BUSINESS COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH: THE APPEAL AND THE HARDSHIPS
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH: THE APPEAL AND THE HARDSHIPS

Summary/Abstract: In the context of increased EU concerns with multilingualism, growing work migration and ever more frequent international interactions, students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels claim to understand the importance of becoming proficient communicators in English. They have expectations or experience regarding contexts when they might be - or have already been - required to communicate in English with customers, colleagues or business partners both in face-to-face and online interactions and they express their willingness to improve their skills in this field. However, when it comes to identifying the elements of effective professional communication, or to getting involved in English for Specific Purposes class activities often perceived as less entertaining and more troublesome than spoken interaction (e.g. grammar or vocabulary work, business writing tasks), the participants’ enthusiasm decreases significantly. The purpose of this research is to identify to what extent students’ expectations expressed at the start of Business English courses are supported by their willingness to actually do the required work. Therefore, the questions this article aims to answer are the following: Firstly, if business communication is deemed important for future employability are students really involved in learning how to do it right? And secondly, is the use of up-to-date ICT tools (such as a blended learning platform) more likely to boost students’ interest in enhancing their language learning motivation? In trying to answer these research questions this article will make use of a theoretical background stemming from English for Specific Purposes methodology and a qualitative analysis of the blended learning platform newly implemented at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies. Students’ expectations at the beginning of Business English courses and seminars were gathered following a needs analysis survey, while their diligence and enthusiasm (or lack of) were determined by teachers’ analysis of students’ class involvement and exam results, especially in terms of projects which were - or should have been - submitted via the blended learning platform.

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