Senior Syllabus
Business Organisation
and Management
2007
ISBN: 978-1-920749-31-6
Business Organisation and Management
This syllabus is approved for general implementation until 2014, unless otherwise stated.
To be used for the first time with Year 11 students in 2008.
© The State of Queensland (Queensland Studies Authority) 2007
Queensland Studies Authority, PO Box 307, Spring Hill, Queensland 4004, Australia
Phone: (07) 3864 0299
Fax: (07) 3221 2553
Email: office@qsa.qld.edu.au
Website: www.qsa.qld.edu.au
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Contents
1.
Rationale ........................................................................................................... 1
2.
Global aims ....................................................................................................... 2
3.
General objectives ............................................................................................ 3
3.1 Knowledge and understanding .................................................................. 3
3.2 Reflection processes ................................................................................. 3
3.3 Action skills ................................................................................................ 3
3.4 Values and ethics ...................................................................................... 4
4.
Course organisation ......................................................................................... 5
4.1 Time allocation .......................................................................................... 5
4.2 Units of study ............................................................................................. 5
4.2.1 Elective study ................................................................................. 5
4.3 Sequencing and integration of units ........................................................... 6
4.4 Required components of each unit of study ............................................... 6
4.5 Composite classes ..................................................................................... 6
4.6 Work program requirements ...................................................................... 7
5.
Course content ................................................................................................. 8
The nature of business (NB) ............................................................................... 8
Organisations and management (OM) .............................................................. 10
Entrepreneurship (EN) ...................................................................................... 11
Marketing management (MK) ............................................................................ 13
Operations management (OP) .......................................................................... 15
Human resource management (HR) ................................................................. 17
Financial management (FM) ............................................................................. 19
Business plan (BP) ........................................................................................... 21
Elective study (EL) ............................................................................................ 23
Reflection processes (RP) ................................................................................ 24
Action skills (AS) ............................................................................................... 26
6.
Learning experiences ..................................................................................... 28
6.1 Learning contexts .................................................................................... 28
6.2 Group-oriented learning activities ............................................................ 28
6.3 Experiential learning strategies ................................................................ 28
7.
Assessment ..................................................................................................... 29
7.1 Underlying principles of exit assessment ................................................. 29
7.2 Planning an assessment program ............................................................ 31
7.2.1 Special consideration ................................................................... 32
7.2.2 Authentication of student work ...................................................... 32
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Suggested assessment techniques ......................................................... 32
7.3.1 Objective and short answer responses ........................................ 32
7.3.2 Response to stimulus material ..................................................... 33
7.3.3 Extended written response ........................................................... 33
7.3.4 Project and practical work ............................................................ 34
7.3.5 Business plan .............................................................................. 34
7.3.6 Non-written responses ................................................................. 35
7.3.7 Observation of performance ......................................................... 35
Exit criteria ............................................................................................... 36
Requirements for verification ................................................................... 36
7.5.1 Post-verification assessment ....................................................... 36
Determining exit levels of achievement .................................................... 37
Standards associated with exit criteria ..................................................... 38
8.
Language education ....................................................................................... 39
8.1 Conventions of communication ................................................................ 39
8.2 Specific language genres in Business Organisation and Management .... 39
9.
Quantitative concepts and skills ................................................................... 41
10.
Educational equity .......................................................................................... 42
11.
Resources ....................................................................................................... 43
Text and reference books ................................................................................. 43
World Wide Web ............................................................................................... 43
Newspaper reports ........................................................................................... 43
Periodicals ........................................................................................................ 43
Electronic media and learning technology ......................................................... 44
Organisations and community resources .......................................................... 44
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................... 45
Reflective Participant Study Design .................................................................. 45
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................... 46
Sample course and assessment overview A ..................................................... 46
Sample student profile A ................................................................................... 47
Sample course organisation B .......................................................................... 48
Sample assessment plan B .............................................................................. 49
Sample student profile B ................................................................................... 50
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
1. Rationale
Australian business organisations have a leading position in society, and in personal and
professional life. Through this syllabus, young people have the opportunity to develop an
appreciation of issues challenging business organisations and managers locally, nationally and
globally. Business practices include the use of innovation, entrepreneurial creativity, strategic
planning, management, marketing, and information and communication technologies.
In an increasingly dynamic and global society, it is important for young people to be able to
make informed and rational decisions about business organisation and management. Business is
pervasive, and study of this subject sets a foundation for success irrespective of future pathways.
The syllabus promotes awareness of ethical, and economically and environmentally sustainable
business practices.
The context of business provides a realistic setting in which the student’s understanding of
organisation and management can be developed as it applies not only to business organisations
but also to the student’s personal life.
This syllabus contributes to developing an enterprising culture in Australia and identifies
contributions that such a culture could make to improving economic and community wellbeing.
Through this subject, young people should develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of
informed, critical observers or stakeholders — that is reflective participants. This means that
participants reflect upon their interactions with business, its organisation and its management. An
illustration of the reflective participant study design can be found in Appendix 1.
To become active and reflective participants in the community, young people require
knowledge of and proficiency in the skills of business management. In this context, students
develop a range of intellectual, technological and operational skills, including the key
competencies.1
1
KC1: collecting, analysing and organising information; KC2: communicating ideas and information;
KC3: planning and organising activities; KC4: working with others and in teams;
KC5: using mathematical ideas and techniques; KC6: solving problems; KC7: using technology.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
2. Global aims
By the end of this course, students should have developed:
 awareness of the significance of organisations in Australia in serving the needs of
individuals, businesses and society
 appreciation and understanding of the role of management in promoting the effective
performance of organisations
 understanding of how stakeholders interact with business organisations, and the impact and
outcomes of these relationships
 skills to evaluate, from different perspectives, the effectiveness of business organisations and
management
 appreciation of the different values and beliefs underpinning decision making
 willingness and capacity to accomplish goals through the effective use of technologies,
interpersonal skills and communication
 ability to plan and initiate actions that aim to influence stakeholders within business
environments.
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SENIOR SYLLABUS
3. General objectives
3.1
Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding involves comprehension and retrieval of information.
At the completion of the course of study, students should be able to demonstrate, in a range of
dynamic business environments, knowledge and understanding of:
 business ideas, concepts, techniques, and theories
 functions and processes of organisations and management
 active participation of business stakeholders
 planning and conduct of business activities.
3.2
Reflection processes
Reflection processes involve evaluating interactions within business organisations and
environments and deciding on strategies for further action. This involves examining alternative
courses of action and making informed choices. Students should use conventions of
communication in all responses (see section 8.1).
At the completion of the course of study, students should be able to demonstrate:
 strategic planning
 decision making
 problem solving
 critical thinking
 information processing and communication.
See Section 5 for clarification and detail on Reflection processes.
3.3
Action skills
Action skills involve putting plans into action to achieve specified outcomes. Active
participation in an organisational setting requires the collaboration and cooperation of others.
Planning skills, various modes of presentation and interpersonal skills are necessary for
effective participation.
At the completion of the course of study, students should be able to:
 plan
 advocate
 negotiate
 work in a team
 resolve conflict
 collect and present information.
See Section 5 for clarification and detail on Action skills.
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3.4
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Values and ethics
Values and ethics influence the decisions and actions of stakeholders.
By the completion of this course, students should:
 be aware of the potentially conflicting values and ethics of stakeholders
 think critically about the ways businesses are managed and organised
 appreciate the contributions that effective entrepreneurship, management and organisation
make to communities
 appreciate the need for ethical conduct and social responsibility in business practice
 appreciate the value of management knowledge and skills in personal and working life
Values and ethics are the affective objectives of the syllabus and though they are not directly
assessed, they underpin and inform all other objectives.
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4. Course organisation
4.1
Time allocation
The minimum number of hours of timetabled school time, including assessment, for a course of
study developed from this syllabus is 55 hours per semester. A course of study will usually be
completed over two years (220 hours).
As a guide to the time allocation for each unit of study, a range of hours is recommended.
4.2
Units of study
This syllabus comprises eleven mandatory units of study. These units are listed below.
 NB Nature of business
10–15 hours
 OM Organisations and management 10–15 hours
 EN Entrepreneurship
10–15 hours
 MK Marketing management
20–25 hours
 OP Operations management
20–25 hours
 HR Human resource management
20–25 hours
 FN Financial management
20–25 hours
 BP Business plan
20–25 hours
 EL Elective study (see 4.2.1)
20–25 hours
Reflection processes and Action skills are to be integrated and progressively developed
throughout the course. They should not be delivered as separate entities, rather as underpinning
knowledge and skills within the units of study. The time allocation provided refers to time to be
allocated over the whole course.
 RP Reflection processes
20–25 hours
 AS Action skills
20–25 hours
4.2.1
Elective study
One elective study is to be developed. For example:
 international business
 e-business
 agribusiness
 local industry study
 management of not-for-profit organisations
 business venture
 a school-developed elective.
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4.3
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Sequencing and integration of units
Schools may integrate and/or vary the sequence of units to best suit their own teaching and
learning circumstances but must ensure that minimum and maximum time allocations are
maintained, and that:
 either Nature of business (NB) or Organisations and management (OM) is delivered at the
beginning of the course
 neither of these units is delivered as the last unit of the course
 Business Plan (BP) is completed in Year 12.
4.4
Required components of each unit of study
Understandings, suggested subject matter and suggested learning experiences for each unit are
provided in Section 5. All understandings must be covered, but choices of specific subject
matter, learning contexts and experiences are at the school’s discretion. These choices must:
