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HSC Stuff => HSC Humanities Stuff => HSC Subjects + Help => HSC Business Studies => Topic started by: isaacdelatorre on October 26, 2016, 08:43:51 pm

Title: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 26, 2016, 08:43:51 pm
HSC BUSINESS STUDIES Q&A THREAD

To go straight to posts from 2018, click here.

What is this thread for?
If you have general questions about the HSC Business Studies course or how to improve in certain areas, this is the place to ask! 👌


Who can/will answer questions?
Everyone is welcome to contribute; even if you're unsure of yourself, providing different perspectives is incredibly valuable.

Please don't be dissuaded by the fact that you haven't finished Year 12, or didn't score as highly as others, or your advice contradicts something else you've seen on this thread, or whatever; none of this disqualifies you from helping others. And if you're worried you do have some sort of misconception, put it out there and someone else can clarify and modify your understanding! 

There'll be a whole bunch of other high-scoring students with their own wealths of wisdom to share with you. So you may even get multiple answers from different people offering their insights - very cool.


To ask a question or make a post, you will first need an ATAR Notes account. You probably already have one, but if you don't, it takes about four seconds to sign up - and completely free!

OTHER BUSINESS STUDIES RESOURCES

Original post.
I didn't realise what thread we were posting in, nor that there wasn't a question thread.

Hi everyone,

Could someone explain to me what a Modern Award is?

Thanks.

Hey Rikahs,
A modern award is a legally binding document containing minimum terms and conditions of employment for an industry. It is a kind of employment contracted that acts in addition to the 10 National Employment Standards - i.e. giving more rights and entitlements to employees.

They are the most basic kind of employment contract created by the Fair Work Commission which apply to all businesses within an industry e.g. fast food industry award or educational services (teachers) award. If an individual business wants to make their own employment contract between them and their employees through an enterprise agreement, it must be approved by the Fair Work Commission and pass the Better Off Overall Test, in that the proposed agreements surpasses the minimum terms of the award. Thus, modern awards are seen to underpin the creation of other employment contracts.

Hope this helps!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 26, 2016, 09:00:57 pm
Can someone break down the mathematical aspects of FIFO and LIFO --> eg how to calculate inventory if they are given a scenario ( sorry i dont have an example to give )

I understand the definitions of each and how it works i guess, i just dont understand the maths behind it

Thanks

Hey Deng,

Tell me if this makes more sense to you!

Month 1:
We buy 1000 of Product X at $100 each

Month 2: inflation occurs so prices increase
We purchase another 1000 of Product X but at $110 each

Month 3: inflation occurs again so prices increase
We purchase 1000 of Product X for $120 each

At the end of the financial year, we have sold all 3000 of Product X for $200 each (to make a profit) giving us $600,000 revenue

Using LIFO

Calculating Gross Profit using LIFO principle:
600,000 - 3000 x 120 = 240,000

Using FIFO

Calculating Gross Profit using FIFO principle:
600,000 - 3000 x 100 = 300,000

Therefore, you can see that what LIFO is used, it can overstate COGS and understate profits leading to less tax being paid; hence it is illegal to use as a valuation method

Does this clear things up?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 26, 2016, 09:06:25 pm
Yeah it does, i had an example a while back which my teacher said was correct but i didnt particularly understand and its different to yours which confused me

You buy 5000 books for 20
Sell 2000 for 50
Bought 2500 for 22
Sold 4000 for 55
Purchased 2000 for 25
Sold 3000 for 28

( total sales is 9000 sold )

Under FIFO
5000*20 =100000
2500*22 = 55000
(9000 - 5000 -2500) * 25 = 37500
COGS = 100 000 + 55 000 + 37500 + 192 5000

LIFO would work in the scenario
2000 * 25 =50,000
2500 * 22 = 55,000
(9k-2k-2,5k) * 20 = 90 000
COGS = 50 000 + 55 000 + 90 000 + 195 000

I didnt get why the prices was always changed but i understand how the COGS is lower and that affects profit
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 26, 2016, 10:26:38 pm
If an essay question says evaluate the effectiveness of finance/ops/hr/marketing strats( or one of the others) what would our criteria be?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 26, 2016, 10:32:48 pm
If an essay question says evaluate the effectiveness of finance/ops/hr/marketing strats( or one of the others) what would our criteria be?

Hey Deng,

Normally the criteria you would use are their objectives e.g. finance - profitability, liquidity, efficiency, growth, solvency
There are criteria for all the topics within the syllabus and you can also use whatever criteria, as long as it addresses the question. You could say it improves business performance, ensures viability, increases market share, satisfies stakeholders; as long as you back it up with a case study.

Hope this helps :D

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: itsAnuu on October 26, 2016, 10:40:00 pm
isaac mate you're state ranking that's for sure
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 26, 2016, 11:04:39 pm
Isaac how do you seem to know everything in so much detail? Its so hard to remember everything omg..

Also, can someone please explain to me the ethical part of marketing (influences) and price discrimination for the consumer laws?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: aimbotted on October 26, 2016, 11:11:55 pm
Isaac how do you seem to know everything in so much detail? Its so hard to remember everything omg..

Also, can someone please explain to me the ethical part of marketing (influences) and price discrimination for the consumer laws?

it baffles me how someone can know so much
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: itsAnuu on October 26, 2016, 11:13:25 pm
Isaac how do you seem to know everything in so much detail? Its so hard to remember everything omg..

Also, can someone please explain to me the ethical part of marketing (influences) and price discrimination for the consumer laws?

Price discrimination refers to selling a product at different prices, i.e. giving preference to some customers  by providing them with products at lower prices than offered to others. This is illegal as these consumers are discriminated against by having to pay higher prices for an identical product. This is administered by the ACCC, being illegal, which makes it a consumer law.

Ethics on the other hand are a set of moral rules that govern a business's behaviour, however they are not LEGAL but are frowned upon by society if breached.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: keithsimpson on October 27, 2016, 12:10:35 am
Hey I was wondering if you could help me with some points i'm struggling with :)

-balance between cost and quality in operations strategy
-government policies that affect operations
-how globalisation has affected marketing management
-influence of government and global market on financial management
-conflicts between short and long term financial objectives
-influence of gov on determining employment contracts
-advantages of a diverse, culturally competent workforce
-process of negotiating enterprise agreements v individual contracts

thanks so much :) :) :) sorry for so many questions!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Rikahs on October 27, 2016, 01:04:33 am
Could someone explain greenfield enterprise agreements?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: scarydeath25 on October 27, 2016, 01:09:34 am
Can someone please explain Performance management as a human resource strategy, its confusing.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arsh.rampal on October 27, 2016, 01:34:55 am
Could someone explain greenfield enterprise agreements?

Hi Rikahs,

I'm not sure if it's something that is REALLY important, but in simple terms, a Greenfield enterprise agreement (can be single or multi enterprise agreement) is essentially just an agreement that is made between a relevant union and an employer (must be a genuine NEW enterprise/ business) that does not yet have employees (ie a new business may decide to establish an agreement before it goes upon hiring people).

The benefit of this for the employer is that:
- they do not require approval from any employees
- do not need to negotiate terms with any employees

Hope that somewhat answers your question! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arsh.rampal on October 27, 2016, 01:43:14 am
Can someone please explain Performance management as a human resource strategy, its confusing.

Hi there,

Performance management can be defined as the systematic process of evaluating and managing employee performance in order to achieve the best outcome for the business by evaluating individual performance and using that to develop an individual.

This can help a business in two ways:

1. Developmental:
This is a model focused on using data to develop individual skills and abilities and helps employees improve their effectiveness in roles, overcome weaknesses and essentially become prepared for promotion :)

2. Administrative:
Provide information which can be used by management for planning in HR
functions like training, development, rewards benefits.

Overall, it is beneficial for a business as it assists with HR planning, in addition to plan to overcome gaps or weaknesses in performance, evaluate rewards and benefits program and finally identify training and development needs.

For an individual, this can also be beneficial as it helps assess rewards and benefits linked to performance, identifies strengths and weaknesses and their initiative is recognised/rewarded!

Hope that somewhat answers your question! Let me know if you need more help! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: deni_renee on October 27, 2016, 08:41:40 am
Hi! Could someone please help me? I don't know how the critical path works! I keep getting different answers along the lines of "it's the shortest path" or "the longest path"... Someone even started a poll on Facebook, and it seems almost 50/50!

I would upload the photo of an example, but it won't let me unless it's in another format...
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 09:23:54 am
Hi! Could someone please help me? I don't know how the critical path works! I keep getting different answers along the lines of "it's the shortest path" or "the longest path"... Someone even started a poll on Facebook, and it seems almost 50/50!

I would upload the photo of an example, but it won't let me unless it's in another format...

Hey there,

A critical path analysis is a scheduling tool that allows the business to see how long tasks will take. Thus, it shows the shortest amount of time for ALL tasks to be done. This is because some tasks can be done simultaneously, hence why there are different branches.

This is confusing because to calculate the critical path, you look for the longest path. This is because the longest path will ensure that all tasks are completed. However, this is in fact the shortest time that the project will take, as it does not account for any unexpected situations or delays. Note that if one task is delayed then the whole project is not necessarily delayed; just that specific task. When calculating the new CPA, you don't add the delay to the overall time, just that specific task. In some cases, it does not change the CPA (question 14 and 15 in 2015 HSC)

Hope this helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 27, 2016, 10:27:35 am
Can someone please help me with this question? and explain to me why the answer is D.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zachary99 on October 27, 2016, 10:57:32 am
option A- by looking at country B, star cars market share was the same, but the amount of sales increase, meaning the total car market increased. Therefore it is not this answer.

option B- in 2010 star cars has 10% markets share and 10 mill cars. therefore there is 100 mill cars overall. in 2011, they have 12 mill cars and 12% market share, therefore there is still 100 mill cars overall. Therefore the total car market stayed the same, it did not increase.

option c - in 2010 Star markets market share for country B was at 10% at 10 mill, therefore there was 100 mill cars overall. In 2011, 10% = 12mill cars. Therefore there is now 120 mill cars in the total market share. This increased, therefore it is incorrect

option D - the market share obviously decreased from 10% to 6%. in 2010 10 mill =10%, therefore there was 100 mill cars in the total market. in 2011, 8 mill = 6% ..........therefore total car market = (100/6) x 8 =133.33 million cars in the total car market.  Therefore the total car market increased. Therefore this is the correct answer. This would've tricked a lot of candidates. 8)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Elenaa on October 27, 2016, 11:10:18 am
Hey!
I was just wondering what does it mean if a loan is secured over its assets/property and is guaranteed against title, like for a mortgage its secured by the property of the borrower?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 11:13:31 am
Hey!
I was just wondering what does it mean if a loan is secured over its assets/property and is guaranteed against title, like for a mortgage its secured by the property of the borrower?

Hi Elena,
If a loan is secured over its assets/property etc, it means that if the business is unable to repay the loan; whatever is used as collateral (property, capital) is now the property of whoever is owed money. This is because it has a monetary value and can be sold to repay part of what is owed.

I.e. with a mortgage, the bank owns the house until you repay the whole debt and interest. If you forfeit on your loans then the bank will usually sell the house and take whatever is left of the debt and give you the rest. Thus, there is an asset as security and is much safer, hence a lower rate of interest than an unsecured loan/note.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Elenaa on October 27, 2016, 11:23:34 am
Hi Elena,
If a loan is secured over its assets/property etc, it means that if the business is unable to repay the loan; whatever is used as collateral (property, capital) is now the property of whoever is owed money. This is because it has a monetary value and can be sold to repay part of what is owed.

I.e. with a mortgage, the bank owns the house until you repay the whole debt and interest. If you forfeit on your loans then the bank will usually sell the house and take whatever is left of the debt and give you the rest. Thus, there is an asset as security and is much safer, hence a lower rate of interest than an unsecured loan/note.

Hope this helps :)

Thanks so much !  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 27, 2016, 11:45:50 am
option A- by looking at country B, star cars market share was the same, but the amount of sales increase, meaning the total car market increased. Therefore it is not this answer.

option B- in 2010 star cars has 10% markets share and 10 mill cars. therefore there is 100 mill cars overall. in 2011, they have 12 mill cars and 12% market share, therefore there is still 100 mill cars overall. Therefore the total car market stayed the same, it did not increase.

option c - in 2010 Star markets market share for country B was at 10% at 10 mill, therefore there was 100 mill cars overall. In 2011, 10% = 12mill cars. Therefore there is now 120 mill cars in the total market share. This increased, therefore it is incorrect

option D - the market share obviously decreased from 10% to 6%. in 2010 10 mill =10%, therefore there was 100 mill cars in the total market. in 2011, 8 mill = 6% ..........therefore total car market = (100/6) x 8 =133.33 million cars in the total car market.  Therefore the total car market increased. Therefore this is the correct answer. This would've tricked a lot of candidates. 8)

Wow thank you so much!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 12:21:27 pm
Just wondering would we be required to know the freeze model ? ( kurt lewin )
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 12:43:16 pm
Just wondering would we be required to know the freeze model ? ( kurt lewin )

Hey Deng,

I'm assuming you mean strategies for overcoming resistance to change. The syllabus requires us to know reasons against change, from this you can suggest whatever kind of strategy to minimise resistance. You can definitely use change models, the one I have is "Kotter's 8-step change model," I wouldn't know it too in depth but if you were going to use it in a report, you might want to outline the steps. If in an extended response, use a real life or hypothetical case study that has used this model and the results.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zachary99 on October 27, 2016, 01:17:52 pm
Just wondering would we be required to know the freeze model ? ( kurt lewin )


not required......probs wont need it, i guess you never know but haha so it doesnt hurt knowing it
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Veryben on October 27, 2016, 01:48:04 pm
Hey guys, just gathering personal opinions. As there is likely to be multiple 4-6 mark questions tomorrow and they give us a measly 8-12 lines to write on, will you:
A -Generally write down as much quality knowledge as you can regarding the question and continue writing on extra writing paper.
Or B- Find its better to essentially answer the question on the recommended lines and keep your answer rather 'short and sweet' even though you know you can write heaps more?
I had this issue yesterday in pdhpe and I feel it will reoccur again tomorrow and I'm curious to see what you's all think.
Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 01:58:20 pm
Hey guys, just gathering personal opinions. As there is likely to be multiple 4-6 mark questions tomorrow and they give us a measly 8-12 lines to write on, will you:
A -Generally write down as much quality knowledge as you can regarding the question and continue writing on extra writing paper.
Or B- Find its better to essentially answer the question on the recommended lines and keep your answer rather 'short and sweet' even though you know you can write heaps more?
I had this issue yesterday in pdhpe and I feel it will reoccur again tomorrow and I'm curious to see what you's all think.
Thanks!

For me personally it comes down to time, if i have more time ill definitely write as much as i can without going overkill ( so like double the amount given ), if not ill try to fill in the lines with the most direct answer i can give
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zachary99 on October 27, 2016, 03:41:09 pm
for the 4 markers i like to keep it short and sweet, really concise answers. so i usually just write an extra line than provided or whatever.
5-6 markers i usually go all out haha, although i only do this because i usually blast through the multiple choice which gives me that little bit of extra time.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kevin217 on October 27, 2016, 03:45:04 pm
Hey guys, just gathering personal opinions. As there is likely to be multiple 4-6 mark questions tomorrow and they give us a measly 8-12 lines to write on, will you:
A -Generally write down as much quality knowledge as you can regarding the question and continue writing on extra writing paper.
Or B- Find its better to essentially answer the question on the recommended lines and keep your answer rather 'short and sweet' even though you know you can write heaps more?
I had this issue yesterday in pdhpe and I feel it will reoccur again tomorrow and I'm curious to see what you's all think.
Thanks!
Haha I'm the person that does A. But it's up to you. If you want to get maximum marks for short answers you might want to take your time. I only got 33/40 for SA which is really annoying however, I was able to get 90%+ for the other sections.                                                                                     
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Rikahs on October 27, 2016, 04:32:21 pm
On a scale of 1 - 10, how prepared is everyone for business?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 04:53:03 pm
On a scale of 1 - 10, how prepared is everyone for business?
2.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 05:13:55 pm
Hey guys, just gathering personal opinions. As there is likely to be multiple 4-6 mark questions tomorrow and they give us a measly 8-12 lines to write on, will you:
A -Generally write down as much quality knowledge as you can regarding the question and continue writing on extra writing paper.
Or B- Find its better to essentially answer the question on the recommended lines and keep your answer rather 'short and sweet' even though you know you can write heaps more?
I had this issue yesterday in pdhpe and I feel it will reoccur again tomorrow and I'm curious to see what you's all think.
Thanks!

Hey,

The exam is set out so that you will have adequate writing space to answer the question (taking into account larger writing and mistakes). The number of lines and the mark allocation, indicates how much and in what depth you write. There is no point writing all you know on a topic, you run the risk of losing clarity and confusing the marker.

You cannot get more than the allocated marks, so my advice is to just give a tiny bit more information than necessary; this is for a few reasons, sometimes a marker might be deciding on whether you get the full marks or not, you just need that bit extra to push you over the edge. As well as this, the short answer section is marked positively, meaning that if one of your points is incorrect, you don't lose marks if you have the correct answer later on. I.e. if you identify 4 limitations instead of 2 and 2 of yours are incorrect, you won't be penalised.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zachary99 on October 27, 2016, 05:46:56 pm
On a scale of 1 - 10, how prepared is everyone for business?


8-9
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: itsAnuu on October 27, 2016, 06:24:18 pm
What is the difference between hedging and derivatives? I have everything in the syllabus under control except this confusing thing.. Pls detailed and examples of each :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 06:48:38 pm
There is natural hedging and financial instrument hedging
Hedging is essentially the process of minimising the risk of currency fluctuations

In regards to derivatives, derivatives are used by businesses to hedge as derivatives by definition are tools that help minimise the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. There are 3 types within the textbook ( Business Studies in Action ), forward contracts, options and swap contracts.
A forward option is when you agree to purchase a currency at a future time at a predetermined price 
Options contract is when you have the right but not obligation to purchase to buy or sell foreign currency e.g Qantas in 2013 had hedged its oil needs through the form of options, and since oil is volatile in price ( fluctuates ), they can take advantage if the price is lower than their option contract
A swap contract is used in the spot market is basically a currency swap, so one business will buy their own currency and another business will buy their own currency and then swap it

Hope i helped
What is the difference between hedging and derivatives? I have everything in the syllabus under control except this confusing thing.. Pls detailed and examples of each :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 27, 2016, 06:51:37 pm
What is the difference between social responsibility and environmental sustainability? (Operations)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arsh.rampal on October 27, 2016, 06:53:02 pm
What is the difference between hedging and derivatives? I have everything in the syllabus under control except this confusing thing.. Pls detailed and examples of each :)

Hey,

Hedging helps reduce the level of uncertainty by minimising the risk of currency fluctuations as exchange rates during spot transactions, also known as spot exchange rates may not always be the best rate.

One method/ example of hedging is natural hedging in which businesses establish offshore subsidiaries. These allow for the business to arrange for import/export payments/receipts in the same foreign currency, but mainly insisting that  both import and export contracts are denominated in Australian dollars.

Derivatives on the other hand are financial instruments that are used to lessen exporting risks again brought about by currency fluctuations. Hence, they are basically hedging but through financial products. Three main examples of derivatives:

- Forward Exchange Contract:
Contracts to exchange currency at agreed future date at an agreed rate. A bank guarantees this exporter within the set time, and also sets a fixed rate of change for the money generated from the sale of exported goods.

- Options Contract:
These give the buyer the right, but not the obligation to, to buy or sell foreign currency at some time in the future at an agreed price. The options holder is protected from unfavourable exchange rate fluctuations but is allowed to 'gain' should exchange rate movement be favourable for them.

- Swap Contract:
This is an agreement to exchange currency in the spot market with agreement to reverse transaction later. This is mainly used when businesses need to raise finance in currency issued by another country in which they are not well known and are forced to pay higher interest rate than other locals.


Hope that helps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arsh.rampal on October 27, 2016, 06:57:04 pm
What is the difference between social responsibility and environmental sustainability? (Operations)

Simply put, environmental sustainability, or acting in an environmental friendly way falls within the broader idea of social responsibility which also deals with the management of social, political and human consequences of actions!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 07:23:19 pm
What is the difference between hedging and derivatives? I have everything in the syllabus under control except this confusing thing.. Pls detailed and examples of each :)


Hey there,
The others have already explained the difference, but here's my two cents on the topic.

Hedging is any action a business does to minimise fluctuations in the exchange rate. A business will usually want to do this as it could significantly increase costs if the exchange rate depreciated and we wanted to buy goods from another country.

A business can do this through natural hedging - i.e. within the business' control:
Natural hedging strategies normally surround the idea of having everything done in one currency so that the exchange rate doesn't affect the business - it may affect other firms that you are trading with though.

I.e. if you have everything done in USD, you buy $100 USD worth of goods, you will only pay that much; regardless of what the exchange is; same as if you are owed $100 USD, you will only receive $100USD even if the AUD is worth more.

Derivatives are a financial instrument that can be used to minimise the effects of exchange rate fluctuations. They are a form of hedging that a business can purchase. The types have already been explained.

Hope this helps!! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 07:50:24 pm
Hey can someone help break this down for me

Right now ethical issue i got is environment , would the legal issue be production methods and outdated tech?
Would conflict resolution - grievance procedure/other forms of ADR be correct in satisfying the employee and employers conflict ( also bring in pay since there is over pay and plan to outsource )

And how would i answer the last bit ?
Would i take about increasing environmental conscience of the community and how the business' lack of regard for environment can damage their reputation and consequently sales ?

Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 08:27:55 pm
Hey can someone help break this down for me

Right now ethical issue i got is environment , would the legal issue be production methods and outdated tech?
Would conflict resolution - grievance procedure/other forms of ADR be correct in satisfying the employee and employers conflict ( also bring in pay since there is over pay and plan to outsource )

And how would i answer the last bit ?
Would i take about increasing environmental conscience of the community and how the business' lack of regard for environment can damage their reputation and consequently sales ?

Thanks

Hey Deng,

For this business - the main issue here is that they are considering relocating to a country with lower labour costs. This is your main ethical issue as well as legal. As people in the local community would lose jobs and view the business negatively; also people here would see Turbo's business as exploiting outsourced workers because labour costs are lower.

The main legal issues are labour laws and how turbo would be taking advantage of lower costs in another country. As well as environmental compliance - might be breaching some regulations surrounding ecologically sustainable development.

Make sure you are only recommending one strategy as this is what the question asks. But any of the workplace dispute resolution strategies can be used to satisfy the competing interests of employers and employees. Make sure you justify it though.

The last one, state the importance of environmental sustainability. Why is it good for the business to do that. What is the impact on sales, position, reputation, expenses - why is it important that they care about the environment? and also include the effects of ignoring it

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: itsAnuu on October 27, 2016, 08:39:09 pm
Isaac how many case studies are you doing for the essay tmrw? I did 1 in trial and got 20/20, but scared if I only use 1 tmrw and dont end up with 18+
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 08:47:22 pm
Isaac how many case studies are you doing for the essay tmrw? I did 1 in trial and got 20/20, but scared if I only use 1 tmrw and dont end up with 18+

When you say you used 1? Do you mean you just talked about once business? or you only referred to it once?

To be perfectly honest with all of you, I have not memorised any, as I feel like I can make some up on the spot that would better suit whatever the question is. As a case study might not perfectly fit a curveball question. Although in my previous exams, I had trouble making up names of businesses that sounded legitimate. So I made a list of businesses that sound real ahaha. I have read some case studies in my last minute cramming just to see what kind of integration would be necessary. What is your case study anuu?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 27, 2016, 08:54:10 pm
I don't understand price points, can someone please help
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 27, 2016, 08:56:24 pm
I don't understand price points, can someone please help

Price points is a pricing strategy that can be used by businesses to price their products and target a larget market. For example, a small coffee can cost 2$, a medium can cost 4$ and large 6$, this way, the business is able to target a larger market since not everyone would want a large coffee or a small coffee.
May not be the best explanation but hopefully you understand from this
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: itsAnuu on October 27, 2016, 08:59:17 pm
To be perfectly honest with all of you, I have not memorised any, as I feel like I can make some up on the spot that would better suit whatever the question is. As a case study might not perfectly fit a curveball question. Although in my previous exams, I had trouble making up names of businesses that sounded legitimate. So I made a list of businesses that sound real ahaha. I have read some case studies in my last minute cramming just to see what kind of integration would be necessary. What is your case study anuu?

I referred to the 1 business a lot, each paragraph, around 1/3 of it was case study and the rest was theory. And hahahah im just like you man, I make up everything, nobody has time to remember extra content -.-. In trial I bs'ed about a LEGIT airline company (Air Newzealand) and my teacher thought it was amazing, and i told her it was all bs and she was like wow no way, you made it sound so believable xDD
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 27, 2016, 09:32:02 pm
I don't understand price points, can someone please help

Hi there,
On the other thread, this question was asked, and here are the answers that some of our fellow business students came up with.
Hope this clears things up, let us know if you are still confused!!

Price points is a pricing strategy were products are set at predetermined prices. This strategy is typically used in retail stores, an example being Target selling most of their T-shirts are for $15. Although the T-Shirts might have cost Target prices ranging from $5-9, the T-Shirts are still listed at $15 therefore different products have different profit margins. The benefits of this strategy is that it makes it easier for customers to find the product they want and according to "business studies in action", it enables the business to also encourage customers to "trade up" to more expensive models (or in Target's case, more expensive shirts).

Hope that cleared up some confusion.


adding on to this, a good example is buying coffee.
where you can buy a small $3 , medium $4 or large $5. It offers a range of similar products that still caters for different customers (those who want a little bit of coffee and those who want lots of coffee) :)

Just my two cents to the price points strategy which i have a bit of a hard time conceptualising as well, zachary's example on price points is how i think of price points as well. Adding to it using price points is an effective pricing strategy because it stimulates demand for a variety of 'target markets' which you can link back to factors affecting consumer choice - social class. Furthermore, by using price points in a competitive market gives consumers more choice in their decision making which can provide them a competitive advantage leading to increased profits ( this might be a stretch )

Just wanted to have a go explaining to try consolidate my own knowledge on it, hope i provided more information rather than repeating what Zachary and Rikahs said
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fizzy.123 on October 28, 2016, 02:06:44 am
Hi there,
On the other thread, this question was asked, and here are the answers that some of our fellow business students came up with.
Hope this clears things up, let us know if you are still confused!!

Thanks! Also, is a high accounts receivable turnover ration good or bad?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 28, 2016, 07:16:19 am
Thanks! Also, is a high accounts receivable turnover ration good or bad?

Hi,

A high accounts receivable turnover ratio is generally considered bad. Since it is a measure of how efficient you are at collecting money owed to you, a high number means that it takes you a long time to collect payments which could lead to cash flow and liquidity problems. Generally a number around 30 days is accepted (unless specified in the question). To improve the ratio, usually use discounts for early payment to encourage those owing money to pay earlier; or using a tighter credit policy to ensure that you don't sell goods to someone who won't be able to pay for them.

Good Luck!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Rikahs on October 28, 2016, 01:22:41 pm
Isaac did you state rank or nah?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Deng on October 28, 2016, 01:57:27 pm
Solutions to MC?
I got
D,D,C,C,C,D,D,A,,C, A,B,B,D,C,C,A,C,D,A,B
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jakesilove on October 28, 2016, 01:59:06 pm
Solutions to MC?
I got
D,D,C,C,C,D,D,A,,C, A,B,B,D,C,C,A,C,D,A,B

Come have a chat on our Answers discussion page for Business studies!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 28, 2016, 02:53:19 pm
Isaac did you state rank or nah?

Ahaha you can never be sure, I did the best I could do. I wasn't aiming for a state rank. Just hoping for the best. Don't worry guys, I'm not some business genius; I'm just another kid who can read a textbook ;)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on October 28, 2016, 10:58:13 pm
Ahaha you can never be sure, I did the best I could do. I wasn't aiming for a state rank. Just hoping for the best. Don't worry guys, I'm not some business genius; I'm just another kid who can read a textbook ;)

I was another kid who could read a Legal textbook; then I state ranked ;)

Really have my fingers crossed for your success Isaac, whatever form that takes. The modest people deserve it the most  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: CaitlinSavins on November 13, 2016, 12:27:29 pm
Hi, I've got a question that I have no clue how to approach:

Referring to an example, explain how decisions made in the operations function can affect each key business function.

How do I answer this???
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on November 13, 2016, 01:08:44 pm
Hi, I've got a question that I have no clue how to approach:

Referring to an example, explain how decisions made in the operations function can affect each key business function.

How do I answer this???

Hi Caitlin,

This question is essentially asking you about the interdependence between the key business functions. This can be approached using a case study/ies.

So pretty much you explain how anything operations does affects the other functions and back it up with an example.
E.g. Operations functions of business X decides to utilise leading edge technology in the manufacturing product Y. This affects finance who will have to adjust budgets due to the expenditure which may affect short term liquidity and reflect badly on financial reports but in long term can increase efficiency and reduce expenses; maximising profits. Can affect human resources who will be required to train staff to correctly use machinery - link to business. Affect marketing through ...

Something like that would suffice and the amount of marks it is worth would dictate how in depth you would have to go :)

Hope this helps, Good luck :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheCommando on November 13, 2016, 01:19:20 pm
Hi, I've got a question that I have no clue how to approach:

Referring to an example, explain how decisions made in the operations function can affect each key business function.

How do I answer this???
The business functions include  the HR, Operations, R&D and  Marketing functions.
With this questions it offers a range of flexibility in that there are many ways to answer this question.
All you have to do is talk about anything in the operations functions and how it can effect any of the business functions. And than refer it to a perhaps a case study you have learnt this year

For eg. You could talk about how how Fairfax's changes in it's core product offering (which relates to the operations function since the operations function is responsible for the transformation of inputs into outputs), which was a change from a printed product offering to an online news platform effected the human resource funtion. Which would be because of the job losses as a result of Fairfax closing down it's major printing facilities

Sample answer:  Operations refer to the transformation of inputs into outputs. It is responsible for the end product of a good or servce including it's quality, how it is proccessed. For Fairfax, due to recent changes in the operations function which saw Fairfax changing it main core product offering, it decided to to focus mainly on proving news to a more online consumer based platform rather than a printed newspaper product. As a result, this decision has resulted in some major changes.

It has directly effected the human rescources as this function will need to facilitate for this change. The human rescource function is responsible for the management of the relationship between the employee and employer. Due the change, Fairfax will need less workers and have had to close down major printing facilities as a result of this on-going restructure. The human rescource funtion will need to facilitate the transition of employees leaving the organisation. This would involve the human rescource manager (HRM) notifying employees of their redundacy. This can be done through one on one interviews on by a mass meeting of emplyees. The HRM may then offer for the payment and retraining of staff who have been made redundant in order to increase the chances of redundant staff to get a job elsewhere. This showing a commitment to ethical and socially responsible practises. The HRM will also have to update training programs, in order to move from the old core offering to the new core offering which requires different skills. The HRM may also need to train existing employees which can be done through an on the job process or via the employee seeking futher educational studies. The HRM may need to update new job vaccancies such as through job descritpions, specifications etc. to seek new employees with the neccessary skills to help fairfax achieve it's change in it's core servies, this would than involve the HRM having to recruit new employees, which can be done extrernally, as it is unlikley that current employees will have e neccessary skills to fullfill these jobs.

If it's not a 10mark question your answer doesnt have to be detailed as this. Even if it is, it doesnt have to be as long as this.  Also i know im in a different state but arent the exams already done? Mine was done on october 30th
Hope that helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on November 13, 2016, 01:31:07 pm
If it's not a 10mark question your answer doesnt have to be detailed as this. Even if it is, it doesnt have to be as long as this.  Also i know im in a different state but arent the exams already done? Mine was done on october 30th
Hope that helps

It's pretty likely that Caitlin is a student graduating next year, they start their content late 2016 ;D

Thanks for your answer though! ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: CaitlinSavins on November 13, 2016, 11:12:47 pm
Thank you thank you thank you for answering my question! However I have another one :[

Outline the notion of perishability with respect to services.

Argh I started writing then realised I was talking about goods, not services. How do I answer this?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: SSSS on November 19, 2016, 06:18:54 pm
Hey Guys! I have an assessment nearing where I have to write a report in class that can assess anything within operations. I know my syllabus and content. In my reports, the only bad thing is that sometimes I don't address the verb to the extent to get full marks. What should I do so I can recover this issue? Thanks guys  8)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on November 20, 2016, 01:03:51 am
Thank you thank you thank you for answering my question! However I have another one :[

Outline the notion of perishability with respect to services.

Argh I started writing then realised I was talking about goods, not services. How do I answer this?

Hey Caitlin,
Sorry I missed this; I was halfway through my answer and then forgot about it. Hopefully I'm not too late!!
Notice the directive term is outline which means to sketch in general terms so this wouldn't require an in depth explanation. This is quite an abstract question, however a few things come to mind.
Firstly how some services last only for a short time and need to repeated several times such as a haircut.
Also, services cannot be stored or saved and are consumed immediately by the customer thus the actual service itself perishes once it has been completed due to the short lead time.
You could also argue that the relevant resources, processes, and systems of a service are assigned for delivery during a definite period in time. E.g. an airline can only sell it's plane tickets prior to departure and thus is only available for a definite period of time as it becomes useless when the plane has left.

Hope this gives you some ideas, let me know if you need further elaboration but I will defs have a think about it :)

Good luck!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on November 20, 2016, 01:20:42 am
Hey Guys! I have an assessment nearing where I have to write a report in class that can assess anything within operations. I know my syllabus and content. In my reports, the only bad thing is that sometimes I don't address the verb to the extent to get full marks. What should I do so I can recover this issue? Thanks guys  8)

Hey SSS,
That's awesome that you know your syllabus and content, you're miles ahead of other students (including myself in your position last year!) Some pointers that could help you would definitely be to memorise and understand the BOSTES glossary of terms which can be found here. Make sure you know the difference between what an explain question and a recommend question as it is a very common mistake to not do what the question tells you and can mean a whole lot of marks lost.
Also ensure that you can answer all of the outcomes and learn to dot points for the operations part of the syllabus that apply to a business report  such as "recommend possible operations strategies for one hypothetical business"
If you are struggling to understand the requirements of each directive term such as explain, outline, assess, recommend - just take a look at previous hsc exam papers for sections 2, 3 and 4; and look at the answers of students who earned a band 6 for those questions here (this only has 2012 but most libraries have a copy of exam workbooks which contain band 6 answers to past hsc papers)

And lastly, practice as much as you can!! Feel free to post you responses here and I or someone else can mark it and give you feedback :)

Hope you smash it, good luck!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: SSSS on November 21, 2016, 06:07:56 pm
Hey SSS,
That's awesome that you know your syllabus and content, you're miles ahead of other students (including myself in your position last year!) Some pointers that could help you would definitely be to memorise and understand the BOSTES glossary of terms which can be found here. Make sure you know the difference between what an explain question and a recommend question as it is a very common mistake to not do what the question tells you and can mean a whole lot of marks lost.
Also ensure that you can answer all of the outcomes and learn to dot points for the operations part of the syllabus that apply to a business report  such as "recommend possible operations strategies for one hypothetical business"
If you are struggling to understand the requirements of each directive term such as explain, outline, assess, recommend - just take a look at previous hsc exam papers for sections 2, 3 and 4; and look at the answers of students who earned a band 6 for those questions here (this only has 2012 but most libraries have a copy of exam workbooks which contain band 6 answers to past hsc papers)

And lastly, practice as much as you can!! Feel free to post you responses here and I or someone else can mark it and give you feedback :)

Hope you smash it, good luck!

Thanks so much!! Your advice is amazing and I will do it over the next two weeks. Just one question that with the outcomes, I don't understand how they are incorporated into our questions [or are they not?]. Thanks so much for the advice and support!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on November 21, 2016, 06:31:20 pm
Thanks so much!! Your advice is amazing and I will do it over the next two weeks. Just one question that with the outcomes, I don't understand how they are incorporated into our questions [or are they not?]. Thanks so much for the advice and support!

Hey SSS,
Sorry for the confusion, basically an outcome is what the board of studies hopes you to demonstrate or to be able to achieve in your work. So something like H3 - discusses the social and ethical responsibilities of management could definitely be one of the dot points that they ask you to do in a business report (it would be phrased more like 'discuss the social and ethical responsibilities that influence business XYZ). Or H5   explains management strategies[insert strategy e.g. leading edge technology] and their impact on [business XYZ] is a likely business report question; some of these can show up in section 4 as well!

Outcomes like H9 - communicates business information, issues and concepts in appropriate formats will definitely not be the question but should still apply in the marking criteria so make sure you have really good definition, explanations, structure and use plenty of business terminology!!!

Hope this helps, good luck!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: SSSS on November 22, 2016, 10:19:17 pm
Hey SSS,
Sorry for the confusion, basically an outcome is what the board of studies hopes you to demonstrate or to be able to achieve in your work. So something like H3 - discusses the social and ethical responsibilities of management could definitely be one of the dot points that they ask you to do in a business report (it would be phrased more like 'discuss the social and ethical responsibilities that influence business XYZ). Or H5   explains management strategies[insert strategy e.g. leading edge technology] and their impact on [business XYZ] is a likely business report question; some of these can show up in section 4 as well!

Outcomes like H9 - communicates business information, issues and concepts in appropriate formats will definitely not be the question but should still apply in the marking criteria so make sure you have really good definition, explanations, structure and use plenty of business terminology!!!

Hope this helps, good luck!

Oh!! This whole time I have been dismissing outcomes but its really important!! Thanks so mcuh for your help!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheCommando on November 26, 2016, 09:36:46 am
How do i stop recieving notifications? I pressed the notifty than un notifiy button but its not working
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on November 26, 2016, 02:11:22 pm
Hey guys, for an upcoming assignment, I need to pair 3 influences with 3 processes and link them to a few case studies. I've already decided on the case studies (Crumpler bags and Apple), and 2/3 links. Does anyone have some tips for linking globalisation and transforming resources (HR and facilities) in terms of Apple? I was thinking of discussing the use of outsourcing to Foxconn in order to manufacture the phones, and how this leads to cost leadership and a competitive advantage. Would that be a strong enough connection, or is there another way to link the two points via Apple?
Thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on November 26, 2016, 02:50:32 pm
How do i stop recieving notifications? I pressed the notifty than un notifiy button but its not working

Try going to your Profile, then clicking Modify Profile -> Notifications, you should be able to adjust it there. See if that works! ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheCommando on November 27, 2016, 09:30:07 am
Try going to your Profile, then clicking Modify Profile -> Notifications, you should be able to adjust it there. See if that works! ;D
Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on February 05, 2017, 02:50:03 pm
Hello! I was wondering if anyone knew any past HSC questions about logistics through supply chain management? I wanted to do some essays/long responses/short answer on it


Thanks!!  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on February 05, 2017, 02:57:19 pm
Hello! I was wondering if anyone knew any past HSC questions about logistics through supply chain management? I wanted to do some essays/long responses/short answer on it


Thanks!!  :D

Hey! I don't know if it helps at all, but I'll link you to a nice collection of HSC Papers, Trial Papers, and internal assessments for Business Studies; you might be able to find something there? Hopefully someone else can point you to something a bit more specific ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on February 05, 2017, 07:36:22 pm
Hey! I don't know if it helps at all, but I'll link you to a nice collection of HSC Papers, Trial Papers, and internal assessments for Business Studies; you might be able to find something there? Hopefully someone else can point you to something a bit more specific ;D

Thank you!! That was soo helpful.  :D Also, I posted something on another business thread but it hasn't been posted on in 30 days, should I post my question somewhere else with more traffic or wait? Sorry haha I'm new  :-[
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 05, 2017, 10:32:48 pm
Hi! Could someone please help me? I don't know how the critical path works! I keep getting different answers along the lines of "it's the shortest path" or "the longest path"... Someone even started a poll on Facebook, and it seems almost 50/50!

I would upload the photo of an example, but it won't let me unless it's in another format...

Hey there Deni,

Critical Path Analysis is one of those annoying things that will almost always show up in the exam but confuses the heck out of everyone.

The easiest way I found to understand it is that it shows the shortest amount of time to complete ALL tasks. Therefore, to complete all tasks necessary, you must look for the longest path from the start to finish (not count each task individually since some tasks can be completed simultaneously).

Here is an example from the 2015 HSC exam:
(http://i.imgur.com/U7lcMKO.jpg)

For this question, it asks us to find the length of the critical path i.e. the time to complete all tasks. We can see that this is going to be path A-B-F-C-D which is 18 days. This is the shortest time to complete all tasks since tasks B-E,  E-C and B-C will be completed whilst B-F-C is completed. If you took the "shortest path" as the facebook poll suggests, you would A-B-C-D which will not result in all tasks being completed.

tl;dr - it is the longest path

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on February 05, 2017, 10:57:40 pm
I thought i'd just attach a text snippet which goes into some detail about a critical path and why it is the longest time
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Louanna on February 11, 2017, 02:00:53 pm
Hi  :)

Could somebody please help with understanding FIFO, LIFO and JIT in operations inventory management???

I just need some simple definitions and an example...
My teacher makes it sound soooo confusing..

Thanks heaps  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on February 11, 2017, 02:32:54 pm
Hi  :)

Could somebody please help with understanding FIFO, LIFO and JIT in operations inventory management???

I just need some simple definitions and an example...
My teacher makes it sound soooo confusing..

Thanks heaps  ;D

Hey Louanna! Welcome to the forums! I didn't do Business Studies, but I did Retail Services, so I know what this stuff is ;D

For our example, let's say we have a stack of boxes (representing inventory). You stack the new boxes on top as you receive them, meaning that the newest boxes are at the top, and the oldest are at the bottom.

First In, First Out (FIFO): This is where whatever stock goes into inventory first, is used first. This would mean taking boxes from the bottom of our pile.

Last In, First Out (LIFO): This is where whatever stock goes into inventory last, is used first. This would mean taking boxes from the top of our pile.

Just in Time (JIT): This is where you receive inventory as it is required in production. Meaning, you don't have a stack of boxes at all - You just order a box whenever you need it. You have no inventory!

I hope this helps ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: SSSS on February 11, 2017, 10:00:45 pm
Hey guys! How should we prepare for case study essays? I feel pretty weak in them in comparison to reports. Any advice appreciated! Thanks

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: janemurray on February 12, 2017, 04:31:40 pm
Just a general question... In the HSC exam, how many businesses/case studies should you include in the business report? Also, is it okay to use the same business as an example in more than one short answer question? Or should each question have a different business case study? Thank you
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on February 13, 2017, 10:45:04 am
Hi :)

So for the HSC extended response questions, is one of them a report and the other an essay? Also, is it true that you can write the essay question as a business report? I was told this but am unsure if it is a good idea...

Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 13, 2017, 12:14:40 pm
Hi  :)

Could somebody please help with understanding FIFO, LIFO and JIT in operations inventory management???

I just need some simple definitions and an example...
My teacher makes it sound soooo confusing..

Thanks heaps  ;D

Hey Louanna,

Jamon is absolutely correct but for business studies I just want to add that you need to know FIFO and LIFO in terms of financial reporting. specifically when calculating expenses.

You should be aware that over time, the general level of prices does increase (inflation) and in turn, some inputs into production become more expensive over time. If you purchase stock every few months with the price increasing then at the end of the year your expenses may be quite high. However, this could lead to an overstatement in expenses and thus decrease the amount of profit earned by a business which may sound like a bad thing, but for some businesses they use this to decrease the amount of tax they have to pay. For this reason, it is illegal to use LIFO as a method of valuing stock, all stock on financial reports must be reported using the initial cost (FIFO)

Good luck :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 13, 2017, 12:18:56 pm
Hey guys! How should we prepare for case study essays? I feel pretty weak in them in comparison to reports. Any advice appreciated! Thanks

Hey SSS,

This is a very good question as quite a lot of marks go into this extended response as well as the fact that you can use case studies in the short answer section. To prepare for the essay without knowing which area of the syllabus they are targetting is quite challenging. For this reason, you should have a case study for most of the dot points. This requires a business case study that demonstrates the use of a strategy and the outcome (positive or negative) or influence or process. You should show how the specific case study has been affected by the dot point (e.g. economic influences, ethical standards in reporting ...) as well as an evaluation of how they have handled it. This is an effective method you could go about preparing for the case study essay as many students can mention a case study but they dont go into enough detail and relate it to the syllabus.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 15, 2017, 02:05:56 pm
Just a general question... In the HSC exam, how many businesses/case studies should you include in the business report? Also, is it okay to use the same business as an example in more than one short answer question? Or should each question have a different business case study? Thank you

Hey Janemurray,
For the business report; I would only ever use the case study provided since you are making recommendations for that business alone (yes you could bring in another business to show how that has helped for them so you can recommend it to the business in question - but I think it's unnecessary and I would only do it if there weren't many advantages you could write about)

As for short answers, I'm not too sure. I never really used a case study in short answers unless the question asked for one (since I mainly made them up on the spot) but since each question is marked by a different person; I would say it is okay to reuse the same business case study, just not within each subquestion (1a, 1b, 1c) as this whole question 1 is marked by the same person. - I may be wrong about this, this is just how my teacher explained marking to me.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 15, 2017, 02:26:13 pm
Hi :)

So for the HSC extended response questions, is one of them a report and the other an essay? Also, is it true that you can write the essay question as a business report? I was told this but am unsure if it is a good idea...

Thanks!

Hey Phebsh,

Sorry for the late reply everyone, I've had these tabs open but never got around to answering each question.
So, the actual HSC exam is broken up int 4 sections (like most other exams) Section 1 is multiple choice, Section 2 is short answers, Section 3 is a business report (which must be written in a business report format) and Section 4 is an extended response which is basically like an essay which you include case studies in. This can also be written as a business report if you wish - I never did as I felt this structure was too limiting in what I wanted to say; but it is up to your personal preference.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kneehaha on February 15, 2017, 08:52:24 pm
Hey,

Half yearlies are just over a month away and for business, the exam will include operations as we've already been assesed on finance. I was just wondering if you have any tips as this will one of my first exams going towards my HSC. i feel confident with business studies, but if there are any tips they will be greatly appreciated :)


Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on February 17, 2017, 07:10:53 pm
Hi,
I was wondering as to what the difference between government policies and legal regulations are in operations. Both seem quite similar and I'm hoping for some clarification.
Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 17, 2017, 07:38:23 pm
Hi,
I was wondering as to what the difference between government policies and legal regulations are in operations. Both seem quite similar and I'm hoping for some clarification.
Thanks :)

Hey Matthew,

This always used to confuse me since they overlap sooo much. Even in prelim when there was a political influence - I could never tell the difference.

The way that I accepted - i still doubt it sometimes- is that government policies is any action by the government covering a range of policies including economic (monetary or fiscal policy) environmental (carbon pricing) and legal (WHS). Whereas legal regulation is compliance for any and all laws including WHS, illicit substances, QANTAS Sale Act etc.

Hope this helps, let me know if you are still confused :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on February 18, 2017, 04:42:07 pm
Hi isaacdelatorre,
No I'm still confused as to which is which. If governments were to make policies, wouldn't it automatically become law to follow them i.e. WHS which is both a policy and a law according to you example.
Thank you :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on February 18, 2017, 08:20:09 pm
I'm not issacdelatorre but hopefully i can help out
I'll use WHS as an example, WHS itself is a government policy however legal regulations are the steps that a company has to take to comply with WHS such as ensuring that employees are given appropriate safety training and that protective equipment is used (these are known as compliance costs which are the expenses associated with meeting the requirements of legal regulations)
Hopefully this helps you out (sorry if this confuses you)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on February 19, 2017, 04:42:58 pm
OH alright I see what you mean. If there was a question asking to compare and differentiate between government policies and legal regulations, how would you answer?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 19, 2017, 11:20:53 pm
OH alright I see what you mean. If there was a question asking to compare and differentiate between government policies and legal regulations, how would you answer?

Hi there,

Thank you Joyg for your input! :) ahha sorry if my answer was a little confusing

I don't really see that as a likely question, purely because they are both influences to a business' operations function and thus the similarities are obvious; as well as the fact that this is not required of you in the syllabus.

But if you did have to answer it, you could point out the similarities that these influences affect operations management in the way that managers must understand these influences in order to respond so that the business doesn't face unnecessary risks and consequences. the differences however are that the government policies are in place and guide the rules/regulations and procedures of the operations management. I.e. WHS guide workplace practices in businesses; think of it like they are the rules that are set (carbon tax, WHS, taxation are all included). In contrast legal regulations are the consequences of not following these government policies - this is where compliance costs come in. They are the judiciary that will punish those who breach laws and policies. That is by no means an answer but an explanation so that you might be able to understand it and come up with your own answer :)

That was still super confusing, even to me, I've checked every available set of notes and 4 textbooks, they all say roughly the same thing without much distinction between the two. So I don't blame you for being confused, lemme know if you still are :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on February 20, 2017, 08:46:49 pm
Hi,

Could I please get some clarification as to why a business would use a Gantt Chart in comparison to a Critical Path Analysis and vice versa. Thank you.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on February 21, 2017, 06:01:43 pm
Gantt>CPA
Gantt<CPA
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on February 21, 2017, 06:40:33 pm
Gantt>CPA
  • shows taskprogression and consequently is more useful for time management than CPA
  • More used for scheduling than sequencing to which CPA is preferred
Gantt<CPA
  • Useful for business operations as the critical path can be found
  • highlights relationships between different processes

This clears it up so much! Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on February 24, 2017, 12:53:54 am
hello,
could you pelase explain to me how sources of finance is an influence? i dont really get how does your source of finance influences a business
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on February 24, 2017, 07:28:02 am
Hey, can someone explain to me how information and customers are an input to a business? Based on what I've studied in class the inputs are those that are converted in the operations process. How exactly is information converted? Also, I understand that the needs of the customer will drive the business, but how are the customers a transformed resource? It all seems very confusing ...
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 24, 2017, 08:08:34 pm
hello,
could you pelase explain to me how sources of finance is an influence? i dont really get how does your source of finance influences a business

Hey Kiiaaa,

Influences in the finance section of the syllabus means anything external or internal factor that could affect the way financial managers go about their business. In this way, they must budget expenditure and revenue for the whole business and may require additional funding apart from what they earn in sales revenue (particularly important when undergoing large scale development such as expansion or research and development). Thus there are may different sources of finance that a financial manager can turn to. Each has their own benefits and drawbacks as well as having characteristics which will help when matching the term, type and purpose of funds (ensuring you don't have a short term loan with a high interest rate if borrowing a large amount to geographically expand which won't generate revenue in the short term)

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 24, 2017, 10:44:38 pm
Hey, can someone explain to me how information and customers are an input to a business? Based on what I've studied in class the inputs are those that are converted in the operations process. How exactly is information converted? Also, I understand that the needs of the customer will drive the business, but how are the customers a transformed resource? It all seems very confusing ...

Hey Rodero,

Duuude, don't get me started on this dot point!! I spent countless hours quizzing my teacher about this cos it was supppeerrr confusing.

I've learned to accept it not as a physical or literal sense but more that customers inform the business on the kind of product that they need to make, informs augmentations to the product, colour, features, size, demand etc. I.e. their opinions are converted in the transformation process to create the product.

Information on the other hand is conducted internally (by the business itself by analysing past business performance through lead times, warranty claims, KPI's etc.) or externally (industry reports from external bodies) which can be used in the transformation process to influence operations decisions. In particular how inputs are used, where they are drawn from, which suppliers and supplies are available.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on February 25, 2017, 12:03:33 am
Hey Rodero,

Duuude, don't get me started on this dot point!! I spent countless hours quizzing my teacher about this cos it was supppeerrr confusing.

I've learned to accept it not as a physical or literal sense but more that customers inform the business on the kind of product that they need to make, informs augmentations to the product, colour, features, size, demand etc. I.e. their opinions are converted in the transformation process to create the product.

Information on the other hand is conducted internally (by the business itself by analysing past business performance through lead times, warranty claims, KPI's etc.) or externally (industry reports from external bodies) which can be used in the transformation process to influence operations decisions. In particular how inputs are used, where they are drawn from, which suppliers and supplies are available.

Hope this helps :)

This definitely clears it up! Thank you  :) It was kind of a wtf moment reading the definition of inputs and then customers and information as an input right after..
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: CaitlinSavins on February 25, 2017, 12:50:24 pm
Is it better to have one case study that applies to quite a few dot points, or better to have multiple case studies?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on February 25, 2017, 10:26:11 pm
Hello! I had a a queation from operations processes- influences on the transformation process. In the first influence (4 V's), I have two different explanations for influence of visibility in two books.

One textbook says that visibility is the extent to which customers can see the operations in action (so service hasn't high visibility).

 The other textbook says that visbility is when customer feedback affects the transformation process (Surveys, questionnaires etc.) and this affects the transformation process because feedback shapes what the businesses make.


So which one is right?! Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on February 25, 2017, 11:44:31 pm
Is it better to have one case study that applies to quite a few dot points, or better to have multiple case studies?

It really comes down to personal preference and what you find easier to remember, for myself I found it easier to remember one which can apply to pretty much everything, e.g. Apple, while having a few a few other case studies on the side which I just built up by reading media articles and watching the news and so on just in case
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on February 25, 2017, 11:52:16 pm
Hello! I had a a question from operations processes- influences on the transformation process. In the first influence (4 V's), I have two different explanations for influence of visibility in two books.
One textbook says that visibility is the extent to which customers can see the operations in action (so service hasn't high visibility).
 The other textbook says that visibility is when customer feedback affects the transformation process (Surveys, questionnaires etc.) and this affects the transformation process because feedback shapes what the businesses make.
So which one is right?! Thanks in advance

The latter would be correct as the syllabus dot point it is in refers to  the influence on the transformation process. Below is just the note I had on visibility
Visibility (customer contact) or ‘feedback’ can directly affect transformation processes. This is because customers and their preferences can shape what the businesses make. Customer contact may be direct, which takes the form of customer feedback given through surveys, interviews, warranty claims and verbal contact. It could also be indirect which comes through a review of sales data that gives an indication of customer preferences and market share data, through peoples’ decision-making processes and through consumer reviews. Because businesses seek to maximise sales customer contact is essential and ultimately shapes the transformation processes.
Hopefully this helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on February 26, 2017, 02:31:50 pm
Hello!
could you please help me in differentiating between government policies and legal regulations as influences on operations. they legit seems the same thing i cant tell the difference between the two

Thank you heaps! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 27, 2017, 10:32:38 pm
Is it better to have one case study that applies to quite a few dot points, or better to have multiple case studies?

Hey Caitlin,

I totally agree with Joyg's excellent answer!! But in the end it is up to youu!!!!

If you find that you understand the dot point using a case study and albeit a variety of case studies then be my guest - it might enable you to show contrasting uses of strategies/influences/processes and evaluate different responses.

What you will need to face is the fact that you are required to extensively use case studies in the extended response section of the HSC, which you can do through case studies you learn in class such as QANTAS, Apple, Ikea that cover each dot point. What I do want to stress is that the syllabus says "case studies" which, as a plural, implies more than one.

However, the way that  got around this is by making up my case studies on the spot, which is allowed by BOSTES (i checked with various HSC markers to see if it was allowed). This allowed me to tailor each case study that I made up into whatever argument I wanted to make which I found easier than trying to fit a set case study into the essay I was writing.

Let me know what you think of that, and if you need case studies - I have a heap already :)


Hello! I had a a queation from operations processes- influences on the transformation process. In the first influence (4 V's), I have two different explanations for influence of visibility in two books.

One textbook says that visibility is the extent to which customers can see the operations in action (so service hasn't high visibility).

 The other textbook says that visbility is when customer feedback affects the transformation process (Surveys, questionnaires etc.) and this affects the transformation process because feedback shapes what the businesses make.


So which one is right?! Thanks in advance

Hey Diexcel,

Joyg makes an excellent point, but I just want to point out that visibility has 2 meanings in relation to this dot point. Both of the ones you have seen in the different textbooks are right. I'm not sure why this is, I have quizzed many teachers in my school as well as senior HSC markers I have met at lectures and seminars.

For the first explanation (customers being able to see the production), the case study I had was that of Krispy Kreme. If you go into a Krispy Kreme factory/shop there is a glass wall that shows you inside the factory - from here you can see the machine that is right opposite the glass which shows the doughnuts being glazed, cooked, piped etc. This is an example of a high visibility transformation process and directly influences the product layout within the transformation process.

For the second explanation - the customer's feedback or desires affect the transformation process - i.e. a customer's order for dress alterations may affect a tailor's dress creation - having to alter the size, shape, design, colour etc. of the dress to suit the customer's needs - i.e. the product is highly customisable and highly dependent on the customer's wishes. Can also be informed by surveys etc. as you said above

Hope this helps :)
 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on February 28, 2017, 03:40:25 pm

However, the way that  got around this is by making up my case studies on the spot, which is allowed by BOSTES (i checked with various HSC markers to see if it was allowed). This allowed me to tailor each case study that I made up into whatever argument I wanted to make which I found easier than trying to fit a set case study into the essay I was writing..


Hey I was wondering what you meant exactly by making up a case study on the spot. Did you mean it is fine to create my own hypothetical business? Or did you mean to come up with a common real life example (eg. Woolworths practicing loss leader with milk)?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Celina muscat on March 01, 2017, 09:41:02 pm
Hi Guys, I have an assignment for marketing and I'm required to explain the elements of a marketing plan. However the textbook isn't very clear on what should be in the marketing plan and when I look it up I get different answers. So could someone please clarify what should be included in a marketing plan.
Thank you 😊
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on March 01, 2017, 10:23:40 pm
Hello!
could you please help me in differentiating between government policies and legal regulations as influences on operations. they legit seems the same thing i cant tell the difference between the two

Thank you heaps! :)

Hey Kiiaaaa,

I believe someone asked a question quite similar to this a few days ago, just look at page 5 of the business studies question thread here

Lemme know if you need further explanation or clarification :)

Happy studying!!

Hey I was wondering what you meant exactly by making up a case study on the spot. Did you mean it is fine to create my own hypothetical business? Or did you mean to come up with a common real life example (eg. Woolworths practicing loss leader with milk)?

Hey Rodero,

by making up a case study, I mean that I made up a fake business and wrote about how this fake business used the strategy/influence that I was talking about effectively and made up a result. E.g. The scandal over Bob's Boots alleged dumping of waste in the local lake has sparked outrage and controversy amongst the local community. This poor disposal of waste management and unethical actions completely disregard social changes regarding environmental sustainability and as such, local citizens of Dubbo began to boycott Bob's Boots' products. According to the SMH 2016, Bob's Boots recorded a net loss of $13,000, down from a net profit of $20000 the previous year, hence demonstrating the significant consequence when a business fails to respond to external influences such as CSR and environmental sustainability.

