1. National 5 Understanding Business
Business Management Learning and Teaching Approaches – Advice and Guidance for Practitioners
National 5
Understanding Business
Clipart from Clker.com (royalty-free, public domain clipart)

2. Understanding Business
The potential suggested learning and teaching approaches that follow present the opportunity to explore the following topics in more depth in order to reinforce knowledge and understanding of this unit of study.
Business activities
Customer satisfaction
Business objectives
Business stakeholders
External/internal factors affecting businesses
Wealth creation
Corporate social responsibility and ethics
Business in society
For most activities, a range of working methods and presentation media are left to practitioner/learner choice. Use of ICT for some activities is recommended and web research will be an integral part of several suggested approaches. These suggested learner approaches can be adapted to suit the needs of practitioners.

3. Starting Up
Young people may consider three options for their future: further education, employment or training.
The often-forgotten fourth option is one we can examine here: entrepreneurship, i.e. starting your own business.
Learners could use the given definition of an entrepreneur and compare this to the information in the video clip. After watching the video of Jonathan Levie, discussion topics are suggested in the following slides for learners to further explore this topic.
Clip Art from Clker.com (royalty-free, public domain clip art)

4. What is an Entrepreneur?
Learners could use available resources to suggest definitions and/or descriptions of an entrepreneur. Key themes in the video could aid their research i.e. Education, opportunist, background, confidence, drive etc.
20 January 2012
Hint: Learners could use the Jonathan Levie interview transcript to help them with the discussion topics

5. Enterpreneurship - 1
Jonathan Levie outlines several skills and qualities he thinks are important in an entrepreneur
Learners could discuss whether they agree with this viewpoint and may create a group list of skills and qualities which they think would be important in an entrepreneur.
It may be useful for learners to distinguish what is a ‘skill’ and what is a ‘quality’ during their discussion.
Learners could be asked to consider whether they could be an entrepreneur or innovator now… or in the future.

6. Enterpreneurship - 2 ?
The video asks 'Why does Scotland need more entrepreneurs?'
Jonathan Levie explains his opinion here – how could this prompt learners to understand or explore where enterprise ‘fits’ into Scotland’s economy? How does innovation help Scotland to flourish?
The diagram given as exemplification in the Advice and Guidance Notes could be used either as a basis for their discussion or learners could produce their own diagram showing the connections between business and the different parts of Scotland’s society affected by business

7. Enterpreneurship - 3
'Being an entrepreneur isn’t necessarily about risk taking'
The above quote from the video could be used for learner discussion or debate or to prompt individual responses from learners. In addition, learners could develop ideas on the range of risks that may be involved in starting their own business enterprise.
Could learners be guided to
consider personal risks, economical risks and social risks in this context?

8. Mick Jackson – An Inspiring Entrepreneur?
Enterpreneurship – 4
Mick Jackson – An Inspiring Entrepreneur?
This film profiles the life and work of Mick Jackson, one of Scotland's most prominent and successful entrepreneurs.
It reviews Mick's ideas and beliefs about enterprise, marketing, leadership and social responsibility in business.
Mick describes the growth and success of two of his major enterprises - WildDay.com and the WildHearts Foundation, a charitable enterprise – both demonstrating great innovation.
Learners could use the interview with the discussion topics worksheet which gives suggested topics for further research or discussion.

9. Entrepreneurship – 5 : To boldly go…..
Entrepreneurs may do 1 of 2 things to start a business enterprise:
Create a new product to fill a gap in the market OR
Improve an existing product in a new way
These video resources could be used to prompt learner discussion or research on local or famous entrepreneurs or businesses. There could be particular emphasis on Scottish based business or entrepreneurs to contextualise this learning to earlier discussion or investigation.
Learners could be guided in their research or discussion by the following questions:
What inspired them? What risks did they run?
How did they raise the finance they needed?
Did they succeed quickly or suffer setbacks?
Use these hyperlinks for some inspiring stories from around the world!

