Details for January 13 presentations

Length: 10 minutes maximum, including Q&A
Format: See below for guidelines on the format
You will be graded on the content of your presentation and your presentation style.
You can use a powerpoint but it is not required. If you do not use a powerpoint and would like to write on the whiteboard, please do so. However, do not spend a lot of time writing or drawing. 

Format
Powerpoint presentation (optional): Slides don't need to be elaborate (fancy). Save time and keep them simple, but they must be in correct English with proper spelling and grammar. 4 slides are recommended. Consider them as "talking points" that guide your presentation for both you and the class:
Slide #1: title page
Slide #2: introduction and outline - tell us your topic and your research focus, what you did in your research and how you did it.
Slide #3: one or two important things you found out from the research
Slide #4: conclusion - what you learned from this research

Technical points for your slides if you decide to use Powerpoint:
1. suitable sized font - 24 point minimum?
2. keep text to a minimum - too much text on the slide is NG. Points or single words only (no full sentences). Max 3 or 4 lines?
3. check English - spelling and grammar - this is a MUST

Bottom line - it is very important to practise your presentation. Keep that in mind as January 13 approaches. Get in touch with Ms. MacGregor if you have any questions or would just like to confirm or check something. 

Unit 13: Communication (p. 111)

Of the many ways to communicate electronically, which ones do you use and what do you use them for and how often?

I would answer as follows:

Electronic media: 

• Email: work correspondence, communicating with friends and family - daily
• Internet: Google searches, newspaper articles, and online radio - daily: Kindle books - occasionally; Skype - rarely; Youtube for music and "how to" videos - frequently; to communicate with students - frequently
• Text: family - daily
• SNS: I have memberships to facebook and LinkedIn, but use only when necessary.
• TV: news, weather - daily; documentaries and movies - occasionally
• Radio: amusement, weather, and to know the time - daily
• Telephone: contact shops, contact workplace - frequently; friends - occasionally; family - frequently

Other media

• Postal letter: friends and family - occasionally; friends and acquaintances - seasonally
• Newspaper: daily

Sample search for topic information

I started out by Googling  this question: Are Japanese companies offshoring? It took me to a list of sites, among them was this article:

---

July 21, 2010

Many in Japan Are Outsourcing Themselves

By MIKI TANIKAWA

BANGKOK — In October 2008, when the world was reeling from the collapse of Lehman Brothers and job markets were freezing up everywhere, Akane Natori waltzed into a new position she liked. “Things went so smoothly after applying online, and before I knew it, I had the job,” said Ms. Natori, who was then a 26-year-old sales assistant at an import-export company in Tokyo.

There was just one catch, one that speaks volumes about the Japanese economy and the challenges younger Japanese face in a country where college graduates used to count on lifetime employment with the company they joined right out of school. Ms. Natori’s new job — working in a call center answering queries from customers in Japan — was in Bangkok.

Under fierce pressure to cut costs, large Japanese companies are increasingly outsourcing and sending white-collar operations to China and Southeast Asia, where doing business costs less than in Japan. But while many American companies have been content to transfer work to, say, an Indian outsourcing company staffed with English-speaking Indians, Japanese companies are taking a different tack. Japanese outsourcers are hiring Japanese workers to do the jobs overseas — and paying them considerably less than if they were working in Japan.

Japanese outsourcers like Transcosmos and Masterpiece have set up call centers, data-entry offices and technical support operations staffed by Japanese workers in cities like Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei.

Such outposts cater to Japanese employers who say they cannot do without Japanese workers for reasons of language and culture. Even foreign citizens with a good command of the Japanese language, they say, may not be equipped with a sufficiently nuanced understanding of the manners and politesse that Japanese customers often demand.

“If you used Japanese-speaking Chinese, for example, the service quality does not match up with the expectations of the end customers,” said Tatsuhito Muramatsu, managing director at Ms. Natori’s employer, Transcosmos Thailand, a unit of Transcosmos, which is based in Tokyo.

Statistics on exactly how many Japanese have taken jobs outside the country at lower wages are hard to come by. But according to the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, there was a net outflow of 100,000 Japanese in the year that ended in September 2008, the most recent for which statistics were available. It was the highest number in the past 20 years.

While the number of workers sent overseas by Japanese companies on traditional expatriate packages fell 0.32 percent in the same period, the number of “independent businesspeople” and freelance contractors like Ms. Natori rose 5.69 percent, according to data from the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Many of those workers were headed to cities like Shanghai and Bangkok, where net increases of Japanese residents have been recorded in the past several years, according to the ministry.

Many large Asian cities — including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, New Delhi, Shanghai and Singapore — have three to four Japanese job placement agencies each. Four Japanese outsourcing companies run call centers in Bangkok, which is a particularly attractive city for such operations because it has low costs but good amenities, offering a living standard that young Japanese enjoy.

Transcosmos runs the largest Japanese call center in Bangkok, having nearly tripled its staff from 60 workers in late 2008 to 170 now. “We see ourselves growing to as large as 500 workers here,” Mr. Muramatsu said.

Transcosmos pays a call center operator in Thailand a starting salary of about 30,000 baht, or $930, a month — less than half of the ¥220,000, or $2,500, the same employee would get in Tokyo. That means a saving of 30 percent to 40 percent for customers, Transcosmos said.

Masterpiece, another Japanese outsourcer, has operations in Bangkok, Beijing and Dalian, China. Its workers handle jobs like mail-order service requests, processing of time sheets and other salary paperwork, and following up on e-mail inquiries. The company has Japanese and Chinese employees, and according to its Web site it is hiring people to establish another call center, in the Philippines.

Japan lost 240,000 jobs in May, government statistics showed, bringing the seasonally adjusted number of people with work to a two-decade low. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2 percent. Although exports have picked up since the end of 2009, economic growth remains slow. Gross domestic product expanded 1.2 percent in the first three months of 2010 from the level in previous quarter.

