A level Business The A-Level specifications for Business Studies are both stimulating and practical for the real world. There is significant emphasis on how to start up a new business, moving into the development of those new enterprises, through to the dynamic and challenging nature of global commerce. Students are expected to be aware of, and up to date with, current affairs.
Theme 1: Marketing and people This theme enables students to understand how businesses identify opportunities and to explore how businesses focus on developing a competitive advantage through interacting with customers. Students develop an understanding of how businesses need to adapt their marketing to operate in a dynamic business environment. This theme also considers people, exploring how businesses recruit, train, organise and motivate employees, as well as the role of enterprising individuals and leaders.
Theme 2: Managing Business Activities This theme enables students to develop an understanding of raising and managing finance and measuring business performance. The theme outlines the importance of using resources efficiently within a business to ensure that goods or services can be delivered effectively and efficiently, and to a high quality. Students also consider the external influences that have an impact on businesses, including economic and legal factors.
Theme 3: Business Decisions and Strategy This theme moves from functions to strategy, enabling students to develop their understanding of the core concepts and to take a strategic view of business opportunities and issues. Students analyse corporate objectives and strategy against financial and non-financial performance measures and how businesses grow and develop an understanding of the impact of external influences. The theme covers the causes and effects of change and how businesses mitigate risk and uncertainty.
Theme 4: Global Business Students investigate businesses that trade on a global scale and explore their reasons for doing so. Students develop an understanding of the globally competitive environment and consider the ethical and moral dimensions of global business activities.