Some people think that studying business is more beneficial for society than studying history. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Stance: I will argue that while both business and history are valuable, business education holds a more direct and immediate benefit for societal progress, particularly in innovation and efficiency.
This 6.5 version reaches the same conclusion and uses the same personal example as the 7.5 answer, but compresses the reasoning into single short sentences with plain connectors like 'so' and 'on the other hand', without the layered cause-example-contrast development seen higher up.
Some people believe that studying business is more useful for society than studying history. I agree with this idea, because although both subjects are valuable, business education usually brings faster and more direct benefits to society, especially through new ideas and better efficiency.
One strong reason is that business education has a direct effect on solving problems and creating wealth. Studying business teaches people how to find what the market needs, create new products or services, and use resources well. This leads to economic growth, more jobs, and a better standard of living. In Vietnam, the growth of online shopping websites like Shopee, Tiki and Lazada, and the fast development of solar power projects in places like Ninh Thuận, are good examples of how business thinking can solve real problems, such as making shopping easier or producing cleaner energy.
My own experience as an operations supervisor at a retail chain in Da Nang supports this point. I found it difficult to make sales reports by hand for eight different stores, so I spent an hour every evening for eight months learning Python online. This effort, which came from a business need to be more efficient, ended with an automatic script that cut the time to make the monthly report from two days to just thirty minutes. I even won my company's innovation award that year. This shows how skills learned through business thinking can clearly improve how well a company works.
On the other hand, studying history is also important because it helps people understand their culture, guide political decisions, and avoid repeating past mistakes. However, its benefits for society are usually more indirect and take a longer time to appear. History gives useful background information, but it does not create new solutions or produce economic results as directly as business does.
In conclusion, while a good education should include both history and business, the direct and clear impact of business education on new ideas, efficiency, and economic growth makes it more beneficial for society right now.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I agree with this idea, because although both subjects are valuable, business education usually brings faster and more direct benefits to society” — States a clear, direct opinion early, though the reasoning is compressed into one simple clause rather than fully developed.
- LR“solving problems and creating wealth” — Clear, functional vocabulary, though more generic than the higher-band phrase 'practical problem-solving and wealth creation'.
- GRA“I found it difficult to make sales reports by hand for eight different stores, so I spent an hour every evening for eight months learning Python online.” — A correct compound sentence using 'so' to link cause and result, simpler than the participial opening used at higher bands.
- CC“On the other hand, studying history is also important because it helps people understand their culture, guide political decisions, and avoid repeating past mistakes.” — A basic but effective connector introducing the concession before returning to the main argument.
- TR“In conclusion, while a good education should include both history and business, the direct and clear impact of business education on new ideas, efficiency, and economic growth makes it more beneficial for society right now.” — Restates the opinion clearly at the end, meeting the task's requirement for a final position.
This 7.0 answer keeps the same three-part reasoning (market impact, personal example, historical concession) as the 7.5 answer and uses accurate topic-specific collocations, but its contrasts and examples are explained slightly more plainly, without the compact, idiomatic phrasing that marks the 7.5 version.
Some people argue that studying business benefits society more than studying history does. I agree with this view to a large extent, because although both subjects have value, business education tends to provide more direct and immediate benefits, particularly through innovation and efficiency.
One strong argument for prioritising business studies is its direct impact on problem-solving and wealth creation. Business education gives people the analytical tools and strategic thinking needed to identify market needs, develop new products or services, and manage resources efficiently, which in turn leads to economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards. Vietnam's e-commerce growth illustrates this well: platforms such as Shopee, Tiki and Lazada, along with the rapid expansion of solar power projects in provinces like Ninh Thuận, are largely the result of entrepreneurial thinking and sound business principles addressing real challenges such as consumer convenience and renewable energy.
My own experience as an operations supervisor for a retail chain in Da Nang reflects this point. Faced with the tedious task of compiling sales reports by hand across eight outlets, I spent an hour each evening for eight months learning Python online. This effort, driven by a genuine business need for efficiency, resulted in an automated script that cut the monthly report generation time from two days to just thirty minutes, which later earned my company an innovation award. This kind of practical, business-oriented skill clearly enhances productivity and benefits the wider organisation.
Conversely, historical studies remain important for understanding cultural heritage, informing political decisions, and helping societies avoid repeating past mistakes, but their contribution to society tends to be more indirect and long-term. Understanding historical events can guide policy decisions, yet it does not usually generate new solutions or drive economic output in the same direct way that business knowledge does.
