ESL Questions Business
Business
Spark real conversation with 75 ESL discussion questions about business, covering startups, ethics, leadership, workplace culture, and what it actually takes to run a successful company.
Beginner
Do you know what a business is? Can you give an example?
Does anyone in your family own a business? What kind?
Would you like to start your own business one day? What kind?
What do you think is the most popular type of business in your city?
Do you prefer shopping at small local businesses or large chains? Why?
What product or service do you think is missing in your town?
Have you ever sold something to make money? What happened?
Do you think running a business is easy or difficult?
What do you think a business owner does every day?
What is your favorite local business and why do you like it?
Have you ever visited a market or a fair where people sell things?
What skills do you think you need to run a good business?
What is the most successful business you know of?
Do you think you would enjoy being your own boss?
What do you think the hardest part of starting a business is?
Have you ever worked a part-time job? What was it like?
Would you rather work for a big company or a small business? Why?
What do you think the word 'profit' means?
Do you think businesses should be kind to the environment?
If you had a business, what would you sell or offer?
What makes a business successful in your opinion?
Have you ever used a business that had really bad service?
Do you think it matters where a product is made?
What business would you open if you had plenty of money to start?
Do you think famous brands are always better than unknown ones?
Intermediate
What do you think separates a successful entrepreneur from someone whose business fails?
Would you rather have a secure job with a salary or run your own business with uncertain income?
How do you think digital technology has changed the way small businesses operate?
What do you think is the biggest mistake new business owners make?
How important is networking for building a successful business?
Do you think a business can be both profitable and ethical? Give an example.
How do you think the pandemic changed business models in your country?
What do you think makes a good business plan?
Do you think businesses have a responsibility to give back to their communities?
How do large corporations affect small local businesses in your area?
What industry do you think will grow the most in the next ten years?
How do you think social media has changed marketing for small businesses?
Do you think it is better to specialize in one product or offer a wide range?
What do you think about franchise businesses like McDonald's or Starbucks?
How do you think customer service affects a company's long-term success?
Would you invest your savings in someone else's business idea? Under what conditions?
How do you think cultural differences affect international business relationships?
What do you think the role of failure is in becoming a successful businessperson?
Do you think government should support small businesses? How?
What qualities do you think make a good business leader?
How do you think work-life balance affects employee productivity?
Do you think businesses should pay higher wages even if it lowers profits?
What do you think about the concept of a startup? Would you work for one?
How do you think family businesses differ from other types of companies?
What business from another country do you wish was available where you live?
Advanced
Is maximizing shareholder value still a defensible model for how corporations should operate?
How do you think the gig economy has changed the relationship between workers and businesses?
Corporate social responsibility is often dismissed as marketing. When is it genuine and when is it not?
What do you think the ethical limits of business competition are?
Is growth always the right goal for a business, or are there cases where staying small is smarter?
How do you think power dynamics between large corporations and governments have shifted in the past 20 years?
What does it mean for a business to be 'too big to fail,' and should that concept exist?
How should businesses handle the tension between profit and environmental responsibility?
Is entrepreneurship a practical path for most people, or is it a myth that benefits those who were already privileged?
How do you think AI will change what it means to run a business in the next decade?
What is the line between aggressive business strategy and anticompetitive behavior?
How much loyalty should employees feel toward their employer, and how much should employers feel toward their staff?
Is disruption always positive, or does it sometimes destroy more value than it creates?
How should businesses operate in countries with authoritarian governments?
Do you think the dominance of Silicon Valley as a business culture has been good for the world?
What does 'business ethics' actually mean in practice, and who enforces it?
How do you think remote work has permanently changed organizational culture?
Is it possible to build a truly sustainable business, or does capitalism inevitably push toward exploitation?
How should companies handle the reputational risk of doing business in countries with poor human rights records?
What is the relationship between innovation and risk, and how should businesses manage that balance?
How do you think family-owned businesses handle succession, and what can that teach corporate businesses?
Should consumers bear responsibility for choosing ethical businesses, or is that too much to ask?
What role does storytelling play in building a business brand, and can it go too far?
How does inequality within companies (between executives and workers) affect morale and productivity?
If you were starting a business today, what values would be non-negotiable, and why?