“Overcapacity and excessive competition haunt domestic Japanese industries that are battling for a shrinking economic pie,” said Takumi Fujinami, senior economist at the Japan Research Institute, a research organization affiliated with Sumitomo Mitsui Bank. “That exerts perennial pressures to reduce costs. Japanese companies can’t cut off existing employees on the lifetime roster, so they are squeezing the younger workers ever more tightly.”

Some overseas Japanese workers, like Ms. Natori, are not unhappy with their jobs, despite the low salaries. They say their lives abroad have given them a new sense of liberty.

Ms. Natori, who was recently promoted from call operator to a supervisory position, said she saved more money in Thailand than she would in Japan.

“If you are willing to live off local Thai restaurants, you spend only 30 baht for rice with eggs, vegetables and meat,” she said. “My rent currently is only 6,000 baht, and utilities are at most an additional 500.” She lives in a roomy studio in a condominium in central Bangkok with security and a swimming pool that is open 24 hours. Life is better in Thailand, she said, because she is free from some of the social and workplace pressures that ate into her private life in Japan. “The moment you step outside, you are in a foreign country here,” she said. “That allows me to have separate workplace and private lives. I am actually able to concentrate on work better because of the clear separation.”

Ms. Natori said her parents and friends often visited her in Bangkok, so she did not miss Japan too much, nor did she have a definite timetable to return home.

Misuzu Yara, 34, realized in early 2008 that job opportunities in Japan, especially in her native Okinawa, far from the Japanese main island, were diminishing. So when an acquaintance at Tempstaff invited her to join the new division in Jakarta as a local hire, she agreed.

“The salary as a local hire in Indonesia wasn’t very different from what you’d get in Okinawa, actually,” she said. “Considering how important Asia is going to be for Japan, I figured it would be a good opportunity.”

Now, she helps find jobs for Japanese workers in Indonesia. Japanese companies in Indonesia generally offer Japanese local hires minimum take-home pay of $1,500 a month, plus a vehicle and sometimes housing.

“The number of inquiries grew markedly during 2008-2009 from young Japanese workers who had difficulty finding jobs in Japan,” she said.

But local hires do not have the same sense of job security as workers in Japan do, Ms. Yara said. “There is a sense that each and every moment at your job determines your chances of keeping it.”

While Transcosmos executives recognize that some Japanese have sought work in Thailand because they could not find employment at home, they say that the job performance of their Thai-based operators is superior to that of counterparts in Japan.

“It is possible that workers in Thailand are able to perform well because they have fewer things to worry about in life,” said Hiroyuki Uchimura, general manager of business process outsourcing services at Transcosmos in Tokyo.

With the Japanese population aging and shrinking and more Japanese companies seeking avenues of growth overseas, job opportunities for Japanese abroad are likely to grow, said Kazuyuki Ichikawa, chief operating officer of Pasona Global, which helps its clients find Japanese workers overseas.

While Japanese companies could save even more if they hired only locals overseas — some experts say locals could be hired at half the cost — the preference for Japanese nationals is likely to endure, Mr. Ichikawa said.

“You say one thing and Japanese employees will understand three things,” he said. “In Western cultures, you might be straightforward with what you want your staff to know, but a Japanese manager would want you to understand it without having to say it.”

Schedule till the end of the semester

The remaining classes are as follows:
December 2, 9, 16, January 13
Besides working in the textbook, there will be a final paper and presentation.

Schedule
December 2: 
Make pairs
Take up p. 63 Type 1 conditionals HW
Do p. 63 Speaking 2 #1, 3, 5 in pairs
Continue with pp. 64-65 - Career Skills, Listening 3, Speaking
Take up HW research about outsourcing assigned last week (see HP)
Introduction to final paper (due January 20 at 12 noon to my office, Chuo 715) and presentation (January 13 in class) - see HP for details about both.

December 9: 
Time for finalizing final paper topic
Begin Unit 13 on Communication

December 16:
Time for working on final paper
Continue Unit 13

January 13: presentations based on paper topic

Final Paper

Final paper and presentation

Final Paper
Paper Topic: chosen by you, based on one of these areas that we studied in the textbook -
Strategy (chapter 3)
Outsourcing (chapter 7)
Recruitment (chapter 9)
Counterfeiting (chapter 10)
Communication (chapter 13)
Topic deadline: December 16
Format: Using the basic title, introduction, body, conclusion, reference list format, your introduction should include -
your topic stated clearly as a statement of what you wanted to find out
  * the reason you chose the topic
  * how you will discuss your topic in the rest of the paper (i.e., "I will begin by .......
Next, I will ........, and finally I will ....).
Reference list: **You must have at least one reference from an English source. Start your reference list on the next line after the last line of your paper. Do not start it on a new page. The reference list should follow the format I gave you before - nearly everyone did it poorly last time, so make sure to review and follow the guidelines I gave you. To repeat:

Books:
Author name. (publication year). Book title. City of book publication: Publisher name.
Magazine articles: Author name. (publication year). Article title. Journal name, volume, pp.#.
Websites:
Author name. (Date). Article title. HP title. Retrieved from: URL
If you use other types of sources, ask me how to reference them.
Mistakes in your reference list will lower your grade.

Length: 3-5 pages, 1.5 spaced + references
Number of references: it is up to you, but you should have at least two
Copying: If you copy from your sources, your grade will automatically be zero. When you want to refer to a source in your paper, do it like this:
According to ......,
The complete reference (following the above format) for the reference should be in the reference list.
Hand in your paper at my office by January 20 at 12 noon. You will lose 10% off your grade for each day you are late.

Check your paper for grammar and spelling mistakes. Papers with such mistakes will receive a lower grade.

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Presentation:
Length: 10 minutes maximum, including Q&A
Format: See the presentation for January 13 page for details

HW for December 2

As I mentioned in class today (November 25), there are two things to do for next week.
1. p. 63 Practice 1 - It is only necessary to rewrite the 7 sentences using Type 1 conditional.
Type 1 conditional is constructed as follows:
Form

In a Type 1 conditional sentence, the tense in the 'if' clause is the simple present, and the tense in the main clause is the simple future. 

If clause (condition)	Main clause (result)
If + simple present	simple future
If this thing happens	that thing will happen.

