UPDATES

Please take note that your assignment presentation will be this coming THURSDAY, 4th February 2010, from 10.30 - 12.30 .... please ensure that all your materials are ready to go on that day....

Sunday, 31 January 2010

Assignment Presentation

As stated in your assignment brief, your assignment presentation will be on Thursday, 4th February.

Dresscode
Please make sure that you are dressed appropriately...
For girls, you should either wear a skirt or trousers, with a blouse. You can also wear a dress. No t-shirts or singlets will be allowed.
For footwear, ensure that you wear heels and not ballerina (or any flatties)

For the boys, you should wear trousers with either a short sleeve or long sleeve shirt. No t-shirts and jeans.
For footwear, wear formal shoes and not sneakers or sports shoes.

Presentation materials
Make sure all your materials are produced on powerpoint. All materials must be saved on pen-drive. You should also submit to me a printout of your presentation before you actually present.

Saturday, 30 January 2010

Comments - Task 4 and 5

Generic Comments

All groups are encourage to list down the website where you got your information from. Remember that plagiarism is the number 1 sin in any academic course

Ourgroup

I enjoyed reading the business practices of China. I can see that you have been a lot of work in researching this. However I would like to really hear your “own” group voice. It would indeed interesting to see how the business practices of China are similar/ different from that of Malaysia.

You have quoted good examples of ways to contribute to the environment. Your points could however do with more explanation and expansion, including listing companies that actually practice such environmentally-friendly methods.

Five5stars

I would have liked your discussion on the ways to promote environmentally-friendly practices to be more thorough by giving me examples of specific companies that implement such practices.

I liked the way you presented the business practices of Japan, complete with the pictures. Your discussion however is more focused on Japan, as a nation and I would have liked to see your discussion of the business practices, and possibly the reasons why such practices are norm in Japan.

First Time

Is your discussion of ways to contribute to environmentally-friendly causes focused solely on the automobile industry? I am unclear here as you only seem to focus on the different developments in the automobile industry. How can this be related to other businesses?

Your discussion of the Korean business practices is thorough and well-developed. Good work!!!

HeroDBA

Your post on the business practices seems to have gone “Missing”. Did you forget to upload the content?

Your discussion on the different ways is quite good but requires more examples. Would like to see this expanded upon.

Ethnic-Six

Well done with both tasks for the week. You could improve on the one focused on environment by adding some “real-life” example companies that practice the different ways.

The write-up on India is interesting. You could improve it by having some pictures attached to the blog post.

My style

You were the only group to give me examples in the task on business and the environment…well done for that. You could actually expand on this more….as you didn’t quite explain the different ways though.

Your discussion on the business practices is concise and easy to read. You could include some pictures though.

Sunday, 24 January 2010

Grammar Presentation Schedule

11/1/2010
Present simple and present continuous
Present perfect and past simple
Make and Do

18/1/2010
Adverbs
Used to vs Used to be doing
Imperatives

25/1/2010
Conditionals - 1st, 2nd
Fractions and Percentages
Reported Speech

1/2/2010
Future Tense
Passive Voice

8/2/2010
Modals
Gerunds and Infinitives

22/2/2010
Articles
Relative Clauses

Saturday, 23 January 2010

New Task

Task 1
Select an Asian country and research on some of the business practices of that particular country. You can choose from the countries below:
  1. China
  2. Vietnam
  3. Thailand
  4. India
  5. Japan
  6. Korea

Task 2
Identify 3 ways in which a business can actively contribute to protecting the environment

Monday, 18 January 2010

Comments on the First 3 Blog Posts

Ourgroup
A big well done to members of ourgroup, who have produced a very informative and attractive mind-map of the text “ Learning to Cope with Corporate Culture Clashes”. Would have liked seeing your company profile written in paragraph form though the addition of the short video clip about Body Shop is indeed a good introduction to the company and the products they have.
To the two boys in the group, Justin and Zhou Cheng, make sure that you provide male insights to the different tasks that will be given in the next few weeks.

Five4stars
Interesting summary of the key points in “ Learning to Cope with Corporate Culture Clashes”. You have presented a very different illustration of the key points, which clearly shows that you have understood the major issues brought up in the text.
Very good description of Maxis.
And most of all, I like the group profile, with the group picture!!

swzone
I love the way you have introduced your group members as well as explained why the title “First Time” was chosen and to add to your “first time”, this is really the first time for any blog project that a group has explained why they have chosen a specific blog title to well done to you.
The explanation about Maxis could do with more elaboration though. You seem to be more focused on explaining the shifting of company premises, though I would have loved to know more about what the core business of Maxis is.
Your summary of the key points in the reading text “ Learning to Cope with Corporate Culture Clashes” could have been more developed. No worries though, you will have the opportunity to do the same thing in a few more blog tasks to come.

herodba
Your group profile could have been more expanded had you explained to me how the four of you met. I would have also loved to see a picture of all the group members.
A suggestion for improvement in your company profile. You could have written and expanded upon the history and development of Virgin Group by articulating your ideas in paragraph form.
A good job on the reading text “One Day in My Life”. Your mindmap is clear and easily understood.

