Getting the distinction in Unit 1

Hi year 9

can I suggest that those who can will tackle this task today.

Task

Write a seperate EVALUATION of how one of your chosen businesses has responded to CHANGES in the BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

To do this I thought the MARY PORTER REPORT that she was asked to do for the goverment might help.

How can OXFORD CITY COMPETE with BISCESTER VILLAGE and see its shops and retail outlets and other TERTIARY businesses survive the current downturn in the market>

Click here and see what she suggests.

For those that would like to see her report click here

Or the article in The Mirror newspaper here

Using the marketing mix - price

Ok year 11 here we go

You don't have much to RECAP here because you didn't need to know much about it for PAPER 1. What you do need to know for your PAPER 1 resit is:

• PAYMENT TERMS - does the customers need to pay NOW or in INSTALMENTS?
• Do your customers need to pay in CASH or can they pay by CREDIT CARD?
• Do they get a DISCOUNT if they buy in large quantities?
• How does the PRICE compare with that of your competitors eg Waheeds data stick's!
• Does your PRODUCT represent good VALUE FOR MONEY! 
• Do you WANT OR NEED this product and is it WORTH spending money on it to feel good!
• Have you covered all your COSTS so that you make a PROFIT?
• How will the PRICE effect DEMAND? - HIGHER PRICE = LESS DEMAND generally!
• Can you reduce the PRICE to sell more even if you make a smaller PROFIT on LOTS more SALES (TESCO always had a policy to sell it cheap and stack it high at the onset) Asda and Primark still do
• SMALL business start ups might not have a BRAND LOYALTY so keep the price down until they have! See page 44-45

Now test what you know by downloading the worksheet here or open and print off your email

Remember that the 4 P's of the MARKETING MIX are INTERLINKED

FOR PAPER 2 you will need to understand:

• about pricing decisions for growth 
• the factors affecting pricing decisions   See pages 161 -164

You will also need to know about the different TYPES of PRICING DECISIONS

• Price Skimming
• Penetration Pricing
• Competitive Pricing
• Loss leader
• Cost plus pricing

And the factors that influence the price:

• Costs
• Demand
• Degree of competition
• Company's objectives and approach to pricing
• Product life cycle - where is your PRODUCT or SERVICE in it?
• Rest of the MARKETING MIX

Now try this worksheet here to see if you have learnt any more about pricing after today.

Homework

Revise for key term test tomorrow and take a letter home to get signed so that you can attend the SATURDAY CLUB the weekend before your PAPER 1 RESIT

Well done to Esme Partridge !

Big Congratulations to Esme for facilitating the creation of this wonderful space !

The launch of the OSA Prayer Space, part of an ongoing series of ‘Faith Awareness Weeks’. (This is the first one, presented by Oxford Youth Works in collaboration with Emmanuel Church).

Monday 12^th December-Thursday 15^th December, H2


Why not pop along before Thursday afternoon and:

• have a quiet prayer for someone who might need your help and support this Christmas.
• reflect on where you are with your learning. 
• Ask questions about religion that you think you would like to ask.
• or just be calm and quiet.

What is the Marketing Mix & how do I use it?

Learning Outcome

By the end of this session you should know:

• the 4 elements of the marketing mix
• Factors that influence the appropriate marketing mix for a small business on a limited budget
• about the use of ICT in assisting international marketing. 

Homework - due in today 14th December 2011
Building the marketing mix - click here to get yourself ready for the 4P's of marketing

Starter
What do you know about small budget marketing.  Click here to find out

Main Task

1. Using the raft of resources available to you in B4 you will create a 60 second presentation  (less than 250 words) using the writing frame below to explain the marketing mix for your chosen product  Your article should include:

• Introduction - what is your product and WHY did you choose this one?
• How will you PRICE the product?
• How will you PROMOTE your product?
• How will you PLACE your product?

Note taking 

Now complete the attached notetaker pack before you deliver your groups presentation

Resources

AQA Business Studies core text pg's 43 - 47

or the e-resources that you have now started using online by clicking the link below:
or the e-resources at:


http://my.dynamic-learning.co.uk/Default.aspx?cid=15451

Homework

Marketing knowledge - so you fancy a job in marketing - click here


Set 13the December 2011    Due 15th December 2011

Introduction to Marketing P5 data

Hi year 12 


the following table will give you the demographics of Oxford in comparison to where I last set up a business.  Click here for the info. Also the link here will give you detailed market research about Oxford should you choose to use it to launch your products. 