In conclusion, while a well-rounded education values both historical understanding and business knowledge, the more direct and measurable impact of business education on innovation, efficiency, and economic growth makes it the more beneficial subject for society's immediate progress.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I agree with this view to a large extent, because although both subjects have value, business education tends to provide more direct and immediate benefits” — A clear, nuanced position stated early, close to the 7.5 phrasing though slightly less compact.
- LR“Vietnam's e-commerce growth illustrates this well” — A natural, functional phrase introducing a relevant local example, though plainer than the 7.5 collocation 'e-commerce boom'.
- GRA“Faced with the tedious task of compiling sales reports by hand across eight outlets, I spent an hour each evening for eight months learning Python online.” — Opens with a past-participle clause before the main clause, echoing the 7.5 structure with slightly simpler vocabulary.
- CC“Conversely, historical studies remain important for understanding cultural heritage, informing political decisions, and helping societies avoid repeating past mistakes, but their contribution to society tends to be more indirect and long-term.” — The marker 'Conversely' introduces the concession clearly, maintaining logical balance similar to the 7.5 answer.
- LR“it does not usually generate new solutions or drive economic output in the same direct way that business knowledge does” — A clear contrast in vocabulary, though less economically phrased than the 7.5 answer's 'context rather than immediate mechanisms for progress'.
The 7.5 answer stands out for its precise, economical contrasts (history provides 'context rather than immediate mechanisms for progress'), its confident integration of two concrete Vietnamese business examples (e-commerce platforms and Ninh Thuận solar projects) into a single sentence, and its fully developed personal anecdote that closes with a direct link back to the thesis about business's societal benefit.
The debate over whether studying business or history offers greater benefit to society is a pertinent one in modern educational discourse. While both disciplines undeniably contribute to human flourishing, I contend that business education generally provides more immediate and tangible benefits to society, primarily through fostering innovation and economic dynamism.
One compelling argument for the primacy of business studies is its direct impact on practical problem-solving and wealth creation. Business education equips individuals with the analytical tools and strategic thinking necessary to identify market needs, develop innovative products or services, and manage resources efficiently. This translates into economic growth, job creation, and improved living standards. Vietnam's own e-commerce boom is a clear illustration: platforms such as Shopee, Tiki and Lazada, alongside the rapid rollout of solar power projects in provinces like Ninh Thuận, are largely products of entrepreneurial drive and sound business principles, directly addressing contemporary challenges such as consumer convenience and the shift towards renewable energy.
My own experience as an operations supervisor for a retail chain in Da Nang underscores this point. Faced with the tedious task of manually compiling sales reports across eight outlets, I dedicated an hour each evening for eight months to learning Python online. This effort, driven by a business need for efficiency, culminated in an automated script that slashed monthly report generation from two days to just thirty minutes, earning my company an innovation award that year. Such practical application of skills, often honed through business-oriented learning, palpably enhances productivity and operational excellence, directly benefiting an organisation and, by extension, the wider economic ecosystem.
Conversely, while historical studies are crucial for understanding cultural heritage, informing political decisions, and preventing past mistakes, their societal contributions are often more indirect and long-term. Understanding historical precedents can guide policy, but it does not inherently create new solutions or drive economic output in the same direct manner as business acumen does. It provides context rather than immediate mechanisms for progress.
In conclusion, while a holistic education values both historical perspective and commercial understanding, the direct and measurable impact of business education on innovation, efficiency, and economic prosperity renders it the more beneficial pursuit for immediate societal advancement.
Collocations
Examiner Notes
- TR“I contend that business education generally provides more immediate and tangible benefits to society, primarily through fostering innovation and economic dynamism.” — A clear, nuanced position stated in the introduction that the rest of the essay will develop.
- LR“Vietnam's own e-commerce boom is a clear illustration” — A concise, idiomatic phrase ('e-commerce boom') used naturally to introduce a relevant local example.
- GRA“Faced with the tedious task of manually compiling sales reports across eight outlets, I dedicated an hour each evening for eight months to learning Python online.” — The sentence opens with a past-participle clause before the main clause, demonstrating varied sentence structure.
- CC“Conversely, while historical studies are crucial for understanding cultural heritage, informing political decisions, and preventing past mistakes, their societal contributions are often more indirect and long-term.” — The discourse marker 'Conversely' introduces a concession before qualifying it, maintaining logical balance.
- LR“It provides context rather than immediate mechanisms for progress.” — A precise, economical contrast in vocabulary ('context' vs. 'mechanisms for progress') that sharpens the comparison.