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Business

 

Learning Journey & Sequencing Rationale

Learners are introduced to the dynamic nature of business in relation to how and why business ideas come about. They also explore the impact of risk and reward on business activity and the role of entrepreneurship.

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement of the real world.

Sequencing in GCSE Business

Business is taught over two years. Theme 1 in Year 10 and Theme 2 in Year 11. This is detailed in the programme of study.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16mJkswOHhpXN8CQqXQhCbBS-EwHvuUJs/edit#gid=404704968 

Key Stage 4

YEAR 10

Year 10 is the first year of the GCSE Business course. Theme 1 is taught throughout this year. A linear approach is adopted throughout this theme. 1.1 considers the basic knowledge within business. For example, looking at the nature of business, the role of business and customer needs. As we finish 1.1 looking at customer needs is the natural step that leads to market research, which is the foundation of 1.2. 1.3 builds on the knowledge of 1.1 & 1.2 concentrating on business aims & objectives. As we have now identified the wants & needs of the customer/consumer, which helps learners to understand the aims & objectives a business may decide upon, it builds learners up to consider the cost of meeting these wants and therefore the likely revenue which may be generated. 1.4 & 1.5 concentrates on the ownership a business may decide upon, which can heavily be influenced by the costs associated (1.3). The end part of 1.5 starts to draw attention to the wider considerations to business such as external factors, the economy, the environment. This helps to provide a smooth transition to Theme 2 which is taught in year 11.

YEAR 11

Year 11 is the second year of the GCSE Business course. Theme 2 is taught throughout this year and examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase, which is building on Theme 1. A linear approach is adopted throughout this theme. In 2.1 learners are introduced to methods of growth and how and why business aims and objectives change as businesses evolve. External factors are further developed in 2.1 with the impact of globalisation and the ethical and environmental questions facing businesses are explored. This leads naturally to 2.2 whereby learners explore how each element of the marketing mix is managed and used to inform and make business decisions in a competitive marketplace. 2.3 concentrates specifically on operational decisions and how to better supply customers with the product and the best logistical/feasible approach to supply and quality decisions to meet a growing audience. Leading straight into 2.4 whereby learners will explore the tools a business has to support financial decision-making, including ratio analysis and the use and limitation of a range of financial information. Finally, as the business grows the natural step and final step of the course would be to consider the personnel required. 2.5 allows learners to explore the human resources decisions a growing business will need to make, relating to organisational structure, recruitment, training and motivation need to be made to influence business activity. These are the aspects considered in this final topic.

Unit overview - unit 2.1

Subject: Business 2.1

Skills

  • Discuss why joining businesses together might achieve a growth objective
  • List sources of internal and external sources of finance for a growing business
  • Analyse the benefits and drawbacks for a business using internal/ external
  • sources of finance
  • Discuss the factors that influence why a business changes its aims and
  • objectives
  • Define: globalisation, imports and exports
  • Discuss barriers to international trade
  • Describe how both ethical and environmental considerations can lead to
  • trade-offs
  • Describe how a pressure group can influence a business’s marketing mix
  • Answer 6, 9 & 12 mark exam questions

Knowledge

Business growth – methods of business growth and their impact, the types of business ownership for growing businesses and sources of finance for growing and established businesses

Changes in business aims and objectives – why and how business aims and objectives changes as businesses evolve

Business and globalisation – the impact of globalisation on businesses, barriers to international trade and how businesses compete internationally

Ethics, the environment and business – the impact of ethical and environmental considerations on businesses

Rationale

Growing the business – Learners are introduced to methods of growth and how and why business aims and objectives change as businesses evolve. The impact of globalisation and the ethical and environmental questions facing businesses are explored.

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement in the real world. Furthermore, learners will be able to answer GCSE Theme 2 Examination questions.

