The aim of this unit is to give students background knowledge and understanding ofbusiness, of the functions of an organisation and of the wider business environmentsin which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types oforganisations (including for profit and not for profit), their size and scope (for instancemicro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate. Students will explore therelationships that organisations have with their various stakeholders and how thewider external environments influence and shape business decision making.

Balancing the books is at the heart of all business management. Financial accountantsare concerned with the recording, summarising and interpreting of financialinformation and accounts. They must keep accurate and up-to-date records fordifferent types of businesses. The overall aim of this unit is to introduce students to the essential principles of recording and organising business and financial transactions to which everyorganisation will need to adhere. Students will identify sources of accountinginformation and how it is then gathered and organised, using the dual entrybookkeeping system, in order to produce a trial balance.

In this unit, students will explore the impact of a range of digital technologies on theworkplace. They will examine how these technologies can support businesses aimsand services, allow interaction with customers, for example to promote their business,to encourage people to visit their e-commerce site, to buy goods or services, to driveand increase sales and to provide high levels of customer service. The skills generatedthrough an understanding of the practical and necessary use and application ofrelevant technologies will enable students to present themselves as being digitallyliterate to employers and give them the confidence to succeed in applying modern,digital methods.

Research skills enable students to identify a problem, collect informational resourcesthat can help address the problem, evaluate the resources for quality and relevance,and come up with an effective solution to the problem. These are seen as essentialskills by employers for most positions in industry, to support a range of duties, forexample report writing, building a business case, business planning, launching a newproduct or service.This is a Pearson-set unit. Students will choose their own project based on a themeprovided by Pearson (this will change annually). The project must be related to theirspecialist pathway of study (unless they are studying the general business pathway).This will enable students to explore and examine a relevant and current topical aspectof business in the context of the business environment and their chosen specialistpathway.

This unit is designed to introduce students to the dynamic world of the marketing sector and the wealth of exciting career opportunities available to support their decision making in their career choices. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the competencies and behaviours required by employers to work in the marketing sector. They will be introduced to the key principles of marketing, enabling them to develop a marketing plan and to employ elements of the marketing mix to achieve results. They will study the underpinning theories and frameworks of marketing while relating them to real-world examples, including products/services that they encounter in their daily lives.

Organisational behaviour is concerned with understanding, explaining and predictingthe behaviour of individuals in the workplace and can assist in the development ofpractical solutions to organisational and managerial problems. The aim of this unit is to develop knowledge and understanding of how organisationalbehaviour concepts, theories and techniques can be applied in work andmanagement settings in order to enhance individual, team and organisationalperformance. Students will be able to apply this knowledge in a variety of businesssituations.

In business, change is all around in all areas of an organisation, from minor process changes to large-scale structural change. The aim of this unit is for students to understand the different types and scope of change that may occur in an organisation. The unit will aim to illustrate the drivers/triggers for change and how they vary and affect organisations in different ways, including the degree of impact and managements response to change. Students will gain an appreciation of how the depth of change can influence organisational behaviour both during and after the change.

The aim of this unit is to explore the wider position that some organisations have in the global environment. Students will gain an appreciation of the complexities of operating in a global environment, enabling them insight in to an organisations current or aspirational global presence. This enables students to add value to an organisation as they will be able to apply their knowledge in such a way that they could advise senior managers (in large and small organisations) on global matters that they might not have otherwise considered.

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the role of operations in an organisation, how the nature of operations management has evolved and how it contributes to sustained competitive advantage. Students will understand the key concepts of operations management in an organisational and environmental context, and how this links to supply chain management, products and processes, organisational efficiency and effectiveness, and the achievement of tactical and strategic objectives. A variety of operations management techniques and frameworks will be explored, including continuous improvement, total quality management, benchmarking and risk analysis.

This unit will give students the knowledge and skills associated with Human Resource(HR) occupational roles at either a generalist level, for example HR Assistant/HRAdvisor/Business Partner, or more specialist roles in areas such as recruitment, talentacquisition and performance and reward management. Students will explore thenature and scope of HRM and the organisational context of people management,including recruitment and retention, training and development, reward systems,employment relations and associated legislative frameworks.

The aim of this unit is to help students to understand the difference between the function of a manager and the role of a leader. Students will consider the characteristics, behaviours and traits that support effective management and leadership. Students will learn about the theories that have shaped the understanding of leadership and management and how these have provided a guide to action for managers and leaders who want to secure success for their businesses. Students will look at leadership styles, how and why they are used and the extent to which they are effective.

The aim of this unit is to develop students awareness of the different types of strategic approaches that could be used in an operational, tactical or strategic role for an organisation. This will be underpinned by a thorough knowledge and understanding of the theories, models and concepts that could significantly support an organisations strategic choice and direction.  On successful completion of this unit, students will have developed sufficient knowledge and understanding of strategy to make a positive, efficient and effective contribution to the development of business plans and operational direction. They could do this in the role of a junior manager responsible for having a specific input into an organisations decision making and planning.

Management accounting is a profession that supports management decision making,planning and performance management systems. Management accountants provideexpertise in financial reporting and control to assist management in the formulationand implementation of an organisation's strategy by providing appropriate financialinformation and undertaking related accounts administration. The overall aim of this unit is to introduce fundamental accounting principles that underpin financial operations and support good and sustainable decision making in any organisation. Students will develop a theoretical and practical understanding of a range of financial and management accounting techniques.

In this unit, students will gain an understanding of how and why businesses and organisations develop e-commerce strategies to remain competitive in the global market. Students will develop an appreciation of the elements and resources required to set up an e-commerce site and will be engaged in the design and implementation of their own strategies that would, in reality, form part of a secure e-commerce site. Students will research and investigate the technologies involved insetting up a secure e-commerce site in preparation for their own e-commerce strategy. Students will then devise a strategy based on an element of e-commerce, for example designing a shopping cart, an ordering system, payment system or an online marketing system. Their design should be fully implemented and evaluated in terms of its success or failure.

This unit is a Pearson-set unit. The project brief will be set based on a theme provided by Pearson (this will change annually). The theme and chosen project within the theme will enable students to explore and examine a relevant and current topical aspect of business in the context of the business environment. The skills of project management are highly sought after by employers in all areas of business, as the ability to plan, procure and execute a business project efficiently requires a range of specific skills in leadership, time management, problem solving, budgeting and communication. The aim of this unit is to offer students an opportunity to demonstrate the skills required for managing and implementing a small-scale business project. They will undertake independent research and investigation for carrying out and executing a business project that meets appropriate business aims and objectives.