Welcome to the Glenalmond Economics & Business Studies department webpage.
The Head of Department is Mr. Robinson. Mr. Erdal and Mr. Hamilton also teach in the Department. Each teacher specialises in a given section of the AS & A2 work; details are given below.
ECONOMICS
How does Economics affect you?
- The price you pay for goods in the shops;
- Which new products you can buy; what makes firms invest in and make new products?
- How much income do you have – what changes the amount of “disposable income” that you have to spend or save?
- Whether or not you will have a job and a source of income;
- The taxes on your income and the taxes on the goods and services which affects the price;
- Government rules and regulations on products - what you can / cannot buy at home and from overseas e.g. : alcohol / tobacco
- You now have the freedom to live, study, work and retire in 27 European countries;
- 10 countries joined the European Union in May 2004; 2 more joined in January 2007 – what difference does this make to Europe?
- The value of the £ - and the changing cost of goods and services you will buy on a foreign holiday as a result of the £ changing value;
- Should the U.K. join European Monetary Union and start using the Euro like most other EU member states?
- The changing price of petrol – what makes the price go up / down?
- Why are U.K. energy bills always going up?
- Why are some goods and services such as electrical goods and budget airline seats often available at such low prices?
- The cost of borrowing money [the rate of interest] and the impact this has on the U.K. housing market;
- What does the Bank of England do?
- The quality of public services such as schools and education; the NHS; roads and motorways; public transport;
- Does the U.K deal effectively with the threat of pollution, congestion on the roads and urban development?
- Global warming – how can Economists and Politicians reduce it through intervention in the form of taxation, regulation and legislation?
- Do large companies ever exploit their powerful market position?
- How does the Chancellor of the Exchequer manage the U.K. economy?
The topics listed above are covered in the AS + A2 Economics syllabus.
Economics | Business Studies | businessdynamics Seminar
The AS / A2 Advanced Level course [OCR H061 + H461]
A combination of discussion and multi-media resources will be used to introduce the main principles of economic theory and their application to pupils starting the OCR Economics AS / A2 level specification in September 2008.
The AS Economics course comprises of two modules. These are: a] Markets in Action and b] The National and International Economy.
Markets in Action
This module will be studied during four lessons per week. Analysis will be undertaken of the reasons for individuals, organisations, and societies having to make choices about markets for consumer goods and services. In addition, the allocation of limited resources through the interaction of demand and supply will be studied and the perceived need for Government intervention through indirect taxation, legislation and regulation will be assessed. Social benefits and costs will be examined in detail as positive and negative externalities are considered in the context of the provision of public and private services such as health, education and the economy’s infrastructure.
The National and International Economy
This module will be studied during four lessons per week. Using the context of a national economy, the course will investigate several macro-economic topics. Government economic policy objectives and indicators of national economic performance will be studied in detail. These include the benefits and costs of economic growth; the influence, significance and management of the economy using monetary, fiscal and supply-side policy instruments; domestic and international influences on the overseas trade sector and the exchange rate; inflation and unemployment. The syllabus offers the chance to gain an insight into the workings of the UK Economy. Background information will be extremely helpful in the early stages of the course.
The AS Economics syllabus is divided equally between theoretical work, which is academically challenging and requires considerable application from pupils, and contemporary, applied economics which analyses the state of economic data, case studies, trends and policies. There is no coursework or project element in the OCR specification.
In the Upper Sixth, two A2 modular units will be studied during the academic year commencing in September 2009. These are a] The Global Economy and b] The Economics of Work and Leisure. Pupils will be expected to develop a variety of skills, such as the ability to analyse, evaluate and interpret data. Many hours of extra reading and note taking from textbooks, newspapers, journal articles and e-information sources will be necessary to supplement the classroom work and deepen the pupil’s understanding of the subject.
