Introduction

This book is written to help all AS Level and A level students of Business Studies. It is designed to closely follow the Cambridge University International Examinations board syllabus but the content and depth of the book make it very suitable for students following specifications form the AQA, EDEXCEL and OCR examination boards. The book is also valuable as an introductory text for first year undergraduate students of Business Studies and related disciplines.

The key and distinctive feature of this book is the international perspective it adapts to business strategies and decisions. Unlike all other AS/A Level texts there are a great number of references to non-UK-based case studies and data. This is deliberate very few businesses operate today in a narrow national market placed and students are therefore encouraged to look at business organizations and business decisions form an international viewpoint that accurately mirrors the real world.

The book is divided into seven sections. These correspond to the CIE syllabus as follows:

Unit1: Business and the environment

Unit2: Marketing decisions

Unit3: Operations management decisions

Unit4: People in organizations

Unit5: Business accounting and finance

Unit6: Numerate techniques for business studies

Unit7: Revising for examinations

Each chapter contains essential material for your understanding of the principles and techniques of Business Studies.

The differences between As and A Level

There are Two important differences between the AS and A Level syllabus:

There is more subject content examined at A Level than at AS. The additional extension material is clearly indicated in this book with a grey bar on the left hand side of the page.

The examination skills are weighted differently much more emphasis is placed on subject knowledge at AS Level but A Level puts greater emphasis on analysis and evaluation. These differences are reflected in the types of questions contained in this book.