A Level Business Studies
Entry Requirements:
Grade 6 in GCSE English Language and Grade 6 in Mathematics.
If Business has been studied in Year 11, a Level 2 Merit/Grade 5 or above must have been achieve
Exam Board: AQA
Course Content
Year 12 Topic 1 – What is business? • The nature and purpose of business • The different business forms • How businesses operate within an external environment
Topic 2 – Management, leadership and decision-making • Management, leadership and decision making • Management decision making • The role and importance of stakeholders
Topic 3 - Decision making to improve marketing performance • Setting marketing objectives • Understanding markets and customers • Segmentation, targeting, positioning • Using the marketing mix
Topic 4 - Decision making to improve overall operational performance • Setting operational objectives • Analysing operational performance • Increasing efficiency and productivity • Improving quality • Managing inventory and supply chains
Topic 5 - Decision making to improve financial performance • Setting financial objectives • Analysing financial performance • Sources of finance • Improving cash flow and profits
Topic 6 – Decision making to improve human resource performance • Setting human resource objectives • Analysing human resource performance • Improving organisational design and managing the human resource flow • Improving motivation and engagement • Improving employer-employee relations
Year 13 Topic 1 – Analysing the strategic position of a business • Mission, corporate objectives and strategy • Financial ratio analysis • Analysing overall performance • Political and legal change • Economic change • Social and technological change • The competitive environment • Investment appraisal
Topic 2 – Choosing strategic direction • Choosing which markets to compete in and what products to offer • Choosing how to compete
Topic 3 - Strategic methods: how to pursue strategies • Assessing a change in scale • Assessing innovation • Assessing internationalisation • Assessing greater use of digital technology
Topic 4 - Managing strategic change • Managing change • Managing organisational culture • Managing strategic implementation • Problems with strategy and why strategies fail
Assessment
A-Levels will be linear; students will sit all exams at the end of the two-year course.
Year 13
Paper 1: Business 1 33.3% of A Level Written paper, 2 hours 100 marks Questions: Section A has 15 multiple choice questions Section B has short answer questions Sections C and D have two essay questions (choice of one from two and one from two)
Paper 2: Business 2 33.3% of A Level Written paper, 2 hours 100 marks Questions: Three data response compulsory questions and made up of three or four part questions.
Paper 3 – Business 3 33.3% of A Level Written paper, 2 hours 100 marks Questions: One compulsory case study followed by approximately six questions.
Career Value
Business A-level will allow students to continue on to relevant courses at university or equip them with the necessary tools to enter the world of work. It does not close off any opportunities as it is valued in every industry. In particular, business graduates go on to careers in: · Administration · Finance and accountancy, including retail banking and auditing · Insurance · Distribution and logistics · Corporate law · Marketing, PR, Graphic Design · Human Resource management, including recruitment and training · Project Management · Entry Requirement
