BUSINESS EDUCATION

OVERVIEW:

Our department aims to create a positive working environment in all areas of Business Education. We encourage pupils to maximise their academic potential and achieve the best grades they can while allowing pupils to express opinions/ideas and commending their contribution. We provide an all-round Business education to set standards in line with those in the industry and ensure equal opportunities for all whilst recognising the special needs of the individual. We achieve this by conduction regular checks throughout the department to provide the best quality of experience for all pupils. We ensure the specific requirements of the SQA are covered within our courses and review and update courses regularly. The department is always aware or current ideas/proposals within a subject area and we provide differentiated materials and resources to help these ideas flourish. Our department ensures the most effective equipment and materials are available to pupils at all times to keep up with the evolution of technology. Two subjects are taught in Business Education; Administration and Business Studies which are explained in detail underneath.

WHAT WE TEACH IN ADMINISTRATION & IT:

National 4: The course is designed for those who are interested in administration and practical uses of IT and want to develop their administrative and IT skills further. Learners who have completed the course will be able to utilise the acquired administration and IT related knowledge, understanding and skills at home, in the wider community and, ultimately, in employment. Learners will develop a range of both generic and subject-specific skills, including the ability to use the following IT applications: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and desktop publishing.

National 5: This Course aims to develop learners’ administrative and IT skills and, ultimately, to enable them to contribute to the effective functioning of organisations in administrative positions.

Higher: The course consists of two units, Administrative services and Information technology for management. Within Administrative services students learn how to work efficiently in the workplace. They will learn about recruiting, developing and supporting staff, planning and conducting formal meetings and the importance of providing an good customer service. Within the Information technology for management unit students learn about the role of information in decision making, the impact of ICT in the workplace and how to use ICT to solve business problems.

WHAT WE TEACH IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT:

National 4: The Course is designed for all learners, but may be of greatest appeal to those with an interest in business, whether that be in developing an understanding of the modern business environment or finding out how and why people set up in business. The combination of practical aspects and ICT-based learning will enable learners to apply their skills and knowledge to real-life business contexts. By developing many transferable skills, the Course prepares learners for everyday life, the world of work, or further study of business and other business-related disciplines. It deepens understanding of business, develops an understanding of the relationship between a business and its customers, and highlights a range of business-based career opportunities that are available within all business sectors.

National 5: The Course develops the necessary skills of numeracy, enterprise, employability, ICT and citizenship. It takes into account the needs of all learners by providing sufficient flexibility to enable them to achieve in different ways and at different paces. By studying this Course, learners will develop skills and attributes which include an enterprising attitude and an appreciation of taking risks in a business context; a customer focus in business contexts; entrepreneurship, by using their initiative in being creative and resourceful; and decision making, by interpreting, analysing and evaluating a range of information to make critical, ethical, responsible and effective business decisions.

Intermediate 2: The course consists of three 40-hour Units

Unit 1 - Business Enterprise:

Role of business in society; types of business organisation; stakeholders; information; ICT; decision-making; SWOT analysis; internal organisation of enterprises; delayering, downsizing, outsourcing, etc.

Unit 2 - Business Decision Areas:

MARKETING - the marketing mix; promotions; market segmentation; market research, etc.

OPERATIONS - production systems; quality control; distribution; job, batch and flow operations;benchmarking, TQM, etc.

Unit 3 - Business Decision Areas:

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT - importance of finance; interpretation of final accounts; cash flow; budgets; analysis and decision-making, etc.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - role of HRM; current trends in employment; recruitment and selection;training; employee relations and legislation, etc.