As in all conditional sentences, the order of the clauses is not fixed. You may have to rearrange the pronouns and adjust punctuation when you change the order of the clauses, but the meaning is identical.

EXAMPLES

• If it rains, you will get wet.
• You will get wet if it rains.
• If Sally is late again I will be mad.
• I will be mad if Sally is late again.
• If you don't hurry, you will miss the bus.
• You will miss the bus if you don't hurry.

FUNCTION

The type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. These sentences are based on facts, and they are used to make statements about the real world, and about particular situations. We often use such sentences to give warnings. In type 1 conditional sentences, the time is the present or future and the situation is real.

EXAMPLES

• If I have time, I'll finish that letter.
• What will you do if you miss the plane?
• Nobody will notice if you make a mistake.
• If you drop that glass, it will break.
• If you don't drop the gun, I'll shoot!
• If you don't leave, I'll call the police.

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2. Do some research on outsourcing/offshoring. Please research the topic you are assigned. Make good notes so you can present your information to the class next week. It is not necessary to prepare a powerpoint, but make sure you are well prepared so you can give your classmates some useful information.

1. Outsourcing advantages  - Ryosuke, Mariko    
2.  Outsourcing disadvantages - Keiichi
3. Kinds of office work that can be outsourced - Misuzu, Jun
4. Risks of outsourcing - Isamu, Momoha
5. Keys to successful outsourcing - Sacha                                                                                          

Vocabulary and comprehension questions for Unit 7 The new global shift reading p. 60

Par. 1 "The handwriting is on the wall" - expression meaning something is very clear and that something significant is happening. In this article, the "handwriting" refers to corporate downsizing and job slashing.
Par. 4  "mining databases" - to mine, in this case, is to get information from the databases. In a real mine, you extract gems."To mine something" simply means getting something out of something - usually some kind of information.
Par. 5 - surplus - more than is needed
redeploy - to redirect
Par. 6 "to keep xxx in check" - to keep something under control - in this case, it is prices.
Par. 7 - backlash - strong negative reaction
Par. 8 - beneficiary -  someone who receives something/has an advantage over something.
implication - conclusion; result

Check the Unit 7 glossary on p. 150 for more definitions to help you understand the article and answer these questions. Also check online for information when you need it.
Questions
Paragraph 2
1. Why are a lot of jobs headed to India?
2. What are employees doing at Wipro?

Paragraph 3
3. What was the first phase of globalisation?
4. What was the next phase?

Paragraph 4
5. And what is the third phase that is the focus of this article?

Paragraph 5
6. What is offshore hiring?

Paragraph 8
7. What is the "global knowledge industry"?
8. Who are the "big benificaries" mentioned?

Why Apple And GE Are Bringing Back Manufacturing - HW for 11/18

Before you read: What is your opinion of outsourcing? Is it a good idea or a bad idea? Write your answer in a sentence or two, explaining what you think and why.

Now, read this article from Forbes magazine. It talks about why U.S. manufacturers are quitting outsourcing their manufacturing divisions and moving them back to the U.S. for local production.

Answer these questions based on the article in writing. You need only write simple sentences to answer.

1. Why are U.S. companies bringing their manufacturing divisions back home? (3 reasons)
2. What happened when the manufacturing divisions came back to the U.S.? (3 things)

3. In the article, Lou Lenzi, of General Electric, says, "When you outsource the making of products, your whole business goes with the outsourcing." What do you think he means by this?

4. At least 4 companiese are mentioned in the article (see the list below). What kinds of companies are they and what kinds of things do they make?
a) Whirlpool
b) Otis
c) Wham-O
d) General Electric (GE)
To answer this question, do not rely only on the article alone. Check the companies' homepages to find out what each of them makes.

5. What is your opinion of outsourcing after reading the article?

The Conditional Explained (FYI, followup to October 28 class)

The following information comes from エイゴ村: http://eigomura.net/grammar/conditional.html
We will study Third Conditional in Unit 11. Scroll down to see a clear explanation of 3rd conditional.

仮定法(Conditional)  高校の授業で「仮定法過去」とか「仮定法過去完了」といった用語に悩まされた（悩まされている）方はけっこういらっしゃるのではないかと思いますが（僕はそうでした！）、ここでは仮定法の名称は日本語でなく英語で記して説明していきます。 1st Conditional  どんな形？ If + 現在形, 未来形～. 例：If you take a taxi, you'll be there in time. ＊現在形の変わりに、現在進行形や現在完了形も使える。 ＊未来形の変わりに助動詞can, mayなど助動詞も使える。また、命令文を使うこともある。 いつ使う？ if節で述べる内容が、現実として十分起こりうる可能性がある場合 例：If Pete gives me a DVD, I'll be happy. 話者は「ピートがDVDをくれる」可能性はあると考えている。 if節の中で述べられる内容は通常「まだ起こっていないこと」、つまり未来の出来事になりますが、未来形ではなく現在形を使うことに注意してください。 2nd Conditinal  どんな形？ If + 過去形, 主語 + would + 動詞の原形 ～. 例：If I had a million dolls, I would quit the job.  ＊wouldの変わりに助動詞couldも使える。 ＊if節では、主語がwasを要求するものであってもwereを使える（フォーマルな英語ではwereが好まれる）。特に"If I were ～"という表現はイディオムのようなものなので常にwereにするほうがよい。 いつ使う？ if節で述べる内容が、現実として起こるはずがないと判断される場合。 例：If I were you, I would apologize her. 「私があなた」であることは、現実としてはありえない。 3rd Conditinal  どんな形？ If + 過去完了形, 主語 + would have + 動詞の原形 ～. 例：If I had got up earlier, I wouldn't have missed the bus.  いつ使う？ ある出来事が過去に起こらなかったために、ある結果が導かれたということを述べるとき。後悔を表すことが多い。「～をしていたら／しなかったら、・・・だったのに」 例：If I hadn't driven so fast, I wouldn't have had the accident. 車のスピードを出しすぎて事故を起こしたことを後悔している。 Mixed Conditinal  どんな形？ If + 過去完了形, 主語 + would + 動詞の原形 ～. 例：If I had got up earlier, I would be on the bus.  いつ使う？ ある出来事が過去に起こらなかったため、現在の状態があるということを述べるとき。「～をしていたら／しなかったら、（今頃）・・・なのに」 例：If I had studied harder at university, I might be a lawer now.  Zero Conditinal  どんな形？ If + 現在形, 現在形 ～. いつ使う？ 一般的な真実について述べるとき 例：If I work on Monday, my boss gives me extra payment. 会社の規則で「日曜に働くと特別報酬が出る」と決まっている場合

