AS Level Business

Summary of course content

Have you already thought about your business idea and want to learn the basics to develop it? Great, you chose well. Employers like individuals who are passionate about business, so if you combine this course with Economics, it is just perfect for you.
You will obtain information on how to run a business and what skills are required to have your own.

The syllabus aims to enable candidates to:

• understand and appreciate the nature and scope of business and the role of business in society, internationally and within each candidate’s own country
• develop a critical understanding of organisations, the markets they serve and the process of adding value
• evaluate business behaviour from the perspective of a range of stakeholders, including owner/ shareholder, manager, employee, customer, supplier, lender and government
• develop an awareness of the political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental and ethical issues associated with business activity
• develop quantitative, problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills.

All candidates for Cambridge International AS & A Level Business study the topics below. Candidates for Cambridge International A Level Business also study the highlighted topics:

1. Business and environment
   • Enterprise
   • Business Structure
   • Size of business
   • Business objectives
   • Stakeholders in a business
   • Business structure
   • Size of business
   • External influences on business activity
2. People in organisations
   • Management and leadership
   • Motivation
   • Human resource management
   • Human resource management
   • Organisational structure
   • Business communication
3. Marketing
   • What is marketing?
   • Market research
   • The marketing mix
   • Marketing planning
   • Globalisation and international marketing
4. Operations and project management
   • The nature of operations
   • Operations planning
   • Inventory management
   • Operations planning
   • Capacity utilisation
   • Lean production and quality management
   • Project management
5. Finance and accounting
   • The need for business finance
   • Sources of finance
   • Costs
   • Accounting fundamentals
   • Forecasting cash flows and managing working capital
   • Costs
   • Budgets
   • Contents of published accounts
   • Analysis of published accounts
   • Investment appraisal
6. Strategic management
   • [No topics at AS Level]
   • What is strategic management?
   • Strategic analysis
   • Strategic choice
   • Strategic implementation