Year 11 Business 2023 - 2024

TEXT: IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES

Note: in the column ‘resource and assessment materials’, ESQ is for Exam style (questions in above
text). Text book is Fisher. Houghton Jain 3rd edition

Key learning Chap. Syll.

Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
TERM ONE
1 Introductions and expectations. Resources given out and referenced. General overview of subject
Marketing

• The product life cycle: main stages and extension

strategies;

• draw and interpret a product life cycle diagram

The marketing mix a
recap of its contents • How stages of the product life cycle can influence
marketing decisions, e.g. promotion and pricing
decisions
1-2 12 3.3.1
The product - new • The costs and benefits of developing new
product development, products
packaging, brand,
lifecycle, • Brand image – impact on sales and customer
loyalty

Pricing methods (benefits and limitations of different

3 Price:
4 Price elasticity
5 Promotion:
Technology and the
6 business and consumers
marketing mix:
methods), e.g. cost plus, competitive, penetration,
12 3.3.2
skimming, and promotional • Recommend and justify an
appropriate pricing method in given circumstances
Understand the significance of price elasticity: difference
between price elastic demand and price inelastic demand;
importance of the concept in pricing decisions 12 3.3.2
(knowledge of the formula and calculations of PED will
not be assessed)
The aims of promotion
• Different forms of promotion and how they influence
sales, e.g. advertising, sales promotion 13 3.3.4
• The need for cost-effectiveness in spending the
marketing budget on promotion
Define and explain the concept of e-commerce
• The opportunities and threats of e-commerce to
13 3.3.5
• Use of the internet and social media networks for
promotion
 Key learning Chap. Syll.
Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
Importance of different elements of the marketing mix in
influencing consumer decisions in given circumstances
7 Marketing strategy 14 3.4.1
• Recommend and justify an appropriate marketing
strategy in given circumstances
The nature and impact
Impact of legal controls on marketing strategy, e.g.
8 of legal controls 14 3.4.2
misleading promotion, faulty and dangerous goods
related to marketing:
Growth potential of new markets in other countries 14
The opportunities and • Problems of entering foreign markets, e.g. cultural
3.4.3
problems of entering differences and lack of knowledge
new foreign markets/ • Benefits and limitations of methods to overcome such
problems, e.g. joint ventures, licensing
9
3.2.2
Presentation and use Analyse market research data shown in the form of 11
of market research graphs, charts and diagrams; draw simple conclusions
results: from such data

Financial information and decisions

Role of the finance
department.
10 Understand why a business needs funds 19 5.1.1
The need for funds in
business.
The main sources of capital:
Sources of Finance -
•Internal sources and external sources with examples
Internal, External.
•Short-term and long-term sources with examples, e.g.
Short- and Long-Term
debt or equity for long-term finance
11-12 •Importance of micro-finance in developing economies 19 5.1.2
Financial Needs.
•The main factors considered in making the financial
choice, e.g. size and legal form of business, amount
Factors affecting the
required, length of time, existing loans
choice.
•• Recommend and justify appropriate source(s) of finance
in given circumstances
The importance of cash and of cash-flow forecasting:

•Why cash is important to a business

•What a cash-flow forecast is, how a simple one is
Cash flow forecasting constructed and the importance of it
13 20 5.2.1
and working capital •Amend or complete a simple cash-flow forecast
•How to interpret a simple cash-flow forecast
•• How a short-term cash-flow problem might be
overcome, e.g. increasing loans, delaying payments,
asking debtors to pay more quickly.
 Key learning Chap. Syll.
Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
How a short-term cash-flow problem might be overcome,
e.g. increasing loans, delaying payments, asking debtors
Cash flow forecasting 5.2.1
13 to pay more quickly. 20
and working capital 5.2.2
The concept and importance of working capital
The importance of cash and of cash-flow forecasting:

•Why cash is important to a business

•What a cash-flow forecast is, how a simple one is
Cash flow forecasting constructed and the importance of it
13 20 5.2.1
and working capital •Amend or complete a simple cash-flow forecast
•How to interpret a simple cash-flow forecast
•• How a short-term cash-flow problem might be
overcome, e.g. increasing loans, delaying payments,
asking debtors to pay more quickly.
How a short-term cash-flow problem might be overcome,
e.g. increasing loans, delaying payments, asking debtors
Cash flow forecasting 5.2.1
14 to pay more quickly. 20
and working capital 5.2.2
The concept and importance of working capital
Unit internal assessment - Sources of finance and cash flow

Key learning Chap. Syll.

Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
TERM TWO
 Key learning Chap. Syll.
Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
What profit is and why it is important:

•How a profit is made 21

•Importance of profit to private sector businesses, e.g.
reward for risk taking/enterprise, source of finance
•Difference between profit and cash.

Income statements: 21
Final Accounts
•Main features of an income statement, e.g. revenue, cost
Profit v cash of sales, gross profit, profit (‘profit’ was known as ‘net 5.3.1
profit’ in the 2014 and previous syllabuses) and 5.3.2
16
Users of Accounts. retained profit 5.4.1
•Use simple income statements in decision making based 5.4.2
Income statement on profit calculations.
Account, Balance
Sheet The main elements of a statement of financial position 22

•The main classifications of assets and liabilities

•Examples to illustrate these classifications
•Interpret a simple SOFP and make deductions from it,e.g.
how a business is financing its activities and what 23
assets it owns, sale of inventories to raise finance
(constructing balance sheets will not be examined).
Use ratios to make evaluative comments on success or
failure. Includes gross margin, profit margin (‘profit
margin’ was known as ‘net profit margin’ in the 2014
and previous syllabuses), ROCE, current and acid test.

Understand concept of liquidity.

Analysis of accounts - 5.5.1
Distinguish between assessing performance (profitability)
17 Financial Ratios. 23 5.5.2
and liquidity of a business.
5.5.3
Why and how accounts are used:

•Needs of different users of accounts and ratio analysis

•How users of accounts and ratio results might use
information to help make decisions, e.g. whether to
lend to or invest in the business
Unit internal assessment - Financial statements and analysis of accounts

External Influences on business activity

 Key learning Chap. Syll.
Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
How government control over the economy affects
Government business activity:
influences over
18 decision making by • Government economic objectives, e.g. increasing 24 6.1.1
using economic Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
policies • • Main stages of the business cycle; growth, boom,
recession, slump.
How government control over the economy affects
Government business activity:
influences over
19 decision making by •How changes in taxes and government spending can 24 6.1.1
using economic affect business activity
policies •How changes in interest rates can affect business activity
•How businesses might respond to these changes.
The impact of exchange rate changes:
Business and the
international •Depreciation and appreciation of an exchange rate
20 - 21 economy. •How exchange rate changes can affect businesses as 26 6.3.3
importers and exporters of products, e.g. prices,
Exchange rates. competitiveness, profitability (exchange rate
calculations will not be examined).
The importance of globalisation:
•The concept of globalisation and the reasons for it
Business and the •Opportunities and threats of globalisation for businesses
22 26 6.3.2
international economy
• Why some governments might introduce import tariffs
and quotas
Reasons for the importance and growth of multinational
companies (MNCs):

•Benefits to a business of becoming a multinational

Globalisation/
•Potential benefits to a country and/or economy where a
23 Protectionism / 26 6.3.2
MNC is located, e.g. jobs, exports, increased choice,
MNC’s
investment
• Potential drawbacks to a country and/or economy where
a MNC is located, e.g. reduced sales of local businesses,
repatriation of profits
Environmental concerns and ethical issues as both
opportunities and constraints for businesses:
Environmental and
•How business activity can impact on the environment,
24 ethical issues 25 6.2.1
e.g. global warming
including externalities
•The concept of externalities; possible external costs and
external benefits of business decisions

TERM THREE
 Key learning Chap. Syll.
Week Main topics
(students need to be able to) ref. ref.
•How/why business might respond to environmental
pressures and opportunities; pressure groups
Environmental and •The role of legal controls over business activity affecting
25 ethical issues the environment, e.g. pollution controls 25 6.2.1
including externalities •Ethical issues a business might face; conflicts between
profits and ethics

•• How business might react and respond to ethical issues,

Environmental and e.g. child labour
26 ethical issues 25 6.2.1
including externalities Sustainable development – how business activity can
contribute to this
Unit internal assessment - External influences on business activity
27 + REVISION AND EXAMINATION TECHNIQUE PRACTICE