Brian Bloch – Summary of my career, qualifications and experience
Career path
I started my career lecturing Economics in Johannesburg, although my own research interests at that time led me into the field of management. I therefore did my masters and doctorate in the field of organisational behaviour, while continuing to teach economics. On completing my doctorate, I moved to New Zealand, where I taught International Business for several years. Subsequently, having studied German quite seriously for many years, I decided to move to Europe.
I already knew and had worked with a professor in the Westphalian city of Muenster (aka Münster), a small city not far from Cologne and the Ruhr area, so I moved here in 1999, and have stayed ever since. After a couple of years of full time work at the Westphalian Wilhelms University of Muenster, I went freelance in 2002, which evolved into my current Work Portfolio.
I remain based at the University of Münster and specialise in English for Academic Research, giving courses in this area here, elsewhere in Germany and beyond. I also regularly teach a course in Presentation and Communication, which entails assisting undergraduate students both in their use of spoken English, and presentation skills such as the use of voice, body language, and of course getting the content right as well. This course also enables me to assist academics in all aspects of conference presentations.
My main work activity is academic editing in business, economics and other related fields, such as communication and psychology. I also work as a freelance journalist in the business and higher educational fields. My hobbies of literature and film have provided me with further insights into the clear, correct and compelling use of English.
In addition to my more recent editing work, I have published extensively and internationally for many years in a variety of business and economics journals and magazines, and even language ones. This work has provided me with an ideal background for my current professional offerings.
Formal Qualifications
I have undergraduate and post graduate degrees (B.Com Hons.) in economics and business administration from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg (Wits). My Master of Commerce dissertation (also from WITS) was on the subject of cross-cultural organisational conflict, and my Doctor of Commerce degree (from the University of South Africa) dealt with interdepartmental conflict in manufacturing companies.
Academic and Journalistic Background
My teaching has covered the fields of Economics, Marketing, International Business, General Management, Cross-Cultural Management, Presentation and Communication. I have also taught specialist courses on English for Academic Research in the fields of Marketing, Economics, Psychology and Communication Science.
I have translated many academic and other texts from German into English, although I now only have time for short translations, not of full academic manuscripts.
I have also written a substantial number of articles as a management and higher education journalist for leading magazines and newspapers in the English speaking world. This work has helped me tremendously with respect to my editing and academic English teaching. The succinct, clear and easily accessible writing needed for journalism is both directly and indirectly applicable to creating academic work that is easily understood by and appeals to the reader, and gets published!