Business Studies
Introduction

Economic growth and personal financial empowerment are largely dependent on the positive contribution of both business and individuals to the economy. Business takes place in an inherently complex context that requires informed, imaginative, participative, contributing and reflective business practitioners who can dynamically perform a range of interdependent business operations.

Business Studies deals with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values critical for informed, productive, ethical and responsible participation in the formal and informal economic sectors. The subject encompasses business principles, theory and practice that underpin the development of entrepreneurial initiatives, sustainable enterprises and economic growth.

Curriculum Outline
Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12

Business Studies has the following core features: 

Business Environments:
This feature focuses on the different elements of the macro, micro and market business environments, as well as the complex and diverse nature of business sectors.  Learners must demonstrate knowledge and analyse the impact of changing and challenging environments on business practice in all sectors.

Business Ventures:
This feature focuses on the development of important factors that contribute to the creation of sustainable business enterprises. A key feature is the development of creative entrepreneurs who can identify and responsibly pursue productive business opportunities.   Learners must identify and research viable business opportunities and explore these and related issues through the creation of achievable business ventures.

Business Roles:
This feature covers the essential roles that learners need to perform in a variety of business contexts. Learners must be able to demonstrate and apply contemporary knowledge and skills to fulfil a variety of business roles.

Business Operations:
This feature should equip learners with the knowledge and skills to manage essential business operations such as human resources, public relations, marketing and production effectively. These need to be developed within the context of relevant legislation and contemporary issues.  Learners must demonstrate and apply a range of management skills and specialised knowledge to perform business operations successfully.

Progression in terms of the expected performance from one grade to another will ensure a high level of knowledge and skills. The content and context of each grade will also show progression from simple to complex.

Skills taught in Business Studies

This course will enhance the ability of a student to understand her “economic environment”.  Business Studies is a practical subject and the learner has therefore to become acquainted with all the activities, which illustrate the practical nature of the subject, such as commercial reports, articles in the newspapers and periodicals and examples from daily life.

Achievement of the Business Studies Learning Outcomes equips learners with a sound foundation to participate in future business, commerce and management studies, to enter business or to create self-employment.
 
Business Studies will ensure that learners:

• acquire and apply essential business knowledge, skills and principles to conduct business in changing business environments productively and profitably;
• create business opportunities, creatively solve problems and take risks, respecting the rights of others and environmental sustainability;
• apply basic leadership and management skills and principles while working with others to accomplish business goals;
• be motivated, self-directed, reflective lifelong learners who responsibly manage themselves and their activities while working towards business goals;
• be committed to developing themselves and others through business opportunities and ventures.

In addition to being able to secure formal employment, learners need to be in a position to pursue sustainable entrepreneurial and self-employment career pathways. Business Studies also forms the foundation for further business learning opportunities. Business Studies encompasses relevant and contemporary theory and competence essential for promoting excellence and contributing towards sustainable business enterprises. It embraces constitutional goals and objectives through promoting accessible, legitimate and entrepreneurial business opportunities. The subject also provides opportunities for learners to consider present-day challenges within the South African policy framework. Skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, creative thinking, systems thinking and effective communication in a competitive and constantly changing environment are critical to this subject.

Enrichment and Special Events
The Grade 10 learners participate in “Discussion Fridays”. They are required to scan the media for current issues as topics of discussion.  Different opinions are valued and debating different viewpoints encouraged. This develops analytical thinking skills and substantiation of statements which are essential skills in answering Business Studies papers.

The Grade 11 learners participate in the JSE/ Liberty Life Challenge. The JSE Investment Challenge is an investment game for students where they learn the fundamentals of investing on the JSE. Participating teams test their share-trading skills through an on-going annual simulated trading programme in which their performance is tracked and measured over six months.