Edexcel A-Level Business Theme 1.4 Managing people: complete overview

Theme 1.4 Managing people is the human-resource half of Theme 1. It asks how a business organises, recruits, develops and motivates its workforce to deliver the marketing strategy. This overview maps the topic; each section links to a full dot-point answer.

Approaches to staffing

A business may treat staff as an asset to invest in or as a cost to minimise. A flexible workforce uses multiskilling, part-time and temporary contracts, flexible hours and homeworking to match labour to demand. You must also distinguish dismissal from redundancy and value strong communication.

Recruitment, selection and training

Recruitment attracts candidates and selection chooses them. Internal recruitment is cheaper and motivating; external brings fresh skills at higher cost. Training through induction, on-the-job and off-the-job methods raises productivity and retention.

Organisational design

Structure is described by hierarchy, span of control, chain of command, and whether it is centralised or decentralised. Delayering removes management levels to cut cost and speed communication, with effects on motivation.

Motivation

The theories of Taylor, Mayo, Maslow and Herzberg explain what drives staff. In practice, financial methods (piece rates, bonuses, profit-sharing) and non-financial methods (job enrichment, empowerment, teamworking) put theory to work.

How to study Theme 1.4

1. Learn each theory precisely. Herzberg's hygiene versus motivators is a frequent question.
2. Apply, do not just name. Use the theory on the business in the stimulus.
3. Link structure to motivation. Show how design choices affect engagement.
4. Revise from the official specification. Use the current Pearson Edexcel 9BS0 document.

For the full specification, see Pearson Edexcel.