger in size and contain detailed articles about national and international events).
Magazines are printed on better quality paper and have more pages than newspapers.
What does your job involve?
I am responsible for ...
I am in charge of ...
I run ...
I manage ...
I deal with ...
I attend...
I wear ...
I speak ...
What are factors of production?
The world´s resources are scarce or finite and people´s wants and needs are infinite.
Economic problems: What to produce? How to produce? For whom to produce?
Production is a process that involves converting resources into goods and services. (baker-flour-bread)
4 factors of production: land, capital (working/fixed), labour, enterprise
What is written communication?
Written communication includes emails, faxes and traditional business letters sent by post.
Letters-enquiry, quotation, order, complaint.
-clear, formal, polite
-includes:sender's address, date, reciever's address, subject line, salutation, body, closer, signature, attachments
What is ownership and control of organisations?
PRIVATE-solo-traders, partnerships, ltd-private limited, plc-public limited, non-governmental
PUBLIC-government corporations/organisations
What are broadcast media?
Broadcast media refers to any audio and video information or content distributed through radio, film and television.
TV-current affairs programmes, TV series (soap operas or sitcoms), movies, comedy, drama, documentaries, shows, talk shows, sports programmes, reality shows, cookery programmes, children’s programmes, educational programmes.
Commercial channels or networks are financed by advertising and broadcast a lot of commercials, whereas non-commercial or public channels are financed by TV license fees.
Radio stations are also commercial or non-commercial.
What is your daily routine?
I have full/part time job.
I work full time/in shifts/flexi-time/overtime.
I start at... and finish at ....
I have coffe/lunch/snack break x times a day.
I go to work by ...
I have to clock in/out.
What are the sectors of Economy?
primary sector, business activity involves extracting raw materials from the earth (agriculture, fishing,mining, foresty).
secondary sector, business activity involves changing raw materials into finished or semi-finished products (metalworking, car production, textile production, energy utilities, food processing)
tertiary sector involves the provision of a wide range of services (commercial, financial, household, leisure, professional service, transport)
fourth sector-IT, research, development.
What is oral communication?
Oral communication includes face-to face communication, as well as telephone conversations or videoconferencing.
-swichboard operator, replying, being contacted, taking or leaving messages, greeting, starting reasons for call, ending, asking for repetitions
Define private organisations in terms of number of owners, liability, capital, example.
Solotrader-one owner
What are New Media?
New media refers to all interactive forms of information exchange. These include online newspapers, social networking sites, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, wikis, webinars, video sharing platforms, email, online forums and different virtual worlds. They are all delivered digitally and are internet-related.
What do you like or dislike about your job?
My job is interesting/boring/stimulating/fascinating/exciting/fun/repetitive/hard/stressful...
I enjoy/dislike ...
I (don't) get on well with ...
My working conditions are ...
I have well/badly paid job.
I get ... weeks holiday.
We have fringe benefits ...
What are economic systems?
An economic system is a way in which societies or governments organise and distribute available resources, services and goods across a region or a country.
Traditional Economic system – is a system based on direct exchange of goods between people (Africa).
Planned Economy-the government decides how the factors of production are used (Communism)
Market system-all resources are privately owned.
Mixed economy-private sector and public sector, and the government regulates the private sector in different ways (USA).
What is office equipment?
Office furniture: desk, swivel chair/office chair, filing cabinet, bookcase, cupboard, notice board, shelf, coat stand, conference table, flip chart, waste paper bin, drawer, trolley, whiteboard.
Office technology: computer and accessories: laptop or desktop, mouse, monitor, hard drive, screen, speaker, keyboard, mouse mat, disk, web cam, data projector, memory stick, headset, external hard drive, printer (ink jet, thermal, laser jet), copier, scanner, telephone, mobile phone (AE cellphone), switchboard, paper shredder, binding machine, laminator, paper cutter, electric kettle, coffee maker.
Office supplies and Stationary: pencil sharpener, rubber (AE eraser), ruler, Sellotape (Scotch tape), glue, scissors, hole punch, stapler and staples, rubber stamp, correcting fluid (Tipp-Ex, pin, drawing pin, paper clip, sheet of paper, writing pad, notepad, notebook, diary, sticky notes (Post-it notes, envelope, folder, ring binder, file, sheet protector, ballpoint pen, fountain pen, felt-tip pen, marker, pencil, mechanical pencil, coloured pencil, highlighter, flip-chart marker
Name three types of public organisations and give examples.
Government departments that provide services for the public, such as Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Education or Health Care. These departments are usually controlled by teams or boards lead by a government minister.
Public corporations and state-owned enterprises (SOE´s): are owned by the government. The government selects the people who run the organisations. They are state-funded and the money comes from taxes. They provide public services.
Local authorities: local councils, libraries, sports halls and swimming pools, housing, emergency services
What is unemployment? What are the consequences of unemployment?
Unemployed people are defined as those of working age who want a job but cannot find work. (young, old, ethnic minorities, disabled, lone parents)
Unemployment is usually measured by the unemployment rate which is dividing the number of unemployed people by the total number of people in the workforce.
Consequences: output (lower income and living standart), powerty, government spends on benefits, tax revenues (higher taxes), cosumer confidence (necessary goods), business confidence (employes redundance and no investment), society (health).
What is your company like?
company type: small/large/international
place: it is based in/the headquater is in
history:
production:
employees:
ECONOMIC RELATED TERMS
Economics – is the study of how society uses its scarce resources
Macroeconomics – studies the economy as a whole, such as for example growth, inflation, or unemployment.
Microeconomics – is the study of behaviour of individual markets, workers, households and firms.
Business studies – is a course of study at a school or college, which covers economic and financial subjects
Economy – is a system of organizations and institutions that either facilitate or play role in the production and distribution of goods and services.
Economic – relating to the science of economics, or the economy or of personal finances – for example economic growth, economic crisis
Economical – careful use of money, or we can say that we can do things: Economically
An economist – is a professional and a practitioner in the science of economics
How do you use PC at work?
programs: a word processor, spreadsheet, SAP software, Adobe Photoshop.
laptop at home: sending and receiving emails, chatting with friends via Skype, for finding information, uploading and downloading photos, playing computer games, watching films and listening to music and for Internet banking of course.
writing letters:
switch on the computer
log in/on
open a word processor (e.g. MS Word)
type the letter
edit the letter (correct, cut or delete parts)
print the letter
sign the letter
put the letter in an envelope
write the address on the envelope
stick a stamp on the envelope
post the letter
close the computer program
log out/off
switch off the computer
What are non-profit organisations?
A non-profit organisation is a legal entity, which operates for serving the society as a whole. These can be: A Club, Trust, Public Hospitals. Non-profit organisations are managed by trustees, or committees. They raise funds from donations, subscription, or membership fees, or government grants.
What are the types of unemployment?
Cyclical or demand deficient unemployment-When an economy moves from boom into a downturn, business activity slows down and people are laid off.
Structural-. Changes in the structure of economy can result in structural unemployment.
Seasonal-in holiday resorts, hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions take on more staff during the holiday season.
Voluntary-There are people in the society who choose not to work.
Frictional-a short-term unemployment. It occurs when people are unemployed because they move from one job to another.