Business Studies

The specification is divided into two themes of content with 5 topics in each theme:

Theme 1: Investigating small business
• 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

Theme 2: Building a 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

Both themes are compulsory and externally assessed, with two examination papers. The papers consist of calculations, multiple-choice, short-answer and extended-writing questions. Each paper is worth 90 marks and represents 50% of the qualification; papers lasts for 1½ hours. In both papers, questions in sections B and C will be based on business contexts given in the paper; calculators may be used in the examination.

After this qualification you will understand more about the world of business and have developed skills in:

• Making decisions and developing persuasive arguments
• Creative and practical problem solving
• Understanding data, finance and communication

This course is also a great step forward in preparing you for further and higher education such as A levels and BTEC courses. A GCSE Business course could help to prepare you for an entrepreneurial role and help you to gain an understanding of what is involved in a business-related profession, such as accountacy, law, marketing or the leisure and tourism industry.