Syllabus: OCR - GCSE Business
Module: 1. Business Activity
Lesson: 1.1 The Role of Business Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

Introduction

This lesson falls under the OCR GCSE Business specification, Component 1: Business Activity, Marketing and People. Specifically, section 1.1 introduces learners to the role of business enterprise and entrepreneurship in the economy. It’s the foundation for understanding how businesses emerge, what motivates entrepreneurs, and why enterprise matters.

It’s not just theory — this topic sets the tone for practical, decision-based thinking. It’s ideal for engaging students from the outset with the big “why” of business, and it directly supports progression into later topics such as business planning, growth, and operations.

Key Concepts

According to the OCR syllabus, students are expected to:

• Understand the purpose of business activity – to produce goods and services that satisfy customer needs.

• Define and explain enterprise and entrepreneurship – focusing on individuals who take risks and organise the factors of production.

• Explain the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, including risk-taking, initiative, creativity, and resilience.

• Distinguish between goods and services, and understand the sectors they operate in (primary, secondary, tertiary).

• Identify the role of the entrepreneur in creating and developing a business, as well as driving economic activity.

• Explore motives for starting a business, from financial gain to personal fulfilment or solving a problem.

• Understand the concept of adding value, and how businesses do this through branding, service, convenience or product features.

These underpin future learning in marketing, finance, operations and strategy.

Real-World Relevance

From food vans to fintech startups, enterprise is everywhere. Use case studies that show relatable entrepreneurs — like Ben Francis of Gymshark or Steven Bartlett of Social Chain — to help students see the subject in action. Even small-scale, local stories (like a student-run tuck shop or a family-run salon) reinforce that enterprise isn’t distant — it’s immediate and tangible.

Post-COVID, there’s a visible rise in side-hustles, e-commerce ventures and digital content creators turning ideas into income. This lesson is a perfect entry point to discuss the gig economy and how tech has democratised entrepreneurship.

How It’s Assessed

OCR uses a range of question styles that assess knowledge, understanding, analysis and evaluation. For this topic, typical command words include:

• Explain – e.g. “Explain one reason why an individual may choose to become an entrepreneur.”

• Analyse – e.g. “Analyse how adding value can help a business become more competitive.”

• Evaluate – e.g. “‘Entrepreneurs are born, not made.’ Do you agree with this statement? Justify your answer.”

Students should practise:

• Short-answer knowledge questions.

• Two or three-mark explain questions (using connectives and cause-effect structure).

• Six-mark or nine-mark evaluate questions, requiring balanced argument and a justified conclusion.

Diagrams are less relevant here, but structured reasoning is essential.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic is ideal for introducing core enterprise skills such as:

• Risk assessment and decision-making – understanding the uncertainty entrepreneurs face.

• Creative thinking – coming up with ways to add value.

• Problem-solving – identifying gaps in the market and proposing viable ideas.

• Initiative and resilience – seeing challenges as learning opportunities.

Enterprise Skills Ltd’s business simulations are particularly effective here. Students take on the role of startup founders, pitching ideas, deciding how to allocate a budget, and seeing the outcomes play out. This learn-by-doing model brings concepts like risk and reward to life, especially for mixed-ability groups.

Careers Links

This section links well with Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5 and 6:

• Benchmark 4 (Linking curriculum learning to careers) – Connect enterprise to roles like marketing, retail management, product development, and freelancing.

• Benchmark 5 (Encounters with employers) – Invite local entrepreneurs to speak or run Q&As.

• Benchmark 6 (Experiences of workplaces) – Use simulations to recreate startup environments and business pitch scenarios.

Roles that can be explored include:

• Business founder or co-founder

• Social entrepreneur

• Product manager

• Startup consultant

• Business development executive

These help students see entrepreneurship as a pathway, not just a concept.

Teaching Notes

• Start with relatable problems: “What’s something you wish existed?” or “What’s a frustrating experience you’d fix?” These spark curiosity and make the idea of starting a business more real.

• Watch for misconceptions: Students often think entrepreneurs are only wealthy or extroverted. Highlight different types and motivations.

• Use real mini-enterprise tasks: e.g. give students £5 and ask them to pitch a micro-business idea. This engages kinaesthetic learners and builds confidence.

• Scaffold evaluative answers: Use sentence starters and PEEL/PEE chains to build analytical structure.

• Extension: Link to ethical entrepreneurship and sustainability, challenging students to think beyond profit.