10. Entrepreneurship - 6
Jonathan Levie explains that while profit is important, his opinion is that other factors are also important to Scottish entrepreneurs, such as customer satisfaction, developing new products, and ‘giving back’ to Scotland as their country and society.
The following approach suggests how learners could take account of these factors into account and is explained further in the next slide:

11. Learners could be asked to identify a Scottish business (local or national) and examine their approach to:
Profit
Customer Satisfaction
Innovation and Product Development
Social Responsibility
Further discussion or research by learners may investigate the impact each of these factors would have on the business, its’ local community, and Scotland as a whole.

12. So – What IS an Entrepreneur?
This link provides a series of statements given by business owners about what they think an entrepreneur is.
Suggested approaches for this resource could be:
Learners assembling their own ideas using key themes from the statements given.
Using the range of statements to allow learners to select the one they identify with most and justifying their choice.
Learners selecting one statement and applying it to an entrepreneur (local or well-known nationally) that they think it relevant to.
Education
Scotland

13. Over to you…… It’s time to put thoughts into action.
The flow diagram provided shows a step-by-step approach to building an enterprise from an idea. This could be used to guide learners through the process of creating their own enterprise.
Learners could focus on creating a solution for an existing problem affecting their group, school, community or a global issue; or could focus on filling a gap in a market with a new product.
Learners could work in several ways solo, groups or pairs according to their specific ideas.
The Business Plan could be used to help structure learners thoughts.
Business
Planning
Use the hyperlink to build a Business Plan!

14. Role of Business in Society
What goes on in a business organisation?
What type of activities do businesses and other organisations do?
How does business contribute, and have an impact on, society?
Let’s look at an example of a business organisation and explore how learners can investigate answers to the above questions…
Clipart from Clker.com (royalty-free, public domain clipart)

15. From small beginnings in 2003, Oban Chocolate Co has grown steadily to become an established business with a range of products, new premises and increased number of employees.
The beginning and growth of the company is described here by Helen McKechnie who set up the business with husband Stuart – both from Oban.
They feel the business is an inspiration to young people and hope to open up more shops in the future.

16. Theory into Practice
Learners could be directed to earlier work on skills and qualities to describe an entrepreneur giving more relevance to this case study.
Learners could summarise their thoughts on the skills and qualities shown by the case study business owners perhaps being encouraged to use examples from the video to highlight their points.
This could be done using ICT through a Podcast, presentation software or similar.

17. Business Activity – 1 Learners could use the case study to:
Decide whether the featured business operates in the Primary, Secondary or Tertiary sectors of industry
Discuss whether this business operates in more than one sector
Discuss/research and suggest reasons why they may do this?
Clipart from Clker.com (royalty-free, public domain clipart)
Oban Chocolate Co operates in secondary and tertiary sectors as they produce saleable goods from raw materials but also provide a service through their café and wedding cake design service.
Businesses may operate across several sectors of industry to:
Spread the risk of the business
Grow the business (vertical integration)
Gain more control over their sales or supply of raw materials

18. Business Activity – 2
Learners could use the website for the business featured in the case study to:
Summarise/discuss all of the activities that this business is involved in. This could be an oral summary or be produced in writing, as a presentation, or using a Podcast or video
For each activity learners could explain what sector of industry the business is operating in and how this activity benefits the business.
Activities include
Wedding Cake Design and Supply – secondary/tertiary – could benefit the business by attracting a certain niche market and by allowing high quality goods to be supplied at a premium price. Allows the business to gain recognition and enhance reputation in a specific market.
Children's Chocolate Workshops – tertiary – Benefits the business by projecting a positive image into their local community and engaging with stakeholders.
On-line supply of goods – tertiary – Provides a wider market to the business and allows a flexible supply of goods out with the immediate semi-rural area which could bring additional profit to the business. Also allows for more widespread advertising and recognition for the business.
Manufacture of chocolates – secondary – Creates a specialised product in a niche market.
Research & Development of products – secondary – Benefits the business by continually seeking to improve their product and expand product range. Keeps business up-to-date with latest developments in their industry allowing them to compete more effectively and perform more efficiently.
Café selling own products – tertiary – Expands the business in the local community and provides an outlet for the sale of own manufactured goods. Allows control to be maintained over quality, advertisement and profit gained from sale of goods. Increases the presence of the business in the local community and seeks to establish a positive reputation.
Supply of Goods to Trade Outlets – widens the market for products to beyond the local area. Lessens the need for own advertising and outlets out with the local area. Increases profit and recognition for the business.
Oban Chocolate Co

19. Business Activity – 3
Learners could research local businesses or business people that may be familiar to them using the following suggested methods:
Interviews with businesses
Inviting a business to speak to the group
Internet Research
Local media articles on businesses
Personal knowledge/experience
Using the information they gain from this research, learners could compare how the local business was started with their own business plan created earlier – what lessons could be learned from this real, local business?