Unit 7: Outsourcing

http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/outsourcing

Outsourcing has become a major trend in human resources over the past decade. It's the practice of sending certain job tasks to be done outside of a company instead of handling them inside (inhouse). More and more companies are choosing outsourcing as a way to develop their businesses while keeping payroll (salaries) and overhead costs low. In short, successful outsourcing should save companies money.

Prepare answers for these questions for November 11 class. We will discuss your answers together.

1. What kinds of things can be outsourced?

2. Merits of outsourcing?

3. Demerits (risks)?

See the glossary in the back of your text (p. 150) for more important terms.

For further information, have a look at this interesting article from Forbes magazine.

conditional

 http://eigomura.net/grammar/conditional.html
here

Unit 10: Language Focus, Giving reasons, p. 90

CV format

There are various formats, but these categories are pretty standard, as long as they apply to you. In any case, your contact information and educational background should appear first. Objective is optional, since you may want to have a generic CV.

Here are the categories (there are name variations, but these are common):
Name
Contact Information
Education (must include city and country and specific dates of attendance)
Work Experience (must include city and country and specific dates of employment)
Skills (certificates and licenses should be written in romaji with English translation and the date you got them)
Interests

Use bullets or another symbol for each point of information. The categories should be in bold type.

example:

* 2014 ~ 1st year student in the Department of English Literature,  Faculty of Letters, Gakushuin University, Tokyo Japan
   

news article assignment: part 2 - the assignment

Collect 5 recent (within the last 6 months) newspaper articles relating to the same topic from a newspaper (hard copy or online newpaper), and tell us about them. The topic should be related to business or politics. Make sure your article comes from a newspaper. There are lots of sites that might look like newspapers, but they are different. (Yahoo news, for example, is not a newspaper.) If you choose some of the bigger names, such as New York Times and Washington Post and Japan Times, you will be fine. In each summary, use reported speech at least three times (underlined in the example above).
Summarize each article like the example given in the post above, and give your comment about the article at the end. Your comment should be detailed, informative, and interesting. State the source of each article in the reference list: Number the references according to the article order and number each article too.  The reference list should state the article title, the publication in which it appeared, the date, and the source (either the URL or the page # of the newspaper). 
The contents and the news reported in each article should be different and published on different days. 
After you report on each article in turn, write a paragraph or two in which you comment on the collection of articles as a whole - how the topic developed and what you learned from the assignment.

Possible topics include:
iPhone 6
Alibaba
Sales tax issue in Japan
and many many more

In any case, you should choose your topic by Friday September 26 and email me to tell me what it is. Late emails will receive a penalty.
The assignment is due October 14 at the beginning of class. Articles less than 200 words are not permitted. Each article should go into some detail. 

news article collection assignment: part 1 - sample

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Example of reading and summarizing a newspaper article below. Read the original article first.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Simple summary:
Example:
I read an article about Uniqlo reported in The Japan Times Newspaper. It was published on June 10, 2014. According to the article, Uniqlo will raise its prices by 5% this year.  It also said that it was the first time that prices would be raised since the company started in 1984.
The president of Uniqlo said that prices would start to be raised from July. The article said that there were two reasons for raising prices: first, because of the rising cost of raw materials needed to make Uniqlo goods, and second, because the yen has been weakening.
I think                                          because                                              .

Reference
"Uniqlo set to raise prices this summer." The Japan Times, June 10, 2014. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Presentation strategies

This post covers 5 presentation strategies for you to try and use.

1. Catch the Audience's Attention and Introduce Your Presentation
When you begin, it is important to greet your audience and get their attention.
Techniques: 
*Ask a question to get the audience involved.
i.e. How many of you . . .?
After you ask your question, give the audience time to raise their hands, and briefly mention what you notice from their answers.
*Provide an interesting fact, definition, or quote.
i.e. Did you know that . . .?
* Tell an interesting story.
i.e., The other day . . . . . 

Once you have gotten your audience's attention, it is important to introduce your topic and provide a plan, or outline, of the main points you will discuss. This will let your audience know what to expect and it will make it easier for your audience to follow your idea. Besides that, it will help you get and keep organized and on track.
Techniques:
* Today, I am going to talk about . . . .
* I'll begin with . . . .  Next, . . .  . After that, . . . . Finally,  . . . .
Use a numbered list.
* First, second, third, fourth, last.

2. Signal a Transition
Transitions help the audience see a presenter's organization. A speaker can use transitions to remind listeners of the overall plan of the presentation. Transitions are especially important in longer presentations where listeners can become tired and lose focus. Some transitions show what is coming next. Others are short summaries of saying what you have discussed so far. Often, these two transition types are used together.
Example: 
* Okay, we've talked about . . . Next, let's discuss . . . . 

3. Use Effective Visuals
These can make your presentation more interesting and easier to understand. They can also help you organize your presentation. However, if your visuals are not designed or explained clearly, they can be distracting or confusing.
Techniques:
* Use a suitable number of visuals (slides or images) for the time you have.
* Limit text to about 6 lines per slide.
* Use text that is at least 24 point font and easy to read.
* Use a dark background with light text or the opposite.
* Put titles on visuals and label charts, graphs, or other diagrams.
* Make good use of the visual by explaining it clearly without looking at the screen.

TWO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
4. Use Non-Verbal Signals
Your facial expressions, body movements, and hand gestures contribute to how your audience perceives and understands you. Learning to use effective non-verbal signals can establish a feeling of closeness with your audience, show confidence, symbolize important ideas, and improve the emphasis in your voice. As a result, you will look and sound more like a native speaker of English.
Techniques:
* Use facial expressions to show friendliness and confidence.
* Learn common gestures used to symbolize ideas or actions, such as listing or contrasting ideas.
* Gesture on key words to emphasize their importance.

