Study List

Year Group Y12

Subject AS Business

Topic Book Page(s) Other

resources/information
Chapter 1 - Business and its environment Cambridge
1 Enterprise (AS Level) International AS and
2 Business structure (AS Level) A Level Business 4th
3 Size of business (AS Level) Edition
4 Business objectives (AS Level)
5 Stakeholders in a business (AS
Level)
Chapter 2 - Human resource management Cambridge
10 Human resource management (AS International AS and
Level) A Level Business 4th
11 Motivation (AS Level) Edition
12 Management (AS Level)

Chapter 3 - Marketing Cambridge You may use the shared

3.17 – The nature of the marketing International AS and notes, on Teams, to revise
3.18 – Market research A Level Business 4th for the exam.
3.19 – The marketing mix – product and Edition
price
3.20 – The marketing mix – promotion
and place

Chapter 4 - Operations management Cambridge

23 The nature of operations (AS Level) International AS and
24 Inventory management (AS Level) A Level Business 4th
25 Capacity utilisation and outsourcing Edition
(AS Level)
 Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

1 Business and its environment (AS Level) continued

1.2 Business structure
1.2.1 Economic sectors • primary, secondary and tertiary sector businesses
• the public and private sectors
1.2.2 Legal structures • main features of different types of legal structure, including
ability to raise finance
• appropriateness of legal structure: sole trader, partnership,
private limited companies, public limited companies,
franchises, co-operatives, joint ventures
• concept of limited liability and its importance
• problems resulting from changing from one legal structure
to another
1.3 Size of business
1.3.1 Measurements of business size • different methods of measuring the size of a business
(profit is not an acceptable measure of business size)
1.3.2 Significance of small businesses • advantages and disadvantages of being a small business
• strengths and weaknesses of family businesses
• the importance of small businesses and their role in the
economy
• the role of small businesses as part of the industry structure
in some industries
1.3.3 Internal growth • why and how a business might grow internally
1.4 Business objectives
1.4.1 Business objectives in the • the nature and importance of business objectives at
private sector corporate, departmental and individual levels
• corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a business objective
1.4.2 Objectives and business • relationship between mission statement, objectives,
decisions strategy and tactics
• the different stages of business decision making and the
role of objectives in the stages of business decision making
• how objectives might change over time
• translation of objectives into targets and budgets
• the communication of objectives and their likely impact on
the workforce
• how ethics may influence business objectives and activities

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Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

1 Business and its environment (AS Level) continued

1.5 Stakeholders in a business
1.5.1 Business stakeholders • individuals or groups interested in the activities of
business, e.g. owners/shareholders, managers, employees,
customers, suppliers, lenders, government and the local
community
• roles, rights and responsibilities of stakeholders
1.5.2 The importance and influence • impact of business decisions/actions on stakeholders, and
of stakeholders on business their reactions
activities • how and why a business needs to be accountable to its
stakeholders
• how conflict might arise from stakeholders having different
aims
• how changing business objectives might affect its
stakeholders

2 People in organisations (AS Level)

At Cambridge International AS Level the emphasis is on understanding and applying the concepts of
people in organisations, with some analysis and evaluation of related problems. The role of various
management, leadership and motivation theories should be developed in a practical way. Knowledge of
specific national laws and regulations applying to conditions of work is not required.
2.1 Management and leadership
2.1.1 Management and managers • the functions of management, including Mintzberg’s roles
of management
• functions, roles and styles
2.1.2 Leadership • the purpose of leadership
• leadership roles in business (directors, managers,
supervisors, worker representatives)
• qualities of a good leader
2.1.3 Choice of leadership style • leadership styles: autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire
• McGregor’s leadership styles
2.1.4 Emotional Intelligence/ • Goleman’s four competencies of emotional intelligence:
Emotional quotient (EQ) self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and
social skills

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

2 People in organisations (AS Level) continued

2.2 Motivation
2.2.1 Motivation as a tool of • the need to motivate employees to achieve the objectives
management and leadership of a business
2.2.2 Human needs • a simple explanation of human need
• how human needs may or may not be satisfied at work
2.2.3 Motivation theories • ideas of the main content theorists (Maslow, Taylor, Mayo,
Herzberg) and process theorists (McClelland, Vroom)
2.2.4 Motivation methods in practice: • the theories in practical situations
financial motivators, non- • different payment methods (time based, salary, piece rates,
financial motivators commission, bonuses, profit sharing, performance related
pay)
• different types of non-financial motivators (training,
induction, opportunities for promotion, development, status,
job re-design, team working, empowerment, participation,
fringe benefits/perks)
• ways in which employees can participate in the
management and control of business activity
2.3 Human resource management
(HRM)
2.3.1 Purpose and roles of HRM • the role of HRM in meeting organisation objectives:
recruitment, selection, training, induction, advice, guidance,
workforce planning
2.3.2 Recruitment and selection • labour turnover, methods of recruitment and selection
2.2.3 Job descriptions, person • purposes of job descriptions, person specifications and job
specifications, job advertisements
advertisements
2.3.4 Employment contracts • main features of a contract of employment
2.3.5 Redundancy and dismissal • difference between redundancy and dismissal
2.3.6 Staff morale and welfare • relationship between HRM, staff morale and welfare in a
business including the concept of work-life balance
• policies for diversity and equality
2.3.7 Staff training • the purpose of staff development/training as a means of
securing required skills and motivating the workforce

