Business Studies offers students the chance to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to:

• The economic environment in which businesses operate.
• The contribution that organisations make to the creation of wealth and the satisfaction of human needs and wants.
• The nature and role of enterprising and managerial behaviour.

It helps to:

• Prepare students to take active roles in business and organisational settings
• Develop essential communication, planning and evaluation skills.
• Give students the knowledge and understanding to use these skills appropriately in the private, public and voluntary sectors.
• Make students more aware of their roles as consumers, workers, citizens and ultimately as business owners.

A Level

At AS Level, Business Studies introduces students to the challenges and issues of starting a business, including financial planning. It then focuses on how established businesses might improve their effectiveness by making tactical decisions at a functional level.

At A2 Level, Business Studies considers 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 business culture.

A level Business Studies encourages students to:

• Develop a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value.
• Be aware that business behaviour can be studied from the perspective of a range of stakeholders including customer, manager, creditor, owner/shareholder and employee.
• Acquire a range of skills including decision-making, problem-solving and the interpretation and management of qualitative and quantitative data.