5. Highlight Key Points and Deliver a Take-Home Message
The ending is as important to the success of the presentation as the beginning. A strong conclusion will make the key points more memorable and help the audience see the relevance of your ideas to their lives. An effective ending will do three things: 1. signal that you are about to end, 2. highlight the ideas, and 3. deliver a "take-home" message. That message could be a final thought, a recommendation, a prediction, a challenge or a questions. The take-home message encourages your audience to reflect on your ideas and connect them to their lives, and the world.
Examples of take-home idea phrases:
* I'd like to leave you with these thoughts . . . .
* So next time you . . . remember that….
* Please think about . . . . 

Summer vacation writing assignment

I would like you to write a short research paper/report about the product/company that you chose for your presentations. The focus of the paper is up to you. Think of a question you want to know the answer to and find the answers to it and write about it. This paper should have some statistics or data which you can get from the internet or other easy-to-find sources. To start, think about what you would like to find out, make a question, and do a little research to see if your question is suitable and answerable. When you are sure about your research question, please consult with me. Once I give you the green light, you can go ahead.

Since you will be using some research for this paper, you must include a reference list at the end of the paper for you to write the sources of your data. The title of this section should be "References" (or "Reference" if you have only one).
Most likely, you will consult an internet source. Your reference for an internet source should be:
Name of article. The date it was posted if it is shown. Name of site where you got it. URL.
   Example using the entry from this HP:
"Guinea pig - meaning." 2014.06.19. Intensive Business Today 2014. <http://intensive2014.blogspot.jp/2014/06/guinea-pig-meaning.html>

If you use a book or some other type of data source, please contact me and I will tell you how to write a reference for it.
The structure or your paper should be (the starred words should be your section headings):
     *Introduction - give a general introduction and background and then say what your research question is like this:
                       The research question to be answered in this paper is xxxxxxxxxx.
     *Research and discussion - explain what you found out
     *Conclusion - wrap up
     *References - list up
I cannot assign you a specific topic for this assignment, since your topics are different. Please find a good topic/research question yourself!

Deadline to confirm the topic - August 4 (Monday)
Paper due - September 16 (Tuesday - first class back after summer vacation)
Length of paper - 2-4 typed (12-point Times font), 1.5 spaced. At the top of page one, type your title in the centre and your name only (no student #) on the right side of the same line.
As you have found out, it is very easy to make typing mistakes! Please check your spelling and typing very carefully. Relying on the spellchecker is not enough. Do a human check too.

I will be available by email mostly throughout the summer vacation. If you have any questions once you get started, please get in touch at my uni email address: laura.macgregor@gakushuin.ac.jp

Guinea pig - meaning

According to your textbook (p. 77) a guinea pig is a person used for a test. Here is an example of a guinea pig - Mikey in a commercial for Life cereal.
Watch it and see what the test is:

"Let's get Mikey. He won't eat it. He hates everything. Hey Mikey! He likes it!"

Suntory taps Lawson boss for president job

Quickly read the article about a change in the leader at Suntory below from The Japan Times and with a partner, scan the article to find the answers to the 6questions below.
(Scanning means to search quickly to find specific information. It is different from skimreading, which means to quickly read a passage to get the main idea.)

1. Who will become Suntory President?
2. When will he start?
3. Why was he chosen?
4. Why is this choice unusual for suntory?
5. What is the latest (recent) trend for choosing company leaders reported in the article?
6. What is your opinion about this trend?

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/24/business/corporate-business/suntory-taps-lawson-boss-president-job/#.U6rk-4kazCQ
Suntory Holdings Ltd. is set to appoint the chairman of convenience store operator Lawson Inc. as its president, the first time someone from outside the founding family.

Takeshi Niinami will step into the role on Oct. 1. By choosing the 55-year-old, Suntory hopes to accelerate its business expansion, sources said.

Niinami “has an international outlook, vigor, and an ability to crisscross the world, and connections,” current chairman and president, 68-year-old Nobutada Saji, told reporters in Tokyo. “I have big hopes for him.” The appointment will be finalized at a board meeting on July 1.

Saji said he chose the Lawson chairman partly because the younger generation of Suntory’s founding family did not have sufficient experience.

Niinami comes from trading house Mitsubishi Corp., which he joined in 1981. As Lawson president, he oversaw impressive results for the convenience store chain. He became Lawson chairman last month.

As a member of the government panel on industrial competitiveness, Niinami is also a member of the government panel on industrial competitiveness. He recently proposed agricultural reform and deregulation. He is expected to leave Lawson soon to prepare for his new job.

The leadership change comes as Suntory aims to roughly double its group sales, which are now ¥4 trillion, by 2020.

Presentation #1 guidelines

The purpose of the presentation is to give you practice making a presentation. The content is important, but it merely requires you gather, choose, and organize your information. There is no indepth research involved. You will be graded mostly on the organization of your talk, your slides and your presentation style. The content (the information) will be considered when deciding your grade, but it will be less important than the other things.
This presentation is 5 minutes max. Keep that in mind as you prepare.
Target date for presentations: July 8

Prepare 4 slides for your presentation. They don't need to be elaborate (fancy). Save time and keep them simple.
Slide #1: title page
Slide #2: introduction and outline
Slide #3: information that will be in your main section (points or pictures)
Slide #4: conclusion

Technical points for your slides
1. suitable sized font - 24 point minimum?
2. keep text to a minimum - too much text on the slide is NG. Points or single words only (no full sentences). Max 3 or 4 lines?
3. check English - spelling and grammar - this is a MUST

Sample overview of  a presentation about a restaurant you like. SAMPLE ONLY
Intro - the name, location and type of restaurant
Outline - 3 points
1. point #1
2. point #2
3. point #3
Main section - explanation about the three points in your outline. Use key words/phrases in a list on your screen
Conclusion - say why you would recommend it and give advice about going there. End the presentation by asking audience for questions.

