Course Description

The course focuses on language study with regard to China’s fast-changing economic situation and business environment. Through intensive language use in business contexts, students will not only improve language skills, but also become familiar with China’s current business practices and trends. This course lasts for two semesters. In the first semester, students will get to know the background and current situations of the economic development in China. The content covers a great variety of topics and the most common business vocabulary. The second semester emphasizes on case study. By analyzing international corporations coming into China and Chinese companies developing into other countries, students will be inspired to explore the best ways for a company’s development. Students will be required to suggest and prepare supplementary texts around these topics so as to access the most recent information and, at the same time, get prepared for further studies on their own. Classes are conducted in Chinese.

Textbook(s)

• Fall semester: Open for Business (by Jane C. Kuo)
• Spring semester: Business Chinese for Success: Real Cases from Real Companies (by Yuan, Fangyuan)

 Topics

Fall semester: <Open for Business>
(1.1) The Reform of China’s Economic System
(1.2) The Development of Private Enterprises
(1.3) Special Economic Zones
(1.4) Three Capital Enterprises
(2.1) China’s Banking Reform
(2.2) The Influence of Interest Rates & Foreign
(2.3) The Development of the Chinese Stock Market
(2.4) Turning Shanghai into an International Financial and Trade Center
(3.2) Transformation and Trends in Marketing
(3.3) Brand Consciousness
(3.4) International Competitiveness of Chinese Products
(4.1) China’s Business Management
(4.2) Management of Foreign Enterprises in China
(5.2) Opportunities and Challenge: China’s Entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO)
(7.3) Protection of Intellectual Property in China

 Spring semester: < Business Chinese for Success: Real Cases from Real Companies >
1. KFC’s Sinofication
2. Starbuck’s Third Place
3. IKEA’s Luxurious “Low-price Products”
4. Sam’s Club in Beijing
5. P&G’s Brand Strategy
6. Kodak’s Way in China
7. A Chinese Brand, Made in America
8. Galanz as a Price Butcher
9. TCL International Acquisitions
10. A Snake Swallows an Elephant, Lenovo Acquires IBM