1. Opening Activity (Welcome Back )
Please bookmark the following:
Search “edexcel a level business studies 2015” ->pick the first link (below)
Scroll down and open / bookmark the Specification (Look for the Bear!)
Then select
then
then open and bookmark

2. Welcome to A level Business Studies
Exam Board: Edexcel 9BS0
Theme 3: Business decisions and strategy
September 2016 – May 2017

3. Welcome and Orientation
Welcome, Introduction
Theme 3 builds on Theme 2 studied last year (“Managing business activities”…. explore the finance and operations functions, and investigate external influences on business)
Feedback for JF - Complimentary subjects taken by Students
Interests in key Business Issues: examples –
Greed is good? (Business Ethics / Role of the Entrepreneur) Environmental Issues? Corporate and Social Responsibility? Role of Government promoting Business. International Corporations – potential for corruption, influencing political decisions, international relations; Links between Business and Politics (Hinkley Point Power Station, Heathrow Expansion, Overcrowding on Private Sector Trains running on Public Sector Rails – as advertised by J. Corbyn)
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

4. Business studies: Business decisions and strategy
Course Overview
This class
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

5. Business studies: Business decisions and strategy
The Course
Theme 3 = 2 hours contact per week + homework
Own your learning
View scheme of work in advance of (Demo…)
Read at least the relevant textbook section
Tell me if you don’t understand
HW in on time – if an issue please tell me in advance – hence please don’t leave HW until the night before
My expectation - review your last week’s notes for 30 mins at end of each week
Please do feedback to me things that worked for you / helped you in the lesson and also things that didn’t work / could be improved
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

6. Business studies: Business decisions and strategy
Key Knowledgebase
Edexcel A level (2015 onwards) Specification:
ss%20Studies/2015/specification-and-sample-assessment- materials/ _GCE2015_A_BUS_WEB.PDF
Course and exam guide: (aka “Cheat Sheet”/ “Heads Up”)
ss%20Studies/2015/teaching-materials/Getting-Started-Guide.pdf
(See PDF pages 37-48)
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

7. Course and Exam Guide Overview
PDF p31 (see previous slide)
Overview:
In this theme, students develop their understanding of the concepts introduced in Theme 2 and explore influences on business strategy and decision-making. Students will need to build upon the knowledge, skills and understanding developed in Theme 2 in Theme 3, making connections across these two themes in Paper 2, and across Themes 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Paper 3. Teaching approaches to content must reflect this.
Students will need to apply their knowledge and understanding to both familiar and unfamiliar contexts in the assessments and demonstrate an awareness of current business issues
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

8. Course and Exam Guide Content
This theme moves from functions to strategy, enabling students to develop their understanding of the core concepts and to take a strategic view of business opportunities and issues. Students analyse corporate objectives and strategy against financial and non-financial performance measures and how businesses grow, and develop an understanding of the impact of external influences. The theme covers the causes and effects of change and how businesses mitigate risk and uncertainty. Students must investigate different types and sizes of organisation in various business sectors and environments, and in local, national and global contexts.
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

9. Business studies: Business decisions and strategy
The Exam (Summer 2017)
materials/Getting-Started-Guide.pdf (PDF Page 14)
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

10. Homework: Orientation on Exam Papers 2 & 3 That Examine This Course
Look through sample exam papers 2 and 3 on page 43 and page 77 (of the pdf) at and-sample-assessment-materials/Business_A_SAM_Collation.pdf
Prepare two factsheets using Word (1 per paper) to share with the class:
Clear heading on the factsheet of the Paper being described
Part 1: Very clear description of which questions / sections are candidates required to answer. (Description around 2 paragraphs)
Part 2: Describe the type of questions being asked per exam section (1 paragraph per section).
Part 3: Prepare a table showing the breakdown of marks per each section. Assuming equal knowledge per section, include a column showing the optimal allocation of time per section. (Example below using Paper 1)
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

11. Example Part 3:Breakdown of marks/section
The Goal is to understand intimately the structure of the exam papers
Paper 1: Markets and Business Behaviour (120 minutes)
Section
Marks
Optimal Time per Section
A – answer all questions 50
60 minutes
B – answer all questions
Total Marks
100
1.2 mins/mark
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy

12. Business studies: Business decisions and strategy
HW part 2:
In preparation for next lesson please search a definition of the following types of Corporate Objective:
A “SMART” Objective
A Mission Statement
Corporate Core Values or Beliefs
As an extension (if time) think about WHO such statements are aimed at and WHY such statements exist
Business studies: Business decisions and strategy