 achieve the intent of the syllabus as outlined in the rationale, global aims and objectives of
the syllabus
 be of sufficient depth and scope to facilitate development of all the understandings.
4.5
Composite classes
In some schools it may be necessary to combine students into a composite Year 11 and 12 class.
This syllabus provides teachers with an opportunity to develop a course of study that caters for a
variety of circumstances such as combined Year 11 and 12 classes, combined campuses, or
modes of delivery involving periods of student-directed study.
The multilevel nature of such classes can prove advantageous to teaching and learning because
it provides opportunities to:
 use peer teaching
 maximise the flexibility of the syllabus
 mix multilevel group work with independent work on appropriate occasions
 structure learning experiences and assessment to allow both Year 11 and Year 12 students to
consider the key concepts and ideas at the level appropriate to their needs.
The following guidelines may prove helpful in designing a course of study for a composite class:
 The course of study could be written in a Year A/Year B format, if the school intends to
teach the same topic to both cohorts.
 A topic that will allow new Year 11 students easy entry into the course could be placed at the
beginning of each year.
 Learning experiences and assessment items need to cater for both year levels throughout the
course. Even though tasks may be similar for both year levels, it is recommended that more
extended and/or complex tasks be used with Year 12 students.
Table 5.2 illustrates how a course could be organised for a composite class in Business
Organisation and Management.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
Table 5.2
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Sample course organisation for a composite class in Business Organisation
and Management
(Note: Reflection processes and Action skills are integrated and progressively developed throughout the
entire course.)
4.6
Students
Year A — Semester 1
Year 11 & 12
Nature of business
Year 11 & 12
Entrepreneurship
Year 11 & 12
Operations management
Students
Year A — Semester 2
Year 12 only
Business plan
Year 11 only
Elective study
Year 11 & 12
Human resource management
Students
Year B — Semester 1
Year 11 & 12
Organisations and management
Year 11 & 12
Financial management
Students
Year B — Semester 1
Year 12 only
Business plan
Year 11 only
Elective study
Year 11 & 12
Marketing management
Work program requirements
A work program is the school’s plan of how the course will be delivered and assessed, based on
the school’s interpretation of the syllabus. It allows for the special characteristics of the
individual school and its students.
The school’s work program must meet all syllabus requirements and must demonstrate that
there will be sufficient scope and depth of student learning to meet the general objectives and
the exit standards.
Requirements for work program approval can be accessed from the Queensland Studies
Authority’s website (www.qsa.qld.edu.au). This information should be consulted before writing
a work program. Updates of the requirements for work program approval may occur
periodically.
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SENIOR SYLLABUS
5. Course content
The tables that follow provide details of each unit. See Section 4, Course organisation, for the
required sequence and integration of units.
Nature of business (NB)
The purpose of this unit is to develop understandings about the nature and role of business in the
Australian free enterprise economy. It examines key business functions, and the different forms
of business organisation that a business may adopt to perform these functions and achieve its
goals. External constraints and the demands of businesses’ many different stakeholders are
taken into account.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Business operates within the context of a
dynamic economic system to serve the
community in both economic and non-economic
roles.
The business organisation
 The roles of business
 production, employment, careers, enterprise,
investment
 the economic system
 stakeholder interests
 A variety of groups are stakeholders in the
effective conduct of businesses, although each
may have different criteria for effectiveness.
 Production efficiency and the creation of profit are
primary goals of business organisations but they
are not the only criteria of business success.
 Business goals
 stakeholders
 profit, efficiency, effectiveness, social
responsibility
 The business activities of an organisation
relate to the management and conduct of
marketing, operations, finance and human
resources.
 Legal forms of business
 sole trader
 partnership
 company
 Business is structured in a legal form chosen
to suit the type of business.
 Business functions
 marketing
 operations
 human resources
 finance.
 Operation and management of a business
organisation are affected by the nature,
demands and actions of its internal and
external environments and stakeholders.
 The organisational culture, often expressed in
a firm’s mission statement, helps people in the
organisation understand the way business is
conducted in the firm.
The business environment
 Internal
 corporate culture and values
 business ethics
 Business decisions and behaviour often
involve ethical considerations, which may
conflict with profit considerations.
 External
 political
 legal
 economic
 cultural
 technological
 ecological.
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment opportunities
 Investigate a local business (or businesses). Chart history, structures, operations and lifecycle.
 Investigate a number of local organisations (size, goals, stakeholders, legal structure). Identify
similarities and differences.
 Examine public company annual reports and identify vision, mission statement and prime function.
Identify areas of social responsibility and resulting strategies.
 Construct organisational charts for the school, local organisations and local business. Write a report
on these structures and suggest areas for improvement.
 Undertake research and prepare reports on current issues affecting business environments.
 Survey the parents, teachers, principal, students and support staff of the school. Find out the criteria
they use to judge the effectiveness of the school. Compare the criteria.
 Write vision and mission statements.
 Develop a local business directory.
 Develop community liaisons with small business, enterprise centres and so on.
 Visit a business to observe its operation.
 Participate in debates on controversial issues affecting business environments.
 Use a software package to present a report and graphs on local business statistics.
 Adopt a business or find a business mentor.
 Conduct a business ownership survey within the local shopping centres.
 Graph business lifecycles.
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Organisations and management (OM)
Organisations are influenced by people, structure, strategy, technology and environments. The
functions of management are to plan, organise, lead and control these interdependent
components to ensure that the organisation operates effectively.
This unit examines the role of organisations, management functions, and different management
theories and approaches.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Organisations enable people to achieve
objectives that they cannot achieve individually.
The nature of organisations
 Organisations require people, strategy,
technology and interaction with their
environments if they are to function effectively.
 Elements of an organisation
 people
 structure: features, types, organisational
charts
 strategy: SWOT analysis (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats),
strategic planning and decisions
 environment: internal and external
 technology: production technologies,
information systems.
 An organisation establishes a structure to
allocate, coordinate and control the work and
responsibilities of its individuals and groups.
 The organisational structure is designed to
support the organisation’s purpose, strategies,
technologies and environment.
 The manager’s job is to ensure the effective
and efficient use of human and physical
resources to achieve the organisation’s
objectives.
 Managers use planning, organising, leading
and controlling to achieve organisational
objectives.
 Managers require technical, interpersonal, and
thinking skills and processes to plan, lead,
organise, control, and to manage change.
 The way managers practise management in
particular circumstances, implicitly or explicitly,
reflects management theory.
 The concept and role of organisations
The nature of management
 The meaning of management
 Management functions
 planning, organising, leading, controlling
 Managing change
 Levels of management
 Approaches to management
 management theories
 management styles.
Suggested learning experiences and assessment opportunities
 Invite managers at different levels and from different organisations to address the class on work
tasks, styles of management and so on. Analyse similarities and differences.
 Interview managers at different levels and from different organisations. Report on personal profiles,
planning strategies etc. Include teachers and associated administrators from the school.
 Prepare SWOT analyses for individuals, the school, and local organisations.
 Use management tools such as SWOT, decision trees, to develop strategies for managing change.
 Analyse applications of management theory, philosophy, styles, skills in different work contexts.
 Profile the organisational structures of local organisations.
 Interview local business identities.
 Develop an agenda for a business conference or seminar and invite speakers from the local community.
 Roleplays, such as conflict resolution strategies, various management styles.
 Address Year 10 students on an aspect of the Business Organisation and Management course.
 Attend a business breakfast within the local community.
 Prepare a portfolio of articles and analyse their relationship to organisations and management.
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Entrepreneurship (EN)
The purpose of this unit is to develop understanding of the nature of entrepreneurship. There are
different motivations for and ways of entering business. This unit examines these, weighing up
benefits and costs, and identifying the rewards and risks of entrepreneurship.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 People are motivated to establish and develop
businesses for a variety of reasons, but not all
people are suited to starting and operating their
own business.
The meaning of entrepreneurship
 Entrepreneurial skills
 Traits of an entrepreneur
 Although no universal list of traits describes
every entrepreneur, there are common traits
among many successful entrepreneurs.
 Business entrepreneurship
 motives
 determinants of success and failure
 Entrepreneurial behaviour and skills are
applicable to a variety of individual and
organisational settings, including large, medium
and small businesses.
 Intrapreneurship and the entrepreneurial
organisation.
 Management competence and a systematic
approach are factors that enable an
entrepreneur to manage risk and achieve
business success.
 The business cycle
 A business enterprise passes through phases
of the business cycle as it develops.
 Selecting the most appropriate pathway to
enter business requires consideration and
evaluation of goals, resources and
environments.
 Businesses must comply with legal and
registration requirements.
 It is important for entrepreneurs to know when,
how and where to seek advice.
Business entry
 Valuing a business
 Sources of advice
 networks
 government agencies
 industry associations
 professionals e.g. solicitors, accountants
 Pathways
 buying an existing business
 investing in an existing business
 starting a new business
 inheriting a business
 franchising
 Legal requirements, for example:
 registration and licences
 employment
 consumer protection
 intellectual property
 torts, contract and consumer law
 Risk management
 insurance
 security
 finance
 abilities
 feasibility
 commitment.
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Interview a business owner to ascertain personal traits and determinants of success or failure.
 Develop and/or undertake a self-evaluation test for entrepreneurship.
 Survey local businesses and prepare a comparative report on structure, form of ownership, reasons
for starting the business etc.
 Prepare a guide for potential entrepreneurs.
 Select a particular type of business and prepare a case study that investigates the legal requirements
and government regulations to establish this type of business.
 Compare and contrast different pathways to enter business.
 Retrieve information about entrepreneurs from the internet.
 Conduct a franchise survey within the local area.
 In a team, create a business name and logo.
 Use software to graph reasons for small business failure.
 Prioritise tasks for establishing a business.
 Examine the media for information on the purchase of franchises.
 Set an agenda and chair a school planning committee.
 Invite speakers to address the class on business issues such as legal compliance or intellectual property.
 Set up a small business venture.
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Marketing management (MK)
Successful marketing is essential for business success. Although there are different approaches to
marketing, it essentially means being consumer focused. In a competitive environment,
organisations need the continued support of stakeholders. Organisations must continually research
the market, and tailor products, ideas and services to satisfy the changing needs and wants of
consumers and society. Social responsibility, values and ethics also impact on marketing.
This unit examines organisations’ marketing strategies and planning activities. Effectiveness of
the marketing process is evaluated by assessing how well the needs of both the organisation and
its stakeholders are satisfied.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Marketing is a group of interrelated activities
designed to identify and satisfy consumer wants
and needs, and achieve organisational objectives.
Concept of marketing
 The nature of marketing
 marketing functions
 marketing in different contexts
 Marketing orientations
 production
 selling
 consumer
 societal
 relationships
 Marketing environment
 consumerism
 regulation, e.g. privacy
 social costs and benefits
 ethics
 technology
 Consumer behaviour.
Marketing mix
 Product
 product concept
 product lifecycle
 product portfolio
 Price
 objectives and tactics
 approaches
 Promotion
 objective
 methods
 promotional mix
 Place
 distribution channels
 physical distribution.
Marketing strategy
 Market research
 research process
 primary and secondary data
 data collection methods
 Marketing strategies
 target marketing
 market segmentation
 marketing mix
 Marketing plan
 purpose
 components.
 Marketing principles are applicable to all types
of organisations.
 Different orientations to marketing have evolved
and organisations may choose an orientation
most appropriate to their market.
 The generally accepted marketing mix is a set of
variables — price, product, promotion and
place. Organisations use the marketing mix in to
attempt to achieve their objectives.
 Marketing decisions should respond to changes
in consumer behaviour to achieve objectives.
 Effective marketing is a source of competitive
advantage to a firm.
 Ethics and social responsibility should be
important concerns in marketing decisions.
 Consumerism, government regulation and selfregulation guide marketing practices.
 A marketing strategy involves analysis, selecting