USE THIS TOPIC FOR YOUR PRESENTATION OR ANOTHER TOPIC, WITH APPROVAL
Sample overview of  a presentation about a product or company you think is successful OR why you like it. 
Intro - the name of the product/company and some background information about it
Outline - 3 features
1. feature #1
1. feature #2
3. feature #3
Main section- explanation about the three points in your outline. Use key words/phrases in a list on your screen
Conclusion - why you would recommend it or buy it again in the future. End the presentation by asking audience for questions.

Presentation style - 
1. Look up at your audience and look around at all of us.
2. Speak loudly and clearly. The projector for the screen is noisy, so make sure to speak loudly enough.
3. Do not speak too quickly. Add longer pauses between phrases and sentences than you think. When you present, you are usually nervous, which makes you speak more quickly. Slow down!
4. Look at us - DO NOT LOOK AT THE SCREEN. You have the screen in front of you and behind you. Do not look at the screen hanging from the ceiling.
5. You may use a sheet of paper, but you must hold it in your hands and not read it continually.
6. Practise! This is a must. You must get comfortable with your materials, with standing and talking, and with using good presentation style.

Notes and vocabulary for Nike article (p. 25)

Achilles' heel - weakness
"Air Jordan running out of air" - the model of shoes called Air Jordan is losing sales (not popular anymore)
Skechers - U.S. chain that sells clothes and shoes cheaply, targeting at teenagers
Nike HQ - Nike Headquarters

Just doing it differently
running buddies - buddies are friends
core attributes - main strengths
pitch (v.) - appeal to do something (when you are taling about marketing/business)

How to design for women
stay in step with - keep up with
turnoff - negative factor

Final paragraph - It is interesting that Hoke didn't care so much about the number of people who went to these new Nike Goddess stores. His purpose of making Nike Goddess was to change the way of thinking of the people at Nike. He wanted them to rethink the market and attract women customers in their business strategy.

More news on efforts to make Japan a more tourist friendly place

From the Japan Times June 18, 2014

On duty free shop expansion
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/17/national/duty-free-reform-boost-tourism/

On Narita express service to Mt. Fuji
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/17/business/corporate-business/narita-express-train-headed-mount-fuji/#.U6GQoIkazCQ

Wi-Fi blitz planned for Olympics

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/13/national/wi-fi-blitz-planned-for-olympics/#.U52XbokazCQThe government unveiled plans Thursday to provide more foreign visitors with speedy wireless Internet access before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It will promote the spread of free Wi-Fi hot spots but also “encourage” the purchase of Japanese SIM cards for incompatible smartphones bought overseas.
The plan also envisages a cut in international roaming charges, said Yoko Kamikawa, state secretary for communications.
A panel of telecommunication company representatives will be set up as early as this summer to discuss ways of developing public Wi-Fi networks and simplifying user access.
A panel of experts will meanwhile discuss how to make and market the Japanese SIM cards needed to provide full service to foreign smartphones.
The plan also seeks to lower the connection fees charged by Japanese and foreign telecommunications providers so foreigners can more easily use free calling apps.

The transcultural leader: Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault, Nissan

Source: http://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-management/operations-management/the-transculturalleader-carlos-ghosnceo-of-renault-nissan-1904

May 26, 2008“I think one of the basics of transcultural leadership is empathy,” says Carlos Ghosn, the man who is credited with turning around major Japanese carmaker Nissan.

“I would say even though the term today is not very popular, love the country and love the culture in which you are in. And try to learn about its strengths, don’t focus on the weaknesses, and make sure that all the people you are transferring with you are of the same opinion.”

The CEO of Renault and Nissan, and the 2008 recipient of the INSEAD Transcultural Leadership Award, Ghosn told INSEAD Knowledge that the fact he had the experience of being raised in different countries – not by choice, but by coincidence because of his family circumstances – had helped him in life a lot.

Ghosn was born in Brazil to Lebanese parents in 1954. Later he moved to Beirut where he completed his studies in a Jesuit school. He then graduated with engineering degrees from the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole des Mines de Paris and is a French citizen.

He stresses the importance of cultivating a certain mindset or character that truly enjoys the challenge of living in new environments:

“If you have to work and particularly do something significant in a country it is much easier if somehow you connected with the country and you like the country and you respect the people and you are curious about the culture.”

He maintains it makes a big difference because people in the country working around you may notice whether or not you are connected to the country and are happy to be there, that you are curious and are listening. “Well, they’re going to forgive you a lot of things,” he says.

When Ghosn went to Japan, he had some ideas about the culture, he says, such as the language and the food. But he found there were some concepts that were totally new to him – such as walking into an elevator before a woman. He says that while it would be considered “very gross” in a Western country, not to do so could be deemed to violate the code of Japanese culture.

While his task was to help revive an icon of the Japanese car industry, he says, the experience wasn’t simply about performing a job – it was about discovering a new culture and it was very rewarding.

“When you have a very diverse team – people of different backgrounds, different culture, different gender, different age, you are going to get a more creative team – probably getting better solutions, and enforcing them in a very innovative way and with a very limited number of preconceived ideas.”

Questions for discussion for June 24
Read the above excerpt from the article and prepare your answers to these questions - they are for discussion, not to hand in, but please prepare well.

1. According to the article, Ghosn is a transcultural leader. What is a transcultural leader and what makes Carlos Ghosn one?

2. He says that one key to being a transcultural leader is having empathy (being empathetic). According to the article, what does he mean?

3. What does he think about diversity? What do a lot of Japanese think about diversity?

4. Besides being a transcultural leader, what do you think makes Carlos Ghosn a good leader?

Making requests (Unit 2)

Here is more information and some suggestions for making requests. They are for general communication in English, not just in the workplace. Please try some of them out when you are communicating in English. Be careful to use the appropriate one for the situation.
Sorry for the poor visuals. Please try your best to read them on your own.