That was kind of terrible since it was off the top of my head, but you get the point - completely made up (the hardest part I found was coming up with names that sounded legit - obviously Bob's Boots doesnt)

You could also go with the explanation you said, use an existing business and pretend they use the said strategy (Woolies using loss leaders on milk) - with a further explanation, that would work just as well :)

Hope this helps!!

Hi Guys, I have an assignment for marketing and I'm required to explain the elements of a marketing plan. However the textbook isn't very clear on what should be in the marketing plan and when I look it up I get different answers. So could someone please clarify what should be included in a marketing plan.
Thank you 😊

Hi Celina,

The marketing plan is a document that lists activities aimed at achieving particular marketing outcomes in relation to goods or services. The plan provides a template for future action aimed at reaching business goals, such as profit maximisation.

In essence, if you look at the Processes dot point of the marketing section; these are the elements that would make up a marketing plan
1.   Situation analysis
2.   Market research
3.   Establishing market objectives
4.   Identifying target markets
5.   Developing marketing strategies
6.   Implementation, monitoring and controlling

This marketing plan is the framework for the business' way forward in terms of marketing. i.e. it will include an executive summary as well as a look at where the business is now, market research telling them what customers want so they can cater towards that market and then steps the business will take to get to where it wants to be.

Hope this helps! :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: natasha.rh on March 05, 2017, 04:12:15 pm
Hello!
How is the best way to approach a marketing essay where the question is given on the day? We have been told to memorise the marketing section in the Apple case study and know the syllabus and we'll be fine. Just wondering how else I could prepare (I've done 2 practice questions).
Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on March 07, 2017, 07:48:00 pm
Hi there, I am just unsure of what to know for product life cycle; is the last stage that we should know post-maturity or should we just remember decline? In my textbook it says decline but my teacher is telling me post-maturity, I wonder if either is acceptable... Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on March 07, 2017, 09:51:09 pm
Hello!
How is the best way to approach a marketing essay where the question is given on the day? We have been told to memorise the marketing section in the Apple case study and know the syllabus and we'll be fine. Just wondering how else I could prepare (I've done 2 practice questions).
Thanks in advance

Your preparation sounds good just keep on practising and get them marked to ensure that you are on the right track, with the syllabus just make sure you also remember the sub points, e.g consumer laws - deceptive and misleading advertising, price discrimination, implied conditions and warranties because if a question is asked in relation to the dot point it is expected that you also write about the sub points.
Good luck!    ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on March 07, 2017, 10:05:42 pm
Hi there, I am just unsure of what to know for product life cycle; is the last stage that we should know post-maturity or should we just remember decline? In my textbook it says decline but my teacher is telling me post-maturity, I wonder if either is acceptable... Thanks :)

For the product life cycle the last stage is the post maturity stage however in this stage a business can take 4 different paths: decline, renewal, steady state or cessation. If a question asks about the product life cycle for the post maturity stage you could write something along the lines of
" In the post maturity stage a business can take one of four paths : decline, renewal, steady state or cessation." and continue on to explain this stage with the amount depending on the mark value
Hopefully this helps feel free to ask for a further explanation if needed  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: natasha.rh on March 08, 2017, 05:08:48 pm
Your preparation sounds good just keep on practising and get them marked to ensure that you are on the right track, with the syllabus just make sure you also remember the sub points, e.g consumer laws - deceptive and misleading advertising, price discrimination, implied conditions and warranties because if a question is asked in relation to the dot point it is expected that you also write about the sub points.
Good luck!    ;D

thanks so much!! hopefully i went well  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 08, 2017, 10:32:58 pm
HELLO EVERYONE!
I'm struggling like legit struggling to find case studies on finance. i have gone through the apple and qantas books but they don't really help in case studies for sources of finance (in particular)  etc. Is there anyone who could please help me out? Desperate case here
Thank you very much! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on March 09, 2017, 10:35:17 pm
HELLO EVERYONE!
I'm struggling like legit struggling to find case studies on finance. i have gone through the apple and qantas books but they don't really help in case studies for sources of finance (in particular)  etc. Is there anyone who could please help me out? Desperate case here
Thank you very much! :)

Hey Kiaaa,
I posted some case studies I had a while back - as in last year when I sat the HSC (note they may be out of date). I've just copy pasted them into the spoiler below because I forgot how to hyperlink  :P

Also, I didn't do case studies as a giant block which covered the whole syllabus.. I just found a case study for each dot point as you can see below :)

Spoiler
      Hi Dylan,
      The question was pretty vague in terms of what parts of the finance syllabus you need a case study for. So here are all the ones that I've prepared. This is by no means a definitive list, so you can definitely add your own or make up a realistic example on the day.

      I haven't included any on the objectives of financial management as these can be easily made up, e.g. QANTAS stated in their financial review that they were focussing on increasing their net profit by 15% in the next 2 years etc.

Influences of Financial Management

Internal Sources of Finance
Retained profits - ZARA utilises its retained profits to re-invest ($1 billion each year) back into the business each year which generated over $3 billion more than the previous year
External Sources of Finance
Overdraft - Woolworths uses overdrafts to buy stock which can be repaid after it is sold - maintaining liquidity and profitability as overdraft does not exceed $200,000
Factoring - Turkish Rugs Manufacturers used factoring to grow their exports. In order to improve their liquidity, they sold their accounts receivable to a factoring company which helped the firm meet their short term financial obligations as well as decrease their accounts receivable turnover ratio by 5%
Mortgage – Woolworths took out a $4m mortgage. This has allowed Woolworths to open new distribution centres around NSW to reach further locations whilst maintaining product quality due to closer proximity
Leasing – WiseTech Global has an office layout organised into many work stations. As a result, the business uses operating leases for its computers so instead of buying them and end up becoming obsolete and losing value, the business can lease and constantly update its equipment when required. This improves the business’s solvency as well.
Rights Issue – Boral, a major supplier of building products wishes to restructure its operations. As part of these plans Boral wishes to raise $440m through a $4.10 rights issue.
Share Purchase Plan – AMP used a share purchase plan where shareholders could buy shares at $4.82 which was at a 5% discount. This allowed AMP for the expansion of its operations.
ASX – IN 2009, Australia’s largest chain of department stores, Myer, went public and entered the Australian Securities Exchange. It raised approximately $2.3b from the Initial Public Offering. The ASX allowed Myer to raise large amounts of capital so that Myer could fund its aggressive expansion. This included increasing the number of stores and improving their flagship stores.
Finance companies – Apple has a scheme set up where they lease Mac, iPads, iPhones etc over 24 months to business. To do this, Apple has utilised a finance company called BOQ Finance to help fund their Apple Financial Services. As a result, the business has been able to increase the number of sales from businesses.

Influence of Government
Company Taxation – Apple has an income of about $6.1b, but only $247m of that was taxable income. It paid $74m tax.
ASIC – The CBA will refund around 8400 customers approximately $7.6m after it failed to apply fee waivers and ongoing benefits to AgriAdvantage Plus package holders over a number of years. This problem was reported to ASIC under its breach reporting obligations. The problem was actually reported by CBA themselves. As a result, CBA was able to avoid any potential fines and damaged reputation if they tried to cover up the issue.

Global Market Influences
Economic Outlook – In 2009 the GFC caused rapid revenue declines especially in international markets leading to an 88% fall in net profit for QANTAS in 2009. It also reduced its flying capacity, reduced orders for new planes and replacing some parts of Qantas with Jetstar.
Availability of Funds – Since the GFC supply has been lower both in Australia and overseas for Qantas due to the closure of many financial institutions and lending criteria becoming stricter. Qantas was assessed to be riskier for lenders due to its reduced profits in 2014 and this affected Qantas’ availability of funds – their credit rating was higher and therefore more interest.
Interest Rates – Qantas is exposed to movements in interest rates both in Australia and overseas. An increase in interest rates increases the interest repayments Qantas pays on its borrowings. Qantas has a number of operations overseas and it was more cost effective to fund them from overseas banks due to lower interest rates.

Processes of Financial Management
Planning and Implementing - Qantas
  • Assessing the current financial information by collecting financial data
  • Using the information to frame the business plan
  • Preparing financial reports
  • Interpreting financial reports by comparing actual to forecast results
  • Adjusting financial controls to minimise risks and losses

Monitoring and Controlling
Cash Flow Statement – Qantas produces cash flow statements in its Annual reports for each year. Usually it has around $3000m cash at the end of the financial year.
Balance Sheet
Current assets - $4932m
Non-current assets - $17318m
Current liabilities - $7525m
Non-current liabilities $2866m.
Income Statement
Sales revenue is usually around $15,000m
Fuel costs $4461m.
Net profit 2014 – -$2843m
2013 - $6m
2012 - -$244m
2011 - $249m

Financial Ratios
QANTAS
Net Profit ratio
– 2014- -4.2%, 2013-1.2%, 2012, 0.6%, 2011-3.7%. Profitability in the airline industry is relatively poor on average. The airline industry is both highly capital intensive and extremely competitive. Lots of costs.
Return on Owner’s Equity – 2014- -22.5%, 2013 – 3.2%, 2012 – 1.7%, 2011 – 9%
Liquidity ratio – 0.66:1 – 2014.    2010 – 0.93:1. Qantas operates on a negative working capital position, like most other airlines. Qantas holds very little cash reserves and uses the cash received to pay long term debt. Other Airlines – Air NZ – 0.98:1, Singapore 1.4:1.
Gearing – 2014 – 163%, 2013 – 83%, 2012 – 96^, 2011 – 113%, 2010 104%.
COCA COLA AMATIL
Gearing – 2001 – 60%, 2002 – 50%, 2003 – 55%. Their solvency has improved in recent years. The company used much of the revenue from the sales of its Philippines business to pay off debt.
Efficiency – Company’s expense ratio rising from 39% to 40% from 2000 to 2003 due to investment in plant and machinery, so theoretically their efficiency will increase in the future.

Limitations of financial Reports
Notes to the financial statements – Qantas attaches comprehensive notes to its financial statements. These help stakeholders better understand the financial reports and give more clarity to Qantas’ financial position. Some information may include the term of loans, where certain assets are coming from etc. Qantas uses UNDERLYING PBT as its measure of profitability.
Debt Repayments – Qantas’ financial reports don’t give a full picture of their debt as it does not disclose when these debts have to be repaid.
Normalised earnings – Some special circumstances may distort the analysis of Qantas’ results. For example, in 2011 natural disasters and major weather events like Cyclone Yasi, the Christchurch earthquake and japan Tsunami effected Qantas’ profitability.
Valuing assets – It is difficult to value Qantas’ assets because they change over time. Qantas’ long term assets are depreciated over time but the value of these assets may not reflect their true market value.

Ethical Issues related to Financial Management
Here you can say any business undergoes regular review through audits and through bodies such as ASIC to ensure accurate financial reports

Financial Management Strategies
Cash Flow Management
Discounts for early payment – Harvey Norman encourages customers to pay the full amount for expensive goods such as fridges and TVs using discounts for early payment otherwise customers are charged interest for a loan or they have to sign up to an alternative credit card.
Factoring - Turkish Rugs Manufacturers used factoring to grow their exports. They were in a panic situation in their cash flow as they had run out of money and had to chase their customers aggressively to get paid. In order to improve their liquidity, they sold their accounts receivable to a factoring company.

Working Capital Management
Leasing – Leasing more aircraft, building and plant and equipment. Leasing has freed cash that can be used elsewhere in the business. Debt market trends, tax depreciation, deterioration in aircraft residual rates and the need to provide greater fleet flexibility have increased the attractiveness of leasing. (Qantas)
Sale and lease back – Qantas is one of the few airlines in the world to own its own terminals and is considering selling and leasing them back to improve its working capital.
Control of current assets (inventory) – The value of APPLE’s inventory is calculated using the FIFO method. The value of inventory increased by 123% in 2013. This was due to the reduced demand for the iPhone 5C suggesting demand was lower than expected. As a result, Apple significantly reduced production for the 5c.

Profitability Management
Cost Controls – Expense Minimisation (Qantas)
Qantas has reduced its cost by 20% over the last 10 years by
-   Cutting flying capacity and cutting services back
-   Cancelling orders for new planes
-   Restructuring
-   Fuel conservation
-   Reforming employment relations – increased use of technology, casualisation
-   Outsourcing more business functions
-   Encouraging more sales through the internet.
Revenue controls – Marketing Objectives (Qantas)
-   Setting clear sales objectives
-   Setting up a sales reporting system that reports sales figures regularly and breaks them down into business segments
-   Discounting of airfares to maintain loads in a shrinking market
-   Targeting different markets through Jetstar
-   Increasing revenue through other services such as travel, catering and freight
-   New business class services, self-service kiosks, next generation check in, new advertising campaign.

Global Financial Management
Exchange Rates (Qantas)
Qantas is exposed to various financial risks in international businesses.
-   Changes in foreign exchange rates – expenditures of jet fuel, lease payments and interest repayments are usually made in a foreign currency.
-   Qantas generates about 38% of revenue from other currencies.
APPRECIATION – Qantas pays less for fuel, lease repayments, loan repayments and overseas capital expenditure.
DEPRECIATION – Qantas pays more for fuel, lease repayments, loan repayments and overseas capital expenditure.
Interest Rates (Qantas)
Qantas is exposed to movements in interest rates both in Australia and overseas. An increase in interest rates increases the interest repayments Qantas pays on its borrowings. Qantas has a number of operations overseas and it was more cost effective to fund them from overseas banks due to lower interest rates.
Hedging and Derivatives (Qantas)
Forward Cover and Options – Qantas uses these to hedge future fuel purchases, future interest payments and future capital expenditure payments.
Qantas has hedged about 94% of its fuel needs for 2015. Most of these hedges are in the form of options.
Swap Contracts – Qantas earns revenue in many currencies and incurs costs especially fuel, maintenance and leasing in other countries. Swaps is another derivative used by Qantas which involves foreign currency denominated costs being paid out of revenue in the same currency. Qantas also denominates some borrowings in net surplus currencies to provide a natural hedge.
Methods of International Payment (Noventus Pty Ltd)
Payment in Advance – For its computing/electric products as it guarantees cash inflows. Noventus does this as it recently lost $10,000 in exporting products overseas without payment which had significant impact on its profitability management and liquidity which could have been used to repay debts.
There is no international legislation or body that regulates payment overseas.
Bill of exchange against payment – MIR-AUS is a company specialising in installation of ink systems for printers. They import a large amount of ink from overseas companies and therefore it can be risky if payment is sent before the quality of the ink is checked. When the business picks up the ink, a bill against payment is used so that MIR-AUS can inspect the ink delivered before accepting and paying for it.

Sorry, that was a bit excessive. But I hope this was of some help to you :) Good luck[/list][/list]
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 10, 2017, 01:49:38 pm
Hey Kiaaa,
I posted some case studies I had a while back - as in last year when I sat the HSC (note they may be out of date). I've just copy pasted them into the spoiler below because I forgot how to hyperlink  :P

Also, I didn't do case studies as a giant block which covered the whole syllabus.. I just found a case study for each dot point as you can see below :)

Spoiler
      Hi Dylan,
      The question was pretty vague in terms of what parts of the finance syllabus you need a case study for. So here are all the ones that I've prepared. This is by no means a definitive list, so you can definitely add your own or make up a realistic example on the day.

      I haven't included any on the objectives of financial management as these can be easily made up, e.g. QANTAS stated in their financial review that they were focussing on increasing their net profit by 15% in the next 2 years etc.

Influences of Financial Management

Internal Sources of Finance
Retained profits - ZARA utilises its retained profits to re-invest ($1 billion each year) back into the business each year which generated over $3 billion more than the previous year
External Sources of Finance
Overdraft - Woolworths uses overdrafts to buy stock which can be repaid after it is sold - maintaining liquidity and profitability as overdraft does not exceed $200,000
Factoring - Turkish Rugs Manufacturers used factoring to grow their exports. In order to improve their liquidity, they sold their accounts receivable to a factoring company which helped the firm meet their short term financial obligations as well as decrease their accounts receivable turnover ratio by 5%
Mortgage – Woolworths took out a $4m mortgage. This has allowed Woolworths to open new distribution centres around NSW to reach further locations whilst maintaining product quality due to closer proximity
Leasing – WiseTech Global has an office layout organised into many work stations. As a result, the business uses operating leases for its computers so instead of buying them and end up becoming obsolete and losing value, the business can lease and constantly update its equipment when required. This improves the business’s solvency as well.
Rights Issue – Boral, a major supplier of building products wishes to restructure its operations. As part of these plans Boral wishes to raise $440m through a $4.10 rights issue.
Share Purchase Plan – AMP used a share purchase plan where shareholders could buy shares at $4.82 which was at a 5% discount. This allowed AMP for the expansion of its operations.
ASX – IN 2009, Australia’s largest chain of department stores, Myer, went public and entered the Australian Securities Exchange. It raised approximately $2.3b from the Initial Public Offering. The ASX allowed Myer to raise large amounts of capital so that Myer could fund its aggressive expansion. This included increasing the number of stores and improving their flagship stores.
Finance companies – Apple has a scheme set up where they lease Mac, iPads, iPhones etc over 24 months to business. To do this, Apple has utilised a finance company called BOQ Finance to help fund their Apple Financial Services. As a result, the business has been able to increase the number of sales from businesses.

Influence of Government
Company Taxation – Apple has an income of about $6.1b, but only $247m of that was taxable income. It paid $74m tax.
ASIC – The CBA will refund around 8400 customers approximately $7.6m after it failed to apply fee waivers and ongoing benefits to AgriAdvantage Plus package holders over a number of years. This problem was reported to ASIC under its breach reporting obligations. The problem was actually reported by CBA themselves. As a result, CBA was able to avoid any potential fines and damaged reputation if they tried to cover up the issue.

Global Market Influences
Economic Outlook – In 2009 the GFC caused rapid revenue declines especially in international markets leading to an 88% fall in net profit for QANTAS in 2009. It also reduced its flying capacity, reduced orders for new planes and replacing some parts of Qantas with Jetstar.
Availability of Funds – Since the GFC supply has been lower both in Australia and overseas for Qantas due to the closure of many financial institutions and lending criteria becoming stricter. Qantas was assessed to be riskier for lenders due to its reduced profits in 2014 and this affected Qantas’ availability of funds – their credit rating was higher and therefore more interest.
Interest Rates – Qantas is exposed to movements in interest rates both in Australia and overseas. An increase in interest rates increases the interest repayments Qantas pays on its borrowings. Qantas has a number of operations overseas and it was more cost effective to fund them from overseas banks due to lower interest rates.

Processes of Financial Management
Planning and Implementing - Qantas
  • Assessing the current financial information by collecting financial data
  • Using the information to frame the business plan
  • Preparing financial reports
  • Interpreting financial reports by comparing actual to forecast results
  • Adjusting financial controls to minimise risks and losses

Monitoring and Controlling
Cash Flow Statement – Qantas produces cash flow statements in its Annual reports for each year. Usually it has around $3000m cash at the end of the financial year.
Balance Sheet
Current assets - $4932m
Non-current assets - $17318m
Current liabilities - $7525m
Non-current liabilities $2866m.
Income Statement
Sales revenue is usually around $15,000m
Fuel costs $4461m.
Net profit 2014 – -$2843m
2013 - $6m
2012 - -$244m
2011 - $249m

Financial Ratios
QANTAS
Net Profit ratio
– 2014- -4.2%, 2013-1.2%, 2012, 0.6%, 2011-3.7%. Profitability in the airline industry is relatively poor on average. The airline industry is both highly capital intensive and extremely competitive. Lots of costs.
Return on Owner’s Equity – 2014- -22.5%, 2013 – 3.2%, 2012 – 1.7%, 2011 – 9%
Liquidity ratio – 0.66:1 – 2014.    2010 – 0.93:1. Qantas operates on a negative working capital position, like most other airlines. Qantas holds very little cash reserves and uses the cash received to pay long term debt. Other Airlines – Air NZ – 0.98:1, Singapore 1.4:1.
Gearing – 2014 – 163%, 2013 – 83%, 2012 – 96^, 2011 – 113%, 2010 104%.
COCA COLA AMATIL
Gearing – 2001 – 60%, 2002 – 50%, 2003 – 55%. Their solvency has improved in recent years. The company used much of the revenue from the sales of its Philippines business to pay off debt.
Efficiency – Company’s expense ratio rising from 39% to 40% from 2000 to 2003 due to investment in plant and machinery, so theoretically their efficiency will increase in the future.

Limitations of financial Reports
Notes to the financial statements – Qantas attaches comprehensive notes to its financial statements. These help stakeholders better understand the financial reports and give more clarity to Qantas’ financial position. Some information may include the term of loans, where certain assets are coming from etc. Qantas uses UNDERLYING PBT as its measure of profitability.
Debt Repayments – Qantas’ financial reports don’t give a full picture of their debt as it does not disclose when these debts have to be repaid.
Normalised earnings – Some special circumstances may distort the analysis of Qantas’ results. For example, in 2011 natural disasters and major weather events like Cyclone Yasi, the Christchurch earthquake and japan Tsunami effected Qantas’ profitability.
Valuing assets – It is difficult to value Qantas’ assets because they change over time. Qantas’ long term assets are depreciated over time but the value of these assets may not reflect their true market value.

Ethical Issues related to Financial Management
Here you can say any business undergoes regular review through audits and through bodies such as ASIC to ensure accurate financial reports

Financial Management Strategies
Cash Flow Management
Discounts for early payment – Harvey Norman encourages customers to pay the full amount for expensive goods such as fridges and TVs using discounts for early payment otherwise customers are charged interest for a loan or they have to sign up to an alternative credit card.
Factoring - Turkish Rugs Manufacturers used factoring to grow their exports. They were in a panic situation in their cash flow as they had run out of money and had to chase their customers aggressively to get paid. In order to improve their liquidity, they sold their accounts receivable to a factoring company.

Working Capital Management
Leasing – Leasing more aircraft, building and plant and equipment. Leasing has freed cash that can be used elsewhere in the business. Debt market trends, tax depreciation, deterioration in aircraft residual rates and the need to provide greater fleet flexibility have increased the attractiveness of leasing. (Qantas)
Sale and lease back – Qantas is one of the few airlines in the world to own its own terminals and is considering selling and leasing them back to improve its working capital.
Control of current assets (inventory) – The value of APPLE’s inventory is calculated using the FIFO method. The value of inventory increased by 123% in 2013. This was due to the reduced demand for the iPhone 5C suggesting demand was lower than expected. As a result, Apple significantly reduced production for the 5c.

Profitability Management
Cost Controls – Expense Minimisation (Qantas)
Qantas has reduced its cost by 20% over the last 10 years by
-   Cutting flying capacity and cutting services back
-   Cancelling orders for new planes
-   Restructuring
-   Fuel conservation
-   Reforming employment relations – increased use of technology, casualisation
-   Outsourcing more business functions
-   Encouraging more sales through the internet.
Revenue controls – Marketing Objectives (Qantas)
-   Setting clear sales objectives
-   Setting up a sales reporting system that reports sales figures regularly and breaks them down into business segments
-   Discounting of airfares to maintain loads in a shrinking market
-   Targeting different markets through Jetstar
-   Increasing revenue through other services such as travel, catering and freight
-   New business class services, self-service kiosks, next generation check in, new advertising campaign.

Global Financial Management
Exchange Rates (Qantas)
Qantas is exposed to various financial risks in international businesses.
-   Changes in foreign exchange rates – expenditures of jet fuel, lease payments and interest repayments are usually made in a foreign currency.
-   Qantas generates about 38% of revenue from other currencies.
APPRECIATION – Qantas pays less for fuel, lease repayments, loan repayments and overseas capital expenditure.
DEPRECIATION – Qantas pays more for fuel, lease repayments, loan repayments and overseas capital expenditure.
Interest Rates (Qantas)
Qantas is exposed to movements in interest rates both in Australia and overseas. An increase in interest rates increases the interest repayments Qantas pays on its borrowings. Qantas has a number of operations overseas and it was more cost effective to fund them from overseas banks due to lower interest rates.
Hedging and Derivatives (Qantas)
Forward Cover and Options – Qantas uses these to hedge future fuel purchases, future interest payments and future capital expenditure payments.
Qantas has hedged about 94% of its fuel needs for 2015. Most of these hedges are in the form of options.
Swap Contracts – Qantas earns revenue in many currencies and incurs costs especially fuel, maintenance and leasing in other countries. Swaps is another derivative used by Qantas which involves foreign currency denominated costs being paid out of revenue in the same currency. Qantas also denominates some borrowings in net surplus currencies to provide a natural hedge.
Methods of International Payment (Noventus Pty Ltd)
Payment in Advance – For its computing/electric products as it guarantees cash inflows. Noventus does this as it recently lost $10,000 in exporting products overseas without payment which had significant impact on its profitability management and liquidity which could have been used to repay debts.
There is no international legislation or body that regulates payment overseas.
Bill of exchange against payment – MIR-AUS is a company specialising in installation of ink systems for printers. They import a large amount of ink from overseas companies and therefore it can be risky if payment is sent before the quality of the ink is checked. When the business picks up the ink, a bill against payment is used so that MIR-AUS can inspect the ink delivered before accepting and paying for it.

Sorry, that was a bit excessive. But I hope this was of some help to you :) Good luck[/list][/list]



THANK YOU SOOO MUCH THAT WAS SUPER DUPER USEFUL! THANKS SOOO MUCH
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on March 10, 2017, 05:21:36 pm
Hey,

I have a slight feeling this question may have been asked before, but I can't seem to find it.

Why might a business choose to adopt LIFO in contrast to FIFO? The textbook explanation was confusing and didn't really help me. I mean yes, LIFO can be used for non-perishable goods, but what's the benefit of this?

Thanks in advance everyone  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 12, 2017, 06:42:20 pm
Hi all
i was wondering if anyone knew any good sites to get past papers for half yearlies. I school doesn't release that many
thank you in advance :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on March 12, 2017, 07:39:25 pm

Hi all
i was wondering if anyone knew any good sites to get past papers for half yearlies. I school doesn't release that many
thank you in advance :)

Hey kiiaaa!! Pop "THSC" into Google, it should be the first result, a HEAP of past Trials and assessments for practically every subject! ☺
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 12, 2017, 08:17:33 pm
Hey kiiaaa!! Pop "THSC" into Google, it should be the first result, a HEAP of past Trials and assessments for practically every subject! ☺


ah legend! thank you very much!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on March 12, 2017, 11:26:41 pm
Hello! Any good case studies for product positioning in the marketing dotpoint? I was thinking burberry..no frills..but i need others!


Thanks  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 13, 2017, 06:35:48 pm
hey famm
i have my business studies half yearly in a week and i legit don't know anything. do you guys have any tips on how to embed all the content in my brain? I'm like desperate for help? I have made notes but i think i should focus on practicing right? Pleaseee help.
thank you :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on March 13, 2017, 06:50:48 pm
hey famm
i have my business studies half yearly in a week and i legit don't know anything. do you guys have any tips on how to embed all the content in my brain? I'm like desperate for help? I have made notes but i think i should focus on practicing right? Pleaseee help.
thank you :)

Hey! Not a Business student so definitely wait for Isaac to give some advice too (he's our business expert round the forums, but he's just started a Law degree so might be a little quiet while he settles in)!

That said, practice practice practice - It's the best way to prepare. Maybe make some essay plans for any essays you may need to write, perhaps even make some palm cards with key terms on them? But practice should definitely be the main thing - It's what I tell everyone for Legal, and I imagine it is just as relevant for Business ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joyg on March 13, 2017, 11:00:43 pm
hey famm
i have my business studies half yearly in a week and i legit don't know anything. do you guys have any tips on how to embed all the content in my brain? I'm like desperate for help? I have made notes but i think i should focus on practicing right? Pleaseee help.
thank you :)

I definitely agree with Jamon, practise as many questions as possible and also try to do it under a time constraint especially with past papers so you can get to know whether or not your spending too much time on any areas. Also make sure you memorise the syllabus as all the questions come from the syllabus and some straight out of the syllabus, e.g. outline a financial institution. I've included a copy of a syllabus that you can print off and fill in as some of the words are missing, this method personally helped me to remember the syllabus
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: yasmineturner on March 17, 2017, 05:53:28 pm
Hello,
I was wondering if someone could please help me understand the difference between pricing methods and pricing strategies?
Thank you so much,
Yasmine
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on March 18, 2017, 05:26:53 pm
Hello!
 I was wondering if someone could please explain me how each of the financial institution actually influence a business. Is truggle to get my hand around it
many thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on March 21, 2017, 10:25:07 pm
Hey! I'm currently working on an assignment; I am required to develop a marketing plan for IKEA based on research and assumption.
Does anyone have any relevant material that I can use or any recommendations on how to tackle this task? Thanks ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on March 22, 2017, 05:08:20 pm
I've just got a question about section IV of the HSC paper (extended response/essay). Say for example, the question was:
"To what extent to the influences on operations affect business performance?"
Is it necessary to talk about all 8 operations influences or can you just choice 2-4 and discuss those in detail?
Thankyou!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on March 22, 2017, 05:09:49 pm
Hello,
I was wondering if someone could please help me understand the difference between pricing methods and pricing strategies?
Thank you so much,
Yasmine

Hey,
Pricing methods consider a variety of internal and external factors, such as the cost of the product, the current demand of the product in the market and competition. These influences will provide the framework for pricing strategies, such as skimming, penetration, loss leader and price points. Although I do agree you should know what pricing methods are, I don't think you need to get too caught up in it since it isn't mentioned in the syllabus.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on March 22, 2017, 05:21:21 pm
I've just got a question about section IV of the HSC paper (extended response/essay). Say for example, the question was:
"To what extent to the influences on operations affect business performance?"
Is it necessary to talk about all 8 operations influences or can you just choice 2-4 and discuss those in detail?
Thankyou!!

Hey julia,
Personally, I would pick the influences which best suit my case study/ies. Is this the business report section? If it were me, i'd make sub-headings for each influence(Maybe 4-5?). But then again, how much is there to talk about on influences alone? If you feel you can talk of all 8 and keep up a good argument, i'd say go for it :). Just know this isn't required of you and you still get the marks by mentioning a few, provided they are in detail (maybe more than 2 though?).

Based on the question and with no idea of what case studies you have been studying, I believe quality expectations and technology are good influences when talking about business performance. Customers expect a certain level of quality, so it is the operation's responsibility to achieve it. Technology will make business performance faster/more efficient. These are just a few ideas that flew into my head just now !

However, i'm no business studies expert so take my advice with a grain of salt  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on March 22, 2017, 05:29:18 pm
Hey! I'm currently working on an assignment; I am required to develop a marketing plan for IKEA based on research and assumption.
Does anyone have any relevant material that I can use or any recommendations on how to tackle this task? Thanks ;D

Hey,

The marketing plan consists of all of the syllabus headings under processes. I would recommend basing your response under those when tackling the task  :) That's just my 2c! I'm not studying IKEA so unfortunately I don't have any material, but i'm sure a web search or maybe someone on the AtarNotes forums could help you out ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: sophroberts812 on March 26, 2017, 11:10:56 am
Can anyone give me a brief overview of the "sequencing and scheduling – Gantt charts, critical path analysis" dotpoint in the operations syllabus?

Also, I've never managed to get my head around why you need to find the longest possible path for the critical path analysis to find the shortest possible completion time?

Thanks :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on March 28, 2017, 12:31:15 am
Can anyone give me a brief overview of the "sequencing and scheduling – Gantt charts, critical path analysis" dotpoint in the operations syllabus?

Also, I've never managed to get my head around why you need to find the longest possible path for the critical path analysis to find the shortest possible completion time?

Thanks :D

Hey,
This is going to be my attempt to teach you a dot point that I myself have just learnt so I hope I can help you to some degree, despite being no business studies wiz.

Gantt Charts: A bar graph which schedules (allocates time) for a specific number of activities. This is great for a business as they can measure planned performance with actual performance by assessing whether the scheduled time frames have been met.
CPA: A flow diagram which is superior when sequencing (ordering tasks) as it clearly indicates which tasks can be completed at the same time.

When looking at a CPA, you'll generally be asked a question like 'What is the shortest amount of time for all tasks to be completed'. The key word here is all. This means you cannot take the short path and reach the end in 3 days, as there are still other tasks which may take longer. Thus, all tasks can only be achieved when taking the longest route. Think of the saying, you're only as good as your worst employee. In this context, the business is only as fast as its longest task. Keep in mind the longest possible path doesn't mean jumping back and forth... There's usually arrows to guide you. Don't go against these arrows.

Anyway, that's my input :) I hope it's not too confusing
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: elysepopplewell on March 29, 2017, 02:57:21 am
Anyway, that's my input :) I hope it's not too confusing

We really value your help Rodero! Thanks for always lending a hand. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on March 29, 2017, 10:21:40 pm
Hey guys, can someone explain the difference between quality control/assurance/improvement? Is it just the stages at which product quality is assessed?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: sophroberts812 on March 30, 2017, 12:12:05 pm
Hey guys, can someone explain the difference between quality control/assurance/improvement? Is it just the stages at which product quality is assessed?



Here are my notes for this dot point of the syllabus :) Let me know if you have any other questions!!



QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Quality management refers to those processes that a business undertakes to ensure:
- Consistency
- Reliability
- Safety
- Fitness of purpose of product   

Quality Control – (inspection, measurement and intervention)
Quality control reduces problems and defects in the product  by using inspections at various points in the production  process. 
- Pre-determined quality targets would be set and any  failure to meet the targets would need to be assessed  and appropriate action taken to correct any issue that  has caused quality standards to fall below expectation.
- Quality control management may require that labour be appropriately trained to apply quality standards throughout working processes.


Quality Assurance – International Quality Standards
Quality assurance involves the use of a system to ensure that set standards are achieved in  production. This is done through taking a series of measurements and assessing them against preI determined quality standards.

Aspects of quality that are important to QA include:
- The notion of ‘fitness for purpose’ or how well a product does what it is designed to do
- The desire to achieve ‘right first time’ so that products do not need to be reworked, which
wastes time, energy and other resources   
A widely used international standard is the International Organisation for Standardisation 9000 (ISO  9000).
 
Given that the production of components for a manufactured good such as a TV may come from  different suppliers from different countries, such standards are an important quality control  mechanism for ‘global’ companies. This ensures that the quality of the components from one nation is  also equal to the components of another supplier in another nation.
 
Quality Improvement
Quality improvement focuses on two aspects: continuous improvement and total quality management.    Continuous Improvement: is an ongoing commitment to improving a business’s goods or services. That  is, all staff is encouraged to demonstrate initiative and to suggest areas where improvements can be  made in improving the quality of the products being produced.
 
Total Quality Management: this concept focuses on managing the total business to deliver quality to  customers. It is an ongoing, business-wide commitment to excellence that is applied to every aspect of  the business’s operation. To achieve TQM objectives requires four elements: benchmarking, employee  empowerment, a focus on the customer and continuous improvement.
 
Benchmarking: evaluate (something) by comparison with a standard   
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on April 02, 2017, 01:53:01 pm
Hey guys, for the stakeholders dotpoint in HR, specifically government organisations, my textbook is waffling on about the key roles of business, statutes, tribunals, etc. I don't quite understand this dotpoint. Can someone please help to clarify it?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on April 03, 2017, 06:56:05 am
Hey guys, for the stakeholders dotpoint in HR, specifically government organisations, my textbook is waffling on about the key roles of business, statutes, tribunals, etc. I don't quite understand this dotpoint. Can someone please help to clarify it?

Thanks!

Hey thebarman  :),
I've only recently started human resources as well, so i'm in the same boat as you, but i'll try to answer your question as best I can.
Stakeholders refer to the groups and individuals that have some interest with the business, and will therefore influence its human resource management.

So how are government organisations a stakeholder?  :o

Well, government organisations create legal frameworks that the business must abide by. Your textbook mentioned statutes, which are the laws that the business must follow, such as minimum work conditions for its employees. The organisations that enforce these laws include the Federal Court of Australia and Fair Work Australia.

If you look at the syllabus, there is a very, very similar dotpoint for stakeholders: Legal influences. Just note that there is in fact a difference. The main difference being that legal influences only include the actual legislation, so this would include:
- The Fair Work Act
- Sex Discrimination Act
- Occupational Health and Safety Act
- etc.
These are all legal influences, which are different to government organisations, as they are the actual body that will enforce these laws if they are breached.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you're confused with anything  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on April 03, 2017, 07:53:49 pm
Thank you so much, Rodero!  That was incredibly helpful :)

Just another question for you guys. How do I structure a response for section 4 of the business exam? We haven't gone through it in class yet, and our exam is tomorrow...

Thanks again!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on April 03, 2017, 09:06:12 pm
Thank you so much, Rodero!  That was incredibly helpful :)

Just another question for you guys. How do I structure a response for section 4 of the business exam? We haven't gone through it in class yet, and our exam is tomorrow...

Thanks again!

Hey,
This is the section where people debate whether to structure it as an essay or a business report. Section 4 is where you would include the case(s) that you have studied, such as Apple, Qantas etc.
In my opinion, I would structure this section as a business report. There are a lot of different ways to structure this so you can definitely look into this after your exams. However, my structure follows something like this

Executive Summary: This report will ... blah blah blah

SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

Body Paragraphs. I tend to make these the exact wording of the syllabus
e.g. Overcoming resistance to change, performance objectives, outsourcing for Operations strategies
Product, Price, Promotion, Place etc. for Marketing strategies
Basically, I pick a select few that I can best talk about which relate to the question, and then use the dot points from the syllabus and highlight them in the exam. Underneath this I have the content, my case study, and the businesses effectiveness in using these.
If possible, I like to make some form of diagram - So in the exam that I just had a few weeks ago, I made a flow diagram for overcoming resistance to change, using Kurt Lewin's unfreeze/change/refreeze model.

Conclusion - Pretty self explanatory

So yeah, that's how I personally go about structuring a business report. However, i'm just like you and looking for new ways to structure my responses. I'm sure in the next few assessments the way that I structure this section will change, and yours may as well  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on April 05, 2017, 07:21:02 pm
Hey guys!

I don't really understand some of the different types of shares that can be sold (external source of finance). In particular, I don't understand the difference between rights issue and share purchase plan. Could someone please give me a clear definition and examples on how they're different?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on April 06, 2017, 03:08:00 pm
I need help with interdependence of operations and marketing. How do I show that it is evident in a stimulus case study? Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on April 18, 2017, 01:33:34 pm
I need help with interdependence of operations and marketing. How do I show that it is evident in a stimulus case study? Thanks :)

Anyone?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on April 19, 2017, 12:04:58 pm
I need help with interdependence of operations and marketing. How do I show that it is evident in a stimulus case study? Thanks :)

Hey kekemato,
Without knowing what your personal case studies are, I could help you answer this question using Qantas. In marketing, promotional strategies such as advertising will appeal to the customer through the product design and its features. The operations of Qantas must subsequently ensure their products align with the features stated in the marketing campaign.

For instance, in Qantas' 'Safety Video',  John Travolta emphasises the business' safety standards; "There is no-one I would rather have at the controls than a Qantas pilot".  It is then the role of operations to implement performance objectives to meet the needs of the customer and their expectation for safety.

The interdependence of marketing and operations are also seen in prior to the flight. Marketing will advertise flights at a specific time; Operations must then ensure that cleaning and maintenance of planes are done promptly to abide by schedules.

As a general note, the pricing strategies of marketing will acknowledge the production costs of operations, and will then add a mark-up to gain a profit. i.e. The cost to produce a pie in the operations may cost $1.50, but the business' marketing sector may price the product for $2.50

Hope this helps :) Let me know if you have any questions

P.S Sorry for the extremely late reply, I've been pretty busy during the Easter break  :-\
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on April 20, 2017, 02:34:33 pm
Sorry if anyone has a question on Finance or the later stages of the Human Resources syllabus. I've only covered Marketing and Operations but I really hope someone else can answer your questions :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on April 23, 2017, 02:52:14 pm
Hi could someone please explain to me how is inventory management a stragetgy and when would i recommend it in a business report and what is the deal with all this LIFO FIFO. like a get the JIT but the the whole calculation stuff of LIFO FIFO confuses me in how is it strategy.
thanks heaps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on April 24, 2017, 10:32:42 pm
Hi, can someone explain the parts that I need to cover in this report question in the pic? Thanks!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on April 25, 2017, 08:13:58 pm
Hi, can someone explain the parts that I need to cover in this report question in the pic? Thanks!!

Hey kekemato

Looks to me like the question is focusing on the marketing process and operations strategies. Here is a breakdown of the key aspects of the stimulus and a few points you could potentially mention in your report.

Management are seeking information about how they can:
- Ensure their product is relevant to the needs of potential customers in Asian markets

This is mostly achieved through the marketing process: Market research, identifying target markets and implementation, monitoring and controlling
You could possibly mention the market strategy of global marketing, in particular customisation.

- Use operations strategies to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage
This is a dead give-away; You need to mention operations strategies in your report. I'd say 3-4 would be sufficient. Technology and global factors stand out to me as potential headings.

- How are operations and marketing interdependent with one another?
My answer will likely be extremely simple to you; You may want to consider delving deeper into the stimulus if this does not suffice.

As a general rule of thumb, a business will acknowledge the expenses that have been incurred in the operations and will add a mark-up to achieve a profit. In the case study, the business will consider the costs for operations such as fuel, maintenance of planes, purchase of new technology etc. The marketing sector will adopt the pricing strategy of cost-based pricing to ensure the tickets will generate a profit.

Explain how market research can be used by management to adapt to the needs of the customer in a new market
Here it is key that you mention market research (Obviously  :P). This sort of intertwines with the statement above, where the business wants to ensure their product is relevant

Recommend strategies of operations management to enable the business to compete successfully in a foreign market
Again, this links with the above statement about operations strategies to achieve a competitive advantage. I stress that you need only pick a few that you can talk about in detail.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need further explanation  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on May 01, 2017, 10:44:37 pm
Hi could someone please explain to me how is inventory management a stragetgy and when would i recommend it in a business report and what is the deal with all this LIFO FIFO. like a get the JIT but the the whole calculation stuff of LIFO FIFO confuses me in how is it strategy.
thanks heaps!

I've hit this road block as well and noticed that this question still hasn't been answered. If anybody has some idea of this dot point please let us know!  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: RuiAce on May 04, 2017, 08:18:37 am
Hi could someone please explain to me how is inventory management a stragetgy and when would i recommend it in a business report and what is the deal with all this LIFO FIFO. like a get the JIT but the the whole calculation stuff of LIFO FIFO confuses me in how is it strategy.
thanks heaps!
I've hit this road block as well and noticed that this question still hasn't been answered. If anybody has some idea of this dot point please let us know!  :D
The concept of JIT is more working in favour of the business itself. It carries benefits such as allowing for smaller warehouse spaces and better quality products.

FIFO v.s. LIFO is more related to tax. The underlying factor is that prices are usually inflating.

Under the assumption that prices are inflating, inventory purchased at an earlier date is written down at a lower book value, than those of a later date. The value of inventory is going to impact on the value of our COGS expense once we sell it. It may help to use numeric values to visualise it, but I'll just give a rough explanation. (Mostly because I have no idea about actual prices.)

Recall that inventory turns into COGS expense at point of sale.

Suppose you have the same good you're selling (idk, eggs for example). But you have one carton you purchased now, and another carton you purchased later. Those you purchased later are going to be written for a higher price than the ones previously.
Under FIFO, the ones with the lower book value get sold first. This means that the ones with lower book value are sold first, and your COGS expense is comparatively lower
Under LIFO, the ones with the higher book value get sold first. This means that the ones with higher book value are sold first, and your COGS expense is comparatively higher

Here's the strategy. By opting to use LIFO, you're effectively increasing your COGS expense, and by consequence decreasing your gross profit. Having decreased your gross profit, your EBIT (earnings before interest tax) goes down. Ultimately, this means that by choosing to go for LIFO, because your earnings is reduced, you pay less tax. (Which is also why this is illegal in Australia.)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on May 09, 2017, 08:05:37 pm
Hello everyone

Could someone please help me understand what market segmentation is exactly? and all that stuff relating to  the secondary target market. Like i get that you have specific people you aim your product towards but the rest i dont get.
Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on May 10, 2017, 09:49:26 pm
Hello everyone

Could someone please help me understand what market segmentation is exactly? and all that stuff relating to  the secondary target market. Like i get that you have specific people you aim your product towards but the rest i dont get.
Thank you!

Hi! First of all market segmentation has three ways of segmenting according to the syllabus.

-Mass market (everyone)
-Segmented market (a certain group)
-Niche market (a certain group in that group)

There are four ways to segment a market.

-Demographic (age, income, etc)
-Behavioural (attitude towards product)
-Psychographic (health and environment consciousness)
-Sociocultural (culture, society values)

For example, Coca-Cola.
They saw that their sugary drink sales were in decline due to shifts in the public's awareness to health. Most of their female customers had stopped purchasing their sugary drinks. The public has become more "health-conscious" to products that may damage health (in the syllabus). This is why Mount Franklin was introduced by Coca-Cola. It was designed to appeal to health-conscious young women aged between 14-35 (actual stat).

Now to your second question...
A secondary target market is a group of customers that the product may also appeal to but isn't the business' main focus.
As with Coca-Cola, their main target market for Mount Franklin is young women. However, another segment, such as athletes and middle-aged people, may also find bottled water appealing and willing to buy it. It wasn't Coca-Cola's main focus but people are willing to pay for it.

I hope this clears things up :)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BarnesK01 on May 11, 2017, 09:18:48 am
In class we are working on a plan for a past hsc essay question. But I don't where to start. The essay question is "Assess strategies that management may use to respond to influences on operations." Any help would be greatly appreciated.  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on May 11, 2017, 02:47:45 pm
Hi! First of all market segmentation has three ways of segmenting according to the syllabus.

-Mass market (everyone)
-Segmented market (a certain group)
-Niche market (a certain group in that group)

There are four ways to segment a market.

-Demographic (age, income, etc)
-Behavioural (attitude towards product)
-Psychographic (health and environment consciousness)
-Sociocultural (culture, society values)

For example, Coca-Cola.
They saw that their sugary drink sales were in decline due to shifts in the public's awareness to health. Most of their female customers had stopped purchasing their sugary drinks. The public has become more "health-conscious" to products that may damage health (in the syllabus). This is why Mount Franklin was introduced by Coca-Cola. It was designed to appeal to health-conscious young women aged between 14-35 (actual stat).

Now to your second question...
A secondary target market is a group of customers that the product may also appeal to but isn't the business' main focus.
As with Coca-Cola, their main target market for Mount Franklin is young women. However, another segment, such as athletes and middle-aged people, may also find bottled water appealing and willing to buy it. It wasn't Coca-Cola's main focus but people are willing to pay for it.

I hope this clears things up :)



Thank you so much Master Neo. It all makes sense now :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on May 11, 2017, 03:44:34 pm
Hello, everyone!

I was wondering if anyone had any marketing case studies? (not on apple or Qantas tho) I looked at the 'notes' tab too and found one for apple and Qantas but I would like maybe some other businesses too perhaps. Ill really appreciate it if you can share some
Thank you very very much! :))))
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kylesara on May 11, 2017, 07:01:55 pm
Hi could you please just explain what price points are as part of a pricing strategy? Im looking at 2 different explanations so im a bit confused. Thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on May 11, 2017, 11:54:48 pm
Hi could you please just explain what price points are as part of a pricing strategy? Im looking at 2 different explanations so im a bit confused. Thanks.

This definition is the best I can find for price points. It is basically a suggested pricing method based on the current business climate.

Suggested retail price of a product, determined in such a way as to compete with prices of other products. A product may be introduced with a specific price point, but that price may be altered depending on current demand and competition. Source: businessdictionary.com

There is also one other strategy of price points where businesses put their price as $4.99 instead of $5.00. I think that maybe an example of price points.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on May 17, 2017, 04:04:56 pm
In class we are working on a plan for a past hsc essay question. But I don't where to start. The essay question is "Assess strategies that management may use to respond to influences on operations." Any help would be greatly appreciated.  ;D

The key word here is "assess", meaning basically you need to provide a judgement. On what? The question mentions strategies that may be used in response to operations influences. So you need to plan to assess operations strategies (how good they are likely to be or what they are useful for) but you also need to know about the influences on operations management and how the two relate. As always with business studies, the syllabus is your friend, so revise strategies and influences relating to operations for the HSC course in this document: https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/business-studies-st6-syl.pdf

As for planning, I believe the question is not a report (on a hypothetical business), so use a typical introduction/paragraph/paragraph/paragraph/conclusion format. Each paragraph should focus on a key point (maybe an influence) and the number you choose to use will depend on the length of time provided for the task.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BarnesK01 on May 22, 2017, 07:15:26 pm
The key word here is "assess", meaning basically you need to provide a judgement. On what? The question mentions strategies that may be used in response to operations influences. So you need to plan to assess operations strategies (how good they are likely to be or what they are useful for) but you also need to know about the influences on operations management and how the two relate. As always with business studies, the syllabus is your friend, so revise strategies and influences relating to operations for the HSC course in this document: https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/business-studies-st6-syl.pdf

As for planning, I believe the question is not a report (on a hypothetical business), so use a typical introduction/paragraph/paragraph/paragraph/conclusion format. Each paragraph should focus on a key point (maybe an influence) and the number you choose to use will depend on the length of time provided for the task.

Thankyou very much for your help, I really appreciate it :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcusgrahamm on May 23, 2017, 08:10:53 pm
Has anyone done a operations study into apple?

If so could you advise any useful sources?

Thanks :)))
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on May 27, 2017, 12:07:25 pm
Has anyone done a operations study into apple?

If so could you advise any useful sources?

Thanks :)))

Apple's an interesting one, great for operations. Plenty of interest due to its status as a blue chip in the US, so there's lots of news on new developments and stuff.

I haven't done a case study myself, but I'd suggest going through each syllabus dot point for operations and trying to find stuff relating to Apple.

For example, this video details how they make their products in China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk-xqPKOxl4
You could relate this to outsourcing (as the factory is owned by Foxconn), transformation processes and CSR (workers' conditions).

Edit: this video is a more extensive version of the one above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RBW2bcMzuU

Another thing you could mention is how Apple aims to differentiate its products to maintain a competitive advantage, spending money on R&D to create innovative products etc (http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-cfo-explains-the-companys-10-billion-rd-budget-2017-2/?r=AU&IR=T).

Hope that helps a bit.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Lachlan Morley on May 29, 2017, 05:57:18 pm
Hi all

Anyone got any case studies for limitations of financial reports
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on May 29, 2017, 07:41:48 pm
Hi all

Anyone got any case studies for limitations of financial reports

Might be a good idea to dig in financial reports for these. Not sure if you need multiple examples of limitations, but Virgin Australia's financial report illustrates a few: https://www.virginaustralia.com/cs/groups/internetcontent/@wc/documents/webcontent/~edisp/2016-asx-financial-report.pdf

P10 - "Net operating expenditure includes $440.5 million in restructuring charges in the current year. These charges primarily relate to the program of operational and capital efficiency initiatives announced on 15 June 2016 that are intended to simplify the Group’s business, help build scale and improve productivity."

Basically they're explaining why there's a massive restructuring cost on their income statement which is an example of notes appended to the financial statement.

The business also states that they use the "fair value" method of valuing assets (a common practice) for their balance sheets which illustrates the issue with valuing assets: there are various different methods so the company must mention which one they have decided to implement. Use CTRL+F to find a specific example in that pdf.

On P16 they also mention that "The Group completed a one for one pro-rata non-renounceable entitlement offer of $852.0 million in August 2016. A portion of the proceeds from the entitlement offer were used to repay the $425.0 million shareholder loan facility."

Basically they're explaining how their debt was repaid, an example of debt repayments as a limitation of financial reports (by default they aren't explained and can give a false impression).

If you need an example of one of the other points look for an ASX blue chip stock, Google their financial report (hopefully a PDF) and CTRL+F the term. Hope that helps somewhat.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 01, 2017, 11:17:11 pm
Hey, could someone help me with these questions please? Thanks!


(http://i.imgur.com/Brj6F2b.png)

Hi!! :D
Pricing Methods
-Skimming: Setting the initial price high to get those rich people to buy first, then reducing price over time.
Eg. iPhone launches. A brand new iPhone on the release date may cost you $1300, but after a month, it will only cost $1100 because those willing to pay have been satisfied.
-Penetration: Setting the initial price lower than competitors to quickly gain market share.
Eg. Aldi. Part of their success in the Australian market is being much cheaper than Woolies and Coles that we loved it. Hence, their success in taking a big chunk of their market share.
-Loss Leaders: An item that is priced very low on purpose solely to attract customers into the store. Usually makes no profit or even a loss.
Eg. Frozen Coke at McDonalds. I've actually been with McDonalds managers, and they tell me that the Frozen Coke sells at a loss to get customers in.
-Price Points: A series of prices that are recommended to be marketed at. This will be determined by current supply/demand, competitor price, and the market.
Eg. A manufacturer may recommend or ask a retailer to set a specific price to their items.

Marketing Strategies
Market Segmentation: I have already written a guide on this. Just scroll to the top of this Question Thread page. (It's the first one on this page)
Product/Service Differentiation: Customers always want more bang for their buck. If a business can set themselves apart from their competitor, either that be better features or whatnot, this will set yourself apart from all your other competitors. This will usually perceive the business as higher quality and will gain more publicity.
Eg. When Apple first introduced their iPhone back in like 2007, their competitors such as Nokia could not compete with the smartphone because it offered much more features than a brick, and it really set Apple apart in the mobile market.

Branding/Packaging: A brand is a trademark used by a business that distinguishes a business' product from its competitors. This can be in the form of colours, pictures, shapes, etc. The brand is usually featured on the packaging itself so that customers can identify products easily.
Eg.
-Coca Cola has trademarked the distinctive shape of their Coke bottle.
-Cadbury has trademarked that certain shade of purple on their wrappings.
-The packaging of Cadbury's Favourites is trademark purple as well as having a transparent window. That allows the customer to see inside. The insides contain the many brands of chocolate that people are already well familiar of such as Dream, Crunchie, etc.

Promotions
-Advertising
-Personal selling and relationship marketing
-Corporate social responsibility also fits in here too.
-Opinion leaders: Famous people who advertise/endorse a product.
Eg. George Clooney and that coffee thing, Nespresso (?)
-Word of Mouth: People who have bought/tried the product, and are talking about it to their friends as reviews.
It is a chain reaction as their friedns may also tell their friends and so on. Thus, word of mouth is very risky and can lead to poor reputation because the business cannot control it.
Eg. If a Michellin reviewer calls your restaurant crap in their reviews, your business will suffer because Michelin writes guide books whatnot.

Market mix is basically the 7P's of marketing. A quick google should be able to answer that if it is an IDENTIFY question.
Hope this helpss :) sorry if it's a bit lengthy like a guide



Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: olliesfield on June 03, 2017, 11:57:17 am
does anyone have any human resources learn to notes?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 04, 2017, 05:24:59 pm
I have a gap in my understanding of costs vs expenses that I need to fill.

COGS is costs related to the purchase and transformation of inputs into outputs.

Expenses are other costs (typically fixed) - selling, administrative and financial.

The question I have is, where exactly is the line drawn? For example, if a business employed a ton of casual staff (pretty much a variable cost), this is still counted as a selling expense, right? Also, would say rental fees for a factory or a warehouse be counted as a selling expense or included in the COGS because it's directly related to transforming inputs? Apart from the purchase of inputs and perhaps logistics, what else would be included in the COGS?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 04, 2017, 06:32:41 pm
I have a gap in my understanding of costs vs expenses that I need to fill.

COGS is costs related to the purchase and transformation of inputs into outputs.

Expenses are other costs (typically fixed) - selling, administrative and financial.

The question I have is, where exactly is the line drawn? For example, if a business employed a ton of casual staff (pretty much a variable cost), this is still counted as a selling expense, right? Also, would say rental fees for a factory or a warehouse be counted as a selling expense or included in the COGS because it's directly related to transforming inputs? Apart from the purchase of inputs and perhaps logistics, what else would be included in the COGS?

COGS does not include expenses such as labour.
The only thing included in COGS is the cost to purchase raw materials used to make the goods.
This is why there are two sections on the P/L statement to state COGS and Expenses separately.

For example:
-I receive $500000 in total sales (Price*Quantity) after selling 1000 units for $500 each.
-Those 1000 units cost $200 in raw materials to make each unit.
Gross Profit is Sales minus COGS
$500000-$200000=$300000
-It cost me $150000 to employ all the labour, pay rent, have insurance, etc. This is the expenses section.
Net Profit is Gross Profit minus Expenses
$300000-$150000=$150000
-Net Profit is $150000 after COGS and Expenses are subtracted.

Hope this helps :) COGS only relates to the cost of raw materials.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 04, 2017, 09:54:23 pm
COGS does not include expenses such as labour.
The only thing included in COGS is the cost to purchase raw materials used to make the goods.
This is why there are two sections on the P/L statement to state COGS and Expenses separately.

For example:
-I receive $500000 in total sales (Price*Quantity) after selling 1000 units for $500 each.
-Those 1000 units cost $200 in raw materials to make each unit.
Gross Profit is Sales minus COGS
$500000-$200000=$300000
-It cost me $150000 to employ all the labour, pay rent, have insurance, etc. This is the expenses section.
Net Profit is Gross Profit minus Expenses
$300000-$150000=$150000
-Net Profit is $150000 after COGS and Expenses are subtracted.

Hope this helps :) COGS only relates to the cost of raw materials.

I was wondering where I got the idea it included labour so I looked at my year 11 notes and they had the following;

"COGS are only the expenses incurred during the production process, such as raw materials and labour. They are related to the cost of goods already sold. Other costs such as marketing are not included in the COGS."

I blame the BSIA textbook lol. Thanks for the clarification.

Edit: just looked in the Creative Business Studies textbook and it says labour is included with COGS: "Specifically, this [COGS] refers to the money it [the business] spent on the raw materials and labour to make the goods."

I think you're probably right, as labour is included in expenses on a few of the revenue statements from past exams. So annoying how there's different definitions for different stuff depending on who you ask in this course. Why don't we have a specifications document like for IPT?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 05, 2017, 05:37:03 pm
I think the labour expense is referring to services maybe? There are some services like lawyers and analysts where the labour is the only COGS since you're selling expertise.

Here's what I got from my teacher.

