Scottish Higher Business Management: Enterprise, Marketing & Strategy

The Scottish Higher Business Management: Enterprise, Marketing & Strategy course offers a detailed exploration of how businesses operate, grow, and adapt in competitive and changing environments. Aligned with the SQA Higher Business Management framework, this course provides learners with a broad understanding of enterprise, leadership, organisational structures, and the strategic decisions that drive success in real-world business settings.

The course begins with an introduction to enterprise and business structures, highlighting the characteristics of entrepreneurs and the objectives that guide different types of organisations, from sole traders to multinational corporations. Students explore stakeholder influence, ethical considerations, and growth strategies, building a strong foundation in how businesses are structured and developed.

In the second module, learners analyse the external business environment, including political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors. Real-world case studies and scenario-based learning help students understand how businesses respond to market conditions, globalisation, competition, and government policy, encouraging agile and strategic thinking.

Marketing principles form the core of the third module, where students examine the marketing mix, research techniques, segmentation strategies, and the growing influence of digital marketing. Lessons focus on how businesses communicate value to customers, build brand identity, and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies in achieving commercial success.

Finance is a key focus of the fourth module, covering essential financial tools such as break-even analysis, cash flow forecasting, and financial ratios. Students learn how to interpret balance sheets and income statements, prepare budgets, and understand the financial implications of strategic decision-making within a business context.

The fifth module explores human resource management, looking at recruitment, training, leadership styles, and workforce motivation. Students examine employment law, workplace diversity, and the role HR plays in managing change and achieving strategic goals in modern organisations.

In the sixth module, learners focus on operations and strategic management, studying quality assurance techniques like Kaizen and TQM, supply chain management, lean production, and strategic tools such as SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and the Ansoff Matrix. These tools provide learners with a practical understanding of how businesses plan, execute, and evaluate strategies for long-term success.

The final module offers a practical application of knowledge through case studies, decision-making simulations, and a business proposal project. Learners also receive guided support to prepare for the SQA Higher assessment, reinforcing their understanding through self-evaluation and reflective learning activities.