Syllabus: AQA - AS and A Level Business
Module: 3.2 Managers, Leadership and Decision Making
Lesson: 3.2.1 Understanding Management, Leadership and Decision Making

Introduction

This section of the AQA AS and A-level Business specification, 3.2.1 Understanding Management, Leadership and Decision Making, introduces students to the critical differences between leadership and management. It supports the development of analytical thinking by examining how leadership styles and decision-making approaches impact business performance.

Mapped to the broader theme of commercial awareness and strategic thinking, this unit enables students to explore how managers make decisions under conditions of risk and uncertainty. It lays the foundation for understanding organisational behaviour, leadership theory and the influence of context on decision making – skills essential for workplace readiness and aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 5.

Key Concepts

Based directly on the AQA specification, students should grasp:

• The distinction between management and leadership
  Understand that management is about control and coordination, while leadership is about inspiration and direction.

• Leadership styles
  Including autocratic, paternalistic, democratic, and laissez-faire, with an emphasis on when and why each style may be effective.

• Influences on leadership style
  Factors such as organisational culture, the task at hand, the nature of the workforce, and external environment.

• The Tannenbaum Schmidt Continuum
  A model describing leadership behaviour across a spectrum from authoritarian to democratic, allowing students to evaluate leadership flexibility.

• Effectiveness of leadership styles
  Students should learn how to analyse the effectiveness of each style in different business contexts, considering stakeholder needs and organisational goals.

Real-World Relevance

In 2020, Satya Nadella’s leadership at Microsoft exemplified a shift from a directive to a collaborative style, fostering a culture of innovation and empathy during hybrid work transitions. Similarly, during the COVID-19 crisis, Jacinda Ardern’s empathetic and democratic leadership approach received global praise for balancing stakeholder interests.

Closer to home, small businesses adapting to remote teams often shifted from autocratic management to more trust-based, democratic approaches. These examples provide relatable case studies to apply theory to practice – perfect for embedding commercial awareness and decision-making in lessons.

How It’s Assessed

In the AQA A-level Business exam, this topic is assessed through a combination of:

• Multiple-choice and short-answer questions
  Testing understanding of definitions and core concepts (e.g. types of leadership styles).

• Data response questions
  Typically 6–12 marks, often asking students to apply a model like the Tannenbaum Schmidt Continuum to a given scenario.

• Extended response (essay-style) questions
  Usually 16 or 20 marks, requiring critical evaluation of leadership approaches and decision-making effectiveness in context.

Command words to look for include: Analyse, Evaluate, Discuss, and To what extent. Students must balance arguments, make justified recommendations, and apply context – all vital for higher AO3 and AO4 marks.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic naturally develops:

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
  As students assess leadership effectiveness in dynamic situations, they practise weighing risks and benefits, mirroring real business decisions.

• Decision-making under uncertainty
  Leadership is about navigating ambiguity – a key skill in workplace readiness frameworks.

• Communication and team dynamics
  By evaluating leadership styles, students reflect on how communication influences organisational performance – crucial for future line managers or team leads.

Tools from the Skills Hub Futures platform reinforce these skills via employer-backed simulations and activities requiring students to role-play as decision makers.

Careers Links

This module links directly to Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 5:

• Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum to careers
  Leadership theories relate to real roles such as operations manager, HR business partner, project leader and startup founder.

• Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers
  Use case studies from Enterprise Skills’ employer network or invite local leaders to discuss their styles and challenges.

Possible career pathways explored include:

• General management

• Operations leadership

• Consultancy

• Project and change management

• HR and talent development

These roles value interpersonal skill, decision-making, and the ability to adapt leadership approaches – exactly what this unit develops.

Teaching Notes

Top teaching strategies:

• Simulation or role play: Assign students different leadership styles to manage a fictional scenario. Use debriefs to assess effectiveness.

• Leadership diary task: Ask students to track real-world leadership examples from news articles or business media.

• Debate sessions: Pose questions like “Is an autocratic style ever appropriate?” to prompt critical thinking.

Common pitfalls to address:

• Confusing leadership with popularity – emphasise effectiveness over likeability.

• Oversimplifying styles – students should appreciate that leadership is often situational.

• Lack of context in answers – ensure students always link to business objectives, environment, and stakeholders.

Extension activities:

• Explore decision-making models in section 3.2.2 to deepen understanding of how leadership links with structured decision-making.

• Use Skills Hub Business case studies to examine real scenarios mapped to AQA assessment types.