Basically COGS is what is involved directly in producing outputs. This does include labour IF the labour is actually involved in producing the output (like a factory worker). It is not included if the employee is for example selling the products, like a Harvey Norman employee. Based on this I probably wouldn't include it for say a lawyer but I would include office supplies. Glad that the papers seem to focus on ratios and don't tell you to actually calculate the COGS itself   :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Lachlan Morley on June 16, 2017, 02:12:54 pm
Can someone explain the financial limitation of normalised earnings
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Angela Karanikolas on June 16, 2017, 02:29:22 pm
Hi Guys,
My friend (she is yet to get ATAR Notes) was wondering if anyone has any recent statistics about the amount McDonalds puts towards advertising ?

Anything would be helpful.
Thank you all
 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Angela Karanikolas on June 16, 2017, 05:08:30 pm
Hi! I did a quick google search and found some stats on McDonald's ad spending in the US and in Australia.

US:
-$98.7 million on ads (2014)
-$113.8 million on ads (2015)
-$88.8 million on ads (2016)
Source here!
Aus: $55 million on ads
(Date unknown)

Different websites show very different monetary values because some say 1 billion whereas others say ~100mil for the same year.
Hope this helps your friend  ;D

Thank you so much. My friend Katie is literally about to cry, you've saved her assignment.
Thank you again.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Lachlan Morley on June 16, 2017, 08:06:05 pm
Could someone explain the financial report limitation of Normalised earnings
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: CaitlinSavins on June 19, 2017, 10:49:30 am
What's a good way of remembering the differences between marketing approaches and marketing strategies?

I know approaches is mass market, market segmentation and niche march approaches, but how can I remember that this doesn't refer to marketing strategies?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on June 19, 2017, 04:03:24 pm
What's a good way of remembering the differences between marketing approaches and marketing strategies?

I know approaches is mass market, market segmentation and niche march approaches, but how can I remember that this doesn't refer to marketing strategies?

Hey Caitlin,
I'm a little bit confused here. According to the business studies syllabus, the approaches to marketing are:
-Production
-Selling
-Marketing

I would expect to see mass, segment and niche markets under types of markets.

Regardless, in order to memorise the difference, remember that marketing strategies is its own section. It's an umbrella heading for the dot points of market segmentation, the 7 P's etc. Meanwhile, approaches to marketing is WITHIN a section (role of marketing).

Try to keep in mind that every topic in business studies follows the same syllabus structure: role, influence, process, strategies and, in human resources, effectiveness. Within those key headings are dot points (such as marketing approaches / types of markets).

Hope this helps, feel free to ask for clarification with anything, or if I've been mistaken somewhere. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jingyi.ren1999 on June 20, 2017, 11:12:50 am
Hi! I was wondering if you can mark this business essay for me? thank you so much!

Assess the strategies that management of a business may use to respond to influences on operations
Plan; cost minimisation-variable cost( outsourcing)
Quality management; quality control, assurance, improvement –
Technology leading edge, developed
Need adv and disadv
Due to the competitive environment of businesses. Operations management is influenced by factors which are outside of business’s control such as globalisation, technology and quality expectations. Business can incorporate outsourcing, global outsourcing or development of performance strategy to deal with this influence. The Pas Group, McDonalds and Orton have had to respond to these influences in their operation management in an effective manner to maintain or increase profitability.

Globalisation
Globalisation refers to the break down of trade barriers between nations, this could benefit the business in that they are exposed to cheaper labour, lenient regulatory standards in other countries and different level of professionalism. However it is particularly disadvantage to business whom are cost leaders in the market exposing them to the threat of overseas businesses undercutting the market and re-establish the lowest cost. Management can take advantage of the greater contact towards global markets by outsourcing productions or inputs to reduce cost, much like The Pas group whom sources most of their inputs from China and Bangladesh allowing them to reduce cost of products in Review, White Runway and Jet Swimwear.  Through outsourcing, businesses may have to make employees redundant which results in redundancy payments. This is particularly beneficial for The Pas Group as their employee benefit well exceeds other costs with $900,000. Netherless, due to the outsourcing of The Pas Group, they would increase profitability of business as well as the efficiency. Another influence that impacts business is technology

Technology
Development of technology results in the increase of efficiency as well as productivity by exposes businesses to cutting edge technology. Technology allow for the innovation of existing products as well as the invention of new products. The adoption of Technology inherently influenced McDonalds productivity in maintaining a competitive advantage and to maintain its reputation as a fast food chain. McDonals had introduced the option for customers to order on the ‘design your own taste’ menu smart screen. This not only reduced the wait time of consumers whom would like to order at the register and receive their food in a short period of time but also allows individual customisation for consumers, the ‘design your own menu’ icon in that machinery allows consumers to pick their own ingredients for their personalised burger. This increases McDonals level of competition as their competitor Dominos do not offer customisable menus. Although the advanced technology has increased McDonalds productivity and efficiency, the adoption of new technology results in the reorganisation and retraining of staff. With McDonalds customer visits throughout the day, additional staff in the kitchen is needed therefore McDonalds had to retrain certain register employees to work in the kitchen to meet customer demands. Thus, due to the adoption of new technology in McDonalds, they have increase their level of efficiency and productivity leading to a larger market share and a reduced wait time for consumers.

Quality expectation
Customers would have pre conceived ideas about the quality of a product thus it is important for management to put in place certain strategies to maintain product and service quality. Oroton an Australian company that manufactures accessories and leather goods realised the importance of providing high quality products. Due to high costs in Australia Boyd Lane, the CEO of Oroton globally sourced high quality products from Asia and distributed them through Sydney to reduce costs. Oroton’s leather accessories were produced in Melbourne, primarily from high quality Italian leather. This resulted in delays and the performance objective of speed was not being achieved. In order to reduce lead times and wait times Oroton decided outsource its production to a closer location reducing lead times and customer dissatisfaction. This allowed Oroton to become more responsive to customer demands and they were able to increase their sales. Hence the strategies adopted by Oroton have been successful as it increased its market share and revenue

Ultimately, operations management are influenced by external factors such as globalisation, technology and quality expectations, The Pas Group, McDonalds and Orton are three businesses that have responded effectively to external influenced by employing a range of strategies such as outsourcing, global outsourcing. The adoption of these techniques has allowed business to remain their competitiveness as well as increase their efficiency and market share.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on June 20, 2017, 09:02:33 pm
Hey!! I'm just having a bit of trouble interpreting this question from the CSSA 2016 trial paper:

Discuss one marketing strategy that a business can use to differentiate its products. Support your answer with an example

So would promotion be considered a marketing strategy? Also, when a question asks for an example, do you have to refer to a specific case study (e.g. McDonalds uses social media marketing...) or just use social media marketing as the example?
Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 20, 2017, 09:17:10 pm
Hey!! I'm just having a bit of trouble interpreting this question from the CSSA 2016 trial paper:

Discuss one marketing strategy that a business can use to differentiate its products. Support your answer with an example

So would promotion be considered a marketing strategy? Also, when a question asks for an example, do you have to refer to a specific case study (e.g. McDonalds uses social media marketing...) or just use social media marketing as the example?
Thank you!

How many marks was it? I'd say yes, provide a case study as that's what the syllabus mandates. Like it's saying to refer to a strategy (SMA) and then provide an example (McDonalds). I don't think it means to simply give the broad strategy and then a specific strategy.

I get what you mean about referring to a dot point or a - point. I think it needs to be a - point, like "In promotion, SMA means does xxx. McD uses SMA because yyy." This shows that you know the syllabus in depth.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on June 20, 2017, 09:21:11 pm
How many marks was it? I'd say yes, provide a case study as that's what the syllabus mandates. Like it's saying to refer to a strategy (SMA) and then provide an example (McDonalds). I don't think it means to simply give the broad strategy and then a specific strategy.

I get what you mean about referring to a dot point or a - point. I think it needs to be a - point, like "In promotion, SMA means does xxx. McD uses SMA because yyy." This shows that you know the syllabus in depth.

Thank you!! It is a 4 marker so I guess a more specific example would be better
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 20, 2017, 09:33:31 pm
Thank you!! It is a 4 marker so I guess a more specific example would be better

Yeah that's like the "specific example but not heaps of detail" range imo. Have a look at the marking guidelines if you've got them (if you haven't already), that might give you a clue about what they're looking for.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on June 22, 2017, 09:04:54 am
Explain how profitability management strategies contribute to the objectives of financial management?

This is for an assessment task, can anyone suggest how to approach the question?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: mattmorley on June 22, 2017, 09:46:30 am
Hey this is an answer for a report for did for our assesment the other day, hope it helps

Profitability Management, is higly important strategy for NBP, by controlling the businesses costs and revenues.

The strategy of cost controls, involes the use of cost centres, of which are centres being set up to attribute costs to, enabling NBP to understand the prominent sources of expenses within the business. Expense minimiazation, focuses on reducing costs everywhere, wherby reducing costs, profitability of NBP can increase. Cost Controls, is an imperative strateg due to it improving the efficiency  and profitability of  by reducing the expenses  by making employees responsible for their expenses, reducing shortfalls in the expense ratio for NBP.

The strategy of Revenue Controls, , ensures income is flowing into the business on a regular basis, of which is achieved through the use of marketing objectives, such sale and pricing objectives. The use of marketing objectives, are highly important for the financial performance of NBP, as it will improve the profitability of the business, by marketing increasing the sales revenue of NBP, eradicating issues in profitability ratios, improving financial performance
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 22, 2017, 09:28:47 pm
Explain how profitability management strategies contribute to the objectives of financial management?

This is for an assessment task, can anyone suggest how to approach the question?

Some ideas off the top of my head:

1. Link cost cutting/expense minimisation with profitability - how the business minimises COGS/expenses to turnover the highest profit possible. Could also delve into efficiency. Mention the expense ratio and GP/NP ratio too.

2. Link revenue controls/marketing objectives with profitability and growth. Cutting failing products to improve profitability for example, or targeting market share through penetration pricing. See what your textbook/notes say about marketing objectives and how they could link to objectives.

3. Getting creative here - link cost cutting with liquidity as the business will have a better current ratio/cash on hand if regular liabilites are cut.

Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 22, 2017, 10:16:03 pm
Explain how profitability management strategies contribute to the objectives of financial management?

This is for an assessment task, can anyone suggest how to approach the question?

Hi!!  ;D
Profitability is a measurement of the business' efficiency regarding sales revenue and cost of goods sold.
The objectives of finance is to effectively manage the resources of the business to achieve their goals. The obvious one here would be to maximise profits. To maximise profits, you have to reduce expenses and your cost of goods sold, which perfectly relates to profitability.

Management of profitability is to ensure that the business can generate a high enough sales revenue with the product they are selling, and that they don't pay too much for materials in which they make products with (COGS).

Maximising sales revenue
This overlaps into the marketing aspect of business.
-How can a business promote its product better to get more customers to buy it? You can talk about branding, relationship marketing, product differentiation, price points, etc.
-Could they increase the price of their product?
PROS:
-Perception of higher quality (psychological influence). Eg. Apple.
-Generate more profit per unit.
CONS
-Some products have very high elasticity (supply/demand sensitivity to changes in price).
Eg. Luxury goods decrease in demand when prices go up, whereas things like petrol don't decrease demand if prices go up. (This is an economics topic)
-Customers may switch to competitors if prices are higher.

Minimising COGS
-Could you find cheaper items at different suppliers? But newer suppliers do not have pre-established  trust, and may not let you buy on credit until they can trust you. This affects the flexibility of the business operations.
-Offer the current suppliers to pay early for any debts in exchange for discounts. This can improve relationships and the business' financial working capital.
-How about you re-negotiate your contract with the current suppliers?
This may reduce COGS, but it may put off the suppliers, which strains relationships.

Ultimately, these are all ways a business can use to improve their profitability, by either increasing revenue or by decreasing COGS. Management for profitability can ensure that maximum efficiency can be achieved to generate the maximum profits to contribute to business success.
Good luck with your assessment!!  8)


Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jingyi.ren1999 on June 23, 2017, 12:11:57 pm
i'm having a lot of trouble with Finance topic.. I don't really know why.. can someone brief me on the equations and what to do for each? I know how to apply it but I just donno how to apply it to real life business financial reports
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on June 23, 2017, 06:34:36 pm
i'm having a lot of trouble with Finance topic.. I don't really know why.. can someone brief me on the equations and what to do for each? I know how to apply it but I just donno how to apply it to real life business financial reports

Because the syllabus uses very "clean" hypothetical examples, it's not as clear as it would be in a hypothetical balance sheet for example how to apply them to real situations. Here's what I do:

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on June 24, 2017, 10:07:19 am
Does anyone have/know where to find examples of past band 6 responses (for sections III and IV)? Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bearbear on June 24, 2017, 12:39:26 pm
Does anyone have/know where to find examples of past band 6 responses (for sections III and IV)? Thank you!

Hi, here is a link for some sample responses
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/stds-matl/business-studies-sm.html
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on June 24, 2017, 05:51:21 pm
Any tips on how to handle questions making use of financial statements? Our upcoming assessment has given us 3 that we can use while preparing for the task
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 24, 2017, 06:37:57 pm
Any tips on how to handle questions making use of financial statements? Our upcoming assessment has given us 3 that we can use while preparing for the task

Questions on the three financial statements would usually require you to calculate things based on the data given in a hypothetical business' statement and apply them.

They may ask you to "assess the liquidity of a business" based on the financial reports supplied. This means that you should master the ratios and stuff like: Current Ratio, Working Capital, Gross Profit Ratio, Net Profit Ratio, Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio, Expenses Ratio, etc.
You'd need to know HOW to calculate them and WHY it is used.
Eg. Current ratio is current assets on current liabilities, and it measures a business' ability to pay its debts as they fall due.
You must also be able to assess the financial situation of a business based on the industry average supplied on the financial statement.

One of the questions may be two balance sheets of Business A and Business B. Then you would be asked to compare the two businesses and answer which business is more liquid, solvent, or likely to get credit. (I had this in my assessment)

Cash flow statements questions will ask you to calculate the opening balance of a particular month.
Be warned, read every line of the question because they usually say "The business starts January with 10000, calculate the opening balance in June." Most people don't see the 10000 and start calculating January at 0, thus getting the question wrong.
(Happened to my friend lol)

Basically, revise ratios on balance sheets and profit/loss statements. The cash flow statement doesn't have ratios. Practise, practise, and practise again. Good luck!!  8)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on June 24, 2017, 09:08:35 pm
Hello,

I had some questions about operations that I would really appreciate if someone could explain please

What is the difference between government and legal influences?

What is visibility? (as an influence in the transformation process)

How does critical path analysis (CPA) work? Very confused about this!

Thats all for now!! Thanks


I have an exam on operations marketing and hr next week so I'm spazzing out D;

Thank you!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 25, 2017, 01:16:45 am
Hello,

I had some questions about operations that I would really appreciate if someone could explain please

What is the difference between government and legal influences?

What is visibility? (as an influence in the transformation process)

How does critical path analysis (CPA) work? Very confused about this!

Thats all for now!! Thanks


I have an exam on operations marketing and hr next week so I'm spazzing out D;

Thank you!!

Hey there!  :D

The syllabus dot point on "Influences on Operations" has government policies and legal regulations.
Government policies are to do with things like taxes and bans, whereas legal regulations are to do with workplace issues like OH&S, anti-discrimination, and minimum wages.

The term "visibility" refers to how much of the operations process can be seen and tracked by the customer.
-For example, Subway has high visibility because they make the sandwich right in front of you when ordered. However, McDonalds has low visibility because their burgers are pre-made hidden at the back of the store.

Critical Path Analysis is a diagram showing the shortest time it takes for all tasks in an operations process to be completed. To find the critical path, you have to look for the longest path in terms of time it takes to complete. Once the longest task is done, everything else has already finished, thus being the time it takes to complete all tasks. It is used to measure the sequencing and scheduling of the processes and to reduce bottlenecks, which can paralyse the entire operations if one tasks takes longer than expected.

Hope this helps ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on June 25, 2017, 05:32:35 pm
How would I go about answering this for a long response? What key points should I write my bodies on?

"Describe the strategic role that human resource management has within a business and analyse this role in its interdependence with other key business functions."
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on June 25, 2017, 08:23:34 pm
Would a current ratio of 1.35:1 and 1.08:1 be sound financial positions?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 25, 2017, 09:02:36 pm
Would a current ratio of 1.35:1 and 1.08:1 be sound financial positions?

A current ratio of 1.35:1 or 1.08:1 is a sound financial position, but offers little protection to sudden fluctuations to the market such as natural disasters. The business can risk becoming insolvent in the long term even if they generate a positive return.
The best judgement is to compare it to the the industry average, which is usually supplied with the balance sheet. If not, just go with the general rule of 2:1 as a decent ratio.
 8)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: SSSS on June 25, 2017, 10:19:52 pm
Hey guys  ;D I have an assessment in two days, and it is a case study response on human resource. The thing is we know it is on strategies, but it can be linked with anything. The thing is could a question ask about how strategies can be evaluated through the use of indicators or how strategies can assist the human resource management? I know for certain it can relate to influences, as they can ask how human resource strategies attempt to combat influences, or roles, as they can link it to the strategic role. But what about indicators or the process? Thanks guys!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on June 26, 2017, 06:50:01 pm
Hey there!  :D

The syllabus dot point on "Influences on Operations" has government policies and legal regulations.
Government policies are to do with things like taxes and bans, whereas legal regulations are to do with workplace issues like OH&S, anti-discrimination, and minimum wages.

The term "visibility" refers to how much of the operations process can be seen and tracked by the customer.
-For example, Subway has high visibility because they make the sandwich right in front of you when ordered. However, McDonalds has low visibility because their burgers are pre-made hidden at the back of the store.

Critical Path Analysis is a diagram showing the shortest time it takes for all tasks in an operations process to be completed. To find the critical path, you have to look for the longest path in terms of time it takes to complete. Once the longest task is done, everything else has already finished, thus being the time it takes to complete all tasks. It is used to measure the sequencing and scheduling of the processes and to reduce bottlenecks, which can paralyse the entire operations if one tasks takes longer than expected.

Hope this helps ;)

Thank you sooo much!! Definitely makes sense now!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BarnesK01 on July 15, 2017, 07:12:58 pm
Just a bit of a weird request... Just wondering if anybody had a recording of the business studies syllabus/notes???
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on July 15, 2017, 08:03:25 pm
What exactly do you mean by your request?
If you're looking for the business studies syllabus, it's here.
If you're looking for business studies notes, you can find them in the notes section. :)

inb4 they're looking for an audio recording
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on July 15, 2017, 09:49:05 pm
Just a bit of a weird request... Just wondering if anybody had a recording of the business studies syllabus/notes???

Your best bet would be one of those HSC Business Studies apps. There was one from ~2015 that has since been discontinued by a teacher from Mt Druitt HS - my school used it and he explains the whole syllabus in audio/presentation format so he goes beyond just the dot points. You might be able to find a .apk file online somewhere but it'll be a hassle to rip audio recordings from it. If you're trying to learn the syllabus I'd recommend recording it yourself lol.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: NB2972 on July 16, 2017, 01:39:59 pm
Hey! This is my first post ever on a forum so I'm not sure how this will go.

I just need a quick explanation regarding how to calculate the critical path in a critical path analysis. All the textbooks, videos and notes I've read stress that it's the shortest time taken for all tasks to be achieved, but the answer is always the longest time and seems to skip tasks as well. Am I missing something glaringly obvious?
 
Thanks in advance, love the site  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on July 16, 2017, 02:12:01 pm
Hey! This is my first post ever on a forum so I'm not sure how this will go.

I just need a quick explanation regarding how to calculate the critical path in a critical path analysis. All the textbooks, videos and notes I've read stress that it's the shortest time taken for all tasks to be achieved, but the answer is always the longest time and seems to skip tasks as well. Am I missing something glaringly obvious?
 
Thanks in advance, love the site  ;D

i am absolutely awful at explaining stuff, so here goes. when looking at a critical path analysis, remember that some tasks can be done simultaneously. the critical path is the shortest amount of time it takes to do something, while also incorporating every other small task.

example for q14 in 2012 hsc (link to paper because uploading a screenshot doesn't work): https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2012exams/pdf_doc/2012-hsc-exam-business-studies.pdf

answer:
Spoiler
the answer is c (17) because although there's a huge block of time with tasks c and g which both go for 14 days, it covers everything else.

hope this helps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: NB2972 on July 16, 2017, 02:21:40 pm
i am absolutely awful at explaining stuff, so here goes. when looking at a critical path analysis, remember that some tasks can be done simultaneously. the critical path is the shortest amount of time it takes to do something, while also incorporating every other small task.

example for q14 in 2012 hsc (link to paper because uploading a screenshot doesn't work): https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/hsc2012exams/pdf_doc/2012-hsc-exam-business-studies.pdf

answer:
Spoiler
the answer is c (17) because although there's a huge block of time with tasks c and g which both go for 14 days, it covers everything else.

hope this helps!

That actually makes a lot more sense now, I understand it much clearer. Thank You!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on July 16, 2017, 02:36:43 pm
That actually makes a lot more sense now, I understand it much clearer. Thank You!!

no worries, glad to know i could help :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on July 16, 2017, 03:20:07 pm
Hey! This is my first post ever on a forum so I'm not sure how this will go.

I just need a quick explanation regarding how to calculate the critical path in a critical path analysis. All the textbooks, videos and notes I've read stress that it's the shortest time taken for all tasks to be achieved, but the answer is always the longest time and seems to skip tasks as well. Am I missing something glaringly obvious?
 
Thanks in advance, love the site  ;D

The Critical Path Analysis is the amount of time it takes for ALL tasks to be completed. This means finding the longest path to determine when the last task will finish.
This is the simplest definition I can give. :)
Some tasks in operations cannot start until others are finished, so we look for the longest path from commencing process to delivery to customer.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on July 17, 2017, 07:15:31 pm
We don't need to remember any specific cash flow/income/balance sheet statements from particular case studies, do we? Same for financial ratios - do we need to know any?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on July 17, 2017, 07:33:56 pm
We don't need to remember any specific cash flow/income/balance sheet statements from particular case studies, do we? Same for financial ratios - do we need to know any?

Depends on what the case study is for. If the case is for improving debt repayments and liquidity, I would memorise the current ratio and debt-equity ratio. The more sophistication you can apply in your response, the better it is for the marker to give out marks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on July 18, 2017, 09:06:49 pm
Hey there, I'm really struggling to write an executive summary. Like I know how to write one and what to put in it but mine always seems to be like 3 lines. Any recommendations?
Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on July 18, 2017, 09:33:28 pm
Hey there, I'm really struggling to write an executive summary. Like I know how to write one and what to put in it but mine always seems to be like 3 lines. Any recommendations?
Thanks :)

Hey there mate,

Thats a tough one, would you mind posting your executive summary so I could have a look at it?
Keep in mind that your executive summary should really only be around 4 sentences as just a summary of what you will be talking about - it doesn't have to go into depth!!

For my business reports I always had my opening sentence start with "The purpose of this report is to" and then I outlined the main purpose of the report then in the second sentence I explained that a little bit more - this usually involved restating the part of the scenario that is the question. Then I gave a 1 sentence summary of the business scenario. That was usually it - take a look at my one below :)

Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is to address concerns that CULP Pty Ltd is facing with respect to:
In particular, this report aims to:

CULP Pty Ltd is a clothing manufacturing business that targets youth; which has recently lost market share to cheaper imports. Thus this report will address these issues and provide insight into global operations (offshoring and marketing).

And that was it - it turned out to be a page because my writing is big and i spaced it out but it really isn't very long - pretty succinct and details exactly what each section of my report will be about.

Hope this helps and feel free to post yours up for marking :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on July 18, 2017, 11:33:54 pm
Hi :)
How would I go about answering this question structure-wise?

"Evaluate the importance of economic in human resources management in a business."
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on July 19, 2017, 09:31:54 pm
Hi :)
How would I go about answering this question structure-wise?

"Evaluate the importance of economic in human resources management in a business."

Assuming this means economic influences, I'd evaluate it as very important (because it's easier and it's probably what they're looking for).

How many marks was it? I'm assuming it's a 4-6 mark short answer, so I'd structure it with the discussion of either of the following two points:

1. The economic cycle
Why it's important: Labour is cheaper during a recession as less firms are hiring. Likewise, labour is more expensive during economic expansion - high GDP growth. This may make it hard to find skilled employees who may need to be imported from overseas.

2. Consumer preferences
Why it's important: Australia is shifting towards a more service-based economy. Hence, consumers are demanding exceptional customer service and businesses need to hire, train and motivate staff who can fulfil this requirement. Case study: Virgin Australia 2011 rebrand or "Mighty Helpful: Mitre 10" - differentiation through the "people" element of the marketing mix.

3. Globalisation (markers love this word even though it hasn't been all that popular for a few years now so try to mention if it you can where relevant).
Why it's important: Increased competition from foreign businesses is forcing Australian businesses to cut costs through outsourcing or global contracting which has been facilitated by free trade agreements (China) and the lowering of tariffs. In creating a customised global marketing mix, staff located in other countries must be trained appropriately in line with the firm's message (wouldn't go too far into interdependence with marketing if it is a short answer question).

Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on July 22, 2017, 10:44:53 am
Hi,

Can someone please mark my responses?

1. Discuss the balance between cost and quality in operations strategy [4 marks]
Cost and quality are both profoundly considered as factors which can contribute to the success of the business. Spending on cheaper costs of production process through choosing different suppliers with cheaper supplies or raw materials help the business to minimise its expenses. While producing high quality products can ensure the business in increasing in sales, brand loyalty and lead the business to success. Therefore, in the aim of sustain the business competitive advantage, ensuring the quality of the products is the main focus which means producing high quality products demand for higher costs in the production process. As a result, these two objectives need to be balanced in the strategy to sustain and achieve the roles of cost leadership and products differentiation of the business.

2. Explain potential conflicts between short-term and long-term financial objectives [4 marks]
Both long and short term objectives are carried out in the aim of achieving the business goals and objectives, leading the business to succeeding against its competitors. However, the desire of expanding the business in the long run requires the business to saves on overall costs of labours, equipment, production process and using the profits to invest in the expansion of the business. As a result, this conflicts with the short term objectives of the business to increase its profitability which means the profits are going to be saved and spent within the next few years of the business life cycle.

Correct me please if I am wrong somewhere  :)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on July 22, 2017, 04:02:01 pm
Hi,

Can someone please mark my responses?

1. Discuss the balance between cost and quality in operations strategy [4 marks]
Cost and quality are both profoundly considered as factors which can contribute to the success of the business. Spending on cheaper costs of production process through choosing different suppliers with cheaper supplies or raw materials help the business to minimise its expenses. While producing high quality products can ensure the business in increasing in sales, brand loyalty and lead the business to success. Therefore, in the aim of sustain the business competitive advantage, ensuring the quality of the products is the main focus which means producing high quality products demand for higher costs in the production process. As a result, these two objectives need to be balanced in the strategy to sustain and achieve the roles of cost leadership and products differentiation of the business.

2. Explain potential conflicts between short-term and long-term financial objectives [4 marks]
Both long and short term objectives are carried out in the aim of achieving the business goals and objectives, leading the business to succeeding against its competitors. However, the desire of expanding the business in the long run requires the business to saves on overall costs of labours, equipment, production process and using the profits to invest in the expansion of the business. As a result, this conflicts with the short term objectives of the business to increase its profitability which means the profits are going to be saved and spent within the next few years of the business life cycle.

Correct me please if I am wrong somewhere  :)

Warning: I'm not a marker so I'm not an expert on what they'd look for in short answer questions. But I'll tell you what I think which might help. Others may also have some input to help you improve.

For 1:

Few grammar mistakes/typos like "...can ensure the business in increasing in sales" - probably just happened because you were typing them out. Not sure how much markers really care about this but it can seem a bit careless if done repeatedly. I think you've got the gist of the response right but it could be worded a bit better. What (I think) they're looking for in that question is basically you can have:

Cost leadership (lower costs, lower quality, lower profit margin, lower price) OR product differentiation (higher costs, higher quality, higher profit margin, higher price).

You've alluded to both of these and the balance that needs to be achieved (depending on the business's strategy) which is great. But the last sentence: "As a result, these two objectives need to be balanced in the strategy to sustain and achieve the roles of cost leadership and products differentiation of the business." Again I'd just reword this: "Thus, businesses must achieve a balance between cost and quality in operations strategy [refer to the terms of the question] in order to sustain their competitive advantage in the marketplace." You could also mention outsourcing in discussion of how businesses lower costs through new suppliers, and customer perceptions of quality which I believe is a syllabus dot point (you've also alluded to that with mention of brand image but it could be clearer imo).

For 2:

"Both long and short term objectives are carried out in the aim of achieving the business goals and objectives" - this comes across as a bit repetitive. My improvement: "Businesses use short terms and long term objectives in order to guide activities and strategies"

Again I think you've got the general idea but I'd reword it (my opinion). I'd also include a direct example, mentioning two of the five financial goals (growth, liquidity, profitability, solvency, efficiency). You've mentioned profitability which is good but also mention growth rather than "expansion" so they know you know what you're talking about. Here's my example:

"At times, long term financial objectives (term from the question) can conflict with short term goals. For example, in order to grow the business in the long run, significant capital is required to invest in current and non-current assets such as raw materials and facilities. However, in the short term, this may hurt business liquidity or profitability. This is because retained profits and available cash flows must be reinvested for growth, forgoing finance that the business owner(s) would otherwise retain as profit or use for covering day-to-day expenses to shore up liquidity."

The difference (so that you know how to improve directly):


Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on July 22, 2017, 04:13:50 pm
Hi,

Can someone please mark my responses?



Hi there, I'll put my comments below.

1. Discuss the balance between cost and quality in operations strategy [4 marks]
Cost and quality are both profoundly considered as factors which can contribute to the success of the business. Not sure if this is discussing the balance but instead saying that they are both importantSpending on cheaper costs of production process through choosing different suppliers with cheaper supplies or raw materials help the business to minimise its expenses. While producing high quality products can ensure the business in increasing in sales, brand loyalty and lead the business to success. Here would be a good point to say that producing higher quality would incur greater costs due to having more expensive inputsTherefore, in the aim of sustain the business competitive advantage, ensuring the quality of the products is the main focus which means producing high quality products demand for higher costs in the production process. As a result, these two objectives need to be balanced in the strategy to sustain and achieve the roles of cost leadership and products differentiation of the business. Tell me a bit more about what you mean by the balance

Notice how the directive verb said discuss - which means to provide points for and against - so try to have a bit of a both sides in this answer.
Also this question is worth 4 marks - for every short answer question try to think of what those 4 marks are firstly before you write so you can plan out your answer around those 4 main points. What do you think those 4 points?? Definitely reply and see if you could plan out your answer!!
But overall this is really good effort - you just need a bigger discussion and to link the first sentence (which is the beginning of a discussion)
 to the rest of it.

2. Explain potential conflicts between short-term and long-term financial objectives [4 marks]
Both long and short term objectives are carried out in the aim of achieving the business goals and objectives, leading the business to succeeding against its competitors. However, the desire of expanding the business you should definitely use the the syllabus words -
 growth, solvency, liquidity etc. that would've have been great!! in the long run requires the business to saves on overall costs of labours, equipment, production process and using the profits to invest in the expansion of the business. The clash isn't directly that they would have to save its more that they would have to invest funds which jeopardises availability of funds and profitability As a result, this conflicts with the short term objectives of the business to increase its profitability which means the profits are going to be saved and spent within the next few years of the business life cycle.  Great that you used an example to show these potential conflicts but it would have been really good if you could have explained it more generally as to how short term and long term objectives could clash and then bring in 1-2 examples of clashes that would have lifted you to full marks

Really good job - I'd really love to see more of your work!! :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ekhan_01 on July 30, 2017, 08:48:14 pm
Hi!

Can you pls edit my answer and give me a few pointers on how to increase my marks to get a 6/6 // and hypothetically what mark would you give this answer

Analyse the role of exchange and interest rates on global financial management on a business
Global transactions require currency conversion as most countries have their own currency. Exchange rates is the ratio of one currency to another; it tells us how much a unit of one currency is worth in terms of another. Interest rates are the cost of borrowing money. Overseas interest rates are often lower than Australian interest rates. Borrowing overseas can be cheaper, however the loan must be repaid in the foreign currency. This method is risky as the exchange rate fluctuates, and can be a cause of concern since they can increase costs for businesses and therefore lead to a reduction in profits. There are financial management strategies such as hedging and derivatives to minimise risk of exchange rate fluctuations.

Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on July 30, 2017, 09:43:55 pm
Hi!

Can you pls edit my answer and give me a few pointers on how to increase my marks to get a 6/6 // and hypothetically what mark would you give this answer

Thank you!

Hey there,

Comments are below :)

Analyse the role of exchange and interest rates on global financial management on a business
Global transactions require currency conversion as most countries have their own currency. Exchange rates are the ratio of one currency to another; it tells us how much a unit of one currency is worth in terms of another. Interest rates are the cost of borrowing money. Overseas interest rates are often lower than Australian interest rates. Borrowing overseas can be cheaper, however the loan must be repaid in the foreign currency. This method is risky as the exchange rate fluctuates, and can be a cause of concern since they can increase costs for businesses and therefore lead to a reduction in profits. There are financial management strategies such as hedging and derivatives to minimise risk of exchange rate fluctuations.

so overall this response is pretty strong - it could do with a little of a change to structure and how you set it out so that you are definitely hitting all parts of the question. You should try to split up exchange rates and interest rates cause they both have differing effects on financial management - talk about what exchange rates are then how they effect businesses and how businesses can respond and repeat for interest rates - that should get you 6/6. Remember analyse means to Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications - so you should identify what each of the components are and the relationship between each concept (exchange rates, financial management and interest rates)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on August 03, 2017, 01:13:33 am
Hey,

2nd Attempt! Could you please check it once again?

1.   Discuss the balance between cost and quality in operations strategy
In the aim of achieving competitive advantage, the strategic role of the operational function needs to focus on provide cost leadership and products differentiation. However, as if the business considers to focus on its role of cost leadership, there are needs for the business to minimise its costs of production in the transformation process which can be achieved through choosing different cheaper suppliers, offshoring parts of its operational function, reducing the number of employees to enhance on the effective method of the business spending its money. However, the desire to produce higher quality products to increase in profitability, the business would incur greater costs due to having more expensive inputs. Therefore, incurring great costs in the production process will help the business to enhance on the quality of the products, leading to high quality and price.

Can you also please suggest a relevant case study for this question as well? I just couldn't think of anything! Thank you!! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: mattmuzz on August 03, 2017, 06:17:58 pm
heyy i was just wondering what is a simple essay structure to use for both a business essay and report
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on August 03, 2017, 09:35:56 pm
heyy i was just wondering what is a simple essay structure to use for both a business essay and report

Hey! ;D
I recommend Isaac's guide on how to write a business report.
Section 3 is always report structure, whereas Section 4 (case study) can be either a report or essay structure.
You would follow the general structure of:
-Executive Summary
-General Overview (for case studies)
-Body- Have the main points from syllabus as headings.
-Conclusion/Summary
:)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on August 03, 2017, 09:59:38 pm
hey guys,

If I want to recommend price points as a strategy in a business report as a pricing method for a new range of watches being the scenario - what are the benefits of this method? like the textbook and all these notes say the same thing that
-Price points are selling products only at certainly predetermined prices 
- Used by retailers, especially clothing stores and boutiques
- Price will be set regardless of how much they cost at wholesale

I cant find any benefits to say to use in my recommend answer to justify my choice
could you please help me?

EDIT: I also have another question being seen a lot of questions asking for factors to be considered during the acquisition process and I was wondering what are these factors? I've never heard of these and I am really confused
thank you

thank you :)))

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 03, 2017, 10:11:17 pm
hey guys,

If I want to recommend price points as a strategy in a business report as a pricing method for a new range of watches being the scenario - what are the benefits of this method? like the textbook and all these notes say the same thing that
-Price points are selling products only at certainly predetermined prices 
- Used by retailers, especially clothing stores and boutiques
- Price will be set regardless of how much they cost at wholesale

I cant find any benefits to say to use in my recommend answer to justify my choice
could you please help me?

EDIT: I also have another question being seen a lot of questions asking for factors to be considered during the acquisition process and I was wondering what are these factors? I've never heard of these and I am really confused
thank you

thank you :)))


Price points can be beneficial to the consumer as it allows assurance and consistency of pricing towards the items. For instance, since the pricing of the watches are consistent regardless of warehouse pricing, it allows the customer to feel less offending when prices fluctuate over the economic peaks and troughs.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on August 04, 2017, 12:22:36 am
Hey,

2nd Attempt! Could you please check it once again?

1.   Discuss the balance between cost and quality in operations strategy

Can you also please suggest a relevant case study for this question as well? I just couldn't think of anything! Thank you!! :)


Hey Julie,

Comments down below:

In the aim of achieving competitive advantage, the strategic role of the operational function needs to focus on provide cost leadership and products differentiationAwesome that you are bringing in this business terminology, but make sure you are addressing the question!!. However, as if the business considers to focus on its role of cost leadership, there are needs for the business to minimise its costs of production in the transformation process which can be achieved through choosing different cheaper suppliers, offshoring parts of its operational function, and reducing the number of employees to enhance on the effective method of the business spending its moneyLink this to how the aim to develop cost leadership and have a lower cost product can sometimes create a decrease in quality due to the factors you mentioned - thats what this question is asking, the relationship between cost and quality and how it is hard to have low cost and high quality. However, the desire to produce higher quality products to increase in profitability, could be argued that both can increase profitability so try to be careful with this the business would incur greater costs due to having more expensive inputs. Therefore, incurring great costs in the production process will help the business to enhance on the quality of the products, leading to high quality and price. You start to deal a bit with the relationship between the two here - great job!! but you should try to integrate that throughout your response - also you really don't need to be talking about product differentiation as you do in your topic sentence so i would maybe leave that out

This is an improvement!!!! keep in mind im a very harsh marker cos i really want kids to succeed and greatly improve, not just change a few words and be done but really pull apart responses and see whats right and wrong

Any case study will do really --> e.g. Qantas, to make it cheaper flights in economy class, they use cheaper inputs like average aeroplane food (use better words than this ahha) as well as sacrificing quality through seats that only recline part way with not much leg room; whereas a higher quality service like business/first class costs a lot more for the business in the expensive alcohol/foods/entertainment/fancy seats etc. as well as costing customers more --> thats a really simple example of the relationship between cost and quality, Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on August 05, 2017, 03:17:27 pm
Hey there, so my teacher told the class that one of the extended response questions in the trials is going to be about HR influences, specifically about global influences. Any tips on how to prepare for it? Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on August 06, 2017, 07:49:03 pm
Hi,  :D
Thank you, Issac for marking my response!! 
Anyways, can anyone please help me with pricing strategies? Especially price points!!!  :'(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 06, 2017, 09:02:22 pm
Hi,  :D
Thank you, Issac for marking my response!! 
Anyways, can anyone please help me with pricing strategies? Especially price points!!!  :'(
Important to note: Price strategies are not the same as pricing methods!! Don't get them confused :)

Pricing strategies: There are four main pricing strategies a business can implement: price skimming, price penetration, loss leader, and price points.

Price skimming: refers to the implementation whereby a business sets the introductory price at its highest. This is used to maximise the profit from early customers, and after the satisfaction of these early investors are met, the price is lowered in order to attract new customers. Apple and other technological companies use this strategy, so that's why it's relatively expensive in the product's introduction stage.

Price penetration: refers to the implementation whereby a business sets the introductory price at its lowest. This is used to rapidly increase and reach a wider market share, and is used as a way to entice customers into their product, due to its price.

Loss leader: refers to where a product's price is at or less than its manufacturing costs. For instance, if a book costed $10 to make and is sold for $7, this strategy is known as "loss leader". Businesses usually use this strategy in order to entice and attract customers, and they are usually used alongside extra purchases. A common example of this strategy would be at phoning companies selling phones for free. Initially, this idea of free phones is a strategy called loss leader, and is used as a way to attract these new customers. On top of these, marketers will attempt to sell other goods and services, which can lead to a profit to the business.

Price points: is a pricing strategy where marketers will set the product's price at a predetermined level. This is regardless of the economic standpoint, as well as the manufacturing price. This ensures that customers are aware of the prices, and the consistency of these prices are enticing to the customers in their own rights. Clothing stores selling clothes at $49.99, $59.99, etc. are all examples of price points, ensuring that the wide range of pricing is attractive to these customers.

Marketers often use this as a simple mechanism for analysing trends within the product, because the pricing's factor is always constant.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on August 06, 2017, 10:28:19 pm
Hey there, so my teacher told the class that one of the extended response questions in the trials is going to be about HR influences, specifically about global influences. Any tips on how to prepare for it? Thanks!

Hey there Phebsh,

Super lucky that your teacher has told what you dot point to specify!
I really recommend that you know these influences in depth and have case studies ready for each one. Look at how the influlences affects the business and then look at what business have done in response. It is also a good idea to evaluate whether or not they effectively dealt with the global influences.
This is a good kind of template for all of the other influences in all the topics!!

I'd be happy to read anything that you have prepared for your trial!!

Good luck

Important to note: Price strategies are not the same as pricing methods!! Don't get them confused :)

Pricing strategies: There are four main pricing strategies a business can implement: price skimming, price penetration, loss leader, and price points.

Price skimming: refers to the implementation whereby a business sets the introductory price at its highest. This is used to maximise the profit from early customers, and after the satisfaction of these early investors are met, the price is lowered in order to attract new customers. Apple and other technological companies use this strategy, so that's why it's relatively expensive in the product's introduction stage.

Price penetration: refers to the implementation whereby a business sets the introductory price at its lowest. This is used to rapidly increase and reach a wider market share, and is used as a way to entice customers into their product, due to its price.

Loss leader: refers to where a product's price is at or less than its manufacturing costs. For instance, if a book costed $10 to make and is sold for $7, this strategy is known as "loss leader". Businesses usually use this strategy in order to entice and attract customers, and they are usually used alongside extra purchases. A common example of this strategy would be at phoning companies selling phones for free. Initially, this idea of free phones is a strategy called loss leader, and is used as a way to attract these new customers. On top of these, marketers will attempt to sell other goods and services, which can lead to a profit to the business.

Price points: is a pricing strategy where marketers will set the product's price at a predetermined level. This is regardless of the economic standpoint, as well as the manufacturing price. This ensures that customers are aware of the prices, and the consistency of these prices are enticing to the customers in their own rights. Clothing stores selling clothes at $49.99, $59.99, etc. are all examples of price points, ensuring that the wide range of pricing is attractive to these customers.

Marketers often use this as a simple mechanism for analysing trends within the product, because the pricing's factor is always constant.

Awesome work OpenGangs!! Thanks for this!! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ekhan_01 on August 07, 2017, 12:15:54 pm
Hi there  :)

I'm just planning out dot points for several essay questions. How would you go about this question? 'assess operation strategies that can help a business achieve its operations objectives'. Are the operation objectives just to gain a competitive advantage??

Thank You
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on August 07, 2017, 02:28:55 pm
Hi there  :)

I'm just planning out dot points for several essay questions. How would you go about this question? 'assess operation strategies that can help a business achieve its operations objectives'. Are the operation objectives just to gain a competitive advantage??

Thank You

Hey , i'd really like some help with this question as well... i'm guessing operations objectives is aka performance objectives which are- quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, customisation and cost- but that comes under operations strategies anyways.....so i think that the other strategies (new products and services/ outsourcing/ supply chain management/ technology etc...) can lead to achieving the performance objectives-- e.g epic  inventory management  leads to greater dependability ..............maybe im wrong, just my thoughts  ::)

also...i would be eternally grateful to anyone who could explain 'HEDGING' to me in the most simplified way possible....thanks heaps in advance

legends.....atvb in business tomorrow :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on August 07, 2017, 03:23:26 pm
also...i would be eternally grateful to anyone who could explain 'HEDGING' to me in the most simplified way possible....thanks heaps in advance

legends.....atvb in business tomorrow :D

Yes, like what is Hedging? I know it's minimising the risk of currency fluctuations but isn't that derivatives? ??? Anyone know the difference?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 03:32:35 pm
hey.... ;D
we never learnt about derivatives in class.... i am really confused... ??? :o
would someone mind explaining them to me pls... ;)
thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 03:46:45 pm
Derivatives and hedging are very similar to each other :D

A derivative is a financial instrument between two parties about an underlying asset or assets. It is a contract made between two parties, and the value of this contract varies proportional to the derivation of such asset(s). So, for instance, if the value of Asset A is $5, the contract, or derivative, is worth $5. Much like a hedge, derivatives reduce the risk of fluctuations within an economy. We can use derivatives within investment trades, such as bonds, commodities, and stocks.

A hedge is a financial strategy that limits the financial risk within a business, due to fluctuations within the economy. In essence, using a hedge protects the investment from the economic standpoint of a particular business. This can be advantageous to a business as it is like a form of security if the economy doesn't go well, but at the same time, it can be disadvantageous if the economy booms. For a hedge, we use a futures contract.

Hopefully, this helps and if you have any questions with the financial strategies, feel free to ask :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 03:53:07 pm
Derivatives and hedging are very similar to each other :D

A derivative is a financial instrument between two parties about an underlying asset or assets. It is a contract made between two parties, and the value of this contract varies proportional to the derivation of such asset(s). So, for instance, if the value of Asset A is $5, the contract, or derivative, is worth $5. Much like a hedge, derivatives reduce the risk of fluctuations within an economy. We can use derivatives within investment trades, such as bonds, commodities, and stocks.

A hedge is a financial strategy that limits the financial risk within a business, due to fluctuations within the economy. In essence, using a hedge protects the investment from the economic standpoint of a particular business. This can be advantageous to a business as it is like a form of security if the economy doesn't go well, but at the same time, it can be disadvantageous if the economy booms. For a hedge, we use a futures contract.

Hopefully, this helps and if you have any questions with the financial strategies, feel free to ask :)

thanks so much opengangs.... :D ;D
that helps.... but kinda also highlights how much i don't know.... >:(
i understand hedge a lot better than derivatives.... ???
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 03:56:39 pm
thanks so much opengangs.... :D ;D
that helps.... but kinda also highlights how much i don't know.... >:(
i understand hedge a lot better than derivatives.... ???
Hi, ~BK~!
The way I understand key concepts is by watching videos and understanding where they apply to a business. I definitely recommend checking Investopedia for key terms, such as derivatives and hedges. On top of that, they have videos explaining what they are, where they are applied to within a business, as well as shedding examples to better the understanding of these terms.

Hopefully, this helps to motivate you through the remaining content in Business Studies! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: olliesfield on August 07, 2017, 04:20:40 pm
How would we incorporate graphs in our B.S reports? what sort of things could be shown in a graph for business?

Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: janemurray on August 07, 2017, 04:25:12 pm
Can someone please explain how the increase and decrease of the Australia dollar affects imports and exports! Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 04:47:29 pm
How would we incorporate graphs in our B.S reports? what sort of things could be shown in a graph for business?

Thanks
Hi, olliesfield!

We use graphs to show complex analytic structures in a way that is legible to the reader. Businesses often label and position these graphs as relevant to the text. So, we can use graphs, tables, and figures to present complex analysis to the reader.

We can incorporate them in a number of ways. We can either directly place them where relevant, labelling each table for ease to the marker, or we can have an appendix page attached behind the business report. If we opt to go down the latter route, we need to label each table and refer to it as (see Figure 1.2.1) when establishing a link between the table or graph and the related text.

It's especially helpful with the essay, rather than the business report, because a business report simply is a list of recommendations towards a specific business. The essay is more of a general understanding of the business topic, with related and relevant case studies. So, I recommend using it in the essay and not the report (that's not to say, you can't use it in a report, though :) ).

Can someone please explain how the increase and decrease of the Australia dollar affects imports and exports! Thanks
Hi, janemurray!

When the Australian dollar falls, businesses will tend to source materials locally, due to higher import costs. Think about it this way -- let's assume that the Australian-to-American dollar is evenly distributed at 1:1 (this means that for every American dollar, there is an equivalence of 1 Australian dollar). Now, if our dollar falls, then an American dollar may be worth 70 Australian cents. This means that buying from overseas (imports) become a lot more expensive. Thus, when the Australian dollar falls or decreases, there will be more locally grown foods because it's cheaper than importing it from USA.

Conversely, when the Australian dollar rises, importing from overseas may become cheaper. There will be an increase in Australian competitors within the market due to this rise in our dollar. Manufacturers locally may become less competitive as there are more choices globally.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 05:18:37 pm
Hi there  :)

I'm just planning out dot points for several essay questions. How would you go about this question? 'assess operation strategies that can help a business achieve its operations objectives'. Are the operation objectives just to gain a competitive advantage??

Thank You
Hi, ekhan_01!

Operations: management and process of its resources in the creation of the good or service.

The operations strategies includes all of the activities within the production of goods and services. These strategies help to support the business' strategic goals, which in turn gives the business a competitive advantage. Some things you could talk about include:


If you would like, I could go into more depth about each of these aspects and how it relates to the objectives of operations.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on August 07, 2017, 05:26:52 pm
3 cheers for opengangs :D......some awesome responses....thank you so much
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 05:43:00 pm
3 cheers for opengangs :D......some awesome responses....thank you so much
i agree marcorabbito!!  ;D ;D
thanks so much opengangs... v helpful!!!  :P
ATVB WITH BUSINESS TOMORROW EVERYONE ;D ;D ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 05:45:32 pm
btw- check out this forum if you need to know how to write a report....
it is AWESOME!!! (thanks to isaacdelatorre)...https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=172435.0
 ;D ;D :D ;) :) 8)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ekhan_01 on August 07, 2017, 05:46:20 pm
Hi, ekhan_01!

Operations: management and process of its resources in the creation of the good or service.

The operations strategies includes all of the activities within the production of goods and services. These strategies help to support the business' strategic goals, which in turn gives the business a competitive advantage. Some things you could talk about include:

  • performance objectives -- quality, flexibility, customisation, speed, dependability, cost
  • quality management -- control, assurance, improvement
  • supply chain management -- logistics, e-commerce, global sourcing

If you would like, I could go into more depth about each of these aspects and how it relates to the objectives of operations.

Could you please, if that is not a hassle!

Amazing comments btw much appreciated
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 06:36:41 pm
Could you please, if that is not a hassle!

Amazing comments btw much appreciated
Hi, ekhan_01!
Sure, no problem ;D
I'll be writing them in chunks, so these will be under separate posts to keep myself motivated haha.

Performance objectives:
These are the key areas of the operations process, and these vary based on the industry and its operation process. Typically, when a business sets its performance objectives, they are considered as a part of its competitive strategy. Thus, in this way, these enable a business to differentiate from its competitors, and as a result, gain a competitive advantage. Such performance objectives from the HSC syllabus include:

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on August 07, 2017, 06:37:30 pm
HEY BK!!!

thanks so much for that website!! u absolute legend!!!

alll the best evry1!!!! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on August 07, 2017, 07:30:50 pm
Hey guys, what are the strategic goals of business?

EDIT: I'm attempting this question: Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies in achieving the strategic goals of business.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 07:52:29 pm
Hey guys, what are the strategic goals of business?

EDIT: I'm attempting this question: Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies in achieving the strategic goals of business.
Hi, TheFreeMarketeer!

When we say strategic goal, we mean the long term direction for the business. In order to achieve this status or goal, a business will need to use planned objectives, which are broken down into its four main departments which work together to achieve this strategic goal; thus, the interdependence of these departments are crucial to the successful "strategic goal" of a business.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on August 07, 2017, 08:17:21 pm
Hi, TheFreeMarketeer!

When we say strategic goal, we mean the long term direction for the business. In order to achieve this status or goal, a business will need to use planned objectives, which are broken down into its four main departments which work together to achieve this strategic goal; thus, the interdependence of these departments are crucial to the successful "strategic goal" of a business.

How would I paragraph this in an essay? My friend said that the strategic goals are stuff like profit maximisation, increased market share, etc..?

Thanks for the reply.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 08:20:20 pm
HEY BK!!!

thanks so much for that website!! u absolute legend!!!

alll the best evry1!!!! :)

no problem droodsh.... :D :D
the exec summary bit is really helpful ay!! :P

atvb tomorrow and can't waiiiiiittttt for the afternoon!!! :D ;) ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 07, 2017, 08:22:50 pm
btw- opengangs, i really appreciate your help!!!  ;D ;D
i think i need you to tell me everything in the exam.... hahaha ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on August 07, 2017, 08:27:47 pm
How would I paragraph this in an essay? My friend said that the strategic goals are stuff like profit maximization, increased market share, etc..?

Thanks for the reply.

the strategic goal is a long term goal so a goal that will take 5+yrs for the long term fo the business. so like to maximize profit is the business's long term goal coz, in the long run, they want to make sure they have the maximum profit or have an increased market share as these are a goal you cant achieve in a short period and you want to maintain these for a while as a business.

under what context do you want to incorporate this in your essay?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on August 07, 2017, 08:30:02 pm
the strategic goal is a long term goal so a goal that will take 5+yrs for the long term fo the business. so like to maximize profit is the business's long term goal coz, in the long run, they want to make sure they have the maximum profit or have an increased market share as these are a goal you cant achieve in a short period and you want to maintain these for a while as a business.

under what context do you want to incorporate this in your essay?

Just in response to the question: Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies in achieving the strategic goals of business. And in conjunction with a case study.

Thanks for your reply though.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on August 07, 2017, 08:42:44 pm
Just in response to the question: Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies in achieving the strategic goals of business. And in conjunction with a case study.

Thanks for your reply though.


aah so you can do something like this:

- price skimming is extremely effective for a business striving to maximize their profits as part of their strategic goals. to price skim is when the business charges the highest possible price during the introduction phase to ensure the research and development costs are met and to make sure competition doesn't enter the market which is imperative as not being able to overcome the cost of the production can lead to loss thus failing to achieve this objective... the success of price skimming maximizing a business's profits is exemplified by Apple which price skims the prices for its latest product utilising their brand loyalty and established customer base .... ( add some figures on their profits perhaps)

thats how i would have started my answer. you'll defs have to add more to it but that ould start you off
Hope it helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ekhan_01 on August 07, 2017, 10:31:09 pm
Hi, ekhan_01!
Sure, no problem ;D
I'll be writing them in chunks, so these will be under separate posts to keep myself motivated haha.

Performance objectives:
These are the key areas of the operations process, and these vary based on the industry and its operation process. Typically, when a business sets its performance objectives, they are considered as a part of its competitive strategy. Thus, in this way, these enable a business to differentiate from its competitors, and as a result, gain a competitive advantage. Such performance objectives from the HSC syllabus include:

  • Quality: this refers to having the "highest quality" of goods and services within the operations process. We regard this notion of "high quality" as surpassing the expectations of customers. Furthermore, a desired and "high quality" good and service will yield the best possible outcome in terms of its costs -- these products prevent additional costs from repairs and recalls made under its warranty.

    That's the "goods" side of things. Now, let's quickly explore the "service" aspect. We can talk about this in a way that a "high quality" outcome represents a process within its operation that gets it done right in its first attempt -- again, this saves money and resources, since value is added at each stage of production (this is modelled by the supply chain management).

    Thus, maintaining and achieving the quality objective can lead to an increase in the business' reputation, as the quality of the goods and service is the basis of customer expectations, and thus, this ultimately leads to a competitive advantage for the business.

  • Speed: refers to the productivity within the business in the operations management. If the business is able to deliver within a desired amount of time, this again leads to a competitive advantage as a faster speed in the management of operations can reduce lead time between the customer and delivery. This improves the customer service aspect.

    It must be noted that a faster speed, however, doesn't necessarily mean that the quality will follow. By increasing the speed of production, it can often lead to a decrease in quality.

  • Dependability: refers to the reliability of the good or service. This works alongside "quality". That is, how well the product is maintained and developed will affect how long it works to the expectations of the customers.

    Similarly, we should also note that the dependability of the services is essential to the success of the product. For instance, how well does the business distribute the goods and service to the market within its specified time?

  • Flexibility: this is the ability of the management of operations to switch and adapt quickly to new models. The market needs are seldom static. Thus, by managing how adaptable and flexible the operations of a business is is crucial to the success within the everchanging markets.

    In a similar stance, it is important to be able to express the flexibility in volume of products. A business needs to ensure that their operations is able to change from producing one or two products to many products.

    Furthermore, a business simply needs to be flexible to match the increase (and decrease) demand of the market to prevent stock-out.

  • Customisation: this is concerned with the speed of modification of a product in order to match the desires of the customers. Similar to the marketing process, businesses with a focal point on customisation will need to closely communicate with the customers to understand and redefine their design specifications to match their needs.

    As a result, this usually leads to a higher price. (see McDonald's "Create Your Taste")

  • Cost: this is concerned with minimal use of costs. Commonly used include: cost leadership, which is aimed at gaining a competitive advantage by setting the cost lower than the lowest-cost manufacturer within the industry.

    Lower costs will mean that there will be an improved profit margin on each product sold, leading to more revenue (profit) for the business.

    We can categorise this into two areas:
    1. fixed -- these do not change as the output changes (ie they are fixated at that particular cost, and  cannot be lowered).
    2. variable -- these change as the output changes (ie they are sent through different channels, and within each stage, value is added).

You're an absolute champ!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on August 07, 2017, 10:44:12 pm
Can someone give me a brief run through for e-marketing and the selective and intensive distribution channels?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on August 07, 2017, 11:05:57 pm

Can someone give me a brief run through for e-marketing and the selective and intensive distribution channels?

Thanks.

basically, distribution channels are how saturated the market is with that product. let's say Pura milk. you legit can find it anywhere as there is legit a supermarket selling milk everywhere. that is intensive distribution. selective is that the product is in only selected places as the business know the consumer who wants it will go a bit out of its way to get it. eg. apple. while you cant find it in every supermarket yes you can find it in certain electronic stores such as JB HIFI or the apple shop. now exclusive distribution are for not that much budget products eg a Ferrari as the business know it is a waste of money to have show rooms in every second suburb as it is for such a niche market but know that if someone desperately wants one they will find it so they are exclusively located maybe only 3 showrooms in the whole of Aus ( that is a guess idk if that is correct)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 07, 2017, 11:13:49 pm
Can someone give me a brief run through for e-marketing and the selective and intensive distribution channels?

Thanks.
Hi, TheFreeMarketeer!

e-marketing refers to a marketing strategy that uses the electronic means of communication in order to drive sales, using the Internet.
Examples of e-marketing include: podcasts, blogs, SMS, social networking, and applications.
It is advantageous as it is more efficient and provides a faster route for businesses to earn more revenue, as well as attracting new customers. It also enables a business to expand and reach out to a global audience.

The intensive and selective channel choices refer to specific number of outlets within a geographical area.
Intensive aims to provide coverage by using all of its available outlets, and most intensive channel choices are used by big businesses with a high reputation, such as Coca-Cola.