P5 asks you to:

1. Prepare an information sheet for each of SIX products and give examples of SEGMENTATIONS and TARGETNG the different markets that exist.
2. You should EXPLAIN why the different types of target groups are chosen for your different products and or services.
3. Include products and services for both consumer to consumer and B2B markets saying how you have segmented the market for each.   Enjoy Mr T 

Why do business at level 3

Watch this video if you think that you need convincing as these inspiring young people put 12 great reasons to you should you not have thought of them...

The powerpoint slide that goes with it can also be seen by clicking here

Distinctions & Merits in Unit 1

Hi year 9


More news since Friday about the role of the government for P5 with our Prime Minister choosing not to sign up to Europe's multi billion Euro bail out of the 26 EURO countries without any safeguards of the UK financial services sector.  Use it or loose it


As you are all well aware we are teaching to DISTINCTION AND MERIT grades for those that ASPIRE to them and those of you who are targeted to achieve them.


To get a MERIT you need to take the PASS levels and:

• Write and article that compares and contrasts TWO of your chosen businesses that you discussed in P1&P2 with particular focus on 'Purpose and Ownership'
• Compare the 'Growth and Decline' of the sectors of the economy you discussed in P3 using references to scale in relation to employees or revenue generated.

To get a DISTINCTION you need to PASS the MERIT criteria above and then:

• Write a very precise evaluation of how an organisation has responded to changes in the business environment.  For this it might be best to consider a particular example such as Blockbusters or BMW.

Well that's all folks.  One whole term down and one unit in the bag.  Remember this is the first of three units before we launch into the GCSE and your enterprising two years ahead.

Good luck and well done for keeping up with it all

Mr T

Unit 7 Success at Work - Interview Success

Hi year 11

this is the final furlong of your controlled assessment and I am pleased to say that one of you BAFter's have successfully completed it.  Perhaps you might like Charlie to coach you to a successful completion also. See him here on You Tube above.


I have attached a few goodies to the blog page to help you check that your prepared.  These include:

• A witness statement
• Interview panel questions
• Self evaluation sheet or SWOT analysis on your performance
• A wee website for those who need a job description or people spec or don't have a Scooby Doo clue of what types of jobs you are thinking about doing !

Don't forget to make sure that you have:

• Your covering letter and CV
• A real completed job application form
• A job description and person specification for your chosen career job role.

Think that's all folks

Ill give you some feedback next week so you can make any corrections to your:

1. Careers Booklet ' Success at Work' remember the best one will be forwarded to Connexion to print.
2. Your 'Career Development Plan'

Assembly for Year 11!

Assembly 9th December on Prezi

The PowerPoint slides that accompany this Prezi can be seen by clicking here

Market research - why do it what is it and how does it help you plan

Learning Outcome

By the end of this session you should know:

• the reasons for conducting market research
• the methods that might be used for market research on a limited budget

Starter
What do you know about small budget marketing.  Click here to find out

Main Task

1. Using the raft of resources available to you in B4 you will create a one page article (less than 500 words) using the writing frame below to explain to your friend or family member why they should not spend a penny trying to launch their new business start up until they have carried out some market research.  Your article should include:

• Introduction - what is market research - why do it?
• The TWO main types of market research
• The best primary methods of market research that a new / small business could afford 
• Advantages and disadvantages of secondary research
• The difficulties and problems of carrying out start up research

Resources

AQA Business Studies core text pg's 36 - 42

or the e-resources that you have now started using online by clicking the link below:
or the e-resources at:

http://my.dynamic-learning.co.uk/Default.aspx?cid=15451

Homework
Building the marketing mix - click here to get yourself ready for the 4P's of marketing

Set 8th December 2011 Due in 13th December 2011

Extension exercises
Marketing knowledge - so you fancy a job in marketing - click here

Exam Technique Masterclass with Mr Drake

Production methods for manufacturing and providing a service

Learning Outcome

1. By the end of this session you should know what is meant by: Methods of Production that a business can use (Paper 1)
2. How production can be carried out effectivly (Paper 1)
3. The quality issues involved in production (Paper 1)
4. The advantages and disadvantages of flow production techniques (Paper 2)
5. The meaning of efficiency (Paper 2)
6. Lean production techniques (Paper 2)

