Syllabus: OCR - GCSE Business
Module: 6. Influences on Business
Lesson: 6.3 Globalisation

Introduction

This article supports the teaching of Unit 6.3 Globalisation from the OCR GCSE Business specification. The unit falls under the broader theme of “Influences on Business” and is designed to help learners understand how globalisation affects business behaviour and decision-making. Whether you’re working toward curriculum consistency across departments or looking for engaging content to meet assessment demands, this guide is built for real classrooms — efficient, syllabus aligned, and focused on what works.

Key Concepts

OCR’s specification requires students to be able to:

• Define globalisation and explain what it means for UK and international businesses.

• Understand the reasons for globalisation, including:

  • Improvements in transportation and communication.

  • Increased free trade and reduction of trade barriers.

  • The growth of multinational companies.

• Assess the opportunities and threats globalisation creates for businesses:

  • Opportunities: access to larger markets, lower production costs, wider customer base.

  • Threats: increased competition, ethical challenges, reliance on global supply chains.

• Evaluate how ethical and environmental considerations are increasingly shaping how businesses operate globally.

These are not abstract theories. OCR’s emphasis is on learners being able to explain, analyse and evaluate real-world implications, not just recall definitions.

Real-World Relevance

Globalisation is no longer a future concept — it’s today’s business landscape. From UK retailers sourcing products overseas to the expansion of global franchises like Costa Coffee and Aldi, students can see its effects in the high street and online.

Mini case example:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies like Jaguar Land Rover experienced severe production delays due to disrupted global supply chains, especially for semiconductor chips. This shows the real risks of over-reliance on global sourcing — a concept directly examined in this unit.

Ethics and sustainability:
Fast fashion brands such as Boohoo and Shein have been scrutinised for labour practices and environmental impact. These examples help students explore the tension between low-cost international production and business ethics.

How It’s Assessed

This topic is assessed across multiple question types in OCR’s examination style:

• Short-answer questions test definitions and recall (e.g. “What is meant by globalisation?”).

• Application questions may present a business context (e.g. a clothing company outsourcing production) and ask students to apply their knowledge.

• Analyse tasks expect logical chains of reasoning using business terminology.

• Evaluate questions ask students to balance pros and cons and provide justified conclusions (e.g. “Evaluate the impact of globalisation on a small UK business”).

Command words matter. According to OCR, “Analyse” means linking concepts through cause-and-effect, while “Evaluate” requires weighing options and making a judgement.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic naturally lends itself to core enterprise skills:

• Problem-solving: Students weigh global sourcing benefits against ethical risks.

• Decision-making: What would you do if your supplier raised prices due to a global event?

• Teamwork: Class debates or simulations on whether to enter a global market.

• Critical thinking: Challenging assumptions around globalisation’s benefits.

If you’re using Enterprise Skills’ Business Simulations, this topic is ideal for a module reinforcement or enrichment day format. Scenarios involving international expansion, currency risk, or supplier negotiation bring this unit to life and support syllabus-aligned learning through experience.

Careers Links

Globalisation links directly to careers in:

• International business and logistics.

• Supply chain management.

• Sustainability and ethical auditing.

• Import/export and trade compliance.

This supports Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6 by connecting curriculum learning to the real world and providing encounters with employer contexts.

Suggested activity: Invite a guest speaker from a local export company or logistics firm to discuss how global trade impacts their work.

Teaching Notes

Tips for teaching:

• Use current events — shipping delays, trade deals, and ethical debates — to make lessons dynamic.

• Bring in interactive elements like mock trade negotiations or business expansion role plays.

• Use plug-and-play tools from Skills Hub to visualise global supply chains or assess globalisation’s pros and cons in structured tasks.

Common pitfalls:

• Students may confuse globalisation with e-commerce or simply “being international”.

• Encourage them to distinguish between causes of globalisation and its effects.

• Reinforce that ethical and environmental concerns are not optional extras — they are central business influences.

Extension ideas:

• Research task: “Which UK industries are most reliant on global trade?”

• Class project: Design a sustainable product and source it ethically using a global supply chain.