Syllabus: SQA - Higher Course Spec Business Management
Module: Understanding Business
Lesson: Objectives

Introduction

This lesson explores business objectives within the SQA Higher Business Management course, under the “Understanding business” unit. It’s a foundational topic that helps students grasp why businesses exist, what they aim to achieve, and how these aims evolve over time.

Teaching business objectives is more than ticking off a syllabus point. It lays the groundwork for understanding decision-making, stakeholder conflicts, and strategic growth, which feature throughout the course. It also ties directly to key assessment areas and offers an excellent chance to build real-world thinking into classroom discussion.

Key Concepts

Students are expected to understand the following objectives-related content, as outlined in the SQA Higher Business Management course:

• Purpose of business objectives: To provide direction, motivate employees, and serve as benchmarks for success.

• Types of objectives:

  • Strategic: Long-term goals, e.g., growth, market leadership.

  • Tactical: Medium-term, such as launching a new product.

  • Operational: Day-to-day, e.g., increase daily production.

• Private sector objectives: Commonly profit maximisation, market share growth, and survival.

• Public sector objectives: Service provision, value for money, equity of access.

• Third sector objectives: Charitable aims, reinvestment of surplus, fulfilling a mission.

• Changing objectives: Influenced by business lifecycle, market conditions, stakeholder pressure, or internal performance.

These are directly syllabus-aligned and should form the backbone of lesson delivery.

Real-World Relevance

Business objectives don’t sit in a vacuum. Take BrewDog, for instance—originally focused on disrupting the beer market, it’s now shifting towards sustainability and employee ownership. This evolution shows how objectives adapt as businesses scale and their social responsibilities grow.

Or consider Tesco. In the wake of price inflation and increased competition, its objectives have shifted to focus more on affordability and value perception, rather than pure growth. These are relatable, headline-making examples that help students connect the theory to businesses they recognise.

How It’s Assessed

Students will face both short answer and extended response questions in the exam. These often require:

• Describing different types of objectives.

• Explaining how objectives influence business decisions.

• Analysing potential conflicts between objectives (e.g., profit vs. ethical conduct).

• Applying knowledge to case-based scenarios.

Typical command words include “describe,” “explain,” “analyse,” and “discuss.” It’s essential students practise structuring their responses with clear examples, logical links, and where possible, real organisations.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic offers a natural platform for integrating enterprise skills like:

• Decision-making: Choosing between objectives like growth vs. cost-cutting.

• Problem-solving: Resolving conflicts between stakeholders (e.g., local community vs. shareholders).

• Analytical thinking: Interpreting how shifts in the market or internal performance lead to changes in objectives.

• Adaptability: Considering how businesses respond when initial objectives aren’t met.

Class activities like business simulations or stakeholder role plays can be powerful tools here, bringing theory to life while embedding these transferable skills.

Careers Links

Understanding business objectives aligns with several Gatsby Benchmarks, especially:

• Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers.

• Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees.

Job roles that rely on clear understanding of objectives include:

• Marketing managers (aligning campaigns with business goals)

• Operations managers (delivering on daily targets)

• Business analysts (evaluating if the organisation is on track)

• Social enterprise founders (balancing mission with financial viability)

Bringing in guest speakers or using case studies from these professions can enhance engagement and relevance.

Teaching Notes

• Start simple: Use relatable contexts (school clubs, part-time jobs) to introduce the idea of objectives before scaling up to business contexts.

• Use current events: Link learning to business headlines—strikes, mergers, social media campaigns—anything where objectives are clearly being pursued or challenged.

• Highlight stakeholder tension: Frame objectives within conflicting interests to build evaluative thinking.

• Assessment prep: Model answers using PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) or similar frameworks. Get students practising both structure and content.

Common pitfalls:

• Confusing types of objectives or mixing up sectors.

• Giving vague examples (“make money”) instead of specific objectives.

• Overlooking the role of external influences on changing objectives.

Extension ideas:

• Compare objectives of a private business vs. a charity.

• Create a timeline showing how a business’s objectives changed over time.

• Debate: “A business should prioritise profit above all else.”