Subtheme 3.1: Business objectives and strategy

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the four chapters or watch the tutorial videos. Answering the past paper (task 4) should take 40-45 minutes.

Remember that the main goal is to be able to use concepts like Porter’s matrix, Ansoff’s matrix, Boston matrix, …​ in the context of a business. Simply memorizing these concepts is not enough. Use the student answer provided in the table below to practice that.

Note: Try to use a computer instead of your tablet/smartphone. Especially the past paper links don’t work as they should on those devices.


Week Date Topic Coursework

17/3/2020

Corporate objectives
Theories of corporate strategy
SWOT analysis
Impact of external influences

(1) Revise chapters 44-47
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Business objectives (4 min)
(ii) Mission statement (4 min)
(iii) Business strategy vs. business tactics (5 min)
(iv) Ansoff matrix (14 min)
(v) Porter’s Generic Strategies (10 min)
(vi) Boston matrix (15 min)
(vii) SWOT analysis (7 min)
(viii) PESTLE analysis (9 min)
(ix) Porter’s Five Forces Model (21 min)
(3) Past papers (student answers):
(i) Assess Superdry’s corporate strategy with the aid of Porter’s strategic matrix.
(ii) Assess the likely implications on Greggs' corporate strategy of applying VAT to hot takeaway food
(iii) Using Ansoff’s Matrix , explain Superdry’s decision to launch a mobile phone sales option
(4) Answer question 6 in section B.
Marking scheme.


Subtheme 3.2: Business growth

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the four chapters or watch the tutorial videos. Answering the past paper (task 4) should take 20-30 minutes.

Remember that the main goal is to be able to use concepts like economies/diseconomies of scale, market power, brand recognition, profitability, overtrading …​ in an essay-style question. Watch this video, there are interesting examples and hints for exam questions. You may be asked to evaluate whether growth is beneficial for a business.

Note: Try to use a computer instead of your tablet/smartphone. Especially the past paper links don’t work as they should on those devices.


Week Date Topic Coursework

19/3/2020

Growth
Mergers and takeovers
Organic growth
Reasons for staying small

(1) Revise chapters 48-51
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Growth Strategy: Internal v External Growth (21 min)
(ii) Economic Growth (GDP) (4 min)
(iii) Constraints on Business Growth (8 min)
(iv) Business Growth Strategy - Horizontal and Vertical Integration (6 min)
(v) Business Growth Strategy - Synergy (6 min)
(vi) Economies of Scale (9 min)
(vi) Overtrading (5 min)
(vii) Takeovers and mergers (28 min)
(viii) Essay tip: Internal v External Growth (15 min)
(3) Read the following student answers:
(i) Assess the likely consequences for Tata of expanding by mergers and takeovers.(8 marks)
(ii) Assess the likely importance of mergers and takeovers in L’Oréal’s international success. (8 marks)
(iii) Assess the likely benefits for BAT of expanding by mergers and takeovers. (8 marks)
(4) Read this extract and answer the following question:
Assess the most likely reasons why the takeover of SRH has so far failed to achieve TTC’s objectives. (12 marks).


Research topic: The entertainment industry

Today we will focus on financing in this industry.

Research on FT how the following companies are financed:

  • Spotify

  • Disney

  • Cineworld

  • Netflix

  • BBC

Use the shared document in Teams (saved in "Files" -→ "Shared document") to write your findings (in bullet-points). Provide the link to your article in the "References" section.


Subtheme 3.3: Decision-making techniques

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the four chapters or watch the tutorial videos.

Remember that the main goal is to be able to calculate ratios, construct decision trees and calculate the components of the critical path network. At your level the marks assigned to the calculation will be relatively low. The key point is to be able to use these values in an essay-style question. If your calculations are wrong, it will be very difficult to write a consistent essay.

Note: Try to use a computer instead of your tablet/smartphone. Especially the past paper links don’t work as they should on those devices.

