This is an essay planning sheet for Edexcel A level business but it’s in Word so it could be adapted to any board. I use these at revision time with U6 students together with past papers and the model marked answers. They use these to plan answers to the longer questions and it helps to cement the techniques for exams of using the case study as evidence to support their points.

2.3.1 Planning a business and raising finance 2 INTERNAL FINANCE This complete lesson will include: a) Owner’s capital: personal savings b) Retained profit c) Sale of assets This lesson is written by Sarah Hilton at Revisionstation

This lesson includes a PowerPoint and a worksheet and covers: a) Calculation of sales volume and sales revenue b) Calculation of fixed and variable costs Written by Sarah Hilton for Revisionstation

2.3.1 Profit a) Calculation of: o gross profit o operating profit o profit for the year (net profit) b) Statement of comprehensive income (profit and loss account): o measuring profitability: calculation of gross profit margin, operating profit margin, and profit for the year (net profit) margin o ways to improve profitability c) Distinction between profit and cash 2.3.2 Liquidity a) Statement of financial position (balance sheet): o measuring liquidity: calculating current ratio and acid test ratio o ways to improve liquidity b) Working capital and its management: the importance of cash 2.3.3 Business failure a) Internal and external causes of business failure: o financial factors o non-financial factors

2.2.1 Sales forecasting a) Purpose of sales forecasts b) Factors affecting sales forecasts: o consumer trends o economic variables o actions of competitors c) Difficulties of sales forecasting 2.2.2 Sales, revenue and costs a) Calculation of sales volume and sales revenue b) Calculation of fixed and variable costs 2.2.3 Break-even a) Contribution: selling price – variable cost per unit b) Break-even point: o total fixed costs + total variable costs = total revenue c) Using contribution to calculate the break-even point d) Margin of safety e) Interpretation of break-even charts f) Limitations of break-even analysis 2.2.4 Budgets a) Purpose of budgets b) Types of budget: o historical figures o zero based c) Variance analysis d) Difficulties of budgeting

a) Market mapping b) Competitive advantage of a product or service c) The purpose of product differentiation d) Adding value to products/services

a) Product and market orientation b) Primary and secondary market research data (quantitative and qualitative) used to: identify and anticipate customer needs and wants quantify likely demand gain insight into consumer behaviour c) Limitations of market research, sample size and bias d) Use of ICT to support market research: websites social networking databases e) Market segmentation

2.1.1 Internal finance a) Owner’s capital: personal savings b) Retained profit c) Sale of assets 2.1.2 External finance a) Sources of finance: o family and friends o banks o peer-to-peer funding o business angels o crowd funding o other businesses b) Methods of finance: o loans o share capital o venture capital o overdrafts o leasing o trade credit o grants 2.1.3 Liability a) Implications of limited and unlimited liability b) Finance appropriate for limited and unlimited liability businesses 2.1.4 Planning a) Relevance of a business plan in obtaining finance b) Interpretation of a simple cash-flow forecast and calculations based on changes in the cash-flow variables c) Use and limitations of a cash-flow forecast

1.5.1 Role of an entrepreneur a) Creating and setting up a business b) Running and expanding/developing a business c) Innovation within a business (intrapreneurship) d) Barriers to entrepreneurship e) Anticipating risk and uncertainty in the business environment 1.5.2 Entrepreneurial motives and characteristics a) Characteristics and skills required b) Reasons why people set up businesses: o financial motives: profit maximisation and profit satisficing o non-financial motives: ethical stance, social entrepreneurship, independence and home working 1.5.3 Business objectives a) Survival b) Profit maximisation c) Other objectives: o sales maximisation o market share o cost efficiency o employee welfare o customer satisfaction o social objectives 1.5.4 Forms of business a) Sole trader, partnership and private limited company b) Franchising, social enterprise, lifestyle businesses, online businesses c) Growth to PLC and stock market flotation 1.5.5 Business choices a) Opportunity cost b) Choices and potential trade-offs 1.5.6 Moving from entrepreneur to leader a) The difficulties in developing from an entrepreneur to a leader

BTEC National Level 3 Business Unit 20 2016 (current) specification Investigating Corporate Social Responsibility This bundle covers: A Examine the CSR issues facing large private sector businesses B Investigate the benefits and drawbacks for businesses of adopting a CSR policy C Review the CSR record of a private sector business. There is a PowerPoint for every single learning aim and a worksheet to match it.

1.1.1 The market a) Mass markets and niche markets: o characteristics o market size and market share o brands b) Dynamic markets: o online retailing o how markets change o innovation and market growth o adapting to change c) How competition affects the market d) The difference between risk and uncertainty 1.1.2 Market research a) Product and market orientation b) Primary and secondary market research data (quantitative and qualitative) used to: o identify and anticipate customer needs and wants o quantify likely demand o gain insight into consumer behaviour c) Limitations of market research, sample size and bias d) Use of ICT to support market research: o websites o social networking o databases e) Market segmentation 1.1.3 Market positioning a) Market mapping b) Competitive advantage of a product or service c) The purpose of product differentiation

a) The effect on businesses of changes in: o inflation (the rate of inflation, the Consumer Prices Index) o exchange rates (appreciation, depreciation) o interest rates o taxation and government spending o the business cycle b) The effect of economic uncertainty on the business environment

