Business Studies

GCSE Business

 

Subject Leader:

Mr Beyle

Contact:

mbeyle@sunburymanor.surrey.sch.uk

Exam Specification:

OCR GCSE (9-1) Business J204

QN Code:

603/0295/1

 

 

Summary of course content

Aspects covered include:

  • Business planning and the role of entrepreneurship, including how to develop as enterprising individual with the ability to think commercially and developing a business plan.
  • Marketing, including advertising and promotion as part of the marketing mix, development of products, setting the best price and selecting location for business.
  • Recruitment, including how businesses get the right staff and keep them working well, different management styles and motivating you workers financially and non-financially.
  • Business structures, including the different ways to set up a business, e.g. sole trader, partnerships, limited companies and franchising as forms of ownership.
  • Finance, including how businesses can gain finance to start up and operate, how they make a profit, financial analysis and profit and loss accounts.
  • Business operations, including how different businesses produce the products we buy.
  • Economic influences on businesses, including how globalisation, economic changes and environmental concerns are influencing business operating around the world.

Assessment

Two exams at the end of the course, each 90 minutes long.

Some questions will be multiple choice, some will be extended writing to test your ability to explain why you made a particular decision.

What type of activities take place in lessons?

The course covers various parts of business activities and economic influences on businesses. 

Activities include:

  • Exam question
  • Research tasks
  • Discussions in pairs and groups
  • Group and paired work activities
  • Problem solving activities
  • Peer and self-evaluations
  • Whole class discussions
  • Presentations
  • Use of MS Office applications in ICT

What type of homework tasks will be set?

Project based tasks and activities. Research and written tasks. Exam practice questions. Independent research.

How will it help me in the future?

  • You will be able to understand the business world which you will enter after finishing school/college/university.
  • You will be able to make informed decisions and put forward arguments to persuade others.
  • You will have the knowledge to help you set up a business of your own.
  • The skills you learn such as evaluation and problem solving will be useful in a number of other subjects.
  • Business can lead on to many vocational qualifications and is a good stepping stone for you in A Level subjects, especially economics, accountancy and of course A Level Business.
  • You will also be developing your written, mathematical and ICT skills.

How will this course build on what I have studied in Year 9?

Whilst this subject is not studied at Key Stage 3 there will be aspects of it that will be familiar as you would have touched on it in subjects such as Geography, History, Maths, English, PSHE, Careers and Citizenship.

What skills will I develop?

As well as developing the essential transferable skills that employers demand, the following strengths are also cultivated through Business Studies:

  • Understanding organisational behaviour and structure;
  • Critical thinking and analytical skills, alongside familiarity with evaluative techniques;
  • A creative problem-solving approach and sound, logical decision-making skills;
  • Effective and persuasive written and oral communication skills;
  • Numeracy and the ability to research, interpret and use business and financial data and information;
  • Self-reliance, initiative and the ability to manage time, projects and resources;
  • Appreciation of the causes and effects of economic changes.