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The CCEA GCSE Business Studies specification encourages students to investigate how businesses start up. They explore the resources, marketing and finance that businesses need and the challenges they face. They also examine how businesses grow and the role of stakeholders: groups that have an interest in a business. They understand the role of human resources, the recruitment and selection process, and the value of employee training and motivation.
Important new topics include the role of social enterprise, e-business and m-business. Students discover how businesses can use electronic and mobile technology in different ways. They also learn to apply skills such as decision making, proposing business strategies or solutions, understanding other viewpoints and justifying decisions.
Assessment is through two written exams, each worth 40% of the final mark, and a controlled assessment unit worth 20%.
This specification is unitised, so it’s possible to take part of the assessment at the end of the first year of study.
This qualification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills developed through the Learning for Life and Work Area of Learning.
The specification has three units:
- Unit 1: Starting a Business. 40% Exam
- Unit 2: Developing a Business. 40% exam
- Unit 3: Planning a Business. 20% Controlled Assessment
Unit 1: Starting a Business
In this unit, students are introduced to the fundamentals of starting a business. They examine why businesses start and the resources required to maintain and grow them. Students explore business aims and the impact that various stakeholder groups may have on businesses. Students explore marketing options and consider
the impact of e-business on potential growth strategies. They also consider why businesses conform to quality assurance standards and health and safety legislation.
The unit has been dividied into three sections: Creating a Business, Marketing and Business Operations.
Unit 2: Developing a Business
In this unit, students examine recruitment and selection practices and analyse the importance of a business having motivated and well-trained employees. They identify the signs of business success and failure and evaluate the different ways in which businesses grow. Students learn about business finance. They examine the
sources of finance and complete basic cash flow forecasts, as well as interpreting simple financial statements. When analysing business performance, students consider concepts such as ratio analysis and break-even (BE).
We have divided the unit into three sections: Human Resources, Business Growth and Finance.
Unit 3: Planning a Business
In this synoptic unit, which may examine any area of content from the specification, students apply knowledge and understanding drawn from across the whole specification to a real business context. Links to other units appear in italics.
Students carry out research and apply it, together with their own knowledge, to a range of circumstances. They examine and evaluate specified areas of a business plan and make reasoned recommendations.
This unit is assessed by controlled assessment.
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