Week Date Topic Coursework

24/3/2020

Quantitative sales forecasting
Investment appraisal
Decision trees
Critical path analysis

(1) Revise chapters 52-55
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Index Numbers (12 min)
(ii) Payback Period (10 min)
(iii) Ratios (27 min)
(iv) Average Rate of Return (4 min)
(v) Net Present Value (16 min)
(vi) Decision Trees (14 min)
(vii) Critical Path Analysis (11 min)
(3) Basic Business Math Knowledge:
(i) Calculating Averages (5 min)
(ii) Calculating Percentage Changes (6 min)
(iii) Exchange Rates (6 min)
(iv) Depreciation (6 min)
(4) Techniques for answering questions:
(i) Short 4-mark questions (6 min)
(ii) Long 20-mark questions (9 min)


Business essay: The global hunt for a coronavirus drug (26/3/2020)

Read the following article in the Financial Times. Answer the following questions and submit in a personal chat by the end of the lesson:

  • Discuss the different strategies that the pharma companies adopt in the race for a vaccine or treatment drug? (12 marks)

  • Discuss three main challenges that pharma companies face before they can put a product on the market. (12 marks)

These are 12-mark essay questions. Make sure to properly balance, structure and evaluate your answers.


Subtheme 3.4: Influences on business decisions

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the four chapters or watch the tutorial videos.

Week Date Topic Coursework

27/3/2020

Corporate influences
Corporate culture
Shareholders versus stakeholders
Business ethics

(1) Revise chapters 56-59
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Key Influences on the Organisational Culture of a Business (7 min)
(ii) Influences on the Choice of Strategic Positioning (5 min)
(iii) Influences on Financial Objectives (5 min)
(iv) Organisational culture (27 min)
(v) Business ethics (19 min)
(vi) Corporate Social Responsibility - CSR (19 min)
(3) Multiple choice question in Microsoft Forms

Supply chain during the pandemic (13/3/2020)

Read the following article: Why coronavirus spells trouble for smartphones and answer the questions, as well as the 20-mark essay, in Microsoft Teams (Forms) .

Globalisation (21/4/2020)

Subtheme 3.5: Assessing competitiveness

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the three chapters or watch the tutorial videos.

Week Date Topic Coursework

21/3/2020

Interpretation of financial statements
Ratio analysis

(1) Revise chapters 60-61
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Introduction to the Income Statement (6 min)
(ii) Ratio Analysis (7 min)
(iii) Introduction to the Balance Sheet (7 min)
(iv) Ratio Analysis (6 min)
(v) Liquidity Ratios (10 min)
(vi) Ratio Analysis - ROCE (9 min)
(3) Multiple choice question in Microsoft Forms

23/3/2020

Human resources

(1) Revise chapter 62
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Labour productivity (8 min)
(ii) Labour turnover (10 min)
(iii) Financial rewards (5 min)
(iv) Taylor - Scientific Management (7 min)
(v) Maslow - Hierarchy of Needs (8 min)
(vi) Herzberg - Two Factor Theory (8 min)
(3) Identify topics that you want to revise (survey will be available later today)

Subtheme 3.6: Managing change

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the three chapters or watch the tutorial videos.

Week Date Topic Coursework

24/3/2020

Causes and effects of change
Key factors in change
Scenario planning

(1) Revise chapters 63-65
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Causes and Types of Change (5 min)
(ii) Change Management (22 min) (3)

Production, productivity and efficiency (28/4/2020)

Subtheme 4.1: Globalisation

Revision of this subtheme should take you two hours. You can either read the four chapters or watch the tutorial videos.

Week Date Topic Coursework

30/4/2020

Growing economies
International trade
and business growth
Factors contributing
to increased
globalisation
Protectionism
Trading blocs

(1) Revise chapters 66-70
(2) Watch the following tutorial videos:
(i) Economic Growth (4 min)
(ii) Open Trade and Protectionism (4 min)
(iii) Factors Influencing the Attractiveness of International Markets (6 min)
(3) Watch the FT video:
(i) How to survive a trade war (2 min)
(ii) Globalisation to localisation? (4 min)
(iii) Financing projects (2 min)
(4) Read the FT article:
Entrepreneurs weigh effects of geopolitical upheaval

5/5/2020

Essay writing

Read How to write a good essay.