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AQA Year 12/AS Business Student Handbook
Name:
Form: Teacher(s):
2
Welcome to
A-LEVEL BUSINESS YEAR 1 (YEAR 12)
YEAR BREAKDOWN
Teachers in Charge:
D Robertshaw & D Watson
Teachers in Charge:
S Blight & V Johnson
September to Dec 2017 Sections 3.2 & 3.4 Sections 3.1 & 3.3
January to June 2018 Section 3.5 Sections 3.3 and 3.6
June 2018 Year 1 internal examination Year 1 internal examination
June and July 2018 Section 3.7 – start Year 2
work Section 3.7 – start Year 2
work
In the first Year of the course, students are introduced to the nature and purpose of
business, what managers do and then the four key functional areas typically found in a
business. The course does not require students to have previously studied Business at KS4
but it does require a range of skills that should have been covered by KS4 subjects. These
include communication, the ability to interpret data and basic mathematical skills. In Year 1
students have to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the specified content and be
able to apply this knowledge to unfamiliar situations. They need to be able to analyse
problems, issues and situations so decision-making and problem solving skills are also
useful. Equally important is an awareness and interest in current affairs and those issues
affecting businesses.
Head of Department: D Robertshaw e-mail: [email protected]
Teachers of Business Studies A-Level: D Robertshaw, S Blight, D Watson, V Johnson
Examination Board: AQA (www.aqa.org.uk) Specification: Business (7132)
Examination Dates: There are no external examinations in the first year of the
course. All exams are at the end of Year 13.
YOU GET AS MUCH OUT OF THIS COURSE AS YOU PUT IN.
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KEY SKILLS EXPECTATIONS FROM ALL STUDENTS
Communication
Discussion groups
Consultation with staff and others
Critical appraisal of own work and others work
Presentation to peer group
Using a range of sources independently
Critical reading and thinking
Information and communication technology
Use internet sources to research the work of others
Use presentation packages to present information to peers
Word process work if required
Use internet to research business examples and keep up to date with the news
Improving own learning
Set targets and plan how these will be met
Keep to a time schedule for producing coursework/homework
Develop action points from tutorials
Problem Solving
Outline problems in written form
Plan and implement ways of solving problems.
Review and record your progress with a member of staff
Working with others
Make a contribution to group activity
Review work with others and agree ways of improving
Ask for and develop co-operation with others with regard to making progress.
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HANDING IN WORK AND DEADLINES
You will be set homework regularly by your subject teacher. It is your own responsibility to
check this even if you are absent from the lesson. If the teacher is absent from the lesson,
work will still be set for you to complete. It is your responsibility to organise your time,
make sure you are able to access your work and get it handed in on time. To alleviate
stress and to ensure enough time is given for completing and marking work, the procedures
you MUST follow are outlined below:
• It is your responsibility to check that you understand the homework that has been set by the subject teacher. You must make sure you know how long the homework should take and the standard to which it should be completed.
• Your homework must be recorded in your planner.
• ALL work handed in must be given directly to the teacher responsible. Do not slip work under an office door or give to another teacher or student to pass on.
• Work must be named on each piece of paper handed in.
• A copy of the work handed in MUST be kept by the student on their user area or in their file and on their computer at home. This is for your protection if work is misplaced.
• Students need to pay careful attention to advice/feedback given whether verbally or written.
• Homework and coursework can be word processed unless your teacher informs you otherwise.
• In the case of absence from school on the day of a deadline, work must be sent by e-mail to your teacher. If the student is aware of the absence prior to the date, work needs to be handed in BEFORE the deadline or sent to the member of staff by e-mail.
• Notes from parents may not be given in place of coursework – except in exceptional circumstances
• Work submitted must be the student’s own work. Plagiarism or paraphrasing is illegal and could cost you your A level. Any quotations must be referenced.
• Research work does not mean JUST downloading from the internet.
• Computer and printer problems are NOT an acceptable reason for late work.