Recommended entry requirements
Economics is not offered at GCSE so all pupils taking the AS course are starting a brand new subject. There is a lot of material to cover and so the lessons tend to move relatively quickly. In order to attain high marks in Economics, pupils need to write with clarity and fluency and are expected to submit coherent, well-structured essays. These essay writing skills are developed throughout the course but pupils are recommended to have attained a high grade at GCSE English if they aspire to top grades at AS and A2 Economics. Whilst little in the way of numerical calculations is undertaken during the course, a strong grade in GCSE Mathematics is recommended because pupils should be confident in handling a considerable amount of economic data which has to be understood, explained and analysed.
Recommended Subject Combinations, Careers and Higher Education.
Economics combines well with a range of other AS and A2 options. Very successful combinations have been with Mathematics, English and History. A popular combination is with Geography. At University, Pure Economics can be studied as a Single Honours subject. However, it is frequently combined with Politics, Law or other Social Sciences. The A2 Economics course taught at Glenalmond acts as a high-powered introduction for all Economics, Business, Accountancy, Financial, Management and Professional Service degree courses and employment.
Economics | Business Studies | businessdynamics Seminar
BUSINESS STUDIES
The AS / A2 Advanced Level course [OCR H030 + H430]
The OCR Business Studies syllabus to be studied from September 2008 will introduce the main principles of business and their application.
The AS Business Studies course will be taught and examined through two modules. These are: a] An introduction to Business; and b] Business Functions.
An introduction to Business
This unit considers the way in which businesses operate and the effect of the external business environment. In particular, pupils will learn about how the business environment provides opportunities and imposes constraints on the pursuit of short-term and long-term objectives. The unit is set within the context of local, national and international constraints on business structure, objectives and environment.
Business Functions
This unit emphasises the integrative nature of the subject. Marketing, Accounting and Finance, People in organisations and Operations management will be studied in detail so that pupils develop an understanding that for a business to be a success in a dynamic and challenging environment, decisions have to be taken in the context of both the organisation’s wider objectives and its resources.
Both AS units have written examinations, one of which will be based on pre-issued case study stimulus material. This will introduce a particular business scenario on which the exam questions are based.
In the Upper Sixth, two A2 modular units will be studied during the academic year commencing in September 2009. These are a] Marketing and b] Strategic Management. Both units will require an investigative approach towards Business Studies and will be examined by questions from case-study stimulus material.
Pupils will be expected to develop a variety of skills, such as the ability to calculate, analyse, evaluate and interpret business data. Additional reading and note taking from textbooks, newspapers journal articles and e-sources will be necessary to supplement the classroom work and deepen the pupil’s understanding of the subject. The problem-solving nature of the course will certainly assist candidates who wish to go on to higher education, but the course will be equally suitable for candidates seeking work in the business sector.
Recommended entry requirements
Business Studies is not offered at GCSE so all pupils taking the AS course will be starting a brand new subject. In order to attain high marks in Business Studies pupils will need to write with clarity and fluency and will be expected to submit coherent, well-structured written answers at A2. These skills will be developed throughout the course. A strong grade in GCSE Mathematics is recommended because pupils will need to be confident in handling a considerable amount of financial and accounting data which has to be understood, calculated and analysed.
Recommended Subject Combinations, Careers and Higher Education.
Business Studies will combine well with a range of other AS and A2 options. The A2 course taught at Glenalmond will act as a suitable introduction for all Accountancy, Business, Commercial, Financial, Management and Professional Service degree courses and employment.
I hope that all of the information provided above is valuable. Further details about courses / pupil intake and examination results can be obtained by contacting JeremyRobinson@GlenalmondCollege.co.uk
Economics | Business Studies | businessdynamics Seminar
Business Dynamics Seminar/Workshop
Sixth Form Business Studies pupils at Glenalmond College spent two days discovering about the world of industry and commerce in a series of workshops and seminars arranged by 'businessdynamics', the organisation dedicated to bringing business to life for students. The pupils heard talks from the local business community including Scottish Auto Specialists, Glen Abbot Ltd, the Royal Air Force and Norwich Union concerning design and development, small businesses, management and marketing. These were followed up by problem solving exercises after which the pupils made presentations outlining their findings. |
