UNIT 1                                            LOOKING   AHEAD

1.1          Discussing   objectives

Functions:

Describing specific objectives

Discussing general aims and ambitions

Target Language:

Language for describing objectives

Language for describing ambitions

Theme:

Company and career objectives and   ambitions – Google’s vision

1.2          Evaluating   objectives

Functions:

Discussing the feasibility of objectives

Target Language:

Language for describing how realistic   objectives are

Theme:

Business expansions plans

The psychology of goal-setting

1.3          Describing   plans

Functions:

Discussing yet-to-be arranged intentions

Referring to scheduled future   arrangements

Referring to timetabled future events

Target Language:

Present continuous tense as future   (arrangements)

Present simple tense as future   (timetables)

going to (plans)

Theme:

Plans for a business trip

Plans for a trip to a conference

Project planning

UNIT 2                                            CORPORATE   MACHINERY

2.1          Business   activities

Functions:

Giving the names of key company   departments

Describing the functions of company   departments

Target Language:

Names of common company departments

Verbs to describe business functions

Theme:

Customer focus

2.2          Management   activities

Functions:

Describing   management activities

Discussing   management challenges

Target   Language:

Verbs to   describe management activities

Theme:

The role   of the manager

2.3          Organizational   structures

Functions:

Describing the organization of a company

Explaining reporting structures and hierarchies

Target Language:

Language for describing parts of   companies

Language for describing lines of   communication

Theme:

Matrix structures

Management across company boundaries

UNIT 3                                            DECISION-MAKING

3.1          Decision-making   analysis

Functions:

Analyzing and steering a decision-making   process

Target Language:

Language to describe decisions and   decision-making behavior

Theme:

Decision-making instincts

Decision-making in family businesses

3.2          Expressing   and explaining opinions

Functions:

Expressing and explaining opinions during   decision-making

Offering advice and recommendations

Target Language:

should(n’t), must(n’t), ought to, have   got to

important to/that, essential to that, a   good idea to

Theme:

Product evaluation meetings

Opinions in family businesses

3.3          Agreeing   and disagreeing

Functions:

Expressing varying degrees of agreement   and disagreement

Target Language:

Phrases for agreeing and disagreeing

Theme:

Product evaluation meetings

Decision-making between business partners

UNIT 4                                            ANALYSIS

4.1          Describing   present trends

Functions:

Describing the frequency of actions and   events

Referring to current and temporary   situations

Target Language:

Review and extension of adverbs of   frequency

Common expressions for describing   frequency

Phrases for referring to the present

Theme:

The growth of the Internet

Internet use at home and at work

4.2          Describing   behavior

Functions:

Describing habits

Describing likes and dislikes

Target Language:

Language for describing tendencies   (including gerund forms)

Verbs to describe likes/dislikes with   infinitive and gerund forms

Theme:

E-tailing

4.3          Interpreting   statistics

Functions:

Describing precise and approximate values

Approximate large numbers in conversation

Describing fractions and proportions

Target Language:

Words to indicate precision/approximation

Conversational abbreviations of large   numbers

Phrases and collocations for describing   fractions and proportions

Theme:

Websites and online store usage

UNIT 5                                            IDEAS

5.1          Describing   ideas

Functions:

Describing innovative thinking

Target Language:

Language for describing innovative ideas

Theme:

Innovation and entrepreneurship

5.2          Making   suggestions

Functions:

Making suggestions

Building on other people’s suggestions

Target Language:

Language for making and developing   suggestions

Theme:

New company reception décor

Electronic ink

5.3          Evaluation   ideas

Functions:

Discussing possible scenarios

Discussing hypothetical scenarios

Target Language:

First and second conditional

Theme:

Brainstorming potential problems and   solutions

UNIT 6                                            PROGRESS

6.1             Discussing   past trends

Functions:

Describing   ongoing situations in the past

Target   Language:

Past with   “used to”

Theme:

From   faxes to instant messaging

6.2          Describing   change

Functions:

Describing change and transition

Describing modernization and improvement

Target Language:

Words and phrases to describe change

Words and phrases to describe improvement

Theme:

Speech recognition

6.3          Discussing   experiences

Functions:

Discussing past experiences

Target Language:

Contrastive review of past simple and   past perfect tenses

Theme:

Learning English for work

UNIT 7                                            TIME   & MONEY

7.1          Discussing   schedules

Functions:

Describing schedules

Discussing the impact of delays and   changes to schedules

Describing the interrelationship between   scheduled activities

Target Language:

Scheduling language

Theme:

Scheduling: construction and the Empire   State Building

7.2          Discussing   budgets

Functions:

Discussing budgets

Comparing planned and actual expenditure

Target Language:

Budgeting language

Theme:

The science of budgeting

Costs and savings on home improvements

7.3          Giving   progress report

Functions:

Giving an update

Enquiring about and describing what’s   been happening

Target Language:

Phrases with “update”

Present perfect continuous tense

Contrasting the present perfect simple   and continuous tenses

Theme:

Written and oral updates on progress

UNIT 8                                            GETTING   ORGANIZED

8.1          Making   arrangements

Functions:

Arranging to meet

Referring to specific dates

Referring to approximate timeframes

Target Language:

Language for describing precise and   approximate timeframes

Phrases for arranging to meet

Theme:

Organizing a conference

8.2          Changing   arrangements

Functions:

