Introduction
Rationale
Learning area structure
Course structure
Teaching and learning
- Syllabus objectives
- Underpinning factors
- Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
- Pedagogical and conceptual frameworks
- Subject matter
They use these assessments to make decisions and recommendations, and suggest changes in the application of business practices and strategies. 21st century skills — the attributes and skills students need to prepare them for higher education, work and engagement in a complex and rapidly changing world. These aspects of literacy knowledge and skills are embedded in syllabus objectives, unit and subject objectives, and instrument-specific marking guides (ISMGs) for business.
These aspects of computational knowledge and skills are embedded in the objectives of the syllabus, the objectives and topic of the unit, and ISMGs for business. These elements of 21st century skills are anchored in the objectives of the syllabus, the objectives and topic of the unit and the ISMGs for companies. In Business, the topics cover the stages of the business lifecycle and provide context for each unit.
Data and information are selected and analyzed according to the elements in the analysis tool. Within each criterion, a focus can be given that is more specific to the topic and the business situation.
Assessment — general information
Formative assessments — Units 1 and 2
Summative assessments — Units 3 and 4
Assessment evidence of student performance in each criterion is linked to a performance level descriptor, which describes the typical characteristics of student work. Schools and teachers should have strategies in place to ensure that work submitted for internal summative assessment is the student's own.
Reporting standards
The student demonstrates trivial descriptions of business environments or situations and trivial explanations of business concepts, strategies, or processes. There is an inappropriate choice of language, with rudimentary layout and inappropriate presentation of business information. In Unit 1, students explore fundamental business concepts, strategies and processes related to strategic planning, business environments, leadership, management, entrepreneurship, human resources, finance, marketing, operations and technology.
Students examine the creation of business ideas and the business cycle before focusing on the challenges of the seed stage. Business and entrepreneurial ideas are evaluated based on the criteria of competitiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and stakeholders. Students use their knowledge of the fundamentals of business and the creation of business ideas to analyze, interpret and evaluate two contemporary business case studies.
Both topics are equally important in providing students with knowledge and skills from the unit.
Unit objectives
Topic 1: Fundamentals of business
Topic 2: Creation of business ideas
Assessment guidance
In Unit 2, students explore concepts, strategies and processes used by businesses in the start-up and growth stages of the business life cycle. Students explore leadership and management across key business functions, including finance, human resources, marketing and growth stage operations. Analytical tools, including SWOT, PESTLE and break-even analyzes are used to analyze and interpret the implications of establishing a business.
Market entry is analyzed and interpreted using the analytical tools SWOT analysis, USP analysis and power interest grid. Strategies for establishing a company and entering the market are evaluated according to the criteria of competitiveness, effectiveness, efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction. Topic 1: Establishing a business case study will provide data and information relating to an existing local or national franchise business.
Unit objectives
Topic 1: Establishment of a business
Topic 2: Entering markets
Assessment guidance
In Unit 3, students explore the strategies and practices used by companies in the maturity stage of the business life cycle. Analytical tools, including SWOT, STEEPLE, USP and cost benefit analyses, and an electric interest network are used to analyze the challenges companies face as they try to differentiate and expand. An authentic business case study allows students to explore an Australian company that has expanded into the Asian market.
The Topic 1: Competitive Markets case study will provide information relating to an existing business that has expanded into at least one Asian market and is in the maturity stage of the business life cycle and represents any of the following:.
Unit objectives
Topic 1: Competitive markets
Topic 2: Strategic development
Assessment
Summative internal assessment 1 (IA1): Examination — combination
Students will receive an unprecedented boost related to one authentic company in the maturity phase of the business lifecycle and new information related to business practices and strategies. The maximum stimulus length for Part B - interpretive items is equivalent to two single-sided A4 pages. Students receive an unprecedented boost related to one authentic company in the maturity stage of the business cycle and new information related to human resources and competitive markets.
The data and information presented will have varying degrees of importance and relevance to the business context and situation. The maximum stimulus length for Part C - Extended Response item is the equivalent of two single-sided A4 pages.
Summative internal assessment 2 (IA2): Investigation — business
In Chapter 4, students investigate the challenges for businesses in the post-maturity stage of the business life cycle and explore the leadership and management required when repositioning or transforming a business using financial, human, marketing and operational resources.
Unit objectives
A range of analytical tools including SWOT, STEEPLE and force field analyses, Porter's five forces and the stream interest network are used to analyze and interpret the repositioning and transformation of a company. The evaluation criteria competitiveness, efficiency, effectiveness and stakeholder satisfaction are used to make decisions and recommendations to reposition and transform companies.
Topic 1: Repositioning a business
Topic 2: Transformation of a business
Assessment
Summative internal assessment 3 (IA3): Extended response —
Summative external assessment (EA): Examination — combination
Gantt charts are a visual representation of the tasks involved in a project, displayed in sequence against a time scale. Staver, JR & Bay M, 1987, 'Analysis of the Project Synthesis, Target Cluster Orientation and Research Emphasis of Elementary Science Textbooks', Journal of Research in Science Teaching, vol.
