Syllabus: SQA - Higher Course Spec Business Management
Module: Management of Operations
Lesson: Technology

Introduction

Technology in operations isn’t just a modern upgrade—it’s a central part of how businesses stay efficient, competitive, and scalable. In the SQA Higher Business Management course, this topic sits within the Management of Operations unit and builds students’ understanding of how digital tools influence everything from production to quality control.

It links directly to the curriculum’s aim to develop learners’ ability to analyse real business practices, evaluate operational decisions, and understand the implications of technology on business outcomes. It’s especially valuable for grounding abstract theory in visible, familiar tools that students see in workplaces every day.

Key Concepts

Students are expected to understand how technology is integrated into operations across key areas. The SQA Higher specification identifies the following as essential:

• Automation: The use of robotics in manufacturing to reduce labour costs and increase efficiency.

• ICT in operations:

  • EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) and electronic stock control systems to track sales and manage inventory.

  • CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacture) to improve product design accuracy and speed up production.

  • Databases and spreadsheets for managing operational data.

• Advantages of technology:

  • Reduced labour costs

  • Faster production

  • Improved quality through consistency

  • Better stock control and data accuracy

• Disadvantages of technology:

  • High setup and maintenance costs

  • Training requirements

  • Potential job losses

  • Risk of system failure

Students should be able to evaluate both benefits and drawbacks and link them to operational decision-making in different business contexts.

Real-World Relevance

Technology in operations is all around us. Here are a few live examples to bring the spec to life:

• Amazon’s warehouses use robotics and real-time inventory tracking to ship millions of items daily with minimal error.

• Greggs uses demand forecasting tools and production automation in its central bakeries to meet daily demand across the UK.

• Dyson applies CAD and CAM to prototype and produce new products quickly, responding to consumer demand with speed and precision.

These examples can help students see how decisions about technology directly influence cost, quality, and customer satisfaction.

How It’s Assessed

In the final exam, students can expect to encounter:

• Describe and explain questions on types and uses of technology in operations.

• Analyse and discuss tasks exploring the impact of technology on operational efficiency.

• Evaluate questions where students must weigh pros and cons, often within a business scenario.

• Command words used include: describe, explain, justify, analyse, compare, evaluate.

Candidates must go beyond definitions, showing understanding of business consequences, and offering clear judgements where required.

Enterprise Skills Integration

Teaching this topic naturally supports development of key enterprise skills, including:

• Problem-solving: weighing up whether automation is suitable for a particular business scenario.

• Decision-making: recommending which types of technology would bring most benefit.

• Critical thinking: analysing risks such as data breaches or overreliance on systems.

• Numeracy: interpreting cost savings or productivity figures linked to technology investments.

You can build this in with practical activities like comparing two businesses’ approaches to stock control or simulating a production process with and without tech.

Careers Links

Technology in operations touches a wide range of career paths, making it ideal for embedding Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5 and 6. Roles linked to this topic include:

• Operations Manager

• Supply Chain Analyst

• IT Systems Support

• Production Engineer

• Retail Technology Specialist

This topic also provides a clear bridge between classroom learning and apprenticeship routes or further education in business, engineering, and IT. Bringing in local employers or virtual tours of workplaces can deepen engagement.

Teaching Notes

Tips for delivery:

• Use familiar examples like fast food chains, retail outlets, or local manufacturers to ground concepts.

• Show short videos of CAD/CAM in action or EPOS systems in real use.

• Encourage students to research how local businesses use technology.

Common pitfalls:

• Students often confuse CAD with CAM—clarify with diagrams or side-by-side comparisons.

• They may default to “technology = good” without considering cost, training, or downtime—push them to evaluate properly.

Extension ideas:

• Get students to redesign a basic production line using a mix of manual and tech-based processes.

• Compare business performance before and after a tech implementation (can be fictional or real case).