Syllabus: OCR - A and AS Level Business
Module: Business Objectives and Strategy
Lesson: Stakeholders

Introduction

Stakeholder theory isn’t just a theoretical model – it’s the daily reality for businesses operating in complex, competing environments. In the OCR A and AS Level Business course, the topic of stakeholders sits within the “Business objectives and strategy” unit. This part of the curriculum challenges students to consider not just what businesses do, but who they do it for — and how they manage often conflicting expectations.

This article is built to support teachers, SLT, careers leads, and headteachers with a clear breakdown of this topic, aligned to OCR’s specifications and centred on what matters: better lessons, stronger outcomes, and more real-world application.

Key Concepts

Students following the OCR A/AS Level Business specification will be expected to:

• Define stakeholders and identify both internal (e.g. employees, managers, owners) and external (e.g. customers, suppliers, local community, government) groups.

• Understand stakeholder objectives and how these vary between groups.

• Analyse potential conflicts between stakeholder interests and business objectives.

• Evaluate how stakeholder relationships can influence business decisions and strategy.

• Use stakeholder mapping (power vs. interest) as a tool for prioritisation.

• Apply understanding to decision-making scenarios, including business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

This topic also supports development in analysing business strategy, offering insight into why companies may shift priorities based on stakeholder pressure.

Real-World Relevance

Stakeholder engagement is a hot topic in business. Consider:

• Marks & Spencer’s Plan A sustainability programme, which balances shareholder returns with commitments to ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility.

• Starbucks’ response to unionisation efforts — balancing employee rights and corporate goals amid public scrutiny.

• Local councils engaging with communities before approving retail developments — showing stakeholder consultation in action.

These examples bring the content to life, helping students move beyond textbook definitions to real strategic implications.

How It’s Assessed

OCR uses a combination of data response, short answer, and extended response questions. Typical command words include:

• Explain: Define and provide context (e.g. “Explain why different stakeholders might have conflicting objectives”).

• Analyse: Draw out the logical implications (e.g. “Analyse how a change in stakeholder expectations might impact a business’s objectives”).

• Evaluate: Make a judgement (e.g. “Evaluate the extent to which stakeholder interests should influence business decision-making”).

Students may also encounter case studies where they are asked to assess how a business should respond to stakeholder pressure. Encourage practice with real business scenarios to build confidence in these assessments.

Enterprise Skills Integration

Stakeholder theory is a natural gateway to active learning. Enterprise Skills’ Business Simulations offer plug-and-play scenarios where students must make live decisions while juggling multiple stakeholder interests. For example:

• Deciding whether to cut costs (which pleases shareholders) or raise wages (which pleases employees).

• Negotiating between expansion plans and environmental concerns.

These experiences support:

• Decision-making under pressure

• Critical thinking with real consequences

• Collaboration through team-based strategy

• Communication and justification of decisions in stakeholder meetings

It’s all about learning by doing — and students remember what they’ve lived through.

Careers Links

Stakeholder understanding links directly to multiple Gatsby Benchmarks:

• Benchmark 4: Curriculum linked to careers — this topic shows how business roles involve balancing priorities (e.g. marketing managers responding to customer feedback).

• Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers — invite guest speakers from HR, CSR, or PR roles who deal with stakeholders every day.

• Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces — arrange project-based experiences where students present stakeholder engagement plans or simulate boardroom decision-making.

Relevant careers include:

• Corporate communications

• Public relations

• HR and people strategy

• Management consultancy

• Policy and public affairs

Teaching Notes

Time-saving tips for delivery:

• Use stakeholder mapping templates (already built into Enterprise Skills tools).

• Set a homework task comparing stakeholder expectations in two businesses (e.g. Amazon vs. a local café).

• Use a real business news story as a starter and ask, “Who are the stakeholders and what do they want?”

Common pitfalls to watch:

• Students conflating “shareholder” with “stakeholder”

• Oversimplifying conflicts (e.g. assuming profit always wins)

• Lack of evaluation – encourage weighing up impacts on multiple groups, not just stating them

Extension ideas:

• Integrate this with CSR lessons or ethics debates.

• Simulate a board meeting where students role-play different stakeholders and make a decision.

• Run a mock “town hall” where students must respond to a crisis from different stakeholder viewpoints.

For SLT or heads:

• This topic offers ideal cross-curricular links with citizenship, politics, or geography (planning and community).

• It embeds real-world thinking and strategic awareness, supporting wider school goals around employability and engagement.