ZIMSEC O Level Business Studies/Business Enterprise and Skills Notes

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Overview

A quick Introduction to the subject

10. Cooperatives
11. Multinational Companies/Trans-National Companies

12 Divorce of ownership and control
13 Going Public and Going Private
(e) Size and growth of business
1. Ways to measure the size of a business.
2. Economies of scale
3. Dis-economies of scale

(a) Sources of finance for Private and Public sector organisations.

  1. The nature,importance and uses of capital:
    1. Sources of Finance:
      1. Internal Sources of Finance
      2. External Sources of Finance
      3. Short and Long term sources of Finance
    2. Factors affecting choice of capital/ Factors to consider when choosing a source of capital
  2. Factors to consider when offering capital
  3. Cash flow:Introduction
    1. Importance of cash flow to the business

(b) Accounting in business

  1. The role and importance of the accounting function
  2. Financial statements
    1. The profit and loss account
    2. The balance sheet
  3. 2) Ratio analysis: Introduction
    1. Liquidity ratios
      1. Working Capital
    2. Profitability ratios
    3. Gearing ratios

(c) Budgets and Budgetary control

  1. Budgets and their nature
    1. Uses, advantages and disadvantages of budgets

(d) Break even analysis

  1. Fixed costs, variable costs, direct costs and indirect cost
  2. Introduction to break even analysis
    1. Break even analysis using calculations example
    2. Break even analysis the graphical method example
  3. The limitations/weaknesses of break even analysis

  1. Motivation at the workplace
    1. Motivational Theories:
      1. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
        1. Ways in which Maslow’s theory can be used to motivate workers
      2. Frederick Herzberg’s Two factor theory
        1. Uses of Herzberg’s Theory
      3. McGregor’s Theory of X and Y
      4. F W Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management
    2. How to motivate workers:
      1. Financial Reward Systems:
        1. Hourly rate/Time rate
        2. Piece Rate
        3. Performance Related Pay
        4. Profit Sharing
        5. Commissions
        6. Fringe Benefits
        7. Productivity Agreements
        8. Share Options
        9. Salary
      2. Non Financial Methods of Motivation:
        1. Job Rotation
        2. Job enlargement
        3. Job Enrichment
  2. Management functions and organisational structure
    1. Introduction to organisational structures
    2. Organisational structure terms:
      1. Organisational Charts
      2. Power,Authority, Responsibility and span of control
      3. Chain of Command,Line vs Staff Authority
      4. Centralisation and decentralization
      5. Delegation
      6. Tall and Flat organisational structures
      7. Job description
    3. Types of Organisational Structures:
      1. Functional organisation structure
      2. Product based Organisational structure
      3. Market based organisational structure
      4. Geographical organisation structure
      5. Matrix based organisational structure
    4. Informal and Formal groups
    5. Importance of informal groups
    6. Leadership:
      1. Autocratic Leadership style
      2. Democratic Leadership style
      3. Laissez-faire leadership style
  3. Communication in business
    1. The communication process
      1. Verbal Communication
      2. Written Communication
      3. Visual Communication
      4. Upward, Downward, Horizontal Communication
      5. The Grape vine: Formal vs Informal communication
    2. Ways of communicating in business:
      1. Open meeting
      2. Face to face communication
      3. Emails
      4. Notice Boards
      5. Reports
      6. Circulars
      7. Phones
      8. Teleconferencing/ Video Conferencing
    3. The need/importance for effective communication
      1. Problems of communication failure/ineffective communication
    4. Barriers to effective communication
      1. Ways to overcome barriers to the communication process
  4. Formal and informal representation and participation
    1. Trade Unions: Introduction:
      1. Types of Trade Unions
      2. Trade Unions in Zimbabwe and their types
    2. Conflict and ways of resolving conflict:
      1. Types of Industrial Action
      2. Employer’s responses to industrial actions
  5. Functions of the personnel department
    1. Introduction to Human Resources Management
    2. Human Resources Planning
      1. The recruitment process
      2. The selection process
      3. Employment contract
      4. Induction/Orientation
      5. Labour Turnover
        1. Problems of high labour turnover
      6. Dismissal, retrenchment and redundancy of employees
    3. Training: Introduction
      1. On the job training methods
      2. Off the job training methods
    4. The Management function

  1. The Market and Marketing
    1. The Market
    2. Marketing:Introduction
    3. The Marketing Department
  2. Market Research
    1. Marketing and Market Research:
      1. Secondary and Primary Research
      2. Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research
      3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research
      4. Market segmentation
  3. The Marketing Mix
    1. The Marketing Mix:Introduction
    2. Product:Introduction
      1. The Product Life Cycle
      2. Branding
      3. Packaging
    3. Promotion:Introduction
      1. Advertising:
        1. Choice of Advertising Media
        2. Benefits and drawbacks of advertising
      2. Promotional Publicity
      3. Sales Promotions
      4. Personal Selling
    4. Pricing: Introduction
      1. Elasticity of Demand
      2. Cost Based Pricing:
        1. Advantages and disadvantages of cost based pricing methods
      3. Customer Oriented Pricing
      4. Supply and Demand (Market Forces)
      5. Competitor Based Pricing
      6. Price Variations
    5. Place:Introduction
      1. Channels of Distribution
      2. Factors to consider when choosing a distribution channel
  4. Methods of Production:
    1. Production: Introduction
    2. Job Production
    3. Batch Production
    4. Flow Production
  5. Location:
    1. Location of a business
  6. Quality Control
    1. Quality and its importance
    2. Methods of controlling quality
  7. Research and Development (R &D)
    1. Research and Development

  1. The reasons for regulation of business activity
  2. Aiding and influencing the businesses:
    1. Economic Policies:Fiscal and Monetary Policy and Inflation
    2. Controlling Imports and Exports
    3. Government and the location of businesses
  3. Aiding and protecting the employee
  4. Persuading and protecting the customer
    1. Ways in which consumers are protected: Government
    2. Ways in which consumers are protected: The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe
    3. Ways in which consumers are protected: The Hire Purchase Act
    4. Ways in which consumers are protected: Consumer Rights
    5. Ways in which consumers are protected: The Standard Association of Zimbabwe
  5. Cost Benefit Analysis
  6. Pressure Groups

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