Sample Teaching Program

SAMPLE TEACHING PROGRAM

for the Preliminary Business Studies Course in NSW

Using page references and examples from

Business Studies in Action:

Preliminary Course 2e

S. Chapman, N. Devenish, M. Dhall

Prepared by S. Chapman

Topic 1: NATURE OF BUSINESS / Timing: 25% of indicative time
Focus: The focus of this topic is to examine the role and nature of business in the economy and to identify how the environment can impact on business.
Syllabus outcomes
The student:
P1.1 describes the nature of business and its role in society
P1.2 analyses types of business structure
P3.1 explains the business life cycle and indicates the challenges that
each stage presents to management
P3.2 explains the responsibilities of business to internal and external
stakeholders
P4.1 explains the interrelationship between the internal and external
factors on business
P5.3 communicates business information, ideas and issues, using
relevant business terminology and concepts in appropriate forms
P5.5 works independently and in groups to achieve appropriate goals in
set timeframes. /

Syllabus content

Students learn to:
use existing business case studies to investigate and communicate ideas and issues related to the nature of business. The focus of these case studies will be to:
·  identify a range of internal and external stakeholders
·  determine the value, and benefit, added
·  identify types of business entity, including small-medium enterprises (SMEs)
·  identify position in the business life cycle
·  identify the main elements of the business environment of a business
·  analyse the ethical and social responsibilities of specific businesses.
Resources: Business Studies in Action Preliminary Course 2nd Edition 2006: Chapman, Devenish and Dhall – John Wiley (Jacaranda)
1.1 The importance of business

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

P1.1
P3.2
P4.1
P5.3
P5.5 / 1. Introduction: The importance of business to the
individual and the economy
2. The function of business in creating value/benefits and adding value to all the business processes (value chain)
3. Social and economic roles
-  wealth creation / -  Read introductory story ‘Welcome to the world of business!’ p3.
-  Examine cartoon figure 1.1 p4. Discuss the common features shared by all small business owners.
-  Construct a mind map summarising the four key aspects of how Business Studies helps an individual perform the roles of consumer, employee, business owner and investor p5.
-  Examine and discuss figure 1.3 p6. Individual students to select five functions and briefly outline why each one is regarded as important to the Australian economy.
-  Prepare a clippings file of magazine and newspaper articles dealing with various aspects of business and its importance to the Australian economy. Select five articles and paste them onto a sheet of paper. Underneath each article prepare a twelve to fifteen line summary.
-  Using the example of a loaf of bread outline the concept of value adding pp7-8.
-  Examine figure 1.7 p8 and discuss how value added from production can be calculated.
-  Calculate the value of production (value added) from specific examples p8.
-  Brainstorm how businesses create wealth within the economy.
-  Compare the brainstorm list with figure 1.8 p10.
1.1 The importance of business (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

3. Social and economic roles (continued)
-  employment
-  innovation
-  quality of life
-  choice
-  entrepreneurship / -  Internet activity. Research and record employment data for the small business sector by going to www.jaconline.com.au/businessstudies and clicking on:
(a) the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
(b) Smallbiz NSW.
-  Outline the relationship between innovation and research and development pp11-12.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Airport Maintenance Services Pty Ltd’ pp12-13. Outline the importance of innovation to the Australian economy.
-  Examine figure 1.11 p14. Discuss ways in which businesses can add to society’s quality of life.
-  Outline the meaning of ‘freedom of choice’ p14.
-  Discuss how businesses encourage freedom of choice p14.
-  Brainstorm the role of an entrepreneur p15. Read the vignettes (p15) of:
o  Anita Roddick
o  Herbert James
o  Gordon Edgell
o  Elcon Myer.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Jesse Hancock – entrepreneur’ p16. Identify the entrepreneurial characteristics exhibited by Jesse Hancock.
-  Students to assess their own entrepreneurial abilities by completing a questionnaire p17. A more detailed questionnaire can be found in ‘New Concepts in Commerce – Worksheet’s. Worksheet 15.1 ‘Do you have what it takes?’’
1.1 The importance of business (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

