As the name suggests, the course studies how businesses function and looks at the work that various departments, such as marketing, finance, human resources, and production carry out.  The course also looks at how outside activities affect businesses, and in turn, how businesses react to these; for example, the effect of changes in government policy, competition and demand, and also ethical issues – such as ‘green trading’.   In addition, the A-Level draws together the business functions and the external environment to study the objectives and strategies that businesses adopt.

You will learn about the important decisions that businesses face in modern, competitive, and often global, environments.  Topics such as:

• ‘How businesses advertise and price their goods’
• ‘The production method that best suits the product’
• ‘Why a call centre may relocate to China’
• ‘Marketing strategies a company should use’
• ‘Why firms might merge’
• ‘The characteristics of a good manager’
• ‘How a firm’s final accounts are compiled’
• ‘How a firm could increase its cash flow’

Although the course is very broad it does not teach you how to run your own business or to become the next Richard Branson!  However, it will equip you with the knowledge to appreciate how modern, successful companies operate.