20. The Aim of the Game: Business Objectives – 1
The following link could be used to give learners initial information on business objectives
Business Activity & Objectives
Learners could be directed to discuss the information on Private Sector business objectives in relation to either:
The case study business
A local or national business
Learners could produce their own diagram to illustrate their findings here.

21. The Aim of the Game: Business Objectives – 2
Learners could discuss whether business objectives in the Private Sector of the economy may be different from those in the Public and/or Voluntary Sectors.
One approach may be to Use the Internet to research a business from the Public Sector and one from the Third Sector and investigate the possible objectives of each.
Learners could then create a diagram or mind map of the objectives for each of the researched businesses.
A local focus could be applied to the businesses used in this approach as in previous research by learners.

22. How does Business affect people? – 1
Learners could be introduced to the topic of stakeholders using the following diagram which suggests three possible stakeholders of the case study business – Oban Chocolate Co
Learners could use the diagram to investigate and discuss:
Who additional stakeholders may be
Why each stakeholder may have an interest in the
business, and
How they could influence the business

23. Suppliers
Scottish
Government
Employees
Any Others?

24. How does Business affect people? – 2
Learners could be focused on thinking about their own business idea or plan and considering:
Who the stakeholders are
What influence they could have
What conflicts may arise
One approach could be to ask learners to create a stakeholder diagram for their own business idea perhaps using suitable ICT.

25. How does Business contribute to society? – 1
Learners could be asked to watch the video case study and to consider what the business is contributing to different parts of society and what benefits may be seen by the economy, community and individual stakeholders.
Learners could relate this back to earlier discussion on how enterprise and business ‘fits’ into Scotland – at both local and national levels – and how they might impact on society in
different ways.
Learners could also use the company web site to help their research and/or discussion of findings.

26. How does Business contribute to society? – 2: Creating Wealth
Learners could be asked to:
Use the Internet and/or other resources to find a simple definition of ‘Wealth Creation’ in business terms.
This could be a timed exercise – perhaps allowing 5 – 10 minutes to complete.
Tip : Make sure learners understand their
definition and can explain it!

27. How does Business contribute to society? – 3: Creating Wealth
Learners could be given an example of how wealth can be distributed from one business to the next perhaps using a familiar good to illustrate this idea e.g. a loaf of bread – several suppliers will be able to sell goods to one another and so create turnover for their organisation.
Learners could be asked to produce a diagram which illustrates this distribution of wealth or wealth creation? Use a good or service that you are familiar with to do this.
An example of a diagram is provided in Advice and Guidance Notes for practitioners.

28. How does Society affect Business? – 1
A suggested approach to introduce this area of study could be:
Learners are asked to think of as many factors in society which may affect the case study business.
This could be a timed exercise allowing up to 10 minutes for completion.
Learners could be asked to list the factors and how they may affect the business.

29. How does Society affect Business? – 2
Learners could be asked to group their answers under main headings where they consider there to be similarities in factors.
Main headings could be established through discussion with the group as to the most common factors occurring between groups of learners e.g. financial, fashionable, legal, employment etc
Learners could then be asked to use Internet resources to research factors affecting Scottish business and compare these to their own findings.

