Business and Economics A

Edexcel A Level Business (9BS0)

The Business course will give you all the necessary skills to run a successful business in the future, whether it is your own business startup or playing a key role in an existing company. This course will give you a wide understanding of business in a range of contexts from a small enterprise to a large global organisation. You will develop a critical understanding of organisations and their ability to meet society’s needs and wants. You will be encouraged to generate an enterprising and creative approaches to business opportunities, problems and issues. Whilst being aware of the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities faced by organisations.

You will acquire a wide range of relevant business and generic skills, including decision making, problem solving, the challenging of assumptions and critical analysis. Whilst also being able to apply numerical skills in a range of business contexts.

You will study four themes over two years.

Marketing and people

• Meeting customer needs • The market • Marketing mix and strategy • Managing people • Entrepreneurs and leaders.

Managing business activities

• Raising finance • Financial planning • Managing finance • Resource management • External influences

Business decisions & strategy

• Business strategy • Business growth • Decision-making techniques • Influences on business decisions • Assessing competitiveness • Managing change.

Global Business

• Globalisation • Global markets and business expansion • Global marketing • Global industries and companies (multinational corporations).

Assessment

Paper 1 – Marketing, people and global business:

Two hours examination based on Themes 1 and 4. Worth 35% of A Level qualification

Paper 2- Business activities, decisions and strategy:

Two hours examination based on Themes 2 and 3. Worth 35% of A Level qualification

Paper 3- Investigating business in a competitive environment:

Two hours examination based on all four themes. Worth 30% of A Level qualification

The Future

This subject is a fantastic springboard that allows you access to a wide range of possible careers and higher education opportunities. It also combines well with a range of social science and humanities subjects to lead to higher education courses in areas such as law, business, accounting, geography, economics, or politics. A Level Business will also give the necessary skills to be a successful entrepreneur.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

At least a grade 6 in Economics or Business if studied at GCSE or a grade 5 in English Language if the subject has not been studied before. It is also important that you have a lively and enquiring mind, an interest in business and economic affairs and a desire to explore new ideas and communicate them effectively. Exam Board - EDEXCEL

AQA A Level Economics (7136)

Do you want the skills to solve some of the biggest challenges our country and the world currently face, such as poverty and climate change, and become an expert in subjects that impact on most people, such as employment and house prices? The Economics course is designed to apply economic theory to support analysis some of these current economic problems and issues. AQA have worked closely with teachers and universities to develop engaging and up-to-date content so that you can relate what you are learning to the world around you –locally, nationally and globally.

You will develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand and analyse data, think critically about issues and make informed decisions. You will also build upon your quantitative skills and appreciate that, when evaluating arguments, both qualitative and quantitative evidence are important.

You will study two units over two years

Individuals, firms, markets, and market failure

1. Economic methodology and the economic problem 2. Individual economic decision making 3. Price determination in a competitive market 4. Production, costs and revenue 5. Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly 6. The labour market 7. The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality 8. The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets

The national and international economy

9. The measurement of macroeconomic performance 10. How the macroeconomy works: the circular flow of income, AD/AS analysis, and related concepts 11. Economic performance including growth, inflation, employment and trade 12. Financial markets and monetary policy 13. Fiscal policy and supplyside policies 14. The international economy, globalisation, international trade, the

European Union, exchange rates

Assessment

Paper 1: Markets and market failure

Two hours examination based on content 1-8 above Worth 33.3% of A Level course.

Paper 2: National and international economy

Two hours examination based on content 9-14 above Worth 33.3% of A Level course.

Paper 3: Economic principles and issues

Two hours examination based on content 1-14 Worth 33.3% of A Level course

The Future

Economics is one of the most popular post 18 degrees and opens the door to a wide range of careers such as investment banking, journalism and law. Economics has a very broad application base: economics graduates can easily find jobs in the civil service, the City, industry or education. Salaries for economics graduates are among the highest of any discipline.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

At least a grade 6 in Economics if studied at GCSE or a grade 6 English Language if the subject has not been studied before. It is also important that you have a lively and enquiring mind, an interest in business and economic affairs and a desire to explore new ideas and communicate them effectively. Exam Board - AQA