LB160 MA02

5 Questions (Total 10 points). Students to answer THREE Questions including

Question 1 (Compulsory: 4 points).
Q1. COMPULSORY QUESTION
Read the assignment title given below and briefly explain based on the mind map
provided. (4 points)
Assignment Title: Wal-Mart is a US-based multinational corporation (MNC).
Critically discuss the likely costs and benefits of its takeover of Asda, a UK-based
company.
Mind Map:

Markets
MNC
Wal-Mart

Why?
ASDA

Takeover

US-based
company
Costs

UK-based
company

Benefits

Hints: What does the title expect you to do? How do the key concepts in the mind
map answer the assignment title?.

Purpose: To identify the tasks and the knowledge indicated by the assignment title. (B2S5, 134)
Learning Outcomes (B2S5, 132)
Develop business studies knowledge and language relating to multinational corporations and their
takeover of other companies.
Produce outlines and mind maps for the essay.
Produce a first draft of the essay.
Comments: Processing this title highlights a pair of concepts that are important for the design of the
essay cost and benefits. (B2S5, 134) The design depends on the purpose of the essay. This is
indicated in the assignment title. (B2S5, 134)

LB160 MA02
Q2. Indicate if the statements given below are opinions or facts by ticking on the
appropriate column. Then explain the phrases given in the explanation box.
(3 points)
STATEMENT

FACT

OPINION

EXPLANATION

1. It is often assumed that firms are

simply concerned to maximize
profits: that they are not concerned
with broader issues of social
responsibility. (1 pt.)

What is your understanding of the expression It is

often assumed here?

2. It is then argued, however, that

competitive forces could result in
society benefiting from the selfinterested behavior of firms: i.e. that
profit maximization will lead to
social efficiency under conditions of
perfect competition and the absence
of externalities. (1 pt.)

Why is however used in this sentence?

3. But, as we have seen, in the real

world, markets are not perfect and
there are often
considerable
externalities. (1 pt.)

Why does the writer begin the sentence with But, as

we have seen?

Purpose: To identify the argument language, links and connectives in the development of an
argument and critically assess the claims made by an author. (B2S4, 112 and 115)
Learning Outcomes (B2S4, 98)

Develop an approach to reading texts critically, focusing on the importance of the

language of the argument.
Explore the idea of critical discussion in writing.

Comments: The argument language, linking words and connectives in this text give the
author the means of guiding the reader: it is clear which direction the writer is going in so that
the reader can see the step-by-step construction of the argument better. The reader is then in a
better position to critically assess the information in the text and form judgments about the
information. (B2S4, 114) As a student of business studies, it is expected of him/her to be
aware that some statements are opinions and others are facts. Part of the skill of successful
argument is to make it clear how strongly opinions are expressed. (B2S4, 116)

LB160 MA02
Q3. Identify the author of each sentence by ticking in the appropriate writers
column. (3 points)
Public Relations
Officer

SENTENCE

Athlete

Student

1. To explain why a company is the largest company

in the world.. (0.5 pt.)
2. The reader could be the general public or athletes.
(0.5 pt.)
3. Totally focused on creating performance
opportunities for everyone who would benefit and
offer empowering messages for everyone who would
listen. (0.5 pt.)
4. To learn about company performance in the
modern business world. (0.5 pt.)
5. The reader is a tutor. (0.5 pt.)
6. To review a new training shoe design. (0.5 pt.)

Purpose: To identify the purposes, writers and readers of a text. (B2S1, 9)

Learning Outcomes (B2S1, 7)

Compare extracts from texts.

Compare some differences in various essays.

Comments: Students should understand fully why essays are different and what are their
purposes. Like all texts, one purpose of an essay is to communicate but, in reality, essay
writers are doing three things at the same time. They are communicating, learning, and
usually, they are being assessed. (B2S1, 10)

LB160 MA02
Q4. Read Text 4.1 below. In the table below the text, answer each question from
the left column to the right column. (3 points)
Text 4.1 The role of the market
Markets bring together buyers and sellers of goods and services. In some cases, such as a local fruit stall, buyers and
sellers meet physically. In other cases, such as the stock market, business can be transacted over the telephone or internet,
almost by remote control. We need not go into these details. Instead, we use a general definition of markets. Prices of
goods and of resources, such as labour, machinery and land, adjust to ensure that scarce resources are used to produce
those goods and services that society demands. Much of economics is devoted to the study of how markets and prices
enable society to solve the problems of what, how, and for whom to produce. Suppose you buy a hamburger for your
lunch. What does this have to do with markets and prices? You choose the caf because it was fast, convenient and cheap.
Given your desire to eat, and your limited resources, the low hamburger price told you this was a good way to satisfy
your appetite. You probably prefer steak but that is more expensive. The price of steak is high enough to ensure that
society answers the for whom question about lunchtime steaks in favour of someone else.

Question

Answer

1. What controls the movements of resources in a

market.? (1 pt.)

2. From the heading, what do you expect the text to

be about? (1 pt.)

3. What example is given of buyers and sellers

physically meeting? (1 pt.)

Purpose: To introduce the concept of the market. (B2S4, 99)

Learning Outcomes (B2S4 98)

Consider the requirements for a specific essay on markets by careful analysis of its title.

Comment: The market is the key concept in the essay title you are looking at in this session. (B2S4,
99-100)

LB160 MA02
Q5. In the left-hand column of the Words Table are words that can be combined
with the word matches inside the box below. Write in the middle column the
word match for each of these words inside the table. Then on the right-hand
column write down the correct word combinations of each. An example is
provided. (3 points)

Word Match
Target

Campaign

Marketing

Leading

Success

Manufacture

Words Table

Word

Word Match

Word Combination

Innovative

Innovative approach

Example: Approach
1.

Markets (0.5 pt.)

2.

Advertising (0.5 pt.)

3.

Strategy (0.5 pt.)

4.

Brand (0.5 pt.)

5.

Story (0.5 pt.)

6.

Outsource (0.5 pt.)

Purpose: To introduce the idea of word combinations. (B2S1, 29)

Learning Outcomes (B2S1, 7)

Begin to study academic language.

Comments: Academic language and business language are full of specialized words. You
need to decide which words are important to help you communicate effectively. (B2S1, 30)