Understanding business (unit 1) Flashcards
What is a need?
A need is something that a human being requires in order to survive.
give 3 examples of needs
food;
water;
clothing;
shelter.
What is a want?
A want is something that a human being can live without but which can make life more enjoyable.
Name 3 wants
mobile phones;
holidays;
Netflix;
cars.
any non need
What are goods?
Goods are items that we can see, touch and pick up.
Name 3 examples of goods
clothing;
magazines;
televisions;
washing machines;
cars.
What are durable goods?
Durable goods are goods that can be used more than once such as mobile phones, fridges/freezers and bicycles.
What are non durable goods?
Non-durable goods are goods that can only be used once or that only last for a short period of time such as a piece of cake, a single journey bus ticket and a pair of shoes.
What are services?
Services are things that are done for us
Name 3 examples of services
getting your hair done;
a plumber fixing a leak in the house;
going out for dinner;
going to the doctor for medical advice;
internet connection.
What are factors of production?
These are the factors that the entrepreneur needs in order to start up the business.
Name the 4 factors of production
The factors are capital, enterprise, land and labour. These can also be remembered using the acronym CELL.
What is capital
Capital - money, tools and equipment invested into a business.
What is enterprise?
Enterprise - the idea behind a business (i.e. the entrepreneur who set it up).
What is land?
Land - the natural resources a business will use.
What is labour?
Labour - the employees of a business.
What is an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur is the person who comes up with the idea for a business and combines the factors of production together to start the business.
Name 3 reasons for wanting to be an entrepreneur
to make money;
they have been made redundant and see it as an alternative option;
they have spotted a gap in the market, e.g. they may have noticed there is demand for a service in the local area such as cleaning;
they wish to pursue a hobby/interest, e.g. someone may enjoy baking and decide to make a business out of it;
to be their own boss - some people prefer doing their own thing rather than being told what to do.
Name 3 skills possesed by an entrepreneur
Leadership
Communication
Organisation
Problem-solving
Interpersonal
Name 3 qualities possesed by an entrepreneur
Determined
Motivated
Risk-taking
Innovative
Confident
What are the 3 sectors of industry
Primary sector
Secondary sector
Tertiary sector
What is the primary sector of industry
Primary sector industry involves extracting raw materials from the environment or growing raw materials, e.g. mining and farming.
What is the secondary sector of industry
Secondary sector industry involves manufacturing products, e.g. factories and house building.
What is the tertiary sector of industry?
Tertiary sector industry involves any business which provides a service, e.g. gyms and hotels.
Describe private sector organisations in terms of ownership control and funding
Private sector organisations are:
owned by private individuals;
controlled by the owners or a board of directors;
funded through personal investment, loans and through the profits the business generates.
Describe sole traders
A sole trader is a business that is owned and controlled by one person. The owner will make all decisions on how the business is run themselves.
In the private sector
What does it mean to have unlimited liability?
This means that they are legally responsible for paying the debts of the business. If the business has not made enough money to pay its debts then the owner will need to use their personal savings to do so.
What are the advantages of a sole trader business
it is a relatively easy type of business to set up as it does not involve completing complicated legal documents;
owner does not have to discuss or compromise on decisions meaning they can be made quickly;
owner gets to keep all profit made to themselves.
What are the disadvantages of a sole trader business
owner has no one to consult or share ideas with which can make running a sole trader stressful;
owner will find it difficult to take time off for holidays or if they are sick;
owner has unlimited liability.
Describe a partnership
A partnership is a type of business that has between 2 and 20 owners. Owners of a partnership are referred to as partners.
Partnerships tend to be found in professional practices such as solicitors, accountants and dentists.
In the private sector
What is a partnership agreement?
When setting up a partnership, a partnership agreement will be created and agreed on by all partners. The partnership agreement lays out the terms of the partnership that all partners agree to follow.
What terms are included in the partnership agreement
It will include:
how much capital each partner has agreed to put into the business;
the salary for each partner;
how the profits of the business will be split between partners;
the key roles and responsibilities of each partner.
What are the advantages of partnership business?
different partners can bring different skills and experience to the business;
workload and decision-making can be shared between partners;
larger amounts of finance can be raised compared to a sole trader.
What are the disadvantages of a partnership business?
disagreements and arguments can occur when partners don’t agree on a decision;
profits have to be shared between partners;
partners have unlimited liability.
Describe the ownership of a private limited company
The ownership of a private limited company is divided into small portions known as shares. Each share is a small percentage ownership of the business. The more shares someone owns, the bigger the percentage ownership they have of the business. The owners of a private limited company are known as its shareholders.
How can an individual become a shareholder in a private limited company
To become a shareholder of a private limited company, an individual must be formally invited to buy shares in it. This allows the business to control who becomes a shareholder which reduces the risk of control of the business being lost to outsiders.
Describe how a private limited company is controlled
A private limited company is controlled by a board of directors. This is a group appointed by the shareholders who oversee the running of the business.
What does it mean to have limited liability?
(LTD)
This means that the business is seen as a separate legal entity from its shareholders. Therefore, shareholders are not legally responsible for paying the debts of the business. They only risk losing the capital they invested into the business if it fails.
Describe divedends
The profits of the business are divided between shareholders through a process known as dividends. A certain amount of profit is paid for every share that is owned in the business. The more shares that an individual has in the business, the larger the portion of the profits they will receive.
What are the advantages of a private limited company business
by selling shares - known as a share issue - the business can quickly raise a large amount of capital;
control of the company cannot be lost to outsiders;
shareholders have limited liability.
What are the disadvantages of private limited company business
setting up a private limited company is a much more lengthy and legally complicated process than the other types of private sector businesses;
annual accounts must be produced and shared publicly;
profits have to be shared between shareholders.
Describe public sector organisations in terms of ownership control and finance
Public sector organisations are:
owned by the government;
controlled by elected officials such as MSPs and councillors;
primarily funded through taxation.
Describe the local government (Public sector organisation)
Scotland is divided into 32 local authorities, often referred to as councils. Each local authority is responsible for providing vital services to the people who live within that area. Councils are responsible for services such as waste collection, street lighting and leisure facilities.
Local authorities receive an annual amount of money from the Scottish Government. They also collect a tax known as Council Tax. These are both used to fund the services they provide.
Each local authority is run by elected officials known as councillors. The people who live within each local authority vote for who they want their councillors to be every five years.
Describe third sector organisations in terms of ownership control and finance
Third sector organisations are:
not owned by any one particular individual;
controlled by a board of trustees;
usually funded through donations and fundraising activities.
Name 3 examples of third sector organisations
Charities
Social enterprises
Voluntary groups
Describe a charity
A charity is an organisation that has been set up to help a particular cause.
A charity will use donations and money raised from fundraising activities to help their chosen cause.
To operate as a charity in the UK, an organisation must first register with the Charity Commission.
What are the four purposes accepted for charites in the UK
to relieve poverty;
to advance religion;
to advance education;
to carry out activities beneficial to society.
What are voluntary groups
(Unlikely to come up)
Voluntary and community groups usually exist to provide a service to people living within a certain area. Examples include youth clubs, youth sports teams and the Scouts.
Groups are run by volunteers; they are individuals who give up their time to run the group for free. Groups might charge members a small fee for participating which is used to cover the costs of running it, such as renting a hall.