Business Studies:Single

Course summary

The main aim of the Department of Business and Economics is to maximise the wide educational benefit to be gained from a knowledge and appreciation of the two subjects. A knowledge of Economics and/or Business aids the understanding of the environment in which organisations operate, including the natural, social, political and economic environment. Economics, Management and Business courses continue to be popular amongst Birkdale leavers and an A level in either Economics or Business constitutes excellent preparation for such courses. Indeed, even if students are not expecting to read these subjects at university most will become managers of some sort in their professional environment. The department is very active on the extra-curricular front. Birkdale School is a Young Enterprise Centre of Excellence and we are successful in a range of local and national competitions, including the Bank of England’s Target 2.0 competition and the ICAEW’s BASE competition. In addition, the department produces its in-house magazine, the Sleeping Dragon. The department organises a variety of day and residential visits, including an annual trip to London to visit the Bank of England, Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament. A three-yearly trip to China and Hong Kong is also offered, in conjunction with the Modern Foreign Languages Department. The Business course focuses on the objectives and different functions of business, e.g. marketing, accounting and finance, operations and human resources, along with the challenges facing business from the wider competitive environment. Those who study Business will inevitably meet some areas of Economics because all businesses are affected by what happens in our economy. You will be introduced to the challenges and issues of starting a business, including financial planning. The key internal functions of businesses are then explored along with how the management of these functions can assist in improving the effectiveness and performance of a business. Finally, you will examine business strategy and how businesses might best respond to change in today’s fast-moving commercial environment, both domestically and internationally.