a target market and creating an appropriate
marketing mix to satisfy the target market.
 Marketing planning provides a systematic way
of assessing marketing opportunities,
determining marketing strategies and effectively
implementing and evaluating these strategies.
 Marketing research provides data to help
identify marketing opportunities and assess
marketing strategies.
 Changing technologies provide marketing
opportunities and affect marketing strategies.
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Evaluate the design and implementation of a market survey in terms of the code of ethics governing
market research agencies.
 Evaluate the marketing activities of an organisation in terms of social responsibility.
 Examine advertisements or packaging for a variety of products or services. Investigate whether
claims of ‘new’ or ‘improved’ products are valid.
 Visit different types of shops and observe their promotions of a particular product. Record various
marketing methods and comment on differences.
 Identify the pricing strategies adopted by several organisations. Assess whether the pricing objectives
are to maximise profit, market share or product positioning.
 Systematically record on a timeline all the activities involved in the actual purchase of a relatively
expensive article of clothing or an electrical appliance. Group the activities in sequence under the
headings: problem recognition, information seeking, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision,
post-decision evaluation.
 Prepare and/or implement a marketing plan for a particular product. Record in your learning journal the
team activities undertaken in developing and implementing the market plan. Reflect on the effectiveness of
the team in achieving assigned goals. What factors enhanced or inhibited the effectiveness of the team?
 Investigate different businesses in the same market and compare and contrast different marketing
orientations used.
 Survey local businesses and prepare a list of environmental factors affecting their marketing strategy.
Classify the factors as: demographic, economic, competition, cultural, political, legal, technological.
 Identify a local marketing problem. Clarify the issue and determine procedures to initiate and mobilise
group action to encourage acceptable alternatives.
 Identify market research goals in a particular situation and prepare relevant market research questions.
 Construct a flowchart identifying the stages and procedures necessary to lodge a complaint or a
claim with the appropriate professional, industrial or government body (ombudsman, Office of
Fair Trading, etc.)
 Roleplay selling processes or the handling of customer complaints.
 Collect the information on the labels of food packages. Assess whether the regulations on food
labelling have been adhered to. Determine whether the consumer has been given useful and
meaningful information.
 Debate one of these topics:
 ‘Freedom of choice or government restrictions’
 ‘Marketing costs too much’
 ‘Ethics are not important in marketing’.
 Prepare a chart comparing prices of canteen products to those of the local business community.
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Operations management (OP)
The production function plays a central role in organisations, whether they produce goods or
services. Business organisations are established with the basic purpose of converting various types of
inputs into products desired by customers. To achieve organisational goals, production facilities and
systems must be designed and managed to ensure the most efficient use of resources.
This unit examines the choices and procedures involved in the design and management of
business operations. Strategic issues relating to operations include efficiency, effectiveness,
quality, technology, innovation, and conservation of resources.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Operations management is concerned with
planning, developing and controlling the
activities involved in creating a product.
Concept of operations management
 Two phases of operations management are
strategic planning, and operational planning and
control.
 The strategic decisions of operations
management relate to decisions on product,
process technologies, facilities and quality.
 Operational planning and control relate to
implementation decisions on purchasing,
dispatching, inventory control, scheduling,
maintenance and quality control.
 Increasing productivity is an important concern
for operations managers. Managers can use
human and technological resources to enhance
productivity.
 The production technologies of line, batch and
cell require different work organisations,
material flows and labour skills.
 Goods and services differ according to the mix
of tangible and intangible attributes that
customers identify and desire.
 The management of production of services is
different from the management of production of
manufactured goods.
 Technology has an increasing role in production
and impacts on the nature of work.
 Operations management is influenced by
production philosophies such as just-in-time and
total quality management.
 Operations managers can employ scheduling
techniques to ensure materials are at the right
place at the right time.
 Ethical issues such as conservation,
environmental concerns, and offshore
production affect operations management.
 Production systems
 productivity
 transformations
 Operations management decisions
 strategic vs. planning decisions
 role of operations manager
 Goods vs. services operations
 differences between goods and services
 managing service operations
 Ethics and social responsibilities.
Operations management strategy
 Product choice
 product selection
 product definition
 Process choice
 production technologies
 process flow
 capacity
 Facilities choice
 location choice
 layout
 Quality choice
 approaches to quality control.
Planning and control
 Inventory management
 techniques
 inventory control
 Production control
 production planning and scheduling
 dispatching
 scheduling techniques
 outsourcing
 Maintenance
 corrective and preventative
 Quality control
 control measures.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Select a manufacturer and a service provider. Compare and contrast the methods used by each to
ensure quality control. Develop strategies to improve quality of the product or service.
 Classify the production systems of several manufacturing sites. Identify the factors underlying the
choice of system.
 Investigate and analyse use of inventory control in fast food restaurants.
 Visit a local professional service provider such as a doctor, accountant or real estate agent. Examine
and report on the physical layout of the premises, appointment scheduling system and application of
technology.
 Devise a strategy to motivate employees to maintain maximum service quality in a service industry
with a high client–employee contact rate.
 Invite a guest speaker from a local business to describe their strategies to monitor and evaluate
processes and technologies.
 Choose two businesses (one each from manufacturing and services sectors). Describe the plant,
technology and resources used to run the business.
 Prepare a report on a local firm to describe how the business monitors and controls performance.
 Investigate e-business operations.
 Evaluate the impact of Australian businesses moving operations overseas.
 Conduct a small business venture in your school to produce a product.
 Debate ‘ethics before profits’.
 Construct a schedule for publishing the school magazine.
 Develop a feasibility study for development, production and marketing of a product.
 Construct a flowchart for a consumer service.
 Conduct a roleplay negotiating resolution of a product quality issue.
 Prepare a press release justifying closure of bank branches as a result of strategic decisions.
 Research and observe some equipment at your school (office, ground maintenance, etc.) and
prepare a report on the maintenance schedule for the equipment so that it contributes effectively to
the overall operation of the organisation or business.
 Advocate the importance of environmental protection and responsible operations from the point of
view of a conservation group.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Human resource management (HR)
People are central to business organisations. The effectiveness of any organisation depends on
the people who work in it and how well these human resources are managed. Understanding of
job motivation and the principles of job design are essential. Human resource management is
closely monitored and regulated by stakeholders because of the importance of work in serving
personal, social and economic needs.
This unit examines the understandings, strategies and procedures used in the effective
management of people at work.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Human resource management (HRM) involves a
set of interrelated activities aimed at attracting,
motivating, developing and retaining the
appropriate mix of human resources.
Concept of human resource management
 An organisation’s strategic plan influences HRM.
 A skilled and motivated workforce is essential to
organisational success.
 Evolving HRM concepts
 approaches and theories
 strategic importance
 role of the HR manager
 People and work
 motivation, satisfaction and performance
 teamwork
 job design
 Job analysis is a necessary prerequisite to
recruitment and selection processes.
 Human resource environment
 internal factors
 external factors.
 Understanding motivation theories is important
in managing human resources.
 Performance appraisal provides feedback to
employees and the organisation to help make
objective decisions about rewards, training and
development needs.
Human resource planning
 Planning process
 employment cycle
 job analysis
 Training and development enhances achievement
of personal and organisational goals.
 Effective HRM enhances knowledge management
and change management within organisations.
 HRM is affected by internal and external factors
including social, economic, technological, ethical
and legislative issues.
 The social and economic goals of management
and employees may differ.
 The relative bargaining power of management
and employees is affected by various factors
such as the extent of unionisation, government
regulation, demand and supply.
 Attraction and development
 recruitment, selection and induction
 training and development
 performance appraisal
 Maintenance and renewal
 rewards systems
 career planning
 turnover and attrition
 Change management
 Knowledge management.
Management–employee relations
 Communication and cooperation between
management and employees is essential to
achieve personal and organisational goals.
 Industrial relations (IR) systems
 value of good relations
 stakeholders in the IR system
 IR legislation
 IR instruments
 Industrial conflict
 nature and causes of industrial disputes
 means of resolution
 Workplace relations
 promoting harmonious relations
 policies and procedures
 terms of employment such as salaries, hours,
conditions.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Interview a human resource consultant on the validity and use of selection tests.
 Analyse labour market trends and industrial issues.
 Investigate job application processes to find similarities and differences.
 Interview a trade union representative about workplace issues.
 Develop job descriptions and specifications for a range of positions.
 Investigate the impact of change in HRM policy in a selected organisation.
 Write a report to identify obstacles to a change in work processes and suggest alternative solutions.
 Investigate workplace relations over the past 20 years and highlight key milestones and implications
for business managers and employees.
 Interview employees and identify reasons for job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Develop strategies for
improvement.
 Conduct a skills audit to profile the human resources of a firm, school or class.
 Examine how HRM policies link with identified business outcomes.
 Invite guest speakers to form a panel to discuss maintaining good industrial relations.
 Select a job advertisement and draw up the selection criteria.
 Write a letter to the principal to advocate a change in school uniform policy.
 Roleplay a job interview.
 Roleplay provision of feedback to an employee on job performance.
 Investigate the impact of nonverbal communication in the workplace.
 Investigate how stakeholders use the media to focus attention on industrial relations issues.
 Prepare a memo to staff about a change in policy.
 Develop an action plan to inform staff, students and parents about a harassment policy.
 Negotiate resolution of a workplace health and safety conflict situation between a manager and an
employee.
 Develop strategies for motivating different groups of staff.
 Prepare a personal curriculum vitae (résumé).
 Analyse selection criteria for a particular job.
 Prepare a response to selection criteria for a job.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Financial management (FM)
Effective financial management is necessary if organisations are to achieve their goals. The
purpose of this unit is to develop understandings about the nature and significance of financial
management.
In this unit, students interpret accounting records, rather than carry out complete accounting
processes.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 The objectives of financial management are
liquidity, profitability, risk minimisation and
growth. At times these objectives may be in
conflict.
The concept of financial management
 Attracting and managing finance is the key to
an organisation’s survival, growth and
achievement of goals.
 Sources of finance
 financial intermediaries
 short-term and long-term finance.
 Financial management is influenced by the
organisation’s legal structure and the external
environment in which it operates.
 Sources of finance can be internal and external,
local and global.
 Financial information systems are used for
business planning and control, and information
disclosure.
 Investment strategies should be based on the
evaluation of alternative projects or
investments.
 Financial strategy requires the choice of
appropriate types and amounts of finance.
 Risk management strategies are essential to
minimise loss.
 Budgeting is an essential tool for planning and
control.
 Usefulness of accounting information depends
on factors such as accuracy, reliability and
timeliness.
 Record-keeping is necessary to produce
financial statements and reports that enable the
financial position and profitability of the
organisation to be monitored regularly and meet
the needs of stakeholders.
 Importance and meaning
 role in the organisation
 the economic environment
Financial strategies and planning
 Investment strategy
 investment/project evaluation
 Financing strategy
 choosing the type of finance
 under- and over-capitalisation
 Risk management
 insurance
 preventive measures.
Financial systems and control
 Budget planning and control
 sales forecasting
 cash budgets
 Simplified accounting statements and reports
 balance sheets
 income statements
 cash flows
 Performance analysis and control
 financial ratio analysis
 financial control techniques.
 Analysis and interpretation of financial
statements provide indicators of the
performance and viability of a business and
allow industry comparisons.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Examine the role and responsibilities of a lending institution with regard to applications for business
finance. How does the institution meet these responsibilities?
 Investigate suitable finance options for purchasing an existing business.
 Complete an application for a business loan. Invite a representative from a financial institution to