Selective involves a producer using a limited number of outlets within its geography. This channel choice works best when consumers have a preference for a particular brand. This means that the producer can choose the most appropriate and best-performing outlets to focus solely on them.
Examples: Holden, Apple.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on August 11, 2017, 01:52:19 pm
How do I do this one report question?

"Analyse how understanding the influences on financial management can contribute to business success."

I can't really make a strong argument of the syllabus dot points...
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on August 11, 2017, 05:27:03 pm
How do I do this one report question?

"Analyse how understanding the influences on financial management can contribute to business success."

I can't really make a strong argument of the syllabus dot points...

of course you can! the influences are pretty much your sources of finance (equity and debt, but also global influences, government, etc). relate them to your objectives of financial management (PLEGS), because business success essentially means to make a profit, and by understanding the influences, a business owner can acquire funds to expand, etc. this was very brief because i finished my business trial a couple of days ago and haven't done work since then but if you need any more help, feel free to message me and i'll look through my notes a bit more. :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on August 14, 2017, 06:11:22 pm
Hey!!

 I have a quick question, can someone please explain to me what exactly the strategic goals of a business are? I keep seeing it everywhere, does it just mean profitability? A bit confused about this and a quick clarification would be awesome!

Thanks!!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 14, 2017, 06:41:53 pm
Hey!!

 I have a quick question, can someone please explain to me what exactly the strategic goals of a business are? I keep seeing it everywhere, does it just mean profitability? A bit confused about this and a quick clarification would be awesome!

Thanks!!!
Hi, diesxel!

When we say strategic business goals, we refer to them as the long term goals of a business from future planning, which are then divided into specific goals and tasks within the business.

Profitability is just one strategic goal of a business, because in the long run, the business aims to make a profit. Along with profitability, businesses also try to increase their market share in order to grow as a business.

Hopefully, this helps with tackling questions referring to strategic business goals. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: diesxel on August 14, 2017, 08:14:39 pm
Hi, diesxel!

When we say strategic business goals, we refer to them as the long term goals of a business from future planning, which are then divided into specific goals and tasks within the business.

Profitability is just one strategic goal of a business, because in the long run, the business aims to make a profit. Along with profitability, businesses also try to increase their market share in order to grow as a business.

Hopefully, this helps with tackling questions referring to strategic business goals. :)

Thanks so much this really helped!


I have another question, I'm studying the HR influences and I was confused about legal influences for the dotpoint about employment contracts.

When talking about common law, minimum employment standards, awards etc. are these all TYPES of employment contracts??

Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 14, 2017, 09:04:21 pm
Thanks so much this really helped!


I have another question, I'm studying the HR influences and I was confused about legal influences for the dotpoint about employment contracts.

When talking about common law, minimum employment standards, awards etc. are these all TYPES of employment contracts??

Thanks
Hi, diesxel!

Employment contracts are a bit tricky to grasp, because there are so many elements that fall under the employment contract.
The easiest way I remember it is by referring it back to a business situation.

When employees and employers are first introduced to each other, both parties are required to sign some sort of legally-binding agreement. This is the employment contract -- a legally binding and formal agreement between the employer and employee.
From here, we can branch out into two different forms of contract, depending on the industry. If the industry is sustainable enough to customise their own form of agreement, we call this the enterprise agreement -- which is the employment contract of that specific industry.

On the other hand, we have the awards -- which is government-based. They will supply the same information as the enterprise agreement, but the awards is government-regulated, meaning that the hours and payrates are standard across all of the industries.

Min. employment standards, and other employment contracts are all found under the employment contract, which basically refers to what is being agreed on.
Common laws are laws that must be followed, as it is the law developed by the courts, tribunals, and judges. Think of it as: illegal vs. legal.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on August 14, 2017, 10:45:37 pm
HELLO, EVERYONE!

Could someone please explain (teach) me supply chain management as a strategy for operations. I struggle to wrap my head around the thing no matter how many times I read the textbook and thought many another perspective/way of teaching might help

also, could someone also help me and explain profitability strategies under finance. I struggle to understand those too =/

thank you so so so much! :) :) :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on August 17, 2017, 11:33:59 am
Hi ;D
Could I have some feedback on my sect.3 exec summary?

Spoiler
This report will assist management at Fly Easy Airlines in addressing the concerns of expanding into the foreign global market, appropriate methods of financing new equipment, and the outsourcing of maintenance.
The strategies recommended will include:
-The use of marketing strategies and penetration pricing to establish market share.
-The advantages/disadvantages of debt and equity relating to the matching principle.
-The advantages/disadvantages of outsourcing.
These recommendations are to assist Fly Easy Airlines to effectively deal with their management concerns and maximise business success.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: olliesfield on August 17, 2017, 04:38:38 pm
How would you answer the 2016 Human resources question for the extended essay

Evaluate the response of human resource management to legal and ethical influences

Thanks
Ollie
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on August 19, 2017, 10:27:22 pm
Why is factoring considered a debt finance?
Does it depend if it is with or without recourse?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on August 22, 2017, 06:45:27 pm
Why is factoring considered a debt finance?
Does it depend if it is with or without recourse?

I believe this is because the business technically owes the factoring firm in most instances. If they can't recover the debt, the business is still responsible for the cash balance. If by recourse you mean a guarantee to pay (business's responsibility rather than factoring firm) then the answer is yes. BoS probably didn't want to add another dot point.

Hi ;D
Could I have some feedback on my sect.3 exec summary?

Spoiler
This report will assist management at Fly Easy Airlines in addressing the concerns of expanding into the foreign global market, appropriate methods of financing new equipment, and the outsourcing of maintenance.
The strategies recommended will include:
-The use of marketing strategies and penetration pricing to establish market share.
-The advantages/disadvantages of debt and equity relating to the matching principle.
-The advantages/disadvantages of outsourcing.
These recommendations are to assist Fly Easy Airlines to effectively deal with their management concerns and maximise business success.

Have you been taught to use dot points rather than full sentences in an executive summary? If so, it looks fine as you've mentioned what you're going to talk about which is all that's really necessary (plus the final sentence). I'd change "maximise business success" to "maximise business profitability" or something like that. What was the original question?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 30, 2017, 06:06:20 am
hey...
i'd don't know if anyone uses this thread, :o but, i was just wanting to know-
what are some global factors that need to be considered when outsourcing?
thanks in advance! ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on August 30, 2017, 11:09:51 am
Could someone please explain the best way to approach this section IV essay question - should the answer focus on HR strategies or indicators of HRM effectiveness?

Assess the effectiveness of HR management strategies

Thank you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 30, 2017, 11:23:43 am
Could someone please explain the best way to approach this section IV essay question - should the answer focus on HR strategies or indicators of HRM effectiveness?

Assess the effectiveness of HR management strategies

Thank you!

hey julia.. ;D
i'm no expert, but i would tend to apply it to a case study mainly talking about the strategies (leadership style, job design etc.) and then assess how they have affected the effectiveness of the business.?!?! don't know if that helps/ makes sense and that is only the way i would do it!! personally, i think you could actually do it either way?!?
ATB with your essay  ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: prickles on August 30, 2017, 11:31:02 am
Could someone please explain the best way to approach this section IV essay question - should the answer focus on HR strategies or indicators of HRM effectiveness?

Assess the effectiveness of HR management strategies

Thank you!
Remember your directive term is assess. So your response should include some essence of a judgement of the quality/value/outcomes etc. So just focusing on the strategies alone probably won't fulfill the criteria/directive term. Your second option sounds better, as long as you do still make a judgement.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bun00 on August 30, 2017, 12:07:11 pm
hey yep i'd say BK's way is what i'd do ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on August 30, 2017, 12:07:25 pm
i would do it BK's way round... it seems more logical.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on August 30, 2017, 02:29:37 pm
Could someone please explain the best way to approach this section IV essay question - should the answer focus on HR strategies or indicators of HRM effectiveness?

Assess the effectiveness of HR management strategies

Thank you!
Hi, julia_warren13!

This question comes straight out of the syllabus. When you revise the syllabus and content, be sure to remember what each section of the syllabus is being referred to.
This specific question asks about the human resource strategies, which is a heading in the syllabus. Effective indicators can be integrated to prove your point, but it shouldn't be the main focus.

So, you can discuss and assess the following:

leadership styles -- autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, visionary
job designs -- specific or broad tasks
recruitment -- specific or general skills required
training and development -- current or future skills needed
performance management -- developmental or administrative
workplace disputes -- negotiation, mediation, grievance procedure, and courts and tribunals
rewards -- monetary or non-monetary, individual or group, performance pay
global strategies -- skills, costs, supplies

I think you should integrate some aspects of the indicators, because they interlink really well (e.g. the declination of absenteeism, as shown ..., is perpetrated by the appraisal and appreciation from managers).
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on August 31, 2017, 12:15:57 pm
hey...
i'd don't know if anyone uses this thread, :o but, i was just wanting to know-
what are some global factors that need to be considered when outsourcing?
thanks in advance! ;)

I would say:

-Increased cost of logistics, storage and distribution
-Managing different regulatory conditions between nations
-Increased complexity of overall operations when sourcing from diverse locations
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on August 31, 2017, 12:32:59 pm
I would say:

-Increased cost of logistics, storage and distribution
-Managing different regulatory conditions between nations
-Increased complexity of overall operations when sourcing from diverse locations

Thanks so much 12070!! ;D ;D
i had never considered that 3rd point...
thats awesome! really appreciate it :)
i'll get to work finishing my essay now :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on September 10, 2017, 01:54:33 pm
Hello,

Can someone please mark my response? Let's say it's out of 8 marks.

1.   Asses the relationship between operations and the other key business functions in THREE actual businesses
The interrelationship between operations and other key business function is crucial in the aim of efficiently and effectively achieving the business’s main goals and objectives. Operation is the main key business function which involves in the process of transforming inputs into outputs and has the responsibility in producing quality goods and services. Therefore, there are needs for the operation function to be closely interrelated with the other functions. Marketing is to provide the business with information about the changes in tastes and preferences of the customers, the supplies and demands in the market, identifying target markets, help in promoting and designing products to satisfy the customers need and wants-. These factors determine the operation function to produce goods and services to meet the fluctuate changes and demands, designing favourable products to look more appeal to the target market and the potential target market and collect information to develop strategies to create an effective marketing plan for a business. For example, QANTAS does market research about the times of the year that everyone loves to travel and therefore, promote their company with special discounted prices to specific destinations or specific times of the year especially in Christmas Season. As a result, this promotion plan appeals to attract more customers in that time of the year every year. In relation to Finance, it needs to allocate adequate funds from different sources of finance in purchasing new equipment, budgeting funds into different operation activities, invest into more technological equipment to sophisticate the transformation process leading to an improvement in productivity and eliminating wastage of resources to achieve the objective of efficiency. These will reduce the cost of production which will have impact on the prices of final goods or services, resulting in the operations management to achieve its role in cost leadership. For example, Google raised US $23 billion in equity funds to purchase the Android mobile operating system in 2005 and YouTube in 2006. Google was also significantly increase its Research and Development budget, resulting in the creation of products such as Google Maps and Gmaill. Therefore, this feature helps to differentiate google or gmail in particular from its competitor Yahoo. While relating the operations with human resources is necessarily focusing on the recruitment of relevant and skilful employees who has the potential to work in the transformation process of the business.  They need to be trained with skills that are needed in the process and works towards to improve the worker productivity in the operations process. This increases will help in producing goods in a high volume which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple recruited people from China to reduce their cost of labour which is seen as an additional expense for the business. Also, the supply of employees with skills and relevant experience was huge which easily allow the business to produce their products in a high volume with quality. As a result, this has allowed Apple to sustain its competitive advantage against the competitors through cost leadership that derives from reduction of expenses and products differentiation in terms of quality, flexibility and availability of the products in the market. Therefore, the understanding of the relationship between operations and the other key business functions are highly effective in the aim of helping the business to sustain its competitive advantage and improve in business performance.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on September 10, 2017, 03:40:13 pm
Hello,

Can someone please mark my response? Let's say it's out of 8 marks.

1.   Asses the relationship between operations and the other key business functions in THREE actual businesses
The interrelationship between operations and other key business function is crucial in the aim of efficiently and effectively achieving the business’s main goals and objectives. Operation is the main key business function which involves in the process of transforming inputs into outputs and has the responsibility in producing quality goods and services. Therefore, there are needs for the operation function to be closely interrelated with the other functions. Marketing is to provide the business with information about the changes in tastes and preferences of the customers, the supplies and demands in the market, identifying target markets, help in promoting and designing products to satisfy the customers need and wants-. These factors determine the operation function to produce goods and services to meet the fluctuate changes and demands, designing favourable products to look more appeal to the target market and the potential target market and collect information to develop strategies to create an effective marketing plan for a business. For example, QANTAS does market research about the times of the year that everyone loves to travel and therefore, promote their company with special discounted prices to specific destinations or specific times of the year especially in Christmas Season. As a result, this promotion plan appeals to attract more customers in that time of the year every year. In relation to Finance, it needs to allocate adequate funds from different sources of finance in purchasing new equipment, budgeting funds into different operation activities, invest into more technological equipment to sophisticate the transformation process leading to an improvement in productivity and eliminating wastage of resources to achieve the objective of efficiency. These will reduce the cost of production which will have impact on the prices of final goods or services, resulting in the operations management to achieve its role in cost leadership. For example, Google raised US $23 billion in equity funds to purchase the Android mobile operating system in 2005 and YouTube in 2006. Google was also significantly increase its Research and Development budget, resulting in the creation of products such as Google Maps and Gmaill. Therefore, this feature helps to differentiate google or gmail in particular from its competitor Yahoo. While relating the operations with human resources is necessarily focusing on the recruitment of relevant and skilful employees who has the potential to work in the transformation process of the business.  They need to be trained with skills that are needed in the process and works towards to improve the worker productivity in the operations process. This increases will help in producing goods in a high volume which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple recruited people from China to reduce their cost of labour which is seen as an additional expense for the business. Also, the supply of employees with skills and relevant experience was huge which easily allow the business to produce their products in a high volume with quality. As a result, this has allowed Apple to sustain its competitive advantage against the competitors through cost leadership that derives from reduction of expenses and products differentiation in terms of quality, flexibility and availability of the products in the market. Therefore, the understanding of the relationship between operations and the other key business functions are highly effective in the aim of helping the business to sustain its competitive advantage and improve in business performance.

I think your understanding of the concept of interdependence is great but this answer could be made clearer in terms of grammar and also what you're saying in general imo.

The interrelationship between operations and other key business function is crucial in the aim of efficiently and effectively achieving the business’s main goals and objectives. Operation is the main key business function which involves in the process of transforming inputs into outputs and has the responsibility in producing quality goods and services.

In business studies I don't believe it's necessary to try and use incredibly fancy language like you might in English. Hence, there's no need to say "goals and objectives," as these words essentially mean the same thing (plus it saves time if you can avoid writing stuff that probably won't add to an answer).

that everyone loves to travel and therefore

Regarding appropriate language once again you could say "peak travel periods for target markets such as corporate travellers and the holiday travel market" just so you're using business terminology. I'm not sure how much this would affect your mark, but it may reinforce your understanding of the content.

While relating the operations with human resources is necessarily focusing on the recruitment of relevant and skilful employees who has the potential to work in the transformation process of the business.  They need to be trained with skills that are needed in the process and works towards to improve the worker productivity in the operations process. This increases will help in producing goods in a high volume which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple recruited people from China to reduce their cost of labour which is seen as an additional expense for the business.

This is good stuff. You've:


The only thing I'd say is that your ideas could be expressed a bit more clearly, although the markers will provide some lenience for answers under exam conditions. This way, they can be completely certain you understand what you're talking about.

As I'm not a teacher it can be a bit hard for me to provide feedback on this and I'm not sure to what extent it matters. I'll provide an excerpt from your answer and how I'd edit it slightly.

Yours: While relating the operations with human resources is necessarily focusing on the recruitment of relevant and skilful employees who has the potential to work in the transformation process of the business.  They need to be trained with skills that are needed in the process and works towards to improve the worker productivity in the operations process. This increases will help in producing goods in a high volume which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple recruited people from China to reduce their cost of labour which is seen as an additional expense for the business.

Mine: Fundamental to the interdependence between operations and human resources is the recruitment, development and maintenance of employees appropriate to the operations process. Staff need to be trained with skills that are needed in the operations process in order to maximise operational efficiency and to ensure that work is carried out correctly. Investment in new recruits and training programs will help in coping with the operational influence of volume** which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple contracted employees from a global supplier in China to reduce their cost of labour in order to improve operational profit margins.

** Mentioning the influence of volume in operations is a great idea, what I changed was just mentioning it as an operational influence (technically under the transformation processes) a bit more clearly so a marker would understand that you know the syllabus.

Don't be disheartened by the amount of stuff I've edited, this is just how I would do it but hopefully you can take something from it. Your answer and understanding is excellent, just mention a few more business terms (as you're already doing) like global supplier, contractor, investment and target market and keep hammering the syllabus home in order to maximise your mark.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on September 10, 2017, 09:42:44 pm
Hey! Sure, I'd be happy to mark it.

Assess the relationship between operations and the other key business functions in THREE actual businesses. (8 marks)

Commented
The interrelationship between operations and other key business function (you won't have long in the exam, so be specific; which key business functions are you going to introduce?) is crucial in the aim of efficiently and effectively achieving the business’s main goals and objectives. Operation is the main key business function which involves in the process of transforming inputs into outputs and has the responsibility in producing quality goods and services. (1) Therefore, there are needs for the operation function to be closely interrelated with the other functions. Marketing (1) is to provide the business with information about the changes in tastes and preferences of the customers, the supplies and demands in the market, identifying target markets, help in promoting and designing products to satisfy the customers need and wants-. These factors determine the operation function to produce goods and services to meet the fluctuate changes and demands, designing favourable products to look more appeal to the target market and the potential target market and collect information to develop strategies to create an effective marketing plan for a business. For example, QANTAS does market research about the times of the year that everyone loves to travel (awkward phrasing; revise) and therefore, promote their company with special discounted prices to specific destinations or specific times of the year especially in Christmas Season. (you've discussed how marketing strategies are used, but how does this relate back to the operations? Look into the relationships marketing research has with the services of operations) As a result, this promotion plan appeals to attract more customers in that time of the year every year. (revise wording) In relation to Finance, it needs to allocate adequate funds from different sources of finance in purchasing new equipment, budgeting funds into different operation activities, invest into more technological equipment to sophisticate the transformation process leading to an improvement in productivity and eliminating wastage of resources to achieve the objective of efficiency. (1) These will reduce the cost of production which will have impact on the prices of final goods or services, resulting in the operations management to achieve its role in cost leadership. For example, Google raised US $23 billion in equity funds to purchase the Android mobile operating system in 2005 and YouTube in 2006. Google was also significantly increase its Research and Development budget, resulting in the creation of products such as Google Maps and Gmaill. Therefore, this feature helps to differentiate google or gmail in particular from its competitor Yahoo. While relating the operations with human resources is necessarily focusing on the recruitment of relevant and skilful employees who has the potential to work in the transformation process of the business.  They need to be trained with skills that are needed in the process and works towards to improve the worker productivity in the operations process. This increases will help in producing goods in a high volume which will allow the business to meet their customers needs and demands quickly. For example, Apple recruited people from China to reduce their cost of labour which is seen as an additional expense for the business. Also, the supply of employees with skills and relevant experience was huge which easily allow the business to produce their products in a high volume with quality. As a result, this has allowed Apple to sustain its competitive advantage against the competitors through cost leadership that derives from reduction of expenses and products differentiation in terms of quality, flexibility and availability of the products in the market. Therefore, the understanding of the relationship between operations and the other key business functions are highly effective in the aim of helping the business to sustain its competitive advantage and improve in business performance.

Mark: 6/8
- Conceptually, I think you have an extensive knowledge on the interactions between the four key business functions; you have relevant case studies, so that's a good place to start.
- What I think you're lacking is: clarity. A lot of the times you're a bit too generic with how you answer the question, which diminishes the extensive knowledge you have. Look into more depth with how each of the key business functions coexist.

For marketing, how does the market research process relate with the services provided by the operations department? How is this information transformed from its input into an output? You've answered the Finance section well, but marketing and human resources required a more in depth knowledge -- in what way? Specifically, how does recruiting the right people increase productivity? Because just recruiting the right people with specific skills doesn't ascertain a more productive workplace -- other HR factors can contribute as well; so, make sure you go one step further and describe the specific processes of operations that are affected by the strategies undertaken by the HR department.

- Also look into how you can separate out your points. At first glance, this looks like a wall of text with no direction -- so be sure that when you're answering these questions that your indentation is clear with appropriate paragraphs.

If I was to answer this, and it was worth 8 marks, here would be my marking guidelines:
8 marks:
- 1 mark: Describe what the operations department does for a business (1/1)
- 3 marks: Outline how each of the kbf enable the operations department to succeed (1/3)
- 3 marks: Outline how the operations department is successful (with other kbf) in three actual businesses (3/3)
- 1 mark: Evaluate/Assessing the success of the operations department for the business, relating it back to the three kbf (1/1)

Hopefully, this helps with answering those longer response questions!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on September 11, 2017, 10:22:02 pm
Hi BK and opengangs,

Thank you so muchhh!! They helped a lot and I don't mind as if you both were being harsh on it :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Lachlan Morley on September 16, 2017, 01:20:24 pm
Hi All,

Does anyone have any predictions for this years essay questions?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 16, 2017, 05:39:55 pm
Hi All,

Does anyone have any predictions for this years essay questions?

at my school, one of the business teachers runs predictions every year.

if you're reading this, please remember they're predictions! this teacher thinks for the essay, it'll be either marketing or finance, and the business report will be operations and hr.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on September 19, 2017, 07:58:11 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on September 19, 2017, 08:24:52 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 

HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 


what influences do you think you'd want to talk about in that essay?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 19, 2017, 08:30:38 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 

stakeholders would be an influence affected by every strategy, because the hr topic is just on people and how they interact with a business :-)

leadership style
 job design – general or specific tasks // stakeholders
 recruitment – internal or external, general or specific skills // stakeholders, maybe technological, maybe ethics/csr (i'm not too sure on this because i can't exactly remember the difference between operations csr and hr whoops)
 training and development – current or future skills // stakeholders, technological (because technology is constantly evolving, and you need to train people on that)
 performance management – developmental or administrative // stakeholders, technological (administrative)
 rewards – monetary and non-monetary, individual or group, performance pay // stakeholders, social
 global – costs, skills, supply // stakeholders, legal, technological, economic
 workplace disputes
– resolution – negotiation, mediation, grievance procedures, involvement of courts and tribunals // stakeholders, legal

i think that covers all strategies and influences - hope this helps!!

not going to lie i'm waiting for OpenGangs to come through with a super detailed answer
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 19, 2017, 08:34:13 pm
what influences do you think you'd want to talk about in that essay?

i don't think it's a matter of which influences you'd want to talk about in an essay, because shouldn't you do all? one of the trials questions i had on hr was on influences (and something else but i can't remember because i didn't do this question), and it was expected that we knew all of them, and could write an entire essay about them. :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Lachlan Morley on September 19, 2017, 09:06:23 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 


Hi there,

Here are some Infleunces to Stratagies you could link

Infleunce of the Stakeholder of Employees you could link to rewards, Participative leadership style, Training and workplace disputes

The infleunce of the Stakeholder - Trade Unions you could link to the strategy of recuritment ( its tough) or workplace disputes ( also not easy)

The influence of Legal requirments you could link to Recuritment

The Influene of Economic you could link to Training and rewards

The influence of Ethics + CSR you could link to Workplace disputes, leadership style and Training and development

Hope that helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on September 19, 2017, 09:38:57 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you
 

Hey there!

The first step is to identify your key influences on human resources, and there are actually quite a lot! That's where understanding your syllabus comes into play, because just knowing won't be enough. What I mean by this is that you should be able to recall your key influences (ie stakeholders, legal framework, social, technological, ethics and csr), and understand these terms under the human resource management department of the business.

So, we know what they are now; but what good is that to us if we can't dive further into the details of each of these. I'll do stakeholders, and the others, I'll leave up to you to decide (remember that no strategy you choose is wrong, so long as you can justify it with case studies or examples).

Stakeholders
Stakeholders are defined as any groups of people interested or concerned with the particular business. They include:

Strategy(ies)
So, if stakeholders are an influence to the HR department, how can we maintain these people so that we minimise staff turnovers and absenteeism?
Well, some strategies we can implement are the use of rewards (both monetary and non-monetary), leadership styles (preferably participative), and performance management.

The use of rewards establishes a motivation for employees. In the form of its monetary asset, employees tend to become more motivated to do the job well knowing that their reward for such level is that of its monetary value. Framing this as a core aspect to an employee's motivation, its non-monetary side is just as effective. Non-monetary is a very broad term, in that it is a form of reward that is not money related. This type of reward is usually given after a job well done, while the monetary counterpart is given for a job well done.

The way non-monetary establishes motivation is by simply its recognition monetary otherwise does not provide: this type of appraisal heightens relationships between employee and employer, ensuring that the work employees provide does not go unnoticed. Furthermore, other non-monetary benefits include: flexible scheduling, longer leave plans, etc.

Leadership styles are also an effective means at maintaining the employees at a happy standard. The style of leadership chosen by the business reflects on the nature of the business. A business run solely by the decision under the guise of the boss is considered an autocratic, while a business that consults with its members is considered a participative business. As said, these leadership styles dictate how the employees work, and can be tailored to internal changes, such as the structure of the workplace. In order to keep people satisfied, their voice should be heard so maintaining a relatively low staff turnover count should enforce businesses to consider what style of leadership they should be using. As a result, the strategic role of the leadership style to a business projects how the business' core functions run.

You can do this with any key influence, and remember that your main focus is the key influence, supported by your choice of strategies. You can double up with strategies, and it's often better than talking about one. That's the beauty of the Business Studies course; each element of the syllabus links with the other elements quite fluidly, so if you're confused about one section, just refer back to where it is in the syllabus and you should be able to get back on track.

Good luck![/list]
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on September 19, 2017, 09:53:10 pm
HEY GUYS!

For HR- i was wondeirng which strategies can be used in responce to which influence?

I have an essay question 'Assess strategies that management may use to respond to key influences on human resources' but idk which strategy can fix which influence on hr

Thank you

If you decide to go for a paragraphed essay (mentioning an influence and strategy to deal with in each) these are some basic links you can make: Remember in this course you want to be quite direct and succinct in what you're saying.

Stakeholders and basically anything really

You could do employees/dispute resolution, employees/rewards, customers/CSR, employees/performance management, there's quite a lot of options here.

Economic trends and global

Labour costs are high in Australia, so businesses look overseas. Also, workers are dirt cheap overseas. Relate this to the supply/cost elements ("global - cost, skills, supply" is the SDP).

Ethics/CSR and recruitment

Bit of a less obvious one that could score some marks depending on your case study. Relate to equal employment opportunity.

Social and job design

Workers are being given less specific tasks and greater flexibility (working from home) as demands for personalised working hours increase - parents in the workforce for example.

Hope that helps somewhat, the HR syllabus has quite a few points (probably more than these) so there's lots to choose from. Make sure to consider your case study/studies' strengths.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on September 29, 2017, 04:39:59 pm
Can someone please explain what is meant by the developmental and administrative model of performance management (under HR strategies) - I don't really understand the definitions given in my textbook :( Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 29, 2017, 05:12:51 pm
Can someone please explain what is meant by the developmental and administrative model of performance management (under HR strategies) - I don't really understand the definitions given in my textbook :( Thanks

hello! these are what's in my notes:
Developmental: Focused on using data to develop the individual’s skills and abilities in order to improve their effectiveness in their roles. A benefit is that it helps to build the best business practice and culture.
Administrative: Provides information which can be used by management for planning in HR functions such as training, etc. A benefit is there is higher productivity and better financial performance.

i think a way to remember them is developmental is for an individual employee, and administrative is for the whole business. as for how this strategy would work for a business, the strategic role of HR is to ensure a good relationship between the employee and employer, so that a business can become more efficient. through the developmental model of performance management, this pretty much helps the employee to be better at their job, and will (hopefully) make the business just that bit more productive. the administrative model is another tool to help with productivity, and the business can use this information to improve the business as a whole.

hope this helps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on September 29, 2017, 08:42:46 pm
Can someone please explain what is meant by the developmental and administrative model of performance management (under HR strategies) - I don't really understand the definitions given in my textbook :( Thanks

Performance management is about improving the productivity of employees.

Some differences which might help you to understand the concept:

Administrative focuses on the needs of the business, developmental focuses on the needs of the employee (even considering their work/life balance and personal circumstances/thoughts about their work).

Administrative is focused on statistics (meaning an employee's output) while developmental will generally use personal consultations between individual employees and management.

Administrative is more archaic (Ford still uses it - production approach) while developmental is more of a contemporary method - you could link it to social influences as it takes into account their life beyond the firm.

As administrative focuses on output it's generally used in manufacturing, while developmental is used in tertiary (service) industries using a democratic leadership style to improve employee morale - crucial in improving customer service.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on September 29, 2017, 09:54:49 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 29, 2017, 10:02:12 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!

if the question is really broad, try your best to include as many as you can :-) so if you do 4 body paragraphs for your essay, maybe include 2 strategies each. that way, the marker knows you've tried to cover as many strategies as possible, and you know your content.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on September 29, 2017, 10:02:46 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!

can you send the whole q? is that the whole q or is that part of like a report q?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on September 29, 2017, 10:34:07 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!

My way depends on how long my paragraphs are. Generally they're pretty short so I do 4-5, but I spend an hour on it (because I can do the MC/SAs in an hour). If you're a fast writer and are spending more like 40-45 minutes on it, do 3 big paragraphs or 4 smaller ones.

EDIT: meaning I do 4/5 marketing strategies - 1 in each paragraph.

can you send the whole q? is that the whole q or is that part of like a report q?

My trial had something similar, it was basically the following:

Assess the strategies of a business in marketing goods and/or services.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on September 29, 2017, 10:54:28 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!
Bottom line is -- keep your points relevant to the case study material you prepared. Your case studies are essentially the filling to your burger; without these case studies to enhance your points, your extended response doesn't flow as well. You should also be aware of how much you can write under pressure timed, so keep your points succinct and only include information that is relevant to the question.

You can get away with a broader statement, since you can hit the ball in many different aspects, but that also allows you to begin sifting through everything you know, which can lead to a lot of fluff if you're not careful. As such, you should always have a plan for any question asked. When doing practice questions from trial or the HSC, have the marking guidelines close by and also look through some exemplar responses from different years to see how you can improve with being succinct.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on September 30, 2017, 12:31:41 pm
Hello,

To write a sufficient amount of an extended response, how many (strategies/influences/processes etc.) should I include? (IF THE QUESTION IS A BROAD ONE like access the effectiveness of Marketing strategies? or something like that?) Thanks!

Hi Julie :D

Unfortunately there is no set rule to how many of these dot points should you include.
My rule of thumb is mainly just to cover enough content that you show you know a breadth of knowledge about the syllabus (i.e. dont just talk about one dot point) but you also need to cover the dot points in enough depth that shows you have a really good understanding of that dot point and it's implications/causes etc.

Usually I tried to keep my essay to 3 paragraphs which was usually 3 dot points --> e.g. for an essay on marketing strategies I would have 3 strategies. Each paragraph would go into what the strategy was, an example of each, an assessment of its usefulness etc.

Hope this helps :D Would love to have a read of your practice ones :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 01, 2017, 02:51:39 pm
Is one case study sufficient for the extended response or would it be worth knowing 2?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 01, 2017, 03:11:05 pm
Is one case study sufficient for the extended response or would it be worth knowing 2?

do you only have this one case study embedded throughout your notes/essays? it's fine to only have 1, but having a few (say, like 2 or 3) shows broader knowledge on your part, and gives your response more variety! i personally reference case studies twice a paragraph, but from paragraph to paragraph i like to change case studies :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 01, 2017, 03:32:06 pm
do you only have this one case study embedded throughout your notes/essays? it's fine to only have 1, but having a few (say, like 2 or 3) shows broader knowledge on your part, and gives your response more variety! i personally reference case studies twice a paragraph, but from paragraph to paragraph i like to change case studies :-)

Yes, we were given the case study of McDonalds by our teacher to read through. I sort of remember the main points for all points except for Finance - there's too many figures. I normally just reference the case study in the extended response wherever I can, but it's probably essential to do so to illustrate each sub-dot point on the syllabus.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 01, 2017, 03:37:39 pm
Yes, we were given the case study of McDonalds by our teacher to read through. I sort of remember the main points for all points except for Finance - there's too many figures. I normally just reference the case study in the extended response wherever I can, but it's probably essential to do so to illustrate each sub-dot point on the syllabus.

awesome! the maccas case study is pretty good aye? don't worry if you can't remember the figures for finance... just make them up - the markers can't exactly whip out google every time they see a figure, right? 😜 yea that sounds good; every time you're writing about a syllabus point, try and integrate a case study :-) best of luck for your hsc!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on October 01, 2017, 03:50:34 pm
Multiple choice:

"Jackson's Patisserie Pty Ltd provided the following data based on the revenue statement for the year ended 30 June 2014.

Total revenue: $5000
Net Profit Ratio: 5%
Gross Profit Ratio: 60%

The Gross Profit Ratio has increased from 40% in 2013 to 60% in 2014, while revenue and expenses remained the same. What was the net profit or loss for 2013?

A: $2000 net profit
B: $500 net loss
C: $750 net profit
D: $750 net loss"

Answer is A. I've found it to be D.

My working:

(https://i.imgur.com/XNwiNXr.png)

Where am I going wrong?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 01, 2017, 03:50:37 pm
awesome! the maccas case study is pretty good aye? don't worry if you can't remember the figures for finance... just make them up - the markers can't exactly whip out google every time they see a figure, right? 😜 yea that sounds good; every time you're writing about a syllabus point, try and integrate a case study :-) best of luck for your hsc!

Thank you. I don't mind the maccas case study especially for marketing as it covers pretty much everything of that topic in detail and I got a mark of 18/20 in my last exam. However in the trial, the two questions asked about finance and human resources - I obviously attempted the one on HR and only got 14/20, apparently I needed to use another case study or I didn't use the Maccas one effectively. I just found some Apple and QANTAS case studies thanks to my best friend google (not literally) which may assist the points not covered by Maccas. If the extended response question happens to be on finance and I can't make anything up, there will always be another question on any of the three other topics I suppose anyway.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 02, 2017, 01:33:34 pm
Thank you all for replying!
Anyways, one more thing I just want to know if my way of writing a paragraph in an extended response is okay/correct (I know there's no right or wrong answer to this but I just want to be on the safe side)  :)
So, for example if the question is about marketing strategies then I'd start the first sentence by defining it then explaining it and then link that strategy back to the question (i.e if the question is asking about how does it help to improve the performance). After that, I'd include my case studies then I'd talk about those case studies and link them back to how they can help the businesses to blah blah etc.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 02, 2017, 02:12:41 pm
Thank you all for replying!
Anyways, one more thing I just want to know if my way of writing a paragraph in an extended response is okay/correct (I know there's no right or wrong answer to this but I just want to be on the safe side)  :)
So, for example if the question is about marketing strategies then I'd start the first sentence by defining it then explaining it and then link that strategy back to the question (i.e if the question is asking about how does it help to improve the performance). After that, I'd include my case studies then I'd talk about those case studies and link them back to how they can help the businesses to blah blah etc.

Yep, you're definitely on the right track. For my intro, I would normally create a thesis, introduce the strategies that I'm going to discuss, introduce the case study and then link back to the question. For the body paragraphs, would illustrate each point with a case study and then link back to the question and also the marketing objectives.

For example your intro could start off as:
The marketing strategies implemented by a business are crucial to improving business performance. Marketing strategies include ... which result in ...  The (Case study, e.g. Maccas) is a key global business through which one can see the importance of using a selection of marketing strategies.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 02, 2017, 02:56:54 pm
Yep, you're definitely on the right track. For my intro, I would normally create a thesis, introduce the strategies that I'm going to discuss, introduce the case study and then link back to the question. For the body paragraphs, would illustrate each point with a case study and then link back to the question and also the marketing objectives.

For example your intro could start off as:
The marketing strategies implemented by a business are crucial to improving business performance. Marketing strategies include ... which result in ...  The (Case study, e.g. Maccas) is a key global business through which one can see the importance of using a selection of marketing strategies.
Ohh nice, I've never introduced case studies in my intro. That's a new good way of approaching it :) Thank you! Good luck by the way!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 02, 2017, 03:39:20 pm
Ohh nice, I've never introduced case studies in my intro. That's a new good way of approaching it :) Thank you! Good luck by the way!!

Good luck
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: aitks0117 on October 02, 2017, 05:42:56 pm
Hi! Could someone please help me? I don't know how the critical path works! I keep getting different answers along the lines of "it's the shortest path" or "the longest path"... Someone even started a poll on Facebook, and it seems almost 50/50!

I would upload the photo of an example, but it won't let me unless it's in another format...

Okay so...
Critical path analysis is the shortest amount of time all of the tasks can be completed. However, say for example in a multiple choice question they ask how long the task will take, you need to count the highest number of days it will take to complete. Confusing yes, but, remember that while you are completing the tasks that take a longer amount of time you are also completing multiple shorter tasks so they are completed at the same time! I have attached an example below. The shortest time all of these tasks can be completed is 5 days + 6 days + 5 days + 2 days = 18 days. While the 6 day and 5 day task is being completed between BF and CF, so are the tasks between BE and EC.
Hopefully that helps a bit, good luck!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thebarman on October 03, 2017, 12:56:43 am
How do we express our answers for each financial ratio? Would we mainly use percentages? Also, which ratio requires us to answer in both a ratio and percentage?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 03, 2017, 01:34:59 am
How do we express our answers for each financial ratio? Would we mainly use percentages? Also, which ratio requires us to answer in both a ratio and percentage?
Ratio form:
-Debt to equity ratio
-Current ratio
-Accounts turnover ratio
-Return on equity ratio
Percentage form:
-Gross Ratio
-Net Ratio
-Expenses Ratio

The things you find on a balance sheet are usually written in ratio form, whereas the things on an income statement are written as percentages. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mathew587 on October 03, 2017, 05:33:45 pm
Ratio form:
-Debt to equity ratio
-Current ratio
-Accounts turnover ratio
-Return on equity ratio
Percentage form:
-Gross Ratio
-Net Ratio
-Expenses Ratio

The things you find on a balance sheet are usually written in ratio form, whereas the things on an income statement are written as percentages. :)

you can write all calculations in percentage and in ratio form. my business teacher personally stood up this year at a teachers meeting and asked that q. both are accepted
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on October 03, 2017, 08:21:08 pm
How do we express our answers for each financial ratio? Would we mainly use percentages? Also, which ratio requires us to answer in both a ratio and percentage?
you can write all calculations in percentage and in ratio form. my business teacher personally stood up this year at a teachers meeting and asked that q. both are accepted

^ This.

I've also looked at a few answer sheets and the possible answers included both a ratio or percentage. It could potentially be better for you to know what requires what, but it may not be necessary
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on October 04, 2017, 03:09:36 pm
Anyone have any ideas about this? https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=168311.msg985563#msg985563

I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out where I've messed up  ???
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 04, 2017, 03:28:48 pm
Anyone have any ideas about this? https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=168311.msg985563#msg985563

I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out where I've messed up  ???

Which paper is this from? It could have been an error, or there is some bizarre trick to the wording of the question.  :-\
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on October 04, 2017, 05:00:59 pm
In the HSC, do we use simple FIFO/LIFO inventory valuation where every month is done by one month’s price, or the complex method where each month’s price is taken into  account?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: gkim1 on October 04, 2017, 09:23:53 pm
Hey there!

Would someone be able to explain how the answers to a gross profit ratio or expense ratio work? So, what I mean by that is, if I get a percentage of 30% using the gross profit ratio, does that imply that the business has made an improvement or is it a loss? I know that generally, if ratios are higher, it is considered better for a business but I'm stuck on this question on a past paper and the answers say that the gross profit has risen?

I'm working on the 2015 Business HSC paper - multiple choice questions 16 and 17 (connected question). I'm not sure if what I've written makes a lot of sense but I'm so confused aha. Some help would be greatly appreciated!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 04, 2017, 09:47:38 pm
Hey there!

Would someone be able to explain how the answers to a gross profit ratio or expense ratio work? So, what I mean by that is, if I get a percentage of 30% using the gross profit ratio, does that imply that the business has made an improvement or is it a loss? I know that generally, if ratios are higher, it is considered better for a business but I'm stuck on this question on a past paper and the answers say that the gross profit has risen?

I'm working on the 2015 Business HSC paper - multiple choice questions 16 and 17 (connected question). I'm not sure if what I've written makes a lot of sense but I'm so confused aha. Some help would be greatly appreciated!

So with the formulas, you would have got 33% GPR for 2014 and a 50% GPR for 2015. A higher Gross Profit Ratio is an improvement because you get more gross profit compared to the value of sales, which indicates low COGS expenses.
The expenses in 2014 were 13% compared to 10% in 2015, which is an improvement because you use less expenses to achieve the value of sales.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: _____ on October 04, 2017, 09:52:38 pm
Which paper is this from? It could have been an error, or there is some bizarre trick to the wording of the question.  :-\

It was some trial I got sent so the answer could be wrong. Thanks for looking at it though, if my working seems right to you it probably means that my answer's right  ;D

Hey there!

Would someone be able to explain how the answers to a gross profit ratio or expense ratio work? So, what I mean by that is, if I get a percentage of 30% using the gross profit ratio, does that imply that the business has made an improvement or is it a loss? I know that generally, if ratios are higher, it is considered better for a business but I'm stuck on this question on a past paper and the answers say that the gross profit has risen?

I'm working on the 2015 Business HSC paper - multiple choice questions 16 and 17 (connected question). I'm not sure if what I've written makes a lot of sense but I'm so confused aha. Some help would be greatly appreciated!

To determine whether a ratio indicates a good result or not, we use comparative ratio analysis (syllabus term). So you compare it to a previous reading, the industry average or a competitor's result. Higher reading indicates improvement for the gross profit ratio but not for the expense ratio (make sure you revise them). My notes say a GPR of 40% is good but generally the papers will get you to compare to a given figure or one you must calculate.

Looking at the 2015 paper, in 2014 the GPR is (50/150) = 0.333333... and the ER is (20/150) = 0.133333...

In 2015 the GPR is (100/200) = 0.5 and the ER is (20/200) = 0.1. Therefore, by comparative ratio analysis the GPR has increased (improvement) and the ER has decreased (also an improvement - lower is better for the expense ratio).
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: gkim1 on October 04, 2017, 09:56:56 pm
So with the formulas, you would have got 33% GPR for 2014 and a 50% GPR for 2015. A higher Gross Profit Ratio is an improvement because you get more gross profit compared to the value of sales, which indicates low COGS expenses.
The expenses in 2014 were 13% compared to 10% in 2015, which is an improvement because you use less expenses to achieve the value of sales.
Ohhhh that makes so much more sense now! Thank you so much!
It was some trial I got sent so the answer could be wrong. Thanks for looking at it though, if my working seems right to you it probably means that my answer's right  ;D

To determine whether a ratio indicates a good result or not, we use comparative ratio analysis (syllabus term). So you compare it to a previous reading, the industry average or a competitor's result. Higher reading indicates improvement for the gross profit ratio but not for the expense ratio (make sure you revise them). My notes say a GPR of 40% is good but generally the papers will get you to compare to a given figure or one you must calculate.

Looking at the 2015 paper, in 2014 the GPR is (50/150) = 0.333333... and the ER is (20/150) = 0.133333...

In 2015 the GPR is (100/200) = 0.5 and the ER is (20/200) = 0.1. Therefore, by comparative ratio analysis the GPR has increased (improvement) and the ER has decreased (also an improvement - lower is better for the expense ratio).
Thank you so much for your help - makes a lot of sense now haha :)

Mod Edit: Merged posts :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: studyharddd on October 05, 2017, 12:04:29 pm
Hey x

Does anyone know a good way of remembering the difference between LIFO, FIFO and JIT? Get hella tripped out by it. Also provide an example of each please.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: EEEEEEP on October 05, 2017, 12:28:25 pm
Hey x

Does anyone know a good way of remembering the difference between LIFO, FIFO and JIT? Get hella tripped out by it. Also provide an example of each please.
LIFO - last in first out, as the name suggests, the stocks that is received last , is sold first,...
e.g. If a store has inventory from last season and this season, this seasons stock would be sold first.

FIFO - first stock in, first stock out / sold
E.g. Think of a phone store, usually the first stock in is sold (especially if its a new modeL)

JIT - Just in time -  goods are created or received only when needed.
E.g. Think of a clothes store, sometimes they say things are out of stock as they only order it when people want it.

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 05, 2017, 10:07:01 pm
Hi,
If the question is asking you about the monitoring and controlling process of the financial management, then you will need to talk about how they construct cash flow statements, income statements and balance sheet right? or there are more to consider in this dot point? (please tell me about it if there are more to consider)

And this question appeared in my trail and i was explaining all the three statements and how they help the businesses and obviously I exceeded the lines that were given and my teacher told me that i was wasting my time on that question as she said i could have just mentioned one statement or something, so I just wanna know can i not talk about everything when it comes to that kind of question? Same goes to extended response, if they ask you about financial management strategies and for example, i want to write about cash flow management and working capital management and there are lots of dash points underneath each of them. So, DO I NEED TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING or what? because USUALLY I WRITE ABOUT EVERYTHING AND END UP NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME. Thank you :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 05, 2017, 10:37:51 pm
Hi,
If the question is asking you about the monitoring and controlling process of the financial management, then you will need to talk about how they construct cash flow statements, income statements and balance sheet right? or there are more to consider in this dot point? (please tell me about it if there are more to consider)

And this question appeared in my trial and i was explaining all the three statements and how they help the businesses and obviously I exceeded the lines that were given and my teacher told me that i was wasting my time on that question as she said i could have just mentioned one statement or something, so I just wanna know can i not talk about everything when it comes to that kind of question? Same goes to extended response, if they ask you about financial management strategies and for example, i want to write about cash flow management and working capital management and there are lots of dash points underneath each of them. So, DO I NEED TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING or what? because USUALLY I WRITE ABOUT EVERYTHING AND END UP NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME. Thank you :)

hello!! thanks for keeping the business question thread alive hahahah

yep. if it's a short answer question, talk about all three monitoring and controlling things; define, explain how they all help, etc but if you feel like you're spending far too much time on a question, stop, because you probably are. i would talk about all, but make sure it's as concise as possible, and you're not spending too much time on it in proportion to other questions. i don't think it's likely they'll ask such a general question in the short answers though, because most hsc papers i've done only ask for interpretation of the financial statements, maybe in the essay they might ask about financial management processes.

you mentioned writing an essay on financial management strategies - lately they've been combining the effectiveness of strategies in responding to influences. make sure what you're talking about is relevant to the question. if the question asks you to talk about the effectiveness of financial management strategies, no, you don't have to talk about all of them (there's so many anyways!). choose the ones you can go into detail the most; the ones you can back up the best with case studies.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 06, 2017, 12:20:26 pm
Hii, thank you so much!

First of all, I apologise for having sooo many questions to ask but I just want to pass my hsc!  :(

Okay so, for the 2016 extended response it says 'evaluate the response of operations management to external influences' and by saying 'response' do they mean, strategies? like how does the operations function response to its external influences by using some of its strategies? Thannnkkkk you :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 06, 2017, 01:30:50 pm
Hii, thank you so much!

First of all, I apologise for having sooo many questions to ask but I just want to pass my hsc!  :(

Okay so, for the 2016 extended response it says 'evaluate the response of operations management to external influences' and by saying 'response' do they mean, strategies? like how does the operations function response to its external influences by using some of its strategies? Thannnkkkk you :D


hey, no worries! your questions help me, and everyone else on here. yea, you're right about that - the response of operations management is the strategies :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on October 08, 2017, 11:42:50 pm
hi, guys,
I got this question saying
Describe the factors that should be considered in the acquisition of new suitable stuff
I'm really confused on what these factors are and were wondering if you could please explain it to me?

Thank you :))
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on October 09, 2017, 12:20:52 am
Hey guys

I’m still struggling with the idea of derivatives and all this stuff on swap/future contracts. Is it a form of hedging? Could you explain how it works using an example? Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 09, 2017, 11:57:26 am
i'm so sorry guys, i was going to answer these a lot earlier - i saw these on my phone and was going to get around to them, but forgot!

hi, guys,
I got this question saying
Describe the factors that should be considered in the acquisition of new suitable stuff
I'm really confused on what these factors are and were wondering if you could please explain it to me?

Thank you :))

omg i stared at that question for a solid 2 minutes wondering what you were asking about... like stuff? i thought you were referring to stock, but turns out it's actually staff 😂

in my notes, i don't actually have the word "factors" under the acquisition dot point, but when a business wants to employ new staff, they've got to look at what job they're trying to fill, and the purpose of having new employees. this could include: preventing high rates of turnover, succession planning, acquiring employees within the budget and the whole recruitment process. you could also look at acquisition internally or externally (kinda self-explanatory so i'm not going to go into it), where internally, you'd look at how a potential candidate contributes to business goals and culture, improved customer service or quality, demand for specific skills; and externally, economic conditions, competition, technology; legal, political and social factors.

i hope this answers your question - best of luck with your hsc,
fantasticbeasts

Hey guys

I’m still struggling with the idea of derivatives and all this stuff on swap/future contracts. Is it a form of hedging? Could you explain how it works using an example? Thanks :)

opengangs does an amazing explanation of hedging and derivatives here!

it doesn't include swap and future contracts, so i'll quickly define them here:
swap contracts are where two businesses to use one currency on a particular day at the spot rate (a rate on one specific day). e.g. if an australian business has a shortage of cash (in aud currency), it can pay a US business in euros at the spot rate. Then in a future specified rate, US and australian businesses swap the euros for usd at the spot rate.
future contracts are almost the same thing as swap contracts, but the exchange rate is decided for a future date. this just reduces the chance of sudden fluctuations - so minimises financial risk for both businesses.

best of luck for your hsc,
fantasticbeasts
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: sarahhamilton on October 09, 2017, 08:15:47 pm
Any predictions for the 2017 paper?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 09, 2017, 08:59:56 pm
Any predictions for the 2017 paper?

Maybe marketing for the extended response? They haven't for a while.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: GraceR99 on October 10, 2017, 11:32:15 am
Is it okay to only use one case study in the extended response? I would use IKEA if it was ok - thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 10, 2017, 11:37:31 am
Is it okay to only use one case study in the extended response? I would use IKEA if it was ok - thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.

there's no specified number of case studies to use in your essay :-) 1, 10, 2 - it really doesn't matter as long as they're relevant and support whatever you're talking about.

best of luck for your hsc,
fantasticbeasts
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kevin217 on October 10, 2017, 12:16:05 pm
Is it okay to only use one case study in the extended response? I would use IKEA if it was ok - thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.
I think it's best if you can incorporate at least one more case study. If you solely focus IKEA, I don't think it shows the marker that you have a wide understanding of the concepts since you will be basically writing a response that shows "How IKEA responds to influences" or "How IKEA incorporates business strategies".
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: GraceR99 on October 10, 2017, 02:10:05 pm
Okay thanks Fantasticbeasts and Kevin, will keep that in mind while studying for the exam.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: HSCNewcastle2017 on October 10, 2017, 04:09:24 pm
Is it okay to only use one case study in the extended response? I would use IKEA if it was ok - thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.

Fine as long as you can relate it to each dot point of the syllabus. Good to know a range though, e.g. McDonald's, Apple, QANTAS and even some contemporary media articles.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: JoyMaalouf on October 11, 2017, 08:37:16 pm
Hey guys! Could somebody please explain hedging and derivatives to me? I get that it's to reduce risks of exchange rates changing but I don't really understand how
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 12, 2017, 12:16:05 am
Hey guys! Could somebody please explain hedging and derivatives to me? I get that it's to reduce risks of exchange rates changing but I don't really understand how

Hi there,

So hedging is any method to minimise the risks of exchange rate fluctuations - these occur because if I try to change $100 Australian dollars into American dollars to buy something; the exchange rate that day might be particularly low and then I'd only get around $70 American dollars. This can be problematic if the good I am buying costs $80 and the day I first decided to buy it, I could exchange the same $100 Australian for $80 American.

So how can we minimise these fluctuation risks?
Hedging!!
THis can mean a few things - natural hedging which includes things like denominating all transactions into one currency --> E.g. Australian dollars so that you only have to give that same amount each time. You dont have to spend more Australian dollars to exchange it for US dollars.
Another way you can natural hedge is by having foreign subsidiaries in foreign countries who can use funds they earn in that currency to pay for products.

Instead of natural hedging, businesses can use financial instruments known as derivatives. These are just ways to minimise the risk of fluctuations and come in three forms: forward exchange, options and swap contracts.

Forward exchange is when you agree to exchange currencies at a later date with the current spot rate. It doesnt matter what the rate is on the day of exchange you just take the current on the spot rate.

An option contract gives the buyer (option holder) the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell foreign currency at some time in the future

A currency swap is an agreement to exchange currency in the spot market with an agreement to reverse the transaction in the future. It involves a spot sale of one currency together with a forward repurchase of the currency at a specified date in the future;

Hope these help :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: austv99 on October 12, 2017, 05:09:07 pm
Can someone clarify the strategic role for all 4 key business functions? Every source if find gives a different explanation.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 12, 2017, 05:32:54 pm
Can someone clarify the strategic role for all 4 key business functions? Every source if find gives a different explanation.

hey!

operations: productivity, efficiency and/or quality. pretty much how to produce as best as possible while maintaining cost advantages.

marketing: increase market share. this is done by bring the buyer and seller together and meeting customer needs, increasing sales.

finance: analysis, interpretation and evaluation of financial records to ensure the business is working efficiently, meeting goals, etc.

human resources: manage the relationship between employee and employer to ensure efficiency in the business.

hope this helps - best of luck with the hsc,
fantasticbeasts
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 12, 2017, 09:44:33 pm
Hello, Can someone please explain CSR in Operations, HR and Marketing? I understand that CSR is about the business strives to achieve the triple bottom line but don't you need to be able to differentiate/focus on something more important than the other when it comes to a particular topic?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on October 12, 2017, 09:53:00 pm

Hello, Can someone please explain CSR in Operations, HR and Marketing? I understand that CSR is about the business strives to achieve the triple bottom line but don't you need to be able to differentiate/focus on something more important than the other when it comes to a particular topic?

Operations - focus would be on being environmentally sustainable during the manufacturing of goods and services. This could mean minimising waste, using biodegradable materials etc.

Marketing - This relates mainly to the 'Ethics' part of the syllabus. So things like advertising the product as truthfully and accurate as possible, being conscience of products that may damage health (ie, following health regulations when advertising fast food), engaging in fair competition (promoting ethical competition, not engaging in agreements that may detriment another business) and sugging.

HR - Like all elements of CSR, this relates to going beyond legal regulations. So minimum legal requirements are set under the National Employment Standards. By adopting CSR, the HR department would be promoting things like flexible hours to allow for a work life balance, paying above the minimum wage to increase the employees standard of living, ect.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 13, 2017, 12:29:02 am
Also, can someone please explain ... in any methods that you possibly can to make me understand about the limitations of financial reports? I've asked soooo many people and read so many textbooks too but still  :'(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 13, 2017, 12:44:37 am
Also, can someone please explain ... in any methods that you possibly can to make me understand about the limitations of financial reports? I've asked soooo many people and read so many textbooks too but still  :'(
Hey :)
Limitations of financial reports are misleading elements of financial reports that are used to improve the business' image to the public and shareholders, or to reduce tax liability.
These notes have the best explanation of the limitations. Go to Page 25.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 13, 2017, 11:36:46 am
Limitations of financial statements
Ultimately, the number one reason why financial statements are limited by nature is to do with the timing. Financial statements record activity of the business during that period, so this makes it difficult for shareholders to determine if the current period within the business is worth investing. Among this idea of timing, we have the issue of fluctuations of sales within a period of time.

Let's assume that the period at this current point is: the Olympic season. Stores selling Olympic merchandises will boom in sales, but only during that period. This, as a result, becomes problematic for owners and shareholders to determine the true earnings from its day-to-day, normal operations. The idea of omitting this activity is called: normalised earnings, stemming from the notion that the sales as seen from the financial statements should reflect the sales from the normal operations.

We can then extend to how the business uses the financial statement, from its external factor. We can split it into two categories:
Asset-related
Non asset-related

Assets
An asset is an item of property owned by the owner that is valued at a certain price. So, if owners want to maximise their profits and net value, a strategy they can use is asset valuation, whereby market values of the particular assets are estimated. When we buy a house at a particular price (ie $1.8m), the amount we buy remains static. However, changes in the market can mean that the actual price of the house at another instance of time is changed. Businesses cannot predict how much the asset will be worth in a few years or a few periods, and so they decide to estimate the worth of the asset based solely on the market value. This is problematic, once again, as it doesn't determine the true representation of such an asset.

Furthermore, expenses can also be capitalised in order to delay the recognition of it being recorded as an expense. Expenses are normally found on the income statement, however, when a business capitalises this expense, we call it a capitalised expense, which is then recorded on the balance sheet. The whole point of it is so that we are able to use it as an asset straight away, and this directly influences the cash flow of the business; the value of the expense is then depreciated over time. However, this is problematic as the misuse of capitalising expenses may mean that investors can see that a business will have an abnormally higher profit margin than they really do. In the long run, this creates problems with the cash flow, and inefficient growing asset.

TO NOTE: Don't get confused between an expense and a cost. If a business is buying resources, such as plants and inventory, they are NOT capitalised expenses. A cost refers to the exchange of money for an asset, while an expense is any monetary value that is leaving the business, such as bills and rent on a building.

Non-asset related
For a shareholder or investor, it is crucial to determine how effective and how productive a particular business is running. Thus, information such as profitability, solvency, and liquidity remain as crucial elements to determining whether or not shareholders should invest their shares into the business. Another key element that shareholders note is its debt repayment; financial statements do not provide this to the investors, which means investors cannot predict how well the business is actually going in terms of paying back to its lenders.

Businesses could be making profit in sales, but they are still unable to pay back the debt. Or, they have overdue debts. The business could potentially be close to bankruptcy. So, this omission from the financial statements could highlight possible implications if investors did decide to invest money into the business.