First Task
Decide how you will underpin your knowledge for today's lesson - by doing so you are building your learning power.  You may choose to use a traditional text book as there is nothing wrong with that if your an auditory learner.  You might like to use the e-resources if your a visual learner or you might like to get a team of people together and collaborate your preparation and planning to create your best 9 mark article in the big task below if your a kinesthetic learner


Resources available 24/7

• DoingBusinesswithMrT 
• AQA Business Studies core text pg's 109 - 115 for Paper 1 theory
• and pages 224-229 for Paper 2 theoryor the e-resources that you have now started using online by clicking the link below:

http://my.dynamic-learning.co.uk/Default.aspx?cid=15451

• why not try clicking on the link above and do the activities related to the e-book based on running a business from home - pg 73-75 for Paper 1 theory - BBC iplayer
• the Fire Fly example in Chapter 7 pg 32-35 provides Paper 2 theory

Second task - Paper 1 Revision
Testing your own knowledge. So you think your a 'Production Methods' Paper 1 expert why not test yourself here to see worksheet followed by the 'Productivity' worksheet Paper 1

Third task.  Paper 2 development of knowledge
You might by now think that you are a paper two expert so why not see what yo know and identify what you don't know by:


Preparing for Paper 2
Lean Production - click here

Homework - Revise like mad...

Using the e-resources and the core text book revise for the TWO paper one exams you will have next week.  Mock exam preparation.  I have booked you in for TWO paper one Mocks one will be on:

• P5 Wednesday 7th December 2011 - 1 hour
• P3 Thursday 8th December 2011 - 1 hour - sadly our lesson
• REAL Paper 1 RESIT 10th January 1012

You might start to identify what you don't know based on your summer exam result and your current performance !


Good luck and Enjoy
Happy Wednesday and make me proud !
Mr T

Come and get 'em..

Achieving P5 and aspiring beyound a PASS

Good morning year 9


as promised we are now all ready to tackle P5 and in your magazine

'explain the characteristics of the local business environement' 

There are TWO MERIT tasks and ONE DISTICTION TASK - see assignment attached.  If you are targeted for an A or A* this is what you should be working towards.  If your targeted a B you should at least tackle the MERIT work.  I have updated the blog marksheet with your work to date.

You have been asked by a family friend to research why they should relocate their business from Europe.  They have a thriving RESTAURANT business in MALTA but family in the UK are not well and they may soon need to take care of them but the wife who is SPANISH will need tempting to move to the UK


Task 1
Working in groups carry out the following tasks:

• Use the UKTI website and click here to find out SIX reasons why the UK is a good place in which to do business. Then investigate the characteristics of the business environment of your own area of Oxford.  This means identify the range and types of businesses that operate there, the types of markets they serve, any important trends in those markets and any important trends in those markets and which sectors of industry are growing and declining. This local Oxford City Council web page of STATISTICS and data should help so click here and open the Oxford Profile Key Facts 2012 PDF better still why not use this years key facts by clicking HERE

• Then carry out a regulations checklist on the Busienss Link website to identify examples of the laws and regulations that your family friend must comply with if she is to bring her restaurant business back to the UK. Provide your own answers to the supplementary questions that the website may ask such as, will the restaurant play music or provide an outside seating area etc.  Click here

• Then on your OWN prepare a convincing argument why your friend should relocate their business to your region of the UK including an explanation of the characteristics of your local business environment. Then email it .  You can either include your argument in your email or send them as a separate attachment.

You could always present your argument to the class and vote on which group would be most likely to persuade your family friend to leave Malta and relocate back to the UK  .

That's it Unit 1 delivered and ready for you to get the grade that matches your target grade.  
Well done and good luck your all fab


Happy Monday


Mr T

Getting my Career Development Plan right in the controlled assessment

He Guys and girls


let me know if this helps.  Click here and complete yours. A template here might prove helpful


when completing your CDP with SMART objectives also.


Interviews next week.  Remember you are preparing for your chosen job role.


CV and letter of application submitted.  Try to research the job and Ill arrange a list of interview times


during next Friday.  To be carried out between Mr C & Mr T


Happy Friday


Mr T

Prepping the Fountain