The structure and administration of the Paris Chamber of Commerce Examination of French language proficiency is described, and methods of classroom preparation for the examination are presented. The exam certifies French proficiency at two levels: certificat (language skills necessary to conduct business effectively in the francophone world) and…

Based on examination of a number of international business (IB) textbooks, all of which were found deficient in their treatment of the cross-cultural aspects of IB, 12 principles that should be reflected in the content and construction of IB texts are presented, with explanation and illustrations: (1) understand that culture is the basis of…

Articles in this theme issue of the journal, devoted to the subject of languages in the workplace, include: "Language Use in International Research" (Eugene Garfield, Alfred Welljams-Dorof); "The Foreign Language Needs of U.S.-Based Corporations" (Carol S. Fixman); "Foreign Language Use Among International Business…

Steps in the development of a major in International Studies at the State University of New York at Oneonta is described. Designed jointly by the Foreign Language Department and the Business Department, the program includes the following components: an overseas segment, advanced foreign language requirement, and course requirements for economics…

This paper discusses an ongoing study being conducted at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah concerning ways of improving communication teaching to graduate students, especially those in the business administration program. The paper also discusses some current research on language and management and some preliminary results of fourth year…

Objective and subjective analysis of trade trends, political and economic developments, and the anticipated effects of world-wide energy policies suggest that certain languages will become central to future international trade. Three language categories emerge, in descending order of importance. The first includes languages of the Orient: Japan,…

At the College of St. Thomas (Minnesota), both an undergraduate and graduate business program requiring advanced language study and study abroad were developed. Administrative support for the program, support for faculty specializing in business language, and careful planning have helped to avoid anticipated problems. Language department harmony…

The first part of a discussion of curriculum for advanced business Arabic outlines the need for development of such a course, arguing that traditional courses do not meet the vocational needs of the growing audience for Arabic instruction. The second part describes a methodology for a newly designed course that uses problem-solving and guided…

Several key elements for the internationalization of American business administration education programs are outlined, including tools for: helping one monitor the dynamic and interdependent global business environment, honing one's sensitivity to cultural differences, and sharpening one's language and communication skills. Strategies are…

A review of the history and the literature of second language teaching for business and the professions suggests that the language teaching profession has certain operational premises for developing this curricular area. These assumptions are that: (1) the educational system must be responsive to the needs of society, one of which is for citizens…

English as a Second language (ESL) instruction for business and commerce at Marymount College (California) serves a population with diverse characteristics but one central need: to develop a clear understanding of a relatively unfamiliar world of work while also acquiring terminology from an unfamiliar language to describe that world. The course…

The current growth in language study for business-related communication should be viewed as a two-fold opportunity: to extend the ideals of a liberal arts education to a broader base of students and at the same time allowing humanities students to gain skills useful in today's world. Just as the study of humanities can help create a more balanced…

The decade of the 1980s saw a shift in paradigm in American trade and commerce, the serious beginning of a movement away from anachronistic and unwise ethnocentrism and nationalism and toward a more practical globalization of American business consciousness. The notion of business conducted in English and according to American norms began to yield…

Courses in English for special purposes, particularly in business, should be extended to native speakers of English. Problems of intercultural communication occur not only when people operate across linguistic boundaries but also when those people share a common language, particularly as new non-native varieties of English are becoming more…

This paper describes a pilot project, conducted within the American English Institute at the University of Oregon, on the use of a published business-oriented management simulation in English language training for university-bound international students. The management game simulated competition among a group of manufacturing companies to acquire…