Notes are written by the owners of the financial statements, highlighting methods and additional information on top of the financial statement. This may mean that the financial notes from owners are subjective by nature, and may distort some information about the financial statement.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: yopenelope on October 17, 2017, 09:50:31 pm
What are four aspects of the operations strategies syllabus that I can talk about that is impacted by globalisation? - all i have is economies of scale & global sourcing that really work.

Thanks!!! :)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 17, 2017, 09:55:24 pm
What are four aspects of the operations strategies syllabus that I can talk about that is impacted by globalisation? - all i have is economies of scale & global sourcing that really work.

Thanks!!! :)



Hi there,

For operations strategies you could definitely talk about supply chain management and that closely links with the other strategy of outsourcing. This is because globalisation allows us to source inputs from overseas as well as use labour overseas to make products. In turn supply chain management must be used to control quality and ensure goods are made and distributed efficiently.

Then you could use the 4 global factors strategies: global sourcing, economies of scale, scanning and learning, research and development - which all are impacted by globalisation.

Let me know if you need any more info
Isaac :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: austv99 on October 19, 2017, 10:00:41 pm
Hi,
Could someone explain options contract for derivatives and letter of credit for methods of int payment?
Also, how likely will they pair hr and finance for the essay questions? I've noticed that they've never done it before....im only confident in operations, marketing and kinda on hr. Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on October 19, 2017, 10:17:50 pm
Hi,
Could someone explain options contract for derivatives and letter of credit for methods of int payment?
Also, how likely will they pair hr and finance for the essay questions? I've noticed that they've never done it before....im only confident in operations, marketing and kinda on hr. Thanks!

I'm not 100% sure if this is correct (someone please correct me if I'm wrong!!) but here's what I understand...

Derivatives are financial instruments used by businesses to reduce the risk of currency fluctuations - a type of hedging tool. An options contract is a type of derivative - it is an agreement that provides a business the option/right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specific amount of foreign currency at a specific rate within a specified time frame.

A letter of credit is a document provided by the bank of the 'buyer' for the 'seller'. It essentially guarantees that the money for the sale of the product will be deposited to the 'seller'. This type of payment method reduces the level of risk for the exporter.

I'm not really sure but I think the essay questions will be on marketing and finance this year - they have each only been asked once since the new syllabus and both operations and HR have been asked 3 times each.

Hope that helps  :) :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on October 19, 2017, 10:24:29 pm
Hey :) Could someone please explain how best to answer questions about interdependence?? And what specific examples could be used? I understand that all KBFs rely on each other, work together etc. but I always get stuck when actually answering those questions. Thanks!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on October 19, 2017, 10:29:59 pm
Hey :) Could someone please explain how best to answer questions about interdependence?? And what specific examples could be used? I understand that all KBFs rely on each other, work together etc. but I always get stuck when actually answering those questions. Thanks!!

Literally just finished watching a video that explained it really clearly; here. It is the HR one and starts at around 23:30
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: austv99 on October 19, 2017, 11:15:11 pm
Hey :) Could someone please explain how best to answer questions about interdependence?? And what specific examples could be used? I understand that all KBFs rely on each other, work together etc. but I always get stuck when actually answering those questions. Thanks!!
Hey :) Could someone please explain how best to answer questions about interdependence?? And what specific examples could be used? I understand that all KBFs rely on each other, work together etc. but I always get stuck when actually answering those questions. Thanks!!
Always make sure when answering them to include how BOTH help each other.
Eg. How finance helps operations AND how operations helps finance.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 19, 2017, 11:39:15 pm
Just a heads up, I'll be making a whole thread with (my best) explanations for some of the harder content to help y'all out in the coming days in the lead up to the BS exam. Let me know if you want to request any specific topics.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: yopenelope on October 20, 2017, 12:37:04 am
I've been writing some practice essays, and was wondering what financial management strategies I could link that as a response to financial management influences??
To answer a question:
'Evaluate financial management strategies in response to external influences'

Thankyou!!!!!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: julia_warren13 on October 20, 2017, 10:06:26 am
Hi (again!!)
Just wondering if there is a recommended length for the business report and essay? I usually get to spend 1hr on each so write quite a bit (around 12000 - 15000 words for each) but I'm not sure if thats too much?
Thanks  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 20, 2017, 12:51:38 pm
Hi sorry to add to the pile of unanswered questions already on this thread, but I'm unsure about the leadership styles that may be examined. 5th Edition Business in Action lists 6 main styles: democratic/participative, directive, affiliative, pacesetting, coaching, visionary.

I've heard people talk about the 'three main' leadership styles -- which are these, or, should I just focus on knowing the above six?

Thanks for the help, good luck to everyone on Thursday.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: pianodish on October 20, 2017, 03:49:18 pm
Hi sorry to add to the pile of unanswered questions already on this thread, but I'm unsure about the leadership styles that may be examined. 5th Edition Business in Action lists 6 main styles: democratic/participative, directive, affiliative, pacesetting, coaching, visionary.

I've heard people talk about the 'three main' leadership styles -- which are these, or, should I just focus on knowing the above six?

Thanks for the help, good luck to everyone on Thursday.

Hi :)

I've learnt the three main leadership styles as authoritarian (also autocratic), participative (also democratic) & delegative (also laisez-faire).

They're the only ones that have ever been taught to me so not sure if you need to know the others :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: pianodish on October 20, 2017, 03:53:38 pm
Hi guys,

Could anyone tell me what the difference is between an essay & a report for Section III? Or can you only write a report for section III, not an essay?

I'm a bit confused as I don't know what I'm currently writing, although I've only ever scored in the top band... - I'm using subtitles but then just adding an intro and conclusion. If anyone could please tell me whether this is an essay/report & what the difference is please reply! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: EEEEEEP on October 20, 2017, 04:16:08 pm
Hi guys,

Could anyone tell me what the difference is between an essay & a report for Section III? Or can you only write a report for section III, not an essay?

I'm a bit confused as I don't know what I'm currently writing, although I've only ever scored in the top band... - I'm using subtitles but then just adding an intro and conclusion. If anyone could please tell me whether this is an essay/report & what the difference is please reply! :)

Hi there =)

Intro, conclusion and subtitles, it sounds like a report. 

Reports and essays contain the same content except essays use lead in sentences for the next paragraph (and no subtitles/ sections) and reports do use subtitles/sections.

I can't answer your first question, but I have always done reports and essays a little differently.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: pianodish on October 20, 2017, 05:46:36 pm
Hi there =)

Intro, conclusion and subtitles, it sounds like a report. 

Reports and essays contain the same content except essays use lead in sentences for the next paragraph (and no subtitles/ sections) and reports do use subtitles/sections.

I can't answer your first question, but I have always done reports and essays a little differently.


Thank you!! :)

If I do still write what I guess is a "leading" sentence when I start the paragraph underneath the subtitle, is that still fine for a report? I can't really think of any other way you'd do it soooo...

All in all, is there really just not much difference between the two then? :)

Sorry - we've never been taught which to do or even that there are two different types :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 20, 2017, 09:16:51 pm
Just a heads up, I'll be making a whole thread with (my best) explanations for some of the harder content to help y'all out in the coming days in the lead up to the BS exam. Let me know if you want to request any specific topics.

1. Finance
2. HR
3. Government Influences on each of the key business function.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 21, 2017, 03:39:33 pm
Hi everyone,
I'm really sorry your questions have taken me sooo long to get to... hopefully you all smash business and I promise to be on the forums answering a lot more over the next few days :D

Hey :) Could someone please explain how best to answer questions about interdependence?? And what specific examples could be used? I understand that all KBFs rely on each other, work together etc. but I always get stuck when actually answering those questions. Thanks!!

Hi there,

I totally agree with everyone else on their explanations of interdependence; just thought I'd try to flesh it out a bit.

So interdependence means that each of the KBF must rely on each other and work symbiotically with everyone else in order for the business to work at all and to function most effectively.

This can be seen in the interdependence between marketing and finance
Finance is responsible for setting budgets and forecasting revenue; allocating and paying for marketing to conduct research and create promotional campaigns. In response, marketing correctly chooses the appropriate price and product features that will best support the business and is the only kbf that generates revenue for finance to allocate to other parts of the business.

Also, operations creates and produces products but requires labour to maintain, supervise and operate machinery. In turn, human resources fills this need by selecting, recruiting and training staff on how to use the machines appropriately. --> it is clear that these two funcitons must communicate between each other otherwise the wrong number and quality of staff may be chosen which may cause inefficiencies and delays.

Hope this helps :)

I've been writing some practice essays, and was wondering what financial management strategies I could link that as a response to financial management influences??
To answer a question:
'Evaluate financial management strategies in response to external influences'

Thankyou!!!!!!

Hey there :)

Awesome to hear you are writing practice essays i'm sure you'll smash it!!!
as for financial management strategies in response to external influences - you would look at the external influences so have a look at maybe globalisation and global influences and have a look at how they influence financial managers of different companies. Then you would look at strategies that businesses could use in response to these influences.
(note this question is quite annoying since it says external influences which can be interpreted as outside the business, outside the country - lends itself to many different possible answers so it's not really clear and the way the syllabus is designed doesnt match this question. There is no real clear correlation between the influences and strategies)
For example, for global influences like interest rates which is closely linked to exchange rates (would change the value of interest that must be paid) --> a business could use hedging or derivatives in order to minimise exchange rate fluctuations.
Definitely try to focus on these global influences since global strategies link more closely than the others but if you wanted to here are some others (not as good):
Another one could be in response to declining global economic outlook - a company might start using discounts for early payment so that people that owe us money are encouraged to pay faster whereas they may put off their payments due to poor economic conditions

Due to the emergence of many different financial institutions (influence on finanical management) we could negotitate and bargain with a few different institutions in order to get the best deal and lowest interest rate. as well we might be able to distribute our payments so that we ensure we have adequate cash flow throughout the year.

Sorry I couldnt help more - this question is tricky given the  syllabus but those are some of my ideas off the top of my head (they aren't amazing)
Hope you smash Business!!
Isaac

Hi (again!!)
Just wondering if there is a recommended length for the business report and essay? I usually get to spend 1hr on each so write quite a bit (around 12000 - 15000 words for each) but I'm not sure if thats too much?
Thanks  :)

Hi Julia :)

So for business reports and essays they should be around 800 -1000 words. I definitely think that around 1200 is a good length purely because you might be spending too much time on it if it's any longer and might be detracting from the other sections. However if you can smash those sections and give yourself an hour for sections 3 and 4 then by all means write as much relevant information as you can. Avoid waffling as this tends to annoy the marker. But in saying this; I definitely wrote up to 1500 in one of mine since I had soo much time left over but wasn't allowed to leave the room. But make sure you cover your bases with multiple choice and short answer and spend time double checking those since it's much easier to grab marks in those sections than it is the increase your marks in the essays.

Hope this helps :)
modified since didn't read 12,000 properly ahhaha
Hi sorry to add to the pile of unanswered questions already on this thread, but I'm unsure about the leadership styles that may be examined. 5th Edition Business in Action lists 6 main styles: democratic/participative, directive, affiliative, pacesetting, coaching, visionary.

I've heard people talk about the 'three main' leadership styles -- which are these, or, should I just focus on knowing the above six?

Thanks for the help, good luck to everyone on Thursday.

Hi Brad,

Don't worry about adding to the pile of questions - really sorry I havent been getting to these sooner - have been drowning in uni exams and wanted to give you guys the opportunity to help each other out :D
In terms of the leaderships styles tested under HR strategies you mainly look at autocratic, democratic, laissez faire and contingency.
These ones are looked at in the prelim course as well but if you need a refresher:
Authoritarian (autocratic) – management makes all decisions with no input from staff
Participative (democratic) – management includes employees in the decision making process
Delegative (laissez-faire) – employees make all decision with no input from management
Contingency - no set way to lead; changes depending on situation

Those are the main ones I looked at and would recommend - I was lazy and didnt wanna go into more detail as to other styles (if you are super interested you do that in the compulsory management course for UNSW business courses)

Good luck for Thursday and feel free to post any more of your questions on here :)
Isaac

Hi guys,

Could anyone tell me what the difference is between an essay & a report for Section III? Or can you only write a report for section III, not an essay?

I'm a bit confused as I don't know what I'm currently writing, although I've only ever scored in the top band... - I'm using subtitles but then just adding an intro and conclusion. If anyone could please tell me whether this is an essay/report & what the difference is please reply! :)

Hey there,

So the difference between section 3 and section 4 is that section 3 must be written in a business report format - this includes the proper structure (executive summary, body, conclusion), subheadings, number system, reference to business scenario.
In contrast, section 4 is an extended response which is normally written in an essay format.

However, there is an overlap since section 4 can be written in a business report format (some teachers prefer to show more business knowledge, some say it limits your expression) it is all up to you and your style on what way you write but you can definitely use subheadings in the essay - just make sure you consistently use it throughout your essay. One random subheading is gonna look weird and affect your logical/cohesive structure.

Lemme know if you need any clarification or examples - there should be some in the notes section :) good luck for business studies exam!!
Isaac
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 21, 2017, 03:53:51 pm
I definitely think that around 12,000 is a good length purely because you might be spending too much time on it if it's any longer and might be detracting from the other sections. However if you can smash those sections and give yourself an hour for sections 3 and 4 then by all means write as much relevant information as you can.

Hi Isaac...
just clarifying in the above post that you meant 1200 and 1500?!
i really really hope so *fingers crossed*
thanks...and btw expect to see a lot of questions on here once my maths is done and i can finally start focusing on business!!
sooo... thanks in advance
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 21, 2017, 03:59:40 pm
Hi Isaac...
just clarifying in the above post that you meant 1200 and 1500?!
i really really hope so *fingers crossed*
thanks...and btw expect to see a lot of questions on here once my maths is done and i can finally start focusing on business!!
sooo... thanks in advance

No, minimum 10,000 words

Jokes that was a mistake ahah thanks for notifying me!! Will modify my post :D
i definitely mean 1200 and 1500 ahaha a12000 would be almost impossible
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 21, 2017, 04:02:10 pm
No, minimum 10,000 words

Jokes that was a mistake ahah thanks for notifying me!! Will modify my post :D
i definitely mean 1200 and 1500 ahaha a12000 would be almost impossible

hahaha, woah, i only read the first line and just about fell off my chair... i thought you were being honest...
that was, until i read down!!  :P ;D
thanks for that... i was thinking we'd hafta be writing about 30 pages!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: RuiAce on October 21, 2017, 04:03:01 pm
hahaha, woah, i only read the first line and just about fell off my chair... i thought you were being honest...
that was, until i read down!!  :P ;D
thanks for that... i was thinking we'd hafta be writing about 30 pages!!
Doing a Ph. D. thesis in business studies without having even done first year uni accounting. Seems legit.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 21, 2017, 04:04:44 pm
Doing a Ph. D. thesis in business studies without having even done first year uni accounting. Seems legit.

ok, ok, but my standards are about 1200 words limit!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 21, 2017, 04:06:50 pm
ok, ok, but my standards are about 1200 words limit!!

Dont worry, especially for business reports - subheadings and diagrams really spreads out your report over a few pages - ends up looking longer than it did :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 21, 2017, 04:09:29 pm
Dont worry, especially for business reports - subheadings and diagrams really spreads out your report over a few pages - ends up looking longer than it did :D

true, and maybe i'll write in BIG FONT
haha, always helps to spread it out!  ;)
with regard to diagrams, what sort of diagrams did you draw in your report??... this is something i've always struggled with!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 21, 2017, 04:16:06 pm
true, and maybe i'll write in BIG FONT
haha, always helps to spread it out!  ;)
with regard to diagrams, what sort of diagrams did you draw in your report??... this is something i've always struggled with!

definitely - i had super big writing - like 7 words a page.

IN terms of diagrams:
it really depends on the question:
some that i remember were business cycles, business life/product life cycles, break even point, this was a bit like desperate but I even included a diagram of the 4 HR processes in like a cycle ahahah was a bit weird but I did it.

If you draw the diagram, make sure you explain it though. so refer to the diagram, put points A/B/C if needed and explain how it relates to the business scenario.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 21, 2017, 04:25:37 pm
true, and maybe i'll write in BIG FONT
haha, always helps to spread it out!  ;)
with regard to diagrams, what sort of diagrams did you draw in your report??... this is something i've always struggled with!

For diagrams, I just pluck them from the relevant syllabus dotpoints for each section I'm talking about.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZynzL2Z.png)
I write like 10 words a line at the start, then 3 words a line at the end.  :P
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on October 21, 2017, 07:25:02 pm
Hey guys!
Could someone explain to me how D is the correct answer here? I'd be more inclined to think that C would be the answer, as a recession would urge HRM to retain the employees and their skills. Then again, the question is asking for the most likely answer,
 so I must be missing something here. Could anyone lend a hand?

Cheers  :)

(https://i.imgur.com/uK5xLKO.jpg)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Hangm3 on October 21, 2017, 08:35:55 pm
Hey guys!
Could someone explain to me how D is the correct answer here? I'd be more inclined to think that C would be the answer, as a recession would urge HRM to retain the employees and their skills. Then again, the question is asking for the most likely answer,
 so I must be missing something here. Could anyone lend a hand?

Cheers  :

(https://i.imgur.com/uK5xLKO.jpg)
The answer cant be C, as there would be an increase in involuntary separation during a recession since Employers struggle to remunerate staff due to prevailing economic conditions.
Thus employee bargaining power would also decrease as the demand for labour has decreased. Therefore the answer is D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 21, 2017, 10:53:15 pm
1. Analyses business functions and processes in large and global businesses? Can someone please help me with this question?
In my perspective, with this question I'd talk about the ethics and csr as the business needs to take care of those stuffs when they are involving themselves in the global market etc?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 21, 2017, 11:00:54 pm
Hey guys!
Could someone explain to me how D is the correct answer here? I'd be more inclined to think that C would be the answer, as a recession would urge HRM to retain the employees and their skills. Then again, the question is asking for the most likely answer,
 so I must be missing something here. Could anyone lend a hand?

Cheers  :)

(https://i.imgur.com/uK5xLKO.jpg)

A recession is a decrease in economic activity, as consumer confidence decreases. This causes less spending, which means that businesses will not need as many staff to assist with meeting customer demands. They would want to reduce their number of staff since they become redundant and only incur extra costs. Businesses would only keep their most skilled and fire the less experienced workers, hence involuntary separation increases during a recession. ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: JoyMaalouf on October 22, 2017, 10:24:16 am
Hey guys! Could somebody please explain the difference between intermediate and industrial markets?? Thanks:)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 22, 2017, 01:45:25 pm
1. Analyses business functions and processes in large and global businesses? Can someone please help me with this question?
In my perspective, with this question I'd talk about the ethics and csr as the business needs to take care of those stuffs when they are involving themselves in the global market etc?

Hey there,

Analyses business functions and processes in large and global businesses i think is waaayyy too broad to be a possible essay question and its also an outcome. But lets try break it down though.
So analyse means "Identify components and the relationship between them" so if we are analysing business functions and processes in large and global businesses. I would interpret this as a question on interdependence since you identify components of business funcitons and processes and then the relationships between them. May not be correct but that's the interpretation I geet from it.

So then you would choose processes of operations or whatever kbf then look at how a business utilises this function and then how it relies on and affects other functions of the business. How the business has streamlined the process and increased integratino to make each function work more efficiently and cooperatively.

Not sure but thats just what I would have done - what were your thoughts on this question?

i'm not too sure how much ethics and csr come into play in this question but I think it is definitely worth mentioning and expanding on it on a global scale.

Hope this helps :)

Hey guys! Could somebody please explain the difference between intermediate and industrial markets?? Thanks:)

Hey there,
this one always used to confuse me because I also did economics and in that subject, intermediate means used as inputs in the production process.

However, in business studies, an intermediate market is one where finished goods are traded between businesses. So usually from wholesalers to retailers or manufacturers to retailers - consumers are not buying goods from this market. Instead, businesses are buying them in order to sell them to consumers or to other businesses.

In contrast, an industrial market is one where the products are sold are to be used as inputs into production of another good. So things like flower to make bread, aluminium to make cars etc. So businesses will buy things that they can use to produce another good.

Hope that clears things up :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 22, 2017, 10:46:06 pm
definitely - i had super big writing - like 7 words a page.

IN terms of diagrams:
it really depends on the question:
some that i remember were business cycles, business life/product life cycles, break even point, this was a bit like desperate but I even included a diagram of the 4 HR processes in like a cycle ahahah was a bit weird but I did it.

If you draw the diagram, make sure you explain it though. so refer to the diagram, put points A/B/C if needed and explain how it relates to the business scenario.

Hi Isaac,
Are diagrams necessary to get a 19-20/20? Or at least, do markers prefer responses with diagrams?? What type of questions lend themselves to the inclusion of a diagram, and which don't? Also, would I put them in just section 3 or also section 4, or?

I did ask someone earlier, but they too were a student and I wanted to get your perspective given your incredible mark of 95. My teachers have never mentioned the word diagram, graph, or table all year, however none of them have ever marked the HSC.

Thanks so much!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 23, 2017, 12:54:41 am
Hi Isaac,
Are diagrams necessary to get a 19-20/20? Or at least, do markers prefer responses with diagrams?? What type of questions lend themselves to the inclusion of a diagram, and which don't? Also, would I put them in just section 3 or also section 4, or?

I did ask someone earlier, but they too were a student and I wanted to get your perspective given your incredible mark of 95. My teachers have never mentioned the word diagram, graph, or table all year, however none of them have ever marked the HSC.

Thanks so much!
Hey ;D
Not having a diagram won’t lock you out of a 19-20, but it does make it a lot harder to reach that range. Using a diagram allows the marker to see that you know your syllabus dotpoints, which you may not have a chance to include elsewhere as it could be irrelevant. In my trials Section 4 (20/20), I was talking about training as part of HR management, and I included a diagram showing current skill/future skill and onsite/offsite branched out from training. I wouldn’t have had time to address each of those topics, so I just put them into a mind map to show the marker that I knew my stuff. What you include in a diagram can just be the relevant syllabus dotpoints branched out in a mind map. Personally, I’d definitely include at least one diagram in each report, but it’s up to you. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on October 23, 2017, 02:40:45 pm
Hey guys,
Since the Business Studies syllabus was made in 2010, do you think the exams would still use the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, or would they update it to the Work Health Safety Act 2011?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 23, 2017, 06:59:46 pm
Hey,

Which one of the international payments is the most risk for the exporter? All the notes I've looked at have different answers, particularly the bill of exchange and clean payment. Which one is the definitive answer?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on October 23, 2017, 07:12:32 pm
Hey,

Which one of the international payments is the most risk for the exporter? All the notes I've looked at have different answers, particularly the bill of exchange and clean payment. Which one is the definitive answer?

Clean payment involves the most risk for the exporter as the exporter ships the goods directly to the importer before payment is received. ie only after the goods are received by the importer does the exporter receive payment.

Bill of exchange, however, allows the exporter to maintain control over the goods until payment is either made or guaranteed.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 23, 2017, 08:58:22 pm
Hi,
can someone differentiate the differences between government policies and legal regulations in operations and also could you please give me examples of the policies/rules that fall under each of them?

Also, do I have to only use Australian case studies?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 23, 2017, 11:03:52 pm
Hey ;D
Not having a diagram won’t lock you out of a 19-20, but it does make it a lot harder to reach that range. Using a diagram allows the marker to see that you know your syllabus dotpoints, which you may not have a chance to include elsewhere as it could be irrelevant. In my trials Section 4 (20/20), I was talking about training as part of HR management, and I included a diagram showing current skill/future skill and onsite/offsite branched out from training. I wouldn’t have had time to address each of those topics, so I just put them into a mind map to show the marker that I knew my stuff. What you include in a diagram can just be the relevant syllabus dotpoints branched out in a mind map. Personally, I’d definitely include at least one diagram in each report, but it’s up to you. :)


thanks very much!!! So, aim for at least a diagram in Section 3 (busi report) and at least one in Section 4 (extended response)? Thanks :) 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 24, 2017, 12:03:22 am
Hi Isaac,
Are diagrams necessary to get a 19-20/20? Or at least, do markers prefer responses with diagrams?? What type of questions lend themselves to the inclusion of a diagram, and which don't? Also, would I put them in just section 3 or also section 4, or?

I did ask someone earlier, but they too were a student and I wanted to get your perspective given your incredible mark of 95. My teachers have never mentioned the word diagram, graph, or table all year, however none of them have ever marked the HSC.

Thanks so much!

Hey Brad,

Definitely agree with MisterNeo on this one. try to incorporate them into your report/essay effectively. What I mean by this is that they must be relevant - don't just chuck in a graph for the sake of having a diagram somewhere since the marker will most likely look on that badly. Instead use it to convey things in a clearer and more succinct way. Like what MisterNeo said having a mindmap to signpost the different types of training.
Its not a requirement to get a top band but it just shows that you can think in different ways and show off some of your knowledge and skill but only if it is relevant. I have done many business reports with no diagrams because the questions posed didnt require a diagram and I still got in the top band so it really depends.

Hope this helps though and make sure you know your graphs if you do need to rely on them in the exam :)

Hey guys,
Since the Business Studies syllabus was made in 2010, do you think the exams would still use the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, or would they update it to the Work Health Safety Act 2011?

Hey Rodero,
You would use the more up to date legislation name; so the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) if there was a question on it. You could also look at other statutes and bodies such as Safe Work Australia :) Just because the syllabus was made before, it doesnt dictate legislation that must be learned it just talks broadly about work health and safety in the HR topic. So it would include changes to the law and what the current law is.

Hope this helps, good luck for business studies!!

Hi,
can someone differentiate the differences between government policies and legal regulations in operations and also could you please give me examples of the policies/rules that fall under each of them?

Also, do I have to only use Australian case studies?

Hey there,
This dot point used to always confuse me I kept asking my teacher many questions - I have accepted the fact that they are very similar and have parts that overlap. But my understanding was that government policies was the government stance on the economy and other issues such as the environment. This included rules and regulations they imposed as well as who was in power at the time (since each political party has different objectives/views/beliefs/goals. In contrast legal regulations are the specific statutes and laws that govern what businesses can and cant do. This is different since laws take a while to change since they must pass through the houses of parliament and don't change frequently since usually what the law is, is the law.

One example that confused me was the carbon tax since it's a government policy on environment but it was also a statutory measure hence being both a government policy and a legal influence.

In terms of the case study, you are not bound by Australia only - definitely use cases from overseas and even make up your own (I assume we are talking about section 4 of the paper here). You are allowed to make up fake case studies so it stands to reason you can use overseas/international case studies to strengthen your argument!!
Hope this clears some things up. Sorry I couldn't give you a better answer :(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 12:14:19 pm
does anyone have a tip on how to best nail the MC...??
they always seem to be about random, specific content that we haven't necessarily covered in class... ::)
thanks in advance for the tips
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 24, 2017, 12:21:09 pm
Hey ;D
Not having a diagram won’t lock you out of a 19-20, but it does make it a lot harder to reach that range. Using a diagram allows the marker to see that you know your syllabus dotpoints, which you may not have a chance to include elsewhere as it could be irrelevant. In my trials Section 4 (20/20), I was talking about training as part of HR management, and I included a diagram showing current skill/future skill and onsite/offsite branched out from training. I wouldn’t have had time to address each of those topics, so I just put them into a mind map to show the marker that I knew my stuff. What you include in a diagram can just be the relevant syllabus dotpoints branched out in a mind map. Personally, I’d definitely include at least one diagram in each report, but it’s up to you. :)

Thanks so much to you and Isaac! I appreciate the help :)

Good luck for Thursday!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 24, 2017, 12:49:47 pm
does anyone have a tip on how to best nail the MC...??
they always seem to be about random, specific content that we haven't necessarily covered in class... ::)
thanks in advance for the tips
Use a highlighter, or underline key words.
I can't tell you how effective using a highlighter is. Highlight directive terms, key words from the syllabus, then eliminate two answers that are completely incorrect/irrelevant.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on October 24, 2017, 01:09:58 pm
Hey guys,
Since the Business Studies syllabus was made in 2010, do you think the exams would still use the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, or would they update it to the Work Health Safety Act 2011?

Hey! I believe they would use the Work Health Safety Act 2011, simply because it's the latest piece of legislation and I don't see why they would refer to the old Act.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 1403pls on October 24, 2017, 01:35:19 pm
 How would you structure the following:
1. explain the potential conflicts between short-terms and long-term financial objectives
2. explain why goods and/or services are central to both marketing and operations
3. explain how operations strategy can help a business sustain its competitive advantage
4. examine the advantages of a diverse, culturally competent workforce for a global business
5. compare the process of negotiating enterprise/collective agreements with the negotiation of individual contracts
Thank you so much !! xx
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 03:17:13 pm
Use a highlighter, or underline key words.
I can't tell you how effective using a highlighter is. Highlight directive terms, key words from the syllabus, then eliminate two answers that are completely incorrect/irrelevant.
good plan...
thanks opengangs  ;D i always take in a highlighter but never actually use it effectively!!
thanks for the advice
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rodero on October 24, 2017, 03:36:31 pm
Hey guys,
Are outsourcing and contracting the same thing? The textbook seems to give virtually identical definitions of them. I was wondering if there's any distinct features that separate the two.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 03:45:53 pm
Help needed... <yep, again>
could someone pls explain to me why the answer to the attached question is A??
i am really bad at financial questions  ???
tia.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 24, 2017, 04:29:46 pm
Hey guys,
Are outsourcing and contracting the same thing? The textbook seems to give virtually identical definitions of them. I was wondering if there's any distinct features that separate the two.


hey! i think they're the same thing, although in the syllabus they're treated as separate dot points. when you google outsourcing, the first thing that comes up is "Outsourcing (also sometimes referred to as "contracting out")" so... really don't know ahahah sorry i couldn't be of any help

Help needed... <yep, again>
could someone pls explain to me why the answer to the attached question is A??
i am really bad at financial questions  ???
tia.

it's okay to ask for help :-) in steps of answering the question, the answer is A because:
1. when you do the net profit part of the question, it eliminates answers B and D.
2. the accounts receivable turnover ratio is given, but do 365÷(sales/accounts receivable). when you sub the values in, Business A ends up being 45.6 days, with Business B on 32 days - so the answer is A!

hope this helps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 24, 2017, 04:31:20 pm
Help needed... <yep, again>
could someone pls explain to me why the answer to the attached question is A??
i am really bad at financial questions  ???
tia.
Hi BK,
I probably won't be much help... but you just simply work out the ratios provided for each business (A and B)!
The Net profit ratio determines a business's profitability... the high the ratio the more profitable therefore business A
The Accounts receivable turnover ratio determines a business's efficiency, the higher the ratio the more efficient the business... therefore business B
so the answer is A as business a is more profitable but business b is more efficient...
does this make sense at all...??
it might be an idea to look up what each of the ratio determine....!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 04:34:00 pm
Hi BK,
I probably won't be much help... but you just simply work out the ratios provided for each business (A and B)!
The Net profit ratio determines a business's profitability... the high the ratio the more profitable therefore business A
The Accounts receivable turnover ratio determines a business's efficiency, the higher the ratio the more efficient the business... therefore business B
so the answer is A as business a is more profitable but business b is more efficient...
does this make sense at all...??
it might be an idea to look up what each of the ratio determine....!!

erhulloolli!!!
thanks heaps for your reply ;)
srsly need to work on these ratios!
it's okay to ask for help :-) in steps of answering the question, the answer is A because:
1. when you do the net profit part of the question, it eliminates answers B and D.
2. the accounts receivable turnover ratio is given, but do 365÷(sales/accounts receivable). when you sub the values in, Business A ends up being 45.6 days, with Business B on 32 days - so the answer is A!

hope this helps!

thanks, fantasticbeats
ATVB with the exam on thursday

Mod Edit: Merged posts. ;)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 24, 2017, 04:41:51 pm
Hey... fantasticbeats3...!!
i noticed that you did the accounts receivable turnover rate in days.... is that the only ratio that we have to do in days..?? how do you write an answer to a financial ratios questions..??
thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 24, 2017, 05:34:33 pm
Hey... fantasticbeats3...!!
i noticed that you did the accounts receivable turnover rate in days.... is that the only ratio that we have to do in days..?? how do you write an answer to a financial ratios questions..??
thanks


hey, erhulloollie! yep, that's the only ratio you have to do in days, because other ratios are written as a percentage or just a 'regular' ratio, i.e. 2:1. writing an answer to a financial ratio question is just like any other finance or maths question - write out your working :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: studyharddd on October 24, 2017, 09:11:50 pm
Yo

So within MC in past papers there is generally a couple questions asking what kind of legislation applies to situations. Just wondering what legislation/laws/acts we need to know cause I have nothing on it in my notes. E.g q1 and 5 in the 2016 paper.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 09:22:39 pm
Yo

So within MC in past papers there is generally a couple questions asking what kind of legislation applies to situations. Just wondering what legislation/laws/acts we need to know cause I have nothing on it in my notes. E.g q1 and 5 in the 2016 paper.

so, with this i do legal studies and studied both consumers and workplace, hence i have some advantage..
however, i guess a big one to know is the competition and consumer act 2010, this covers a lot of aspects of business studies, the ACL website summarises the main parts of it by saying it predominantly covers:
workplace health and safety (WHS) is important for HR and others such as the age discrimination act, sex discrimination act, racial discrimination act are also good to know for HR and may come up in MC as they did last year
... that's just a few tips tho
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ayylmaolad on October 24, 2017, 09:30:07 pm
Hey, is it okay to make up case studies for the final section of the paper?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 24, 2017, 09:34:22 pm
Hey, is it okay to make up case studies for the final section of the paper?

hi! whether it's business, legal, whatever it is definitely okay to make up stuff - it's better than having nothing. :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 24, 2017, 09:39:22 pm
hi! whether it's business, legal, whatever it is definitely okay to make up stuff - it's better than having nothing. :-)
to add to that, our teacher was just saying today that if you do have to make something up, its better to make up an entire case study than do a made-up stat/fact about a well-known business (qantas, ikea etc.)>> markers may know  ;)
EDIT:just noticed this was the 400th post!! go business studies!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 24, 2017, 09:49:35 pm
Helloo,
If they ask to implement marketing strategies in response to changes internal and external influences? How would you all talk about it?

Also, could you please give me some fake names? I couldn't think of at least 2  :'(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 24, 2017, 10:06:09 pm
Helloo,
If they ask to implement marketing strategies in response to changes internal and external influences? How would you all talk about it?

Also, could you please give me some fake names? I couldn't think of at least 2  :'(
Internal influences: business culture, management, resources, location, and product.
External influences: political, social, technological, economic, financial, geographic, legal, institutional, competition, markets.

Marketing strategies: market segmentation, product/service differentiation and positioning
products -- branding, packaging
price -- skimming, penetration, loss leader, price points
promotion -- advertising, personal selling, relationship marketing, sales promotions, publicity and public relations, opinion leaders, word of mouth
place -- distribution channels, channel choice, physical distribution issues
people, processes and physical evidence
e-marketing
global marketing -- global branding, standardisation, customisation, global pricing, competitive positioning
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 24, 2017, 10:12:35 pm
Internal influences: business culture, management, resources, location, and product.
External influences: political, social, technological, economic, financial, geographic, legal, institutional, competition, markets.

where did you get those influences from?!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on October 24, 2017, 10:19:45 pm
hi guys

can someone please explain to me Polycentric/geocentric and ethnocentric approach under global strategies for HR, please?

thank you very much :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 24, 2017, 10:44:26 pm
Internal influences: business culture, management, resources, location, and product.
External influences: political, social, technological, economic, financial, geographic, legal, institutional, competition, markets.

Marketing strategies: market segmentation, product/service differentiation and positioning
products -- branding, packaging
price -- skimming, penetration, loss leader, price points
promotion -- advertising, personal selling, relationship marketing, sales promotions, publicity and public relations, opinion leaders, word of mouth
place -- distribution channels, channel choice, physical distribution issues
people, processes and physical evidence
e-marketing
global marketing -- global branding, standardisation, customisation, global pricing, competitive positioning

I'm thinking the same as Julie, did you get them from the textbook or just sort of think them through?

They sound good though, thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on October 24, 2017, 10:47:43 pm
where did you get those influences from?!

it is from the yr 11 syllabus - the first topic :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 24, 2017, 11:09:49 pm
WHAAAT? Do we have to know stuffs from year11?! I mean yes we do but those influences..please tell me no because there's only a day left
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: austv99 on October 24, 2017, 11:37:34 pm
Can someone explain developmental performance management and administrative performance management?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 24, 2017, 11:46:12 pm
WHAAAT? Do we have to know stuffs from year11?! I mean yes we do but those influences..please tell me no because there's only a day left

just did a quick google for this - i don't think you do! only maths is stated to have up to 30% of prelim content tested, doesn't say anything about business :-)

Can someone explain developmental performance management and administrative performance management?

there was a really great explanation of this somewhere in this thread - wish you could put a search term for threads! (never mind it is a thing... wow i'm so technologically challenged) will edit this post when i find it - if not, i'll type up a quick explanation :-)

edit: here it is!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 25, 2017, 01:10:27 am
Can someone explain developmental performance management and administrative performance management?

Developmental is performance appraisal in the best interests of the employee. They would continuously check on their performance to get them to develop their skills for the future and their own good.
Administrative is performance appraisal in the best interests of HR management itself. They would check performances of employees to see what management is doing wrong in training, and change their approach accordingly.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 25, 2017, 08:20:59 am
Hi,
HR Processes - Development - Does it include training, development and performance appraisal?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 09:32:19 am
could someone pls help me understand why the answer to question 12 is B... as you can tell, i really don't like finance stuff!
how do i calculate the current ratio with the info given?!
tia. ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 09:41:46 am
could someone pls help me understand why the answer to question 12 is B... as you can tell, i really don't like finance stuff!
how do i calculate the current ratio with the info given?!
tia. ;D

Hey BK  ;)
think it is Current assets divided by the Current liabilites... so (15000+3000)... divide... (5000+5500)
which equals 1.7.... so i think that means there is 1.7 assets for every liability which is acceptable as the business is liquid enough to pay off the liabilities....  (short-term stability)
i think thats how u do it!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 09:54:29 am
Hey BK  ;)
think it is Current assets divided by the Current liabilites... so (15000+3000)... divide... (5000+5500)
which equals 1.7.... so i think that means there is 1.7 assets for every liability which is acceptable as the business is liquid enough to pay off the liabilities....  (short-term stability)
i think thats how u do it!

thanks heaps MA.. ;)
so on the stock section (under current assets) with the ? does that just not count??
btw- never realised you had an account on here
ATVB tomorrow!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 25, 2017, 10:09:57 am
thanks heaps MA.. ;)
so on the stock section (under current assets) with the ? does that just not count??
btw- never realised you had an account on here
ATVB tomorrow!
The current ratio is 2:1.
You have to find the "?" to be able to calculate the current ratio since it includes ALL current assets.
You would add the entire right-side of the balance sheet together (liabilities+equity), then subtract the entire left-sdie from it. A balance sheet must balance, hence you can find the value of stock with the "?".
Stock=[Liabilities(110500)+Equity(35500)]-[Assets(143000)]
There is $3000 stock.
After putting this into the formula (21000/10500), you get 2:1 current ratio, which is acceptable because it is higher than the industry average of 1.9:1.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 10:16:03 am
The current ratio is 2:1.
You have to find the "?" to be able to calculate the current ratio since it includes ALL current assets.
You would add the entire right-side of the balance sheet together (liabilities+equity), then subtract the entire left-sdie from it. A balance sheet must balance, hence you can find the value of stock with the "?".
Stock=[Liabilities(110500)+Equity(35500)]-[Assets(143000)]
There is $3000 stock.
After putting this into the formula (21000/10500), you get 2:1 current ratio, which is acceptable because it is higher than the industry average of 1.9:1.
ahhhhh... true true.. thanks heaps for that... seems quite a bit of working out for a MC!!  :o
i would wish you luck in the exam tomorrow but by the sounds you won't need any!!...
but ALL THE VERY BEST anyway!!...
thanks again for all the help
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 10:24:15 am
thanks heaps MA.. ;)
so on the stock section (under current assets) with the ? does that just not count??
btw- never realised you had an account on here
ATVB tomorrow!

Hahahaha..... hmm i am very helpful!! opps... turns out there is such a thing as stock :o
sorry bout tht... thanks MrNeo!!
HAGD n ATVB BKL
Syt :o


Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 10:37:01 am
Hahahaha..... hmm i am very helpful!! opps... turns out there is such a thing as stock :o
sorry bout tht... thanks MrNeo!!
HAGD n ATVB BKL
Syt :o

hahaha, nah, its fine at least we both now know!!
thanks for your help anyway MJA
syt
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on October 25, 2017, 12:41:49 pm
Could someone help me with 19 and 20, found here: https://imgur.com/a/N2gwE

Additionally, if someone could redirect or provide me with a business formula sheet, that'd be great.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 12:59:47 pm
Additionally, if someone could redirect or provide me with a business formula sheet, that'd be great.
sorry couldnt help you out on the first point...
buuut, by formula sheet do you mean finance ratios etc.??
because this website has a few, some of them we won't need to know at this level
http://www.ibbusinessandmanagement.com/uploads/1/1/7/5/11758934/ib_business_and_management_-formula_sheets.pdf
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 01:14:33 pm
Sorry, been busy. Had bio this morning.
With regards to tear 11 content, they're assumed knowledge meaning they can test you on year 11 knowledge and they usually do this for the essay questions.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 25, 2017, 01:58:12 pm
Hey.
I'm not sure why the answer is C. I understand that this is true, however is Kim's employment not also subject to award conditions despite her being employed on an individual contract? Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 02:16:53 pm
hey!
our business teacher suggested that we have a statistic (or piece of valuable info) for each topic to put into an introduction, to make the intro worth a few marks (rather than just repeating the question in the intro and thus wasting time and marks) , they have to be broad enough so that it looks like you fully know what you are on about rather than just throwing anything in there.
does anyone have any ideas for stats or facts that i (and others) can use in this case?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 02:26:23 pm
Could someone help me with 19 and 20, found here: https://imgur.com/a/N2gwE

Additionally, if someone could redirect or provide me with a business formula sheet, that'd be great.

To do Q19, you have to identify and separate all the categories into a balance sheet; current assets, non-current assets, current liabilities, non-current liabilities and owner's equity. Then, use the formula Net Profit/Total Equity. --> Net Profit/(Capital + Net Profit) = (23/93) x 100 = 24.7%

For Q20, use Current Assets/Current Liabilities to find the current ratio, ie. liquidity. The current assets that I can see are cash, receivables, inventory totalling $40,000. The current liabilities are payables and overdraft totalling $22,000. Therefore, using the formula, I got 1.82:1. Answer is B.

In hindsight, you would actually save more time if you read the questions beforehand and pinpoint what you need to categorise. I just noticed neither question asks about liabilities so you can safely ignore it all from the table and just focus on the return on total equity (Q19) and liquidity (Q20)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 25, 2017, 02:28:02 pm
hey!
our business teacher suggested that we have a statistic (or piece of valuable info) for each topic to put into an introduction, to make the intro worth a few marks (rather than just repeating the question in the intro and thus wasting time and marks) , they have to be broad enough so that it looks like you fully know what you are on about rather than just throwing anything in there.
does anyone have any ideas for stats or facts that i (and others) can use in this case?


Thanks for your response.

However, how can we assume that Kim is in fact BOO. Based on that assumption, why couldn't we then assume that Kim's employer does her taxation for her? It seems awfully vague and ambiguous for a HSC question -- although I'm sure I'm missing a link...
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 25, 2017, 02:29:15 pm
Sorry that most recent message was meant to be a reply to Jess1113.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 02:30:52 pm
Hey.
I'm not sure why the answer is C. I understand that this is true, however is Kim's employment not also subject to award conditions despite her being employed on an individual contract? Thanks

Hey... i wondered that it was C because she is an independent contractor (basically self employed) thus she is responsible for paying her own income tax which for a typical employee is generally paid by an employer?!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 25, 2017, 02:35:10 pm
Hey... i wondered that it was C because she is an independent contractor (basically self employed) thus she is responsible for paying her own income tax which for a typical employee is generally paid by an employer?!

Right ok. Thankyou!
So are independent contractors not protected by any industry award(s)? I guess given they are self employed that would make sense. Thanks
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 02:39:43 pm
Right ok. Thankyou!
So are independent contractors not protected by any industry award(s)? I guess given they are self employed that would make sense. Thanks

Yeah, I guess it makes sense. Since there is no one superior to you in terms of leadership and thus, no one is there to look after your award or minimum wage. Therefore, by being self-employed, you aren't subject to it.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BradMate on October 25, 2017, 02:45:37 pm
Also, the answer here was D, however I chose A.

I though FIFO and LIFO are exclusively inventory VALUATION methods, as opposed to physical inventory management methods? My source is 5th Edition Business in Action.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 02:46:43 pm
Right ok. Thankyou!
So are independent contractors not protected by any industry award(s)? I guess given they are self employed that would make sense. Thanks

NP :) this may make it a little clearer!?.... https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/fact-sheets/rights-and-obligations/independent-contractors-and-employees
basically they are just temporarily contracted by a business so they aren't actually employed as a full-time worker, so they are responsible for paying their income tax and they dont receive modern awards or such things from the employer that contracted them but rather terms of work etc would be set out in a contract of service....
sorry not a great explainer... but that's just how i interpret it..??
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 02:50:58 pm
Also, the answer here was D, however I chose A.

I though FIFO and LIFO are exclusively inventory VALUATION methods, as opposed to physical inventory management methods? My source is 5th Edition Business in Action.

fairly certain; perishable goods are always FIFO :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 02:54:41 pm
Also, the answer here was D, however I chose A.

I though FIFO and LIFO are exclusively inventory VALUATION methods, as opposed to physical inventory management methods? My source is 5th Edition Business in Action.

It's best to use logic for this one. Milk spoils, therefore, you want to sell them before that happens. First-in-first-out.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 02:57:35 pm
Also, the answer here was D, however I chose A.

I though FIFO and LIFO are exclusively inventory VALUATION methods, as opposed to physical inventory management methods? My source is 5th Edition Business in Action.


D sounds correct...they can be used as inventory valuation methods however JIT is generally used to avoid unnecessary inventory costs and when demand is variable..... therefore D suits better esp because it is a perishable item...
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 03:16:05 pm
can someone pls explain why the answer here is D
thx in advance
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 03:18:13 pm
can someone pls explain why the answer here is D
thx in advance
Equity finance occurs when a business owner sells parts of their ownership to investors. In the long run, they lose parts of the business, but are not in debt. Hence, they will have a diluted business ownership.
They have no maturation date, and no interest charged on top of it.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 03:18:51 pm
can someone pls explain why the answer here is D
thx in advance

External equity finance refers to selling shares. If you sell shares, you have to pay dividends as well as sharing leadership responsibilities as shareholders have a say in how the business is ran. Thus, the ownership becomes "diluted"; more people having a say, less authority from one individual.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 03:22:07 pm
Equity finance occurs when a business owner sells parts of their ownership to investors. In the long run, they lose parts of the business, but are not in debt. Hence, they will have a diluted business ownership.
They have no maturation date, and no interest charged on top of it.

External equity finance refers to selling shares. If you sell shares, you have to pay dividends as well as sharing leadership responsibilities as shareholders have a say in how the business is ran. Thus, the ownership becomes "diluted"; more people having a say, less authority from one individual.
thanks to both :D
i said c- but if i understand correctly from what you have said, it cant be that as they have less and less ownership in the business, thus it isn't fixed yeah?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 03:25:45 pm
thanks to both :D
i said c- but if i understand correctly from what you have said, it cant be that as they have less and less ownership in the business, thus it isn't fixed yeah?

Yep, as I said, it's talking about shares. The more shareholders you have, the more people you have to split the profits to. Therefore, the owners (shareholders) get varied profits depending on variables like how many shareholders there are, the percentage of the company they own, etc.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 03:55:59 pm
hey marco... ;D
have you managed to find any stats/facts for the intro yet??
still can't seem to find any!?  :'(
tia.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:00:20 pm
hey BK
not sure who you are..... but u seem familiar?!?!
but can u please put some stats on if you find any??

Many thanks.
Drooodsh
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:02:18 pm
sorry was meant to add...

my teacher also said it would be a great idea to include stats and facts in the intro and conclsion!  :) :) ;D 8) 8) 8) :-*
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on October 25, 2017, 04:03:51 pm
hey marco... ;D
have you managed to find any stats/facts for the intro yet??
still can't seem to find any!?  :'(
tia.

what do you mean by facts/stats? like some numbers?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:09:07 pm
sorry was meant to add...

my teacher also said it would be a great idea to include stats and facts in the intro and conclsion!  :) :) ;D 8) 8) 8) :-*
no ways.... my teacher said the exact same thing yesterday!!  ;) ;) ;)
i am looking for them so i'll definitely add some if i find them...
one for HR is: 25.9% of employees are part-time, a 5% increase with 2000
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:10:54 pm
what do you mean by facts/stats? like some numbers?
yep, as in some numbers or something to represent changes in australian workplaces- something that will support our cause in the report!!  ::)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:14:10 pm
hey BK,
have u seen the Honda Grrr ad??
i think it may be a good case study for marketing!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:16:21 pm
hey BK,
have u seen the Honda Grrr ad??
i think it may be a good case study for marketing!!
yeah, i think i have actually, i think we have watched it in class
the attached is coz i thought this thread needs a little more love and lighting up!!  8)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 04:17:24 pm
what do you mean by facts/stats? like some numbers?

yep. i always find myself just waffling on in intro's and realise at the end of the page that is it would give no marks! my teacher suggested that we include a statistic to back up our 'waffle' ;)
since i asked that question - she sent me 2 links, that have a few statistics...

https://www.cashflow-manager.com.au/is-poor-cash-flow-the-reason-so-many-australian-small-businesses-are-failing/
 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2015/09/28/small-business-failure_n_8187166.html

she also said to make sure they link to the question... so if the question is asking about a small business- talk about how 97% of australian businesses are small businesses, dont say (i made this one up) 24% of international retailers rely on word of mouth as their #1 promotional tool, coz that kinda fact would belong somewhere in the marketing sector :)
u get my point.

i think both those links have some great points which are fairly broad and could possibly link to more than one of the key business functions.

good luck peeps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:20:16 pm
yep, as in some numbers or something to represent changes in australian workplaces- something that will support our cause in the report!!  ::)

this is v coincidental... my teacher also said we should have some!?!? :o ???
70 per cent of Australian workers believe flexible conditions would improve their work life balance... (according to heraldsun)....
flexible working conditions is a National Employment Standard (requests for flexible conditions)
dunno how relevant but ahwell!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:22:03 pm
hey BK,
have u seen the Honda Grrr ad??
i think it may be a good case study for marketing!!

another good case study is ABC wholesalers... links to a lot of things!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:24:43 pm
another good case study is ABC wholesalers... links to a lot of things!!
are they the company that sells fans amongst other useless everyday items?
coz i have often used them as an example in my essays!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:25:48 pm
No way!?!?!? :) :) :)

I buy from ABC wholesalers the whole time!!!
they have very cool party fans etc!! :) 
Thanks for the inspiration! i may use them as a case study!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:30:00 pm
No way!?!?!? :) :) :)

I buy from ABC wholesalers the whole time!!!
they have very cool party fans etc!! :) 
Thanks for the inspiration! i may use them as a case study!!

Yeh apparently... my business studies teacher is a part-time worker there :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 25, 2017, 04:33:29 pm
this is v coincidental... my teacher also said we should have some!?!? :o ???
70 per cent of Australian workers believe flexible conditions would improve their work life balance... (according to heraldsun)....
flexible working conditions is a National Employment Standard (requests for flexible conditions)
dunno how relevant but ahwell!
well i've been doing a lot of goooooogling trying to find stats and so on.... but i cant seem to find much...!!!
can you use general statements like "customers are keen nowdays to have products reflect their particular needs and wants"...  but this is probably too specific to what you are wanting.........!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:34:32 pm
i think its based in South Africa...
if im talking about the manager, would i need to mention his name?
I think its Richard jst btw!  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 04:35:06 pm
Hey.
I'm not sure why the answer is C. I understand that this is true, however is Kim's employment not also subject to award conditions despite her being employed on an individual contract? Thanks
A contractor is not an employee; don't be fooled. Thus, they don't have any entitlements that a normal employee would have.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on October 25, 2017, 04:38:37 pm
Does anyone know how costs, skills, and supply can be used as HR global strategies?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:40:13 pm
well i've been doing a lot of goooooogling trying to find stats and so on.... but i cant seem to find much...!!!
can you use general statements like "customers are keen nowdays to have products reflect their particular needs and wants"...  but this is probably too specific to what you are wanting.........!!

That sounds abit waffly!  :o our teacher always says not to waffle?!
you might have to specify the customer, on which days and their specific needs and wants!? otherwise its great erhulloollie!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:41:19 pm
i think its based in South Africa...
if im talking about the manager, would i need to mention his name?
I think its Richard jst btw!  :D
would it matter tho that they are based in SouthAfrica?
they still deal within australia don't they!?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: britt.jayne on October 25, 2017, 04:42:57 pm
So chuffed.. ABC wholesalers has new bruce lee wall decor!!!  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 04:47:49 pm
Does anyone know how costs, skills, and supply can be used as HR global strategies?

hi
according to the Atarnotes business studies book- AWESOME BTW....
it refers to :
* more companies are entering international markets by exporting their products overseas.
*access to cheaper workforce that possesses the required skills with (sic) be a key consideration for a business
* the ability of labour to learn new skills will be affected by the country's education system

so.. what i gather is that it refers to the ability for a business to outsource and use skilled labourers overseas where labour and supplies are cheaper and widely available.

others will be able to add more :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 04:49:23 pm
Another thing my business studies teacher says is that the business studies rule number 567 states "when answering a question, do not jst exactly repeat the words of the question"
Is this right?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:50:26 pm
So chuffed.. ABC wholesalers has new bruce lee wall decor!!!  :D

would that link to operation strategy of increased product variety!? satisfying consumer interest?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 25, 2017, 04:51:17 pm
That sounds abit waffly!  :o our teacher always says not to waffle?!
you might have to specify the customer, on which days and their specific needs and wants!? otherwise its great erhulloollie!
yeah that is my trouble always waffle.... my teacher has been very pedantic about it .... which is great coz its made me be more concise and more specific arguments.......!!!
thanks heaps MA165!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on October 25, 2017, 04:52:06 pm
no ways.... my teacher said the exact same thing yesterday!!  ;) ;) ;)
i am looking for them so i'll definitely add some if i find them...
one for HR is: 25.9% of employees are part-time, a 5% increase with 2000

Are these statistics in reference to the essay or short answers?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 04:53:21 pm
Another thing my business studies teacher says is that the business studies rule number 567 states "when answering a question, do not jst exactly repeat the words of the question"
Is this right?

Our teachers must be associated (does your teacher know kent matthew?).... mine says the exact same thing  :o
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 04:54:14 pm
Are these statistics in reference to the essay or short answers?

they would be in the extendeds and business reports mainly :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:55:21 pm
Are these statistics in reference to the essay or short answers?
the essays... i'm not sure i would worry too much... our teacher has never done hsc marking or anything, i think its just a personal preference.. i got 20/20 for one of the extended responses in trials without putting in stats!!  :D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: 12070 on October 25, 2017, 04:57:53 pm
hi
according to the Atarnotes business studies book- AWESOME BTW....
it refers to :
* more companies are entering international markets by exporting their products overseas.
*access to cheaper workforce that possesses the required skills with (sic) be a key consideration for a business
* the ability of labour to learn new skills will be affected by the country's education system

so.. what i gather is that it refers to the ability for a business to outsource and use skilled labourers overseas where labour and supplies are cheaper and widely available.

others will be able to add more :)


Thank you! Just needed something to talk about as it was a gap in my notes.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 04:59:17 pm
Thank you! Just needed something to talk about as it was a gap in my notes.
a bit of context to this is jic you need it:
Issues such as high domestic labour costs, a skills shortage, especially apparent in some industries, and a relatively small labour pool have made businesses re-think the management of human resources.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:01:29 pm
a bit of context to this is jic you need it:
Issues such as high domestic labour costs, a skills shortage, especially apparent in some industries, and a relatively small labour pool have made businesses re-think the management of human resources.




Thankyou BK!
you really are a star!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 25, 2017, 05:02:09 pm
Just in relation to drawing diagrams and tables etc... in the extended response.... i really want to do this coz my writing is kinda small... and to fill out a few more pages would be really satisfying...!
but... i am just still a little confused as to what diagrams to remember coz you could be asked anything.... !!??? what is everyone else remembering in the way of diagrams...
thanks !!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 05:05:03 pm
yeah that is my trouble always waffle.... my teacher has been very pedantic about it .... which is great coz its made me be more concise and more specific arguments.......!!!
thanks heaps MA165!!

np erhulloollie...
ATB in your exam!!
yeah my teacher is the same :-\
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:06:01 pm
Just in relation to drawing diagrams and tables etc... in the extended response.... i really want to do this coz my writing is kinda small... and to fill out a few more pages would be really satisfying...!
but... i am just still a little confused as to what diagrams to remember coz you could be asked anything.... !!??? what is everyone else remembering in the way of diagrams...
thanks !!


im not sure actually. Our teacher was talking about this to our class yesterday. She mentioned that it has to add value to the argument.
EVERYONE GOOO RONN MOXXX!!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 05:10:51 pm
could someone pls explain to me what a unit trust is?
tia.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 05:15:02 pm
could someone pls explain to me what a unit trust is?
tia.
Unit trusts are basically mutual funds that allow funds to be pooled into assets that provide profit, which are then given straight to the owners rather than the business. They are set up under, what we call, a trust deed, and the owner essentially becomes the "holder" or beneficiary of those funds.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:16:17 pm
could someone pls explain to me what a unit trust is?
tia.


HEY BK!!

yep!!
it is a trust controlled by a manager/trustee and units are offered to the public for investment. The trust then pools these sales and invests them in financial assets
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 05:22:19 pm
Unit trusts are basically mutual funds that allow funds to be pooled into assets that provide profit, which are then given straight to the owners rather than the business. They are set up under, what we call, a trust deed, and the owner essentially becomes the "holder" or beneficiary of those funds.

HEY BK!!

yep!!
it is a trust controlled by a manager/trustee and units are offered to the public for investment. The trust then pools these sales and invests them in financial assets

thanks very much opengangs and droodsh!!
that does help to explain it...
i just never remember going over this content in class  ::)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:23:54 pm
thanks very much opengangs and droodsh!!
that does help to explain it...
i just never remember going over this content in class  ::)



I dont think our class went over it either.... :(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:26:07 pm
Can someone pls explain the dispute resolutions to me?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 05:27:11 pm
so in this case in the 2016 paper- the answer is C, however a unit trust isn't necessarily just a property investment is it?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:29:22 pm
so in this case in the 2016 paper- the answer is C, however a unit trust isn't necessarily just a property investment is it?



