Business
Students will study of the management of resources and the provision of goods and services, as well as the complexities of operating enterprises at the local, national, and global levels. They investigate ethical practices, including social responsibility and sustainability enabling them to engage with the world as responsible citizens and businesspeople. Students develop their knowledge and understanding of business structures. They develop an understanding of the principles and methods of marketing and advertising as central to business activity. Students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to make business plans for specific contexts and markets. They develop an understanding of business leadership principles, and the ethical and regulatory contexts in which leadership occurs.
Students will study of the management of resources and the provision of goods and services, as well as the complexities of operating enterprises at the local, national, and global levels. They investigate ethical practices, including social responsibility and sustainability enabling them to engage with the world as responsible citizens and businesspeople. Students develop their knowledge and understanding of business structures. They develop an understanding of the principles and methods of marketing and advertising as central to business activity. Students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to make business plans for specific contexts and markets. They develop an understanding of business leadership principles, and the ethical and regulatory contexts in which leadership occurs.
Overall, they develop the capacity to make informed business decisions for a range of business environments. Students develop the skills to think critically to create solutions to business problems individually and collaboratively. They will research, analyse, and synthesise information to justify their position with persuasive, logical and coherent arguments. They will consider ethical, sustainable, and financial factors from local, national, and global perspectives.
The study of Business enables students to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance the well-being of all citizens locally, nationally, and globally. Business courses provide a continuity with many pathways into tertiary and industry studies, as well as a wide range of occupations and industries.
The Business course is written under the BSSS COMMERCE Framework
Achievement Standards for COMMERCE courses can be found within the Framework.
Commerce is the study of the exchange of goods and services between stakeholders, as well as the management of resources and provision of services locally, nationally and globally. Students explore the actions of stakeholders within the market and how and why that conduct is regulated. They study and interpret various commerce ideologies and their use and the impact they have on stakeholders Students understand how people individually and collectively can act to, create wealth, plan for sustainability, alleviate poverty and insist upon ethical practices.
Students develop their knowledge and understanding of the structure and operation of commerce models. They examine the relationship between theory and practice including the role of stakeholders and decision-making. Students develop insights into the impact of change on the commerce environment and how that might be planned for and managed. Courses written under this framework examine representations and interpretations of commerce issues.
Students develop the skills to create innovative solutions to commerce problems. They apply theories to case studies to understand and compare alternate solutions to problems, or where appropriate, students deduce theories from case studies. They research and analyse information to present logical and coherent arguments through an inquiry approach to learning. Students generate, analyse, represent and interpret data to inform decisions making and problem solving. Students assess the ethical implications and consequences of a changing commercial environment. Skills implicit in the study of commerce empower students to communicate in a variety of contexts and collaborate with others to reach their goals.
The study of commerce enables learners to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance the advancement of all citizens locally, nationally and globally by understanding how to combat poverty and generate wealth. They understand how sustainability issues, and the ethical conduct of the commerce activities that permeate people’s lives, are vital parts of planning for the future in commerce. Students become able to actively participate in the political, social and economic discussions about the allocation of resources, the distribution of wealth, and the regulation of contemporary commerce activity from an informed and critical perspective.
Commerce courses provide continuity with many pathways into work and tertiary studies. These key skills will allow students access to the entrepreneurial world that creates wealth and sustains lives.
Business Opportunities
In this unit, students investigate the nature of businesses formed in response to economic, social, regulatory, local, national, and global contexts. They critically analyse business responses to the opportunities and challenges offered by the contemporary world, including a social enterprise, a First Nations Australian enterprise and an enterprise operating in the Asia-Pacific region. Students develop skills in communication and planning to support collaborative problem solving and project work. They refine their capacity to analyse numerical data that supports business decisions. In proposing solutions and conclusions, students consider ethical and sustainability factors and issues.
Business Marketing
In this unit, students investigate the principles, theories, and ethics of marketing. They critically analyse case studies of marketing campaigns, including social enterprise marketing. Students develop skills in digital and social media to support the creation of marketing campaigns and business solutions derived from principles and theories. Students refine their creativity, teamwork, and communication skills in the collaborative analysis of marketing problems and creation of marketing solutions. They refine skills in statistics that will support the analysis of marketing processes and product formulation.
Leading a Business
In this unit, students investigate the principles and theories related to leadership, and managing people, operations, and change. They critically analyse case studies of business leadership from contemporary local, national, and global businesses. Students evaluate contemporary management practices considering emerging challenges and opportunities, and in the context of intercultural, ethical, and regulatory requirements. They refine critical thinking and mathematical skills needed to undertake budgeting and financial analyses of enterprises and propose viable solutions. Students refine teamwork, creativity, and communication skills to create solutions to problems in leading a business.
Business Finance and Planning
In this unit, students investigate the principles and theories of business finance and planning. They investigate concepts and methodologies of finance and entrepreneurship that underpin business planning, including procurement. Students critically analyse case studies of business finance and planning in small, medium, and large businesses. They evaluate financial practices for different types of business organisations, including social enterprises. Students evaluate business finance practices and case studies using ethical and sustainability perspectives and considering the regulatory environment. They refine their mathematical skills necessary to use financial data and business statistics in making plans and recommendations.
Independent Study
An Independent Study unit has an important place in senior secondary courses. It is a valuable pedagogical approach that empowers students to make decisions about their own learning. An Independent Study unit can be proposed by an individual student for their own independent study and negotiated with their teacher. The program of learning for an Independent Study unit must meet the unit goals and content descriptions as they appear in the course.
Independent Study units are only available to individual students in Year 12. A student can only study a maximum of one Independent Study unit in each course. Students must have studied at least three standard 1.0 units from this course. An Independent Study unit requires the principal’s written approval. Principal approval can also be sought by a student in Year 12 to enrol concurrently in an Independent Study unit and their third or fourth 1.0 unit in this course of study.
