YEAR 13 BUSINESS COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Outline
Overview
The AS Level Business Syllabus at GEMS Wesgreen International Secondary School aims to allow learners to take the first step towards a career in private or public organisation or progress with confidence to a degree in business and management related subjects.
Learning Outcomes
The aims are to enable students to:
understand and appreciate the nature and scope of business, and the role of business in society, internationally and within each candidate’s own country
develop critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value
evaluate business behaviour from the perspective of a range of stakeholders including owner/shareholder, manager, employee, customer, supplier, lender and government
develop an awareness of the political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental and ethical issues associated with business activity
develop quantitative, problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills.
Unit Overviews
Term 1
Unit 1 Business and its environment
Approximate length: 4 weeks
This topic area is concerned with understanding the nature and purpose of business activity and identifying the structures, functions, cultures and objectives of different business organisations. Central to an understanding of business and its internal and external environments is a recognition that the world in which businesses operate is in a constant state of change. The impact of political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental and ethical factors and how these might influence business activity is considered. The extent to which businesses can respond and adapt to such change is likely to determine their success
Specific Cambridge International Curriculum Objectives Covered:
- Explain the purpose of business activity.
- Understand the fundamental economic problem of scarcity?
- Explain the role of enterprise in the development of the economy.
- Analyse the reasons why do some businesses fail.
- Differentiate between the different sectors operating of the economy, main features of different legal structures like a sole trader, partnership, private limited companies, public limited companies, franchises, co-operatives, joint ventures
- Understand the concept of limited liability and its importance
- Explain the different methods of measuring the size of the business, its benefits and limitations.
- Analyse the importance of small scale business and their role in the economy.
- Explain the reason why the businesses might grow internally.
- Explain the nature and importance of business objectives at different levels.
- Understand and Explain what CSR is.
- Explain and apply the different stages of business decision making and the role of objectives in the stages of business decision making.
- Explain how ethics may influence business objectives and activities.
- Identify and explain what stakeholders are and the reason for their interest in the operations of the business.
- Explain their roles and rights in the business.
- Identify the various conflicts that can arise between various stakeholders.
Unit 2 People in organisations
Approximate length: 3 weeks
This topic area focuses on how businesses can develop and use policies, procedures, structures, systems and approaches to management and leadership that will harness the human potential within an organisation and achieve organisation goals. An understanding of the central role of effective management and leadership in achieving efficiency and competitiveness is required. Candidates will need to understand the distinct bodies of theory that underpin the concepts of business management and leadership. The importance of motivation techniques and theories in understanding employee needs will be considered. The contribution to business success made by human resource management through effective workforce planning and the recruitment, selection and training of workers will also be explored.
Specific Cambridge International Curriculum Objectives Covered:
- Explain the various functions that the management performs and the different style of leadership in the business.
- Explain the qualities of a good leader.
- Explain the need for motivation in employees for the benefit to the business.
- Explain and apply the various motivational theories.
- Explain how the financial and non-financial motivating factors motivate the employees.
- Explain the role of HRM in meeting the organisational objectives.
- Explain the relationship between HRM, staff morale and welfare in a business.
- Evaluate the important role that HRM performs with regards to the training and development of employees for the motivation of the workforce.
- Discuss and analyse the role of HRM in meeting the organisational objectives.
Unit 3 Marketing
Approximate length: 3 weeks
This topic area develops an understanding of the importance of the marketing function for business competitiveness. The significance of marketing orientation – the process of aligning a business to its operating environment, customers, other stakeholders and markets – is emphasised. An understanding of the principles and practices of marketing and their application to commercial and not-for-profit organisations is considered. The relationship between marketing and other business functions such as operations management, finance and human resource management is also considered. The application of marketing concepts and methods to assist marketing and business decisions is explored. Central to the understanding of marketing is the objective of satisfying the needs and wants of customers through effective market research, applying an appropriate marketing mix and establishing an organisation with a strong customer focus.
Specific Cambridge International Curriculum Objectives Covered:
- Identify and explain the different roles that marketing department performs and the various objectives of the marketing department.
- Explain how marketing may differ for various types of goods, such as consumer and capital goods.
- Explain the different types of markets and the market segment.
- Explain the importance of market research for the business.
- Analyse the various types of research method for different purpose of the business.
- Explain how the data can be presented and used for report making and analysis of the business.
- Evaluate the 4P’s of marketing and its importance to the business and how the customer relations can be improved.
- Explain the importance of product development and the costs / benefits of developing a new product.
- Explain the product life cycle to the business aiding decision making.
- Explain the role of price in the marketing mix.
- Explain the different pricing strategies business can use to decide on the price for the product.
- Explain the ways of promoting the product and the method of promotion.
- Explain the role of place in the marketing mix and the methods of distribution.
- Explain the roles of the operations department and how the operations department works efficiently to increase the productivity of the resources used in the business.
- Understand the methods of production used by the businesses and strategies employed by the operations department to achieve efficiency by cutting the waste and achieve lean manufacturing.
- Cost and benefits of changing the production methods.
- Identify and explain the purpose, cost and benefits of holding inventories in the business.
Unit 4 Operations and project management
Approximate length: 3 weeks
Operations management is the discipline of how resources are managed to achieve the efficient production/provision of goods and services. Project management is the discipline of managing resources to successfully complete one-off projects. This topic area promotes understanding of operations and project decisions and how design, planning, quality and workforce issues interrelate to achieve operations and project objectives. Candidates should develop an understanding of the benefits and limitations of a variety of techniques and analytical frameworks used by operations and project managers. Central to the understanding of how successful operations and project management support effective manufacturing and service businesses is a recognition of the importance of innovation in product and service delivery in dynamic and volatile business environments.
Specific Cambridge International Curriculum Objectives Covered:
- Explain the roles of the operations department and how the operations department works efficiently to increase the productivity of the resources used In the business.
- Understand the methods of production used by the businesses and strategies employed by the operations department to achieve efficiency by cutting the waste and achieve lean manufacturing.
- Cost and benefits of changing the production methods.
- Identify and explain the Purpose, Cost and benefits of holding inventories in the business.
- 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.