No it doesnt always have to be a property investment
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on October 25, 2017, 05:34:40 pm
Hey!! So I've always been told by my teacher to NEVER rewrite the question but someone just told me that I ALWAYS should... Any advice??
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 05:36:41 pm
Hey!! So I've always been told by my teacher to NEVER rewrite the question but someone just told me that I ALWAYS should... Any advice??
so, our teacher also told us not to rewrite the q as it shows a lack of deep knowledge...
however, i would suggest to use the directive terms and key words from the q in your intro!!
just a tip tho... others may have better suggestions. anyone?
btw-just noticed we do almost the same subjects!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 05:38:18 pm
Can someone pls explain the dispute resolutions to me?

again going by the AN business studies book

it says: and i quote...
"the dispute resolution method used by a business depends on the willingness of stakeholders to cooperatively work together to reach a settlement where all parties are satisfied with the final outcome."
which involves: grievance procedures, negotiation (between the 2 parties), collective bargaining (within the organisation), mediation (a third party completely separate to the business), conciliation (fair work australia), arbitration (commissioner makes a final decision, which is legally binding)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:40:31 pm
again going by the AN business studies book

it says: and i quote...
"the dispute resolution method used by a business depends on the willingness of stakeholders to cooperatively work together to reach a settlement where all parties are satisfied with the final outcome."
which involves: grievance procedures, negotiation (between the 2 parties), collective bargaining (within the organisation), mediation (a third party completely separate to the business), conciliation (fair work australia), arbitration (commissioner makes a final decision, which is legally binding)



THANKYOU MARCOARABBITUTCH
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 05:43:49 pm
Can someone pls explain the dispute resolutions to me?
There are four you need to remember.

When we have a dispute in the workplace, the first thing we always do is to negotiate with the employer. This is the most efficient and least harmful method that is always the first step when attempting to resolve disputes. What this basically means is that an employee and employer privately attempt to resolve the issue internally. The employee may choose to raise questions which can be answered by the employer.

If that doesn't work, we move to a mediator, which (if you study Metropolis in English) is basically a third party member who doesn't side against any party. They listen to both sides, and attempt to suggest a solution to the dispute, in hopes to clear things up before taking legal action against the employer. The mediator is usually someone outside of the business.

If that doesn't work, the employee may choose to use a grievance procedure. This is a legal document stating a formal complaint against the employer about a misrepresentation of them within the business, and are immediately brought to the attention of the employer's supervisor. All incidences are required to be submitted within a specific timeframe following the incident. Basically, up to this point, nothing is made against the employer. The next step is where things get really serious.

If a grievance still hasn't been resolved, then we are looking into the courts and tribunals. Anything that the judge says has to be followed, is basically what has to happen at this point. The courts will decide on the outcome of the grievance, and all parties must accept the outcome to live with it.

There are two extras, not listed: arbitration and conciliation. Let me know if you want me to briefly give a rundown of either or both.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 05:46:35 pm
Hey!!
just a question...in the business reports we dont have to refer to any external case studies do we other than the stimulus given??
MT
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 05:47:16 pm
OPENGANGS!! you are da bawwsss.......hope you state rank :D you deserve it.......drooodsh u should go by that incredible explanation of dispute resolutions!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 05:47:50 pm
Hey!!
just a question...in the business reports we dont have to refer to any external case studies do we other than the stimulus given??
MT
Business reports should have no case studies. The business in the stimulus is your only case study
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 05:48:48 pm
There are four you need to remember.

When we have a dispute in the workplace, the first thing we always do is to negotiate with the employer. This is the most efficient and least harmful method that is always the first step when attempting to resolve disputes. What this basically means is that an employee and employer privately attempt to resolve the issue internally. The employee may choose to raise questions which can be answered by the employer.

If that doesn't work, we move to a mediator, which (if you study Metropolis in English) is basically a third party member who doesn't side against any party. They listen to both sides, and attempt to suggest a solution to the dispute, in hopes to clear things up before taking legal action against the employer. The mediator is usually someone outside of the business.

If that doesn't work, the employee may choose to use a grievance procedure. This is a legal document stating a formal complaint against the employer about a misrepresentation of them within the business, and are immediately brought to the attention of the employer's supervisor. All incidences are required to be submitted within a specific timeframe following the incident. Basically, up to this point, nothing is made against the employer. The next step is where things get really serious.

If a grievance still hasn't been resolved, then we are looking into the courts and tribunals. Anything that the judge says has to be followed, is basically what has to happen at this point. The courts will decide on the outcome of the grievance, and all parties must accept the outcome to live with it.

There are two extras, not listed: arbitration and conciliation. Let me know if you want me to briefly give a rundown of either or both.
wow... amazing answer opengangs...
i studied this in legal studies consumer laws but couldnt have answered better myself...
although i wasnt the one who asked the q i really appreciate all your helpfulness!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on October 25, 2017, 05:50:18 pm
Hi guys! In the HSC, are we provided with the equations for the financial ratios?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 05:50:37 pm
Hey!!
just a question...in the business reports we dont have to refer to any external case studies do we other than the stimulus given??
MT

yessss MA165 you absolutely do!! i learnt this the hard way- i got 10/20 in my trial exam due to complete lack of application of case studies throughout!!! but its ok you can usually use your case study ideas from the essay responses....

EDIT: ok now i am contradicting the boss: opengangs  :-[

we need a dispute resolution here mediators  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 25, 2017, 05:51:06 pm
Disclaimer I'm sorry all these answers are sooo delayed!!! Am doing my best to answer you all :)
Really appreciate you all helping each other and being one awesome cohort/community!!! <3

does anyone have a tip on how to best nail the MC...??
they always seem to be about random, specific content that we haven't necessarily covered in class... ::)
thanks in advance for the tips

Hi BK,

In terms of smashing out multiple choice - my top tips are:

1. Read every multiple choice answer and cross out the part of each answer that is incorrect.
This is especially useful when answers have two parts to them (tables with two columns).
I also recommend this because sometimes one answer will be more correct and if you choose answer A cos it seems correct you can lose easy marks.
When you cross out answers, you eliminate the wrong ones and narrow down your choices, making it easier to isolate what part of the syllabus you need to recall and more easily answer the question.

2. Read the question more than once
When you have all this stress and pressure it is easy to quickly skim the question and miss vital parts. So I definitely recommend looking over the question more than once and completely understanding what its asking you. Definitely agree with the others above: use highlighters and underline the key words of the question.

3. Another tip that I've heard is to try and think of the answer before you look at the possible answers. So to do this, read the question and think of what the answer is. This could help save time in the exam.

4. Another tip is to do the majority of your multiple choice questions in reading time and make a mental note of what each answer is so that you can just put those answers down and you've done the majority of the multiple choice giving you more time for your other sections.

Those are the tips of the top of my head; good luck for your hsc exam!!!

How would you structure the following:
1. explain the potential conflicts between short-terms and long-term financial objectives
2. explain why goods and/or services are central to both marketing and operations
3. explain how operations strategy can help a business sustain its competitive advantage
4. examine the advantages of a diverse, culturally competent workforce for a global business
5. compare the process of negotiating enterprise/collective agreements with the negotiation of individual contracts
Thank you so much !! xx

Hey there,
Since there are quite a few questions to get thorugh I'll just give you some ideas on how to answer the questions:

1. Short v long term goals
This is usually a short answer questions and depending on the mark value I would look at the conflicts between long and short term financial objectives. E.g. Growth v Profitability, Short term Growth v Long term solvency and explain how they would conflict between each other. Giving examples if you feel you need to enhance your answer.

2. marketing and ops for G+S
So for this question I would split it between marketing and operations.
Marketing: Goods and services are central to the KBF because marketing is concerned with how best to communicate the features and value of the product. As well, marketing takes in consumer feedback and analyse trends in order to modify the good or service to best satisfy the needs of consumers.
Operations: Operations makes the goods and services and is concerned with how best to create the product efficiently and effectively. Also quality management is required to ensure high standards of the product.

3. explain how operations strategy can help a business sustain its competitive advantage
So you would look at specific strategies that can enhance the operations to the point that they have a competitive advantage over their competitiors
So I would structure this by strategy and explain (Cause and effect) How a business could utilise this strategy to achieve a competitive advantange --> e.g. quality management and be better quality and more prestigious than the others - give a case study (Tiffany & Co) or something like that.

4. examine the advantages of a diverse, culturally competent workforce for a global business
For this one I would look at benefits and separate those. SO things like having diversity in ideas and different ways to approach --> brainstorming allows you to generate better ideas and realise flaws to create best strategies and outcomes.

5. compare the process of negotiating enterprise/collective agreements with the negotiation of individual contracts
For this one I'd split up the different employment contracts and look at the features/benefits of each and then compare them throughout (MA, EA, CLC) etc. so sentence starters like "Unlike how MA are set by the Fair Work Commission, Common Law Contracts are created ...)

Hope that gives you some ideas, sorry I couldnt' give you more in depth advice.

Hey guys,
Are outsourcing and contracting the same thing? The textbook seems to give virtually identical definitions of them. I was wondering if there's any distinct features that separate the two.


Hey there,

So in a general sense, they are very similar in that you are giving work to an external party to do for you. They are a little bit different in that if you outsource you are giving them control to do that job. You would normally outsource one particular function or task to a company/business. Contracting is something like getting one person to do the job in the existing plant (getting someone to design your logo/fix the tap etc.)

Hope that helps :)

Yo

So within MC in past papers there is generally a couple questions asking what kind of legislation applies to situations. Just wondering what legislation/laws/acts we need to know cause I have nothing on it in my notes. E.g q1 and 5 in the 2016 paper.

Hey there,

Definitely agree with everyone else's answers (You are all amazing!) Just to add to that; business studies doesn't utilise many legislation and because of that you need to specifically know what the legislation is. This is different to legal studies where there is no set legislation you need to know.
The main ones are:
Australian Competition and Consumers Act (and other australian consumer law)
Fair Work Act (other industrial relations laws)
Sex Discrimination Act
Workplace Health and Safety Act
Corporations Act

There are others but definitely know these ones (havent checked the textbook but I think those are the ones to know)
Good luck :)

Hey, is it okay to make up case studies for the final section of the paper?

Hi there,
Definitely okay to make up case studies in section 4 - I always did - you just have to do it in a way that proves your point really well and doesnt sound too fake (e.g. $50 trillion profit in 1st year).

Good luck :)

Helloo,
If they ask to implement marketing strategies in response to changes internal and external influences? How would you all talk about it?

Also, could you please give me some fake names? I couldn't think of at least 2  :'(

Hi Julie;
As the others said you could use the ones from the Yr 11 syllabus - it is however safer to use the ones in the year 12 syllabus since the marker will be reading many scripts and looking for key words such as the syllabus dot points to ensure you are answering the question (makes it easier on the marker). In saying this one of the critical parts of the course in achieving those high marks is to see the relationship between the syllabus dot points - strategies and influences. So looking at psychological influences; a business could use market segmentation and market research in that in order to fully understand the target market so that their promotional strategies and product suit the intended audience to ensure the best possible reception of the product.

Things like that; unfortunately I struggle heaps to come up with fake names - low point for me in the trial --> Bob's Burgers, second business Bob's Boots, third business = Bob's Books. Don't do that ahahha but good luck!! :D

Hi,
HR Processes - Development - Does it include training, development and performance appraisal?

Hi again,

For the processes dot point - it just means training and development --> so after choosing and selecting the right staff you must train them to their appropriate tasks - includes things like types of training and ways of developing. It's important to know the difference between each and the methods of training and developing staff.

Hope this helps :)

Could someone help me with 19 and 20, found here: https://imgur.com/a/N2gwE

Additionally, if someone could redirect or provide me with a business formula sheet, that'd be great.

Hey there,

so for the first question - the return on equity formula is net profit/total equity --> using this we get 23,000/92,000 --> I got this as total equity = share capital ($70k) and retained earnings which is net profit ($23k) this was the only way i got the balance sheet to balance. Then using this i got  24.7% which is A.

for Q20: we look at current asset/current liabilities to test liquidity (current ratio) in this case we have $40k of current assets (cash, inventory and accounts receivable) and $22k of current liabilities (accounts payable and overdraft) this gives us 1.8:1 and therefore B.

Hope this helps sorry for the late reply




Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 05:51:25 pm
There are four you need to remember.

When we have a dispute in the workplace, the first thing we always do is to negotiate with the employer. This is the most efficient and least harmful method that is always the first step when attempting to resolve disputes. What this basically means is that an employee and employer privately attempt to resolve the issue internally. The employee may choose to raise questions which can be answered by the employer.

If that doesn't work, we move to a mediator, which (if you study Metropolis in English) is basically a third party member who doesn't side against any party. They listen to both sides, and attempt to suggest a solution to the dispute, in hopes to clear things up before taking legal action against the employer. The mediator is usually someone outside of the business.

If that doesn't work, the employee may choose to use a grievance procedure. This is a legal document stating a formal complaint against the employer about a misrepresentation of them within the business, and are immediately brought to the attention of the employer's supervisor. All incidences are required to be submitted within a specific timeframe following the incident. Basically, up to this point, nothing is made against the employer. The next step is where things get really serious.

If a grievance still hasn't been resolved, then we are looking into the courts and tribunals. Anything that the judge says has to be followed, is basically what has to happen at this point. The courts will decide on the outcome of the grievance, and all parties must accept the outcome to live with it.

There are two extras, not listed: arbitration and conciliation. Let me know if you want me to briefly give a rundown of either or both.




WOW opengangs!!!
Thankyou so much!!! :) :)
truly appreciate it!!
All your study will pay off for sure!!


Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 05:53:42 pm
Business reports should have no case studies. The business in the stimulus is your only case study

Thanks so much!!!  ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 05:54:50 pm
yessss MA165 you absolutely do!! i learnt this the hard way- i got 10/20 in my trial exam due to complete lack of application of case studies throughout!!! but its ok you can usually use your case study ideas from the essay responses....

EDIT: ok now i am contradicting the boss: opengangs  :-[

we need a dispute resolution here mediators  ;D
Business reports should focus solely on the business at hand. In every business report question, they ask you to "apply the hypothetical business situation", which means that you should only be focusing on the business in the stimulus.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 05:55:13 pm
Hi guys! In the HSC, are we provided with the equations for the financial ratios?

yep. as outlined here http://news.bostes.nsw.edu.au/blog/2013/6/21/official-notice-ratios-in-the-business-studies-hsc-examination
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on October 25, 2017, 05:55:21 pm
yessss MA165 you absolutely do!! i learnt this the hard way- i got 10/20 in my trial exam due to complete lack of application of case studies throughout!!! but its ok you can usually use your case study ideas from the essay responses....

EDIT: ok now i am contradicting the boss: opengangs  :-[

we need a dispute resolution here mediators  ;D

I was told by my teachers to not utilise any case studies in a business report since it's tailored towards the business in the stimulus, and you should ideally only be referring to that business.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: erhulloollie on October 25, 2017, 05:55:52 pm
yessss MA165 you absolutely do!! i learnt this the hard way- i got 10/20 in my trial exam due to complete lack of application of case studies throughout!!! but its ok you can usually use your case study ideas from the essay responses....

EDIT: ok now i am contradicting the boss: opengangs  :-[

we need a dispute resolution here mediators  ;D
well..... sorry marcorabbitolol..... in the trial i got 17/20 and only used the stimulus.....!!!
does this help resolve anything...!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on October 25, 2017, 05:56:32 pm
yep. as outlined here http://news.bostes.nsw.edu.au/blog/2013/6/21/official-notice-ratios-in-the-business-studies-hsc-examination

oH thank goodness. I can free up some brain space to remember other things hahaha
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: [MA165] on October 25, 2017, 06:01:15 pm
well..... sorry marcorabbitolol..... in the trial i got 17/20 and only used the stimulus.....!!!
does this help resolve anything...!


ahwell i didnt use any case studies and got a dismal 14!!! however i did say to increase expenses instead of minimising  ;D ;D but the criterias for the reports on past pprs dont ask for other case studies just apply the hypothetical situation so guess i might just do that.... Thankyou tho!!!!!! ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 06:02:57 pm
 
well..... sorry marcorabbitolol..... in the trial i got 17/20 and only used the stimulus.....!!!
does this help resolve anything...!
ok thanks guys.
thats a massive worry- coz that came from my business teacher and i even sent her my redone trial business report today with info from a case study and it still wasn't enough!!!
i think i will go by u ppl for tomorrow

{stress level: 13459889938899920987666}
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: phebsh on October 25, 2017, 06:03:59 pm
so, our teacher also told us not to rewrite the q as it shows a lack of deep knowledge...
however, i would suggest to use the directive terms and key words from the q in your intro!!
just a tip tho... others may have better suggestions. anyone?
btw-just noticed we do almost the same subjects!

No way hahahaha !

Thanks! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: JoyMaalouf on October 25, 2017, 06:12:32 pm
Hey guys! What's the difference between redundancy and retrenchment? Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 06:18:00 pm
Hey guys! What's the difference between redundancy and retrenchment? Thanks :)
Redundancy occurs when the employer no longer requires the job function that the employee is hired as. For instance, journalism are becoming redundant as technological advancements slowly take over. Thus, we say that journalism jobs are redundant. Remember, the job is becoming redundant, not the employee.

On the other hand, retrenchment refers to the inability for an employer to supply any alternative suitable employment. So, you have no job AS a result of redundancy, we call this retrenchment.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: themangopomegranate on October 25, 2017, 06:18:32 pm
Hellooo, can someone please help me distinguish between marketing and selling as an approach which appears a lot in MC. Like how would I be able to determine that a given example is a marketing approach rather than selling?

E.g. [ 2012 Past Paper MC Q.6 ] A business develops a shirt made from fabric which never stains or looks crushed. It then runs an advertising campaign to inform people about this product. What type of approach is this?

a. industrial
b. marketing
c. production
d. selling
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 06:23:54 pm
Hellooo, can someone please help me distinguish between marketing and selling as an approach which appears a lot in MC. Like how would I be able to determine that a given example is a marketing approach rather than selling?

E.g. [ 2012 Past Paper MC Q.6 ] A business develops a shirt made from fabric which never stains or looks crushed. It then runs an advertising campaign to inform people about this product. What type of approach is this?

a. industrial
b. marketing
c. production
d. selling
Production approach was the first approach established that focused on the quality of the product as a means to advertise the product. They relied on the quality, rather than needs.
Selling approach was about the advertising and being front-end about the product. They relied on the methods of door-to-door selling to push forward the product.
Marketing approach focuses on the needs and wants of the consumers, and then tailoring their product to meet those needs.

The question is about the advertising campaign end, which leans towards selling and not marketing. They most likely didn't make the product to suit the needs of the consumers, which means it's not likely the marketing approach.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: simichandani on October 25, 2017, 06:39:10 pm
Hi,

Are we required to know how to do LIFO and FIFO calculations?
I've never come across them until now :O

Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on October 25, 2017, 06:42:28 pm
Hi,

Are we required to know how to do LIFO and FIFO calculations?
I've never come across them until now :O

Thanks!
I would think so, in case they do ask one
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 06:52:28 pm
I would think so, in case they do ask one

Never heard of calculations for these. What are they? Thanks.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: droodsh on October 25, 2017, 06:58:22 pm
Never heard of calculations for these. What are they? Thanks.


yess neither???
Pls help!! im freaking out now! :(
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 07:00:03 pm
hi
im so confused about financial ratios- as always
for this question the answer is A- could someone explain why this is the case. my answer was C- as the efficiency ratio for business A showed less days than business B- have i misinterpreted?

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tammy.tran31 on October 25, 2017, 07:01:55 pm
Hey guys, could someone please help with this question from the 2013 paper?

So BOSTES says its B but the Excel book says A

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on October 25, 2017, 07:05:03 pm
hi
im so confused about financial ratios- as always
for this question the answer is A- could someone explain why this is the case. my answer was C- as the efficiency ratio for business A showed less days than business B- have i misinterpreted?
The ART Ratio is calculated using Sales/AR, which gives you a number. The higher that number is, the better.

When 365 days is divided by that number, it gives number of days average to collect AR, which less is better.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 07:05:38 pm
hi
im so confused about financial ratios- as always
for this question the answer is A- could someone explain why this is the case. my answer was C- as the efficiency ratio for business A showed less days than business B- have i misinterpreted?



You need to see which one collects their accounts receivable more often for efficiency. Sales/Accounts receivable for A = 8 times per year. 365 divided by this result is 45.6; 46 days. For B = 11.2 times per year. 365 divided by this result is 32.5; 33 days. Without doing the 365 divided by (x) calculation, you can already see Business B does more collections.

Therefore, Business B collects their accounts receivable more times than Business A in a year, making them more efficient. 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: marcorabbitolol on October 25, 2017, 07:21:49 pm
You need to see which one collects their accounts receivable more often for efficiency. Sales/Accounts receivable for A = 8 times per year. 365 divided by this result is 45.6; 46 days. For B = 11.2 times per year. 365 divided by this result is 32.5; 33 days. Without doing the 365 divided by (x) calculation, you can already see Business B does more collections.

Therefore, Business B collects their accounts receivable more times than Business A in a year, making them more efficient. 

The ART Ratio is calculated using Sales/AR, which gives you a number. The higher that number is, the better.

When 365 days is divided by that number, it gives number of days average to collect AR, which less is better.
ohh i get it!! thanks heaps!!
 i completely over-complicated my working out rip
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 25, 2017, 07:22:07 pm
Hey guys, could someone please help with this question from the 2013 paper?

So BOSTES says its B but the Excel book says A



Hey there,

The correct answer is B intermediate market since they are not actually selling the teddy bears to consumers. Instead they are selling it to toy stores to sell to consumers - essentially to another intermediary before it reaches a consumer. Hence B is the correct answer - i have noticed that excel and dot point books tend to be a little inaccurate so good on u for picking that up :)

Isaac :D

Hi,

Are we required to know how to do LIFO and FIFO calculations?
I've never come across them until now :O

Thanks!


Never heard of calculations for these. What are they? Thanks.

Hey guys,

So LIFO and FIFO are just ways of valuing inventory (using the prices of the first stock/last stock/each new stock etc.) there are ways to calculate it; but you'll never be asked a question to calculate the difference in the price of stock and the effect on profits. You just need to know that LIFO is illegal because it overstates the cost of inventory/stock and thus skews the value of profit and thus decreases the tax that must be paid. In class we did calculations to understand how it worked which really helped I feel in applying this knowledge to different questions.

You guys are gonna smash it!!!
Isaac

mod edit: answered another question so I didnt increase post count and clog up the thread :P

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: pokemonlv10 on October 25, 2017, 08:01:30 pm
Hello there, was wondering if anyone had any case studies for market segmentation, E-Marketing and Price? (For marketing Strategies)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: TheFreeMarketeer on October 25, 2017, 08:18:16 pm
Can someone please redirect me to an exemplar business report? I find trouble when writing one.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 25, 2017, 08:29:30 pm
Hello there, was wondering if anyone had any case studies for market segmentation, E-Marketing and Price? (For marketing Strategies)

Hey there,

You can definitely make up case studies for these points but here are some I've gathered.
Segmentation
Qantas’s market segmentation is the process of dividing up the total range of potential or current customers into smaller discrete groups to facilitate analysis and planning

Behavioural Segmentation
Buyers are distinguished according to trip purpose (i.e. business and leisure/non-business travellers)
Business sector can include:
   Routine business (point to point business travel)
   Conference seminars
   Emergency business

To target different markets, these highly differentiated brands appeal to different customer segments:
   Jetstar (domestic) targets cost sensitive travellers primarily on low yielding leisure routes to Australian destinations like the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Alice Springs.
   Jetstar International targets leisure travellers to destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City, Osaka, Bali and Honolulu that were unprofitable Qantas operations.
   Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Pacific, Jetstar Japan and Jetstar Hong Kong to target the growing intra-Asia travel market.

E-marketing
For this one I'd look at any firm that has engaged with electronic marketing --> try to look further than just internet ads and suggest any company that does email advertising for example i get heaps of emails from cotton on and factorie. Another thing you could look at is snapchat filters - maccas, tiffany & co all engaged in this sort of marketing with snapchat filters and most had reasonable success.

Price
FOr this one, price as a strategy is a bit too broad but you would link it to the specific pricing strategies such as penetration pricing as used by people like ALDI to undercut the market and provide cheaper alternatives. Or look at rice skimming (charge highest price possible) for company's like apple with their innovative and high tech products also backed by the brand reputation.

I hope this helps you somewhat, good luck!!
Isaac :D

Can someone please redirect me to an exemplar business report? I find trouble when writing one.

Hey there, you should definitely have a look at the notes section on the forums... i've searched for business reports - there are 2 here.
Alternatively, I wrote up a business report guide which you can access here. It doesnt have my whole report; but I have included excerpts from a report I wrote in exam conditions and got 20/20.

Hope this helps!!!
Isaac :D

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: hansolo9 on October 25, 2017, 08:30:19 pm
Hey guys

Can a Pty Ltd business issue shares?
So, if a question asked “recommend/discuss a source of finance for the business.” and the stimulus is Pty Ltd, would you never recommend issuing shares? Do the stimuli always have Pty Ltd?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Vinnnnnnyyyyyy on October 25, 2017, 08:36:47 pm
Hey guys

Can a Pty Ltd business issue shares?
So, if a question asked “recommend/discuss a source of finance for the business.” and the stimulus is Pty Ltd, would you never recommend issuing shares? Do the stimuli always have Pty Ltd?

A private company can issue shares but can only do so by offering to the people they choose. If I can recall correctly, there can be a maximum of 50 shareholders for a private company. :P
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 25, 2017, 08:41:21 pm
Hey guys

Can a Pty Ltd business issue shares?
So, if a question asked “recommend/discuss a source of finance for the business.” and the stimulus is Pty Ltd, would you never recommend issuing shares? Do the stimuli always have Pty Ltd?

Hi there,

Since PTY Ltd means that it is a private business (recalling yr 11 info) the business can raise funds through offering private shares - it cant list on the ASX however, but it still issues shares - they are just of a private nature.
The stimulus wont always be for a private business. SO it's important that you pay attention to the legal structure of the business cos this also affects debt finance (debentures).

Hope this helps :)

Lol... didn't see Vinnnnnnyyyyy also post - what a legend!!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: pokemonlv10 on October 25, 2017, 09:10:10 pm
Does anyone have a sample of a band 6 response on the topic of marketing? Can't seem to find any on Atarnotes
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Kekemato_BAP on October 25, 2017, 09:26:46 pm
“Distinguish between a rights issue and a share purchase plan.”

What would be the distinguishing factor? Those two are very similar and idk how to answer it .

Also, for operations legal regulations and government policies, what would be a common example of legal regulations? I know for government, it can be fiscal taxing of products, but not sure about legal in terms of operations
Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: asahyoun3 on October 25, 2017, 09:55:51 pm
“Distinguish between a rights issue and a share purchase plan.”

What would be the distinguishing factor? Those two are very similar and idk how to answer it .

Also, for operations legal regulations and government policies, what would be a common example of legal regulations? I know for government, it can be fiscal taxing of products, but not sure about legal in terms of operations
Thanks :)

Rights issue: privilege given to shareholders to buy more shares in the same company

Share Purchase Plan: offer to existing shareholders to purchase more shares at a discounted price without paying any brokage fees

For government policies talk about things like carbon tax and for legal regulations talk about WHS act and anti discrimination

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ~BK~ on October 25, 2017, 09:56:10 pm
ATVB IN THE EXAM TOMORROW EVERYONE... I KNOW YOU'LL ALL SMASH IT!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kevin217 on October 25, 2017, 10:19:45 pm
“Distinguish between a rights issue and a share purchase plan.”

What would be the distinguishing factor? Those two are very similar and idk how to answer it .

Also, for operations legal regulations and government policies, what would be a common example of legal regulations? I know for government, it can be fiscal taxing of products, but not sure about legal in terms of operations
Thanks :)
In addition to what has been answered above:
In a rights issues, new shares are issued in a pro-rata (proportional) basis. E.g. For every 5 shares a shareholder owns, he would be offered to purchase 1 share (if rights are issued 1:5). While it seems a share purchase plan is offered up to a dollar amount e.g. you are able to purchase up to $2000 in additional shares.

Additionally, rights issues are transferable meaning than an eligible shareholder can sell off their rights to additional shares to another shareholder. In share purchase plans a shareholder cannot sell off their right.

P.s. I don't know I have went into too much detail as this is knowledge from uni. Hope it's relevant though.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: kiiaaa on October 25, 2017, 10:32:09 pm
hi guys can someone please explain he difference between hedging/derivatives in finance and awards/minimum wage/enterprise/contracts in HR please t
thank you :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on October 26, 2017, 09:31:42 am
Good luck everybody!!! I know you'll all smash it!!

hi guys can someone please explain he difference between hedging/derivatives in finance and awards/minimum wage/enterprise/contracts in HR please t
thank you :)

So for hedging v derivatives --> hedging is just anything a business does to minimise exchange rate fluctuations (denominating in one currency/using foreign subsidiaries etc.) whereas a derivative is a special kind of hedging in which you purchase a financial instrument either a forward exchange, options or swaps contract. Let me know if you need definitions for these.

Employment contracts have many kinds,
the 10 NES and the minimum wage is the most basic safety net for employment
then a modern award is a set award for an industry which sets out the minimum standards and pay rates
an enterprise agreement is one specific to that organisation setting out the same things (these rates differ to award and the minimum because of the nature of the job and the need to retain and attract employees)
a common law contract is between the organisation and one specific individual

Thats the main differences and hopefully you can make connections between those differences and the other features of each
Good luck :)

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: yopenelope on October 26, 2017, 03:14:54 pm
What did you guys feel about the exam???
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: azun2000 on October 26, 2017, 04:13:41 pm
what was the answer to question 27? It said how globalisation affects operations management.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Juliesokha on November 11, 2017, 04:33:30 pm
I miss this forum a lot, ugh! :-[
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tay.j on November 30, 2017, 01:49:23 pm
Hi,
We have an assessment task due tomorrow, and one part is really confusing me. We have to give advice to a small developing business (in a business report) by helping them understand how Nike has managed their operations.
The specific section that I'm having trouble with is:
Discuss how Nike operations management has responded to the influence of CSR
Since it's discuss, do I have to provide advantages and disadvantages? What should I talk about?
Thanks!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on November 30, 2017, 01:54:13 pm
Hi,
We have an assessment task due tomorrow, and one part is really confusing me. We have to give advice to a small developing business (in a business report) by helping them understand how Nike has managed their operations.
The specific section that I'm having trouble with is:
Discuss how Nike operations management has responded to the influence of CSR
Since it's discuss, do I have to provide advantages and disadvantages? What should I talk about?
Thanks!
Typically, yes. A discussion weighs out the positive and the negative aspects, which is then evaluated to deduce some sort of conclusion. In the case of this question, you'd then have to discuss the positive aspects in which Nike has managed their operations management in response to the influences of corporate-social responsibilities, as well as its negative aspects.

For a brief idea of the different directive terms, please see here.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tay.j on November 30, 2017, 02:09:45 pm
Thanks very much for that. I'm kinda confused as to how CSR would influence Nike - what should I be talking about?
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on November 30, 2017, 02:18:14 pm
Thanks very much for that. I'm kinda confused as to how CSR would influence Nike - what should I be talking about?


hey!

think about what CSR means first - so Corporate Social Responsibility. in terms of relating it to Nike, think about this: how would nike be affected by their customers? that would include customer expectations, such as environmental sustainability, or other general ethical things like outsourcing (making sure people working in developing countries are paid the appropriate wage, something like that). you can also talk about the clash between following the law and consumer expectations.

hope this helps,
fantasticbeasts
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on November 30, 2017, 05:29:18 pm
Thanks very much for that. I'm kinda confused as to how CSR would influence Nike - what should I be talking about?
Keep in mind that when you're talking about CSR as an influence, be sure to talk about both legal complience and ethical responsibility because they are both very different terms.
Also, what fantasticbeasts has said is entirely applicable.
CSR most closely relates to quality expectations in terms of ethical responsibility
and legal regulations/government policies for legal complience
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tay.j on November 30, 2017, 06:35:01 pm
Thankyou all very much! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: cnimm2000 on December 24, 2017, 11:26:54 am
Hi guys,
I needed help on finding some strategies to improve the business solvency
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on December 24, 2017, 04:28:05 pm
Hi guys,
I needed help on finding some strategies to improve the business solvency

Hello, cnimm2000.

Recall that solvency is the ability for a business to pay all of its short and long term debts. We can measure a business' solvency by having a look at its assets and liabilities (both current and non-current). If their asset values are higher than their liabilities, then they are solvent -- meaning, the business is able to pay back all of their debts. However, if they don't have enough assets, then they will need to form some strategies to maximise asset value and minimise any financial wastes.

We need to ensure there is enough asset to pay off any outstanding liabilities -- we can do this by reducing the wait times for your debtors to pay you back. This allows the business to gain money quicker, which in turn, improves the cash flow of the business and thus, we are able to control the values of the assets more fluidly.

Along with this, we can also convert current assets into cash which we can pay off to the creditors quicker. This ensures that we are paying back the creditors at a rate in which it doesn't infringe on the business' cash flow. Similarly, we can turn over any inventories to quick cash in order to pay back the creditors quickly and efficiently.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on December 28, 2017, 04:40:58 pm
Hey!

Does anyone know where I can find some case studies for operations?

Thanks :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on December 28, 2017, 05:16:11 pm
Hey!

Does anyone know where I can find some case studies for operations?

Thanks :)

hi!

i never had to find case studies because my teachers always sent them to me. this one's super overrated, but the qantas case study is updated every year, and you should be able to find a copy in your local library. the news is also a great source for a case study. and if you work, your place of work is a great example too! you work there, you know a little about how they work; an awesome way to show off some business knowledge. :-)

hope this helps :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on December 28, 2017, 08:29:28 pm
Hey!

Does anyone know where I can find some case studies for operations?

Thanks :)
Agree with fantastic beasts here on everything he says!
 QANTAS is definately a really good one.
My teacher also gives them to me. She gave us ones for apple,ikea,walmart,amazon,zara and a few others as well as qantas.
I'd recconmend doing some googling and look at the news too
and have the qantas one under your belt definatly!
Good luck!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on December 28, 2017, 09:01:27 pm
Hey!

Does anyone know where I can find some case studies for operations?

Thanks :)

I've always used Aldi as my case study for operations. ;)

Supply Chain Management/Inventory Management
-Aldi is all about reducing costs so that they can pass the savings onto customers, which appeals to low-income demographics.
-One of the costs that they reduce is their inventory expenses because holding stock requires a storeroom (rent/power), security, and someone to put it out.
Hence, Aldi uses the Just-In-Time (JIT) method of inventory management so that stock can be brought in just in time, wheeled into the store, and put onto the floor like you see at Aldi.
-You need to be able to argue advantages and disadvantages of Aldi using this JIT method (depending on the nature of the question). JIT saves cost on inventory, however it has the risk of late stock which causes customers to go to competitors because you have no backup inventory.
-How do they do it so well? That's because of supply chain management. Under this dotpoint, there are logistics, e-commerce. and global sourcing. I would talk about the logistics and e-commerce for Aldi.
-Aldi, like every other shop, has stock with barcodes/RFID tags on them. This is an example of e-commerce because when their cashier goes BEEP on the machine, it automatically orders another of that item waiting to be shipped according to their JIT arrangement. This reduces the need to train staff to count the number of cereals left at the end of the day, which would cost a lot.
-Aldi also prefer local suppliers rather than non-local ones because they're closer, which reduces travel time and the risk of late or missing stock like if you were to order from Tasmania.
-Also be able to argue the advantages and disadvantages of holding stock for Aldi. Holding stock reduces the risk of losing customers if the demand is suddenly strong for a particular item, as it can lead to them going to competitiors. However, as mentioned earlier, holding stock has costs that could have been invested elsewhere or passed onto customers as cheaper products. Stock can also be stolen, damaged, become obselete, or spoil if they're perishable.

Technology
-Aldi uses RFID tags in their e-commerce as mentioned above.
-They have those really long conveyer belts that allow for faster customer service. Aldi have low profit margins but they can compete with Woolworths and Coles by selling it in massive volumes, so they must be quick because it also improves customer satisfaction.
-Aldi trolleys have those "Insert $2 and you get it back if you return me" things, which is a way they reduce costs in their trolley collection people because people value their $2. Trolley wheels have locking mechanisms that prevent them from leaving Aldi carparks (never tried, my teacher told me).

That's all I can remember from the top of my head. You could also talk about outsourcing and its use in reducing costs.
Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on December 31, 2017, 06:47:00 pm
Thank you all so much!

I have the Qantas ones since thats the one we do at school but thanks for all the others!!!

Agree with fantastic beasts here on everything he says!
 QANTAS is definately a really good one.
My teacher also gives them to me. She gave us ones for apple,ikea,walmart,amazon,zara and a few others as well as qantas.
I'd recconmend doing some googling and look at the news too
and have the qantas one under your belt definatly!
Good luck!!
I've always used Aldi as my case study for operations. ;)

Supply Chain Management/Inventory Management
-Aldi is all about reducing costs so that they can pass the savings onto customers, which appeals to low-income demographics.
-One of the costs that they reduce is their inventory expenses because holding stock requires a storeroom (rent/power), security, and someone to put it out.
Hence, Aldi uses the Just-In-Time (JIT) method of inventory management so that stock can be brought in just in time, wheeled into the store, and put onto the floor like you see at Aldi.
-You need to be able to argue advantages and disadvantages of Aldi using this JIT method (depending on the nature of the question). JIT saves cost on inventory, however it has the risk of late stock which causes customers to go to competitors because you have no backup inventory.
-How do they do it so well? That's because of supply chain management. Under this dotpoint, there are logistics, e-commerce. and global sourcing. I would talk about the logistics and e-commerce for Aldi.
-Aldi, like every other shop, has stock with barcodes/RFID tags on them. This is an example of e-commerce because when their cashier goes BEEP on the machine, it automatically orders another of that item waiting to be shipped according to their JIT arrangement. This reduces the need to train staff to count the number of cereals left at the end of the day, which would cost a lot.
-Aldi also prefer local suppliers rather than non-local ones because they're closer, which reduces travel time and the risk of late or missing stock like if you were to order from Tasmania.
-Also be able to argue the advantages and disadvantages of holding stock for Aldi. Holding stock reduces the risk of losing customers if the demand is suddenly strong for a particular item, as it can lead to them going to competitiors. However, as mentioned earlier, holding stock has costs that could have been invested elsewhere or passed onto customers as cheaper products. Stock can also be stolen, damaged, become obselete, or spoil if they're perishable.

Technology
-Aldi uses RFID tags in their e-commerce as mentioned above.
-They have those really long conveyer belts that allow for faster customer service. Aldi have low profit margins but they can compete with Woolworths and Coles by selling it in massive volumes, so they must be quick because it also improves customer satisfaction.
-Aldi trolleys have those "Insert $2 and you get it back if you return me" things, which is a way they reduce costs in their trolley collection people because people value their $2. Trolley wheels have locking mechanisms that prevent them from leaving Aldi carparks (never tried, my teacher told me).

That's all I can remember from the top of my head. You could also talk about outsourcing and its use in reducing costs.
Hope this helps :)
hi!

i never had to find case studies because my teachers always sent them to me. this one's super overrated, but the qantas case study is updated every year, and you should be able to find a copy in your local library. the news is also a great source for a case study. and if you work, your place of work is a great example too! you work there, you know a little about how they work; an awesome way to show off some business knowledge. :-)

hope this helps :-)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: martinarena_ on January 20, 2018, 07:40:46 pm
Hi!
I was just wondering, when using case studies in a business studies essay, would it be better to use a case study throughout the entire essay (for example, with all the points that you talk about, use the same business to explain how it utilises/poorly utilises in each aspect), or would it be better just to use various businesses to give as an example?
So, let's say, if the essay asks about marketing strategies, would you use, for example, Qantas and Apple throughout the essay, as in for each point you talk about, you refer to Qantas and Apple and what there business does, OR would you use a variety of other businesses but not continuously refer back to them/have them throughout the essay?
Thanks in advance :))
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on January 20, 2018, 08:14:48 pm
Hi!
I was just wondering, when using case studies in a business studies essay, would it be better to use a case study throughout the entire essay (for example, with all the points that you talk about, use the same business to explain how it utilises/poorly utilises in each aspect), or would it be better just to use various businesses to give as an example?
So, let's say, if the essay asks about marketing strategies, would you use, for example, Qantas and Apple throughout the essay, as in for each point you talk about, you refer to Qantas and Apple and what there business does, OR would you use a variety of other businesses but not continuously refer back to them/have them throughout the essay?
Thanks in advance :))
Hey,
It's up to you and how you structure your response. Either works well given that you directly address what area of the business you're going to talking about.

A close case study will give you an edge because it's easier to remember but at the same time it hinders you from a broadened view of the topic at hand.

Again, it's entirely up to you and your capacity to memorise chunks of information as long as your case studies are relevant.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on January 20, 2018, 08:27:52 pm
Hi!
I was just wondering, when using case studies in a business studies essay, would it be better to use a case study throughout the entire essay (for example, with all the points that you talk about, use the same business to explain how it utilises/poorly utilises in each aspect), or would it be better just to use various businesses to give as an example?
So, let's say, if the essay asks about marketing strategies, would you use, for example, Qantas and Apple throughout the essay, as in for each point you talk about, you refer to Qantas and Apple and what there business does, OR would you use a variety of other businesses but not continuously refer back to them/have them throughout the essay?
Thanks in advance :))

Hey!

Like Opengangs said, its entirely up to you!

Throughout my notes for each syllabus dot point I have my core case study Qantas and a supplementary case study. Again, using one case study throughout the essay shows you have a detailed understanding of that business and can make good reference to it. However, using different case studies shows that if many businesses have used the same strategy then it must have been effective. The strategy could have increased profitability, assisted expansion, help move out of decline, etc.

Different case studies also shows the marker you have put the time and effort to look into them. By choosing businesses that you like it will help when researching because you feel interested to look into who they are.

Hope this helped somehow!! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: martinarena_ on January 20, 2018, 08:33:51 pm
Hey,
It's up to you and how you structure your response. Either works well given that you directly address what area of the business you're going to talking about.

A close case study will give you an edge because it's easier to remember but at the same time it hinders you from a broadened view of the topic at hand.

Again, it's entirely up to you and your capacity to memorise chunks of information as long as your case studies are relevant.

Hey!

Like Opengangs said, its entirely up to you!

Throughout my notes for each syllabus dot point I have my core case study Qantas and a supplementary case study. Again, using one case study throughout the essay shows you have a detailed understanding of that business and can make good reference to it. However, using different case studies shows that if many businesses have used the same strategy then it must have been effective. The strategy could have increased profitability, assisted expansion, help move out of decline, etc.

Different case studies also shows the marker you have put the time and effort to look into them. By choosing businesses that you like it will help when researching because you feel interested to look into who they are.

Hope this helped somehow!! :)

Thanks emilyygeorgexx and Opengangs!
I wasn't too sure if there was any specific/preferred structure I had to follow, but what you've said has definitely cleared it up :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: martinarena_ on January 31, 2018, 07:58:31 pm
Hi there :)
I was wondering if I could get some feedback on my response to these short answer questions?Thank you!!

Q1) Distinguish between solvency and liquidity. (4 marks)
The difference between solvency and liquidity is that liquidity is strictly focused on the business's ability to meet its financial commitments in the short term, whilst solvency encompasses both the short-term and long-term time period, particularly on how the business is able to meet its debts in the long-run. In addition to this, liquidity focuses on a business's capability to convert their current assets into cash; on the other hand, solvency places more emphasis on the business's ability to sustain itself for the longer period of time.
- have I given enough information?
- have I repeated myself??

Q2) Explain the importance of business objectives for business success. (3 marks)
Business objectives are vital for the success of the business because they provide greater detail on the business's purpose and function, hence, they ensure the business has a clear idea into the direction it wishes to head in. Additionally, business objectives help break down the business's goals into smaller and more achievable outcomes, which assists the business in meeting their expectations, and results in their success.
- does my answer make sense?
- have I answered the question??

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on January 31, 2018, 08:16:57 pm
Hi there :)
I was wondering if I could get some feedback on my response to these short answer questions?Thank you!!

Q1) Distinguish between solvency and liquidity. (4 marks)
The difference between solvency and liquidity is that liquidity is strictly focused on the business's ability to meet its financial commitments in the short term, whilst solvency encompasses both the short-term and long-term time period, particularly on how the business is able to meet its debts in the long-run. In addition to this, liquidity focuses on a business's capability to convert their current assets into cash; on the other hand, solvency places more emphasis on the business's ability to sustain itself for the longer period of time.
- have I given enough information?
- have I repeated myself??

Q2) Explain the importance of business objectives for business success. (3 marks)
Business objectives are vital for the success of the business because they provide greater detail on the business's purpose and function, hence, they ensure the business has a clear idea into the direction it wishes to head in. Additionally, business objectives help break down the business's goals into smaller and more achievable outcomes, which assists the business in meeting their expectations, and results in their success.
- does my answer make sense?
- have I answered the question??


Hey, I suggest breaking down the marks into specific dot points based on the directive verb. Bold text means you've successfully achieved that mark.

(1): Distinguish means to note the differences, so be sure to be really succinct with how you approach their differences which you have successfully done! To get those other 2 marks, your best bet was to provide an example as to where each term would be use, so under what circumstances should we use liability and solvency. All in all, I think that was well done (4/4)

1 mark for defining what each term means
1 mark for outlining the main difference between the two
1 mark (each) for suggesting when you would use each term (what situation would liquidity/solvency be used?)

(2): Explain means to relate cause and effect. So, if they are so important, how is this achieved? Business objectives are essentially the year-long goals and expectations, leading towards improved profitability, growth within the business, etc. To really nail this question, you need to succinct and clear as to HOW these objectives help the success of the business, and this is through vision and expectations that the business will accomplish these tasks throughout the year. I think you're just missing the "effect" of it; you've clearly outlined how they cause businesses to succeed, but more on the effect of this will help to consolidate a 3/3.

1 mark for outlining what business objectives are
1 mark for describing how business objectives cause the business to succeed

1 mark for describing how these objectives then lead to the success of the business

Hopefully, this has been helpful to you!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: martinarena_ on January 31, 2018, 08:24:40 pm
Hey, I suggest breaking down the marks into specific dot points based on the directive verb. Bold text means you've successfully achieved that mark.

(1): Distinguish means to note the differences, so be sure to be really succinct with how you approach their differences which you have successfully done! To get those other 2 marks, your best bet was to provide an example as to where each term would be use, so under what circumstances should we use liability and solvency. All in all, I think that was well done (4/4)

1 mark for defining what each term means
1 mark for outlining the main difference between the two
1 mark (each) for suggesting when you would use each term (what situation would liquidity/solvency be used?)

(2): Explain means to relate cause and effect. So, if they are so important, how is this achieved? Business objectives are essentially the year-long goals and expectations, leading towards improved profitability, growth within the business, etc. To really nail this question, you need to succinct and clear as to HOW these objectives help the success of the business, and this is through vision and expectations that the business will accomplish these tasks throughout the year. I think you're just missing the "effect" of it; you've clearly outlined how they cause businesses to succeed, but more on the effect of this will help to consolidate a 3/3.

1 mark for outlining what business objectives are
1 mark for describing how business objectives cause the business to succeed

1 mark for describing how these objectives then lead to the success of the business

Hopefully, this has been helpful to you!

Hey Opengangs,
You are an absolute legend! Thank you so much, the feedback really helps :)))))
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Asereta on February 01, 2018, 04:32:09 pm
Can anyone explain debentures to me? Looking at different sources, they seem to have different definitions and I can't get my head around it.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on February 01, 2018, 04:56:29 pm
Can anyone explain debentures to me? Looking at different sources, they seem to have different definitions and I can't get my head around it.
Hey, so debentures are issued by companies for FIXED interest rates and time periods and they deal with security
Business profits have no effect on the interest rate (its FIXED) and is commonly used for buildings (shopping centers, warehouses, etc).
Hope this helps!

Mod Edit: Links removed. Reminder that linking to other forums is not allowed! :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: abhuiyan01 on February 11, 2018, 07:10:34 pm
Hi everyone,
I have an assignment which requires me to find three articles and relate it to three operations influences, each paired up with a business strategy. I've decided to work on globalisation, technology and cost-based leadership but I'm not too sure on what strategy to pair up with each influence. Can anyone suggest strategies I can work on and articles that I can relate to?

Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on February 11, 2018, 08:27:59 pm
Hi everyone,
I have an assignment which requires me to find three articles and relate it to three operations influences, each paired up with a business strategy. I've decided to work on globalisation, technology and cost-based leadership but I'm not too sure on what strategy to pair up with each influence. Can anyone suggest strategies I can work on and articles that I can relate to?
Hey, abhuiyan01!
Welcome to the forums, and I hope this community serves you well with your HSC ;D

Globalisation is a big deal when it comes to the influence on the management of operations; it may adversely hinder the business' management as raw products may become more expensive as the economic scale becomes more integrated. At the same time, it may be beneficial to the business because they can import and export goods and services to a wider market (leading to an improved marketing range). It's very difficult for a business to automatically go global because there are so many factors that come into play when we're discussing a global market.

We'll discuss a few influences globalisation has on the operations management, and then some strategies to overcome these hurdles.

Hurdle 1: Management
When a business goes global, they will need to maintain a high level of management - it's a lot different to just staying nationally as there are a lot more pressures with a global market (but it also provides an increased market). As a result, the whole management may need to be redesigned to suit the new environment of the global market. This is where businesses introduce a strategy, economies of scale. This strategy improves the production of means as it reduces costs as the total output increases. Businesses may choose to buy in "bulk", which is considerably cheaper than buying per unit as the total cost in bulk is spread across the total number of outputs.

To understand economies of scale, think of ordering items in bulk as opposed to single units. You may see that in a supermarket, there is a discounted price for fruits that are packed in packs of 3 that costs $4, while a regular fruit may cost $1.50. In the same way, the operations management may choose to use economies of scale to reduce the total costs by buying in bulk. In this way, there is an improvement in the operations management by reducing costs.

Hurdle 2: Keeping up
When a business starts out as a global business, they'll run into trouble with keeping up with enterprises and companies that have already established themselves in the global market. In this way, it's often very difficult for them to keep up with the global market and they may begin to lose money quicker than they earn. Businesses have since employed two specific strategies: scanning and learning and research and development.

Scanning and learning revolves around observation; being able to observe the management of well established companies is a big way for businesses to correct and facilitate their management so that they are able to keep up with the global market. It often involves bench marking their own production for a few years and then setting up goals. It allows the business to thrive within the global market.

On the other hand, research and development refers to the research of a business' market and then developing products based around consumer needs. Being able to know what sort of products they need to deliver at a global level allows them to be ahead of the other businesses in tailoring their production based around their own consumer market. In turn, it improves efficiency and management as it reduces cost and waste.

You can find some case studies on globalisation for: Coca-Cola, Apple (jump down to "The ideology of Apple" for more relevance with operations) and Qantas (although, this is a little outdated since it's 7 years old).

If you're confused about where to start with the other two, I suggest you start by thinking about how this influences the business as a whole. When you get a good idea of its effect on the business as a whole, you can begin to think a bit more specifically about how it directly affects the production of goods and services.

If you're still confused about anything, let me know and I'll be glad to answer it! Good luck :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: abhuiyan01 on February 11, 2018, 10:00:18 pm
Hey, abhuiyan01!
Welcome to the forums, and I hope this community serves you well with your HSC ;D

Globalisation is a big deal when it comes to the influence on the management of operations; it may adversely hinder the business' management as raw products may become more expensive as the economic scale becomes more integrated. At the same time, it may be beneficial to the business because they can import and export goods and services to a wider market (leading to an improved marketing range). It's very difficult for a business to automatically go global because there are so many factors that come into play when we're discussing a global market.

We'll discuss a few influences globalisation has on the operations management, and then some strategies to overcome these hurdles.

Hurdle 1: Management
When a business goes global, they will need to maintain a high level of management - it's a lot different to just staying nationally as there are a lot more pressures with a global market (but it also provides an increased market). As a result, the whole management may need to be redesigned to suit the new environment of the global market. This is where businesses introduce a strategy, economies of scale. This strategy improves the production of means as it reduces costs as the total output increases. Businesses may choose to buy in "bulk", which is considerably cheaper than buying per unit as the total cost in bulk is spread across the total number of outputs.

To understand economies of scale, think of ordering items in bulk as opposed to single units. You may see that in a supermarket, there is a discounted price for fruits that are packed in packs of 3 that costs $4, while a regular fruit may cost $1.50. In the same way, the operations management may choose to use economies of scale to reduce the total costs by buying in bulk. In this way, there is an improvement in the operations management by reducing costs.

Hurdle 2: Keeping up
When a business starts out as a global business, they'll run into trouble with keeping up with enterprises and companies that have already established themselves in the global market. In this way, it's often very difficult for them to keep up with the global market and they may begin to lose money quicker than they earn. Businesses have since employed two specific strategies: scanning and learning and research and development.

Scanning and learning revolves around observation; being able to observe the management of well established companies is a big way for businesses to correct and facilitate their management so that they are able to keep up with the global market. It often involves bench marking their own production for a few years and then setting up goals. It allows the business to thrive within the global market.

On the other hand, research and development refers to the research of a business' market and then developing products based around consumer needs. Being able to know what sort of products they need to deliver at a global level allows them to be ahead of the other businesses in tailoring their production based around their own consumer market. In turn, it improves efficiency and management as it reduces cost and waste.

You can find some case studies on globalisation for: Coca-Cola, Apple (jump down to "The ideology of Apple" for more relevance with operations) and Qantas (although, this is a little outdated since it's 7 years old).

If you're confused about where to start with the other two, I suggest you start by thinking about how this influences the business as a whole. When you get a good idea of its effect on the business as a whole, you can begin to think a bit more specifically about how it directly affects the production of goods and services.

If you're still confused about anything, let me know and I'll be glad to answer it! Good luck :)
Hey. Just read what you sent and it was really helpful. I really appreciate it as I now feel more confident about my assignment. I also wanted to ask what strategies I can discuss for technology and cost-based competition.

Mod edit: Fixed layout :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Nadim on February 14, 2018, 10:09:01 am
Hello! Could someone please tell me the most efficient way to study for the topic of finance and maybe any tips regarding the topic itself? Thanks  :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on February 14, 2018, 10:33:14 am
Hello! Could someone please tell me the most efficient way to study for the topic of finance and maybe any tips regarding the topic itself? Thanks  :)

hey Nadim!

i found the best way to study for finance was past papers. a lot of them. doing as many questions as possible really helped with my understanding of the content. :-) as with the other topics, i used acronyms to try and memorise the syllabus, which helped so much, and cut out a lot of cramming, which allowed more time to actually do questions. :-)

but pretty much, past papers are the way to go - get them marked, discuss questions with your peers.

hope this helps!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on February 14, 2018, 01:04:58 pm
Hello! Could someone please tell me the most efficient way to study for the topic of finance and maybe any tips regarding the topic itself? Thanks  :)


Hi Nadim,

I'm a big advocate for everyone finding their own way of studying that they find most efficient and comfortable.
For me, that was reading the material (or a summary) and highlighting the key words/strategies (once i knew what the word was - I could remember/infer what the strategy/influence was) Then its just a matter of applying content.
I am horrible memoriser so I try to understand the content not so that I can regurgitate the syllabus in order; but I can see the problem and choose the most suitable strategy. The way I studied is to find causal links between concepts --> how an influence affects the business then how that makes businesses use strategies to combat external change.

This is just my way of studying; I 100% agree with fantastic beasts on this too - cramming out as many past papers and questions is an amazing way to study too since you get practice on how to answer questions as well as constantly having to recall and apply the material.

All in all find what works for you :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: The Special One on February 14, 2018, 03:58:03 pm
Is change management still a thing? I remember my exam was almost entirely change management which was so annoying.

I think the study guide changed o hopefully there's less emphasis on it this time around.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on February 14, 2018, 04:31:33 pm
Is change management still a thing? I remember my exam was almost entirely change management which was so annoying.

I think the study guide changed o hopefully there's less emphasis on it this time around.

Yep! More of a focus in the Year 11 syllabus though.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: The Special One on February 14, 2018, 04:36:33 pm
Yep! More of a focus in the Year 11 syllabus though.

Hmmm well I'm glad to see the focus is  lessening

Remembering those twelve steps to effective change management was a huge drag
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: RuiAce on February 14, 2018, 04:38:07 pm
Is change management still a thing? I remember my exam was almost entirely change management which was so annoying.

I think the study guide changed o hopefully there's less emphasis on it this time around.

For starters, there is no such thing as a study guide in NSW. What's called the study DESIGN in the VCE is considered a SYLLABUS in the HSC. Please do not provide misleading content in the future to any of the HSC students without fully understanding the situation.

However you feel about change management is however you want to feel about it, and be it good or bad you're entitled to your own opinion.
 That is definitely not sufficient to simply talk about the NSW syllabus, as though you're an expert on it, when you don't know its proper name.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: The Special One on February 14, 2018, 04:42:23 pm
For starters, there is no such thing as a study guide in NSW. What's called the study DESIGN in the VCE is considered a SYLLABUS in the HSC. Please do not provide misleading content in the future to any of the HSC students without fully understanding the situation.

However you feel about change management is however you want to feel about it, and be it good or bad you're entitled to your own opinion.
 That is definitely not sufficient to simply talk about the NSW syllabus, as though you're an expert on it, when you don't know its proper name.

Huh I have no idea this was the HSC forum lol.

I thought it was VCE business management 3/4 don't know why I'm getting HSC forums on my feed.

You guys have it easy but I think you could have saved yourself some to d by looking at the uni I'm attending and just said I posted in the wrong forums and to disregard the above hahaha

Didn't know things were so serious on the HSC forum
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Potatohater on February 14, 2018, 04:49:13 pm
Huh I have no idea this was the HSC forum lol.

I thought it was VCE business management 3/4 don't know why I'm getting HSC forums on my feed.

You guys have it easy but I think you could have saved yourself some to d by looking at the uni I'm attending and just said I posted in the wrong forums and to disregard the above hahaha

Didn't know things were so serious on the HSC forum
Hey there, just a handy tip - make sure to look at the board the topic is in to avoid this confusion in the future. All of them are marked either HSC or VCE. Another thing you can do is click "show unread VCE posts since last visit" which will cut out all the HSC things for you.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: The Special One on February 14, 2018, 04:50:38 pm
Hey there, just a handy tip - make sure to look at the board the topic is in to avoid this confusion in the future. All of them are marked either HSC or VCE. Another thing you can do is click "show unread VCE posts since last visit" which will cut out all the HSC things for you.