You must:
1. Complete your homework to the at least TARGET STANDARD. 2. Meet the homework deadline. Repeated failure to meet deadlines will result in
referral to homework support. 3. Send your work in to your subject teacher if you are absent on the deadline
day. 4. Meet the coursework deadline or you will be referred. It is also not guaranteed
that your coursework will be marked or submitted for assessment if the deadline is not met.
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GRADE BOUNDARIES AND USING SCALED MARKS
Question: Why are scaled marks important? Answer: It is the SCALED mark that matters when calculating your final grade.
PAPER 1 & 2 & 3: All papers have the same weighting and carry the same number of marks. Please note that the grade boundaries and marks given here are based on the 2017 results. They could change in the future.
Max Mark
A* A B C D E
Raw Mark 100 73 65 55 46 36 27
Percentage 100 73 65 55 46 36 27
FINAL GRADE CALCULATION:
Max Mark
A* A B C D E
Raw Mark 300 220 195 166 137 108 79
Percentage 100 73 65 55 46 36 27
SELF REFLECTION: WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE? KEEP A RECORD OF
WHAT YOU ARE DOING AS THE COURSE PROGRESSES
TARGET HOW I PLAN TO MEET THIS TARGET
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TIMELINE FOR SUBJECT
D Robertshaw/ D Watson Year 1 (Year 12) Units
This is a projected timeline and is flexible to respond to the needs of the
class/individuals.
If you miss a lesson either through a known absence or illness, it is your
responsibility to catch up the work
Week No
Week
Commencing Areas of Study Extended Learning/
Homework Dates and Deadlines
RAG
1 4th September
Managers and leaders
2 11th September
Management theory
3 18th September
Decision trees
4 25th September
Decision trees Test
5 2nd October Stakeholders
6 9th October Stakeholder mapping and conflict
7 16th October Stakeholder activity and multi-choice practice
End of unit test
HALF TERM 8 30th October Operations - objectives
9 6th November
Operations calculations – unit cost, productivity
10 13th November
Capacity and capacity utilisation
11 20th November
JIT, kaizen and lean production
Mastery Zone task
12 27th November
Capital and labour intensive, optimal mix
Test – Center Parcs
13 4th December
Efficiency and productivity. Technology
14 11th December
Quality
CHRISTMAS BREAK 15 2nd January
Quality continued Quality test
16 8th January Inventory and inventory control`
17 15th January Choosing suppliers
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18 22nd January End of unit summary and multi-choice practice
End of unit test
19 29th January
Start finance – financial objectives
20 5th February Budgets
FEBRUARY HALF TERM 21 19th February Budgets continued
Budget worksheets
22 26th February Cash flow
23 5th March Cash flow –problems and solutions
24 12th March Cash flow activities
25 19th March
Break-even - contribution
26 26th March Break-even charts
EASTER BREAK 27 16th April Break-even what if
scenarios, limitations
Break-even exam practice.
28 23rd April Sources of finance
29 30th April Sources of finance
30 7th May
Profitability
31 14th May
Profitability
32 21st May
Revision End of unit test
MAY HALF TERM 33 4th June Year 12 internal exam
34 11th June Start Year 2 work. Section 3.7. Balance sheets
35 18th June Income statements
36 25th June Profitability ratios
37 2nd July Liquidity ratios, gearing
38 9th July
Efficiency ratios Ratio worksheets
39 16th July Value and limitations of ratios
8
TIMELINE FOR SUBJECT
S Blight/ V Johnson Year 1 (Year 12) Units
This is a projected timeline and is flexible to respond to the needs of the
class/individuals.
