Industry-Driven Task Needs and Syllabus Recommendation for Business English Materials

The present study aims to identify the tasks needed and propose recommendation of topics and their coverage for the Business English course. This is a survey study employing a mixed method. The data were collected from 42 business professionals who use Business English in their workplace. The instruments used were a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide. The data obtained in this study were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods. The study results showed that 1) seven types of tasks are needed for the Business English course: reading, writing, listening, speaking, document translation, business etiquette, and others (handling complaints), 2) eight topics are recommended based on the data analysis, namely handling clients 1, handling clients 2, meeting with clients, business presentations, writing for the company, English correspondence, handling telephone calls, handling complaints. Hence, business professionals perceive that language skills, knowledge, and business etiquette are needed. Course designers should consider this study results in designing and developing their Business English materials or books for the students' learning to be effective.