3. Social and economic roles (continued)
-  entrepreneurship (continued)
4. Identification of relevant stakeholders
5. Business goals
6. The importance of small business (small-medium enterprises – SME) / -  Students select a business they would like to own. Identify the personal qualities needed to be successful in this business. Share the responses and discuss the main differences.
-  Group work. Identify someone who successfully runs a small business. List the personal qualities the person possesses that contribute to the success of the business.
-  Extension activity. Set up a class debate to consider the following topic: ‘Women are better suited to starting a small business than men’. Share roles so that those not debating are involved either in assisting with research or in running the debate and keeping notes on the arguments on both sides.
-  Internet activity. Go to www.jaconline.com.au/businessstudies and click on the Enterprise Network for Young Australian (ENYA) weblink. Outline the role of ENYA.
-  Outline the meaning of ‘stakeholder’ p18.
-  Examine and discuss figure 1.12 p18.
-  Identify and record the stakeholders for the following organisations:
o  a school
o  a hairdressing salon
o  an accountancy firm
o  a medical surgery.
-  Briefly outline the difference between financial, social and personal goals of a business owner p19. (These goals will be explained in more detail in Topic 4.)
-  Read Biz Fact p19. SMEs will be examined later in more detail.
1.2 Coordinating the business

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

P1.1
P3.2
P4.1
P5.3
P5.5 / 1. Controlling the value chain
2. The role of management / -  Outline the meaning of ‘value chain’ p20.
-  Construct a flow chart detailing the stages of production required to produce a school play.
-  Discuss the coordination that would be required to successfully produce the school play.
-  Draw figure 1.14 p20. Briefly describe the relationship between the four sets of resources.
-  Outline the role of management by examining figure 1.15 p21.
-  Introduce the POLC functions of management p21.
-  Create a series of cartoon strips to show the importance of effective management.
-  Role plays.
(a) Conduct a meeting that is poorly managed and another that is efficiently and effectively managed.
(b) Compare the outcomes from each lesson.
(c) Discuss the role managers’ play in achieving a synergistic result.
-  Draw and discuss figure 1.16 p22. Outline the difference between the:
o  internal and external business environment
o  macro and operating business environment.
-  Identify the stakeholders within the internal and external school environment.
1.3 Business life cycle

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

P1.1
P1.2
P3.1
P5.3
P5.5 / 1. Phases and challenges of the cycle
-  establishment
-  growth / -  Equate the business life cycle to the human life cycle. Note the main stages.
-  Examine figure 2.1 p24. List and briefly explain the four main stages.
-  Identify local businesses and their stage on the business life cycle.
-  Read and discuss Biz Fact p25. Brainstorm the reasons for many small business owners are content to keep their businesses the same from year to year.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Coles Myer Limited – a constantly renewed business’ p26.
-  Compile a portfolio of five news articles regarding the recent changes to Coles-Myer ownership. Provide an executive summary of one article.
-  Examine and discuss table 2.1 p29.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Kirsner’s Kwik Print – establishment phase’ pp29-30.
-  Outline the meaning of ‘cash flow’.
-  Clarify why generating a positive cash flow is crucial for the survival of the business at the establishment phase.
-  Brainstorm the main challenges confronting a business at the establishment phase.
-  Examine and discuss table 2.2 p31.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Kirsner and Bartlett: Kwik as a Flash Printing – growth phase’ p32.
1.3 Business life cycle (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

1. Phases and challenges of the cycle (continued)
-  growth (continued)
-  maturity / -  Brainstorm the main challenges confronting a business at the growth phase.
-  Discuss why the growth phase can be a difficult stage to manage?
-  Using a selection of company annual reports explain the difference between:
o  merger
o  takeover (acquisition)
o  integration (vertical and horizontal)
o  diversification pp33-34.
-  Extension activity. Research a recent merger or takeover (acquisition). Identify and outline the main objectives for the merger or takeover.
-  Create a diagram to show how the school could expand using:
o  takeover (acquisition)
o  integration (vertical and horizontal)
o  diversification.
-  Examine and discuss table 2.3 p36.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Kwik Printing Pty Ltd – maturity phase’ p37.
-  Brainstorm the main challenges confronting a business at the maturity phase.
-  Group activity. Visit the local shopping centre and identify business which appear to be in the:
(a) establishment
(b) growth
(c) maturity phase of the business life cycle.
1.3 Business life cycle (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

