AS/A2 Business Studies

AS/A2 Business Studies
The course is designed to enable you to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key areas of business
Apply this knowledge and understanding to realistic business contexts
Analyse problems, issues and situations facing a business in a realistic context
Evaluate business proposals by assessing information from several sources in order to make a reasoned judgement
Develop a critical understanding of business dilemmas and be able to make a judgement on how to overcome these
Is it for me?
The course suits those who enjoy problem solving from a business perspective and who have an interest in the global economy and the wider world of business and current affairs. Most units are examined through case studies, pre-release research tasks and essays.
What's involved?
Planning and Financing a Business
In this unit you will learn about the range of activities involved in setting up a small business. You will look at enterprise and the role of the entrepreneur, how to protect business ideas, analysing the resources needed to set up a business and developing a business plan. You will also study how to carry out market research in order to understand your market and other issues such as the correct legal structure, sources of finance, the right location, and financial planning such as break-even, cash flow, budgets, etc.
Managing a Business
Having looked at setting up a business in Unit 1, this unit looks at how to ensure it remains successful. We look at the four functional areas of business: Finance, People, Marketing and Operations Management. How a business can successfully combine these four areas to keep itself in business and grow.
Strategies for Success
Study how businesses set corporate objectives and the strategies they use to achieve them. Included in this are marketing strategies, for example, whether or not to diversify; financial strategies, for example, how to improve profitability. We also look at human resource strategies, for example, communication, training, etc; and operations management strategies, for example, location decisions, choosing the right production methods, etc. The Business Environment and Managing Change
This unit considers the relationship between businesses and external factors. It looks at how external factors can impact upon businesses and the responses they may take. It looks at how a business can manage change. For example, the relationship between businesses and the economic environment, such as globalisation. The impact of changes in the law, in the social environment, in technology, etc. How a business can respond to the outside world and the strategies employed to deal with change.
Progression
Specialist business courses at university or joint degrees with other subjects such as Science and Languages. Students have previously pursued successful careers in Management, Marketing, IT and Finance