Studying Business Studies will give students a well-developed understanding of a broad range of business topics. Most organisations have some business aspect to them. The business world is all around us and most students will have a career either working for a business or running their own. Studying Business will equip young people with the skills required to be a future leader and will give them an insight into the decisions a manager must make. The use of case studies throughout the course, encourages students to put the theory into real life scenarios, developing their viewpoints and business knowledge. In June 2023, 41,254 students took Business Studies at A-level making it the 7 th most popular subject choice nationally (JCQ). The study of business will help you to understand how firms operate and the impact the external environment has on business activity. Students focus on the dynamic nature of the contemporary business world developing subject knowledge, analytical and evaluative skills beneficial to many career paths. A level Business looks at the more traditional areas of marketing and production, but also at human resources and how to find, train and retain employees. Financial data is analysed and used in decision making and students learn to analyse company accounts to calculate profit figures. Year 1 focuses on the innerworkings of a business and how the activities of the business maybe improved. In year 2 we think about strategic direction and positioning - how businesses decide whether an investment is worth pursuing or how they choose which direction to follow including globalisation, innovation, and how to gain a competitive advantage. Business Studies also encompasses elements of Economics when we look at the impact of the economy on business through inflation, GDP, exchange rates, unemployment and government policies such as protectionism.