speak to the group on what makes a successful application for a business loan. Reflect on how
successful your application would be.
 Roleplay the negotiation of a loan between an entrepreneur and a financial organisation.
 Conduct a survey to establish community views on the ethics of financial institutions.
 Evaluate the options a business operator has to obtain funds to procure plant, technology and
resources.
 Debate the effect of interest rate changes on a business enterprise.
 Investigate the effect of fees and charges from financial institutions levied on merchants.
 Examine print and electronic media advertisements of financial institutions offering business finance.
How would various stakeholders react to these advertisements?
 Participate in a computer-simulation exercise about financing a business based on established
activities, strategic goals and operational budgets of an enterprise (using spreadsheets, decision tree,
business simulation, and business planning).
 Prepare and analyse a cash budget and identify remedial action for potential cash flow problems.
 Analyse a case study of a business which will have an initial negative cash flow. Identify and evaluate
the most suitable type of finance for a business in this position.
 Investigate and evaluate risk management techniques used by businesses.
 Research the ways small businesses can go about having their debts collected (factoring, for
example)
 Obtain financial statements of a business and present a variance report to comment on actual
performance compared with budgeted performance.
 Access an accounting package to view sample financial reports.
 Use an organisation’s financial reports to determine different ratios. Compare these to industry
standards and provide comment.
 Investigate the impact of ineffective financial management or external factors which lead to a
business becoming insolvent.
 Participate in the Share Market Game organised by the Australian Stock Exchange.
 Select two mining and two industrial stocks. In a journal, chart their movement over the past six
months and suggest reasons for the “trends” shown by these stocks.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Business plan (BP)
A realistic business plan is critical to the success or failure of a business. A business plan sets
out how a business intends to achieve its desired outcomes.
This unit provides students with the opportunity to prepare a business plan, applying skills and
knowledge developed throughout the course.
Understandings
Suggested subject matter
 Planning is essential to success in a competitive
and constantly changing business environment.
Purpose of a business plan
 A business plan is a dynamic document used for
planning, developing and reviewing a business.
 A business plan establishes goals against which
the performance of the business can be
assessed for initial and ongoing viability.
 Effective planning and research
 objective planning tool
 management tool
 Consideration of stakeholder expectations
 Establishing goals
 milestones and key events
 strategic and operational
 The business plan provides a test of financial
feasibility of the business concept.
 Accounts for impact of internal and external
environments.
 A business plan demonstrates the viability of a
business opportunity for potential investors.
 A business plan should be constantly monitored,
evaluated and modified.
Business planning process
 A generally accepted format exists for a
business plan, though this may be modified to
suit the plan’s audience.
 Set goals and objectives
 Analyse business environments
 Establish strategies
 Implement the plan
 Research is critical to preparing a business
plan.
 Monitor performance
 Evaluate actual against planned performance
 A business plan should incorporate marketing,
human resources, financial and operational
considerations.
 Modify plan (if necessary).
A business plan includes:
 A business plan should include strategies to
meet organisational goals.
 Executive summary
 Mission statement
 Business profile
 Market and competition analysis
 Marketing plan
 Operations plan
 Human resource plan
 Financial plan and risk analysis.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Suggested learning experiences and assessment strategies
 Examine sample business plans.
 Search the internet for various business plan templates.
 Identify and search sources of primary and secondary data such as ABS, Austrade, Chamber of
Commerce, government agencies.
 Invite a guest speaker to discuss franchise businesses.
 Link with business mentors.
 Develop a business plan.
 Practise setting short- and long-term goals.
 Investigate risk factors and suggest strategies to minimise their impact.
 Research sources of business advice.
 Investigate ongoing education programs for business operators.
 Conduct market research, collate and analyse results.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Elective study (EL)
The elective study serves a number of purposes:
 provides opportunities to build on existing understandings, develop additional
understandings and enhance certain processes and skills
 provides for more in-depth study of particular units
 adds flexibility to the course, enabling use of particular school or community resources or
exploration of students’ interests.
One elective study is to be drawn from the following list:
 international business
 e-business
 agribusiness
 local industry study
 management of not-for-profit organisations
 business venture
 a school-developed elective.
This elective study may be integrated into one of the existing units in the course or included as a
discrete individual unit.
For the chosen elective study, schools are required to develop their own understandings as well
as specify the subject matter and learning experiences according to time allocations outlined in
section 4, Course organisation. Understandings, subject matter, and learning experiences should
reflect the rationale, global aims and general objectives of the syllabus.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Reflection processes (RP)
Reflection processes relate to thought processes focused on evaluating issues and deciding on
appropriate strategies for action. Reflection processes include deliberation and making informed
decisions about alternative courses of action. Students should use fluent, logical and coherent
expression in all responses.
Reflection processes should not be delivered as a separate unit, but integrated and
progressively developed throughout the course as underpinning knowledge and skills.
Refer to Section 4, Course organisation.
Process
Rationale
Strategic
planning
Strategic planning provides the
vision for the organisation,
influencing the development of
operational plans. Strategic
planning involves setting longrange goals and identifying
strategies to ensure those
goals are achieved.
Enabling components
 Setting goals and objectives
 Identifying skills and resources, and ranking
factors which influence the organisation’s ability
to achieve objectives
 Comparing resource profiles with the
requirements for success
 Determining opportunities and threats to the
achievement of objectives, including possible
stakeholder responses
 Forecasting results of strategies
 Identifying, evaluating and deciding upon
alternative strategies
 Managing risk
Decision
making
Decision making is a
prerequisite to putting ideas
into action. Decision making is
the process of judging and
selecting the best option.
 Stating the desired goal
 Developing criteria relevant to the situation
 Identifying obstacles to realising the goal
 Generating options to overcome obstacles
 Examining options in terms of resources, costs
and constraints
 Ranking options in terms of their probable
consequences
 Choosing the best options according to the
criteria
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
Component
Rationale
Problem
solving
Problem solving is the process
of seeking solutions and
exploring alternatives to
problems, in order to
recommend and implement the
best solution.
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Enabling components
 Clarifying the problem
 Collecting data
 Diagnosing causes
 Proposing solutions to the problem
 Testing alternative solutions
 Choosing the best solution
 Applying the solution
Critical
thinking
Critical thinking is about
adopting a questioning and
evaluative mindset. It involves
thinking independently to make
judgments about information
and make unbiased decisions.
 Reading and listening critically to detect bias
 Questioning deeply to clarify issues
 Evaluating the accuracy, credibility and reliability
of a statement, fact or source
 Distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant
information, claims or reasons
 Recognising contradictions and inconsistencies
in a line of reasoning
 Noting similarities and differences
 Considering implications and consequences of
ideas
 Analysing and evaluating arguments, policies,
assumptions, theories and solutions
Information
processing
and
communication
Information processing converts
raw data into meaningful
information which can be
appropriately used. Processing
data requires research and
analytical skills to ensure data
is meaningfully interpreted and
used.
 Planning the research process
 Formulating questions
 Developing a search strategy
 Choosing appropriate data sources
 Exploring and categorising data
 Collecting data
 Interpreting data
 Organising notes
 Deciding on appropriate presentation
 Citing sources using appropriate conventions
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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Action skills (AS)
Action skills relate to putting plans into action. Action skills involve accomplishing goals
through working with and influencing people through the skilful use of language and ideas.
Action skills should not be delivered as a separate unit, but integrated and progressively
developed throughout the course as underpinning knowledge and skills. Refer to Section 4,
Course organisation.
Component
Rationale
Planning
Action planning focuses on
achieving short-term, specific
objectives and identifies who
does what, when.
Enabling components
 Specifying short-term objectives
 Allocating tasks
 Managing time
 Achieving milestones
 Logging progress and critical events
 Monitoring progress
 Taking corrective action
Advocating
Advocating involves preparing
and presenting a persuasive
case to motivate people to
support a course of action or
accept a certain point of view.
Stakeholders need to advocate
to influence key decision makers
and to achieve the goals of the
organisation.
 Setting and communicating goals
 Acting openly and honestly
 Forming strategic alliances
 Understanding audience values, interests,
needs and perceptions
 Making proposals to introduce and clarify new
ideas
 Establishing legitimacy and authority by using
forms of proof
 Making messages easy to remember
 Encouraging audience participation
 Writing and speaking persuasively
Negotiating
Negotiating involves
communication between parties
with the aim of achieving
agreement and commitment to a
particular course of action.
In some cases, parties may
reach mutual agreement and
satisfaction. In other cases,
parties may have to compromise
to reach agreement. In others,
compromise and agreement
may not be reached if the
demands of the parties are
mutually unacceptable.
 Researching the issue and relevant parties
 Clarifying the nature of the conflict, issues and
likely scope of negotiation
 Establishing ground rules
 Choosing a position, and recognising the
positions of other parties
 Establishing common ground
 Identifying mutually beneficial trade-offs using
consensus and collaboration
 Maintaining the planned course of action despite
opposition
 Keeping a long-term perspective
 Maintaining initiative by asking questions, giving
information, making proposals and formulating
deals
 Sustaining credibility through consistent
behaviour
 Strengthening relationships by finding beneficial
outcomes for both parties
 Drafting a clear, written final agreement
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Component
Rationale
Enabling components
Working in a team
Teamwork is a cooperative effort
by a group of people to achieve
a common goal.
Team building involves helping
team members set realistic
goals, establishing rules and
responsibilities, encouraging
discussion and idea generation,
recognising and rewarding
success and effective
performance, as well as
challenging and encouraging
team members. Leaders must
work as part of the team.
 Accepting responsibility
 Being open and honest
 Supporting and contributing to team effort
 Experiencing different roles in group activities
 Understanding individual and cultural diversity
 Using effective communication skills such as
active listening and questioning
 Showing tolerance to other points of view
 Encouraging involvement of all group members
 Showing enthusiasm
 Taking an active part in planning and carrying
out team activities
 Negotiating and compromising to achieve results
 Managing conflict, criticism and confrontation
with others
 Sharing information
Resolving conflict
Resolving conflict means
overcoming differences to reach
mutual agreement. Constructively
managed, conflict has
considerable value in highlighting
problems and the need for
solutions. Poorly managed conflict
undermines morale and disrupts
organisations.
Structures and systems may be
established to reduce the
occurrence of destructive conflict.
Collecting and
presenting
information
Collecting and presenting
relevant information to support
plans for achieving specified
outcomes.
Collecting relevant primary and
secondary data, and presenting
it appropriately to help making
decisions and achieving
outcomes.
 Engaging in effective communication, such as
active listening and clear statement of facts
 Negotiating and compromising
 Dealing with difficult people and situations
assertively to avoid intimidation or being
provoked into an angry, emotional response
 Helping to repair damaged relationships and
rebuild trust and understanding
 Dealing with criticism as constructive, rather
than negative, feedback
 Defining the needs of the audience and purpose
of collecting data
 Collecting primary data (like surveys and
interviews) and presenting the results in a format
that helps put plans into action
 Accessing secondary data to provide evidence
to support actions
 Selecting categories or structures by which to
organise information
 Presenting the results of action in a mode or
form of communication that suits the context
and audience
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
6. Learning experiences
Learning experiences in Business Organisation and Management should be devised to provide
the opportunity to achieve the general objectives of the syllabus. Sample learning experiences
are provided in the syllabus for each unit in Section 5.
6.1
Learning contexts
The subject matter suggested for study in this syllabus may be drawn from or placed in a variety
of learning settings. The classroom and the school setting provide a number of contexts for
studying and practising Business Organisation and Management.
Outside the school setting students’ personal and vicarious experiences of the various roles in
business and non-business organisations give rise to many meaningful learning activities. The
local business community provides ready access to learning resources and a readily available
focus of study.
Learning activities used in these contexts could include:
 advisory councils
 guest speakers
 biographies
 group investigations
 case studies
 interviews
 citizen action
 leadership camps
 committee membership  media files
 debates
 multimedia presentations
 diagrams
 organisational charts and
flowcharts
 discussions

