Business WJEC GCSE Key Terms Flashcards
Backward vertical
integration
When the suppliers of a business are taken over by that business.
Advertising media
The various places where advertisements may be found such
as television, newspapers or the internet.
Procurement
Obtaining or buying of goods and services from an external source. These are to be used in the production process or are to be sold on.
Diversification
Diversification allows a business to enter a different market in addition to the one they are already involved. This enables the business to spread its risks should the original business fail.
Feedback
The response by a customer following the purchase of a good or service. This will be used by the producer to improve what has been produced.
Objective
a short or medium term target of a business needed to reach its aim. An objective might be to increase sales by 20% in the next 5 years.
Total revenue
The full amount of money taken in by a business when selling all its goods in a particular period. It is calculated by multiplying the selling price by the number of goods sold.
Total cost
The full amount of money spent by a business when producing the goods sold in a particular period. It is calculated by adding its fixed costs to its variable costs.
Profit sharing
An additional reward paid to workers to reflect the profits earned by the business.
Piece rates
Piece rates are paid to workers based on the number goods which are produced.
Performance related pay
An additional payment to workers who reach or exceed targets set in advance by the management.
Revenue
The amount of money taken in by a business when selling a good or service.
Workforce
The people who are working or looking for employment.
Sales process
A series of steps taken from when the potential buyer meets the prospective seller until after the final sale is made.
Business plan
Helps in decision making by showing the aims and objectives of a business and the strategies and requirements needed to achieve these. It also provides information to banks and other possible providers of finance to persuade these to grant loans and other monies to the business.
Curriculum vitae (CV)
Written by a person looking for employment. It outlines that individuals personal details, qualifications, experience and interests in the hope that these impress a possible employer.
Induction training
Used when new workers are employed so that they become familiar with their new surroundings and the specific methods and policies of the particular business.
SMART objectives
An acronym used as a guide to setting business objectives. It stands for Specific Measurable Agreed Realistic Timed.
Fixed cost
Costs which always stays the same no matter how many goods are produced.
Focus groups
Consumers brought together by businesses to discuss their reactions to products before they are launched.
Logistics
The management of the movement of goods from where they are to where they are needed: often between the manufacturer and the consumer.
Loss leaders
Products put on sale, usually in supermarkets, at prices which make no profits and may even make losses in order to attract customers into the shop to buy other goods.
Primary research
Collecting original information for a specific purpose: this is often called field research.
Wholesaler
A wholesaler buys goods from the manufacturer and sells these goods in smaller quantities to retailers.
Zero hours contracts
a situation where employers do not offer a minimum number of hours to be worked and employees do not have to accept work being offered. This is of particular value to businesses where the demand may vary from day to day, such as those involved in retailing or catering.
Stakeholders
Individuals and organisations who are affected by the decisions and actions of a particular business.
Product saturation
The point in the product life cycle where the market is full as competitors introduce similar products.
Single market
Countries joining together in trade as if they were one country, so there are no trade barriers such as customs duties when goods cross borders within the market. An example of a single market is the European Union.
Franchisor
A business which allows a franchisee to sell using their processes, experience and name in return for royalties.
Distribution
Materials being transported or moved to the producer or the final product being moved to the consumer.
Penetration pricing
A pricing strategy which involves setting a low price for a new product to encourage sales. The price may be reduced later with increased customer loyalty and market share.
Price
The amount of money a business wants to receive in order to sell a good or service or the amount of money the consumer is willing to pay to buy that product.
Mass (flow) production
A method of production where goods are produced continuously usually on a production line.
Quality control
Inspecting a sample of goods produced at the end of the production process to ensure that specifications have been met. Goods which do not meet the standards are scrapped or are sold as seconds.
Psychological pricing
A pricing strategy which involves offering goods at prices below whole number such as £5.99 or £499, or using words such as “only”. It is hoped that the consumer will believe that the product is much cheaper than if the price had been £6 or £500.
Gross profit
The profit made before expenses have been paid. It is calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold from the total revenue from selling those goods.
Contribution
Is the amount taken from the cost of selling every good used towards paying the fixed costs of producing that good. Contribution per good is selling price minus the cost of the good.
Person specification
Used in the recruitment process for the employers to outline the type of person they would like to employ. It will outline skills, qualifications and experience required.
Product launch
The point at which a product is put onto the market.
Cash
Money held by the business or in its bank accounts.
Quality
Meeting a standard for a good or service to meet consumer needs and expectations.
Chain of command
The path along which orders pass within a business from the management to the shop floor.
Retailer
A retailer sells goods to consumers. Small retailers buy their stock from wholesalers but large-scale retailers buy directly from manufacturers.
Unique selling point (USP)
What makes a product different from ones sold by competitors. It may involve the lowest price, the best quality or the first of its kind.
Product growth
Part of the early stage of the product life cycle when sales and profits are rising.
Product decline
The point in the product life cycle where sales fall and may eventually cease.
Sole traders
Businesses owned by one person who has unlimited liability. Other people can be employed but there is only one owner.
Forward vertical integration
When a business takes over another business to
control the direct distribution of a businesses’ products.
Time rates
Time rates are paid to workers based on the number of hours worked.
Marketing mix
The combination of factors which help a business to sell its products. It is usually considered to involve the 4Ps of product, price, promotion and place.
Secondary research
Using information which already exists: this is often called desk research.
Ethics
A business doing what is morally right for its stakeholders.
External growth
Increasing the size of a business by buying other businesses.
Hierarchical (tall) structures
Organisational charts where there are many levels of hierarchy. In these organisations, there are usually many managers, and each manager has a small span of control.
Off-the-job training
Off-the-job training happens outside the workplace of the employee often in colleges.
Bank loans
Long to medium term loans that can be used to buy producer goods. The goods become the property of the business immediately but failure to repay the loan to the bank could lead to the business being closed down.
Distribution channels
The routes which goods follow between the manufacturer and the consumer. The route may be direct between the two but the interaction of middlemen is more likely.
Customer service
The interaction between the business and the customer in which the business understands consumer needs before, during and after the sale of a good or service. Positive reactions to service can provide benefits for the businesses in relation to reputation and future sales.
Social enterprises
Businesses which operate for the benefit of the community or its workers or as a charity.