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Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

3 Marketing (AS Level)

The Cambridge International AS Level involves the development of knowledge and application of that
knowledge to business situations with some analysis and evaluation of marketing problems. There is
an emphasis on the process of finding and satisfying customers, with the focus also on how marketing
objectives can be met by understanding, applying and adapting the marketing mix.
3.1 What is marketing
3.1.1 Role of marketing and its • the link between marketing objectives and corporate
relationship with other business objectives
activities • marketing objectives
3.1.2 Supply and demand • factors influencing the supply and demand for the products/
services of a business
• interactions between price, supply and demand
3.1.3 Features of markets: location, • how markets may differ: such as consumer/producer
size, share, competitors, growth markets; national, regional and international markets
• difference between product and customer (market)
orientation
• problems associated with measuring market share and
market growth
• implications of changes in market share and growth
3.1.4 Industrial and consumer • classification of products
markets • how marketing might differ for different types of goods and
services
3.1.5 Niche versus mass marketing • reasons for and benefits/limitations of mass marketing and
niche marketing
3.1.6 Market segmentation • benefits and limitations of market segmentation
• methods of market segmentation including geographic,
demographic and psychographic
3.2 Market research
3.2.1 Primary and secondary research • purpose of market research in determining customer
characteristics/consumer profiles, wants and needs
3.2.2 Methods of information • distinction between primary (field) and secondary desk
gathering research, and the main features of each
• methods of primary research and their advantages and
disadvantages including focus groups and surveys
• sources of secondary information including printed, paid for
and web-based sources of information
3.2.3 Sampling methods • random, stratified and quota sampling; the appropriateness
of each to given situations
• limitations of sampling
3.2.4 Market research results • the reliability of data collection
• analysis of results obtained from market research
• interpretation of information [Note: Candidates will not be
required to draw bar charts, pie charts, etc., or demonstrate
knowledge of advantages and disadvantages of different
presentation methods.]
3.2.5 Cost effetiveness • cost effectiveness of market research in given situations
(treated descriptively)

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 Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

3 Marketing (AS Level) continued

3.3 The marketing mix
3.3.1 The elements of the marketing • the 4Ps: Product, Price, Promotion, Place (distribution
mix (the 4Ps) channels)
3.3.2 The role of the customer (the • the relationship between the customer and the business
4Cs) (the 4Cs): Customer solution, Cost to customer,
Communication with customer, Convenience to customer
• ways in which customer relations can be improved
• how the 4Cs relate to the 4Ps
3.3.3 Product • goods, services
• recognising that products have a combination of tangible
and intangible attributes
• the importance of product development
• product differentiation and USP (Unique Selling Point)
3.3.4 Product Life Cycle • how Product Life Cycle stage influences marketing activities
• product portfolio analysis as a way of achieving marketing
objectives
• decisions about extension strategies
3.3.5 Types of pricing strategies • use and value of alternative pricing strategies including
competitive, penetration, skimming, price discrimination,
cost-based pricing
3.3.6 Price elasticity of demand • define, calculate and interpret price elasticity of demand and
suitable prices
• usefulness of price elasticity of demand when making
pricing decisions
3.3.7 Promotion methods • above the line and below the line promotion
• the role of packaging in promotion
• branding as part of product/promotion
3.3.8 Channels of distribution • choosing between alternative types of channel of
distribution
3.3.9 Using the Internet for the • online advertising, catalogues, sales, dynamic pricing,
4Ps/4Cs distribution (download of digital products), social media, viral
marketing, e-commerce
3.3.10 Consistency in the marketing • the need for the marketing mix to be consistent with the
mix business, the product type and the market

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Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus. Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2022.

4 Operations and project management (AS Level)

At Cambridge International AS Level, the emphasis is on understanding and applying the concepts of
operations management, with some analysis and evaluation of related problems. The emphasis is on the
way organisations use inputs and manage business processes efficiently.
4.1 The nature of operations
4.1.1 Inputs, outputs and the • operations encompasses products and services
transformation process • process: from idea/need to final product/service
• resources: land, labour, capital (including intellectual capital)
4.1.2 Effectiveness, efficiency and • difference between effectiveness and efficiency
productivity • productivity: measuring efficiency
4.1.3 Value added • how ‘value added’ is linked to marketing, the operations
process and operations decisions
4.1.4 Capital versus labour intensity • benefits and limitations of capital and labour intensive
processes
4.2 Operations planning
4.2.1 Operations decisions • the influence of marketing, availability of resources and
technology (e.g. CAD and CAM) on operations decisions
[Note: Candidates are expected to know what is meant by
Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture.
They must understand how CAD and CAM can be applied in
a business, including the advantages and disadvantages.]
4.2.2 Flexibility and innovation • the need for flexibility with regard to volume, delivery time
and specification
• process innovation – changing current processes or
adopting new ways of producing products (e.g. automation/
robotics) or delivering services (e.g. improving workflow)
4.2.3 Operations methods: job, batch, • differences between methods – advantages and
flow, mass customisation disadvantages of each method
• problems of changing from one method to another
4.2.4 Location • factors that determine (a) location and (b) relocation:
geographic, demographic, legal, political, resources,
infrastructure, marketing
• differences between local, regional, national and
international location decisions
4.2.5 Scale of operation • factors that influence the scale of a business
• causes and examples of internal/external economies/
diseconomies of scale
• links between economies/diseconomies of scale and unit
costs

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