Choosing the Right Legal Structure for the Business
sole traders, partnerships,
private limited companies and
public limited companies
not-for-profit businesses
Candidates should be aware of the benefits
and drawbacks of legal structures and
understand plc’s as a means of comparison.
Enterprise
Candidates should consider the role,
importance and characteristics of an
entrepreneur in establishing a new
business. Entrepreneurship can take a
number of forms including spotting a gap
in the market or developing a new or
innovative product or process.
government support for enterprise and entrepreneurs
the notion of opportunity cost
the importance of risk and rewards such as profit
motives for becoming an entrepreneur
enterprise and entrepreneurs
Conducting Start-Up Market Research
Candidates should be aware of the relative
value of different approaches to market
research. Methods of sampling should
include: random, quota and stratified.
Candidates should be aware that the
available finance, the nature of the product,
the risk involved and the target market will
influence the choice of sampling method and
size of sample.
methods of primary and secondary market research
qualitative and quantitative research
size and types of samples
factors influencing the choice of sampling methods
Locating the Business
factors influencing
start-up location
decisions
The factors should include: technology,
costs, infrastructure, the market and
qualitative factors. Candidates should
understand that their relative importance
may vary according to the type of
business.
Generating & Protecting Business Ideas
sources of business ideas
the identification of a product or market niche
franchises
copyright, patents
and trademarks.
The sources of ideas may include
brain-storming, own personal experience and
business experience. The generation of
business ideas must be in relation to a small
business with limited resources. Candidates
should be familiar with the formation and
operation of franchises and understand the
benefits and pitfalls to franchisors or
franchisees of operating a franchise as
opposed to starting a new business.
Transforming Resources into Goods & Services
This topic should be
considered within the context
of the tertiary, secondary and
primary industries.
adding value
inputs, outputs and the nature of the transformation
of resources into finished products
Developing Business Plans
Candidates should be aware of the
benefits and problems of plans/planning for
small businesses. The planning process
involves decisions based on the resources
to be used and factors providing
competitive advantage. The sources of
information should include: small business
advisors, accountants, bank managers and
government agencies.
the purpose and contents of business plans
sources of information and guidance
Employing People
using consultants and advisors
types of employees used in small businesses
The types of employees should
include: temporary, permanent,
full-time and part-time. Candidates
should be aware of the reasons,
drawbacks and difficulties of
employing people and/or using
consultants and advisors.
Understanding Markets
market size, growth and share
types of market segmentation
the importance of demand
the nature and types of markets
Candidates should be aware that markets take
different forms, eg local, national, physical and
electronic. Candidates should know that demand
is affected by a range of factors including the
price of the product, competitor actions,
consumer incomes, success of businesses’
marketing and seasonal factors. Candidates
should be aware of the benefits and drawbacks
of types of segmentation. Candidates should be
able to calculate market size, growth and share.
Raising Finance
Sources of finance should
include: ordinary share capital,
loan capital (bank loans,
overdrafts only), venture capital
and personal sources.
Candidates should be aware of
the advantages and
disadvantages of these in
specific contexts.
sources of finance available to
start businesses.
Financial Planning
Assessing Business Start-Ups
Setting Budgets
Using Break-Even Analysis to Make Decisions
Calculating Costs, Revenues & Profits
Candidates should
understand the
relationships between cost,
price, revenue and profits.