Syllabus

The syllabus year refers to the year or years in which the examination will be taken.

Specimen Papers

Paper overview

Paper 1 – Short answer and essay

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutesMarks: 40

Section A: Four short answer questions. Answer all questions (20 marks)

Section B: Answer one essay question from a choice of three (20 marks)

Based on the AS Level syllabus content

Question 1

  • Section A  Output produced; number sold; quality; safety; stress; satisficing; pay uncertainty

Question 2

  • Section A  Production costs; profit add-on; low price; heavy promotion; new product; competition; gain customers/market share/brand loyalty; short run v long run

Question 3

  • Section A  Highest output to input ratio; achieving objectives; satisfying customers; volume v value; market segment

Question 4

  • Section A  Individual/group; interest in business activity; profit maximisation; cost-cutting; profit; wages; CSR; owners; employees; managers; community

Question 5

  • Section B  Stockholding costs; wastage; storage costs; insufficient stock; lost sales; opportunity cost; JIT definition; supplier relationship; labour and capital flexibility; accurate sales forecasts; IT resources; business culture

Question 6

  • Section B  Leadership/emotional intelligence; intellectual ability; IQ v EIQ; Goleman

Question 7

  • Section B  Cost concepts and calculation; costs in contexts; budgets; use of resources; costs and decision-making; break-even; cost/revenue/profit/volume relationship; margin of safety; limitations

Paper 2 – Data response

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes   Marks: 60
Two data response questions based on AS Level syllabus content. Answer all questions.

Question 1

Incorporated; public shareholders; limited liability; stock exchange; high set-up costs; identify/satisfy customer needs; 4P’s; 4C’s; GPM formula; workings; own results; increased/decrease; consumers’ tastes; ethics; stakeholders in context; balanced argument; significance of profit; dividends; wages; ethics; window dressing; use context; evaluate; financial trends; constraints; recruitment issues; time needed; costs; consequences of status quo

Question 2

Small; specialised; specific; highly profit margins; legal document; protects both parties; conditions of service; revenue formula; workings; elastic/inelastic; link to revenue; competition effect; limitations; reputation; recruitment/training costs; contextualise finance; demand; expansion plans; long term v short term sources; cost; ownership; incorporation; grants; sole trader; sales trend; competitors; collateral

Paper 3 – Case study

Duration: 3 hoursMarks: 100

Section A: Answer all five questions.

Section B: Answer one essay question (from a choice of two) based on a case study, available in the question paper download.

Based on the additional A Level syllabus content and also assumes knowledge and understanding of the AS Level syllabus content

Question 1

Real incomes; income elasticity; unemployment; economic growth; demographics; interest rates; exchange rate

Question 2

Formula; workings; published accounts; ratio analysis; over-time comparison; inter-firm comparison; window dressing; economic factors

Question 3

Balanced argument; marketing strategy; brand recognition; economies of scale; costs; cultural issues; local needs; consumer appeal

Question 4

Working; contribution; direct costs; fixed costs; contribution; capacity utilisation; new markets; publicity; customer reactions

Question 5

Workforce planning; HR objectives; corporate objectives; economic factors; multi-skilling; worker resistance; automation; redundancy

Question 6

Market penetration; diversification; Ansoff’s Matrix; risk; decision tress; EMV; market research; market segmentation; me-too products; short term v long term; profit margins; joint venture; market knowledge

Question 7

Change management; effective communication; participation; project teams/champions; organisation structure; corporate culture


AS & A Level : Business (for first examination in 2016) (9609) – 2016 Specimen papers
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