pod casting
 excursions
6.2








project planning
research assignments
roleplays
statistical analyses
surveys
webpage designs
work experience
work study
Group-oriented learning activities
Given the participatory nature of management and organisation, many of the required processes
and skills of the syllabus are best developed through group-based learning activities.
6.3
Experiential learning strategies
This syllabus encourages teachers to develop and adopt teaching and learning strategies which
promote reflective and active participation in the management and organisation of business.
Experiential learning strategies give an entrepreneurial quality to the process of management
and allow integration of a number of learning experiences. Included among these strategies are:
 business planning for a new or continuing enterprise
 managing a school-based business venture
 business management simulations and games
 entering business competitions
 use of new and emerging technologies.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
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7. Assessment
The purposes of assessment are to provide feedback to students and parents about learning that
has occurred, to provide feedback to teachers about the teaching and learning processes, and to
provide information on which to base judgments about how well students meet the general
objectives of the course. In designing an assessment program, it is important that the assessment
tasks, conditions and criteria are compatible with the general objectives and the learning
experiences. Assessment then is an integral aspect of a course of study. It can be formative or
summative. The distinction between formative and summative assessment lies in the purpose for
which that assessment is used.
Formative assessment is used to provide feedback to students, parents and teachers about
achievement over the course of study. This enables students and teachers to identify the
students’ strengths and weaknesses so students may improve their achievement and better
manage their own learning. The formative techniques used should be similar to summative
assessment techniques, which students will meet later in the course. This provides students with
experience in responding to particular types of tasks, under appropriate conditions. Feedback on
any early assessment tasks may be used in a formative sense to assist students’ preparation for
later assessment tasks.
Summative assessment, while also providing feedback to students, parents and teachers, provides
cumulative information on which levels of achievement are determined at exit from the course of
study. It follows, therefore, that it is necessary to plan the range of assessment techniques and
instruments/tasks to be used, when they will be administered, and how they contribute to the
determination of exit levels of achievement. Students’ achievements are matched to the standards of
exit criteria, which are derived from the general objectives of the course. Thus, summative
assessment provides the information for certification at the end of the course.
7.1
Underlying principles of exit assessment
The Authority’s policy on exit assessment requires consideration to be given to the following
principles when devising an assessment program for the two-year course of study:
 Information is gathered through a process of continuous assessment.
 Balance of assessments is a balance over the course of study and not necessarily a balance
over a semester or between semesters.
 Exit achievement levels are devised from student achievement in all areas identified in the
syllabus as being mandatory.
 Assessment of a student’s achievement is in the significant aspects of the course of study
identified in the syllabus and the school’s work program.
 Selective updating of a student’s profile of achievement is undertaken over the course of
study.
 Exit assessment is devised to provide the fullest and latest information on a student’s
achievement in the course of study.
These principles are to be considered together and not individually in the development of
an assessment program. Exit assessment must satisfy concurrently the six principles
associated with it.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Continuous assessment
The major operating principle is ‘continuous assessment’. The process of continuous assessment
provides the framework in which all the other five principles of balance, mandatory aspects of
the syllabus, significant aspects of the course, selective updating, and fullest and latest
information exist and operate.
This is the means by which assessment instruments are administered at suitable intervals and by
which information on student achievement is collected. It involves a continuous gathering of
information and the making of judgments in terms of the stated criteria and standards
throughout the two-year course of study.
Decisions about levels of achievement are based on information gathered, through the process
of continuous assessment, at points in the course of study appropriate to the organisation of the
learning experiences. Levels of achievement must not be based on students’ responses to a
single assessment task at the end of a course, or on instruments set at arbitrary intervals that are
unrelated to the developmental course of study.
Balance
Balance of assessments is a balance over the course of study and not necessarily a balance
within a semester or between semesters.
Within the two-year course for Business Organisation and Management it is necessary to
establish a suitable balance in the general objectives, assessment techniques and
instruments/tasks, conditions of assessment, and across the criteria. The exit criteria are to have
equal emphasis across the range of summative assessment. The exit assessment program must
ensure an appropriate balance over the course of study as a whole.
Mandatory aspects of the syllabus
Judgment of student achievement at exit from a two-year course of study must be derived from
information gathered about student achievement in those aspects stated in the syllabus as being
mandatory, namely:
 the general objectives of Knowledge and understanding, Reflection processes, and
Action skills
 the understandings listed in each unit (see Section 5).
The exit criteria and standards stated in Section 7.4 must be used to make the judgment of
student achievement at exit from a two-year course of study.
Significant aspects of the course of study
‘Significant aspects’ refer to those areas in the school’s course of study selected from the
choices permitted by the syllabus. Significant aspects can complement mandatory aspects, or be
separate items additional to them. They will be determined by the context of the school and the
needs of students at that school to provide choice of learning experiences appropriate to the
location of the school, the local environment and the resources available.
The significant aspects must be consistent with the general objectives of the syllabus and
complement the developmental nature of learning in the course over two years.
Selective updating
In conjunction with the principle of fullest and latest information, information on student
achievement should be selectively updated throughout the course.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Selective updating is related to the developmental nature of the two-year course of study and
operates within the context of continuous assessment. As subject matter is treated at increasing
levels of complexity, assessment information gathered at earlier stages of the course may no
longer be representative of student achievement. The information therefore should be selectively
and continually updated (not averaged) to accurately reflect student achievement.
The following conceptions of the principle of selective updating apply:

A systemic whole subject-group approach in which considerations about the whole group of
students are made according to the developmental nature of the course and, in turn, the
assessment program. In this conception, developmental aspects of the course are revisited so
that later summative assessment replaces earlier formative information.

