Topic 1 Flashcards
What is a business
An organisation that uses its resources to trade goods and services usually with the aim of making a profit
Reason for starting a business
- To produce a product
- persue an interest
- gain profit
- benefit society
- be your own boss
What is a good
A good is a tangible product that satisfies someones needs or wants
What is a service
A service is an intangible product that satisfies someones wants or needs for a short period of time
What are the four factors of production (LLCE)?
- Land
- Labour
- Capital
- Enterprise
What is opportunity cost?
The loss of other alternatives when one alternative is chosen
What is the primary sector
The primary sector of industry is concerned with the extraction of
raw materials or natural resources from the land. Any business that grows goods or extracts materials from the land would be classed as a primary sector business.
Examples of businesses that operate in the primary sector would be farming, mining, fishing or oil production.
What is the secondary sector
The secondary sector of industry is concerned with manufacturing. This would involve taking the raw materials from the primary sector and converting them into new products.
Examples of businesses that operate in the secondary sector would be car manufacturers, food production or building companies.
What is the tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of industry is concerned with providing a service. Services are activities that are done by people or businesses for consumers.
Examples of businesses that operate in the tertiary sector would be hairdressers, banks, supermarkets or cinemas.
What are some location factors for a business
- proximity to customers
- how close they are to raw materials
- costs
- competition
What is unlimited liability
The owners of the business are entirely responsible for the debt of the business
What is a limited liability
If the company falls into debt, you only pay back what you invested and your personal belongings will be protected
What are sole traders
An individual owning the business pn their own
What are some advantages of sole traders
- cheap and easy to set up
- keep all profits
- financial records remain private
What are some disadvantages of sole trader
- unlimited liability
- limited capital for investment
- little specialist skill
- difficult to cover when ill
What is capital
Money for investment
What is a partnership
When two or more people own a business, a legal document has to be signed and reported to ensure and legalise the business partnership.
What are some advantages of partnerships
- range of skills and ideas
- terms of partnership laid out in the deed of partnership document - so it reduces chances of conflict
- each owner can bring start up capital
- sharing responsibilities
What are some disadvantages of partnerships
- unlimited liability
- decision making can be time consuming and can lead to arguements
- no one is in full control - authority is split - could lead to conflict
What is the deed of partnership
A legal document drawn up by a solicitor/lawyer stting up rules for the partnership and how the profits will be allocated among business owners
What is a private limited company (ltd)
When shares of the business are not publicly traded on stock market so are restricted to family or friends
What are some advantages of private limited companies
- limited liability
- less risk of take over
- continuity of existence even if owners change
What are some disadvantages of private limited companies
- time consuming and costly to set up
- not being able to share your shares publicaly
- can limit ways of reaching capital
What is a public limited company
Incoporated businesses whose shares are traded publicly
Pros of a public limited company (plc)
- limited liability
- can raise large capital from selling shares
- prestige of being a plc
Cons of public limited companies
- time consuming and costly to set up
- risk of take over
- risk of short term decisions to maximise dividend payments
- shareholders may argue over decision making
What is a not-for-profit organisation (NPO)?
An organisation set up to achieve objectives other than profit, e.g. charity, pressure groups, etc.
What is a stakeholder
People who have an interest in the business
What are some example of stakeholders
- shareholders
- customers
- employees
- pressure groups
- local community
- suppliers
- bank
- competitors
What is the purpose of business
- help raise finance (investors such as banks, want to be confident the business has a plan that will succeed)
- help set objectives
- helps organisation
What is an aim
A clearly stated goal that a business organises in order to achieve better results (i.e. using products more efficiently
What is an objective
A specific target that is set for a business to achieve (how they are going to get there)
What are some business and objective aims for a new business
- survival
- break even (total revenue = total costs)
What are some aims and objectives for a growing business
- growth (domestic)
- increased market share
- diversification
- increased customer satisfaction
What are some aims and objectives for a developed business
- profit maximisation
- maximise growth internationally
- diversification on a wider scale
What is the equation for total revenue?
Selling price x quantity sold
What is revenue
Total income that a business gains from their sales
What is a fixed cost
Costs that remain the same regardless of the output of the business
What are some examples of fixed costs
- rent
- salary
- taxes
- insurance
What are variable costs
Costs that change in proportion to the business’s output
What are some examples of variable costs
- raw material
- packaging
- wages
What is the equation for total costs
Total fixed costs + total variable costs
What is profit and how do you calculate it
Profit is when the total revenue earned is greater than the costs
To calculate it you do:
Total revenue - total costs