Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number Candidate number INTERNATIONAL AS
Surname BUSINESS
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
BU01
I declare this is my own work. Unit 1: Business and Markets
INTERNATIONAL AS Mark scheme
BUSINESS January 2026
Version: 1.0 Final
Unit 1 Business and Markets
Friday 9 January 2026 07:00 UK Time Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have: For Examiner’s Use
• a calculator, which you are expected to use where appropriate. Question Mark
1
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 2
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 3
• Answer all questions. 4
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. 5
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of 6
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). 7
• All working must be shown.
8
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not
want to be marked. 9
• You may not use an English dictionary. 10
11
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets. 12
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80. 13
14
Advice
• You may use a bilingual dictionary. TOTAL
*JAn26BU0101*
IB/G/Jan26/G4005/V5 BU01
, 2
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
Section A box
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
Only one answer per question is allowed. responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
For each multiple-choice question completely fill in the circle alongside the appropriate answer. answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
CORRECT METHOD WRONG METHODS required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
If you want to change your answer you must cross out your original answer as shown. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
If you wish to return to an answer previously crossed out, ring the answer you now wish to select schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
as shown. assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from
0 1 Sales of a product rose quickly to a high level. Sales have stopped rising but are
not falling. More businesses are beginning to enter the market selling similar products.
What stage of the product life cycle is this product now in?
[1 mark]
A Decline
B Growth
C Introduction
D Maturity 1
0 2 A business conducts market research. The research involves asking potential customers
to complete a survey that consists entirely of ‘yes/no’ questions.
What type of marketing research is this?
[1 mark]
A Primary and qualitative
B Primary and quantitative
C Secondary and qualitative
1
D Secondary and quantitative
information
OxfordAQA retains the on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for OxfordAQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for
their own internal use, llowing important exception: OxfordAQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is
acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
OxfordAQA International Examinations and its licensors. All rights reserved.
*02*
2
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
, 3
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 3 Consumers are divided up into groups based on differences in their attitudes, their values box
and the lifestyles of these groups.
How to mark
What method of market segmentation is this?
[1 mark] Aims
When you are marking your allocation of scripts your main aims should be to:
A Demographic
• recognise and identify the achievements of students
B Geographic • place students in the appropriate mark band and in the appropriate part of that mark band (high, low,
middle)
C Income • record your judgements with brief notes, annotations and comments that are relevant to the mark
scheme and make it clear to other examiners how you have arrived at the numerical mark awarded
D Psychographic 1 • put into a rank order the achievements of students (not to grade them – that is done later using the
rank order that your marking has produced)
• ensure comparability of assessment for all students, regardless of question or examiner.
0 4 Table 1 shows data relating to the market size of an industry in 2024. Approach
Table 1 It is important to be open-minded and positive when marking scripts.
Selling price per unit ($) 12 The specification recognises the variety of experiences and knowledge that students will have. It
encourages them to study business in a way that is relevant to them. The questions have been
designed to give them opportunities to discuss what they have found out about business. It is important
Total units sold in market 5600 to assess the quality of what the student offers.
The market size increased by 25% between 2024 and 2025. Assessment Objectives
Using Table 1, calculate the market size (in $) in 2025. This component requires students to:
[2 marks]
AO1 Demonstrate knowledge of terms, concepts, theories, methods and models to show an
understanding of how individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to
business issues.
AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding to various business contexts to show how
individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to issues.
2 AO3 Analyse issues within business, showing an understanding of the impact on individuals
and organisations of external and internal influences.
AO4 Evaluate quantitative and qualitative information to make informed judgements and
propose evidence-based solutions to business issues.
Turn over for the next question
Turn over ►
*03*
3
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
, 4
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 5 Table 2 shows information for a company. box
Table 2
The marking grids
The specification has generic marking grids for each Assessment Objective that is customised with
Dividends per share in 2024 ($) 0.10 indicative content for individual tasks. These have been designed to allow assessment of the range of
knowledge, understanding and skills that the specification demands.
Number of ordinary shares 400 000
Within each Assessment Objective there are three or four broad levels representing different levels of
achievement. Do not think of levels as equivalent to grade boundaries.
Ordinary share capital ($) 800 000
The indicative content gives examples of the kind of things students might do that would exemplify the
Total dividends paid in 2025 ($) 64 000 level. They are neither exhaustive nor required – they are simply indicative of what would appear at this
level. You will find that they sometimes indicate areas of content that can be handled with increasing
sophistication and subtlety. You will also find statements which only characterise work at the bottom or
Using Table 2, calculate the percentage change in dividends per share in 2025 compared top of the range.
with 2024.
[3 marks] Depending on the part of the examination, the levels will have different mark ranges assigned to them.
This will reflect the different weighting of Assessment Objectives in particular tasks and across the
examination as a whole. You may be required to give different marks to bands for different Assessment
Objectives.
Using the grids
These levels of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has descriptors.
The descriptors for the level show the performance characteristics of the level. There is the same
number of marks in each level for an individual Assessment Objective. The number of marks per level
will vary depending upon the number of marks allocated to the various Assessment Objectives covered
3 by a particular question.
Having familiarised yourself with the descriptors and indicative content, read through the answer and
annotate it (as instructed below) to identify the qualities that are being looked for and that it shows. You
can now check the levels and award a mark.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptors for that level. The descriptors for the level indicate the different qualities that might be seen
in the student’s answer for that level.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as in the rest.
If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level; eg if the response fulfils most but not all of level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material, it
would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4
content.