Rearranging meetings and events

Explaining reasons for changes of plan

Referring to firm and provisional   arrangements

Target Language:

Language for describing changes of plan

Language for referring to unexpected   events

Language for qualifying arrangements as   firm or provisional

Theme:

Organizing a conference

8.3          Confirming   and clarifying

Functions:

Double-checking information and   arrangements

Clarifying unclear information and   arrangements

Target Language:

Language for describing confusion or   mistakes

Theme:

“Fat finger” syndrome

Clarifying payment details

UNIT 9                                            SYSTEMS

9.1          Describing   procedures

Functions:

Describing procedures, processes and   systems

Target Language:

Passive: present simple, past simple,   present perfect tenses

Theme:

Barcodes

9.2          Explaining   how things work

Functions:

Describing physical position

Describing physical direction and   movement

Target Language:

Verbs with prepositions of   position/direction

Theme:

Cargo helium balloons and CargoLifter

9.3          Describing   precautions

Functions:

Explaining safety precautions

Target Language:

Passive with can(not), should (not) and   must (not)

Language to describe hazards and safety   precautions

Theme:

Accident statistics analysis

UNIT 10                                         WORKLOAD

10.1        Pressure   and influence

Functions:

Describing external pressures

Describing influential trends

Target Language:

Passive: present continuous tense

Language for describing pressure and   influence

Theme:

The science of happiness

10.2        Norms   and exceptions

Functions:

Referring to usual and unusual   circumstances

Target Language:

Language for describing normal and   exceptional situations

unless

whenever, whatever, wherever, however,   whoever

Theme:

Time managements

10.3        Autonomy   and assistance

Functions:

Refer to internal and external business   functions

Target Language:

to have/get (something) done

Reflexive

Language for describing internal and   external operations

Theme:

Outsourcing

Personal shoppers

UNIT 11                                         LOCATION

11.1        Geography   and climate

Functions:

Describing cities, regions and countries

Talking about the weather and climate

Target Language:

Geographical features

Weather and climate

Theme:

Impact of the working environment

Business clusters

11.2        Economic   factors

Functions:

Referring to economic indicators

Describing economic performance

Explaining causes, effects and   consequences

Target Language:

Language for describing specific aspects   of the economy

Language for describing overall economic   performance

Language for linking causes and effects

Theme:

Real estate prices

11.3        Describing   graphs

Functions:

Describing trends on graphs

Emphasizing significant movements on   graphs

Describing the causes, effects and   consequences of trends

Target Language:

Verbs and nouns for describing graphs

Adjectives and adverbs for describing   graphs

Theme:

Oil prices

UNIT 12                                         PRODUCTS   & SERVICES

12.1        Written   requests and responses

Functions:

Requesting information about products and   services by email

Responding to requests for information by   email

Target Language:

Common email phrases – requests and   responses

Theme:

Enquiries by email

“FAQ” for customer service

12.2        Describing   products and services objectively

Functions:

Describing the characteristics of   products and services

Discussing the suitability of products   and services

Discussing the availability of products   and services

Target Language:

Words and phrases to describe   product/services characteristics

Words and phrases to describe suitability

Words and phrases to describe   availability

Theme:

Ikea

“Multi-channel   retailing”

12.3        Describing   products and services subjectively

Functions:

Emphasizing good and bad points

Exaggerating and understating

Describing prices and values

Target Language:

Modifiers

Idioms for prices and values

Theme:

Design classics

Preferences in car design

UNIT 13                                         OPPORTUNITY

13.1        Discussing   opportunities

Functions:

Discussing scope and potential

Target Language:

Language to describe opportunities and   potential

Language to describe levels of risk

Theme:

Working from home

13.2        Describing   observations

Functions:

Describing observations

Target Language:

Language for describing observations

Past continuous tense with “when” and   “while”

Theme:

Iwasaki and replica food

How do people spot opportunities?

13.3        Discussing   next steps

Functions:

Discussing how to move plans forward

Target Language:

Time clauses: when, before, after, as   soon as, once, until

Theme:

Moving an idea forward

UNIT 14                                         CHARACTER   & CULTURE

14.1        Corporate   characteristics

Functions:

Discussing the efficiency of   organizations

Describing corporate culture

Target Language:

Adjectives, phrases and idioms for describing   organizations

Theme:

Analyzing the culture of an acquired firm

14.2        Personal   characteristics

Functions:

Describing people’s strengths and   weaknesses

Discussing behavior, and attitudes at   work

Target Language:

Adjectives for describing personal characteristics

Theme:

Corporate personality

14.3        Personal   abilities

Functions:

Describing personal abilities

Expressing levels of motivation

Target Language:

able to / unable to

Capable of …ing / incapable of …ing

brilliant / excellent / good/ not very   good / hopeless at …ing

Theme:

What recruiters look for

UNIT 15                                         NEWS   & VIEWS

15.1        Reporting   findings

Functions:

Expressing conclusions based on opinions

Expressing degrees of certainty and doubt

Target Language:

Describing facts and assumptions in the   passive

Theme:

Public relations

15.2        Understanding   headlines

Functions:

Understanding headlines in the business   press

Target Language:

Headline language

Theme:

Various news stories and associated   headlines

15.3        Rumors   and assumptions

Functions:

Discussing rumors

Referring to assumptions

Target Language:

Language for qualifying rumors and   assumptions

Review of question tags

Theme:

Company and industry rumors