The AQA course has been designed to provide students with a critical understanding of the following:
• The internal functions of contemporary business organisations of all types
• The dynamic external environment within which businesses operate and the effects this can have upon decision-making within a business
• Major topical issues that can generate change for business organisations and the ways in which businesses respond to these issues
• The range of stakeholder perspectives that can be taken on business activities
It encourages students to acquire a range of important and transferable skills:
• Data skills – students will be expected to manipulate data in a variety of forms and to interpret their results
• Presenting arguments and making judgments and justified recommendations on the basis of he available evidence
• Recognising the nature of problems, solving problems and making decisions using appropriate business tolls and methods
• Planning work, taking into account the demands of the task and the time available to complete it
• Conducting research into a specific theme
• Challenging their own assumptions using evidence that has become available
At AS level the course introduces students to the challenges and issues of starting a business, including simple financial planning. It then focuses on how established businesses might improve their effectiveness by making tactical decisions at a functional level.
At A2 level the course then considers the strategies for larger businesses and how managers might measure the performance of the business. Finally, it considers the effects that external factors can have on businesses and how a business can plan for and manage change, including leadership style and change in a business culture.
The AQA course comprises 4 compulsory units, a summary of which is outlined below:
Unit 1: Planning and Financing a Business
Unit 2: Managing a Business
Unit 3: Strategies for Success
Unit 4: The Business Environment and Managing Change
Both the Business Studies and Economics courses demand skills in numeracy as well as literacy. The emphasis of the examination papers is towards students being able to express ideas and undertake simple numerical calculations. Students with a practical, common sense ability in handling numbers should comfortably cope with the demands of either subject.
Both courses provide a solid background for further study at University level in Economics, Management Sciences, Accountancy, Law, politics or any Social Science. They also provide a useful education for students wishing to pursue a business, commercial or professional career. The courses are compatible with most humanities subjects whilst also offering a bridge to science based subjects.
The combination of Mathematics with either Economics or Business Studies is highly recommended for those wishing to pursue Economics at undergraduate level.
Economics
The Edexcel course comprises 4 compulsory units, a summary of which is outlined below:
Unit 1: Competitive Markets – how they work and why they fail
Unit 2: Managing the Economy
Unit 3: Business Economics and Economic Efficiency
Unit 4: The Global Economy
The examination papers broadly follow the pattern of stimulus material on which structured questions are set. Supported multiple choice questions appear in Units 1 and 3. There is much less emphasis on traditional essay writing and more weight given to the analysis and evaluation of real world issues. The material used for stimulus on the examination papers will typically be adapted from a good quality newspaper or magazine such as The Economist.