GCSE Business

GCSE business introduces students to how businesses work.  Students will explore realistic business scenarios and consider how to apply the concepts they have learned.  A typical example of this would be when students are given financial information about a business from which they must:

• calculate a variety of financial ratios

• explain what the financial ratios reveal about the finances of the business

• suggest solutions to improve the financial position of the business

Overview –

The course covers the following topics:

• Business in the real world

  • • the purpose and nature of business, business ownership, setting aims and objectives, stakeholder, business location, business planning, expanding a business
      
      

• Influences on business

• technology, ethical and environmental considerations, the economic climate, globalisation, legislation, competitive environment.

• Business operations

  • • production processes, the role of procurement, the concept of quality, good customer services

• Human resources

  • • organisational structures, recruitment and selection of employees, motivating employees, training

• Marketing

  • • identifying and understanding customers, segmentation, the purposes and methods of market research, the elements of the marketing mix

• Finance

  • • sources of finance, cash flow, financial terms and calculations, analysing the financial performance of a business

Assessment –

The business qualification consists of 2 written exams.  Each exam has a short section of multiple choice and short answer questions.  Then there are longer questions based on a case study or business data.

Paper 1 – Influences of operations and HRM on business activity

• written exam – 1 hours 45 minutes

• 90 marks

• worth 50% of the overall qualification

Paper 2 – Influences of marketing and finance on business activity

•  written exam – 1 hour 45 minutes

• 90 marks

• worth 50% of the overall qualification

Subject links –

The business GCSE has strong links with English, maths, and geography.

Careers –

Qualifications in business support learners to go into a variety of careers including setting up their own enterprise.

For further information, please contact –

Subject Lead – Matt Bryant

Email - info@ipswichacademy.org.uk