30. Internal & External Factors
Learners could be introduced to this topic by establishing through discussion the difference between Internal and External factors which affect the business
Learners could use the context of either their own business proposal, the case study business, or a business familiar to them to evaluate:
Which factors they have identified are internal and which are external
How these factors could have an impact on a business
How they could ensure the business’s success against these factors

31. Customer Satisfaction – 1 The Customer is King!
Customer Satisfaction isn’t highlighted specifically in the Oban Chocolate video – but this doesn’t mean it’s not important to this business.
Learners could use the following approach to further explore the issue of Customer Satisfaction.
Learners could work with a partner or in small groups and use the exemplified Customer Satisfaction exercise given in the support files provided.
Clipart from Clker.com (royalty-free, public domain clipart)

32. Customer Satisfaction – 2
Following the previous slide, learners could discuss their results as a group and what key points have resulted from their work.
Examples of discussion points might be:
Was it easy to suggest a response to the customer issue learners were given in the worksheet? Why/why not?
What effect could it have on the business if the customer was not satisfied with the response given?
Learners could then create a flow diagram to show the possible effects of poor customer care on the business – an example of this is given in the Advice and Guidance notes.

33. Customer Satisfaction – 3
Learners could use Internet resources to research a business familiar to them – local or national – and their approach to Customer Satisfaction to highlight the different priority given to this across business.
Learners could be guided using the following key points:
What facilities do they have to communicate with their customers, to receive complaints and feedback?
Do they have a Customer Care Policy or statement?
Learners could choose to summarise their findings either through discussion, presentation or using another appropriate media.

34. Customer Satisfaction – 4
Learners could aim to further understand Customer Satisfaction in business through developing their own Customer Satisfaction Statement or policy.
This could be approached in several ways:
Using the learners’ own business idea or enterprise
Using the case study business and the company web resource to help them do this
Selecting a local business familiar to learners and information available on this business – perhaps supplementing with interviews or a representative from the business speaking with learners on this subject.
Novatech
A link to a short Mission Statement is given to help support learners.

35. Socially Responsible Business: What does it mean?
Learners could undertake timed research to investigate what corporate social responsibility is.
This could support further discussion on:
Examples of social responsibility in well-known businesses
Examples from local business
How learners might apply this to their own business enterprise
Adapted from:

36. ebay – Business with a Conscience?
eBay has been named one of the world's most ethical companies in the Auctions category based on its ethics and compliance programs by the Ethisphere Institute, a think tank. Companies on the list in other categories include Best Buy Co., Zappos, UPS, Google, American Express, and Ford Motor Company, Wisconsin Energy Corporation
EcommerceBytes-NewsFlash, Number March 17, ISSN
Learners could use the web resources at investor.ebay.com to find some useful information to support the above article e.g. eBay Giving Works and to further understand how this type of activity may benefit the business.

37. And the Winner is…
The video resource shows an interview with Bob Keiller – named Entrepreneur of the Year in and 2008
Bob’s business, PSN, has approximately 8,500 employees doing everything from high- level engineering consultancy to construction and maintenance for oil operators in more than 20 countries around the world.
As well as his Entrepreneur of the Year successes, Bob has been awarded the National Business Award’s corporate social responsibility award for Scotland in 2007
See the following slides for suggested approaches to using this resource.

38. Bob Keiller – Suggested Learning and Teaching Approaches
Learners could be encouraged to bring together their knowledge from across the Understanding Business Unit to produce a short study of Bob Keiller as a Scottish entrepreneur and to inform and inspire potential entrepreneurs.
Learners could use the interview information and the PSN website for further information to help with their research.
Wood Group PSN
Learners could use the following key areas within their research
Approach to Customer Care Business Activities
Business Objectives What is an Entrepreneur
Skills & Qualities of an Entrepreneur Why Scotland needs Entrepreneurs
Role of Business in Society Wealth Creation

39. Entrepreneurial Exchange
Micro-Tyco
Using the Internet, learners could investigate the resources above to discover what each organisation offers and how they operate.
One approach may be to ask learners to demonstrate how one or both resources will help support entrepreneurial activity in Scotland/UK
Learners could also research the possible effectiveness of these initiatives and what they could contribute to Scotland’s entrepreneurial future.

40. Over to You….
Learners could use the Entrepreneurs Forum website to view a range of interviews with entrepreneurs. This resource could be used to ask learners:
Which entrepreneur inspires them and why?
Learners could produce their own summary of why they find this entrepreneur inspirational and what helpful advice they may give to Scotland’s future entrepreneurs.
This summary could be created to be oral, written or presented electronically.
Entrepreneurs Forum