Technology Education Key Learning Area – Strategies and Management
Learning and Teaching Resources
Topic Overview
Topic / Business Environment
Level / S3
Duration / 5 lessons (40 minutes each)

Learning Objectives

1.  State the meaning of business and identify different types of industry

2.  Describe the characteristics of Hong Kong economy and the linkage with the Mainland

3.  Identify various elements in business environment and how they affect business

4.  Explain the concept of globalisation and discuss its impacts on business in Hong Kong

5.  Discuss the positive impacts and criticism of globalisation and name key international trade organisations

Overview of Contents
Lesson 1 / Basic concepts of business, importance of business in an economy and Hong Kong industrial structure
Lesson 2 / Characteristics of Hong Kong economy and the linkage with the Mainland
Lesson 3 / Environmental factors (political-legal, economic, and socio-cultural, technological, physical) and the impacts on business
Lesson 4 / Globalization and its impacts on Hong Kong business
Lesson 5 / Assess globalization and introduction to international trade organisations

Resources:

n  Topic Overview and Teaching Plan

n  PowerPoint Presentation with Teaching Notes

n  Student Worksheets, Classwork, Home Assignment and Quiz

Suggested Activities:

n  Class Activities – case studies, readings, group discussion and brain storming.

n  Classwork, Home Assignment and Quiz

Lesson 1
Theme / Basic Concepts of Business and Types of Industry
Duration / 40 minutes

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.  describe the basic concepts of business

2.  explain the role and importance of business

3.  identify three types of industry and describe their interdependence

Teaching Sequence and Time Allocation:

Activities / Reference / Time Allocation
Part I: Introduction
²  Teacher starts the lesson by a story of a 10 year girl starting up her business.
²  Teacher invites students to share their ideas on the meaning of business. / PPT #2 – 3 / 2 minutes
Part II: Contents
²  Teacher explains the concepts of business. / PPT #4 / 2 minutes
²  Class Activity (1): Group Discussion
²  Students form groups and answer case questions on GoGo Van and ebay.
²  Teacher summarizes students’ points and guides students to note the role and importance of business to an economy. / Worksheet (1)
PPT #5 – 9 / 8 minutes
5 minutes
²  Teacher explains three types of industry and illustrates their interdependence with examples. / PPT #10 – 15 / 4 minutes
²  Class Activity (2): Industrial Structure - Part I & II
n  Students are required to identify the trend of different types of industry from the statistical tables and suggest reasons for the trend.
n  Teacher goes through the tables and explains the trend with reasons.
n  With teacher’s guidance, students are required to identify the opportunities and risks under the existing industrial structure. / Worksheet (2)
PPT #16
PPT #17 – 18
PPT #19 – 20 / 6 minutes
5 minutes
6 minutes
Part III: Conclusion
²  Teacher concludes the lesson by reviewing the key points covered. / 2 minutes
Lesson 2
Theme / Characteristics of Hong Kong Economy and Linkage with the Mainland
Duration / 40 minutes

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.  explain the characteristics of Hong Kong Economy,

2.  state the close linkage with the Mainland and identify possible business, opportunities, and

3.  describe key cooperation arrangement between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Teaching Sequence and Time Allocation:

Activities / Reference / Time Allocation
Part I: Introduction
²  Teacher recaps the types of industry and invites students to highlight the characteristics of Hong Kong economy. / PPT #2 – 3 / 3 minutes
Part II: Contents
²  Teacher explains the characteristics of Hong Kong economy.
²  Teacher asks students to list the favorable factors for setting up offices/operation units in Hong Kong by a foreign company.
²  Teacher names some recent developments in the Mainland.
²  Class Activity (3): Group Discussion
n  Students are required to share their ideas on the linkage with the Mainland. / PPT #4 – 5
PPT #6 – 9
PPT #10 – 13
Worksheet (3)
PPT #14 – 15 / 3 minutes
4 minutes
3 minutes
6 minutes
²  Teacher explains CEPA as a key cooperation arrangement with the Mainland. / PPT #16 – 19 / 5 minutes
²  Class Activity (4): Reading on CEPA
n  Students are required to read the article and answer the questions.
n  Teacher goes through the article and identifies the business opportunities with students. / Worksheet (4)
PPT #20
PPT #21 – 24 / 9 minutes
5 minutes
Part III: Conclusion
²  Teacher concludes the lesson by reviewing the key points covered. / 2 minutes
Lesson 3
Theme / Environmental Factors and the Impact on Business
Duration / 40 minutes

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.  state the importance of environmental factors on business survival and success,

2.  identify the various environmental factors, and

3.  describe the impact of environmental factors on business.

