Business Studies

Examination Board: AQA (Website)

Why study Business Studies?

Is it interesting? Of course! - it's about companies trying to muscle in on each other in order to win market share and make profit. Their strategies and tactics are critically assessed along with their behaviour, which can frequently get out of hand. When that happens, the authorities such as the Serious Fraud Office may step in, though their approach isn't always what you'd expect.

Business must be versatile and adaptable. Companies must be able to respond quickly and effectively to the dynamics of their markets, and the actions of their competitors. Leadership is one of the keys to the success of business and leaders will go about their businesses in their own way: Sir Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Anita Roddick, Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden and Sir Alan Sugar will use a variety of management styles.

Business Studies requires a broad range of skills. Students learn how to analyse, interpret and evaluate various data, such as share price movements, profit calculations and exchange rate / interest rate changes. The impact of management and leadership in different situations is a regular topic of discussion within the course. Managing and handling people requires a different, yet equally important set of skills.

Relevance - Given that Welbeck students are going to be managers and leaders within the MOD, the skills and knowledge acquired from the course are highly relevant.

Prior learning - It is not a requirement for students to have studied Business Studies at GCSE level prior to starting this course. 60% of the students who are currently on the course had not taken the subject at GCSE