If you miss a lesson either through a known absence or illness, it is your
responsibility to catch up the work
Week No
Week
Commencing Areas of Study Extended Learning/
Homework Dates and Deadlines
RAG
1 4th September
Course introduction and induction
Benchmark test
2 11th September
Understanding the nature and purpose of business
3 18th September
Understanding different business forms
Practice questions
4 25th September
Understanding different business forms
5 2nd October Understanding different business forms
6 9th October External environment
7 16th October External environment
End of unit test
HALF TERM 8 30th October Marketing – marketing
objectives
9 6th November
Markets and customers – market research
10 13th November
Sampling and interpretation of data
11 20th November
Marketing activities
12 27th November
Analysing data for marketing decisions
Exam question
13 4th December
Price and income elasticity of demand
14 11th December
Price and income elasticity of demand
Knowledge check
CHRISTMAS BREAK 15 2nd January
Segmentation, targeting
and positioning
16 8th January Marketing mix
17 15th January Product decisions
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18 22nd January Pricing decisions
Practice questions
19 29th January
Promotional mix and decisions
20 5th February Distribution decisions and other elements
FEBRUARY HALF TERM 21 19th February Integrated marketing mix
22 26th February Integrated marketing mix
End of unit test
23 5th March Human Resource objectives
24 12th March Analysing HR data - calculations
25 19th March
Organisational Design
26 26th March Centralisation and de-centralisation
Exam question
EASTER BREAK 27 16th April Managing HR flow
28 23rd April Motivation theories
29 30th April Improving motivation and engagement
30 7th May
Improving employer-employee relations
31 14th May
Improving employer relations. End of unit test
Test
32 21st May
Revision
MAY HALF TERM 33 4th June Year 12 internal exam
34 11th June Start Year 2 work – Section 3.7. Mission and objectives
35 18th June Value of SWOT analysis
36 25th June Assessing the internal position of a business
37 2nd July Core competencies, short and long term performance
38 9th July
Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard
39 16th July
Elkington’s Triple Bottom Line
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IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES FOR THE YEAR
There will be other dates given to you during the course of the year regarding deadlines.
Some of the deadlines given below may need to change. Your teacher will inform you if this
is the case.
DATE Work to be completed
September 2017 Initial Benchmarking Test
October 2017 Progress Test 1
January 2018 Progress Test 2
June 2018 Year 12 Internal examinations
June 2018 Start Year 2 work
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KEY POINTS FROM YEAR 1 (YEAR 12)
3.1 What is business?
3.1.1 Understanding the nature and purpose of business
Content Why businesses exist
Additional information Business objectives such as profit, growth,
survival, cash flow, social and ethical objectives. The relationship between mission and objectives
Common business objectives
Why businesses set objectives
The measurement and importance of profit
The measurement of profit should include:
• revenue (also turnover and sales)
• fixed costs
• variable costs
• total costs.
3.1.2 Understanding different business forms
Content Reasons for choosing different forms of business
and for changing business form
Additional information Different forms of business include:
• sole traders
• private limited companies and public limited
companies
• private sector and public sector organisations
• non-profit organisations such as charities and
mutuals.
Issues with different forms of business include:
• unlimited and limited liability
• ordinary share capital
• market capitalisation
• dividends. The role of shareholders and why they invest
Influences on share price and the significance of
share price changes
The effects of ownership on mission, objectives,
decisions and performance
3.1.3 Understanding that businesses operate within an external
environment
Content How the external environment can affect costs
and demand
Additional information Factors influencing costs and demand to include
the effect of:
• competition
• market conditions
• incomes
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• interest rates
• demographic factors
• environmental issues and fair trade.
3.2 Managers, leadership and decision making
3.2.1 Understanding management, leadership and decision making
Content What managers do
Additional information The role of managers should include:
• setting objectives
• analysing
• leading
• making decisions
• reviewing.
Types of management and leadership styles and
influences on these
Theories of management and leadership styles
should include:
• the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum
• the Blake Mouton grid. The effectiveness of different styles of
management and leadership
3.2.2 Understanding management decision making
Content The value of decision making based on data
(scientific decision making) and on intuition
Additional information Scientific decision making should include
understanding and interpreting decision trees and
calculating expected value and net gains.
Decision making to include an understanding of:
• risks
• rewards
• uncertainty
• opportunity cost. The use and value of decision trees in decision
making
Influences on decision making
Influences on decision making to include:
• mission
• objectives
• ethics
• the external environment including competition
• resource constraints.
