Syllabus: WJEC - GCSE Business
Module: 1. Business Activity
Lesson: 1.5 Business Aims and Objectives

Introduction

This lesson focuses on Section 1.5 of the WJEC GCSE Business syllabus: Business aims and objectives. It’s where students begin to connect the ‘why’ behind business actions, from starting up to scaling up. Tied closely to strategic decision-making, this topic helps students understand not just how businesses function, but what drives them forward.

It aligns directly with the WJEC content area 1.5, covering types of aims, the role of objectives, SMART targets, how aims vary by business type, and how stakeholders influence and are influenced by business goals.

Key Concepts

Students need to grasp the following:

• Types of business aims, such as survival, growth, profit, market share, social goals, and customer satisfaction.

• Role of objectives in turning broad aims into measurable actions.

• SMART objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

• Changing aims: how businesses may shift focus depending on market conditions or business life cycle stages.

• Stakeholders: who they are (e.g., customers, employees, owners, government), what they want, and how they influence decisions.

• Conflicts of interest: between stakeholder groups, e.g., shareholders seeking profit versus employees wanting better pay.

Real-World Relevance

This topic comes to life when tied to businesses students recognise.

Example: Greggs
Greggs initially focused on growth through new store openings. More recently, it has shifted aims to include sustainability (reducing carbon footprint) and customer loyalty (through digital innovation like its app). Students can explore how stakeholder feedback (e.g., customer demand for vegan options) influenced those aims.

Example: Innocent Drinks
Known for ethical practices, Innocent’s objectives align with its social enterprise roots. Its aims include making profit but also minimising environmental impact and donating 10% of profits to charity.

Discussions like these show students how aims aren’t static. They evolve in response to economic shifts, market pressure, or internal business decisions.

How It’s Assessed

This topic is typically assessed through:

• Short-answer questions (e.g., define “SMART objective”)

• Data-response questions using business scenarios

• Explain questions: e.g., “Explain why a new business might focus on survival as an aim.”

• Analysis and evaluation tasks involving conflicting stakeholder views or changing objectives

Command words often include explain, analyse, evaluate, and justify—students need to recognise these and tailor responses accordingly. Numerical data may also be included for interpretation, especially when evaluating success against stated objectives.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic naturally links to core enterprise skills:

• Decision-making: Choosing which aim to prioritise when resources are limited.

• Problem-solving: Managing stakeholder conflict or responding to market change.

• Goal setting: Writing and evaluating SMART objectives.

• Communication: Articulating aims clearly to different stakeholder groups.

You can boost engagement by giving students simulated scenarios. For example, challenge them to write SMART objectives for a school tuck shop, then assess their success after a “term” of hypothetical results.

Careers Links

This topic supports Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 5 by linking curriculum learning to real careers:

• Business analyst: uses SMART targets to measure performance.

• Entrepreneur: sets personal and financial aims to grow a business.

• Marketing executive: aligns marketing objectives with overall business aims.

• Operations manager: translates strategic goals into day-to-day planning.

It’s a good opportunity to bring in guest speakers or video content showing professionals discussing how they set and adapt objectives.

Teaching Notes

Tips for delivery:

• Use real businesses that students recognise and care about.

• Start with their own goals—personal or academic—to introduce the concept of aims and objectives.

• Use debates to explore stakeholder conflict (e.g., “Should Amazon prioritise worker pay or profit?”)

Common pitfalls:

• Confusing aims with objectives. Reinforce that aims are broad and long-term, while objectives are specific and measurable.

• Overusing generic objectives (“make more money”)—push for clarity and precision with SMART structure.

Extension ideas:

• Ask students to track a business’s evolving objectives across several years using news stories or company reports.

• Use role-play: assign students stakeholder roles in a company and debate proposed changes to business aims.