Unit overview - unit 2.2

Subject: Business 2.2

Skills

  • Identify where products are placed on the design mix and explain why
  • Draw and label the product life-cycle
  • List how a business differentiates its product from its competition
  • Evaluate the importance of product differentiation to a business
  • Explain the relationship between the design mix and product life cycle
  • Identify factors that may influence the price of a product
  • Explain the difference between a high-volume pricing strategy and 
  • a high-margin pricing strategy
  • List the 5 different types of media that a business could use fir advertising
  • Identify ways in which a business could use technology to promote its 
  • products or services
  • Describe why place is a key aspect of the marketing mix
  • Evaluate why the four elements of the marketing mix are interconnected
  • Answer 6, 9 & 12 mark exam questions

Knowledge

Product -the design mix, the product life cycle and the importance of

differentiating a product or service

Price – pricing strategies and influences on pricing strategies

Promotion- promotion strategies for different market segments and the use of technology in promotion

Place- methods of distribution

Using the marketing mix to make business decisions- how each element of the marketing mix can influence other elements, using the marketing mix to build competitive advantage and how an integrated marketing mix can influence competition

Rationale

Making marketing decisions – Learners will explore how each element of the marketing mix is managed and used to inform and make business decisions in a competitive marketplace.

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement in the real world. Furthermore, learners will be able to answer GCSE Theme 2 Examination questions.

 

Unit overview - unit 2.3

Subject: Business 2.3

Skills

List methods of production

Analyse product processes

Describe the impact that technology can have on production

Discuss issues a business may face when introducing new technology

List factors that contribute to a business’s relations with its suppliers

Discuss how technology may improve the way in which a business procures its stock 

Know the difference between quality assurance and quality control

and the benefit of both to a business

Discuss why quality is important to a business

Draw the sales process

Describe why it is important for sales staff to have good product knowledge

Answer 6, 9 & 12 mark exam questions

Knowledge

Business operations - the purpose of business operations, different types of production process and the impact of technology on production

Working with suppliers – managing stock and the role of procurement

Managing quality - the concept of quality and its importance

The sales process – the nature of the sales process and the importance to businesses of providing good customer service

Rationale

Making operational decisions – this topic focusses on meeting customer needs through the design, supply, quality and sales decisions a business make

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement in the real world. Furthermore, learners will be able to answer GCSE Theme 2 Examination questions.

Unit overview - unit 2.4

Subject: Business 2.4

Skills

Know the difference between gross and net profit

Calculate gross profit, net profit and the average rate of return

Describe how a business could use market data to make business decisions

Discuss the limitations of financial information

Describe why business may prefer to use quantitative data rather than qualitative data

Answer 6, 9 & 12 mark exam questions

Knowledge

Business calculations – the concept and calculation of gross profit and net profit, and the calculation and interpretation of the gross margin, the net profit margin and the average rate of return

Understanding business performance – the use of interpretation of quantitative business data to support, inform and justify business decisions and the use of limitations of financial information

Rationale

Making financial decisions – Learners will explore the tools a business has to support financial decision-making, including ratio analysis and the use and limitation of a range of financial information.

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement in the real world. Furthermore, learners will be able to answer GCSE Theme 2 Examination questions.

Unit overview - summer term unit 2.5

Subject: Business 2.5

Skills

Know the difference between hierarchical or flat structure

Know the difference between a centralised or decentralised structure

List the disadvantages to a business of having excessive communication in a business

Recall different methods of recruitment

List recruitment documents

Discuss the benefits of formal and informal training

Explain why businesses train and develop employees

Describe why businesses need to motivate its employees

Describe the difference between financial and non - financial methods of motivation

Answer 6, 9 & 12 mark exam question

Knowledge

Organisational structures - different organisational structures and when each are appropriate, the importance of effective communication and different ways of working

Effective recruitment- different job roles and responsibilities, and how businesses recruit people

Effective training and development – how and why businesses train and develop employees

Motivation – the importance of motivation in the workplace and how businesses motivate employees

Rationale

Making human resource decisions – growing a business means that decisions relating to organisational structure, recruitment, training and motivation need to be made to influence business activity. These aspects are considered in this final topic.

This enhanced knowledge will help learners to apply their understanding to any given business scenario and a wider acknowledgement in the real world. Furthermore, learners will be able to answer GCSE Theme 2 Examination questions.

Knowledge organisers

A knowledge organiser is an important document that lists the important facts that learners should know by the end of a unit of work. It is important that learners can recall these facts easily, so that when they are answering challenging questions in their assessments and GCSE and A-Level exams, they are not wasting precious time in exams focusing on remembering simple facts, but making complex arguments and calculations.

We encourage all learners to use them by doing the following:

  • quiz themselves at home, using the read, write, cover, check method,
  • practise spelling key vocabulary,
  • further researching people, events and processes most relevant to the unit.