Michael Dell and His Computer Company
This video tells the story of Michael Dell. He built one of the biggest computer companies in the world, Dell. He started his business in 1984 in his dorm room at college.
Michael Dell loved technology from a young age. He was good at selling things, even newspapers. He saw that computers were expensive and hard to buy. He had an idea: sell computers directly to customers and let them choose what they wanted.
This idea changed how people bought computers. He made computers that fit each customer‘s needs. He asked customers to pay first, then he made the computers. This helped him to become successful.
Dell company grew fast. They went public on the stock market in 1988. They also sold computers in other countries. They learned to understand different cultures. For example, in Japan, they changed their packaging because customers liked pretty boxes.
Later, the computer market changed. Dell had to change too. Michael Dell took the company private again in 2013. This meant they could make big plans without pressure from the stock market. Today, Dell is a very big technology company, selling many kinds of computer solutions all over the world.
Vocabulary Table
| Term | Pronunciation | Definition | Used in sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| biggest | /BIG-est/ | The largest. | No specific sentence found in the transcript. |
| computer | /KOM-pyoo-tur/ | A machine that stores and processes information. | with computer parts and wreaking of |
| company | /KOM-puh-nee/ | A business. | fullest so he registered his company as |
| business | /BIZ-nes/ | A company that buys and sells things. | business young Michael Dell had |
| dorm room | /DORM ROOOM/ | A room for students in a college. | imagine a college dorm room cluttered |
| technology | /TEK-nol-uh-jee/ | Science of making things practical. | change how the world buys technology |
| selling | /SEL-ing/ | Exchanging something for money. | school he was selling newspaper |
| computers | /KOM-pyoo-turz/ | Machines that store and process information. | computers for his classmates and took on |
| customers | /KUS-tuh-murz/ | People who buy goods or services. | customers deserve better get ready for a |
| cultures | /KUL-churz/ | Ways of life of a group of people. | No specific sentence found in the transcript. |
| packaging | /PAK-uh-jing/ | Materials used to wrap goods. | packaging and presentation they were |
| newspapers | /NOOZ-pay-purz/ | Printed papers with news. | No specific sentence found in the transcript. |
| stock market | /STOCK MAR-kit/ | A place where parts of companies are bought and sold. | from the public stock market it was a |
| countries | /KUN-treekz/ | Areas of land with their own government. | other countries lacked the necessary |
| become | /BIK-kom/ | To grow or change into. | would become known as the Dell |
Vocabulary Flashcards
Lexical Focus: Collocations & Chunks
Don’t just learn isolated words—learn chunks of language. These patterns will help you speak more naturally.
- college dorm roomNoun PhraseMichael Dell started his business in a college dorm room.
- computer partsNoun PhraseHis dorm room was cluttered with computer parts.
- industry giantsNoun PhraseHe took on industry giants like IBM.
- custom computersNoun PhraseHe built custom computers for his classmates.
- cut outVerb PhraseHe wanted to cut out the intermediaries.
- spread like wildfireVerb PhraseWord of his custom-built computers began to spread like wildfire.
- working capitalNoun PhraseWorking capital was a constant challenge.
- word of mouthNoun PhraseWord of mouth became his most powerful marketing tool.
- brand loyaltyNoun PhraseIt led to fierce brand loyalty.
- global expansionNoun PhraseIt had enough left over to finance its aggressive global expansion.
De-chunking
1. Michael Dell started his business in a .
2. He took on like IBM.
3. He built for his classmates.
4. News of his computers began to .
5. became his most powerful marketing tool.
While Viewing Tasks
Guided Notes: Fill in the Gaps
Complete the sentences with words from the video.
1. Michael Dell started his in his .
2. He was good at things, even .
3. He wanted to sell directly to .
4. Dell grew very .
5. In Japan, Dell changed their because liked pretty .
True or False
Decide if the statements are True or False.
1. Michael Dell started his company in a big office.
True False
2. He thought computers were cheap and easy to buy.
True False
3. Dell sold computers directly to customers.
True False
4. Dell only sold computers in America.
True False
5. Michael Dell never changed his business ideas.
True False
Checklist
Check these items as you watch the video.
Embedded Video:
Fill in the Blanks Exercise
1. Dell launched in 1984, from a PC maker to a $90 billion company.
2. Michael Dell built computers for his classmates.
3. He cut out the to sell directly.
4. Customers were frustrated by pre-built .
5. He registered his company as PC .
6. Dell’s model meant that every machine could be to specific requirements.
7. He asked customers to pay in .
8. Word of mouth became his most powerful tool.
9. His team took turns pounding and shaping sheet metal into crude but functional cases.
10. Dell’s core philosophy solidified into customer .
11. He revolutionized management based on Japanese automakers’ principles.
12. Dell maintained complete control over their customers’ .
13. In June of 1988, Dell debuted on the NASDAQ exchange.
14. In 2013, Michael Dell announced a plan to take Dell again.
15. Dell Technologies generated over $100 billion in in its fiscal year of 2023.
Vocabulary Quiz
Fact or Fiction Quiz
Extension Activities
Individual Activity Easy
Draw a picture of a computer. What do you use your computer for?
Pair Activity Medium
Talk with a friend: What kind of computer would you like to buy? Why?
Group Activity Hard
Discuss as a group: Is it better to buy a computer from a shop or directly from the company? Why?