Sample email to the Transal board (Unit 1 Delimma and Decision)

From: macgregor@transco.com
Date: Jun 6, 2014
To: board@transco.com
Subject: Safety Charity Challenge

Dear Members of the Board

I am writing to recommend my team's favored option, the Safety Charity Challenge, for developing a safety-conscious culture within Transco. There are several reasons for this choice:
1 We have already tried more traditional solutions. These have all failed.
2. The proposal is unusual and is likely to capture the interest of a large number of workers.
3. This approach reinforces positive action: each time an idea is successful, staff will see an improvement in safety and they also will see a contribution to the charity they have chosen.
4. The solution should be cheap in comparison with the other options.
Of course, the idea has not been tested, while the other options are more familiar and return results more quickly. However, we argue that in order to have a dramatic impact, we need a dramatic solution.

Sincerely,

Laura MacGregor

Team Leader



Note to students: Two important things to include: the cost to implement your proposal, and the time it will take to see improvements in safety. If there are weaknesses in your proposal, it is important to point them out, even though they weaken your argument. Being honest is more important.

Another point is that in your email, you must explain the reasons for your choice; simply stating the characteristics of the program is not stating the reasons. They are different. Make sure you understand that.

Tokyo is voted #1

From The Japan Times,  May 31, 2014: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/05/31/editorials/tourists-rate-tokyo-top-city/#.U4n-uIkazCQ

Tourists rate Tokyo top city

(1) Tokyo was voted the world’s most satisfying tourist city for 2013, according to a poll by online travel site TripAdvisor. Tokyo came in number one of 37 major world cities for overall satisfaction based on tens of thousands of online reviews by travelers.

(2) That top spot should be a boost for the still struggling tourist industry in Japan. It will surely encourage more travelers to come to Japan in the coming year.

Tokyo received positive reviews in a number of areas that put it ahead of New York City (second) and Barcelona (third) followed by Istanbul, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Rome, Paris and Dubrovnik in Croatia.

(3) Tokyo came out on top in five sections: local friendliness, taxi services, cleanliness, transport and overall satisfaction. Tokyo also came out in the top 10 in another eight areas including restaurants, shopping and suitability for families.

(4) However, Tokyo was ranked lower for cultural attractions and sightseeing activities. Instead of emphasizing shopping only, the tourist industry here should strive to increase accessibility to and information about the many cultural sites in the capital city.

(5) A tourist industry built primarily on shopping is not as durable as one built on interesting cultural attractions. Certainly no one will travel across the globe just to see how clean Tokyo is or how friendly the taxi drivers are.

(6) Tokyo has many sites of tremendous interest, though they are often spread far apart. Building up a tourist industry involves a lot of work to communicate to potential visitors. That hard work of revealing key points and explaining their interest is more important than large shopping complexes. The tourist industry should also ensure that hotels, restaurants and attractions are ready for people from many different countries.

(7) Most tourists to Japan last year came from Taiwan, China and South Korea. Visitors from those three countries accounted for 68 percent of all tourist spending.

(8) Progress has been made in easier transportation and friendliness, but more importantly Tokyo people should learn how to stop and help lost, or even not-yet-lost travelers, as happens in other travel destinations.

(9) Even a short, helpful conversation can mean a lot to a lost traveler anywhere, and become a wonderful vacation memory. Perfect English is not required.

Most travelers are ready to communicate at any level. With the right improvements, a travel industry that is built on human interaction and cultural pride will be one that Tokyo can be even more proud of than the first-place ranking last year.

Questions to answer in writing and hand in on June 10:

1. What makes Tokyo a good place to visit, in your opinion? Think of this question from the viewpoints of tourists from abroad and tourists from other parts of Japan.

2. In paragraph 4, the writer says that Tokyo needs to improve accessibility (around the town) to places of interest, and improve the information about these sightseeing places. Suggest how Tokyo should do that.

3. The article stresses communication between the locals and tourists. Do you think this is important? Explain your answer.

4. In paragraph 6, the article says, "The tourist industry should also ensure that hotels, restaurants and attractions are ready for people from many different countries." How can it do that? Make two suggestions. If you have any examples, please include them. 

The difference between collocations and idioms

Today in class, a student asked me, "What is the difference between collocations and idioms?" I simply replied "No" without a full explanation. Let me share the explanation with all of you in this post.

A collocation is the way words combine to produce natural speech and writing. For example when you say "pay attention," it could be "give attention, or put attention" but it is not, it is "pay attention" because it is the natural way in which native speakers express that.
 
 An idiom is a sequence of words which has a different meaning than the meaning they would have if you understood them separately.  For example, when you say "it's raining cats and dogs" you do not really mean that cats and dogs are falling down from the sky but that there is a heavy rain.

from: http://education.blurtit.com/2508568/what-is-the-difference-between-collocation-and-idioms

Here are some more idioms:
1. piece of cake - to say that something was very easy to accomplish
2. cost an arm and a leg - to say that something is very expensive
3. break a leg - to wish someone good luck
4. hit the books - to study
5. let the cat out of the bag - to tell a secret that was not meant to be told

Unit 2: Leadership (May 20 class)

This unit looks at the qualities, skills, and experience that effective leaders need. It also looks at different management styles and focuses on the aggressive management style sometimes used by managers of football teams.

In addition this unit covers employee motivation.  Think about your part-time job - how are you motivated to do a good job (or not do a good job)? There are different opinions on the best way to motivate and inspire employees - such as setting an example for employees to follow, inspiring respect, giving a financial reward or non-financial reward (such as respect or status). The best way to motivate staff may be different according to the situation and the personal and cultural background of the staff.  However, many agree that in order to delegate effectively, a leader must make sure to give the employees enough information so they can do the job they are given. Also, leaders must show that they are willing to give responsibility to others.

WARMUP Work in pairs: each pair should choose 2 people who they think are great leaders - they should be from different areas, such as politics, education, sports, business, etc. Brainstorm what makes a great leader.

MANAGEMENT VS. LEADERSHIP
Management and leadership are not the same, though both work hand in hand. Here are a couple of examples of the differences:
1. Leaders are the forward thinkers - they innovate, taking the "big picture" of the company, looking at where it is now and where it should be headed. Managers put these innovations into practice.
2. Leaders have a long-range perspective while managers have a short-range view.
3. Leaders focus on ideas and plans; managers put the ideas and plans into practice. In other words, managers organize and coordinate the various tasks and the people who will do them.