3.2.3 Understanding the role and importance of stakeholders
Content The need to consider stakeholder needs when
making decisions
Additional information Stakeholder mapping: stakeholder power and
interest. Stakeholder needs and the possible overlap and
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conflict of these needs Influences on the relationship with stakeholders
How to manage the relationship with different
stakeholders
Managing the relationship with different
stakeholders includes communication and
consultation.
3.3 Decision making to improve marketing performance
Students should consider the following throughout this section of the specification:
• how developments in technology are affecting marketing decision making and activities (eg digital
marketing and the use of social media, relationship marketing and dynamic pricing)
• ethical and environmental influences on marketing decisions
• market conditions and competition
• how marketing decisions help improve competitiveness
• the interrelationship between marketing decisions and other functions.
3.3.1 Setting marketing objectives
Content The value of setting marketing objectives
Additional information Marketing objectives include:
• sales volume and sales value
• market size
• market and sales growth
• market share
• brand loyalty. External and internal influences on marketing
objectives and decisions
3.3.2 Understanding markets and customers
Content The value of primary and secondary marketing
research
Additional information Marketing research should include:
• qualitative and quantitative data
• market mapping.
You should be able to calculate market and sales
growth, market share and size. The value of sampling
The interpretation of marketing data
Interpretation of marketing data should include:
• positive and negative correlation and
an understanding of the strength of the
relationship
• understanding the concept of confidence
intervals
• understanding extrapolation. The value of technology in gathering and
analysing data for marketing decision making
The interpretation of price and income elasticity Students should be able to interpret price and
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of demand data income elasticity of demand data and be able
to analyse the impact of changes in price and
income on revenue (they do not need to be able
to calculate these). The value of the concepts of price and income
elasticity of demand to marketing decision
makers
The use of data in marketing decision making and
planning
3.3.3 Making marketing decisions: segmentation, targeting,
positioning
Content The process and value of segmentation, targeting
and positioning
Additional information Segmentation methods include:
• demographic
• geographic
• income
• behavioural segmentation. Influences on choosing a target market and
positioning Targeting may include niche and mass marketing.
3.3.4 Making marketing decisions: using the marketing mix
Content The elements of the marketing mix (7Ps)
Additional information
The influences on and effects of changes in the
elements of the marketing mix
The marketing mix should be considered
for goods and services, both industrial and
consumer.
Types of consumer goods considered should
include convenience, shopping and specialty
products.
Product decisions
Product decisions should include:
• the value of product portfolio analysis and the
Boston Matrix
• the value of the product life cycle model
including extension strategies
• influences on and the value of new product
development.
Pricing decisions Pricing decisions should include penetration and
price skimming.
Decisions about the promotional mix Promotional decisions should include the value
of branding.
Distribution (place) decisions Distribution decisions should include multi-
channel distribution. Decisions relating to other elements of the
marketing mix: people, process and physical
environment
The importance of and influences on an
integrated marketing mix Influences on an integrated marketing mix
include:
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• the position in the product life cycle
• the Boston Matrix
• the type of product
• marketing objectives
• the target market
• competition
• positioning. Understanding the value of digital marketing and
e-commerce
3.4 Decision making to improve operational performance
Students should consider the following throughout this section of the specification:
• how developments in technology are affecting decision making and activities in operations (eg more
online businesses, better links with customers, suppliers and inventory control)
• ethical and environmental influences on operations decisions
• market conditions and competition
• how decisions in operations improve the competitiveness of a business
• the interrelationship between operational decisions and other functions.