An act of decision making about individual students — deciding from a set of assessment
results the subset which meets syllabus requirements and typically represents a student’s
achievements, thus forming the basis for a decision about a level of achievement. In the
application of decisions about individual students, the set of assessment results does not
have to be the same for all students. However, the subset which represents the typical
achievement of a student must conform to the parameters set in requirements for
verification folios.
Selective updating must not involve students reworking and resubmitting previously graded
assessment tasks. Opportunities may be provided for students to complete and submit additional
tasks. Such tasks may provide information for making judgments where achievement on an
earlier task was unrepresentative or atypical, or there was insufficient information upon which
to base a judgment.
Fullest and latest information
Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a school course of study must be based
on the fullest and latest information available. This information is recorded on a student profile.
‘Fullest’ refers to information about student achievement gathered across the range of general
objectives. ‘Latest’ refers to information about student achievement gathered from the most
recent period in which the general objectives are assessed. As the assessment program in
Business Organisation and Management is developmental, fullest and latest information will
most likely come from Year 12.
Information recorded on a student profile will consist of the latest assessment data on mandatory
and significant aspects of the course, which includes the data gathered in the summative
assessment program that is not superseded.
7.2
Planning an assessment program
At the end of Year 12, judgments are made about how students have achieved in relation to the
standards stated in the syllabus for each of the criteria. These summative judgments are based
on achievement in each of the general objectives.
When planning an assessment program, schools must consider:

general objectives (see Section 3)

the learning experiences (see Section 6)

the underlying principles of assessment (see Section 7.1)

a variety of assessment techniques and instruments over the two-year course (see Section 7.3)
31
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS

conditions under which the assessment is implemented

the exit criteria and standards (see Section 7.6)

verification folio requirements, especially the number and the nature of student responses to
assessment tasks to be included (see Section 7.5)

minimum assessment necessary to reach a valid judgment of the student’s standard of
achievement.
Students should be conversant with the assessment techniques and have knowledge of the criteria to
be used in assessment instruments. Sample assessment programs can be found in appendix 2.
7.2.1
Special consideration
Guidance about the nature and appropriateness of special consideration and special arrangements for
particular students may be found in the Authority’s policy statement on special consideration, Policy
on Special Consideration for School-based Assessments in Senior Certification (February 2006)
available from www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yourqsa/policy/special-c/docs/spec-con.pdf . This statement
also provides guidance on responsibilities, principles and strategies that schools may need to
consider in their school settings.
To enable special consideration to be effective for students so identified, it is important that
schools plan and implement strategies in the early stages of an assessment program and not at
the point of deciding levels of achievement. The special consideration might involve alternative
teaching approaches, assessment plans and learning experiences.
7.2.2
Authentication of student work
It is essential that judgments of student achievement in Business Organisation and Management
are made on accurate and authentic student assessment information. Teachers should find ways
to ensure that students’ work is their own, particularly where students have access to electronic
resources and when they are preparing collaborative tasks.
The QSA information statement “Strategies for authenticating student work for learning and
assessment” is available from www.qsa.qld.edu.au/memos/05/047-05.pdf . This statement
provides information about various methods teachers can use to monitor students’ work to
ensure authentic tasks. Particular methods outlined include:
 teachers seeing plans and drafts of student work
 student production and maintenance of documentation about the development of responses
 student acknowledgment of resources used.
Teachers must ensure students use consistent, accepted conventions of in-text citations and
referencing where appropriate.
7.3
Suggested assessment techniques
Note: Where students undertake an assessment task in a group or team, tasks should be designed
so that teachers can validly assess the work of individuals and not necessarily apply a judgment
of the group product and processes to individual students.
7.3.1
Objective and short answer responses
These could include all ‘closed’ questions, that is, those to which there is a limited response.
They are mainly used as a quick, effective method of assessing student knowledge and
comprehension of the understandings of the Business Organisation and Management course.
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BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Some examples include:
 multiple choice
 definition of terms
 matching/classification
 questions requiring short answers or paragraph responses
 exercises using graphs, tables, diagrams, statistics, mathematical calculations.
This technique is usually used to measure students’ achievement of the exit criterion Knowledge
and understanding, but may be used to collect data related to any or all of the exit criteria.
7.3.2
Response to stimulus material
These can be expressed as responses to materials such as:
 case studies
 multimedia
 newspaper articles
 guest speakers
 documents, statements
 excursions
 cartoons
 graphs, charts and tables.
Responses may range in length from a series of short answers in response to specific questions
to a piece of extended writing such as an essay or report.
This technique can be used to measure student achievement in any of the three exit criteria, but
could be particularly useful for assessing achievement in Reflection processes.
7.3.3
Extended written response
Extended written responses are usually based on questions or topics to which there may be a
range of responses or perspectives. Questions should consider specific issues rather than broad
general topics and must avoid simple reproduction of content.
Examples include essays, reports, editorials, feature articles, business letters. Attention should
be paid to the varieties and features of the genre.
Extended written responses may be set under a variety of conditions. When assessed under
supervised examination conditions, extended written responses should be of at least 500–600
words in length in Year 11, and 600–800 words in Year 12. Tasks which are not completed
under supervised examination conditions may have a greater upper word limit if required.
Tasks may be based on an unseen question under supervised examination conditions. An unseen
question is one in which the specific emphases and wording have not been previously
communicated to students.
An extended piece of writing can assess student achievement in Knowledge and understanding,
and Reflection processes.
33
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
7.3.4
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Project and practical work
These tasks may take a variety of forms, and have a variety of purposes. They provide an
opportunity for group work.
Project and practical work may include:
 integrated projects
 reflective learning logs
 research assignments
 research instruments such as questionnaires, interviews and surveys
 analysis of media files
 procedures manuals
 reports and submissions
 trade days and market days
 business ventures.
This technique can be used to measure student achievement in any of the three exit criteria, but
particularly applies to Reflection processes, and Action skills.
7.3.5
Business plan
The business plan project draws knowledge from a number of different units. It requires
extensive application of Knowledge and understanding, Reflection processes, and the skilful use
of Action skills.
The business plan will range in length from 1000 to 3000 words, excluding the executive summary,
the table of contents and the appendixes. As a minimum, the business plan must contain:
 an executive summary
 a mission statement
 a business profile
 a market and competition analysis
 a marketing plan
 an operations plan
 a human resource plan
 a financial plan and risk analysis
 appendixes.
When supported by documentary evidence such as journal entries, observation sheets, reflective
learning logs and critical incident reports, the business plan can be used to measure achievement
in any or all of the three criteria.
34
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
7.3.6
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Non-written responses
The use of a non-written task can stand alone as an assessment device or it can reinforce, or
modify, judgments made on the written responses of the student. Instruments may include:
 seminars
 forums
 interviews
 roleplays
 debates
 multimedia presentations.
This technique can be used to measure student achievement in any of the three exit criteria.
All non-written tasks must be accompanied by:
 supporting written/printed material provided by students
 detailed criteria sheets, which may include teachers’ notes.
Tasks involving oral presentation should be a minimum of five minutes per student in Year 11
and eight minutes or more by the end of Year 12.
7.3.7
Observation of performance
This technique could be used in conjunction with other assessment techniques. It may be used to
make or reinforce judgments on student achievement in the Action skills criterion.
Settings may include:
 meetings
 ventures
 group work
 field studies
 interviewing for information
 project/task management.
Documentary evidence of observation of performance must be provided and may include:
 observation checklist
 rating scales
 peer evaluation and self-evaluation
 reflective learning journals/diaries
 referee and/or mentor reports.
35
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
7.4
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Exit criteria
The following exit criteria must be used in making judgments about a student’s level of
achievement at exit from a course in Business Organisation and Management. They reflect three
of the four categories of general objectives of the syllabus as described in Section 3:
Criterion 1: Knowledge and understanding
This criterion refers to the student’s ability to comprehend and retrieve information in a range of
dynamic business environments.
Criterion 2: Reflection processes
This criterion refers to the student’s ability to evaluate interactions within business organisations
and environments, and to decide upon strategies for action, using the conventions of
communication.
Criterion 3: Action skills
This criterion refers to the students’ ability to put plans into action in order to achieve specified
outcomes.
Each criterion must be assessed in each semester, and each criterion is to make an equal
contribution to the determination of levels of exit achievement. Students are to be given
opportunities to demonstrate their level of achievement in a variety of assessment tasks.
7.5
Requirements for verification
A verification folio is a collection of a student’s responses to assessment instruments on which
the level of achievement is based. Each folio should contain a variety of assessment techniques
demonstrating achievement in the criteria Knowledge and understanding, Reflection processes,
and Action skills, over a range of topics. The variety of assessment techniques is necessary to
provide a range of opportunities from which students may demonstrate achievement.
Schools should refer to Moderation Processes for Senior Certification available at
www.qsa.qld.edu.au/publications/yrs11_12/moderation/moderation_processes.pdf for
information about preparing monitoring and verification submissions.
Students’ verification folios for Business Organisation and Management must contain:
 a minimum of four and a maximum of six summative assessment instruments
 evidence of each criterion being assessed summatively at least twice by verification
 a business plan which meets the conditions specified in 7.3.5
 an extended written response to an unseen question completed under supervised examination
conditions
 a project/practical work task (other than a business plan)
 a non-written task.
Each assessment item must be accompanied by a task-specific criteria sheet which provides
evidence of how students meet standards associated with assessment criteria.
7.5.1
Post-verification assessment
In addition to the contents of the verification folio, there must be subsequent summative
assessment in the exit folio. In Business Organisation and Management, at least one task must
be completed after verification, assessing Reflection processes and/or Action skills.
36
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
7.6
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Determining exit levels of achievement
On completion of the course of study, the school is required to award each student an exit level
of achievement from one of the five categories:
Very High Achievement
High Achievement
Sound Achievement
Limited Achievement
Very Limited Achievement.
The school must award an exit standard for each of the three criteria Knowledge and
understanding, Reflection processes, and Action skills, based on the principles of assessment
described in this syllabus. The criteria are derived from the general objectives and are described
in Section 3. The standards associated with the three exit criteria are described in Section 7.7.
When teachers are determining a standard for each criterion, it is not always necessary for the
student to have met each descriptor for a particular standard; the standard awarded should be
informed by how the qualities of the work match the descriptors overall.
For Year 11, particular standards descriptors may be selected from the matrix and/or adapted to
suit the task. These standards are used to inform the teaching and learning process. For Year 12
tasks, students should be provided with opportunities to understand and become familiar with
the expectations for exit. The exit standards are applied to the summative body of work selected
for exit.
The seven key competencies2 referred to in the Rationale are embedded in the descriptors in the
standards matrix. The descriptors refer mainly to aspects of Knowledge and understanding,
Reflection processes, and Action skills.
When standards have been determined in each of the three criteria of Knowledge and
understanding, Reflection processes, and Action skills, the following table is used to determine
the exit level of achievement, where A represents the highest standard and E the lowest. The
table indicates the minimum combination of standards across the criteria for each level.
Awarding exit levels of achievement
2
VHA
Standard A in any two criteria and no less than a B in the remaining criterion
HA
Standard B in any two criteria and no less than a C in the remaining criterion
SA
Standard C in any two criteria and no less than a D in the remaining criterion
LA
At least Standard D in any two criteria
VLA
Standard E in the three exit criteria
KC1: collecting, analysing and organising information; KC2: communicating ideas and information;
KC3: planning and organising activities; KC4: working with others and in teams;
KC5: using mathematical ideas and techniques; KC6: solving problems; KC7: using technology
37
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
Standards associated with exit criteria
Reflection processes
Knowledge and
understanding
Criterion
Action skills
7.7
SENIOR SYLLABUS
A
B
C
D
E
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
 comprehensive range of
factual information
 substantial range of factual
information
 some factual information
 basic business information
 significant explanation of
business ideas, activities,
concepts, techniques and
theories, supported by
examples.
 some explanation of
business ideas, activities,
and techniques.
 some basic business
information.
 thorough explanation of
business ideas, activities,
concepts, techniques and
theories, supported by
relevant examples
 general explanation of
business ideas, activities,
concepts, techniques and
theories, supported by
some examples.
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
 use of reflection processes
to conduct thorough
evaluation of interactions
within a variety of business
situations and to develop
highly appropriate
strategies for action
 use of reflection processes
to evaluate interactions
within a variety of business
situations and to develop
appropriate strategies for
action
 use of reflection processes
to conduct some
evaluation of interactions
within business situations
and to develop strategies
for action
 some use of reflection
processes to examine
interactions within
business situations and to
develop some strategies
for action
 some use of reflection
processes
 use of the conventions of
communication to produce
logical and coherent
responses.
 use of the conventions of
communication to produce
clear responses.
 use of some conventions
of communication to
produce basic responses.
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
 documented use of action
skills to implement plans
efficiently and effectively
and achieve specified
outcomes.
 documented use of action
skills to implement plans
effectively and achieve
most specified outcomes.
 documented use of action
skills to implement plans
and achieve some
specified outcomes.
 documented use of some
action skills to implement
plans and achieve some
outcomes.
 some documented use of
action skills.
 use of the conventions of
communication to produce
fluent and precise
responses.
38
 use of some conventions
of communication to
produce a response.
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
8. Language education
Effective communication and interpersonal skills are essential for participation in an
organisational and business management setting. Acquiring effective communication and
interpersonal skills is a developmental process, so it is important to make language and
communication development an integral part of day-to-day Business Organisation and
Management classroom activities, and to teach the various skills explicitly. Students should be
helped to develop a critical awareness of language use when appraising both their own language
and the language of texts and other written and spoken materials. Businesses use information
and communication technologies as an integral part of their activities, so learning experiences
and assessment in Business Organisation and Management need to reflect present-day practices.
8.1
Conventions of communication
There are a number of conventions that enhance communication, including effective use of
paragraphing, structure, vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Correct use of
technical terms relevant to Business Organisation and Management and consistent use of
accepted genres and conventions of referencing and in-text citations are essential.
8.2 Specific language genres in Business Organisation
and Management
This course contains a range of written and non-written communication. Examples of specific
genres used to inform, persuade, direct, negotiate, report on, explain and analyse business events
and issues include:
 transactions — business letters, conversations, advertisements, interviews, invitations,
meetings (formal or informal), memos, posters, questionnaires, surveys, telephone
conversations
 procedures — diagrams, directions, flowcharts, illustrations, instructions, agendas,
schedules, timelines
 reports — bibliographies, commentaries, descriptions, references, headlines, information
reports, investigation reports, journal entries, learning logs, minutes of meetings, notes,
observations, reports, summaries
 expositions — analytical expositions, arguments, articles, cartoons, commercials, debates,
discussions (written or spoken), documentaries, essays, explanations, expositions, letters to
the editor, persuasive expositions, persuasive speeches, press releases, public speeches,
reviews, submissions, testimonials.
The use of these genres can be demonstrated through a variety of communication media, such
asspeech, writing, email, fax, voice mail, internet and video/teleconferencing.
Table 8.1 shows how the skilful use of language and appropriate genres can be developed and
exercised in the context of business planning.
39
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Table 8.1: Suggested language in the context of business planning
Researching the idea
Analysing the market:
 product
 place
 promotion
 price
SWOT analysis
Resources: physical &
human
Finance
Promotion
Regulatory and statutory
requirements:
 taxation
 OHS
 superannuation
 business structure
 registration (e.g.
business name)
 industry-specific
regulations
Performance indicators
Presentation of the
business plan document
Suggested language genres and conventions
















































