Business offers you the chance to learn how a business might evolve. From a small start-up business to a large multinational organization. The course is designed to provide you with a broad understanding of health and social care in a variety of different contexts. Class discussion will give you an understanding of the theory, but you will also regularly be putting the theory into practice through placement, working with guest speakers, and role-play. The Business Environment – You will develop an understanding of how and why businesses operate in the way they do. Looking at a range of different types of businesses and structures, exploring how the ownership of a business and its objectives are interrelated. You will learn about the importance of different functions within a business and how they work together. You will understand the legal, financial, ethical, and resource constraints under which a business must operate and how these can affect business behavior. You will explore ways in which businesses respond to changes in their economic, social, and technological environment and the necessity for a business to plan along with how stakeholders influence a business. Topics include: The course aims to consider a range of different business types and gain an understanding of how the choice of business type might affect the objectives that are set. It will also look at the internal workings of businesses, including their internal structure and how different functional areas work together. Plus, by looking at the external constraints under which a business must operate, an understanding of the legal, financial, and ethical factors that have an impact will be gained. It explores ways in which businesses respond to changes in their economic, social, and technological environment; and gains an appreciation of the influence different stakeholders can have upon a business. Working in Business - You will gain further knowledge of human, physical, technological, and financial resources; and how the management of these resources affects the performance of the business. You will develop the skills and understanding needed to work effectively within a business environment. This includes arranging meetings, working with business documents, making payments, prioritizing business activities, and communicating with stakeholders. Customers & Communication – You will learn the purpose, methods, and importance of communication in business and the appropriateness of different forms of communication for different situations. You will develop the skills that will help you to create a rapport with customers and have the opportunity to practice and develop your business communication skills. You will also study one other optional unit which is coursework. This will be decided based on the needs/interests of the group.