Teaching Sequence and Time Allocation:

Activities / Reference / Time Allocation
Part I: Introduction
²  Teacher explains to students that business operation is affected by environmental factors.
²  Teacher invites students to give examples on the interrelationship between business environment and business. / PPT #2 / 2 minutes
Part II: Contents
²  Teacher outlines various environmental factors: political-legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological and physical. / PPT #3 / 5 minutes
²  Class Activity (5): Classification of Environmental Factors
n  Teacher asks students to classify the different issues into types of environmental factors.
n  Teacher goes through the answers with explanation. / Worksheet (5)
PPT #4
PPT #5 / 5 minutes
5 minutes
²  Teacher illustrates the factors with more examples and explains how they affect business decisions. / PPT #6 – 16 / 13 minutes
²  Class Activity (6): Group Discussion
n  Teacher asks students to discuss in group the challenges of setting up a small café in today’s business environment.
n  Students are invited to present their views. / Worksheet (6)
PPT #17
PPT #18 / 5 minutes
3 minutes
Part III: Conclusion
²  Teacher concludes the lesson by reviewing the key points covered. / 2 minutes
Lesson 4
Theme / Globalization and its impacts on Hong Kong business
Duration / 40 minutes

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.  define globalization and describe how globalization takes place，

2.  identify the ways for business to go global, and

3.  explain the impact of globalization on Hong Kong business.

Teaching Sequence and Time Allocation:

Activities / Reference / Time Allocation
Part I: Introduction
²  Teacher starts with an activity to introduce the idea of globalization and global business activities.
²  Class Activity (7): Shopping in a Supermarket
²  Teacher introduces the term ‘globalization’. / Worksheet (7)
PPT #2 / 6 minutes
Part II: Contents
²  Teacher explains the concept of globalization and reasons for business to go global.
²  Teacher defines ‘multi-national corporation’.
²  Teacher illustrates the ways for business to go global with examples. / PPT #3 – 4
PPT #5 – 6
PPT # 7 – 13 / 4 minutes
2 minutes
10 minutes
²  Class Activity (8): Group Discussion
n  Teacher asks students to discuss the impacts of globalization on business in Hong Kong.
n  Teacher invites students to present their views and requires them to explain with examples.
n  Teacher gives feedback and draws a summary. / Worksheet (8)
PPT #14
PPT #15 – 16 / 6 minutes
4 minutes
4 minutes
Part III: Conclusion
²  Teacher concludes the lesson by reviewing the key points covered. / 2 minutes
Lesson 5
Theme / Evaluation on Globalization and Introduction to International Trade Organisations
Duration / 40 minutes

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.  state the positive impacts and criticism of globalization

2.  name the major international trade organisations

3.  outline the key functions of the major international organisations

Teaching Sequence and Time Allocation:

Activities / Reference / Time Allocation
Part I: Introduction
²  Teacher recaps the concept of globalization / PPT #2 / 2 minutes
Part II: Contents
²  Class Activity 9: Group Discussion
n  Students are formed into groups for sharing ideas on globalization.
n  Based on the given cases, students in groups should identify and explain the positive impacts of globalization.
n  Teacher draws a summary of the positive impacts of globalization.
n  With reference to the cases given, students should identify and explain the criticism against globalization
n  Teacher draws a summary of the criticism against globalization. / Worksheet 9
PPT #3
PPT #4 – 7
PPT #8
PPT #9 – 16
PPT # 17 / 2 minutes
9 minutes
4 minutes
9 minutes
4 minutes
²  Teacher introduces key international trade organisations with their primary functions.
²  Teacher encourages students to attempt the extended learning activity to learn about other international trade organisations. / PPT #18 – 29
PPT #30 / 6 minutes
2 minutes
Part III: Conclusion
²  Teacher concludes the lesson by reviewing the key points covered. / 2 minutes