2.4.1 Production, productivity and efficiency a) Methods of production: o job o batch o flow o cell b) Productivity: o output per unit of input per time period: factors influencing productivity link between productivity and competitiveness c) Efficiency: o production at minimum average cost: factors influencing efficiency distinction between labour and capital intensive production 2.4.2 Capacity utilisation a) Capacity utilisation: o current output (divided by) maximum possible output (x 100) b) Implications of under- and over-utilisation of capacity c) Ways of improving capacity utilisation 2.4.3 Stock control a) Interpretation of stock control diagram b) Buffer stocks c) Implications of poor stock control d) Just in time (JIT) management of stock e) Waste minimisation f) Competitive advantage from lean production 2.4.4 Quality management a) Quality: o control o assurance o circles o Total Quality Management (TQM) b) Continuous improvement (Kaizen) c) Competitive advantage from quality management

Edexcel A Level Business 1.1.1 The Market complete lesson a) Mass markets and niche markets: characteristics market size and market share brands b) Dynamic markets: online retailing how markets change innovation and market growth adapting to change c) How competition affects the market d) The difference between risk and uncertainty

1.3.1 Product/service design a) Design mix: o function o aesthetics o cost b) Changes in the elements of the design mix to reflect social trends: o concern over resource depletion: designing for waste minimisation, re-use and recycling o ethical sourcing 1.3.2 Branding and promotion a) Types of promotion b) Types of branding c) The benefits of strong branding: o added value o ability to charge premium prices o reduced price elasticity of demand d) Ways to build a brand o unique selling points (USPs)/differentiation o advertising o sponsorship o the use of social media e) Changes in branding and promotion to reflect social trends: o viral marketing o social media o emotional branding 1.3.3 Pricing strategies a) Types of pricing strategy: o cost plus (calculating mark-up on unit cost) o price skimming o penetration o predatory o competitive o psychological b) Factors that determine the most appropriate pricing strategy for a particular situation: o number of USPs/amount of differentiation o price elasticity of demand o level of competition in the business environment o strength of brand o stage in the product life cycle o costs and the need to make a profit c) Changes in pricing to reflect social trends: o online sales o price comparison sites 1.3.4 Distribution a) Distribution channels b) Changes in distribution to reflect social trends: o online distribution o changing from product to service 1.3.5 Marketing strategy a) The product life cycle b) Extension strategies: o product o promotion c) Boston Matrix and the product portfolio d) Marketing strategies appropriate for different types of market: o mass markets o niche markets o business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) marketing e) Consumer behaviour – how businesses develop customer loyalty

1.2.1 Demand a) Factors leading to a change in demand: o changes in the prices of substitutes and complementary goods o changes in consumer incomes o fashions, tastes and preferences o advertising and branding o demographics o external shocks o seasonality 1.2.2 Supply a) Factors leading to a change in supply: o changes in the costs of production o introduction of new technology o indirect taxes o government subsidies o external shocks 1.2.3 Markets a) The interaction of supply and demand b) The drawing and interpretation of supply and demand diagrams to show the causes and consequences of price changes 1.2.4 Price elasticity of demand a) Calculation of price elasticity of demand b) Interpretation of numerical values of price elasticity of demand c) The factors influencing price elasticity of demand d) The significance of price elasticity of demand to businesses in terms of implications for pricing e) Calculation and interpretation of the relationship between price elasticity of demand and total revenue 1.2.5 Income elasticity of demand a) Calculation of income elasticity of demand b) Interpretation of numerical values of income elasticity of demand c) The factors influencing income elasticity of demand d) The significance of income elasticity of demand to businesses

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing a) Staff as an asset; staff as a cost b) Flexible workforce: o multi-skilling o part-time and temporary o flexible hours and home working o outsourcing c) Distinction between dismissal and redundancy d) Employer/employee relationships o individual approach o collective bargaining 1.4.2 Recruitment, selection and training a) Recruitment and selection process: o internal versus external recruitment b) Costs of recruitment, selection and training c) Types of training: o induction o on-the-job o off-the-job 1.4.3 Organisational design a) Structure: o hierarchy o chain of command o span of control o centralised and decentralised b) Types of structure: o tall o flat o matrix c) Impact of different organisational structures on business efficiency and motivation 1.4.4 Motivation in theory and practice a) The importance of employee motivation to a business b) Motivation theories: o Taylor (scientific management) o Mayo (human relations theory) o Maslow (hierarchy of needs) o Herzberg (two factor theory) c) Financial incentives to improve employee performance: o piecework o commission o bonus o profit share o performance-related pay d) Non-financial techniques to improve employee performance: o delegation o consultation o empowerment o team working o flexible working o job enrichment o job rotation o job enlargement 1.4.5 Leadership a) Leadership: o the distinction between management and leadership b) Types of leadership style: o autocratic o paternalistic o democratic o laissez-faire

OCR GCSE Business 1.1. The role of business enterprise complete lesson Includes a PowerPoint and a Worksheet on: The purpose of business activity and enterprise Spotting an opportunity, developing an idea for a business, satisfying the needs of customers Characteristics of an entrepreneur Creativity, risk taking, determination and confidence The concept of risk and reward Written by Sarah Hilton at Revisionstation

A Series of blank forms that I made, useful for all boards and GCSE business and A level Business and BTEC Business. Ideal for scaffolding, uploading to Teams, showing what a good one looks like or just speeding things up not waiting for students to spend an hour drawing all the lines. We are not technical drawing, we are business. Hope these help.

New groups or new to a group? These ice breaker quizzes can be downloaded and you can have ready just in case all the whiteboards or technology lets you down. Ideal for GCSE Business and A level Business and BTEC Business (all levels) I always link it that if they can talk about one brand they can talk about alternatives / substitutes / competitors etc. Hope these help