English for leadership communication

ENG11 English for leadership communication

Spring 2025

  • Topics

    Communication is one of the most important tools for leaders to achieve their goals. ENG11 English for leadership communication enables you to communicate effectively and successfully in professional contexts related to corporate management and strategic decision-making. The course is tailored to your future career in a managerial role and in an increasingly international business world.

    You will further develop your expertise from ENG10 and learn to communicate about topics that are particularly relevant to management, such as corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, sustainability, ESG and CSR, and language and diversity management.

    You will increase your communicative skills and learn terminology and language usage relevant for leadership contexts. You will improve your skills in communicating culturally appropriately in a working life characterised by diversity and globalisation.

    Learning takes place through student-active and case-based teaching, which will include, e.g., meetings and (intercultural) negotiations, individual and group presentations, strategic pitches, etc.

    Level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​(CEFR): C1

  • Learning outcome

    Knowledge

    Upon completion of the course, you will have knowledge about:

    1. topics within trade and business, economic-administrative terminology especially related to strategy, management and finance
    2. English vocabulary and phraseology relevant to the communication needs of enterprises, especially across multinational contexts
    3. written and oral genres used in business communication
    4. key principles and strategies for interaction in multilingual and Business Lingua Franca contexts
    5. language and diversity management
    6. economic, political and societal conditions of particular importance to trade and business, with a special focus on sustainability

    Skills

    Upon completion of the course, you can:

    1. give presentations related to strategy and management functions
    2. interact in management meetings and negotiations
    3. handle complex communicative situations in multinational enterprises
    4. communicate effectively in contexts where English is the common language

    General competence

    Upon completion of the course, you will have:

    1. insight into key principles and strategies for written and oral professional communication, with particular focus on strategy and management functions
    2. experience with collaborating in groups and across organizations
    3. ability to reflect on your own and others' performance and provide constructive feedback

  • Teaching

    Like ENG10, ENG11 is a course where interaction and language use are in focus. Classes will consist of case activities, short lectures and written and oral exercises related to business communication.

  • Compulsory Activity

    • Compulsory attendance at 75% of lectures
    • A set of web-based language tests (carried out as quizzes in Canvas)
    • One intercultural negotiation activity

  • Assessment

    A portfolio with the following assignments:

    • business report with executive summary
    • filmed individual presentation with ppt slides
    • filmed negotiation meeting (group assignment) with a strategic memo
    • reflection text

    The whole portfolio must be submitted in the same semester. A retake implies submitting the whole portfolio again.

    Previous years' course approval is valid on this course, however, the portfolio assignments need to be submitted together with the rest of the group. Contact the course responsible at the beginning of the semester to organise this.

    Assessment will not be organised in the spring semester.

  • Grading Scale

    Grading scale A-F

  • Computer tools

    PC or tablet are used in all lectures. The course contains obligatory web exercises in grammar, vocabulary and terminology.

  • Literature

    Texts, ppt slides from lectures and digital material posted in Canvas

    Recommended dictionary resources:

    NHH's term base for economics and business administration: term.nhh.no

    www.ordnett.no

Overview

ECTS Credits
7.5
Teaching language
The course is taught in English, but with a considerable component of Norwegian terminology. Competence in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language is therefore recommended for taking the course.
Semester

Autumn. Offered autumn 2024

Course responsible

Associate Professor Kaisa Pietikäinen (main course responsible), Associate Professor Claudia Förster Hegrenæs, Associate Professor Gavin Lamb, Department of Professional and Intercultural Communication