READING (p. 17)
Additional information - When you have time, read about who John Patterson was and his company NCR here.

May 13 class

p. 13 "Culture at work" - Hierarchy: Hierarchy refers to the distance between different layers of staff and management in an organisation (company). Recently, some companies have restructured their company, removing levels of management and producing a flatter hierarchy. Why? To cut costs and improve communication. Some organisations have also begun to regroup their staff into project teams.
In a steep hierarchy - there are many levels of management; there is unequal distribution of power; each member of staff has a fixed role or function.
In a flatter hierarchy - there are fewer levels of management; power is more equally distributed among employees, and their roles are more flexible.

p. 13 Listening
2. Harry Wilson: oversees every aspect of policy practice
15,000 employees
"I am responsible for...."
3. Karl-Heinz Egonolf: deals with external auditors. He oversees quarterly reports
10 accountants
Phrase: "My job entails...."
4. Jill Black: in charge of people taking phone orders for different companies
responsible for recruitment and training[reporting to client companies and contacting new clients
25 people
Phrase: "I am in charge of...." "I report to...."
5. Mary Fitzsimmons: deals with the press, sends out press releases, is in charge of a team of writers
15 staff plus 20 freelance writers
Phrase: "I'm also in charge of....."

HW for May 20: write the email on p. 14 ("write it up"). Read p. 18 in the style guide to prepare and refer to the two examples on p. 19. Your email should follow the model for a formal email.
Details for the header: The sender of the email is you. Choose the position you have in the company. The date is the day you do the HW. Don't forget to write an imaginary Cc,. Bcc. and a real Subject. If you want to add an imaginary attachment, give the attachment a name.
Type your HW on A4 paper, put your name at the top and bring to class to hand in. I would like to see your HW this time.

Unit 1 pp. 8-13 (April 29)

Reading 1 (p.8)
If consumers, producers, and shareholders have more choice, companies will have to structure themselves differently. They will have to be more flexible to satisfy what the customers want.
Companies will have to offer more choices - a greater variety of goods and services, for example.

Reading 2 (p. 8)
There are 7 paragraphs in this article. Number them 1-7.
1. par 2: In the past, they were hierarchical or buraucratic organisations making long runs of standardised products (the same lineup of products year after year). They improved products instead of innovating. They provided lifelong employment, and had good relationships with others in the industry.
2. par 3: Giant corporations disappeared or were transformed. They changed from high volume to high value, from standardised to customised.  There are flatter hierarchies, meaning that the vertical structure of the employees became more horizontal, and so does the power in the company (there are more people with some power and fewer people with a lot of power). There is less lifelong employment.
3. High volume = mass production. High value = small quantities with a larger profit margin (therefore more expensive).
4. The author mentions giant companies (par 4), small companies (par 5), and networks of entrepreneurs (par 6).
5. par 7: Because consumers, producters, and shareholders have more choice.
6. par 7: Fiexibility.

FYI, Monorail, the company mentioned in par 5 no longer exists.

Vocabulary 1 (1), p. 10
1. freelancer
2. entrepreneurs
3. venture capitalists
4. bidder/comsumers
5. producer
6. shareholder

Vocabulary 1 (2), p. 10
2. d  3. a  4. f  5. h  6. g  7. c  (tangible = concrete) 8. c

Vocabulary 2 (1), p. 12
Transatlantica is a traditional hierarchichal company. Spearhead is less traditional: it has a loose organisational structure, and works with a network of companies.

Vocabulary 2 (2), p. 12
1. Information Technology (IT)  2. Human Resources (HR)   3. Finance   4 Legal Affairs   5. Electronic Supplies Ltd.    6. Global Transport Solutions Ltd.   7. Always Answers Call Centre, Solutions Vehicle Hire   8. Paul Phillips   9. Solutions Vehicle Hire

HW for 5.13
Do page 13 - listening (you have the CDs) and writing exercises
Write a paragraph or two to answer the questions in "Culture at work" at the bottom of p. 13, which is about hierarchies.

Updates from our discussions on 4.22

Sony and its purchases of movie companies:
Sony bought Columbia Tri-Star Pictures in 1991 and also acquired MGM (another movie studio) in 2005. It is called Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).

Tokyo's Silicon Valley:
It started up in Shibuya in the early 2000s, I think, and was called "Bit Valley." It refers to online venture companies, which of course, are started by entrepreneurs. I couldn't really find much online about it, so maybe it has died out. The only thing I found is here. Sorry for the misinformation. There might be activity going on in other parts of Japan, such as Fukuoka and Sapporo, but again, I don't really know.

Oxford Placement Test - Tuesday April 29, 4:30pm Chuo 503

I will hold a session outside of class to let you try the Oxford Placement Test for free. It is a new online test produced by Oxford University Press. The test takes about 70 minutes and is divided into two sections - use of English and listening. It is different from the TOEIC test in at least two ways: first, it is an online test, and second, it is a computer adaptive test, which means that the difficulty of the questions changes according to your answers (the TOEFL iBT does this too). It contains a mix of American and British English accents in the listening section. Here is the download link to a Powerpoint file which will give you some information about the procedure. You can also see these slides below.
You will be able to see your scores immediately after you take the test. Though we will not use the test results for placement, they should be useful to you to understand your English level according to world standards. Besides the score, you will get a short paragraph explaining your level in English. It is based on the CEFR, (Common European Framework), which is becoming well known in Japan. You can compare it with your most recent TOEIC score and the written description of your level that comes with the test result.
Please bring your most recent TOEIC score on the test day if you are willing to share it with me. There will be a place in the test setup to input it.
You must email me with your name, class name, and student# by Sunday April 27 at 17:00 to let me know if you will take the test. I need to know in advance so I can pay for the tests. The limit will be 30 students.

Your login link is here, where you will see the screen below. Go to "Organisation login" as you can see here: