Business Studies

Business (A-level)

The Pearson Edexcel A-level in Business is structured into four themes and consists of three externally examined papers. Throughout the course students are introduced to the market, exploring the marketing and people functions and investigate entrepreneurs and business start-up.  This enables students to understand how businesses identify opportunities and to explore how businesses focus on developing a competitive advantage through interacting with customers. Students develop an understanding of how businesses need to adapt their marketing to operate in a dynamic business environment.

Students will also explore the finance and operations functions, and investigate external influences on business.  This allows students to develop an understanding of raising and managing finance, and measuring business performance. The theme outlines the importance of using resources efficiently within a business to ensure that goods or services can be delivered effectively and efficiently, and to a high quality.

Entry Requirements

• 5 x grade 5 or above (including GCSE Mathematics and English Language) 

Course Duration

2 years full-time

Specification

Edexcel

How you will study

Students are introduced to business in Themes 1 and 2 through building knowledge of core business concepts and applying them to business contexts to develop a broad understanding of how businesses work. Breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, with applications to a wider range of contexts and more complex business information, are developed in Themes 3 and 4, requiring students to take a more strategic view of business opportunities and issues. Students are encouraged to use an enquiring, critical and thoughtful approach to the study of business, to understand that business behaviour can be studied from a range of perspectives and to challenge assumptions.

Component breakdown

The learning programme covers the following content areas: 

Theme 1: Marketing and people

In this theme, students are introduced to the market, explore the marketing and people functions and investigate entrepreneurs and business start up. This theme enables students to understand how businesses identify opportunities and to explore how businesses focus on developing a competitive advantage through interacting with customers.

Theme 2: Managing business activities

In this theme, students explore the finance and operations functions, and investigate external influences on business. 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.

Theme 3: Business decisions and strategy

In this theme, students develop their understanding of the concepts introduced in Theme 2 and explore influences on business strategy and decision-making. 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.

Theme 4: Global business

In this theme, students develop their understanding of the
concepts introduced in them. Students investigate businesses that trade on a global scale and explore their reasons for doing so. Students develop an understanding of the globally competitive environment and
consider the ethical and moral dimensions of global business activities.

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