IGCSE and O Level Business Studies Notes by Sir Ahsan Naqvi

Section 1: Understanding Business Activity

1. Business Activity ............................................................................................................................. 05
2. Classification of Businesses......................................................................................................... 09
3. Enterprise, Business Growth and Size .................................................................................. 12
4. Types of Business Organization................................................................................................ 18
5. Business Objectives and Stakeholder Objectives .............................................................. 25

Section 2: People in Business

6. Motivating Workers ....................................................................................................................... 29
7. Organization and Management ................................................................................................. 37
8. Recruitment, Selection and Training of Workers ............................................................. 47
9. Internal and External Communication....................................................................................56

Section 3: Marketing

10. Marketing, Competition and The Customer .......................................................................62
11. Market Research .............................................................................................................................67
12. The Marketing Mix: Product ......................................................................................................72
13. The Marketing Mix: Price ............................................................................................................75
14. The Marketing Mix: Place ............................................................................................................78
15. The Marketing Mix: Promotion and Technology in Marketing ...................................89
16. Marketing Strategy .........................................................................................................................85

Section 4: Operations Management

17. Production of Goods and Services ..........................................................................................87
18. Costs, Scale of Production and Break-even Analysis ......................................................95
19. Achieving Quality Production ................................................................................................100
20. Location Decisions ...................................................................................................................... 101

Section 5: Financial Information and Financial Decisions

21. Business Finance: Needs and Sources ................................................................................ 103
22. Cash Flow Forecasting and Working Capital ................................................................... 110
23. Income Statements ...................................................................................................................... 112
24. Balance Sheets ............................................................................................................................... 116
25. Analysis of Accounts ................................................................................................................... 118

Section 6: External Influences on Business Activity

26. Government Economic Objectives and Policies .............................................................. 121
27. Environmental and Ethical Issues ........................................................................................ 125
28. Business and The International Economy ......................................................................... 128