Learning a language, or learning how languages work, can provide a key to the global workplace. In this video a collection of employers and employees outline the benefits that language skills bring to their companies and careers. There is a lot more to language skills than just learning to speak fluently. Inter-cultural communication skills open doors to other cultures and communities, and gives you experience of the world that goes deeper than the average tourist trip.

What do we mean when we say globalisation? Does the growth of globalisation hinder or benefit mankind? It’s a common assumption that countries globalise but in fact it’s not nations themselves but rather the Industries and companies that trade within and outside their borders. As new forms of technology emerge and organisations expand they erode traditional boundaries and in recent times there has been a rise in interconnectedness of markets across the world. In the following audio tracks Susan Segal Horn (Emerita Professor of International Strategy) explains how globalisation increases the Integration of economic activities across boarders as a result how nations become interdependent on and other.

This material forms part of the Open University course B835 The dynamics of strategy

This course introduces you to the legal characteristics of limited companies and how limited companies raise finance through ordinary shares and loan capital. It also introduces the interests of company stakeholders, and looks at three different perspectives
on companies and their role in society. Finally, it introduces the formats of company financial statements in comparison with those of sole traders.

To continue the celebrations around OpenLearn's 10th birthday, here's a list of ten billion dollar companies that didn't exist ten years ago. 

After The Bottom Line looked at General Electric, Evan Davis considers whether being a massive conglomerate makes sense in the current climate.

The rise of the private equity firms may not necessarily be a bad thing, but on the other hand, the idea of using one language for business may not necessarily be a good thing.

What are the key issues for sustainable resource management? How do companies operate while maintaining corporate social responsibility? From understanding the need for sustainability, and environmental auditing to learning how organisations integrate health and safety policy. This collection/album explores many of the issues that face modern businesses and gives some insight into how these companies function while adhering to various environmental management systems.

This material is taken from Open University course T867: Managing for sustainability