OCR A Level Business specification (H431)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your OCR A Level Business exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official OCR A Level Business specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official OCR A Level Business (H431) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official OCR specification PDF.
Specification overview
The OCR A Level in Business provides learners with a broad and applied understanding of business operations, strategic decision-making, and external influences. It encourages the development of critical thinking, numerical competence, and problem-solving skills through engagement with real-world business scenarios. The course fosters enthusiasm for business study, equipping students with the tools to analyse opportunities and challenges across local, national and global contexts. It supports progression to further education or employment by developing enterprise, financial, and analytical literacy alongside awareness of ethical and environmental business responsibilities:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.Subject content breakdown
Introduction to Business
- Enterprise, business sectors, legal structures, franchises, business functions, growth and external alliances
Business Objectives and Strategy
- Aims, objectives, stakeholders, CSR, mission statements
- Business planning, risk and uncertainty, opportunity cost
- Strategic planning: Porter’s Five Forces, Ansoff’s Matrix, decision trees, forecasting
- Performance measures: financial/non-financial indicators, stakeholder impacts
External Influences
- Market structures, competition, supply and demand
- Globalisation, trade, the EU, emerging markets
- Political, economic, legal, technological, social, environmental, and ethical factors
Accounting and Finance
- Objectives and sources of finance, accounting conventions
- Management accounting: costs, revenue, profit, break-even, investment appraisal, budgets, cash flow
- Financial accounting: income statements, financial position, ratio analysis
Human Resource Management
- HR objectives, organisational structure and culture, communication
- Workforce planning, recruitment, selection, training, appraisal, redundancy
- Motivation, leadership, employee relations, trade unions
- External HR influences and HR strategy
Marketing
- Marketing objectives and resources, SWOT
- Market research and sampling, segmentation, consumer behaviour
- Marketing mix: product, price, place, promotion
- Digital and service marketing, international marketing strategy
Operations Management
- Objectives and strategies, added value
- Innovation and R&D, production methods, customer service
- Project management (CPA, Gantt, PERT), productivity, economies of scale
- Stock control, lean production, quality management
- Logistics, outsourcing, external operational influences:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
Assessment structure
Component 1: Operating in a local business environment
- 2 hours, 80 marks, 33.3% of A level
- Section A: Multiple-choice questions (15 marks)
- Section B: Data response questions using stimulus material (65 marks)
Component 2: The UK business environment
- 2 hours, 80 marks, 33.3% of A level
- Section A: Short-answer questions (20 marks)
- Section B: Extended response questions linked to case study material (60 marks)
Component 3: The global business environment
- 2 hours, 80 marks, 33.3% of A level
- Mixture of data response and extended questions related to a global business context
Assessment Objectives
- AO1: Knowledge and understanding of business concepts
- AO2: Application to real-world business contexts
- AO3: Analysis of internal and external influences
- AO4: Evaluation and judgement using data
Quantitative Skills
- At least 10% of marks assess Level 2 maths skills
- Includes: ratios, percentages, elasticity, forecasting, investment appraisal, break-even, graphical interpretation:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Key tips for success
Doing well in your OCR A Level Business isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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