Course planner: outline Two-year course planner Term 1 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice 14 weeks Term 2 1.4 Making the business effective 1.5 Understanding external influences on businesses 10 weeks Term 3 1.5 Understanding external influences on businesses (cont.) Revision and practice assessment 2.1 Growing the business 12 weeks Term 4 2.2 Making marketing decisions 2.3 Making operational decisions 2.4 Making financial decisions 14 weeks Term 5 2.5 Making human resource decisions Revision and practice assessment 10 weeks Term 6 Revision and final exams 12 weeks Three-year course planner Term 1 1.1 Enterprise and entrepreneurship 1.2 Spotting a business opportunity 14 weeks Term 2 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice 10 weeks Term 3 1.4 Making the business effective Revision and practice assessment 12 weeks Term 4 1.5 Understanding external influences on businesses Theme test and feedback Introduction to Theme 2 14 weeks Term 5 2.1 Growing the business 10 weeks Term 6 2.2 Making marketing decisions Revision and practice assessment 12 weeks Term 7 2.3 Making operational decisions 2.4 Making financial decisions 14 weeks Term 8 2.5 Making human resource decisions 10 weeks Term 9 Revision and final exams 12 weeks
The impact of competition on business decision making Term 2 1-3 - Enhancement activity for Topic 2. Mini investigation into a local business for one content area, for example: market research or market mapping. Market research: What is the most important way that the business you have chosen could improve its collection of market research data? Market mapping: How useful is market mapping in helping the business you have chosen to identify the key features of its market? 4 10 Topic 1.3 Putting a business idea into practice 1.3.1 Business aims and objectives What business aims and business objectives are Business aims and objectives when starting up: Financial aims and objectives: survival, profit, sales, market share, financial security Non-financial aims and objectives: social objectives, personal satisfaction, challenge, independence and control Why business aims and objectives differ between businesses 5-6 11-12 1.3.2 Business revenues, costs and profits The concept and calculation of: Revenue Fixed and variable costs Total costs Profit and loss Interest Break even level of output Margin of safety Interpretation of break even diagrams: The impact of changes in revenue and costs Break even level of output Margin of safety Profit and loss 7 13 1.3.3 Cash and cash-flow The importance of cash to a business: To pay suppliers, overheads and employees To prevent business failure (insolvency) The difference between cash and profit
Global: Analyse a local business from the point of view of the challenge it faces from international competition. For example, a local record store versus Amazon or a local furniture business versus Ikea. How does it compete? Ethical: To what extent is its ethical stance important to a business you have chosen? Choose a business which emphasises its ethical credentials. Term 6 1 Term 4 1 Topic 2.2 Making marketing decisions 2.2.1 Product The design mix: Function, aesthetics, cost The product life cycle: The phases of the product life cycle Extension strategies The importance to a business of differentiating a product/service 2 2 2.2.2 Price Price: Pricing strategies Influences on pricing strategies: technology, competition, market segments, product life cycle 3 3 2.2.3 Promotion Promotion: Appropriate promotion strategies for different market segments: advertising, sponsorship, product trials, special offers, branding The use of technology in promotion: targeted advertising online, viral advertising via social media, e-newsletters 4 4 2.2.4 Place Place: Methods of distribution: retailers and e-tailers 5 5 2.2.5 Using the marketing mix to make business decisions How each element of the marketing mix can influence other elements Using the marketing mix to build competitive advantage How an integrated marketing mix can influence competitive advantage
Part time, full time and flexible hours Permanent, temporary, and freelance contracts The impact of technology on ways of working: efficiency, remote working 3-4 3-4 2.5.2 Effective recruitment Different job roles and responsibilities: Key job roles and their responsibilities: directors, senior managers, supervisors/team leaders, operational and support staff How businesses recruit people: Documents: person specification and job description, application form, CV Recruitment methods used to meet different business needs 5 5 2.5.3 Effective training and development How businesses train and develop employees: Different ways of training and developing employees: formal and informal training, self-learning, ongoing training for all employees, use of target setting and performance reviews Why businesses train and develop employees: The link between training, motivation and retention Retraining to use new technology 6-7 6-7 2.5.4 Motivation The importance of motivation in the workplace: Attracting employees, retaining employees, productivity How businesses motivate employees: Financial methods: remuneration, bonus, commission, promotion, fringe benefits Non-financial methods: job rotation, job enrichment, autonomy 8-10 - Enhancement activity for Topic 5. Mini investigation into one content area, for example recruitment. Design a recruitment pack for a business, imagining that is looking to recruit a new employee. Pack to include - job description, person specification, job advert, application form, interview questions. This could be a business students might look to work for part-time, such as a supermarket chain. Inviting a