England · AQAQ&A
BusinessQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every England Business syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
3.5 Decision-making to improve financial performance
- Calculating and interpreting revenue, fixed and variable costs, contribution and profit, break-even analysis and the margin of safety, and the construction and use of break-even charts.0Q&A pairs
- Common financial objectives such as revenue, cost and profit targets, cash flow, return on investment and capital structure, the distinction between cash flow and profit, and the influences on financial objectives.0Q&A pairs
- The methods of investment appraisal (payback period, average rate of return and net present value), how to calculate and interpret each, and the quantitative and qualitative factors in an investment decision.0Q&A pairs
- The purpose of ratio analysis, the calculation and interpretation of liquidity (current ratio), profitability (ROCE), gearing and efficiency ratios, and the value and limitations of ratio analysis.0Q&A pairs
- Internal and external sources of finance, short-term and long-term finance, the distinction between debt and equity, and how the choice of source depends on cost, risk, purpose and the type of business.0Q&A pairs
3.6 Decision-making to improve human resource performance
- The methods of employee representation, individual and collective bargaining, the role of trade unions, methods of avoiding and resolving industrial disputes, and the value of good employer-employee relations.0Q&A pairs
- Common HR objectives such as employee engagement, talent development, diversity, alignment of values and the number and skills of employees, the hard and soft HR approaches, and key HR metrics.0Q&A pairs
- The main motivation theories (Taylor, Mayo, Maslow and Herzberg), financial and non-financial methods of motivation, and how motivation theory is applied in practice to improve performance.0Q&A pairs
- The elements of organisational structure including hierarchy, span of control, chain of command, delegation and centralisation, tall and flat structures, and the impact of structure on motivation and efficiency.0Q&A pairs
- The recruitment and selection process, internal versus external recruitment, the main types of training (induction, on-the-job and off-the-job), and the link between training, development and performance.0Q&A pairs
3.3 Decision-making to improve marketing performance
- Primary and secondary market research, qualitative and quantitative data, sampling methods, the use of ICT and big data in marketing, and the interpretation of marketing data including correlation and confidence.0Q&A pairs
- Market segmentation by demographic, geographic, behavioural and psychographic factors, targeting strategies, the use of market mapping and positioning maps, and the value of differentiation and a unique selling point.0Q&A pairs
- The 7Ps of the marketing mix, the product life cycle and extension strategies, the Boston Matrix, and the main pricing strategies including penetration, skimming, cost-plus, competitive and price discrimination.0Q&A pairs
- Methods of promotion including advertising, sales promotion, branding and digital and viral marketing, the choice of distribution channels, the impact of e-commerce, and how the elements of the mix must be integrated.0Q&A pairs
- The value of setting marketing objectives, common objectives such as sales volume, sales value, market share and brand loyalty, the internal and external influences on them, and how they support corporate objectives.0Q&A pairs
3.4 Decision-making to improve operational performance
- Key operational metrics including labour productivity, unit costs, capacity utilisation and efficiency, how to calculate them, and how they are used to judge and improve performance.0Q&A pairs
- Ways to improve efficiency and labour productivity, lean production and waste minimisation, the meaning and management of capacity, capacity utilisation issues, and the choice between capital and labour intensity.0Q&A pairs
- Managing inventory using bar gate stock graphs and reorder levels, just-in-time versus just-in-case, the management and choice of suppliers, and the use of outsourcing in the supply chain.0Q&A pairs
- Common operational objectives such as cost, quality, speed, dependability and flexibility, the influences on them, and the trade-offs between operational targets and other functions.0Q&A pairs
- The meaning and importance of quality, the difference between quality control and quality assurance, total quality management and quality circles, and the costs and benefits of improving quality.0Q&A pairs
3.2 Managers, leadership and decision-making
- Scientific versus intuitive decision-making, the value and limitations of data in decision-making, opportunity cost, and how to construct and interpret a decision tree including expected values.0Q&A pairs
- The distinction between management and leadership, the main leadership styles (autocratic, paternalistic, democratic and laissez-faire), the Tannenbaum and Schmidt continuum, and the factors that influence the choice of style.0Q&A pairs
- The needs of different stakeholder groups, how their influence varies, the stakeholder mapping of power and interest, methods of managing stakeholder relationships, and resolving conflict between groups.0Q&A pairs
3.7-3.10 Strategic position and direction
- The meaning of corporate strategy, analysing the internal position through core competences and financial data, analysing the external position with Porter's five forces, and assessing overall competitiveness.0Q&A pairs
- The Ansoff matrix and its four strategies (market penetration, market development, product development and diversification), the level of risk in each, and how a business chooses between them.0Q&A pairs
- Strategic direction in terms of which markets to compete in and what products to offer, Porter's generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and focus, and the risks of being stuck in the middle.0Q&A pairs
- The causes and effects of change, the management of change including overcoming resistance, the importance of organisational culture, and the value of scenario and contingency planning.0Q&A pairs
- Methods of growth including organic and external growth, mergers and takeovers, economies and diseconomies of scale, retrenchment, and the impact of globalisation and multinational corporations.0Q&A pairs
- The meaning of SWOT analysis, how it combines internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats, how it informs strategic choice, and its value and limitations.0Q&A pairs
3.1 What is business
- The external environment using PESTLE factors, how market conditions, competition, the economic climate and legislation affect a business, and why firms must monitor and respond to a changing environment.0Q&A pairs
- The purpose of setting objectives, the difference between mission and objectives, common corporate objectives such as profit, growth, survival and ethical aims, and how objectives translate into functional targets.0Q&A pairs
- The main forms of business (sole trader, partnership, private limited company, public limited company), limited and unlimited liability, the difference between private and public sector, and the implications of becoming a plc.0Q&A pairs
- The reasons businesses exist, the meaning of adding value, the difference between needs and wants, and how businesses combine inputs to produce goods and services.0Q&A pairs
- The meaning of a stakeholder, the main internal and external stakeholder groups, their differing objectives, how stakeholder and shareholder views can conflict, and how businesses manage these relationships.0Q&A pairs