3.4.1 Setting operational objectives
Content The value of setting operational objectives
Additional information Operational objectives include:
• costs
• quality
• speed of response and flexibility
• dependability
• environmental objectives
• added value. External and internal influences on operational
objectives and decisions
3.4.2 Analysing operational performance
Content Interpretation of operations data
Additional information
Calculation of operations data
Students should be able to calculate:
• labour productivity
• unit costs (average costs)
• capacity
• capacity utilisation. The use of data in operational decision making
and planning
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3.4.3 Making operational decisions to improve performance:
increasing efficiency and productivity
Content The importance of capacity Additional information The importance of efficiency and labour
productivity
How to increase efficiency and labour
productivity
The benefits and difficulties of lean production Lean production should include 'Just in Time'
operations. Difficulties increasing efficiency and labour
productivity
How to choose the optimal mix of resources The mix of resources should include an
understanding of labour and capital intensive
processes. How to utilise capacity efficiently
How to use technology to improve operational
efficiency
3.4.4 Making operational decisions to improve performance:
improving quality
Content The importance of quality
Additional information
Methods of improving quality Methods of improving quality should include
quality assurance. The benefits and difficulties of improving quality
The consequences of poor quality
3.4.5 Making operational decisions to improve performance:
managing inventory and supply chains
Content Ways and value of improving flexibility, speed of
response and dependability
Additional information An understanding of flexibility should include
mass customisation.
How to manage supply to match demand and
the value of doing so
Ways of matching supply to demand include:
• outsourcing
• use of temporary and part time employees
• producing to order.
Influences on the amount of inventory held
Inventory control should include:
• interpreting inventory control charts
• lead time
• re-order levels
• buffer level of inventory
• re-order quantities. Influences on the choice of suppliers
How to manage the supply chain effectively and
efficiently and the value of this
The value of outsourcing
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3.5 Decision making to improve financial performance
Students should consider the following throughout this section of the specification:
• how developments in technology are affecting financial decision making and activities (eg crowd
funding)
• market conditions and competition
• ethical and environmental influences on financial decisions
• how decisions in finance improve the competitiveness of the business
• the interrelationship between financial decisions and other functions.
3.5.1 Setting financial objectives
Content The value of setting financial objectives
Additional information Financial objectives to include:
• the concept of a return on investment
• an understanding of the proportion of long
term funding that is debt. The distinction between cash flow and profit
The distinction between gross profit, operating
profit and profit for the year
Revenue, costs and profit objectives
Cash flow objectives
Objectives for investment (capital expenditure)
levels
Capital structure objectives
External and internal influences on financial
objectives and decisions
3.5.2 Analysing financial performance
Content How to construct and analyse budgets and cash
flow forecasts
Additional information Analysing budgets should include variance
analysis and adverse and favourable variances. The value of budgeting
How to construct and interpret break-even charts
Break-even analysis should include:
• break-even output
• margin of safety
• contribution per unit
• total contribution. How to calculate and illustrate on a break-even
chart the effects of changes in price, output and
cost
The value of break-even analysis
How to analyse profitability
Analysing profitability should include the
following
ratio analysis:
• gross profit
• profit from operations
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• profit for the year. How to analyse timings of cash inflows and
outflows Analysing timings of cash flow should include an
understanding of payables and receivables. The use of data for financial decision making and
planning
3.5.3 Making financial decisions: sources of finance
Content Internal and external sources of finance
Additional information Sources of finance should include:
• debt factoring
• overdrafts
• retained profits
• share capital
• loans
• venture capital. Advantages and disadvantages of different
sources of finance for short- and long-term uses
3.5.4 Making financial decisions: improving cash flow and profits
Content Methods of improving cash flow
Additional information Students should be able to assess ways of
improving cash flow.
Methods of improving profits and profitability Students should be able to assess ways of
improving profitability. Difficulties improving cash flow and profit
3.6 Decision making to improve human resource
performance
Students should consider the following throughout this section of the specification:
• how developments in technology are affecting decision making and activities in relation to human
resources (eg changing the nature of work, the skills that are required and ways of working such as
tele-working)
• ethical and environmental influences on human resources decisions
• market conditions (including the labour market) and competition
• how human resource decisions help improve the competitiveness of a business
• the interrelationship between human resource decisions and other functions.
3.6.1 Setting human resource objectives
Content The value of setting human resource objectives
Additional information Human resource objectives include:
• employee engagement and involvement
• talent development
• training
• diversity
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• alignment of values
• number, skills and location of employees.