observations — comments
 diagrams, drawings
conversations
 spoken and written discussions
descriptions
 group discussions
interviews
 reading: newspapers, journals etc.
surveys
 timelines
questionnaires
 schedules
note taking
 invitations
notes and written records
 notices of meetings
diary entries
 meeting agendas
letters
 formal meetings
reports: financial and written
 minutes
interpretation and writing of reports
 summaries
brief statements describing or outlining strategies to be followed in each area
flowcharts
explanations
reviews
questionnaires
surveys
interviews
note taking
analytical expositions
reports
summaries
reviews
lists
comparisons, e.g. leasing vs. purchasing
descriptions of jobs
comparisons, e.g. sources of finance
financial reports, statements (outline of funds required)
letters of application (finance; government assistance)
research — written or oral, e.g. search for government assistance types
flowcharts, projections
budgets
balance sheets
written records
advertisements: TV, newspaper,
 invitations
radio commercials
 cold call telephone conversations
direct mail letters
 illustrations
press releases
 persuasive expositions
product labels
 persuasive speeches
headlines
 discussions
posters, billboards
 feature articles
flyers, brochures, pamphlets
research reports (summary of facts and requirements)
note taking
discussions
commentaries
bibliographies
footnoting













mission statements
analysis — determining objectives
information reports
summaries
schedules
timelines
expositions
flowcharts
illustrations
reports
reviews
summaries
timelines
40






