Pearson BTEC International Level 3 Diploma in Business

A business organisation is one that provides goods or services, whether that is to make a profit or not. The common thread in business is that owners and employees are striving to satisfy customers. In today’s world of international business, customers are well-informed and have many options in terms of what they buy and who they buy from, so a successful business is one that balances satisfying their customers with selling products or providing services.

In this unit, learners will gain an overview of the key ingredients for business success, how businesses are organised, how they communicate, the characteristics of the environment in which they operate, and how this shapes them and their activities.

Learners will also look at the importance of innovation and enterprise to the success and survival of business organisations, with the associated risks and benefits.

By developing relevant business knowledge and understanding, this unit will help learners to progress to employment, vocational training and higher apprenticeships, or higher education.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore the features of different business organisations and what makes them successful

• Investigate how businesses are organised

• Examine the environment in which business organisations operate.

A business organisation may have an outstanding existing or planned product or service to offer prospective customers, but if those customers do not know about it, they cannot buy it. So a business organisation must make sure it understands the needs of its prospective customers and then enable them to find out about the product or service and how it will benefit them. A careful marketing campaign will help the organisation to achieve this. In this unit, learners will learn how a marketing campaign is planned and developed.

Learners will explore a range of different objectives that can be included in a marketing campaign such as increasing sales or market share, or establishing a brand image, and explore the various stages of the process an organisation goes through when developing its campaign. Using their understanding of these factors, and of marketing models and tools, learners will develop their own costed marketing campaign for a given product.

Learners will examine the marketing aims and objectives for existing products and use their own independent market research data to make recommendations about the type of marketing campaign a business organisation should undertake. To complete the assessment task within this unit, learners will need to draw on their learning from across the programme.

This unit will give learners an insight into how important marketing is to business. It will enable learners to make an informed choice as to whether learners want to specialise in marketing in employment, training or higher education.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore how different markets are researched using different models and tools

• Explore approaches to product marketing nationally and internationally

• Develop a plan for a marketing campaign for a new product.

Business finance enables a business organisation to operate on a day-to-day basis, and over the long term, develop new products and invest in new equipment in order to access new markets. Decisions relating to business finance require careful planning and monitoring, which involve deciding where to obtain the finance, calculating business costs, and understanding how to evaluate and improve the overall performance of a business.

In this unit, learners will consider the importance of business finance and the types of business finance available in different contexts. The unit will introduce 

learners to accounting terminology, the purpose and importance of business accounts, 

and the different sources of finance available to businesses. Learners will prepare and analyse business finance planning tools such as cash flow forecasts and break-even analyses.

Measuring the financial performance of an organisation will require learners to prepare and analyse statements of comprehensive income, and statements of financial position, in relation to the organisation’s profitability, efficiency and liquidity.

This unit will give learners a background to business finance and accounting as they progress to employment and further training.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore types of business finance available at different stages in the growth of a business

• Understand how financial planning tools can be used to analyse financial data and assess business risks

• Understand how financial statements for a sole trader are prepared and used to analyse and evaluate business performance.

In this unit, learners will apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in other units to interpret business data and formulate appropriate decisions and solutions to business problems. Learners will consider business situations and scenarios where they are required to select and use appropriate evidence drawn from several sources in order to make business decisions to support a business’s objectives.

Making business decisions will require learners to analyse, interpret and compare business data drawn from a number of sources such as financial data, financial statements and market information. Learners will use appropriate business models to identify business risks and evaluate the costs and benefits of alternative solutions to a business problem. Learners will predict probable consequences, identify faulty arguments or misrepresentations of information or data, compare information and data, provide reasonable alternatives, and evaluate and justify their proposed solutions.

This unit will help learners to understand the importance of decision making and planning in a business and enable them to progress to employment, self-employment, training or higher education.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Examine the business principles and practices that determine business decisions

• Review and interpret business data and information

• Formulate decisions and solutions to business problems

• Prepare business documents to present business decisions.

Events management is one of the most exciting and dynamic sectors of business. This unit combines learners’ creativity and organisational skills to produce successful, memorable events, whether for profit or social enterprise.

