Examiners’ Report
Principal Examiner Feedback
October 2020
Pearson Edexcel GCE A Level
In Business (9BS0)
Paper 1: Marketing, people and global businesses
,Introduction:
This report provides feedback on 9BS01 ‘Marketing, people and global businesses’.
This report should be used by centres to provide teachers and students with
guidance as to how to approach the various question types.
This year, the cohort was a fraction of the normal entry. There was still a range of
responses and there are several useful pointers that can be taken from student
performance overall.
In this report there will be a brief overview of each question, with some
information about students’ performance. At the end of the document there is an
appendix which contains a good answer, and an answer in need of development.
In each case there is a commentary. The aim is for students and centres to use
these examples to develop their understanding of the assessment requirements.
Question 1(a):
Students generally were able to adapt percentage change calculation to the
difference in wage rates between Aldi and Tesco. The mistakes that were made by
some students were to either mix up the figures needed to calculate the
percentage difference, or for answers to not be rounded to 2 decimal places
accurately.
Appendix 1a i) and 1a) ii)
Question 1(b):
A number of students confused ‘objective’ with ‘strategy, so their responses, such
as ‘reduce prices’ were suggested as an example of a business strategy. These
responses are not correct. Increase market share was the most typical response,
and there was plenty in the extract to support this answer with application.
Appendix 1b i) and 1b) ii)
Question 1(c):
A large proportion of students found this accessible. There were quite a large
proportion of responses that discussed ‘above the line and below the line’
promotion. Although these terms could be relevant, they are not specification
terms and therefore not necessary to achieve the highest marks.
Appendix 1c i) and 1c) ii)
,Question 1(d):
Most students identified that the key to answering this question was the costs
imposed on Aldi of staff leaving the business due to poor treatment, suggested in
the extracts, and based on surveys. A surprising number of students interpreted
this as a marketing issue, which would be valid as an explanation of the knock-on
effects of the poor treatment of staff, but this was not what the question required.
The best answers explained how Aldi’s low-cost model could be harmed if their
recruitment and selection costs increased due to staff leaving after poor
treatment.
Appendix 1d i) and 1d) ii)
Question 1(e):
Students were comfortable answering about financial and non-financial methods
of motivation, and this was shown by good levels of knowledge in response to this
question. The best answers referred to the motivation mentioned in the survey,
and appearing in Extract C, adapting these to the appropriate category. However,
many answers were generic and were not applied to Aldi or the supermarket
industry. Remember, context can come from an understanding of general
business behaviour, and not just the extracts. For example, a performance bonus
for the number of customers served in an hour might be an appropriate
suggestion.
It is important to remember the ‘recommend’ aspect of the question for these
20-mark responses. Students should aim to make a detailed recommendation
based on their evaluation of the two options. Students should avoid a brief
summary conclusion.
Appendix 1e i) and 1e) ii)
Question 2(a):
Most students showed understanding of Price Elasticity of Demand (PED)
calculations, as evidenced by the number who included the formula. This is good
practice. The re-arrangement of the formula after being given the answer (PED)
and the change in price caused many students difficulty. Calculation questions of
this nature will sometimes require rearrangement of given figures, so it is good
practice to prepare for this. Doing so will also help to deepen students
understanding of a tricky concept such as Price Elasticity of Demand.
Appendix 2a i) and 2a) ii)
,
Principal Examiner Feedback
October 2020
Pearson Edexcel GCE A Level
In Business (9BS0)
Paper 1: Marketing, people and global businesses
,Introduction:
This report provides feedback on 9BS01 ‘Marketing, people and global businesses’.
This report should be used by centres to provide teachers and students with
guidance as to how to approach the various question types.
This year, the cohort was a fraction of the normal entry. There was still a range of
responses and there are several useful pointers that can be taken from student
performance overall.
In this report there will be a brief overview of each question, with some
information about students’ performance. At the end of the document there is an
appendix which contains a good answer, and an answer in need of development.
In each case there is a commentary. The aim is for students and centres to use
these examples to develop their understanding of the assessment requirements.
Question 1(a):
Students generally were able to adapt percentage change calculation to the
difference in wage rates between Aldi and Tesco. The mistakes that were made by
some students were to either mix up the figures needed to calculate the
percentage difference, or for answers to not be rounded to 2 decimal places
accurately.
Appendix 1a i) and 1a) ii)
Question 1(b):
A number of students confused ‘objective’ with ‘strategy, so their responses, such
as ‘reduce prices’ were suggested as an example of a business strategy. These
responses are not correct. Increase market share was the most typical response,
and there was plenty in the extract to support this answer with application.
Appendix 1b i) and 1b) ii)
Question 1(c):
A large proportion of students found this accessible. There were quite a large
proportion of responses that discussed ‘above the line and below the line’
promotion. Although these terms could be relevant, they are not specification
terms and therefore not necessary to achieve the highest marks.
Appendix 1c i) and 1c) ii)
,Question 1(d):
Most students identified that the key to answering this question was the costs
imposed on Aldi of staff leaving the business due to poor treatment, suggested in
the extracts, and based on surveys. A surprising number of students interpreted
this as a marketing issue, which would be valid as an explanation of the knock-on
effects of the poor treatment of staff, but this was not what the question required.
The best answers explained how Aldi’s low-cost model could be harmed if their
recruitment and selection costs increased due to staff leaving after poor
treatment.
Appendix 1d i) and 1d) ii)
Question 1(e):
Students were comfortable answering about financial and non-financial methods
of motivation, and this was shown by good levels of knowledge in response to this
question. The best answers referred to the motivation mentioned in the survey,
and appearing in Extract C, adapting these to the appropriate category. However,
many answers were generic and were not applied to Aldi or the supermarket
industry. Remember, context can come from an understanding of general
business behaviour, and not just the extracts. For example, a performance bonus
for the number of customers served in an hour might be an appropriate
suggestion.
It is important to remember the ‘recommend’ aspect of the question for these
20-mark responses. Students should aim to make a detailed recommendation
based on their evaluation of the two options. Students should avoid a brief
summary conclusion.
Appendix 1e i) and 1e) ii)
Question 2(a):
Most students showed understanding of Price Elasticity of Demand (PED)
calculations, as evidenced by the number who included the formula. This is good
practice. The re-arrangement of the formula after being given the answer (PED)
and the change in price caused many students difficulty. Calculation questions of
this nature will sometimes require rearrangement of given figures, so it is good
practice to prepare for this. Doing so will also help to deepen students
understanding of a tricky concept such as Price Elasticity of Demand.
Appendix 2a i) and 2a) ii)
,