persuasive expositions
persuasive speeches
posters
bibliographies
tables
diagrams
Contributes to the development of a business plan
Some areas for
investigation
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
9. Quantitative concepts
and skills
Teachers of Business Organisation and Management have a responsibility to develop and
integrate a range of abilities related to quantitative concepts and skills. Success in dealing with
issues and situations in life and work depends on the development and integration of a range of
abilities, such as being able to:
 comprehend basic concepts and terms underpinning the areas of number, probability and
statistics, measurement and algebra
 extract, convert or translate information given in numerical forms, diagrams, maps, graphs
or tables
 calculate and apply other mathematical concepts
 use calculators and computers
 use skills or apply concepts from one problem or one subject domain to another.
Some subjects focus on the development and application of numerical and other mathematical
concepts and skills. These subjects may provide a basis for the general development of such
quantitative skills or have a distinct aim, such as to prepare students to cope with the
quantitative demands of their personal lives or to participate in a specific workplace
environment.
Nevertheless, in all subjects students are to be encouraged to develop their understanding and to
learn through the incorporation — to varying degrees — of mathematical strategies and
approaches to tasks. Similarly, students should be presented with experiences that stimulate
their mathematical interest and hone those quantitative skills that contribute to operating
successfully within each of their subject domains.
The distinctive nature of Business Organisation and Management may require that new
mathematical concepts be introduced and new skills be developed. In many cases, however, it
will be a matter for teachers, in the context of Business Organisation and Management, to
encourage the use of quantitative skills and understandings that were developed previously by
their students. Within appropriate learning contexts and experiences in the subject, students
should have the opportunity to revise, maintain and extend such skills and understandings.
41
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
10. Educational equity
Equity means fair treatment of all. In developing work programs from this syllabus, schools
should incorporate the following concepts of equity.
All young people in Queensland have a right to gain an education that meets their needs, and
prepares them for active participation in creating a socially just, equitable and democratic global
society. Schools need to provide opportunities for all students to demonstrate what they know
and can do. All students, therefore, should have equitable access to educational programs and
human and physical resources. Teachers should ensure that particular needs of the following
groups of students are met: female students; male students; Aboriginal students; Torres Strait
Islander students; students from non–English-speaking backgrounds; students with disabilities;
students with gifts and talents; geographically isolated students; and students from low
socioeconomic backgrounds.
Subject matter chosen should include, whenever possible, the contributions and experiences of
all groups of people. Learning contexts and community needs and aspirations should also be
considered. In choosing appropriate learning experiences teachers can introduce and reinforce
non-racist, non-sexist, culturally sensitive and unprejudiced attitudes and behaviour. Learning
experiences should encourage the participation of students with disabilities and accommodate
different learning styles.
Resource materials used should recognise and value the contributions of both females and males
to society and include social experiences of both genders. Resource materials should also reflect
cultural diversity within the community and draw from the experiences of the range of cultural
groups in the community.
To allow students to demonstrate achievement, barriers to equal opportunity need to be identified,
investigated and removed. This may involve being proactive in finding the best ways to meet the
diverse range of learning and assessment needs of students. The variety of assessment techniques in
the work program should allow students of all backgrounds to demonstrate their knowledge and skills
related to the criteria and standards stated in this syllabus. The syllabus criteria and standards should
be applied in the same way to all students.
Teachers should consider equity policies of individual schools and schooling authorities, and
may find the following resources useful for devising an inclusive work program:
ACACA (1996) Guidelines for Assessment Quality and Equity, available from www.acaca.org.au
ANTA (2004) A guide to equity and the AQTF, available from Australian Training Products Ltd
www.atpl.net.au
QSA (2006) Policy on Special Consideration in School-based Assessments in Senior Certification,
available from www.qsa.qld.edu.au
QSA (2006) Policy Statement: Equity, available from www.qsa.qld.edu.au
EQ 2005 Inclusive education statement, available from http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/
EQ 2006 Education Policy and Procedures Register: Inclusive education, available from
http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/
QSCC (2001) Equity Considerations for the development of curriculum and test material, available
from www.qsa.qld.edu.au
QCEC (2001) Inclusive Practices in Queensland Catholic Schools, available from
www.qcec.qld.catholic.edu.au
42
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
11. Resources
The selection of resource material to support a course in Business Organisation and Management
will be governed to some extent by local factors. Schools should draw upon their own resources and
local facilities as well as from the range of resources described below.
Text and reference books
A wide variety of textbooks and resource materials are available to use as sources of
information about business organisation and management. Book suppliers can provide current
information.
World Wide Web
Many interactive and static websites can be used to enhance a course of study in Business
Organisation and Management, and they often include useful resources. Some particularly
useful sites include:
 www.beaq.org.au — Business Educators Association of Queensland
 www.business.gov.au — Australian government business resources gateway
 www.curriculum.edu.au/enterprise/links.htm — Curriculum Corporation (Enterprise
education links)
 www.sd.qld.gov.au/ — Department of State Development Queensland
 www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au — Office of Fair Trading, Queensland
 www.qld.gov.au/business_and_industry/index.html — Queensland government links to
business and industry
 www.bized.co.uk — A UK-based site that contains information for business teachers.
Newspaper reports
Many newspapers carry regular pages, columns and features about business. Local papers can
also be a source of useful data. The compilation of news files on particular topics can broaden
students’ knowledge and provide a valuable source of material for developing assessment
instruments.
Periodicals
Journals and periodicals provide current, relevant information. Journals and periodicals relevant
to Business Organisation and Management include:
 Business Review Weekly
 Financial Review
 qbr (Queensland Business Review)
 The Bulletin
 Business Teacher.
School librarians should be able to provide assistance with identifying and locating other useful
periodicals.
43
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Electronic media and learning technology
A wide range of videos, DVDs and television recordings are available on a variety of topics
related to business organisation and management. A variety of computer software programs and
CD-ROMs may be useful for a course in Business Organisation and Management: as learning
tools, to gain access to information presented in a variety of forms and to help students gain ICT
skills. Educational program distributors can supply updated resource lists.
Organisations and community resources
A variety of government and community organisations provide personnel, advice, resources and
information to assist in constructing and implementing a course in business organisation and
management. Some of these include:
 Commerce Queensland www.qcci.com.au
 NSW Department of State and Regional Development www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au
 Young Achievement Australia www.yaa.org.au/
 ABW Enterprise Education www.abw.org.au/
 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission www.accc.gov.au
 Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.acci.asn.au
 Department of Employment and Workplace Relations www.dewr.gov.au/
44
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Appendix 1
Reflective participant study design
45
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Appendix 2
Sample course and assessment overview A
Semester
Time (hrs)
NOTE: These samples are intended as a guide for teachers’ planning only.
See www.qsa.qld.edu.au for work program requirements.
Unit
1
16
Nature of business
Assessment
1. Objective and/or short answer; response to
stimulus (45–60 minutes)
2. Project or practical work (group work, e.g.
market analysis; 4 wks)
2
39
Marketing management
3. Response to stimulus (seen essay, 45–60
minutes; 350 words)
27
Human resource management
4. Non-written task (e.g. observation of
performance: roleplay of IR dispute, 5
minutes)
28
5. Project or practical work (group work, e.g.
research; 4–6 weeks)
Operations management
6. Extended written response; seen question
(60–90 minutes; 500–600 words)
3
18
Entrepreneurship
12
Organisations and management
7. Non-written task (e.g. multimedia
presentation, 8–10 minutes)
8. Project or practical work (group work, e.g.
school venture; 5 weeks)
9. Extended written response; unseen
question (90 minutes; 600–800 words)
4
25
Financial management
32
Business plan
10. Business plan (1000–3000 words)
11. Response to stimulus (report, 4 weeks;
800 words)
23
Elective study
(N.B. Reflection Processes and Action Skills are integrated and progressively developed
throughout the course. Time allocation is not listed separately for them.)
46
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Sample student profile A
1
2
1.
Objective and/or short answer; response to stimulus
2.
Project or practical work
3.
Response to stimulus
4.
Non-written task
5.
Project or practical work
6.
Extended written response
Interim standards (monitoring)
Interim level of achievement (monitoring)
3
4
7.
Non-written task
8.
Project and practical work
9.
Extended written response
10. Business plan
Proposed standards (verification)
Proposed level of achievement (verification)
4
11. Response to stimulus
Exit standards
Exit level of achievement
Assessment completed in Year 11 is considered formative, and assessment completed in
Year 12 is considered summative.
47
Action skills
Assessment Instrument
Reflection
processes
Knowledge and
understanding
Semester
Criteria
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Sample course organisation B
NOTE: These samples are intended as a guide for teachers’ planning only. See www.qsa.qld.edu.au for work program requirements.
Semester
1
Topic title
Hours
No. of weeks
Nature of business
16
4
Organisations and management
17
5
Entrepreneurship
22
7
16 weeks
Marketing management
28
8
Elective study — International business
27
8
2
16 weeks
Financial management
29
9
Operations management
26
7
3
16 weeks
Business plan
25
9
Human resource management
30
7
4
14 weeks
N.B. Reflection processes and Action skills are integrated and progressively developed throughout the course. Time allocation is not listed separately.
48
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Four
Three
Two
One
Semester
Sample assessment plan B
Inst
no.
Topic
Topic name
Assessment technique
Approx. time/length
1
NB
OM
Nature of business
Organisations and
management
Response to stimulus; essay (F)
45–60 mins
Min 350 words
2
EN
Entrepreneurship
Project and practical work (group work, e.g. field
report) (F)
4 weeks
3
MK
Marketing
management
Project and practical work (group work, e.g.
presentation of marketing plan to client) (F)
4 weeks
4
EL
Elective study —
International business
Non-written task (e.g. seminar) (F)
5–6 mins
5
EL
Elective study —
International business
Objective and/or short answer response; extended
written response (seen question) (F)
80–90 mins
500–600 words
6
FN
Financial management
Objective and/or short answer response; Response
to stimulus (S)
60–90 mins
7
OP
Operations
management
Project and practical work (research, e.g. evaluate
and compare the operation of two businesses) (S)
4 weeks
8
OP
Operations
management
Extended written response (unseen question) (S)
90–100 mins
600–800 words
9
BP
Business plan
Business plan (S)
1000–3000 words
10
HR
Human resource
management
Non-written task (e.g. HR roleplay) (S)
8–10 mins
VERIFICATION
11
HR
Human resource
management
Response to stimulus (report) (S)
49
Min 1000 words
KU
RP
AS
BUSINESS ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT
SENIOR SYLLABUS
Sample student profile B
One
Topic
Assessment technique
KU
1
NB
OM
Response to stimulus; essay (F)
2
EN
Project and practical work (group work)
(F)
Two
Internal semester 1 report
3
MK
Project and practical work (group work)
(F)
4
EL
Non-written task (F)
5
EL
Objective and/or short answer reply;
extended written response (seen
question) (F)
Internal semester 2 report
Three
MONITORING
6
FN
Objective and/or short answer response;
Response to stimulus (S)
7
OP
Project and practical work (S)
8
OP
Extended written response (unseen
question) (S)
Four
Internal semester 3 report
9
BP
Business plan (S)
10
HR
Non-written task (S)
VERIFICATION
11
HR
Response to stimulus (S)
Exit Level
Exit Level of Achievement
(F) = Formative Assessment (S) = Summative Assessment
50
RP
AS
Level of
achievement
Action skills
Reflective
processes
Inst
no.
Knowledge &
understanding
Sem.
Student name:_____________________ Years:____________ Teacher(s):______________
LOA