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11–12Business Studies 11–12 Syllabus (2026)

Record of changes
Implementation from 2028
Expand for detailed implementation advice
OverviewRationaleAimOutcomesContentAssessmentGlossaryTeaching and learning support

Content

Year 11

Managing a business
Role of management

  • Roles of top, middle and first-line managers

  • Functions of management, including planning, organising, leading and controlling

  • Importance of leadership for employee engagement, corporate culture, change readiness and conflict resolution

  • Use of autocratic and democratic leadership styles based on the business situation

Managing business growth and decline

  • Stages of the business life cycle

  • Challenges in the establishment, growth and maturity stages of the business life cycle

  • Importance of research and development for business growth and renewal

  • Reasons for business decline and failure

  • Voluntary exit strategies, including business acquisition and voluntary business closure

  • Features of involuntary cessation, including insolvency, bankruptcy, voluntary administration and liquidation

Cash flow statements

  • Role of a cash flow statement and cash flow forecast

  • Difference between cash flow and profit

  • Components of a cash flow statement and cash flow forecast, including opening balance, inflows, outflows, net cash flow (inflows-outflows) and closing balance (opening balance+net cash flow)
Income statements

  • Role of an income statement

  • Components of an income statement, including revenue, opening inventory, purchases, closing inventory, cost of goods sold (COGS) (opening inventory+purchases-closing inventory), gross profit (revenue-COGS), expenses and net profit (gross profit-expenses)
Balance sheets

  • Role of a balance sheet

  • Components of a balance sheet, including current assets, non-current assets, current liabilities, non-current liabilities and owner’s equity

  • The accounting equation (assets=liabilities+equity)

  • Types of current assets, including cash, accounts receivable and inventory

  • Types of non-current assets, including equipment and property

  • Types of current liabilities, including accounts payable, overdraft, credit card and current portion of long-term debt (CPLTD)

  • Types of non-current liabilities, including mortgages and bank loans

  • Types of equity, including share capital and retained profit

  • Distinction between retained profit, net profit and cash

Business strategy

  • Purpose of business strategy and competitive advantage

  • Ways to achieve the business strategies of cost leadership, differentiation, focus and growth

  • Influence of business strategy on key business functions

  • Importance of alignment across key business functions

Influences on business management

  • External influences, including political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental, ethical and competitive influences

  • Internal influences, including resources and capabilities

  • Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis to examine the external and internal environment and develop business strategy

Monitoring and controlling

  • Interpret key business metrics, including revenue, expenses, profit, net cash flow and market share

  • Compare business metrics to past performance, targets and industry benchmarks

  • Corrective action based on business performance

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