Learners will investigate a number of successful events, both large and small, and use this research to assess the feasibility of events to plan and run themself. Examples could range from organising meetings, product launches, exhibitions, promotions, charity events, team-building events and staff development, to a full-scale conference. Learners chosen event will be carefully planned, demonstrating their ability to use planning tools. They will then stage the event, testing the effectiveness of their planning. This will require learners to ‘think on your feet’, deal with financial and security issues, liaise with suppliers and venue personnel, and utilise their problem-solving skills. Afterwards learners will evaluate the success of the event. To complete the assessment task within this unit, learners will need to draw on their learning from across the programme.

This unit will develop teamwork, communication, time-management, negotiation and problem-solving skills of learners. It will help learners develop the essential transferable skills that employers look for. The unit will provide a useful opportunity to consider whether to pursue a career in events management or to continue on to further study in this area.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore the role of an event organiser

• Investigate the feasibility of a proposed event

• Develop a detailed plan for a business or social enterprise event

• Stage and manage a business or social enterprise event

• Reflect on the running of the event and evaluate own skills development

Managers are vital to the running of any business; they shape and influence business through their leadership and managerial performance.

In this unit, learners will examine how businesses adapt their approaches to management and leadership in response to challenges in the internal and external business environment. Learners will gain an understanding of how the implementation of different management and leadership styles and theories can impact on the workplace.

Depending on their roles and responsibilities, managers need to develop skill sets that enable them to work effectively in areas such as the management and motivation of people, financial resources, quality management, and the management of change. Learners will investigate some of the issues that managers and leaders have to deal with in the workplace in making businesses more efficient and ensuring their survival and growth.

This unit will help learners to progress to employment by considering a career working in management and leadership, and/or to vocational training. Additionally, learners might move on to related higher education having developed a knowledge and understanding of management.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore management and leadership principles, concepts, key terms, functions and theories

• Examine management and leadership styles and skills and their impact on organisational performance

• Prepare proposals for business improvement to meet the needs of stakeholders in given business contexts.

The successful sale of products or services is key to any business organisation since the revenue generated will have a direct impact on profitability. The growth of e commerce, the ease of access to data and information coupled with increased globalisation, means an organisation needs to have greater management control of the sales process to enhance customer loyalty and retention and maintain the reputation of their brand.

In this unit, learners will gain a comprehensive overview of the sales process from initial contact to completion, and of the importance of ethical sales practices. Learners will learn how to prepare for a professional sale and explore the immediate post sales procedures including how the sales order process is monitored, and the development of an accurate quotation. Through practical activities, learner will develop the skills and abilities needed to be successful in the sales process.

This unit will enable learner to make an informed decision about the suitability of sales as a career enabling learners to move directly into employment, or into further training, such as higher education qualifications in sales and marketing.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Understand the preparation and professional practices required in the sales process

• Explore the principles and procedures involved in completing successful selling

• Review the effectiveness of techniques used to carry out sales activities.

Effective human resource management, including recruitment and selection, is essential to the success of a business. It is important that the processes and procedures involved in human resource management meet the needs of the business and comply with current regulations. This will include understanding the importance of motivating employees and gaining their cooperation and commitment to the business.

In this unit, learners will learn the importance of human resource management and planning, the relationship between a motivated workforce and business success, and the processes and procedures involved in recruiting, training and appraising the performance of employees.

This unit will give learners a foundation for progression to employment, for example in a human resources role, or to higher education. Learners will have an opportunity to review the human resource practices in a large organisation, which will enable learners to better understand how performance is managed.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Explore factors that can impact human resource planning in business

• Examine methods of managing employee performance and how motivation impacts on business performance

• Examine how effective recruitment and selection contribute to business success.

The importance of teams that perform well cannot be underestimated. It is generally accepted that successful businesses have effective teams in place. An effective team is one that is led and managed well. The team is also motivated, well-briefed, and communicates well.

In this unit, learners will learn how successful businesses draw on effective teams. For example, Formula One® motor racing relies on excellent teamwork, which is modelled by many businesses. A team allows its members to use their collective strength and to share ideas, perspectives and experiences. Learners will learn that nearly all individuals in a business belong to one or more groups or teams that contribute to the overall corporate strategy of the business. Learners will learn the different roles within a team and the importance of establishing a shared vision when making collaborative decisions.

In this unit, learners will get to work in, and lead, a team. The unit and the team activities will give learners the practical tools learners need to support and lead a team. It develops key employability skills and will be useful both in the workplace and in their studies.

Learning objectives

In this unit, learners will:

• Examine the benefits of teams in a business setting

• Investigate techniques and theories used for the development of an effective business team

• Develop effective team skills through practical activities.