English for Running a Successful Business from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Entrepreneurship

This week, we’ll focus on entrepreneurs—people who start a new business, even though they know it may not succeed. What qualities and skills are needed to become an entrepreneur, and what factors determine why some businesses succeed and others fail? You’ll hear about some steps to follow in starting a business and writing a business plan. You’ll also learn about how to use modal verbs for many purposes—to talk about possibilities, predictions, and requirements, or to give advice.

Sales

This week’s topic is about sales in a company. Sales is the driving force and money-making activity in business. You will read about sales team activities and listen to a talk about strategies of sales outlets. You will also see presentations about housing sales reports and how sales numbers are reported in graphs and in English writing.

Project Management

In any type of business, there are many projects. This week, you’ll learn about project management—planning, organizing, and keeping track of projects so the work is finished correctly and on time. You’ll learn about some special concepts and terms used in this field and think about the importance of teamwork in getting a project done smoothly. You’ll also learn some useful expressions for asking for clarification or getting more information if you don’t understand something.

Sustainability

The topic of sustainability, or being environmentally friendly, has become a key goal many companies plan to incorporate into their businesses. This week, we will read and listen to some passages about sustainability in business. In addition, we will listen to an interview about how one multinational company is incorporating sustainability into many facets of their corporate operations. We will also learn about how to use some phrasal verbs in writing and speaking situations in English.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops English communication skills in a business context, including modal verbs and phrasal verbs, which are required for business communication

Teaches foundational business skills in entrepreneurship, sales, project management, and sustainability, which are highly relevant to industry

Taught by Marla Yoshida and Karen Vallejo, who are highly experienced and recognized English language instructors

Covers concepts and terms used in project management, which may be useful in various industries

Requires students to have a basic understanding of English grammar and vocabulary

Does not provide hands-on experience in business or project management

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in English for Running a Successful Business with these activities:

Refine sales reading comprehension

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Review your current knowledge of sales concepts to ensure you're prepared for this module.

Browse courses on Sales

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Review course syllabus
Identify key sales concepts
Research basic sales terminologies

Practice asking for clarification

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Enhance your ability to ask for clarification by practicing different phrases.

Browse courses on Communication Skills

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Identify situations where you need to ask for clarification
Practice using different phrases to ask for clarification

Modal verb practice

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Reinforce your comprehension of using modal verbs in different scenarios.

Browse courses on Modal Verbs

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Identify the different types of modal verbs
Practice using modal verbs in sentences

Five other activities

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Identify essential project scope elements

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Solidify your understanding of defining project scope by completing a set of practice problems.

Browse courses on Project Management

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Define the scope of a project using a real-world example
Identify the key components of project scope
Practice creating a project scope statement

Practice using modal verbs in business scenarios

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Improve your ability to use modal verbs effectively in business contexts.

Browse courses on Modal Verbs

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Identify common business scenarios where modal verbs are used
Practice using modal verbs in these scenarios

Follow a tutorial on using phrasal verbs

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Watch a tutorial to build your knowledge of phrasal verbs.

Browse courses on Phrasal Verbs

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Find a tutorial on using phrasal verbs
Follow the steps in the tutorial
Practice using phrasal verbs in your writing and speaking

Read 'Good Strategy/Bad Strategy'

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Expand your understanding of business strategy by reading this influential book.

View The Crux: How Leaders Become Strategists on Amazon

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Read the book
Summarize the key ideas in the book
Apply the concepts to your own business or career

Create a presentation on sustainability in business

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Reinforce your understanding of sustainability in business by creating a presentation.

Browse courses on Sustainability

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Research sustainability in business
Develop a presentation outline
Create your presentation
Present your findings

Career center

Learners who complete English for Running a Successful Business will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sales Executive

Sales executives focus on building relationships with existing and potential customers. They sell products or services and expand market share. This course covers the importance of sales in a company and teaches students about the sales team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Executive

Project Manager

Project managers plan, organize, and track projects so the work is finished correctly and on time. This course helps build a foundation for project management. It also discusses concepts and terms used in the field and teamwork.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start businesses, run them, and assume their risks and rewards. They can work as finance managers, marketing managers, and business owners. This course can help someone build a foundational understanding of entrepreneurship and business planning.

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Sustainability Manager

Sustainability managers focus on business decisions that consider environmental and social responsibilities. This course can help future Sustainability Managers build a background in sustainability and environmental friendliness.

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Business Analyst

Business analysts provide insights into a business and advise what changes can be made to improve performance. This course can help provide a foundation for the use of data and project management in business.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing managers create comprehensive marketing plans. They research, develop, and implement strategies to meet marketing objectives. This course may be useful to learn about sales and marketing teams in a company.

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Account Manager

Account managers develop and maintain relationships with clients to serve their business needs and ensure satisfaction. This course may be useful to build a foundation in sales and project management.

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Operations Manager

Operations managers are responsible for overseeing the operational aspects of a business, ensuring things run smoothly and efficiently. This course may be useful to learn about project management.

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Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers oversee the recruitment, hiring, training, and development of employees. This course may be useful to learn about sustainability and project management in a business.

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Finance Manager

Finance managers create and manage financial reports, analyze financial data, and develop financial plans and policies to ensure the financial health of the organization. This course may be useful to learn about entrepreneurship and finance teams.

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Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants provide administrative and clerical support to executives and managers. This course may be useful to learn about sales, project management, and entrepreneurship.

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Data Analyst

Data analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to help businesses make informed decisions. This course may be useful to learn about project management and sales.

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Web Developer

Web developers design, create, and maintain websites. This course may be useful to learn about project management and entrepreneurship.

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Software Engineer

Software engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course may be useful to learn about project management and teamwork.

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Graphic designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts and designs for a variety of media, including print, web, and advertising. This course may be useful to learn about entrepreneurship and sustainability.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic designer