Internal and external influences on human
resource objectives and decisions
Influences on human resource objectives such
as soft and hard Human Resource Management
(HRM) approaches.
3.6.2 Analysing human resource performance
Content Calculating and interpreting human resource data
Additional information Students should be able to calculate and
interpret:
• labour turnover and retention rates
• labour productivity
• employee costs as percentage of turnover
• labour cost per unit. The use of data for human resource decision
making and planning
3.6.3 Making human resource decisions: improving organisational
design and managing the human resource flow
Content Influences on job design
Additional information Job design to include Hackman and Oldham’s
model.
Influences on organisational design
Decisions relating to organisational design
include:
• authority
• span
• hierarchy
• delegation
• centralisation and decentralisation. Influences on delegation, centralisation and
decentralisation
The value of changing job and organisational
design
How managing the human resource flow helps
meet human resource objectives
Human resource flow to include:
• human resource plan
• recruitment
• training
• redeployment
• redundancy.
3.6.4 Making human resource decisions: improving motivation and
engagement
Content The benefits of motivated and engaged
employees
Additional information Theories of motivation should include Taylor,
Maslow and Herzberg.
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How to improve employee engagement and
motivation
Financial methods of motivation should include:
• piece rate
• commission
• salary schemes
• performance-related pay. The value of theories of motivation
The use of financial methods of motivation
The use of non-financial methods of motivating
employees
Influences on the choice and assessment of
the effectiveness of financial and non-financial
reward systems
3.6.5 Making human resource decisions: improving employer-
employee relations
Content Influences on the extent and methods of
employee involvement in decision making
Additional information Employee representation methods to include
trade unions and works councils. How to manage and improve employer-employee
communications and relations
Value of good employer-employee relations
The transferable skills underpinning these AS units include:
Carrying out calculations
Interpreting and analysing data
Applying knowledge to unfamiliar situations
Developing arguments
Making judgements
Making decisions
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PAST PAPERS AND MARK SCHEMES
See pupil share – Business – A2 Business – Exam Papers for a copy of the June 2017 examination papers and mark schemes. Please feel free to either download these into your own user area or print from pupil share if you prefer. The three exam papers are all different. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the format of each paper and the different style of questions – multi-choice, calculation, data analysis, short answer, essays.
It is also a good idea to read the mark schemes carefully. This will not only give you an outline of the content of an answer but it will also give you lots of helpful advice about how the examiner will mark your examination script. The examiners’ reports have also been made available to you. These summarise the performance of the 2107 cohort of students. You can see what students did well but also what were the main areas of weakness. Take note of the areas of weakness – this is one way you can improve your own performance (by not making the same mistakes as previous students) Other examples of exam papers (specimen papers) and mark schemes are available from the AQA website. You will also find AS exam papers here
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READING LIST
It is important that you extend your knowledge of subject. The texts and periodicals and
other suggestions listed below are recommended. You are not expected to read them all.
There are several books available in R8 as well as other resources available in the LRC– just
ask your teacher or Mrs Messenger for advice
AQA A-level Business 1 – Wolinski and Coates (this is your course textbook and is
essential reading!!)
CGP A-level Business Revision Guides (or similar)
AQA A-level Business 1 – Ian Marcouse
AQA A-level Business 1 – M Surridge and A Gillespie
A quality newspaper such as The Times or The Guardian – they are available in the
LRC on a daily basis.
Business Review magazine – see Mr Robertshaw to subscribe or to read back copies
Tutor2u – the Business Blog is updated every day and is an excellent source to use on
a regular basis (THIS IS ESSENTIAL READING!!)
TV programmes such as, Panorama, Newsnight etc
There are also a number of resources available on the PiXL website
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USEFUL WEBSITES
www.aqa.org.uk
www.tutor2u.net
www.thetimes.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk
www.statistics.gov.uk
www.youtube.com
www.revisionguru.co.uk
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS – YEAR 1 (YEAR 12)
Term Definition
Profit
Growth
Mission
Objectives
Ethics
Cash flow
Revenue
Fixed costs
Variable costs
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS CONTINUED
Term Definition