Syllabus: OCR - GCSE Business
Module: 1. Business Activity
Lesson: 1.4 Business Aims and Objectives

Introduction

This lesson aligns with the OCR GCSE Business (J204) specification, specifically Unit 1.4 under “Business Activity”. It introduces students to why businesses exist beyond simply making profit — from survival to growth, social impact to shareholder value. These aims shape strategic decisions and affect every stakeholder. Understanding this topic gives students a foundation for interpreting business behaviours throughout the course and equips them to apply this knowledge analytically in exams and real-world contexts.

Key Concepts

Students should be able to:

• Define business aims and objectives, distinguishing between them.

• Explain common objectives: survival, profit, market share, customer satisfaction, growth, and providing a service.

• Understand how objectives change over time and why (e.g. from survival to profit maximisation).

• Identify stakeholders and understand how their interests influence business objectives.

• Analyse how objectives may differ based on business type (e.g. social enterprise vs plc).

• Explain how objectives help in decision-making and performance measurement.

Real-World Relevance

Business objectives aren’t theoretical—they drive real decisions. For instance:

• Greggs shifted its objective towards sustainability and social responsibility, launching healthier menus and food donation partnerships.

• Netflix evolved from market survival (DVD delivery) to market leadership in streaming, showing how objectives adapt with market trends.

• Start-ups in social enterprise, like Oddbox or Change Please, focus on providing a service and making social impact — a different objective set from profit-driven corporations.

These examples help students see how objectives act as a business compass, steering direction even in uncertain environments.

How It’s Assessed

This topic is typically examined in Paper 1: Business Activity, Marketing and People. Key question formats include:

• Explain: e.g. “Explain one reason why a business may change its objectives over time.”

• Analyse: e.g. “Analyse how aiming to increase market share could affect a small business.”

• Evaluate: e.g. “Evaluate whether profit should always be the main aim of a private limited company.”

Command words matter. “Explain” requires clear reasoning; “Analyse” demands logical development; “Evaluate” expects balanced judgement. Supporting arguments with business examples is essential.

Enterprise Skills Integration

Enterprise education is about more than knowing terms — it’s about thinking like a business leader. This topic builds:

• Decision-making: Choosing between objectives based on context.

• Critical thinking: Weighing up stakeholder influence and long-term vs short-term aims.

• Communication: Framing business strategy with clarity — just as students must do in their responses.

• Goal setting: A transferable skill developed by analysing how and why businesses set objectives.

Enterprise Skills’ business simulations support this by dropping students into fictional business environments where they must set objectives, adjust them in response to change, and see the outcomes — all in one session.

Careers Links

This lesson aligns with Gatsby Benchmark 4 (linking curriculum learning to careers) and 5 (encounters with employers). Students explore:

• Strategic planning roles: e.g. Business Analyst, Management Consultant.

• Entrepreneurship: Every founder sets objectives — whether social, financial, or operational.

• Corporate roles: Marketing and HR professionals help shape and meet business objectives.

To deepen the careers connection, use tasks like: “What might be the different objectives of a local café owner vs a marketing manager at Nike?”

Teaching Notes

Top Tips:

• Use case studies — even a simple local business works better than abstract examples.

• Revisit this topic in later units (e.g. marketing or finance) to reinforce its foundational role.

• Link to PSHE/careers — encourage students to write personal or enterprise-style SMART goals.

Common Pitfalls:

• Students often conflate aims (broad) and objectives (specific/measurable).

• Over-simplifying: e.g. “all businesses aim to make profit” — explore nuance.

Extension Ideas:

• Run a short simulation: students create a fictional business and choose/justify their objectives.

• Analyse real mission statements and deduce what their objectives are.