YEAR 12 BUSINESS COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Outline
Overview
The Grade 11 level Business studies syllabus aims to enable students to understand different forms of business organizations, the environments in which businesses operate and business functions such as marketing, operations and finance, appreciate the role of people in business success. They will also gain lifelong skills, including the ability to calculate and interpret business data, communication skills needed to support arguments with reasons and the ability to analyze business situations and reach decisions or judgements.
Learning Outcomes
The aims are to enable students to:
- apply their knowledge and critical understanding to current issues and problems in a wide range of business contexts
- make effective use of relevant terminology, concepts, and methods, and recognize the strengths and limitations of the ideas used in business
- distinguish between facts and opinions, and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data to help build arguments and make informed judgements
- appreciate the perspectives of a range of stakeholders in relation to the business environment, individuals, society, government, and enterprise
- develop knowledge and understanding of the major groups and organizations within and outside business, and consider ways in which they can influence objectives, decisions, and activities
- develop knowledge and understanding of how the main types of businesses are organized, financed, and operated, and how their relations with other organizations, consumers, employees, owners, and society are regulated
- develop skills of numeracy, literacy, enquiry, selection and use of relevant sources of information, presentation, and interpretation
- develop an awareness of the nature and significance of innovation and change within the context of business activities
- acquire a foundation for further study of business or other subjects.
Unit Overviews
Term 1
Section 5 Financial information and decisions
Approximate length: 7 weeks
This finance and accounting section covers the need for and sources of business finance, cash-flow forecasting and working capital. Simple income statements are covered as well as statements of financial position and the analysis of accounts including why and how accounts are used.
Cambridge International Curriculum Standards
- To be able to explain the need for business finance.
- To be able to explain the main sources of capital and be able to select, recommend and justify appropriate source(s) of finance in given circumstances.
- To be able to explain the importance of cash and of cash-flow forecasting.
- To understand the concept and importance of working capital.
- Should be able to understand what profit is and why it is important.
- Should be able to identify and explain the main features of an Income statement and be able to use simple Income statements in decision making.
- To be able to identify and explain the main elements of a statement of financial position and be able to interpret a simple statement of financial position and make deductions from it.
- Should be able to explain the concept and importance of profitability.
- Should be able to interpret financial statements by calculating and analyzing profitability and liquidity ratios and explain the concept of liquidity.
- To be able to understand why and how accounts are used.
Section 6 External influences on business activity
Approximate length: 6 weeks
This section focuses on different external influences on business activity and how these impact on a business. It includes government influences on economic, environmental, and ethical issues and how they impact on the functional areas of businesses. In addition, the international economy including globalization and its effects on businesses and governments, multinational businesses and exchange rates are important issues. Legal constraints are an external influence to be considered but these influences are covered in the relevant functional areas above, as well as in this last section.
Cambridge International Curriculum Standards
- To understand the main stages of the business cycle.
- To be able to identify government economic objectives, e.g. increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
- To be able to explain the impact on business of changes in employment levels, inflation, and Gross Domestic Product.
- To explain the impact of changes in taxes and Government spending.
- To explain the impact of changes in interest rates can affect business activity.
- To explain how businesses might respond to these changes.
- To be able to explain the environmental concerns and ethical issues as both opportunities and constraints for businesses.
- Should be able to understand the importance of globalization and explain the opportunities and threats of globalization for businesses.
- Should be able to identify and explain the reasons for the importance and growth of MNCs.
- To be able to understand the depreciation and appreciation of an exchange rate.
- To be able to understand how exchange rate changes can affect businesses as importers and exporters of products, e.g. prices, competitiveness, profitability.
General teaching methodologies will include Online and Face to Face (Blended) learning, Face to face students will be in class while online learners will log in remotely and follow the instructor, who will have the laptop camera facing the smartboard. Teaching will be done using a combination of writing and illustrating on the smartboard and PowerPoint presentations. This should include a combination of oral and visual methods to differentiate instruction modes to cater to student preferences effectively.
Use of Phoenix to allocate differentiated activities catering to varying learning abilities of the students – these online activities will include quizzes, assignments, research-based projects, digital group activities and formative tests.
Feedback to students will be given through the Gems Phoenix platform. Feedback will include rubrics, teacher, and peer marking.
Questions from students – time allocated to allow students the opportunity to ask questions and give written and oral feedback through digital platforms.
