Uses of English in Business and English Language Proficiency Levels of Kasetsart University Graduates Employed in the Business Sector

Authors

  • Praewpan Numbenjapol Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

Keywords:

English, English proficiency, uses of English, business English

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to survey: 1. the types and amounts of English language (EL) listening, speaking, reading, writing and translating used in business; 2. levels of EL proficiency required in business positions held by Kasetsart University (KU) graduates; 3. levels of EL proficiency of KU graduates working in business; and 4. EL skills which KU graduates would like to improve. The sample was 565 KU graduates of classes 48, 49, and 50 who worked in the business sector. Data were collected by the use of questionnaires and EL proficiency evaluation forms. An SPSS-X program was used to analyze data. The results were : 1. In the business sector, the English skills of reading and translating were used more than the skills of listening, speaking and writing. The main purpose of reading was to increase general and job-related knowledge. The main purpose of translating was to report information to colleagues or superiors. The main purpose of listening was to continue conversations. The main purpose of speaking was to interact socially in everyday-life situations. The main purpose of writing was to ask for or to provide information about goods or services. 2. When asked to assess whether their positions required an EL proficiency of level 1 (fair), level 2 (good) or level 3 (excellent), KU graduates working as staff members, junior executives, middle executives and high executives all made the same assessment: that their positions required an EL proficiency of level 2. in all skills. 3. In self-assessment, the staff members and junior executives assessed their own EL proficiency in reading and translating to be at level 2, and their EL proficiency in the other skills to be at level 1. The middle executives assessed their EL proficiency in all skills to be at level 2. The high executives assessed their EL proficiency in listening, speaking, and writing to be at level 1, and their EL proficiency in translating at level 2. 4. KU graduates working in the four positions stated they needed "great" and "greatest" improvement in all five skills. The two EL skills that KU graduates in every position declared they needed the "greatest" improvement were listening and speaking.

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Published

01-07-1996

How to Cite

Numbenjapol, P. (1996). Uses of English in Business and English Language Proficiency Levels of Kasetsart University Graduates Employed in the Business Sector. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 17(2), 149–159. Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/kjss/article/view/243631

Issue

Section

Research articles