Edexcel IGCSE Business specification (4BS1)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your Edexcel IGCSE 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 Edexcel IGCSE 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 Edexcel IGCSE Business (4BS1) 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 Edexcel specification PDF.
Specification overview
The Edexcel International GCSE in Business equips students with an understanding of business operations in a global context, encouraging informed decision-making and critical analysis. It focuses on how businesses operate, grow and adapt in dynamic environments. The course develops knowledge of key business concepts, terminology, and stakeholder relationships, using both small and large business case studies. Learners build skills in communication, numeracy, and evaluation while exploring ethical, sustainable, and financial aspects of modern business. The qualification supports progression to further education or employment in the business sector.
Subject content breakdown
1. Business activity and influences on business
- Objectives: financial and non-financial aims; reasons for change.
- Types of organisations: sole trader, partnerships, companies, multinationals, franchises.
- Classification: primary, secondary, tertiary sectors.
- Location decisions: market proximity, resources, e-commerce.
- Globalisation: opportunities, threats, multinationals, exchange rates.
- Government influences: spending, legislation, infrastructure, interest rates.
- External factors: social, technological, environmental, political.
- Success and failure: growth, satisfaction, competitiveness, finance.
2. People in business
- Communication: methods, barriers, IT use.
- Recruitment: job types, documents, selection processes.
- Legal controls: equality, minimum wage.
- Training: induction, on/off-the-job, benefits and risks.
- Motivation: financial and non-financial methods; Maslow, Herzberg, Taylor.
- Organisation structure: charts, roles, control and command, delegation.
- Functions: HR, finance, marketing, production responsibilities.
3. Business finance
- Sources: internal (savings, profit), external (loans, equity, crowdfunding).
- Cash flow: importance, forecasting (inflows, outflows, net flow).
- Costs and break-even: revenue, profit, total/fixed/variable costs, charts.
- Financial documents: income statements, financial position interpretation.
- Accounts analysis: ratios (profit margins, ROCE, liquidity), performance use.
4. Marketing
- Research: primary/secondary methods; data reliability; social media.
- Markets: customer needs, loyalty, orientation, segmentation.
- Marketing mix:
- Product: development, life cycle, Boston matrix.
- Price: strategies (cost-plus, skimming, penetration, etc.).
- Place: retailers, e-commerce.
- Promotion: media, branding, technology, PR.
5. Business operations
- Scale: economies and diseconomies.
- Production: job, batch, flow; lean production; robotics; productivity.
- Factors: land, labour, capital, enterprise roles.
- Quality: control, TQM, customer focus.
Assessment structure
Paper 1: Investigating Small Businesses
- 1 hour 30 minutes; 80 marks; 50% of qualification.
- Four compulsory 20-mark questions.
- Scenario-based (up to 49 employees).
- Includes MCQs, short answers, data-response, open-ended questions.
- Calculator allowed.
Paper 2: Investigating Large Businesses
- 1 hour 30 minutes; 80 marks; 50% of qualification.
- Four compulsory 20-mark questions.
- Scenario-based (250+ employees).
- Same format as Paper 1; calculator allowed.
Assessment Objectives
- AO1: Knowledge & understanding – 27–28%
- AO2: Application – 38–39%
- AO3: Analysis – 22–23%
- AO4: Evaluation – 11–12%
Quantitative Skills
- Percentage changes, averages, revenue, costs, profit, ratios.
- Data interpretation from graphs, charts, and financial records.
Grading
- 9–1 scale.
- Linear assessment; all exams taken at end of course.
- First assessment from June 2019.
Key tips for success
Doing well in your Edexcel IGCSE 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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