Business Studies

All of us work for organisations or run our own companies and GCSE Business will help you understand what is going on behind the scenes. Above all else studying GCSE Business gives you an in-depth understanding of the real world of Business which exists after school. The study of business also requires you to be competent in numeracy as there are a lot of financial calculations.

While studying the two units of this course you are likely to learn a lot of new things. You will be introduced to the world of small businesses and will look at what makes someone a successful business person. You will find out how to develop an idea and spot an opportunity, and turn that into a successful business. You will understand how to make a business effective and manage money. You will also see how the world around us affects  businesses and the stakeholders/people involved.

EXAM BOARD: EDEXCEL

HOW IS THE COURSE ASSESSED?

This two-unit course is designed to give you an in-depth understanding of how computer technology works and provides an opportunity to look at what goes on ‘behind the scenes’.

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

Topic 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship
Topic 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity
Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice
Topic 1.4 Making the business effective
Topic 1.5 Understanding external influences on business

Topic 2.1 Growing the business
Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions
Topic 2.3 Making operational decisions
Topic 2.4 Making financial decisions
Topic 2.5 Making human resource decisions

THEME 1: Investigating Small Business

Theme 1 concentrates on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting
and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts
through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business.

In this theme, students will be introduced to local and national business contexts and will
develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions.
Local contexts refer specifically to small businesses or those operating in a single UK location
and national contexts relate to businesses operating in more than one location or across the
UK.

Students must develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business activity
through interactions between business operations, finance, marketing and human resources,
as well as the relationship between the business and the environment in which it operates.
Students must understand how these interdependencies and relationships underpin business
decisions. 

THEME 2: Building a business

Theme 2 examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. It focuses on the
key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with emphasis on
aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. Theme 2 also considers the
impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.

In this theme, students will be introduced to national and global business contexts and will
develop an understanding of how these contexts impact business behaviour and decisions.
National contexts build on those in Theme 1 and relate to businesses operating in more than
one location or across the UK. Global contexts relate to non-UK or transnational businesses.

Students must develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of business activity
through interactions between business operations, finance, marketing and human resources,
as well as the relationship between the business and the environment in which it operates.
Students must understand how these functional areas influence business activity and how
interdependencies and relationships between them underpin business decisions.

MORE INFORMATION

If you have any further questions, please speak to Mr Acton.

You can also find more detailed information on the EDEXCEL website.

Edexcel GCSE Business (2017) | Pearson qualifications