General Certificate of Education

Advanced Level Examination

June 2015

Business Studies
Unit 4

BUSS4/PM

The Business Environment and Managing Change

Preliminary Material (Research Theme)

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES

You will be given one copy of this Preliminary Material (Research Theme) for use during your preparation
for the examination, which you may annotate as you wish, but which you will not be allowed to take into
the examination.
The Preliminary Material (Research Theme) will be repeated within the question paper for use in the
examination.
You should carry out your own research on the Preliminary Material (Research Theme).
Your teacher is encouraged to give assistance and advice as required.
INFORMATION
The Preliminary Material is to be seen by teachers and candidates only, for use during preparation for
the examination on Wednesday 17 June 2015. It cannot be used by anyone else for any other purpose,
other than as stated in the instructions issued, until after the examination date has passed. It must not be
provided to third parties.

G/TI/107971/Jun15/E5

BUSS4/PM

2
Research Theme Manufacturing in the UK
In your research you should consider:
the impact of technological change on businesses manufacturing in the UK
the impact of increasing globalisation on businesses manufacturing in the UK
the impact of government policy on businesses manufacturing in the UK
the factors affecting UK location decisions by manufacturing businesses
the opportunities and threats facing businesses manufacturing in the UK.
You are strongly recommended to:
compare and contrast different manufacturing businesses and forms of manufacturing in the UK
consider decisions by businesses to locate manufacturing in the UK, to offshore manufacturing
from the UK and to re-shore manufacturing to the UK
consider how the nature, profitability and international competitiveness of businesses
manufacturing in the UK can change over time
consider how the importance of manufacturing based in the UK for example, in terms of its
scale is changing over time
consider how changes in technology, globalisation and government policy might affect the
strategy of businesses manufacturing in the UK.
You should make reference to your research in your responses to Section A in the examination.

Copyright 2015 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

G/Jun15/BUSS4/PM

AQA A2 Business Studies

BUSS4 Section A Research Theme 2015
Manufacturing in the UK
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Fast-track your support for students taking BUSS4 in June 2015 with tutor2us unrivalled
teacher and student support
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The tutor2u BUSS4 team comprises experienced BUSS4 teachers, examiners and authors to provide
teaching colleagues and their students with the best support available for this challenging unit.
BUSS4 Section A CPD
Dates in October 2014 & February 2015
Our BUSS4 Section A Briefing Days are always sold-out - and with good reason. They provide colleagues
with a day solely focused on the research theme which combines:

Insights into the key issues that students really need to understand
The best case study examples for students to explore
Practical, classroom-ready teaching & learning resources to enable the teaching of the research
theme to start immediately

BUSS4 Section A Research Theme Toolkit 2015

Published in early November 2014
This comprehensive exam toolkit comprises a series of exam-focused resources which enable students
and teachers alike to save significant time on the research theme. The toolkit includes:

Ten mock exam papers, including mark schemes

Comprehensive teacher PowerPoint presentations that cover the entire scope of the research theme
A key point revision summary for each research bullet
Exemplar essays for three of the mock papers (new for 2015)

BUSS4 Exam Coaching & Revision Workshops

Dates in March, April & May 2015
These hugely popular and intensive one-day revision workshops provide students with a significant boost
to their final preparations for BUSS4. During the day, we guide students on:

Effective essay writing technique, including planning and the best use of research evidence
The best case study examples to use for both Section A and Section B
Key skills to practice in the final run-up to the exam in June 2015