Ethnic-six
I love your group’s name. So creative. Your member’s profile is interesting, with good descriptions of all the members. Would have loved to hear about my fellow Convent junior, Tasha…so please…tell me more about yourself!
You could improve on your company profile by presenting a summarized version of the content you have in paragraph form.
Your flow chart on the text, “One Day in My Life” is interesting. Keep the good work coming!!

mystyle-dba
The dynamics of your group is really interesting. And the group photo is really nice. I do hope to hear more about the group members.
Very thorough write-up on the Body Shop. Well done on this blog post.
Interesting mind-map of the text “One Day in My Life”. Do pay attention to your colour combination as the points in the “black cloud” are a little difficult to read.

Thursday, 14 January 2010

15th January 2010 Blog Tasks

Please ensure that by the end of the week...you should have completed :
  1. Your group member profile - complete with photos of your group members
  2. The company profile of either one of the four companies I have listed in your tasksheet
  3. A mind-map summarizing the key contents of either "One Day in my Life" or Learning to Cope with Corporate Clashes"

New beginnings


Another new year and another new batch of BE 1 students..

Would like to take this opportunity to say HI to the January 2010 cohort and may you keep this business learning blog alive and well...

A note to all the different blog groups currently working hard at your blog entries, please make sure that you have given me the correct blog addresses as I can't seem to access some of them...

Also as I can't find tumblr's comments page, I shall therefore post my comments here on this blog site...

Keep up the good work, people and I hope to see your second post, on the companies I asked you to find out about soon,

Monday, 23 November 2009

Group B - Blog Assessment

Please ensure that you have the tasks below uploaded on your website as I will be assessing your blogs at the end of the week :
  1. Group Profile
  2. Company Profile
  3. Cadbury Advertisement
  4. Retail and Consumer Habits of Malaysians and Singaporeans
  5. Comparison Chart - benefits to franchisees and franchisors
  6. Assignment Outline
  7. Assignment Presentation Slides
  8. Business Practices Presentation Slides
  9. Report
  10. Business Plan
  11. Mind Map (Acquisitions and mergers)
  12. Honda Advertisement Analysis

Group A - Blog Assessment

Please ensure that your blog sites are updated with the tasks below as I will be assessing you based on this :
  1. Group Profile - with pictures of group members if possible
  2. Company profile
  3. Cadbury Advertisement
  4. Cover letter
  5. Memorandum
  6. Business plan
  7. Assignment Outline
  8. Assignment Presentation Slides
  9. Mind-map (Acquisitions and mergers)
  10. Honda Advertisement Analysis

Thursday, 12 November 2009

Tasks and Reminders

Reminder :
Please ensure that all the relevant blog entries have been uploaded as I will be checking and awarding marks by Sunday, 15th November 2009.

New tasks
As we have come to almost the end of your module, I have decided to simplify the last two tasks as I know that you are all busy preparing for your final examinations.
The blog tasks are as stated below :

Task 1
Read up on the reference at http://www.economywatch.com/mergers-acquisitions/benefits.html and produce a mind-map on the main points of the text. You can produce your mind-map on powerpoint and then save it as a .jpeg file and upload it on your blog.

Task 2
Watch a Honda commercial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKIXW9wBWXo and decide if the commercial is effective. Discuss your group response in one or two paragraphs.

Both tasks are due by 20th November 2009

Sunday, 8 November 2009

Grammar Guide - Imperatives

The imperative uses the same form as the infinitive, but without the "to".

We can use imperatives to do any of the below :
Give orders - Do your homework
Give instruction - Turn to page 31 of your course book.
Give strong advice - Make sure that you work harder for the next exam.

We can also use imperatives to form emphatic statement.
Do invite us for your wedding.

Grammar Guide - Conditionals

Conditional sentences are divided into two parts :
  • the "if" clause
  • the main clause
Examples:
  1. I will thumb a lift from him if he goes.
  2. If he goes, I will thumb a lift.