1. Phases and challenges of the cycle (continued)
-  post-maturity
2. Voluntary and involuntary cessation / -  Examine and discuss table 2.4 p39.
-  Brainstorm the main challenges confronting a business at the renewal phase.
-  Arrange an interview with a local business owner to discuss the:
(a) reasons for establishing the business
(b) brief history of the business
(c) success and failure along the way
(d) financial record keeping.
-  Extension activity/group activity:
o  Brainstorm 10 ideas for setting up a small business within the local area.
o  Select the best idea and decide how you would go about setting up the business and making the idea work. For example:
-  What resources would be needed?
-  Who would be involved?
-  How much will it cost to buy the resources needed?
-  How much would you sell the good or service for?
o  Groups to present their information to the rest of the class.
-  Create a collage showing businesses closing down.
-  Explain the difference between voluntary and involuntary cessation p43.
-  Brainstorm the reasons why so many small businesses fail within the first few years. Highlight the importance of undercapitalisation p42.
1.3 Business life cycle (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

2. Voluntary and involuntary cessation (continued) / -  Draw figure 2.8 p44. Explain the difference between:
o  bankruptcy
o  voluntary administration
o  liquidation pp43-44.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Gemma’s cash flow crisis’ pp44-45.
-  Complete activity 5 p46.
-  Role play. Student to assume the role of a business consultant. Class to develop a number of business scenarios which the consultant will advise on.
1.4 Types of business entity

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

P1.1
P1.2
P5.3
P5.5 / 1. Classification of business
-  legal structure / -  List the five main types of privately owned business entities p47.
-  Explain the difference between unincorporated and incorporated business entities p48.
-  Construct a bar graph of the statistics shown in table 3.1 p48.
-  Brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of a sole trader. Compare with figure 3.3 p49.
-  Brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of a partnership. Compare with figure 3.6 p50.
-  Copy and complete the partnership agreement figure 3.5 p50.
-  Read and discuss the Biz Fact p50.
-  Read and complete questions for Snapshot ‘Cut and Curl Salon: from partnership to sole trader’ pp51-52.
-  Using a telephone directory, find:
o  five examples of sole traders and partnerships that would not have to register their name
o  five examples of businesses that would have to register their name.
-  Group work. You have been offered the opportunity to become a partner in a local veterinary business. In pairs devise a list of questions you should ask the owner before you sign the partnership agreement.
-  Internet activity. Go to www.jaconline.com.au/businessstudies and click on the Business Entry Point weblink. Read about partnership agreements.
1.4 Types of business entity (continued)

Syllabus

Outcomes /

Syllabus Content

Students learn about: /

Teaching/Learning Activities

1. Classification of business (continued)
-  legal structure (continued)
-  industry sector / -  Outline the difference between a proprietary (private) and a public company pp54-55.
-  Brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of the company form of ownership. Compare with figure 3.7 p54.
-  Construct a mind map highlighting the main features of a proprietary company.
-  Extension activity. Conduct a five week ‘Share Market Game’. Examine the role of the Stock Exchange in the development of large public companies.
-  Prepare a point summary for ‘Cooperatives’ and ‘Trusts’ pp56-57.
-  Introduce the concept of franchising. List ten well-known franchise business operations pp57-58.
-  Brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of a franchise agreement. Compare with figure 3.12 p58.
-  Complete activities 11 – 13 pp59-60.
-  Draw figure 3.13 p61.
-  Create a bar graph of the statistics shown in figure 3.2 p61.
-  Construct a mind map summarising the five industry sectors. Provide examples for each sector pp61-63.
-  Extension activity. Research why the quinary sector has grown rapidly over the past 20 years.
1.4 Types of business entity (continued)

Syllabus