*04*
4
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
Centre number Candidate number INTERNATIONAL AS
Surname BUSINESS
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
BU01
I declare this is my own work. Unit 1: Business and Markets
INTERNATIONAL AS Mark scheme
BUSINESS January 2026
Version: 1.0 Final
Unit 1 Business and Markets
Friday 9 January 2026 07:00 UK Time Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have: For Examiner’s Use
• a calculator, which you are expected to use where appropriate. Question Mark
1
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 2
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 3
• Answer all questions. 4
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. 5
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of 6
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). 7
• All working must be shown.
8
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not
want to be marked. 9
• You may not use an English dictionary. 10
11
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets. 12
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80. 13
14
Advice
• You may use a bilingual dictionary. TOTAL
*JAn26BU0101*
IB/G/Jan26/G4005/V5 BU01
, 2
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
Section A box
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
Only one answer per question is allowed. responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
For each multiple-choice question completely fill in the circle alongside the appropriate answer. answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
CORRECT METHOD WRONG METHODS required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
If you want to change your answer you must cross out your original answer as shown. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
If you wish to return to an answer previously crossed out, ring the answer you now wish to select schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
as shown. assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from
0 1 Sales of a product rose quickly to a high level. Sales have stopped rising but are
not falling. More businesses are beginning to enter the market selling similar products.
What stage of the product life cycle is this product now in?
[1 mark]
A Decline
B Growth
C Introduction
D Maturity 1
0 2 A business conducts market research. The research involves asking potential customers
to complete a survey that consists entirely of ‘yes/no’ questions.
What type of marketing research is this?
[1 mark]
A Primary and qualitative
B Primary and quantitative
C Secondary and qualitative
1
D Secondary and quantitative
information
OxfordAQA retains the on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for OxfordAQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for
their own internal use, llowing important exception: OxfordAQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is
acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
OxfordAQA International Examinations and its licensors. All rights reserved.
*02*
2
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
, 3
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 3 Consumers are divided up into groups based on differences in their attitudes, their values box
and the lifestyles of these groups.
How to mark
What method of market segmentation is this?
[1 mark] Aims
When you are marking your allocation of scripts your main aims should be to:
A Demographic
• recognise and identify the achievements of students
B Geographic • place students in the appropriate mark band and in the appropriate part of that mark band (high, low,
middle)
C Income • record your judgements with brief notes, annotations and comments that are relevant to the mark
scheme and make it clear to other examiners how you have arrived at the numerical mark awarded
D Psychographic 1 • put into a rank order the achievements of students (not to grade them – that is done later using the
rank order that your marking has produced)
• ensure comparability of assessment for all students, regardless of question or examiner.
0 4 Table 1 shows data relating to the market size of an industry in 2024. Approach
Table 1 It is important to be open-minded and positive when marking scripts.
Selling price per unit ($) 12 The specification recognises the variety of experiences and knowledge that students will have. It
encourages them to study business in a way that is relevant to them. The questions have been
designed to give them opportunities to discuss what they have found out about business. It is important
Total units sold in market 5600 to assess the quality of what the student offers.
The market size increased by 25% between 2024 and 2025. Assessment Objectives
Using Table 1, calculate the market size (in $) in 2025. This component requires students to:
[2 marks]
AO1 Demonstrate knowledge of terms, concepts, theories, methods and models to show an
understanding of how individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to
business issues.
AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding to various business contexts to show how
individuals and organisations are affected by and respond to issues.
2 AO3 Analyse issues within business, showing an understanding of the impact on individuals
and organisations of external and internal influences.
AO4 Evaluate quantitative and qualitative information to make informed judgements and
propose evidence-based solutions to business issues.
Turn over for the next question
Turn over ►
*03*
3
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
, 4
MARK SCHEME – INTERNATIONAL AS BUSINESS – BU01 – JANUARY 2026
Do not write
outside the
0 5 Table 2 shows information for a company. box
Table 2
The marking grids
The specification has generic marking grids for each Assessment Objective that is customised with
Dividends per share in 2024 ($) 0.10 indicative content for individual tasks. These have been designed to allow assessment of the range of
knowledge, understanding and skills that the specification demands.
Number of ordinary shares 400 000
Within each Assessment Objective there are three or four broad levels representing different levels of
achievement. Do not think of levels as equivalent to grade boundaries.
Ordinary share capital ($) 800 000
The indicative content gives examples of the kind of things students might do that would exemplify the
Total dividends paid in 2025 ($) 64 000 level. They are neither exhaustive nor required – they are simply indicative of what would appear at this
level. You will find that they sometimes indicate areas of content that can be handled with increasing
sophistication and subtlety. You will also find statements which only characterise work at the bottom or
Using Table 2, calculate the percentage change in dividends per share in 2025 compared top of the range.
with 2024.
[3 marks] Depending on the part of the examination, the levels will have different mark ranges assigned to them.
This will reflect the different weighting of Assessment Objectives in particular tasks and across the
examination as a whole. You may be required to give different marks to bands for different Assessment
Objectives.
Using the grids
These levels of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has descriptors.
The descriptors for the level show the performance characteristics of the level. There is the same
number of marks in each level for an individual Assessment Objective. The number of marks per level
will vary depending upon the number of marks allocated to the various Assessment Objectives covered
3 by a particular question.
Having familiarised yourself with the descriptors and indicative content, read through the answer and
annotate it (as instructed below) to identify the qualities that are being looked for and that it shows. You
can now check the levels and award a mark.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptors for that level. The descriptors for the level indicate the different qualities that might be seen
in the student’s answer for that level.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as in the rest.
If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level; eg if the response fulfils most but not all of level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material, it
would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4
content.
*04*
4
IB/G/Jan26/BU01