There are four types of conditionals :
  • The first conditional - talks about possibilities in the future, used when results are habitual or automatic
  • The second conditional - talks about unreal situations in the present or the future
  • The third conditional - talks about unreal situations in the past, impossible situations
  • Zero conditional

The structure of the conditional :
  • First conditional -if clause (present simple verb), main clause (future tense - will + base form)
  • Second conditional - if clause (past tense verb), main clause (would + base form)
  • Third conditional - if clause (past perfect tense), main clause (would have + past participle)

Examples:

  • If he arrives late, he will miss the flight.
  • If I had a million ringgit, I would travel around the world.
  • If he had worked harder, he would have scored straight As in the exam.

Sunday, 1 November 2009

Grammar Guide - Adverbs

Adverbs can be used to do one of the below :
  1. modify a verb
  2. modify an adjective
  3. mody another adverb
  4. modify a phrase
  5. modify a clause

Adverbs are typically formed by adding an -ly to an adjective
Example : quiet (adj) - quietly (adv)

Adverbs answer questions such as :
  1. how
  2. when
  3. how
  4. where
  5. how much

Saturday, 10 October 2009

Grammar Guide - Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe nouns.
They can describe the following :
  1. Size
  2. Shape
  3. Colour
  4. Origin
  5. Material
  6. Texture
  7. Opinion and many others
  • Adjectives can be used in two positions in a sentence.
  • Attribute - before a noun
  • eg : The handsome boy is my classmate
  • Predicative - after the verb
  • eg : He is intelligent

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Happy Birthday to Mr. Mafia

To the class Godfather,

Happy Birthday!!!

Grammar Presentation List - Group A

Updated!
Please check once again the dates for your group presentations. Although I have noted all dates for Mondays, the presentations will normally be on Tues during our double period

Please note that these are the dates for your grammar presentation. Ensure that during your presentation, you provide enough examples and exercises for your friends to practice the grammar item.

14/9/09
Lim Yan Ping, Christine Loh (Make and do)
Chua Kai Xin, Lee Chen Hong (Used to do, used to be doing)

28/9/09
Sherwynn Choi, Ng Chai Ying, Bruce Wong (Imperatives)
Sim Kuan Liang, Woh Xian Ting, Ng Yap Siang (Adjectives)

19/10/09
Ng Wen Xian, Yow Hui Chean, Wong Hui Ying (Adverbs)
Ng Hui Shan, Tay Boon Cherng, Seng Wei, Eric, Ming Zhi (Conditionals)

26/10/09
Andrea Poon, Angeline Lim (Allow, Enable, Let etc)
Chong Liang Wai, Yim Kien Zhong, Ong Keen Hong (The Passive)

2/11/09
Soon Leong, Jasmin, Hui Min (Nouns and Prepositions)
Kho Kar Hua, Aw Bing Xing, Prem (Phrasal Verbs)

9/11/09
Ho Yong Shen, Shaun Jit Singh (Reported Speech)
Ng Hui Shan, Tan Mui Kim (Articles)

16/11/09
Eric Phoon, Pung Khai Keong, Kok Chee Kian (Modals)

Sunday, 27 September 2009

Memo Writing Task _ Group A

You have received the following e-mail from your company’s President. He wants you to inform all staff and department heads of the below.

EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING
Date : 8th November 2009
Time: 9.30 – 4.30pm

For all members of staff
Attendance compulsory for all staff.
Staff have to be dressed in company uniform.
Staff must be punctual at all times.
Staff are encouraged to conduct discussions in English.

Heads of Department to take attendance of their members of staff.

Head of Human Resource Department to ensure that training room is ready for the training one day before.
There must be enough chairs and tables for all. Stationery (Pens, Paper, Paper file) must be provided.
Arrangements also need to be made for refreshments (One hot drink, one bottle of mineral water and lunch for all staff that are attending the course)


Write a memo to all department heads and members of staff to ensure that they get the information above.

You are also encouraged to add additional details about the customer service training and the do’s and don’ts during the training.

Task :
Write a memo

Friday, 18 September 2009

REMINDER TO ALL GROUPS

I noticed that many groups in August 09, Group A have the same blog title. Can you please kindly change the blog names so that I do not get your blogs mixed up?

Used to do Vs Be used to doing

Used to do
"Used to do" is used to describe a habitual action in the past. Typically, the action is already finished in present time.
EG :
He used to play football every evening (he doesn't do so now)
He used to sleep early. (he doesn't do so now)

Be used to doing
"Be used to doing" is habitual action (present)
EG :
He is used to sleeping in class. (he still does it now...and does it frequently)
He is used to skipping 8.30 lectures (he still does it now)