Cheers for the heads up.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Tara_m on February 14, 2018, 07:06:00 pm
how does globalisation affect marketing(management).
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on February 14, 2018, 07:20:58 pm
how does globalisation affect marketing(management).
Well globalisation is the sharing of goods and services worldwide brought about improved communications and technologies. As we now live in a globalised world, marketing must cater for consumers worldwide with their campaigns; this means acknowledging the differing opinions of politics, religion etc worldwide. As marketing is targeted at larger audiences they must cater their campaigns to suit and accommodate for specific differences of consumers worldwide.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on February 14, 2018, 07:31:16 pm
how does globalisation affect marketing(management).

Hey!

I recently wrote a response for this question as well. As long as you cover all the dot points under global marketing and link them to relevant strategies, you should be all good! Don't forget to include case studies in the essay which provides evidence on the effectiveness of the strategy :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arabrhino on February 15, 2018, 09:03:49 pm
Hi all,
I'm currently doing my syllabus notes for marketing and I was looking for a case study to use. An obvious one to use is Qantas because they fit so much of the dot points, but apparently it's too common according to my Business teacher. Any other big companies which are good to use for marketing?
Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: EEEEEEP on February 15, 2018, 09:09:26 pm
Hi all,
I'm currently doing my syllabus notes for marketing and I was looking for a case study to use. An obvious one to use is Qantas because they fit so much of the dot points, but apparently it's too common according to my Business teacher. Any other big companies which are good to use for marketing?
Thanks for the help.

Hi!

A few interesting ones would be Apple and GoPro. There are  tons of things about these two that you can talk about =). I'll just get you started!

Apple focuses on good service, product placement and unique store designs with unique experiences. YOu can also talk about the high prices and the lifestyle that comes with an Apple product. 

GoPRO focuses on social media and viral marketing.  You can talk about their affordable cameras that suit an active lifestyle.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bimberfairy on February 15, 2018, 09:39:49 pm
Hi all,
I'm currently doing my syllabus notes for marketing and I was looking for a case study to use. An obvious one to use is Qantas because they fit so much of the dot points, but apparently it's too common according to my Business teacher. Any other big companies which are good to use for marketing?
Thanks for the help.

Definitely agree with EEEEEEP up there that Apple is a good case study! I often used Foxconn as a good example of what NOT to do to your employees. Apple outsources production to them so it's a good connection to make. Foxconn's long list of unethical practices are quite a good read.

I referred to Lego as a case study often, because their operations process is so specific and relevant to the Operations syllabus. They've also changed alot over the years, in terms of growth and adapting to their market.
A personal favourite of mine was Uniqlo! I personally love the brand and their marketing (online and offline) is really good. They focus alot on the quality of their products and also highlight their CSR through how their products are produced.
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: arabrhino on February 15, 2018, 10:15:01 pm
Thanks for the help, really appreciate it. :)
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: abhuiyan01 on February 23, 2018, 11:09:58 pm



Can someone please outline how research and development is a strategy for globalisation?







I didn't realise what thread we were posting in, nor that there wasn't a question thread.

Hey Rikahs,
A modern award is a legally binding document containing minimum terms and conditions of employment for an industry. It is a kind of employment contracted that acts in addition to the 10 National Employment Standards - i.e. giving more rights and entitlements to employees.

They are the most basic kind of employment contract created by the Fair Work Commission which apply to all businesses within an industry e.g. fast food industry award or educational services (teachers) award. If an individual business wants to make their own employment contract between them and their employees through an enterprise agreement, it must be approved by the Fair Work Commission and pass the Better Off Overall Test, in that the proposed agreements surpasses the minimum terms of the award. Thus, modern awards are seen to underpin the creation of other employment contracts.

Hope this helps!!
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jamonwindeyer on February 24, 2018, 12:00:07 am
Can someone please outline how research and development is a strategy for globalisation?

Hey! Essentially, globalisation means a business will be expanding into new markets, each with its individual set of cultural, economic and social influences. Selling a pair of shoes in Australia is a lot different to selling them in America, for example. To successfully expand in this way, you need to understand your market - So, R&D is a vital strategy to put in place to initiate the globalisation process ;D
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: GabbyJesus on February 25, 2018, 03:20:04 pm
Okay I'm a bit confused ???
When your talking about negotiating with your suppliers, do you use Supply Chain Management or Global Sourcing as your operation strategies? 
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on February 25, 2018, 04:13:36 pm
Okay I'm a bit confused ???
When your talking about negotiating with your suppliers, do you use Supply Chain Management or Global Sourcing as your operation strategies?

Hey!

For this one it would be supply chain management. This is because your supply chain is the range of suppliers a business has and the nature of its relationship with those suppliers. SCM is the actual strategy and sourcing/global sourcing is a key aspect of SCM.

The definitions may clear it up:
* Global sourcing is a broad term that refers to businesses purchasing supplies or services without being constrained by location
* Supply chain management (SCM) involves integrating and managing the flow of supplies through the inputs, transformation processes (throughput and value adding) and outputs in order to best meet the needs of customers

Hope this helps!  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Never.Give.Up on March 14, 2018, 09:19:36 pm
Hey Legends!! ;D ;D
We have an extended response due soon...
And our 2 possible questions are:
1. Discuss the implications of debt and equity financing options for a business and the role that financial institutions play as a source for these funds.
2. Analyse the influence that sources of finance and the government have on the financial stability of the business.

So...I have created some plans. Basically I am wondering whether I am on the right track (as I haven't written an ER for a while!! :o :-[)
But- mainly I was wondering- what is a good case study to use for finance, I can make up hypothetical examples but it would be good to incorporate a real business too ;D

Here are the plans :D

1. Discuss the implications of debt and equity financing options for a business and the role that financial institutions play as a source for these funds.
Introduction
- answer question
- outline content of response
- outline case study to support ideas
Debt Financing
- Defintion
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Example of a financial institution (insert case study) in providing/sourcing debt financing (e.g. factoring, etc.)
Equity Financing
- Definition
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Example of a financial institution (insert case study) in providing/sourcing equity financing (e.g. private equity, etc.)
Conclusion
-recap ideas, link back to question

2. Analyse the influence that sources of finance and the government have on the financial stability of the business.
Introduction
- answer question
- outline content of response
- outline case study to support ideas
Internal Sources of Finance
- Definition
Retained Profits
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of retained profits on financial stability
Owners Equity
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of owners equity on financial stability
External Sources of Finance
- Definition
Debt
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of one type of debt finance (e.g. factoring) on financial stability
Equity
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of one type of equity finance (e.g.private equity) on financial stability
Influence of Government
- Definition
ASIC
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of ASIC on financial stability
Company Taxation
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of Company taxation on financial stability
Conclusion
-recap ideas, link back to question

Thanks so much for any help and ideas for good case studies :D ;)

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on March 14, 2018, 10:23:00 pm
Hey Legends!! ;D ;D
We have an extended response due soon...
And our 2 possible questions are:
1. Discuss the implications of debt and equity financing options for a business and the role that financial institutions play as a source for these funds.
2. Analyse the influence that sources of finance and the government have on the financial stability of the business.

So...I have created some plans. Basically I am wondering whether I am on the right track (as I haven't written an ER for a while!! :o :-[)
But- mainly I was wondering- what is a good case study to use for finance, I can make up hypothetical examples but it would be good to incorporate a real business too ;D

Here are the plans :D

1. Discuss the implications of debt and equity financing options for a business and the role that financial institutions play as a source for these funds.
Introduction
- answer question
- outline content of response
- outline case study to support ideas
Debt Financing
- Defintion
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Example of a financial institution (insert case study) in providing/sourcing debt financing (e.g. factoring, etc.)
Equity Financing
- Definition
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Example of a financial institution (insert case study) in providing/sourcing equity financing (e.g. private equity, etc.)
Conclusion
-recap ideas, link back to question

2. Analyse the influence that sources of finance and the government have on the financial stability of the business.
Introduction
- answer question
- outline content of response
- outline case study to support ideas
Internal Sources of Finance
- Definition
Retained Profits
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of retained profits on financial stability
Owners Equity
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of owners equity on financial stability
External Sources of Finance
- Definition
Debt
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of one type of debt finance (e.g. factoring) on financial stability
Equity
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of one type of equity finance (e.g.private equity) on financial stability
Influence of Government
- Definition
ASIC
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of ASIC on financial stability
Company Taxation
- Definition
- positives
- negatives
- Case Study example showing influence of Company taxation on financial stability
Conclusion
-recap ideas, link back to question

Thanks so much for any help and ideas for good case studies :D ;)

Hey!

You are definitely on the right track!

Some of the things I can suggest is in both responses always link it back to how it will affect financial management (financial objectives) - especially when looking at the government influences. In government influences you can also mention the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) if you like.

Remember that the issuing of shares can be both internal and external sources of finance. Always show cause and effect in both responses especially when addressing the 'analyse'.

Good case study to use is Qantas - if you have the case study book then that's amazing! There is also a thread in the business studies forum that has a bunch of finance case studies and each dot point they correlate to (I would link it but tbh I have no idea how to)

Hope this helps, reach out if you need any more help! :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thomasaa on March 22, 2018, 10:49:33 pm
Hey guys,
We have a business report coming up and one of the major aspects of it is interdependence between finance and marketing. My issue with this is I have no depth of knowledge and could only write a few sentences on it. If someone could help explain it to me I'd appreciate it.
Thanks  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on March 22, 2018, 11:30:01 pm
Hey guys,
We have a business report coming up and one of the major aspects of it is interdependence between finance and marketing. My issue with this is I have no depth of knowledge and could only write a few sentences on it. If someone could help explain it to me I'd appreciate it.
Thanks  :)

I wrote an essay on the interdependence of finance with all the other key business functions which got full marks lol. Would you like me to send you my marketing section? : )
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thomasaa on March 22, 2018, 11:42:35 pm
I wrote an essay on the interdependence of finance with all the other key business functions which got full marks lol. Would you like me to send you my marketing section? : )
Yes please
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on March 24, 2018, 06:58:14 pm
Hellooo!

I'm confused. What's the difference between cash flow and working capital? Specifically in Financial management strategies, there is Cash Flow Management and Working Capital Management, and I'm kinda confused regarding when to know which to use. They seem the same to me :(.

Thank you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: martinarena_ on March 24, 2018, 07:33:33 pm
Hellooo!

I'm confused. What's the difference between cash flow and working capital? Specifically in Financial management strategies, there is Cash Flow Management and Working Capital Management, and I'm kinda confused regarding when to know which to use. They seem the same to me :(.

Thank you!

Hi there!
I'm going to try my best to explain it (note to anyone reading this, if I've explained it wrong/my understanding of it is wrong, please let me know  :) ). Cash flow relates to how much cash is coming into the business and how much cash is leaving the business (this can be seen by using the cash flow statement). So, cash flow managment, would be ensuring that there is an adequate amount of cashing coming into the business, and that not too much cash is leaving the business (as this will lead to cash shortages). On the other hand, working capital refers to the business's liquidity - that is whether the business will be able to pay back its short-term debts on time (this information can be gathered from the balance sheet). Thus, working capital management is ensuring that the business has enough assets to meet its liabilities, AS WELL as making sure that the business doesn't have too many assets left within the business either (as this will result in a very liquidity ratio, which will mean they have excess stock). Usually, the ratio 2:1 is what is aimed for.
Hope that helps :))
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on March 24, 2018, 08:01:00 pm
Hellooo!

I'm confused. What's the difference between cash flow and working capital? Specifically in Financial management strategies, there is Cash Flow Management and Working Capital Management, and I'm kinda confused regarding when to know which to use. They seem the same to me :(.

Thank you!

Hey!

Everything above that martinarena_ said was perfect! I also just might throw in some strategies that you might use to overcome issues regarding financial management. For cash flow management, strategies that you could undertake to ensure your cash flow is always positive is distribution of payments, discount for early payment and factoring.

Strategies to ensure business has high working capital, in other terms liquidity, is through leasing or sale and lease back. Good case study for this is Qantas as they have undertaken both these strategies. Otherwise any other strategies to improve working capital will be through controlling your current assets and your current liabilities, ensuring that you have enough (but not too many) assets to cover your financial obligations in the short term.

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on March 24, 2018, 11:45:23 pm
Hi there!
I'm going to try my best to explain it (note to anyone reading this, if I've explained it wrong/my understanding of it is wrong, please let me know  :) ). Cash flow relates to how much cash is coming into the business and how much cash is leaving the business (this can be seen by using the cash flow statement). So, cash flow managment, would be ensuring that there is an adequate amount of cashing coming into the business, and that not too much cash is leaving the business (as this will lead to cash shortages). On the other hand, working capital refers to the business's liquidity - that is whether the business will be able to pay back its short-term debts on time (this information can be gathered from the balance sheet). Thus, working capital management is ensuring that the business has enough assets to meet its liabilities, AS WELL as making sure that the business doesn't have too many assets left within the business either (as this will result in a very liquidity ratio, which will mean they have excess stock). Usually, the ratio 2:1 is what is aimed for.
Hope that helps :))

Thank you so so much!!

Hey!

Everything above that martinarena_ said was perfect! I also just might throw in some strategies that you might use to overcome issues regarding financial management. For cash flow management, strategies that you could undertake to ensure your cash flow is always positive is distribution of payments, discount for early payment and factoring.

Strategies to ensure business has high working capital, in other terms liquidity, is through leasing or sale and lease back. Good case study for this is Qantas as they have undertaken both these strategies. Otherwise any other strategies to improve working capital will be through controlling your current assets and your current liabilities, ensuring that you have enough (but not too many) assets to cover your financial obligations in the short term.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for these strategies too! My exam is on Monday, so this helps a lot. Appreciate :).
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on March 25, 2018, 06:53:09 pm
Thank you so so much!!

Thank you for these strategies too! My exam is on Monday, so this helps a lot. Appreciate :).

Ah good luck! Mine is next Wednesday (4th April).

What 2 topics have you covered?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on March 26, 2018, 04:32:39 pm
Ah good luck! Mine is next Wednesday (4th April).

What 2 topics have you covered?

GOOD LUCK on your half yearly too!!

My school has covered Operations and Finance so faar, although our exam was mostly finance smh. What about yours? : )
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on March 26, 2018, 06:03:40 pm
GOOD LUCK on your half yearly too!!

My school has covered Operations and Finance so faar, although our exam was mostly finance smh. What about yours? : )

Congrats on doing your exam, I bet you did great!

We have covered Marketing and Finance. Our exam is supposed to be heavily finance based though, so hopefully it won't be too hard!

Only downside, my school is trying to model the actual HSC, so my business exam is the first 3 hour exam I will ever be sitting (opposed to all my other exams which as about 2 to 2.5 hours). Hopefully, I have enough time to do everything!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on March 30, 2018, 12:57:56 am
Congrats on doing your exam, I bet you did great!

We have covered Marketing and Finance. Our exam is supposed to be heavily finance based though, so hopefully it won't be too hard!

Only downside, my school is trying to model the actual HSC, so my business exam is the first 3 hour exam I will ever be sitting (opposed to all my other exams which as about 2 to 2.5 hours). Hopefully, I have enough time to do everything!!

Ahh thank you!! Hopefully I did decent  :). Marketing and Finance, ahh. Well you seem well-prepared for the Finance content so I'm sure you'll do great :D! That 3 hour exam though oh my, your school really is going extra! BUT HEY 3 hours is plenty I'm sure to get everything done : ). Update how you went!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on April 01, 2018, 09:43:06 pm
Ahh thank you!! Hopefully I did decent  :). Marketing and Finance, ahh. Well you seem well-prepared for the Finance content so I'm sure you'll do great :D! That 3 hour exam though oh my, your school really is going extra! BUT HEY 3 hours is plenty I'm sure to get everything done : ). Update how you went!!

I know right, 3 hours is such a long time! Probably made it like that because they are giving us the full deal: multiple choice, short answer, essay and report.

Never written a business essay under exam conditions before, I hope it goes alright!

Still currently in my prep for the exam but my mind and body is currently deteriorating, ahhhhh

Will update how it goes on Wednesday afternoon!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jiliaaan on April 04, 2018, 09:28:48 pm
Hey guys, does anyone have any case studies that i can use for a finance extended response please?

thank youuu!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on April 04, 2018, 09:44:13 pm
Hey guys, does anyone have any case studies that i can use for a finance extended response please?

thank youuu!

What sort of case studies do you need for finance? Like specific syllabus dot points?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LaraC on April 05, 2018, 10:44:23 am
Do you have the Qantas booklet? That is really great for finance as not many other businesses give away that much info. Also it is written alongside the syllabus
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jiliaaan on April 05, 2018, 12:13:19 pm
What sort of case studies do you need for finance? Like specific syllabus dot points?

processes and influences of finance specifically  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: edumax on April 09, 2018, 04:17:35 pm
If you're asked to reccommend a source of finance for $5M factory expansion, what would you choose?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on April 09, 2018, 06:59:21 pm
If you're asked to reccommend a source of finance for $5M factory expansion, what would you choose?

Personally, I would go with long-term debt finance through the source of leasing. This is mainly because the repayments are tax deductible and if the business ever wanted to make upgrades/changes to the factory the onus would be on the lessor to make the changes rather than the lessee
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Tristan1 on May 22, 2018, 05:03:29 pm
Hey! I have a question regarding this extended response; ‘Analyse the effect of global market strategies on the marketing mix’. And we have to answer by relating to McDonalds.
How would you tackle this question in the best possible way?
Thanks.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on May 22, 2018, 06:29:52 pm
Hey! I have a question regarding this extended response; ‘Analyse the effect of global market strategies on the marketing mix’. And we have to answer by relating to McDonalds.
How would you tackle this question in the best possible way?
Thanks.

Hey!

First, recall the elements of the marketing mix - they can form the basis of your paragraphs. Then, you can match global market strategies to the marketing mix which you can talk about in your paragraphs! For example (I've put the marketing mix first then some strategies that could match each P):

1. Price - global pricing
2. Promotion - customisation, competitive positioning
3. Place - customisation
4. Product - standardisation, customisation

Once you've matched strategies to the 4 Ps, all you have to do is integrate the Macca's case study in your paragraphs :-)

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on May 22, 2018, 07:00:35 pm
Hey!

First, recall the elements of the marketing mix - they can form the basis of your paragraphs. Then, you can match global market strategies to the marketing mix which you can talk about in your paragraphs! For example (I've put the marketing mix first then some strategies that could match each P):

1. Price - global pricing
2. Promotion - customisation, competitive positioning
3. Place - customisation
4. Product - standardisation, customisation

Once you've matched strategies to the 4 Ps, all you have to do is integrate the Macca's case study in your paragraphs :-)

Hope this helps!
FB3 pretty much nailed it. But to add on..
Could you also look at E-marketing? i know it's not specifically under "global mktng strategies" but it still applies in the situation i reckon
Also, don't forget about promotion, there is also global branding to consider.
And to also add onto place.. global pricing also applies as it involves Adapting pricing methods and strategies to suit the local market . You can have customised pricing, mkt customised pricing or standard worldwide pricing
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: joemassoud on May 25, 2018, 07:39:11 pm
Hey Guys,

I have attached the description of a company I have to write a business report on.

If someone can suggest what I can write and in what structure that would honestly be awesome.

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jiliaaan on June 12, 2018, 10:21:12 am
Hello,

I have a business task and its a marketing essay. The question is "Assess the effectiveness of marketing strategies used by a business in achieving their strategic goals"

Im confused on what to really talk about, can anyone help me with it?

Thank you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on June 12, 2018, 10:48:19 am
Hello,

I have a business task and its a marketing essay. The question is "Assess the effectiveness of marketing strategies used by a business in achieving their strategic goals"

Im confused on what to really talk about, can anyone help me with it?

Thank you!

Hey!

So I would break down this essay question into 2 parts, the marketing strategies and the strategic goals.

Essentially, we know that the strategic role of marketing is to achieve profit maximisation, so basically the question is saying what strategies can business implement to achieve profit maximisation. So thats that bit covered.

When talking about the strategies there are so many listed on the syllabus so you probably want to be selective in the ones that you choose to use. So from the syllabus the marketing strategies are:
* Market segmentation
* Product/service differentiation and positioning
* Product
* Place
* Promotion
* Price
* People, processes and physical evidence
* E-marketing --> this can always be linked to promotion strategies such as social media advertising
* Global strategies

The easiest strategies to attack are probably always going to be the 4P's so if you're really stuck then maybe go with those as the 3 or 4 strategies that you decide to use.

The next part is finding case studies to support your paragraphs. As you need to assess the effectiveness of the strategies, you need to find businesses that have successfully implemented your chosen strategies, using statistics and judgement in your response to back these up. This will then allow you to satisfy the effectiveness bit of the question. REMEMBER TO ALWAYS LINK IT BACK TO PROFIT MAXIMISATION AS THAT IS THE STRATEGIC ROLE!

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on June 12, 2018, 03:32:23 pm
Hello,

I have a business task and its a marketing essay. The question is "Assess the effectiveness of marketing strategies used by a business in achieving their strategic goals"

Im confused on what to really talk about, can anyone help me with it?

Thank you!
Hey!
So Emily is on the ball here and I'm gonna add onto it.
Now assessing the effectiveness is saying: How effective is it? Present your evidence (case study) to deem how effective it is
My teacher kinda edited ALARM scaffolds for business studies. It goes like this
Name, define, describe
Action
Results
Significance
When you break it down it would look something like this:
Strategy A ----> Name, define, describe[/i] (Emily listed the marketing strategies)
How effective is it?---->Case study
What is the overall significance?

Repeat for 3-4 body paragraphs

Now results and significance kinda blend together a bit. Adding the significance part is what gives you the complexity required for an A. Given the question, the results/significance part is where you are doing the assessing using real-life statistics and evidence to back yourself up.

Good luck!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jiliaaan on June 12, 2018, 08:34:06 pm
Thank you so much for help!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on June 22, 2018, 01:58:48 pm
Hii,

My business in-class assessment is this upcoming Monday, and we'll be given 2 extended response questions on marketing and have to choose one to use.

I haven't made notes for marketing yet, and am wondering on what the best method to study for this exam would be now, considering I have 3 days and only a mediocre understanding of marketing. Should I make notes or focus on essay questions/case study memorisation?

Thaank you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: isaacdelatorre on June 22, 2018, 02:25:08 pm
Hii,

My business in-class assessment is this upcoming Monday, and we'll be given 2 extended response questions on marketing and have to choose one to use.

I haven't made notes for marketing yet, and am wondering on what the best method to study for this exam would be now, considering I have 3 days and only a mediocre understanding of marketing. Should I make notes or focus on essay questions/case study memorisation?

Thaank you!

Hey Razeen,

The way I would prepare for this is I would try to get a fairly good understanding of the content first by reading someone's notes if you dont have your own made (there are soo many in the notes section here. Then I would try to make essay plans for as many questions as you can. If you feel you have time, write a whole extended response to see if you are comfortable writing one in exam conditions.

Also, remember to look at a few case studies (QANTAS/apple etc.) and look at how the theory takes place in real life business just to see how you could and will incorporate them into your response.

Overall, I would just try to understand the content as much as possible so from the notes you read, try to make a mind map and see the topic from a macro perspective (look at how things relate i.e. influences and strategies etc.) and then try to apply that knowledge to many different practice questions so you can practice choosing which parts of the course to talk about.



Good luck with your exam :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: MisterNeo on June 22, 2018, 03:12:56 pm
Hii,

My business in-class assessment is this upcoming Monday, and we'll be given 2 extended response questions on marketing and have to choose one to use.

I haven't made notes for marketing yet, and am wondering on what the best method to study for this exam would be now, considering I have 3 days and only a mediocre understanding of marketing. Should I make notes or focus on essay questions/case study memorisation?

Thaank you!

Hii
The way I prepared for the marketing topic and the others was to understand/memorise the syllabus dot points and each subheading so you know what the question is asking you to address and to keep information relevant.  From my experience, the question could be from anything in the syllabus such as relate to the 3 extra P's only, so it would be very helpful to memorise at least the marketing section of the syllabus and to prepare ideas you could use to argue for and against/advantages and disadvantages on a certain action/strategy of the case study.
Also, writing draft executive summaries on different questions helped me a lot when I did the topic because it allows you to put ideas together for when the actual exam. For guidance, I believe there are a few essays in the notes section which I've used and found very helpful, so do check that out.

Best of luck! ;)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on June 22, 2018, 10:51:52 pm
Hey Razeen,

The way I would prepare for this is I would try to get a fairly good understanding of the content first by reading someone's notes if you dont have your own made (there are soo many in the notes section here. Then I would try to make essay plans for as many questions as you can. If you feel you have time, write a whole extended response to see if you are comfortable writing one in exam conditions.

Also, remember to look at a few case studies (QANTAS/apple etc.) and look at how the theory takes place in real life business just to see how you could and will incorporate them into your response.

Overall, I would just try to understand the content as much as possible so from the notes you read, try to make a mind map and see the topic from a macro perspective (look at how things relate i.e. influences and strategies etc.) and then try to apply that knowledge to many different practice questions so you can practice choosing which parts of the course to talk about.



Good luck with your exam :)

Woah, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!. Bless your soul :'').

Hii
The way I prepared for the marketing topic and the others was to understand/memorise the syllabus dot points and each subheading so you know what the question is asking you to address and to keep information relevant.  From my experience, the question could be from anything in the syllabus such as relate to the 3 extra P's only, so it would be very helpful to memorise at least the marketing section of the syllabus and to prepare ideas you could use to argue for and against/advantages and disadvantages on a certain action/strategy of the case study.
Also, writing draft executive summaries on different questions helped me a lot when I did the topic because it allows you to put ideas together for when the actual exam. For guidance, I believe there are a few essays in the notes section which I've used and found very helpful, so do check that out.

Best of luck! ;)

AHH, it can be really specific, thank you so much for your advice!! I'm going to implement it this week : )!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on July 03, 2018, 09:36:55 pm
Hey!

Just looking for a quick clarification. When talking about EEO, is it a legal requirement that businesses must implement affirmative action measures within the business or is it more of an initiative businesses take to exhibit their CSR? I know that EEO and affirmative action are covered by statute law but I just wanted to double check.

Thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on July 03, 2018, 09:48:36 pm
Hey!

Just looking for a quick clarification. When talking about EEO, is it a legal requirement that businesses must implement affirmative acton measures within to the business or is it more of an initiative businesses take to exhibit their CSR? I know that EEO and affirmative action are covered by statute law but I just wanted to double check.

Thanks!
Hey, emilyygeorgexx.

By law, employers are required to provide a workplace that's free from discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (1987). However, employers may be exempt if they have shown that they have implemented all of the steps to prevent discrimination from occurring within the workplace.

Hopefully this helps! :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on July 04, 2018, 02:55:19 pm
Hii,

In a marketing extended response question which ends in "Assess... in achieving marketing objectives", to what extent would we need to talk about marketing objectives? Would stating the objectives in the introduction and then linking back to them after evaluating throughout the essay be enough? Also, in my exam I wrote profit maximisation and attaining a competitive advantage through implementation of strategies as marketing objectives, and I guess I failed because my teacher said those aren't really marketing objectives :(.

I wish marketing syllabus specified objectives like the Operations and Finance ones do :((.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Opengangs on July 04, 2018, 03:06:29 pm
Hii,

In a marketing extended response question which ends in "Assess... in achieving marketing objectives", to what extent would we need to talk about marketing objectives? Would stating the objectives in the introduction and then linking back to them after evaluating throughout the essay be enough? Also, in my exam I wrote profit maximisation and attaining a competitive advantage through implementation of strategies as marketing objectives, and I guess I failed because my teacher said those aren't really marketing objectives :(.

I wish marketing syllabus specified objectives like the Operations and Finance ones do :((.
Hey, Razeen25.

I would think that you would need to mention something about marketing obejctives throughout your response, and not just the intro. Just the intro is very risky, because it essentially gives the markers an impression that you've rote learnt your content rather than applied your understanding to the question. Obviously, you wouldn't need to dive deeply into the marketing objectives, but mentioning it periodically throughout your paragraphs should be solid enough to a marker.

Marketing objectives are more to do with promoting the business' products and services to its customers. Profit comes under finance, while marketing would be more related to:

- increase sales.
- brand awareness.
- improve market share.
- target new customers and expand existing customer base.

So, essentially anything to promote the products and services (obviously, there is more than just "promotion") would fall under marketing.

Hopefully, this helps clear anything up! :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on July 04, 2018, 03:13:56 pm
Hii,

In a marketing extended response question which ends in "Assess... in achieving marketing objectives", to what extent would we need to talk about marketing objectives? Would stating the objectives in the introduction and then linking back to them after evaluating throughout the essay be enough? Also, in my exam I wrote profit maximisation and attaining a competitive advantage through implementation of strategies as marketing objectives, and I guess I failed because my teacher said those aren't really marketing objectives :(.

I wish marketing syllabus specified objectives like the Operations and Finance ones do :((.
Hey!
If you mean the strategic role of marketing, then you need to look at your notes on the role of marketing as well as other peoples notes. For example, the ATAR Notes ones list profit maximisation, choice, standard of living, employment, brand awareness and market share as the 'strategic role of marketing goods and services'

On the other hand...When you say 'marketing objectives' aren't you just referring to 'marketing strategies'? If so, , then just look at the strategies on the syllabus!
If your teacher says that, then that's what I'm guessing she means. Otherwise, you need to ask her what she specifically means.

Perhaps this is just a regurgitation or contradiction of my earlier point, but when you have a question like that, I'm guessing they're asking about strategies. You would talk about how successful a particular strategy is in achieving a particular aspect of the strategic goal of marketing (USING A CASE STUDY).
I'd say definitely look at all aspects of the strategic role of marketing in your intro and
link back in every single paragraph

Hope this helps!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on July 04, 2018, 04:42:49 pm
Hey, Razeen25.

I would think that you would need to mention something about marketing obejctives throughout your response, and not just the intro. Just the intro is very risky, because it essentially gives the markers an impression that you've rote learnt your content rather than applied your understanding to the question. Obviously, you wouldn't need to dive deeply into the marketing objectives, but mentioning it periodically throughout your paragraphs should be solid enough to a marker.

Marketing objectives are more to do with promoting the business' products and services to its customers. Profit comes under finance, while marketing would be more related to:

- increase sales.
- brand awareness.
- improve market share.
- target new customers and expand existing customer base.

So, essentially anything to promote the products and services (obviously, there is more than just "promotion") would fall under marketing.

Hopefully, this helps clear anything up! :)

Ah thank youu for answering this! I did refer back to marketing objectives, linking case studies/my points to it. I think I just messed up since I referred to marketing objectives as more financial than improving market share/brand awareness (actual marketing objectives rip). This was really stupid but oh wellll, "I'll mAke iT up in tRIals!!1!"

Hey!
If you mean the strategic role of marketing, then you need to look at your notes on the role of marketing as well as other peoples notes. For example, the ATAR Notes ones list profit maximisation, choice, standard of living, employment, brand awareness and market share as the 'strategic role of marketing goods and services'

On the other hand...When you say 'marketing objectives' aren't you just referring to 'marketing strategies'? If so, , then just look at the strategies on the syllabus!
If your teacher says that, then that's what I'm guessing she means. Otherwise, you need to ask her what she specifically means.

Perhaps this is just a regurgitation or contradiction of my earlier point, but when you have a question like that, I'm guessing they're asking about strategies. You would talk about how successful a particular strategy is in achieving a particular aspect of the strategic goal of marketing (USING A CASE STUDY).
I'd say definitely look at all aspects of the strategic role of marketing in your intro and
link back in every single paragraph

Hope this helps!  ;D


Yess you're right! It was about promotional strategies and how successful they are in achieving marketing objectives. I did do what you said so I hope I passed lol. Thank you :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BiggieT on July 18, 2018, 02:48:48 pm
Hii,

In a marketing extended response question which ends in "Assess... in achieving marketing objectives", to what extent would we need to talk about marketing objectives? Would stating the objectives in the introduction and then linking back to them after evaluating throughout the essay be enough? Also, in my exam I wrote profit maximisation and attaining a competitive advantage through implementation of strategies as marketing objectives, and I guess I failed because my teacher said those aren't really marketing objectives :(.

I wish marketing syllabus specified objectives like the Operations and Finance ones do :((.

I think they would be more looking for a response incorporating the objectives specified in Business Studies in Action:
- Increasing Market Share
- Expanding the product mix
- Maximising Customer Service
And then the rest is built on your ability to elaborate and incorporate case studies into your response.

Despite often being quite convoluted and even vague at points, Business Studies in Action provides a good guide for your response if the specifics of a question aren't elaborated upon in a question.

Hope that helps
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fr123_ on July 25, 2018, 06:02:29 pm
does visibility in operations mean ability to see the actual operations process taking place or customer contact through feedback which is then put back into the operations process? both tetxbooks that i've been using have different definitions so which one fits better?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on July 25, 2018, 06:27:21 pm
does visibility in operations mean ability to see the actual operations process taking place or customer contact through feedback which is then put back into the operations process? both tetxbooks that i've been using have different definitions so which one fits better?

Hey!

Definitely would define visibility in relation to the customer contact that occurs in the transformation process. For example, customised products have a high level of customer contact as the business has to interact with the customer to find out their needs and wants, which is conducted through market research. This is also due to the fact that there is an increased level of complexity and value adding occurring.

Businesses who want to reduce costs, increase speed and decrease lead times will produce standardised products to meet the homogenous needs of a mass target market, in which there would be a low level of visibility (customer contact). By producing standardised products this also gives businesses the opportunity to exploit efficiencies such as economies of scale.

Hope this helps! ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on July 25, 2018, 09:06:03 pm
does visibility in operations mean ability to see the actual operations process taking place or customer contact through feedback which is then put back into the operations process? both tetxbooks that i've been using have different definitions so which one fits better?
Just to add onto Emily's answer (she's 100% right)
I would define visibility as the extent to which customers can see an operations process in action.
But that would also mean customer contact (like if your business is a service, then your operations process could involve his customer contact)
An example (case study) of visibility is dominos. When you walk into dominos, you can literally see the operations process regarding your order. From being created on the make line, to be being put into the over and then finally cut up and boxed. You can see it happening. Subway has the same thing!

Also, an example of visibility relating to businesses creating standardised products is a factory (e.g. cars, a specific utensil). Because the products are standardised in factories typically, there's no need for high visibility/customer contact.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: thalialucifero on July 29, 2018, 04:59:11 pm
What are some good case studies for operation strategies- global factors specifically scanning and learning?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on July 29, 2018, 05:22:24 pm
What are some good case studies for operation strategies- global factors specifically scanning and learning?

Hey!

I feel like the case studies for global factors, aside from global sourcing and economies of sale, can be vague at times especially with scanning and learning as it is just essentially businesses reviewing the strategies of its competitors and analysing its own performance to see how they can engage in continuous improvement - ie. kaizen. In an essay I did, I used Qantas as my case study for scanning and learning so I'll pop it in below. I was on time constraints so didn't have enough time to put in some stats but that can be easily done with just a quick google search!

Due to increased globalisation that brings increased competition, Qantas constantly stays abreast and fully informed of global developments and continually test for their application to current operations. Management at Qantas has found, absorbed, learnt from and tested an increasing volume of data and information from a variety of customers in order to take corrective action and alter their operations process to satisfy business and consumer demands.

Hope this helps! ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on August 11, 2018, 08:01:30 pm
Hey guys,

Can someone please explain the critical path analysis please?
Is it the longest path taken to complete the entire project?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on August 12, 2018, 09:41:23 pm
Hey guys,

Can someone please explain the critical path analysis please?
Is it the longest path taken to complete the entire project?

Hey!

So a critical path analysis is basically a sequencing tool used in the transformation process to see what tasks needs to be carried out, what order they should be completed in and the time taken to complete each task. Essentially, the critical path analysis is the shortest time it takes to carry out all the tasks/activities the business requires.

However, to calculate the critical path you must always take the longest path!

The easiest way to look at it, is when you have two options, you always take the path that has the most amount of days. Eg. say you have path AB which is 3 days and then AC is 6 days, then you would take AC and then repeat the same step over again.

I hope that makes sense!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BrittyG on August 14, 2018, 12:17:36 am
Hi everyone,

This seems like an extremely silly question and I really should know this, but I'd like a clear definition of what an asset is, what a liability is and how to find total equity (as seen in debt to equity ratio)

Thanks in advance! 8)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on August 14, 2018, 09:06:21 am
Hi everyone,

This seems like an extremely silly question and I really should know this, but I'd like a clear definition of what an asset is, what a liability is and how to find total equity (as seen in debt to equity ratio)

Thanks in advance! 8)
Hey!
So assets are what the business owns and liabilities are what a business OWES. They are both split into current and non current assets. Basically like short (current) and long term (non-current)

The debt to equity ratio is not to find total equity. It is found by the equation: TL÷OE
In other words: Total liabilities (so both current and non-current) divided by a businesses owners equity. It is used to find the solvency/gearing of a business and is described using a ratio or percentage.
It is found on the balance sheet by adding current and non-current liabilities together to form total liabilities and dividing that by whatever figure is listed under the heading owners equtiy

However if that heading is blank but the balance sheet does balance than you can find owners equity by rearranging the balance formula of A=L+OE or...Assests=Liabilities+Owners equity. To find owners equity from this you would rearrange it to be OE=A-L as then both the OE and L should equal the assets.

Hope this helps but let me know if you need any further clarifacation!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BrittyG on August 14, 2018, 11:05:58 am
Hey!
So assets are what the business owns and liabilities are what a business OWES. They are both split into current and non current assets. Basically like short (current) and long term (non-current)

The debt to equity ratio is not to find total equity. It is found by the equation: TL÷OE
In other words: Total liabilities (so both current and non-current) divided by a businesses owners equity. It is used to find the solvency/gearing of a business and is described using a ratio or percentage.
It is found on the balance sheet by adding current and non-current liabilities together to form total liabilities and dividing that by whatever figure is listed under the heading owners equtiy

However if that heading is blank but the balance sheet does balance than you can find owners equity by rearranging the balance formula of A=L+OE or...Assests=Liabilities+Owners equity. To find owners equity from this you would rearrange it to be OE=A-L as then both the OE and L should equal the assets.

Hope this helps but let me know if you need any further clarifacation!  ;D

thank you so much !! This clears everything up, if I could respect more than once I would!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fr123_ on August 15, 2018, 05:58:47 pm
anyone else not have a set and stone case study for business? i just try to remember random statistics on the spot which are real situations but each paragraph that i write has a different case study for different businesses so like a mixture of Woolworths, Qantas and then i talked about a small local business, is that cool?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BrittyG on August 15, 2018, 06:08:17 pm
If you're talking about your essay that's what I usually do. I generally mix and match all the businesses that I know such as Woolworths, Dominoes, McDonald's and Apple throughout my essay and using the info I need from each business.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on August 15, 2018, 10:06:38 pm
anyone else not have a set and stone case study for business? i just try to remember random statistics on the spot which are real situations but each paragraph that i write has a different case study for different businesses so like a mixture of Woolworths, Qantas and then i talked about a small local business, is that cool?

I think in the HSC course we aren't allowed to use SME's/local businesses as case studies, as the focus shifts from SME's in prelim to global business in HSC.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on August 15, 2018, 10:36:23 pm
I think in the HSC course we aren't allowed to use SME's/local businesses as case studies, as the focus shifts from SME's in prelim to global business in HSC.

Nope should be fine! I've used local businesses (eg. cafes) in all my assessment tasks and still managed to do very well!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: -Grace- on August 17, 2018, 04:07:41 pm
Will any preliminary content be tested in the Business Studies HSC?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on August 17, 2018, 05:46:10 pm
Will any preliminary content be tested in the Business Studies HSC?

Hey!

Specific content from the preliminary course will not be directly tested in the HSC. However, some of the information you learn in the preliminary course builds the foundation for the HSC course.

Hope that make sense :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on August 24, 2018, 05:26:48 pm
Hii, I finished my business trial but while studying for it there were a couple of things I was unsure about.

In Operations processes, the dotpoint about the 4 V's, I find it a little hard to understand the influence of visibility on the operations process. Because its customer contact, I'm still kinda confused how it impacts on operations.

Thank you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on August 24, 2018, 05:40:47 pm
Hii, I finished my business trial but while studying for it there were a couple of things I was unsure about.

In Operations processes, the dotpoint about the 4 V's, I find it a little hard to understand the influence of visibility on the operations process. Because its customer contact, I'm still kinda confused how it impacts on operations.

Thank you!

Hey!

I actually answered someone's question to this a while ago, so I'll just copy and paste my response below.

Definitely would define visibility in relation to the customer contact that occurs in the transformation process. For example, customised products have a high level of customer contact as the business has to interact with the customer to find out their needs and wants, which is conducted through market research. This is also due to the fact that there is an increased level of complexity and value adding occurring.

Businesses who want to reduce costs, increase speed and decrease lead times will produce standardised products to meet the homogenous needs of a mass target market, in which there would be a low level of visibility (customer contact). By producing standardised products this also gives businesses the opportunity to exploit efficiencies such as economies of scale.


Hope this helps! ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: headsup on September 04, 2018, 10:16:43 pm
Hey!

Just some questions from my trial paper if someone could explain:

What of the following is a transformed resource in a business manufacturing clocks?
A - Clocks
B - Customers
C - Employees
D - Facilities

What are examples of people, processes and physcial evidence for a restaurant?
A - A experienced manager, healthy food and reasonable prices
B - Friendly staff, detailed cooking instructions and effective lighting
C -  Well trained wait staff, all diners are greeted as they enter and effective advertising
D - A knowledgeable chef, attractive table settings and a menu containing many choices.

THANKS HEAPS!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: BrittyG on September 04, 2018, 11:25:41 pm
Hey!

Just some questions from my trial paper if someone could explain:

What of the following is a transformed resource in a business manufacturing clocks?
A - Clocks
B - Customers
C - Employees
D - Facilities

THANKS HEAPS!!

This question messed me up too, I remember seeing it. The answer I'm fairly sure is B - customers because throughout the process of making the customers come to the business with a need/want and this is fulfilled with the creation of the product. Therefore the customers have transformed resources as they experience change through the provision of the product (clocks).

Many people will put clocks but this is the finished product. A transformed resource I believe would be the wires that go into making the clock.

(This may be wrong but someone can correct me)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on September 05, 2018, 03:52:10 pm
Hey!

Just some questions from my trial paper if someone could explain:

What of the following is a transformed resource in a business manufacturing clocks?
A - Clocks
B - Customers
C - Employees
D - Facilities

What are examples of people, processes and physcial evidence for a restaurant?
A - A experienced manager, healthy food and reasonable prices
B - Friendly staff, detailed cooking instructions and effective lighting
C -  Well trained wait staff, all diners are greeted as they enter and effective advertising
D - A knowledgeable chef, attractive table settings and a menu containing many choices.

THANKS HEAPS!!
Hey!
I agree with BrittyG and say the answer is actually B. Here's why...
This is where it is important to know your syllabus. You can immediately eliminate D, as it is a TRANSFORMING resource (along with HR). C is also incorrect as it is also part of transforming resources. Also when you look at your syllabus, transformed resources are stated as: materials, information and customers
This leaves you with A and B. Now the case with MC questions is two are completely wrong, 1 sounds right but is actually wrong and then there is only one 100% correct answer
Now in continuing this trend, both answers SEEM correct but only one is. This is where you can discount A as Materials are comprised of the raw materials and intermediate goods which go into the operations process. While the clock would still be part of the process, it is a finished product or an output as the business is actually manufacturing the clocks, not selling them. So A seems like it could be correct, but in this case it isn't
Hence the most sensible answer is B!

With the second question...
I would also say the answer is B
Again, the syllabus is your friend as you need to have a basic understanding of each of these 3 P's and a definition for them.
By a process of elimination...
A seems to be wrong as it doesn't cover 'processes' within the 3 parts
With C 'effective advertising' doesn't sound right in this context and even if that falls under physical evidence then where does that leave the 'all diners are greeted as they enter' option
D has a similar problem with 'a menu containing many choices'-it doesn't sound right; and in the same case as Cif it is physical evidence then what is ' attractive table settings' it doesn't cover processes.
Hence i believe B is correct as it ticks all the boxes
People: 'friendly staff'
Processes: 'detailed cooking instructions'
Physical evidence: 'effective lighting'

Hope this helps!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: EEEEEEP on September 05, 2018, 04:02:58 pm
This question messed me up too, I remember seeing it. The answer I'm fairly sure is B - customers because throughout the process of making the customers come to the business with a need/want and this is fulfilled with the creation of the product. Therefore the customers have transformed resources as they experience change through the provision of the product (clocks).

Many people will put clocks but this is the finished product. A transformed resource I believe would be the wires that go into making the clock.

(This may be wrong but someone can correct me)
Here's my 2 cents =)

A - Clocks - Correct answer... clocks can be transformed into other things. You can have a basic clock that will be customised to be black or white or yellow!  Businesses do have an area in factories for customisation of products.

B - Customers  - NOT A transformed resource - Customers are not being changed. If this was a makeup or hairdressing business .. yes, but not in this case.

C - Employees  - transforming resource - used to transform inputs and information into locks
D - Facilities - transforming resource - used to transform inputs and information into locks

..THUS, A is the obvious answer =)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on September 05, 2018, 04:05:08 pm
Here's my 2 cents =)

A - Clocks - Correct answer... clocks can be transformed into other things. You can have a basic clock that will be customised to be black or white or yellow!  Businesses do have an area in factories for customisation of products.

B - Customers  - NOT A transformed resource - Customers are not being changed. If this was a makeup or hairdressing business .. yes, but not in this case.

C - Employees  - transforming resource - used to transform inputs and information into locks
D - Facilities - transforming resource - used to transform inputs and information into locks

..THUS, A is the obvious answer =)

I had this question in my trial as well and I got it right so answer is definitely B !!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: EEEEEEP on September 05, 2018, 04:13:34 pm
I had this question in my trial as well and I got it right so answer is definitely B !!
What was the teachers justification?

I'd be interested to find out as, I have received a similar question before (but it was phones), instead of clocks and the answer was "Phones".

The teacher's justification was that "Customers are not getting changed, their information is getting changed, but ultimately the phone is being modified (at some point) via a paint job or feature, according to the customers information"

Thus, customer's information are being used, but  only the phone is being transformed (key word)."

Spoiler
Customers are a transformed resource when the operations process may be changing their location, physiological or psychological state.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on September 15, 2018, 09:29:05 am
Hey guys,

What is the difference between cost leadership & cost based competition because reading over cost based competition has made me very confused.

Thankyou!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on September 15, 2018, 09:31:33 am
Also does a business report require both a recommendation & a conclusion?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on September 15, 2018, 10:01:20 am
Hey guys,

What is the difference between cost leadership & cost based competition because reading over cost based competition has made me very confused.

Thankyou!
Cost based competition is when a business uses competing products in the industry as a benchmark, rather than considering the businesses own production costs or consumer demand.
While cost leadership is where a business aims to be the lowest cost manufacturer in their industry meaning they can sell their products cheaper than the completion and still make a profit due to their lower production/manufacturing costs.
Hope this helps!


Also does a business report require both a recommendation & a conclusion?
The way i see it, the recommendation at the end is the conclusion. Its the summary at the end of your report and in that paragraph, you'd include a recommendation
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on September 15, 2018, 12:11:31 pm
Also does a business report require both a recommendation & a conclusion?

Adding to what Mada438 said, I think it's important to integrate recommendations throughout your report. For example, if the question asks you to discuss e-marketing, you would write a few advantages and disadvantages and maybe chuck in a recommendation there. In my business reports I always put a recommendation after most things I talked about except for the questions that asked to define/explain.

I hope this makes sense :-)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on September 23, 2018, 09:41:24 am
Adding to what Mada438 said, I think it's important to integrate recommendations throughout your report. For example, if the question asks you to discuss e-marketing, you would write a few advantages and disadvantages and maybe chuck in a recommendation there. In my business reports I always put a recommendation after most things I talked about except for the questions that asked to define/explain.

I hope this makes sense :-)

Thanks so much guys; appreciate it!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on September 23, 2018, 09:43:21 am
Hey guys;
I have two questions -
1. What is the difference between e-commerce & global sourcing? They sound the same to me whenever I read over my notes.
2. When writing a business report & essay; can you incorporate diagrams in both? or just the business report?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on September 23, 2018, 10:02:31 am
Hey guys;
I have two questions -
1. What is the difference between e-commerce & global sourcing? They sound the same to me whenever I read over my notes.
2. When writing a business report & essay; can you incorporate diagrams in both? or just the business report?
Hey!
1: e-commerce is a global marketing strategy which involves marketing and advertising your products to a global audience through the internet. Whereas global sourcing is a operations strategy and part of supply chain management and involves sourcing and obtaining your inptuts/materials from different places around the world.
2: I'm not quite sure about this one. My teacher always said it was good to have diagrams, but im pretty sure she was talking about section 3, i'm really not sure about section 4. I don't see why you couldn't? But don't quote me on that
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on September 23, 2018, 10:29:27 am
Hey!
1: e-commerce is a global marketing strategy which involves marketing and advertising your products to a global audience through the internet. Whereas global sourcing is a operations strategy and part of supply chain management and involves sourcing and obtaining your inptuts/materials from different places around the world.
2: I'm not quite sure about this one. My teacher always said it was good to have diagrams, but im pretty sure she was talking about section 3, i'm really not sure about section 4. I don't see why you couldn't? But don't quote me on that

Thanks so much!!

What I meant was - what's the difference between econmies of scale and global sourcing.
So sorry, I was reading over e-commerce when I typed that question lols.

Thankyou!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: rainyyydays on September 30, 2018, 02:41:03 pm
Thanks so much!!

What I meant was - what's the difference between econmies of scale and global sourcing.
So sorry, I was reading over e-commerce when I typed that question lols.

Thankyou!!

hiii,
so economies of scale are the cost advantages that can be gained by producing on a larger scale (where increased production results in decreased per unit costs)- in simple terms, when producing in bulk, it becomes cheaper- and it becomes a global factor when businesses sell to global markets
however, global sourcing is when goods/services are sourced from across national boundaries to gain access to cheaper labour, materials, etc.

so the two are different as, although they both decrease production costs, the first is related to production levels and the second is relating to where the business obtains goods/services

let me know if that didn't make sense   ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on October 04, 2018, 10:15:53 am
Hey guys,

3 questions:

1. What is a critical path analysis? How do they differ from gantt charts?
2. What are the effects of inflation?
3. How does the appreciation and depreciation of the Australian dollar affect competitons? Is this the opposite for currencies in other countries?

Thankyou so much!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 04, 2018, 10:33:09 am
Hey guys,

3 questions:

1. What is a critical path analysis? How do they differ from gantt charts?
2. What are the effects of inflation?
3. How does the appreciation and depreciation of the Australian dollar affect competitons? Is this the opposite for currencies in other countries?

Thankyou so much!

Hey!

1. A CPA is basically a sequencing method/technique that shows what tasks need to be completed, what order they need to be completed in and how long it will take to complete all the tasks. When finding the CPA you want to ensure you take the SHORTEST PATH THAT COMPLETES ALL THE NECESSARY TASKS. So basically what you need to do is find the path on the CPA that has the most days, and that will generally be the CPA (confusing I know!). This is different to a Gantt Chart because that is a scheduling method/technique that shows the different tasks that are scheduled to be completed or already have been completed. This is more to see if you can do different tasks simultaneously or what tasks needs to be completed before you start the next one, and thus allows you to track the progress of something like a project.

2. Inflation is the sustained increase in the general level of prices in the economy. So the price of a good never stays the same because they rise with inflation. The inflation target in Australia is 2-3%, so that means prices increase as inflation increase. For example, a good that costs $10 in 2010 wouldn't cost $10 in 2018 but rather may be $11, and this is because of inflation. So really in summary, inflation causes prices to rise and can be bad for consumers and businesses as it would decrease consumer spending or business investment as the prices are too high.

3. An appreciation of the AUD would make Australia less internationally competitive. This is because as the AUD increases, our exports become more expensive and therefore, no other countries want to buy our goods. Essentially, this means that if someone living in the US wanted to buy an Australian good, they would have to convert more USD to AUD to buy that good. However, an appreciation of the AUD can be good if you have borrowed money from overseas as the amount you have to repay has now decreased.

A depreciation of the AUD would make Australia more internationally competitive. This is because as the AUD decreases, our exports become cheaper and therefore, more countries want to buy our goods. Essentially, this means that if someone living in the US wanted to buy an Australian good, they would have to convert less USD to AUD to buy that good. However, a depreciation of the AUD can be bad if you have borrowed money from overseas as the amount you have to repay has now increased.

Hope that helps ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on October 04, 2018, 10:39:43 am
Hey!

1. A CPA is basically a scheduling method/technique that shows what tasks need to be completed, what order they need to be completed in and how long it will take to complete all the tasks. When finding the CPA you want to ensure you take the SHORTEST PATH THAT COMPLETES ALL THE NECESSARY TASKS. So basically what you need to do is find the path on the CPA that has the most days, and that will generally be the CPA (confusing I know!). This is different to a Gantt Chart because that is a scheduling method/technique that shows the different tasks that are scheduled to be completed or already have been completed. This is more to see if you can do different tasks simultaneously or what tasks needs to be completed before you start the next one, and thus allows you to track the progress of something like a project.

2. Inflation is the sustained increase in the general level of prices in the economy. So the price of a good never stays the same because they rise with inflation. The inflation target in Australia is 2-3%, so that means prices increase as inflation increase. For example, a good that costs $10 in 2010 wouldn't cost $10 in 2018 but rather may be $11, and this is because of inflation. So really in summary, inflation causes prices to rise and can be bad for consumers and businesses as it would decrease consumer spending or business investment as the prices are too high.

3. An appreciation of the AUD would make Australia less internationally competitive. This is because as the AUD increases, our exports become more expensive and therefore, no other countries want to buy our goods. Essentially, this means that if someone living in the US wanted to buy an Australian good, they would have to convert more USD to AUD to buy that good. However, an appreciation of the AUD can be good if you have borrowed money from overseas as the amount you have to repay has now decreased.

A depreciation of the AUD would make Australia more internationally competitive. This is because as the AUD decreases, our exports become cheaper and therefore, more countries want to buy our goods. Essentially, this means that if someone living in the US wanted to buy an Australian good, they would have to convert less USD to AUD to buy that good. However, a depreciation of the AUD can be bad if you have borrowed money from overseas as the amount you have to repay has now increased.

Hope that helps ;D

Absolute legend!!! Thanks alot!!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on October 09, 2018, 09:16:32 pm
Hey guys,

I was just going over finance -

what is the underlying difference between a right issue & a share purchase plan?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on October 09, 2018, 09:30:54 pm
Hey guys,

I was just going over finance -

what is the underlying difference between a right issue & a share purchase plan?
Hey!
The key is brokerage fees. As both are offering more shares to existing shareholders, but share purchase plans allow shareholders to purchase additional shares without these brokerage fees
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: zanibalh on October 09, 2018, 09:35:50 pm
Hey!
The key is brokerage fees. As both are offering more shares to existing shareholders, but share purchase plans allow shareholders to purchase additional shares without these brokerage fees

Thankyou!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: raghav_singh on October 24, 2018, 05:48:29 pm
Hi does any one have a PDF version of a case study document other than Qantas and Kathmadu, that I could integrate into my notes
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 24, 2018, 06:21:09 pm
Hi does any one have a PDF version of a case study document other than Qantas and Kathmadu, that I could integrate into my notes

Hi!

As much as we would want to provide a full case study for you, we don't distribute copyrighted materials here on AN. I suggest looking up annual reports of businesses if you want a case study to integrate into your notes; or a quick google search helps a ton!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on October 25, 2018, 09:44:48 pm
Hey guys, I had a couple of questions

In this week upcoming to the business exam, would it be more beneficial to do full past papers? Or study by making essay/report plans and practicing MC/short answers? Also, what’s a good order of doing the exam? Because I realised in legal I lowkey messed up by leaving the 25 mark essays last, when if I did them in the beginning I could’ve secured those marks. Also, I’m someone who always underestimates time and ends up rushing things in the last 10 minutes of exams, so this is an issue :/.

Thank you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 25, 2018, 10:05:56 pm
Hey guys, I had a couple of questions

In this week upcoming to the business exam, would it be more beneficial to do full past papers? Or study by making essay/report plans and practicing MC/short answers? Also, what’s a good order of doing the exam? Because I realised in legal I lowkey messed up by leaving the 25 mark essays last, when if I did them in the beginning I could’ve secured those marks. Also, I’m someone who always underestimates time and ends up rushing things in the last 10 minutes of exams, so this is an issue :/.

Thank you!

Hi!

If you think time is going to be an issue during the exam, it might be worthwhile to do full past papers. It depends on the person :-)

With Business they give you waaaay too much time for the MC and short answers so make sure to take time out from those. I did the exam in order, but here's how I spread out my time:
- MC: you're recommended 35 minutes, but 15 minutes is sufficient
- Short answers: recommended 1 hour and 15 minutes (I think?), but at most, you'll need an hour. That already gives you an extra 35 minutes for your extended responses!
- Business report and essay: all up you've got 70 minutes (recommended) but add the 35 minutes you saved to 70 and you've got 1 hour and 45 minutes! This is already a lot of extra time so you should be able to have some time left over to check your answers. :-)

Hope this helps!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on October 26, 2018, 09:42:30 am
Hey guys, I had a couple of questions

In this week upcoming to the business exam, would it be more beneficial to do full past papers? Or study by making essay/report plans and practising MC/short answers? Also, what’s a good order of doing the exam? Because I realised in legal I lowkey messed up by leaving the 25 mark essays last, when if I did them in the beginning I could’ve secured those marks. Also, I’m someone who always underestimates time and ends up rushing things in the last 10 minutes of exams, so this is an issue :/.

Thank you!
Hey!
The way i tackle my business papers is...
Section 3/4
Section 2
Section 1
Section 3/4

This way i can do a big brain dump right after reading time for the reports and get SA out of the way. Then MC gives me a chance to rest my hand before tackling the last report.
Definitely, agree with FB. Even though i do it in a different order, you can still take some extra time in section 3/4. Like even though i do it third, i know that i will not need all the recommended time for MC, so i can already devote some of that time elsewhere.

Good luck!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 26, 2018, 08:33:25 pm
Hey guys, I had a couple of questions

In this week upcoming to the business exam, would it be more beneficial to do full past papers? Or study by making essay/report plans and practicing MC/short answers? Also, what’s a good order of doing the exam? Because I realised in legal I lowkey messed up by leaving the 25 mark essays last, when if I did them in the beginning I could’ve secured those marks. Also, I’m someone who always underestimates time and ends up rushing things in the last 10 minutes of exams, so this is an issue :/.

Thank you!

Just to pitch in another perspective!

I usually do:
* Multiple choice and short answer in 1 hour
* Business Report in 1 hour
* Essay in 1 hour

This definitely will change though, depending on the difficulty of the questions but I did this for trials and the half yearly and came out pretty okay ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on October 27, 2018, 06:45:56 pm
Hey!
The way i tackle my business papers is...
Section 3/4
Section 2
Section 1
Section 3/4

This way i can do a big brain dump right after reading time for the reports and get SA out of the way. Then MC gives me a chance to rest my hand before tackling the last report.
Definitely, agree with FB. Even though i do it in a different order, you can still take some extra time in section 3/4. Like even though i do it third, i know that i will not need all the recommended time for MC, so i can already devote some of that time elsewhere.

Good luck!  ;D
Just to pitch in another perspective!

I usually do:
* Multiple choice and short answer in 1 hour
* Business Report in 1 hour
* Essay in 1 hour

This definitely will change though, depending on the difficulty of the questions but I did this for trials and the half yearly and came out pretty okay ;D
Hi!

If you think time is going to be an issue during the exam, it might be worthwhile to do full past papers. It depends on the person :-)

With Business they give you waaaay too much time for the MC and short answers so make sure to take time out from those. I did the exam in order, but here's how I spread out my time:
- MC: you're recommended 35 minutes, but 15 minutes is sufficient
- Short answers: recommended 1 hour and 15 minutes (I think?), but at most, you'll need an hour. That already gives you an extra 35 minutes for your extended responses!
- Business report and essay: all up you've got 70 minutes (recommended) but add the 35 minutes you saved to 70 and you've got 1 hour and 45 minutes! This is already a lot of extra time so you should be able to have some time left over to check your answers. :-)

Hope this helps!!

Thank you for this!! :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: parallaxd on October 29, 2018, 10:37:23 am
For this essay question "Analyse the causes of workplace disputes and the strategies used to resolve them" how would you structure it? Would you have a  new paragraph for each cause, each strategy, each dispute????
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: cthulu on October 29, 2018, 12:05:24 pm
Hey guys,

(https://i.imgur.com/N6YZ8KD.png)

are the first two dotpoints under Working Capital Management considered strategies?

Thanks
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 29, 2018, 12:10:51 pm
For this essay question "Analyse the causes of workplace disputes and the strategies used to resolve them" how would you structure it? Would you have a  new paragraph for each cause, each strategy, each dispute????

Hi!

Not all causes/strategies/disputes need a paragraph. I'd say you can have a paragraph on each dispute then relate it to some strategies. Remember that you don't have to mention all strategies in your response!

Best of luck for Friday :-)

Hey guys,

(https://i.imgur.com/N6YZ8KD.png)

are the first two dotpoints under Working Capital Management considered strategies?

Thanks

Hi!

I don't think so -- in my notes I've linked control of current assets and liabilities to leasing/sale and lease back. Would love to hear from others about this!

All the best for Friday!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 29, 2018, 02:23:14 pm
Hey guys,

(https://i.imgur.com/N6YZ8KD.png)

are the first two dotpoints under Working Capital Management considered strategies?

Thanks

They sure are! Think how you can make connection with them to other parts/topics of the syllabus ie. operations
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on October 29, 2018, 02:24:38 pm
Hey guys,

(https://i.imgur.com/N6YZ8KD.png)

are the first two dotpoints under Working Capital Management considered strategies?

Thanks

This still kinda confuses me. Like I understand how leasing/sale and leaseback are working capital strategies ofc, but unlike the Cash flow management and profitability management strategies I don’t understand how “cash” by itself is just a strategy for working capital smh, or really any of those current assets/current liabilities other than just saying “you need to control this to achieve increased working capital.”
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: bronte24 on October 29, 2018, 05:50:08 pm
Hi just has a question about the short answer section.
Should we use case studies in every single question we can, or only when the question asks us to?
Also am I supposed to have a large business case study such as Qantas, as well as a SME case study? Should a be referring to multiple case studies in one question?
Just a bit confused
Thanks for your help  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: cocopops201 on October 29, 2018, 06:03:26 pm
Should we use case studies in every single question we can, or only when the question asks us to?

for the short answer section you don't have or need to include case studies, you can use certain aspects of case studies when you are asked to provide an example e.g. for Corporate Social Responsibility you can use the body shop as they ensure their brand name are associated with good ethical values such that they sponsor/raise awareness toward social justice issues and their products are environmentally friendly... can also go under ethics vs legal
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ishhhyyyaaa on October 31, 2018, 02:42:48 pm
hey guys,
can i include diagrams in both report & essay?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on October 31, 2018, 06:43:01 pm
hey guys,
can i include diagrams in both report & essay?

Hi!

Diagrams in reports = 100%. Not too sure about essays though -- I never did because I see essays as texts that don't have diagrams. Would love to hear from others about this!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: headsup on October 31, 2018, 06:45:10 pm
That's what I would say too but interested to see if anyone does put diagrams in essays. Personally an essay feels like just writing...
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on October 31, 2018, 09:10:40 pm
hey guys,
can i include diagrams in both report & essay?
Yeah its a good thing to do if its really simple and helps to get your point across (e.g putting a diagram of the PLC or BLC)
I don't see why you shouldn't do it in both. They're both reports.
Of course section 4 CAN be written as an essay, but a report format helps keep you on track and markers always say report styles for section 4 get the better marks.

Hope this helps, good luck on friday!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ishhhyyyaaa on October 31, 2018, 09:22:57 pm
Yeah its a good thing to do if its really simple and helps to get your point across (e.g putting a diagram of the PLC or BLC)
I don't see why you shouldn't do it in both. They're both reports.
Of course section 4 CAN be written as an essay, but a report format helps keep you on track and markers always say report styles for section 4 get the better marks.

Hope this helps, good luck on friday!  ;D

thanks so muchh!!

i was also wondering, what are the other names they can use for the financial objectives. like other names for liquidity, solvency, etc?

thankyouuu once again!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on October 31, 2018, 09:42:28 pm
thanks so muchh!!

i was also wondering, what are the other names they can use for the financial objectives. like other names for liquidity, solvency, etc?

thankyouuu once again!
I don't think they use any other names for them? Especially not for liquidity and solvency. I've not seen them use synonyms for them before.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: leotlion on November 01, 2018, 12:09:37 am
Hi,

So at our school, our teacher made us write the non-stimulus question in business report format. I just recently found out that the format isn't specified by the HSC for that question and that the only one which you have to write in business report format is the stimulus question! So now I'm panicking! Is using business report format acceptable for the non-stimulus question? Or do I have to write it in an essay format (which I've never ever done for Business Studies before!) I don't want to change what I'm familiar with but will I get marked down for using business report format? What did you guys do??

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on November 01, 2018, 08:12:04 am
Hi,

So at our school, our teacher made us write the non-stimulus question in business report format. I just recently found out that the format isn't specified by the HSC for that question and that the only one which you have to write in business report format is the stimulus question! So now I'm panicking! Is using business report format acceptable for the non-stimulus question? Or do I have to write it in an essay format (which I've never ever done for Business Studies before!) I don't want to change what I'm familiar with but will I get marked down for using business report format? What did you guys do??

Hey

So for Section III (business report), it does specify that you have to write in the business report format. However, for section IV it just says in an extended  response format, so that can be either in the essay form or business report form.

Just do whatever you feel comfortable with! If you have been doing section IV in a report form, best you stay with that now since it's what you've practiced with and considering it is the day before the exam

Good luck for tomorrow!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on November 01, 2018, 08:42:55 am
Hi,

So at our school, our teacher made us write the non-stimulus question in business report format. I just recently found out that the format isn't specified by the HSC for that question and that the only one which you have to write in business report format is the stimulus question! So now I'm panicking! Is using business report format acceptable for the non-stimulus question? Or do I have to write it in an essay format (which I've never ever done for Business Studies before!) I don't want to change what I'm familiar with but will I get marked down for using business report format? What did you guys do??
Hey!
Just to add onto what emilygeorge has said, it is 100% acceptable. It's what I've always used, and what my teacher recconmendeds (used to be a senior marker). If you're still not feeling assured, have a look at the formats used by some past responses over the years!

All the best for tommorrow!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on November 01, 2018, 04:59:08 pm
Hey guys, I have a question.

Under the 'Factors influencing customer choice' dotpoint in Marketing, I was always under the impression that 'sociocultural' factors referred to of course a person's society/culture but also their socio-economic status based on their income etc which influenced their customer choice. And I thought that 'economic' factors referred to the state of the economy (boom, recession which obviously impacts on consumer choice).

But on HSC Discussion a lot of people seem to be arguing that influences such as a person buying a luxury car is an ECONOMIC influence instead of a socio-cultural (which is what I was taught smh). Also I did a past paper question and the answer also seems to conflict with what I was taught and now I'm honestly just confused.

If anyone could clarify this, it'd be great!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on November 01, 2018, 06:59:52 pm
Hey guys, I have a question.

Under the 'Factors influencing customer choice' dotpoint in Marketing, I was always under the impression that 'sociocultural' factors referred to of course a person's society/culture but also their socio-economic status based on their income etc which influenced their customer choice. And I thought that 'economic' factors referred to the state of the economy (boom, recession which obviously impacts on consumer choice).

But on HSC Discussion a lot of people seem to be arguing that influences such as a person buying a luxury car is an ECONOMIC influence instead of a socio-cultural (which is what I was taught smh). Also I did a past paper question and the answer also seems to conflict with what I was taught and now I'm honestly just confused.

If anyone could clarify this, it'd be great!
Hey!
So the way i see it, that is an economic factor
I look at it like this:
Psychological factors are ones that are internal (ones' self) influences. Meaning that an individuals buying habits are influenced by their own opinion
Socio-cultural is where they are external infuences from other groups and peers that influence someones buying behaviour
Economic deals with both the government and someones own socio-economic status

So i would agree with both the picture and the hsc disscussion people who say "a person buying a luxury car is an ECONOMIC influence, not a socio-cultural one"

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on November 01, 2018, 08:31:54 pm
Not a question, but wishing you all the very best with business studies tomorrow. We've all put in the hard yards and once this is done, business is all over.
We can do this guys! Good luck for tomorrow!  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on November 01, 2018, 09:28:58 pm
Hey!
So the way i see it, that is an economic factor
I look at it like this:
Psychological factors are ones that are internal (ones' self) influences. Meaning that an individuals buying habits are influenced by their own opinion
Socio-cultural is where they are external infuences from other groups and peers that influence someones buying behaviour
Economic deals with both the government and someones own socio-economic status

So i would agree with both the picture and the hsc disscussion people who say "a person buying a luxury car is an ECONOMIC influence, not a socio-cultural one"

Hope this helps!

Thank youuu and good luck to you too!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: raghav_singh on November 06, 2018, 05:11:33 pm
Hi, I wanted to clarify something. Under Operations Strategies where it says performance objectives, then it has speed.

Does speed refer to the amount of time taken to complete the operations, or amount of time to respond to changes in market demand levels
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on November 06, 2018, 06:52:38 pm
Hi, I wanted to clarify something. Under Operations Strategies where it says performance objectives, then it has speed.

Does speed refer to the amount of time taken to complete the operations, or amount of time to respond to changes in market demand levels
Hey!
Speed under performance objectives means efficiencies in production. So yes, it is the amount of time taken to complete the operations process.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Razeen25 on November 07, 2018, 08:49:48 pm
Hi, I wanted to clarify something. Under Operations Strategies where it says performance objectives, then it has speed.

Does speed refer to the amount of time taken to complete the operations, or amount of time to respond to changes in market demand levels

Just adding on to what Mada438 said above, whilst speed refers to amount of time taken in the actual operations, it is the 'Flexibility' Operations performance objective that refers to efficiency regarding the amount of time taken in responding to changes in market demand/wants/volume levels.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Mada438 on January 14, 2019, 10:05:34 am
Hey,

I recently sat in one of Andrew's Business Studies lectures, I was curious to find out what his explicit abbreviations he used to remember sections of the syllabus.

 P.S. His lecture was pretty sick, highly recommend, gutted he didn't have more of my subjects
You don't have to necessareily use the ones andrew uses. Its just an example of how it is done. You can make your own ones up as well and they'll do just a good a job!
Actually, i recconmend using your own ones as it means they are easier for you to remember because they are tailored to you!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: nishta on January 18, 2019, 10:20:17 am
Hi everyone,

I am in Year 12 now and not liking business at all  :-\

it's almost the end of the summer holidays and I have done close to nothing for business because my heart really isn't in it. I'm not going to drop though because I genuinely want a band 6 in it.

Anyone have any tips for motivating myself? Or at least getting up and doing some study?

thanks  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on January 18, 2019, 11:02:41 am
Hi everyone,

I am in Year 12 now and not liking business at all  :-\

it's almost the end of the summer holidays and I have done close to nothing for business because my heart really isn't in it. I'm not going to drop though because I genuinely want a band 6 in it.

Anyone have any tips for motivating myself? Or at least getting up and doing some study?

thanks  :)

Hey!

I’m sad to see your heart isn’t with business at the moment but that’s okay! Everyone has these moments where they are just completely unmotivated and honestly just don’t want to do anything. Even for myself like business studies is literally my life but there were points during my HSC where I just couldn’t even look at the content because I was just not feeling it.

I think the best about business though is the flexibility to tailor it to yourself since it is only core topics. If you’re struggling with some of the concepts just sit yourself down with a clear mind and ask yourself “how can I break this down so I can fully understand this”. You can do this by taking a chunk of information and just simplifying it into a few dot points. Trust me it makes your life so much easier.

Another thing is in business you obviously need case studies for your essay and in some cases short answer. Research your favourite clothing brand, different businesses you like and by doing this you’re actually researching businesses that you’re interested in and want to know more about. It definitely takes the burden away of “Oh I just have to do this”.

Lastly, one of the things I did was make my notes look really pretty. When I had established a so called “theme” I wanted to use for my notes it made me motivated to continue doing my notes so they would be perfect for me! Maybe jazz up your notes, use lots of colour and even chuck a few pictures and diagrams in there.

That’s most of my tips, but if you want I have written an article that goes into depth on how to succeed in business studies. You can find it in the Articles section and it’s called “HSC Business Studies: Maximising Marks”.

I hope this gives you some slight motivation but always reach out if you need more help ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: nishta on January 18, 2019, 12:07:03 pm
Hey!

I’m sad to see your heart isn’t with business at the moment but that’s okay! Everyone has these moments where they are just completely unmotivated and honestly just don’t want to do anything. Even for myself like business studies is literally my life but there were points during my HSC where I just couldn’t even look at the content because I was just not feeling it.

I think the best about business though is the flexibility to tailor it to yourself since it is only core topics. If you’re struggling with some of the concepts just sit yourself down with a clear mind and ask yourself “how can I break this down so I can fully understand this”. You can do this by taking a chunk of information and just simplifying it into a few dot points. Trust me it makes your life so much easier.

Another thing is in business you obviously need case studies for your essay and in some cases short answer. Research your favourite clothing brand, different businesses you like and by doing this you’re actually researching businesses that you’re interested in and want to know more about. It definitely takes the burden away of “Oh I just have to do this”.

Lastly, one of the things I did was make my notes look really pretty. When I had established a so called “theme” I wanted to use for my notes it made me motivated to continue doing my notes so they would be perfect for me! Maybe jazz up your notes, use lots of colour and even chuck a few pictures and diagrams in there.

That’s most of my tips, but if you want I have written an article that goes into depth on how to succeed in business studies. You can find it in the Articles section and it’s called “HSC Business Studies: Maximising Marks”.

I hope this gives you some slight motivation but always reach out if you need more help ;D

Thanks so much!! Those are actually some really tips - I'll put them into use  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: nishta on January 24, 2019, 10:29:12 am
Hey everyone!

So I'm doing finance but I can't get my head around what commercial bills and debentures are in sources of finance! I've tried to look at some textbooks and online, but I would really appreciate it if someone put it in dummy terms :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on January 24, 2019, 03:58:28 pm
Hey everyone!

So I'm doing finance but I can't get my head around what commercial bills and debentures are in sources of finance! I've tried to look at some textbooks and online, but I would really appreciate it if someone put it in dummy terms :)

Hey!

A commercial bill and a debenture are honestly quite similar yet, just differ in their time difference.

A commercial bill is a short term source of debt financing that are usually issued for about 30 to 180 days. However, it is usually for larger amounts (ie. over $180 000) and the borrower promises to repay the loan with interest. The thing with commercial bills is they are very flexible and are able to be rolled over to each month until the amount is paid in full. For example, if the business is required to pay the money in January but can't due to poor liquidity, then the commercial bill rolls over to the next month (ie. February) and they repay the loan with interest.

A debenture is a long term source of debt financing where an individual/business borrows an amount of money for a fixed period and fixed rate of interest. The debenture is like a piece of paper (similar to a prospectus) in which the borrowers provide to the investors to show them that they will pay the loan on time with the interest.

Hope this helps ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: nishta on January 25, 2019, 08:36:08 am
Hey!

A commercial bill and a debenture are honestly quite similar yet, just differ in their time difference.

A commercial bill is a short term source of debt financing that are usually issued for about 30 to 180 days. However, it is usually for larger amounts (ie. over $180 000) and the borrower promises to repay the loan with interest. The thing with commercial bills is they are very flexible and are able to be rolled over to each month until the amount is paid in full. For example, if the business is required to pay the money in January but can't due to poor liquidity, then the commercial bill rolls over to the next month (ie. February) and they repay the loan with interest.

A debenture is a long term source of debt financing where an individual/business borrows an amount of money for a fixed period and fixed rate of interest. The debenture is like a piece of paper (similar to a prospectus) in which the borrowers provide to the investors to show them that they will pay the loan on time with the interest.

Hope this helps ;D

Thank you so much!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: alole201 on January 28, 2019, 09:20:30 pm
HI everyone!

So school starts very soon and I was wondering if anyone would help me with how to properly answer short answer questions from business past papers. I tried speaking to teachers and other students about the format and the spacing based on the marks per question but i am still very confused.?

Someone please help out!!

Thanks  ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on January 28, 2019, 09:37:59 pm
HI everyone!

So school starts very soon and I was wondering if anyone would help me with how to properly answer short answer questions from business past papers. I tried speaking to teachers and other students about the format and the spacing based on the marks per question but i am still very confused.?

Someone please help out!!

Thanks  ;D

Hey!

In business, well in most HSC exams, they don't give you that many lines to write the answer which basically forces you to be succinct and only include information that directly answers the question. When answering the question, it is so important to look at the directive term before you start answering the actual question. For example, if the question asks you to 'discuss' then you have to provide the reasons for and reasons against what it is asking. Even when there only seems like there are only advantages for the particular question, it is so important to write even one disadvantage so you can fully satisfy the marking criteria.

Essentially, the lines provided act as a guide about how much you have to write, although in saying that you don't always have to fill them all. If you have the other issue of writing too much, there is spare writing paper in the HSC booklet where you can continue writing your answer.

I think the key to nailing short answer in business studies is knowing your syllabus back to front. If you know it off by heart your brain can instantly catalogue what information from the syllabus dot points relate to the questions and thus, allowing you to write down only the necessary information.

I hope that makes sense and gives you a bit more clarity :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jen10 on April 21, 2019, 03:08:18 pm
Hello!
I was just wondering, for a business report, if the question just asks for strategies of 2 topics, how many strategies would we provide from each?
And also, how do I find the Q&A Thread with Emily for Business Studies earlier this year?
Thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on April 21, 2019, 04:16:21 pm
Hello!
I was just wondering, for a business report, if the question just asks for strategies of 2 topics, how many strategies would we provide from each?
And also, how do I find the Q&A Thread with Emily for Business Studies earlier this year?
Thanks!

Hey Jen!

For a business report asking for strategies from 2 topics, ideally I would do 2 from each topic so 4 strategies in total. However, if you are concerned with the amount of time you have to write, I would do 2 strategies from one topic and 1 from the other. To decide on which strategies you should pick 2 of, I would look at the business situation and what features/characteristics are most prevalent/dominant and pick those to write 2 strategies for.

The link for my Q&A can be found here https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=184787.0
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Dillan on May 12, 2019, 03:53:00 pm
Hey all,

Just after any tips on how to write a Band 6 Business Essay and whats the key features that distinguishes an essay and a report.

I have 2 possible essay questions and was just after some thoughts and ideas of what you guys would include in the response.

Q1. Evaluate strategies that management may use to respond to key influences  on marketing

Q2. Assess the importance of marketing strategies in achieving a competitive business advantage.

If you guys could give a rough break down of what you would include for each response that would be greatly appreicated.

Cheers
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on May 15, 2019, 10:18:11 pm
Hey all,

Just after any tips on how to write a Band 6 Business Essay and whats the key features that distinguishes an essay and a report.

I have 2 possible essay questions and was just after some thoughts and ideas of what you guys would include in the response.

Q1. Evaluate strategies that management may use to respond to key influences  on marketing

Q2. Assess the importance of marketing strategies in achieving a competitive business advantage.

If you guys could give a rough break down of what you would include for each response that would be greatly appreicated.

Cheers

Hi Dillan!

These are both great questions although arguably, the first one may be a bit more tough than the second one.

For the first one I would take your marketing syllabus and look at both the influences and the strategies section. You then need to think outside the box and think about and question how you can link any of the influences to the marketing strategies. For example, maybe ask yourself how does deceptive and misleading advertising relate to promotional strategies, specifically advertising? or how does psychological influences impact product strategies? Keep asking yourself these sort of questions and try to make as many links as possible. I think because you are in the early planning stages, mind maps would be the best way to go!

The second question is quite easy. You can literally use any strategy that falls under the marketing strategies part of the syllabus however, I would maybe stay away from global marketing. However, if you feel comfortable writing about that then go for it! For this I'd probably do a strategy for each of the 4P's. So 1 price, product, promotion and place/distribution. Yet, the most important part is always linking it back to how the business can gain a competitive advantage. This means having really good real life case studies with statistics that demonstrate the success of the strategies they have implemented into the business. Always then bring it back to the strategic role of profit maximisation as well as how they may have increase market share and sales.

Hope this helps! ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tianahanna on May 27, 2019, 11:33:26 pm
hey my essay question is, "Examine the response of operations and marketing management STRATEGIES to internal and external influences."

for marketing my internal influence is ethical and i was going to do promotion as the corresponding strategy but i have no idea how to make them relate?? also if anyone can help with external for marketing and internal and external for operations pleaseeee  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: chris_tina_ on June 19, 2019, 05:38:42 pm
Hi all,

Just revising the Finance section for Business Studies and I came across this dot point

planning and implementing – financial needs, budgets, record systems, financial risks,
financial controls
– debt and equity financing – advantages and disadvantages of each
– matching the terms and source of finance to business purpose


Like I get most of it but the matching the terms and source of finance to business purpose is not making any sense.

So my question is what is this dot point mean? and how can it be applied to an exam question?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: codsta769 on June 25, 2019, 06:51:20 pm
Hi all,

Just revising the Finance section for Business Studies and I came across this dot point

planning and implementing – financial needs, budgets, record systems, financial risks,
financial controls
– debt and equity financing – advantages and disadvantages of each
– matching the terms and source of finance to business purpose


Like I get most of it but the matching the terms and source of finance to business purpose is not making any sense.

So my question is what is this dot point mean? and how can it be applied to an exam question?


Hey mate,

Due to this being part of 'Finance Processes', this dot point is just recognising that businesses engage in planning and implementing. The list shows how the business does this, and processes that may be involved to achieve this.

I can think of 2 short answer questions that could appear in an exam even though this dot point is pretty broad.
1. Discuss the advantages and/or disadvantages or debt and equity financing.
2. Explain how businesses can plan or implement sources of finance to increase business performance.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on August 08, 2019, 03:13:14 pm
In business reports do we need to include case studies? I know that we need to in the business essay

And if we do how do we include it into the report and how many times. Also I saw a video where Andrew said that he drew diagrams. Is this essential and can it maximise my marks or is it more just to jazz up the report? thankyou!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on August 08, 2019, 04:58:33 pm
Also what are some good terms to put in a business report.
Basically what I mean is like
This report will include...
The purpose of this report is to address concerns that.......
etc.

and instead of saying I recommend do I just say it is recommended..
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on August 08, 2019, 05:47:30 pm
In business reports do we need to include case studies? I know that we need to in the business essay

And if we do how do we include it into the report and how many times. Also I saw a video where Andrew said that he drew diagrams. Is this essential and can it maximise my marks or is it more just to jazz up the report? thankyou!


Hi!!

In business reports you don't need to include case studies because you're writing about a case study (sort of)! I personally don't think diagrams are essential but if you think they add to your argument include them :-)

Also what are some good terms to put in a business report.
Basically what I mean is like
This report will include...
The purpose of this report is to address concerns that.......
etc.

and instead of saying I recommend do I just say it is recommended..

No fancy language needed - be straightforward as if you were actually addressing the report to a CEO, they wouldn't want their time to be wasted so just try and be concise :-) In saying that, if you can include concepts from the syllabus that would be a huge plus for you and your marks hahah.

Good luck!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: es123 on August 10, 2019, 12:30:12 pm
Hi, I'm in year 12 and currently ranked first in business studies. I was equal first with someone for the first two assessments and then was ranked first in the last assessment. My trial is coming up and I was wondering if I don't do well in the trial will I still maintain an overall first rank?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on August 14, 2019, 08:33:08 pm
hey so with the 2018 hsc pack, i dont get how q20 is B? sorry to be brash, just busily studying
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: nishta on August 14, 2019, 08:38:32 pm
hey so with the 2018 hsc pack, i dont get how q20 is B?

Hey,

so the accounts receivable turnover ratio is 600,000/41,000 = 14.63... (as the formula says)
but this only gives how many times the money has been turned over in a year, NOT the number of days.

for the number of days, you do 365/14.63 which = 24.94... or 25 days. Which is B as required.

You just have to remember the difference between the number of times the business has been paid in total in a year, and the number of days it takes on average for these debts to be collected.

Hope this helps :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on August 14, 2019, 08:57:07 pm
ahhhhhhh thankyou so much i get it now! i knew you had to divide something by 365 hahaha. Thankyou so much once again. If i can do anything in return, please let me know xx
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: leemsdang on August 15, 2019, 10:22:16 pm
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for study guides for HSC Business Year 12? Ideally something that will cover content for the entire syllabus?

Many thanks in advance!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on August 18, 2019, 06:29:10 pm
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for study guides for HSC Business Year 12? Ideally something that will cover content for the entire syllabus?

Many thanks in advance!!

Hey! I have the Excel HSC Business studies book and it is pretty good, it goes through the entire syllabus in detail with scattered case studies, but it is pretty thick. If you want something that's really easy to read I suggest the ATARNotes Business Studies Notes. Again it covers the whole syllabus. It's concise and simple to read and understand, and it gives examples of the Qantas case study. I use the AN book a lot to refresh my memory about certain concepts.

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on August 21, 2019, 05:58:13 pm
Hi! so I'm currently writing up some notes for HR and in my old textbook induction falls under development but my new textbook states it is part acquisition? Could I argue either one? Which one should I state and why
thanks
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on September 11, 2019, 08:05:34 pm
Hey everyone!

Can someone please explain what exactly a financial forecast is and why a business would it.

Thanks :D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on September 12, 2019, 07:53:47 am
Hey everyone!

Can someone please explain what exactly a financial forecast is and why a business would it.

Thanks :D

Heya!

A financial forecast is the business’ predictions about the future which specifically details costs and revenues for each strategy.

Developing a financial forecast requires:
1.   Cost estimate – based on market research, product development, promotion
2.   Revenue estimate – based on how much consumers are expected to buy, for what price and what sales staff predict they will sell

By measuring sales potential and revenue forecasts for each strategy and comparing these with anticipated expenditure, the business can effectively allocate marketing resources. Analysing projected costs and revenue allows the business to forecast future profit levels as well as the future success of marketing strategies.

Hope this helps ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on September 20, 2019, 09:50:20 am
Would someone be able to tell me what the short term and what are the long term financial objectives?
Also what are some potential conflicts? I do have info on conlficts but I came across a paper where it was 6 marks and I'm not sure what I would write about conflicts for 6 marks!

Thanks  :)  :D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: thomaselko on October 02, 2019, 12:58:45 pm
Would someone be able to tell me what the short term and what are the long term financial objectives?
Also what are some potential conflicts? I do have info on conlficts but I came across a paper where it was 6 marks and I'm not sure what I would write about conflicts for 6 marks!

Thanks  :)  :D

We look at for example Growth as a long term goal, now if a business was to invest in the growth of its firm this may result in the business utilizing sources of finance in order to expand in return this will impact short term Efficiency as expenses would rise (efficiency is the businesses ability to minimise costs)  therefore decreasing the short term Profitability, which may result in unsatisfied shareholders ect. If it was an explain question, I would just talk about the cause and effect of 3 objectives (cause 1 mark, effect 1 mark) so you would get 2 marks for each of the objectives. Best to look at the marking rubric but I hope this helps
Title: Re: Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: thomaselko on October 02, 2019, 01:01:07 pm
Hi! Could someone please help me? I don't know how the critical path works! I keep getting different answers along the lines of "it's the shortest path" or "the longest path"... Someone even started a poll on Facebook, and it seems almost 50/50!

I would upload the photo of an example, but it won't let me unless it's in another format...

By definition, it is the "shortest path to complete all tasks" however when calculating the critical path I just count the longest number of days, a lot of people do get confused on this but just keep practicing until you get it right! Good luck
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on October 20, 2019, 08:09:29 pm
hey I've got two questions. What is the difference between a selling, marketing and customer approach.
Also which ratio indicates how solvent a business is. Is it the gearing ratio?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 20, 2019, 08:40:49 pm
hey I've got two questions. What is the difference between a selling, marketing and customer approach.
Also which ratio indicates how solvent a business is. Is it the gearing ratio?

Hey!

So there are three main historical approaches which businesses have adopted to sell their products

The production approach focuses on mass producing an item, emphasis on quantity and reducing costs. It was assumed the customer would buy the item and that there would be demand however there was little consideration for what the customer actually wanted.

The selling approach used aggressive sales techniques to convince their consumers to buy their products and that their products were better than their competitors. The needs of the customer was still not taken into consideration

The marketing approach (also known as the consumer approach) accounts for the needs of the customer and put them at the centre of business activities. It was the businesses purpose to satisfy the customer. Research was undertaken to identify customer needs and then cater to those needs. Satisfied customer = increased sales. (this approach is used by majority of businesses today)

And yes the gearing ratio refers to the businesses solvency. Solvency is defined as a businesses ability to meet their financial obligations in the long term. The gearing ratio measures debt to equity so it shows the businesses ability to pay their debts based off the equity they have invested (or reinvested through retained profits) into the business.

Hope this helps! ;D



Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on October 20, 2019, 10:00:57 pm
Hey!

So there are three main historical approaches which businesses have adopted to sell their products

The production approach focuses on mass producing an item, emphasis on quantity and reducing costs. It was assumed the customer would buy the item and that there would be demand however there was little consideration for what the customer actually wanted.

The selling approach used aggressive sales techniques to convince their consumers to buy their products and that their products were better than their competitors. The needs of the customer was still not taken into consideration

The marketing approach (also known as the consumer approach) accounts for the needs of the customer and put them at the centre of business activities. It was the businesses purpose to satisfy the customer. Research was undertaken to identify customer needs and then cater to those needs. Satisfied customer = increased sales. (this approach is used by majority of businesses today)

And yes the gearing ratio refers to the businesses solvency. Solvency is defined as a businesses ability to meet their financial obligations in the long term. The gearing ratio measures debt to equity so it shows the businesses ability to pay their debts based off the equity they have invested (or reinvested through retained profits) into the business.

Hope this helps! ;D


Yes helped so much! Thankyou. Would you be able to tell me the difference between domestic and global contractor? Thanks
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 20, 2019, 10:29:58 pm
Yes helped so much! Thankyou. Would you be able to tell me the difference between domestic and global contractor? Thanks

Hi Dani!

The answer to this question is quite simple. A domestic contractor outsources their non-core business functions to within their own country. For example, you are a small business operating out of Sydney but you contract your payroll system to Brisbane. For a real life perspective, Qantas (which was founded in Melbourne) actually domestically outsources its call centres and telecommunications to Melbourne. This is so they can focus on providing their core business function of ensuring on time arrivals and departures of flights, and allow specialists to undertake their non-core function of call centres.

On the other hand, global contracting is outsourcing to overseas. For example an Australian business outsourcing some of their labour to India. This is very common with businesses as they like to take advantage of the low costs and less stringent laws in developing countries such as India, Bangladesh, etc. Again, Qantas has also outsourced more of its non-core functions such as its maintenance functions to the Phillipines and Malaysia so they can effectively take advantage of the low labour costs overseas while still delivering a high quality service.

Hope this clears it up for you! :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on October 21, 2019, 10:05:38 am
Thankyou very much @emilyygeorgexx.
Another question (lol sorry for being so annoying). so i know the difference between LIFO and FIFO and how lifo undervalues inventory thus cogs are high and vice versa.
Do I need to know exactly how to calculate the value of the inventory? And if so would you be able to explain it to me :) thankyou very much
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 21, 2019, 10:25:16 am
Thankyou very much @emilyygeorgexx.
Another question (lol sorry for being so annoying). so i know the difference between LIFO and FIFO and how lifo undervalues inventory thus cogs are high and vice versa.
Do I need to know exactly how to calculate the value of the inventory? And if so would you be able to explain it to me :) thankyou very much

Hi Dani!

For the purposes of this course, you don’t really need to know how to calculate LIFO and FIFO. I have only ever seen it in about 2 trial papers and both questions technically had no correct answer to choose. So I wouldn’t stress about the calculation because if you can’t do it, then the chance is that the rest of the state won’t be able to do it. As long as you know what LIFO and FIFO are and their effects on COGS and profit, you should be covered!

Good luck with the study!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 21, 2019, 01:32:20 pm
hey so for the life of me i dont get how to answer these types of questions (see attachment) someone pls help thanks x
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 21, 2019, 04:01:06 pm
hey so for the life of me i dont get how to answer these types of questions (see attachment) someone pls help thanks x

Hey!

We start in January, in the blurb below the table they tell us the opening cash flow is $2000. So to find the closing cash balance for January you have to take the cash inflows (cash receipts + opening cash balance for that month) and minus the cash outflows (cash payments) which is
$2000 + $12000 - $8000 = $6000.
Therefore the closing cash balance for January will be $6000, this is also the opening cash balance for February. Now to find the closing cash balance for February we do the same thing. This will be
$6000 + $11000 - $5000 =$12000
So this means the closing cash balance for February was $12000 which is also the opening cash balance for March.

If you continue to do this with the remaining figures and i'm correct then the answer should end up being $7000 which is A

Hope this helped! :D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 21, 2019, 04:20:03 pm
Hey!

We start in January, in the blurb below the table they tell us the opening cash flow is $2000. So to find the closing cash balance for January you have to take the cash inflows (cash receipts + opening cash balance for that month) and minus the cash outflows (cash payments) which is
$2000 + $12000 - $8000 = $6000.
Therefore the closing cash balance for January will be $6000, this is also the opening cash balance for February. Now to find the closing cash balance for February we do the same thing. This will be
$6000 + $11000 - $5000 =$12000
So this means the closing cash balance for February was $12000 which is also the opening cash balance for March.

If you continue to do this with the remaining figures and i'm correct then the answer should end up being $7000 which is A

Hope this helped! :D

yes it does thankyou so much  :) :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 22, 2019, 10:56:26 am
hey, me again! can someone pls help me with this question, i dont know what numbers go where? thanks so much and i promise this is the last question that i will ask regarding past papers! tysm xx
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thankunext on October 22, 2019, 11:07:36 am
Hey! Can someone help with this multiple choice question?
A manufacturing business has recently changed its marketing strategy to include e-marketing. What external influence may have led to this?
A) increased staffing costs
B) underperforming retail sales
C) the recent employment of a computer expert
D) the inability to differentiate its brand from competitors
Thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 22, 2019, 02:51:51 pm
Hey! Can someone help with this multiple choice question?
A manufacturing business has recently changed its marketing strategy to include e-marketing. What external influence may have led to this?
A) increased staffing costs
B) underperforming retail sales
C) the recent employment of a computer expert
D) the inability to differentiate its brand from competitors
Thanks!

i believe the answer to be D simply because:
A refers to staff (internal)
B sales not doing too well in the firm's physical store (interbal)
C computer epert employed by the company (internal)
D competitor influence (external)

Hope this helps
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 22, 2019, 03:31:32 pm
hey, me again! can someone pls help me with this question, i dont know what numbers go where? thanks so much and i promise this is the last question that i will ask regarding past papers! tysm xx

Hey again!

So in order to work this question out the first thing we need to do is work out the Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS) which is given by the formula:
Opening stock + purchases - closing stock = COGS
Most questions will give you COGS but you should also know how to work it out

So now we sub in what we know:
36000 + 74500 - 6500 = 104000
Therefore COGS = $104000

Now to find Gross Profit we use
Sales - COGS = Gross Profit

Sub in what we know:
220000 - 104000 = 116000
Therefore Gross Profit = $116000
Making the answer to question 5 A

Now to find Net Profit we use
Gross Profit - Total Expenses = Net Profit

So now we know that the rest of the figures we have been given are all expenses, these are:
Interest charges, Bad debts, Petrol expenses, Wages, Rent paid, Electricity and Advertising.

Sub into the formula now:
116000 - 40900 = 75100
Therefore Net Profit = $75100
Making the answer to question 6 D

Hope this helped! (also feel free to ask as many questions as you need, it's what the forums are for! :D)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: caramel333 on October 23, 2019, 06:45:44 pm
Heelloo,

Just wondering would anyone have any good case studies/responses for this HR Student Learn to?

"Analyse the cause of TWO workplace disputes and the strategies used to resolve them."

Thxx!  ;)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on October 23, 2019, 07:25:52 pm
Will they give me financial ratios for the short/long responses. I see they do in the multiple choice.  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 23, 2019, 08:23:31 pm
Will they give me financial ratios for the short/long responses. I see they do in the multiple choice.  :)

Hi Dani,

Financial ratios as a short answer question is a huge possibility, so I would definitely be prepared for that. This means knowing how to calculate the ratio and give a comment on the ratio meaning knowing what the objective its related to, is it good or bad, how does it affect the business, comparing to industry standards/benchmarks and what strategies can the business use to improve the ratio. Remember you will be given the ratios so no need to freak out about memorising them!

In terms of long responses, you could be asked it in the business report as one dot point. This could be something like commenting on the ratios of the business and the recommending strategies to overcome any issues in the business. However, I haven't commonly seen this as a question but in the 2016 HSC they did provide a balance sheet for students to analyse in the business report so I would say anything is a possibility. In terms of the essay, the only time you can really be asked on it is if the question is asking about financial management processes. Even in that situation, you would not necessarily have to write about the ratios as you can write about anything else in the syllabus that falls under financial management processes.

Hope this clears it up and good luck with studying!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: gubby1707 on October 26, 2019, 04:02:17 pm
Hi! i came upon this question and i'm not entirely sure how to answer this
Mainly part a)

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 26, 2019, 05:15:54 pm
Hi! i came upon this question and i'm not entirely sure how to answer this
Mainly part a)

Hey!

So basically part a) is asking you to identity when the business falls into debt.
We start in January where we need to find the closing cash balance for that month. This means we need to identity the opening cash balance, cash inflows and cash outflows. Once we have identified this we can use the formula
Opening balance + cash inflows -  cash outflows = closing balance

So for January, the opening cash balance is $4000.
The cash inflows are cash sales and receipts from debtors which add to $30000
The cash outflows include wages, cash purchases, payment to creditors, electricity and annual insurance which add to $22000
(Note: where electricity and insurance are blank it means there were no payments for that month)
We can now sub these figures into the formula
$4000 + $30000 - $22000 = $12000
Therefore the closing cash balance for January is $12000
Remember that the closing cash balance for one month is the opening cash balance for the next month, so the closing balance for January is the opening balance for February

Now, similarly with February we sub in the figures to the above formula.
$12000 + $31000 - $47000 = -$4000
Therefore the closing balance for February is -$4000
Which is a negative balance.

This means March will open with a negative balance. This question is worded a bit odd but I assume they mean which is the first month with a negative opening balance, so I would answer March, but I may be wrong though.

For part b) they are just asking you to make a judgement on the effectiveness of cash flow management strategies in this situation. You could choose to explore: distribution of payments, discounts for early payments or factoring.

I hope this helped a bit!

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thankunext on October 26, 2019, 09:44:41 pm
Hey! Can someone help with this multiple choice question?
A manufacturing business has recently changed its marketing strategy to include e-marketing. What external influence may have led to this?
A) increased staffing costs
B) underperforming retail sales
C) the recent employment of a computer expert
D) the inability to differentiate its brand from competitors
Thanks!
I know I asked this question before but many people have told me different answers so I want to ask it again. Hope that is ok!

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 26, 2019, 10:03:45 pm
Hey! Can someone help with this multiple choice question?
A manufacturing business has recently changed its marketing strategy to include e-marketing. What external influence may have led to this?
A) increased staffing costs
B) underperforming retail sales
C) the recent employment of a computer expert
D) the inability to differentiate its brand from competitors
Thanks!
I know I asked this question before but many people have told me different answers so I want to ask it again. Hope that is ok!

Hey!

This type of question it is best to work backwards. So lets get rid of what we know the answer can't be.

External influences regard the surrounding environment of a business in which they have little to no control over. Whereas internal influences come from within a business and they have the power to control these.

B is an influence that definitely could've contributed to the businesses choice, however it is within the business, therefore internal, so this cannot be the answer. Similarly with C, the acquisition of new employees is internal as the business made the conscious choice to hire this person.

This leaves us with A and D. Increased staffing costs is external as higher demand my have caused a surge in wages, or possibly changes to award conditions. However, this begins to take us into the HR function which is not really what this question is asking of us. This question comes under marketing strategies, specifically e-marketing. Marketing is all about developing a brand that customers want to purchase from. This leads me to think that D must be the answer. Marketing looks to generate sales by any means, not reduce costs (that is more so operations and finance). So through differentiating their brand in adopting an e-marketing strategy, this business can ultimately increase sales and achieve profit maximisation which is the strategic role of marketing.

I hope my reasoning makes sense and that this helps!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thankunext on October 27, 2019, 08:39:00 am
Hey!

This type of question it is best to work backwards. So lets get rid of what we know the answer can't be.

External influences regard the surrounding environment of a business in which they have little to no control over. Whereas internal influences come from within a business and they have the power to control these.

B is an influence that definitely could've contributed to the businesses choice, however it is within the business, therefore internal, so this cannot be the answer. Similarly with C, the acquisition of new employees is internal as the business made the conscious choice to hire this person.

This leaves us with A and D. Increased staffing costs is external as higher demand my have caused a surge in wages, or possibly changes to award conditions. However, this begins to take us into the HR function which is not really what this question is asking of us. This question comes under marketing strategies, specifically e-marketing. Marketing is all about developing a brand that customers want to purchase from. This leads me to think that D must be the answer. Marketing looks to generate sales by any means, not reduce costs (that is more so operations and finance). So through differentiating their brand in adopting an e-marketing strategy, this business can ultimately increase sales and achieve profit maximisation which is the strategic role of marketing.

I hope my reasoning makes sense and that this helps!

Thanks for answering my question!
Yeah I kind of understand. I thought the answer was A because all the others seem like internal influences. Like for D the inability to differentiate its brand could be an internal influence because there is something that the business itself is not doing right. But I understand when you link the question to the relevant topic, that is smart. Many thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 28, 2019, 11:37:15 am
hey peeps how is the answer B? tysm x
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 28, 2019, 12:11:10 pm
hey peeps how is the answer B? tysm x

Hey

This is a pretty typical finance question so its important to know how to answer it.

As we can see there is a missing figure for stock, which means we need to find out what that is.
The trick to Balance sheets is that both sides need to balance in order to be accurate.
This means that:
Total assets = Total liabilities + Total equity

So if we add assets we get
Total assets = $143000 + Stock
We add liabilities and owners equity we get
Total liabilities and total equity = $146000

$143000 + Stock = $146000
Therefore for the two sides to equal stock must be $3000

Now we can find the current ratio.
Total current assets = $21000
Total current liabilities = $10500
So:
21000:10500 simplifies to a ratio of 2:1
Meaning for every $1 of current liabilities (short term debt) the business has $2 of current assets

We can see the industry standard for this ratio is 1.9:1 and that this business is slightly above, but it is still acceptable. (also a lot of textbooks describe the ideal current ratio as being 2:1)
So as it is an acceptable ratio the answer will be B

Hope this helped you! ;D
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: jelena_nina2001 on October 28, 2019, 12:29:16 pm
Hey

This is a pretty typical finance question so its important to know how to answer it.

As we can see there is a missing figure for stock, which means we need to find out what that is.
The trick to Balance sheets is that both sides need to balance in order to be accurate.
This means that:
Total assets = Total liabilities + Total equity

So if we add assets we get
Total assets = $143000 + Stock
We add liabilities and owners equity we get
Total liabilities and total equity = $146000

$143000 + Stock = $146000
Therefore for the two sides to equal stock must be $3000

Now we can find the current ratio.
Total current assets = $21000
Total current liabilities = $10500
So:
21000:10500 simplifies to a ratio of 2:1
Meaning for every $1 of current liabilities (short term debt) the business has $2 of current assets

We can see the industry standard for this ratio is 1.9:1 and that this business is slightly above, but it is still acceptable. (also a lot of textbooks describe the ideal current ratio as being 2:1)
So as it is an acceptable ratio the answer will be B

Hope this helped you! ;D

so just to clarify,how did you get to $21000?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on October 28, 2019, 12:43:43 pm
so just to clarify,how did you get to $21000?

$21000 is the sum of all the current assets

Cash + accounts receivable + stock
Which is
$15000 + $3000 + $3000 = $21000

As the current ratio is total current assets divided by total current liabilities

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thankunext on October 28, 2019, 01:40:20 pm
Hi!

Should we include definitions in our business reports? My teacher said that we don't have to provide definitions as the business manager, etc. already knows what the strategy or influence is.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 28, 2019, 01:51:16 pm
Hi!

Should we include definitions in our business reports? My teacher said that we don't have to provide definitions as the business manager, etc. already knows what the strategy or influence is.

Hey!

It depends what you are talking about. Let's say you are going to recommend outsourcing as a strategy. In the case you definitely need to define it in the body paragraph. When writing your responses you need to assume the marker doesn’t know anything about say outsourcing (even though they do).

However, simpler and more common sense definitions such as profitability, market share, sales, etc do not need to be defined.

Good luck with the study and exam tomorrow!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: dani01 on October 28, 2019, 04:32:26 pm
hi would someone be able to explain to me the difference between legal and government policies? with examples of both. I don't really understand how they are different. so far i have that policies guide decision making and a legal regulation has the effect of law. but doesn't this apply to both?
Also examples of corporate social responsibility: doesn't it include community programs? wouldn't sponsoring s sporting event be an example? If anyone can answer both that will be greatly appreciated :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: emilyygeorgexx on October 28, 2019, 05:18:30 pm
hi would someone be able to explain to me the difference between legal and government policies? with examples of both. I don't really understand how they are different. so far i have that policies guide decision making and a legal regulation has the effect of law. but doesn't this apply to both?
Also examples of corporate social responsibility: doesn't it include community programs? wouldn't sponsoring s sporting event be an example? If anyone can answer both that will be greatly appreciated :)

Hi Dani!

I recently explained this in my last ATAR Notes Business Studies lecture following some of the backlash from the 2019 Catholic Trial. To understand the difference between them, please feel free to download my powerpoint here: https://atarnotes.com/note/lecture-slides-september-2019-12/

Also, with your CSR question I assume you are referring to one of the multiple choice questions from the 2017 HSC exam? So, yes it does include community programs, hence why the answer was introducing a community health program as it focus on the 'social goals' aspect of CSR. Sponsoring an event is not an example for CSR only because there is still an ability to have a monetary benefit/gain. For example, when Powerade sponsors sports games, the audience is exposed to the advertisements from Powerade in which consumers are then likely to go and purchase the product, thus increasing Powerade's sales. The whole idea of CSR is to shift away from specifically only focusing on 'financial goals' but also 'social and environmental goals', in which sponsoring an event doesn't truly encompass this concept of CSR.

Hope that clarified it up :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Thankunext on October 28, 2019, 06:40:04 pm
Hey!

How do you answer an essay question like explain why CSR is a key concern in operations management?

How should we divide our paragraphs?

And can you talk for example hiring more ATSI people? Because I think that relates to HR and not operations but can we still talk about it?

Many thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Dezzel on October 31, 2019, 09:11:07 pm
Hey!
Would I lose marks in the hsc report if the question asked for 2 strategies and I misread and wrote 4?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on January 20, 2020, 11:21:19 am
(@Dezzel No, however you would be wasting your time.)

Hey, Im stuck on this question. can anyone tell me why it is FIFO not JIT?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on January 20, 2020, 02:01:24 pm
Hey LoneWolf!

I recall doing this question myself and asking the exact same question. They key is to carefully read the question. It is asking us to find the most appropriate valuation method for inventory rather than just an inventory management style. The only two valuation methods we are taught are FIFO and LIFO. JIT is just a style of management rather than a valuation method. So based on this we know the only two possible solutions are FIFO and LIFO.

Now the business is seeking to show maximum profits for the current financial period, and since cost of stock is increasing choosing a FIFO method is necessary. In doing so businesses will use the initial purchase price of stock (which will be lower than the current costs) to calculate profits and other values, this allows them to overestimate profits such that they look more favourable to competitors and potential investors.

(If a business were to choose a LIFO method they would overstate costs and understate profits so they will have to avoid paying large amounts on tax on these profits)

I hope that made sense. Inventory management is one of the most confusing topics in the syllabus, so let me know if you have any other questions!  :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on January 21, 2020, 07:41:13 pm
Thanks.
Arrrrrrr its those small things which catch me... grrrr
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Travis Scott on February 01, 2020, 03:49:08 pm
I am doing this assessment and I am doing IKEA, I want to mention what kind of inventory strategy they use, is it JIT, FIFO, LIFO INCLUDING REFERNCES. I can't find any info that gives that out please help and quick.
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on February 02, 2020, 06:46:24 pm
Firstly, check out this: https://atarnotes.com/forum/index.php?topic=178864.0  ;D

https://www.tradegecko.com/inventory-management/inventory-valuation-methods
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantage-fifo-inventory-method-23485.html
https://strategiccfo.com/lifo-vs-fifo/

Also, any textbooks would be great for general material I would not recommend referencing them.
Try out content from universities or tafes' on business.

trust this helps?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on February 13, 2020, 09:28:08 am
Hey people,
struggling with this short-answer.

 how short-term and long-term financial objectives may conflict each other?

thanks in advance : )
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: tscgrad2020-ms on February 16, 2020, 12:00:03 pm
Hey, I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following short answer and extended response questions? My new teacher refuses to help me respond to them and my old teacher didn't teach us anything in the first term of HSC, nor did he teach us anything the whole of the prelim year.

Short-Answer
Define the term ‘operations’. (2 marks)
Distinguish between inputs, transformations processes and
outputs in operations processes (6 marks)
What is meant by total quality management? (2 marks)
Demonstrate the main differences between quality control and quality assurance. (6 marks)
Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of holding stock. (3 marks)
What is the importance of inventory management? (5 marks)
Examine three examples of ethically and socially responsible issues that may arise in operations management. (6 marks)
Identify the main types of layout. (3 marks)
Deduce what an operations manager needs to consider when selecting the optimum facilities design and layout. (6 marks)
------
Define operations management (2 marks)
Explain why CSR is a key concern in operations management (4 marks)
Explain how one operations strategy can help a business sustain its competitive advantage (4 marks)
Discuss how improving operational processes may lead to better customer service (5 marks)
With reference to a business, analyse the relationship between cost and quality in the operations of a business. (6 marks)

Extended Response
Analyse the effect of globalisation on operations management (20 marks)

I've gone through all my study notes for operations and the Business in Action 6th Ed Text and none of it is getting me any closer to results.
All and Any Help will be appreciated!!!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: Grace0702 on February 16, 2020, 09:21:03 pm
Hey, I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following short answer and extended response questions? My new teacher refuses to help me respond to them and my old teacher didn't teach us anything in the first term of HSC, nor did he teach us anything the whole of the prelim year.

Short-Answer
Define the term ‘operations’. (2 marks)
Distinguish between inputs, transformations processes and
outputs in operations processes (6 marks)
What is meant by total quality management? (2 marks)
Demonstrate the main differences between quality control and quality assurance. (6 marks)
Identify the main advantages and disadvantages of holding stock. (3 marks)
What is the importance of inventory management? (5 marks)
Examine three examples of ethically and socially responsible issues that may arise in operations management. (6 marks)
Identify the main types of layout. (3 marks)
Deduce what an operations manager needs to consider when selecting the optimum facilities design and layout. (6 marks)
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Define operations management (2 marks)
Explain why CSR is a key concern in operations management (4 marks)
Explain how one operations strategy can help a business sustain its competitive advantage (4 marks)
Discuss how improving operational processes may lead to better customer service (5 marks)
With reference to a business, analyse the relationship between cost and quality in the operations of a business. (6 marks)

Extended Response
Analyse the effect of globalisation on operations management (20 marks)

I've gone through all my study notes for operations and the Business in Action 6th Ed Text and none of it is getting me any closer to results.
All and Any Help will be appreciated!!!

Hey!

These are quite a few questions. While I won't answer them for you I will try to help. One thing my teacher always told me to do when given any question in business studies is identify where it comes from in the syllabus. In doing so understand the exact sub-topic you are struggling with and then you can search for resources/read the textbook accordingly.

So lets take the first question. Define the term ‘operations’. (2 marks)
This is a pretty general question so really it could fit anywhere in the operations topic. But with definitions we are being asked what it is and what its role it. So now we can deduce that it comes under role, more specifically the strategic role of operations. And just like that we understand what specific dot point we need to look into.

Lets try another. Distinguish between inputs, transformations processes and outputs in operations processes (6 marks)
So this is still in the operations topic. The question kinda gives away the subtopic which is processes. Now this question is broad in a sense that we can talk about any point under either inputs, transformation processes and outputs, as long as we include at least one point about each.

Nailing business comes down to three key things in my opinion:
1. Knowing the syllabus. As stated above it is SOOO important to know it. It lets you see where questions come from and gives you a specific list of what you can include in questions.
2. Knowing the actual content. Once you know the syllabus, knowing the content that goes with it becomes second nature. This is what you need to actually get marks when answering questions.
3. Finally, understanding the directive term. You may have the correct content in a question but lack the correct wording or comparison to get full marks (i have been there  :'( ) so it is important to always look at the form the question is asking you to write in and also the mark value of the question so you don't waste precious exam time

I suggest you go through this list of questions and identify their dot points. From there I suggest you find the related content. Once you have the content you need to look at what the directive term is asking and then you can answer the question. I'll admit business isn't exactly an easy subject because of all the pure content you need to know, but study and practice enough and hopefully answering these questions will become like second nature.

Hope this is of some help :)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on February 19, 2020, 05:16:25 pm
I was reading some finance content notes and under 'company tax', under the 'influences on financial management' read this;

•   Increase in company tax  decrease consumer demand due to increase in $.

can some1 please explain this?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on February 24, 2020, 04:55:03 pm
Hello People
under matching the terms and sources of fiance to business purpose dotpoint, what do i need to be focusing on?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: cmtmc02 on March 08, 2020, 06:27:47 pm
Hey there!

So I'm doing this question extended response and am wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I can structure this extended response.

Why is it important for a business to pay attention to marketing influences when developing product and promotional strategies?

(20 marks)


Thanks!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: LoneWolf on March 23, 2020, 08:26:57 am
Hey

when they say total expenses, is that expenses + COGS?

Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: twelftholmes on April 01, 2020, 11:20:33 am
Hey! I have just one question about section 4 of the HSC exam.

With these questions, is it better to use one or two large case studies (Qantas or Apple) or use multiple little case studies, each one completely different for every single dotpoint???
So far I have structured my notes in the latter way, however I'm not sure if this is okay. For example for the dot point psychological factors under marketing influences, I have "Apple markets itself as trendy and cool". I am not sure if this is sufficient to just include different tiny little case studies like this to support content in the report, or if it is better to have larger case studies and therefore have more info for each point rather than one single sentence memorised for each dot point.

I hope that makes sense haha... thanks for any advice. I hope multiple little case studies for each dot point are okay haha because I've already structured my notes that way...
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: fantasticbeasts3 on April 01, 2020, 12:23:56 pm
Hey! I have just one question about section 4 of the HSC exam.

With these questions, is it better to use one or two large case studies (Qantas or Apple) or use multiple little case studies, each one completely different for every single dotpoint???
So far I have structured my notes in the latter way, however I'm not sure if this is okay. For example for the dot point psychological factors under marketing influences, I have "Apple markets itself as trendy and cool". I am not sure if this is sufficient to just include different tiny little case studies like this to support content in the report, or if it is better to have larger case studies and therefore have more info for each point rather than one single sentence memorised for each dot point.

I hope that makes sense haha... thanks for any advice. I hope multiple little case studies for each dot point are okay haha because I've already structured my notes that way...

Hi there!

Honestly, it doesn't really matter how you use case studies - it just matters that you have them. I personally had specific examples for separate dot points (bless my amazing business teacher) and researched the ones that didn't come with cases outside of class. However, we were still provided with the massive case study booklets which we could use if needed.

At the end of the day, whatever works for you is going to be the best option! But I will say this - having separate case studies for each dot point shows you've done more research and you'll have a lot more to show off in an exam!

Hope this helps :-)
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: twelftholmes on April 01, 2020, 06:56:38 pm
thanks so much for your reply!
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: ciarne28 on May 30, 2021, 01:18:23 pm
Would anyone be able to give me feedback for a Section IV response?
Title: Re: HSC Business Studies Question Thread
Post by: strawberryaulait_ on November 02, 2021, 11:58:53 pm
Hi,
My business teacher has been absent for the last few weeks and I'd really appreciate if anyone could give me feedback on my business report as the business hsc exam is in three weeks.
I've been getting horrible results in business( roughly 15/20) and would really appreciate some harsh critique on my work.

Thank you in advance!