AS Course Outline

What is Business Studies?
"Some regard private enterprise as if it were a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look upon it as a cow that they can milk. Only a handful sees it for what it really is – the strong horse that pulls the cart"

Business Studies at AS level will be suited to students who are interested in business issues and wish to discover how to successfully set up and manage a business. Within Marketing, students will learn the importance of market research and how to conduct it. Various strategies are then looked at before deciding on the ultimate mix of product, price, place and promotion.

Accounting and Finance deals with the identification of the various costs a business incurs and how to control them and so successfully manage a firm’s cash. An organisations’ employees are perhaps its most important resource and People covers how to motivate the workforce to produce greater productivity and quality of work. It also deals with how organisations are structured and how they recruit, train and organise their employees.

Operations Management studies the importance of using all the resources efficiently. It considers stock control, quality control and the concept of continuous improvement to give a company a competitive edge on its competitors. No matter how well a firm is run, it will still be affected by External Influences outside its control such as the state of the economy, the actions of its competitors, government laws and changes in ethics and technology and this section assesses the impact of all these on the firm.

Within Objectives and Strategy, students will learn about the practicalities of setting up a business and deciding on strategies to run it successfully bearing in mind that almost four out of five business start-ups fail within five years.

Students will face questions such as:

• How has Microsoft become so dominant?
• Why do Japanese companies produce most of the world’s consumer electronics?
• Should managers consult workers before making decisions?
• Should a business be socially responsible or pursue profits at all costs?
• Should we diversify into a new market?

What Skills Will Students Develop When Studying Business Studies?

Business Studies enables students to maturely understand how a business organisation functions and will be an asset when working within a business environment.

Students will be able to use the theory for their own benefit, whether working for a company or setting up their own business.

Students will develop problem-solving skills in applying their knowledge of the business theory to business situations found in the case-studies. They will have to assimilate information and present it in a clear and concise way.

Structure of the Course

This course will be taught for 6 lessons per week. Homework will be set weekly and deadlines must be adhered to. Reading of textbooks, journals and business coverage in broadsheet newspapers is essential. Tests are set frequently.

Recommended Reading
AQA AS Business Studies Stimpson, Foden & Mansell Nelson Thornes