THE COURSE
The GCSE Business qualification will develop your understanding of the activities that make a business successful. You will gain an insight into critical issues facing businesses and ways in which these can be solved. You will undertake research to make reasoned judgements and think critically about businesses in your area. You will also reflect on businesses and their impact on the environment and sustainability. Furthermore, you will study the impact that businesses have on society. You will explore job market trends and understand different business careers and employment opportunities available to you.
WHAT WILL I STUDY?
Unit 1 - INTRODUCTION TO THE BUSINESS WORLD: In this unit, you will study the fundamentals of business. You will explore the purpose of business activity and the nature of business enterprises, understanding the different types of business ownership and aims. Additionally, you will learn about markets and business sectors, and the importance of the consumer. You will calculate costs and revenue to make business decisions.
Unit 2 - KEY BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS: In this unit, you will undertake research on a chosen business in your locality and to use your research findings to produce a report.
Unit 3 - BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS: In this unit you will explore the key business functions of finance, marketing, human resources, and production. Additionally, you will study strategies for business growth and understand how businesses are affected by political, legal, and economic external factors.
Unit 4 - BUSINESS CREATION: In this unit, you will develop enterprise skills. You will carry out primary and secondary market research to collect information for an entrepreneurial opportunity you have identified. You will produce a report that covers key aspects of your business proposal.
HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?
Units 1 and Unit 3 are assessed by written examinations which are each 1 hour and 15 minutes in length. They contain short and extended answers, some of which are based around business situations. Unit 1 and Unit 3 are both worth 30% of the overall qualification, accounting for 60% in total.
Unit 2 and Unit 4 are non-examination assessments (NEAs) where you will be given an assignment to complete. You will undertake research, analyse the data, and provide judgements. The Unit 2 assignment is worth 15% of the overall qualification and the Unit 4 assignment is worth 25% of the qualification.
WHAT SKILLS WILL I DEVELOP?
- Literacy Skills – reading, writing, understanding, and engaging with various forms of text and information.
- Numeracy Skills – understanding, interpreting, and working with numbers to solve business problems.
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving – analysing business information to make decisions or judgments.
- Personal Effectiveness Skills – achieving your goals by managing your time, setting targets and learning from your experiences.
- Creativity and Innovation - thinking creatively, by coming up with solutions to business problems.
GCSE Business will equip you with a range of skills that are not only valuable for studying business further at A-Level or at Degree Level, but which will combine well with a variety of other subjects.
CAREERS IN BUSINESS
GCSE Business will prepare you for many careers in business and industry. These include marketing and public relations, law, finance and accounting, human resource management, as well as manufacturing and production. An understanding of the principles of management is applicable to many roles in the public and private sectors and will be valuable for whatever career path you choose to follow.
Credits:
Created with an image by leszekglasner - "Businessman And Businesswoman Meeting In Modern Office"