Business Studies Grade 12
Updated CAPS Curriculum (South Africa)
Term 1: Summary
This document is designed to help students understand the most important concepts from
the textbook without the confusing jargon. We’ve simplified everything into clear,
easy-to-understand notes with well-thought-out examples to make learning more effective.
This summary is not intended to be a replacement of the textbook provided, but rather to
help students grasp key ideas quickly and efficiently.
To get the most out of your studies, we recommend using these notes alongside the
test prep notes for Business Studies Term 1, which serves as an even more simplified
“flash card” or “crypt notes” version of the textbook with only the details that are most
commonly found in Grade 12 exams. These test prep notes also include a mockup test with
answers and exclusive exam tips to boost your grades!
To access these “test prep” notes, enter the following code in the search bar on the
homepage of this platform:
“bsprep5684”
Study Smarter, Not Harder!
Term 1 covers the following topics:
● The impact of recent legislation on businesses
● The human resources function
● Ethics and professionalism
● Creative thinking and problem solving
● Macro environment: Business strategies
,Chapter 1:
The impact of recent legislation on businesses
Purpose of To ensure that businesses treat all employees fairly. It ensures
these equality for all South Africans, doesn’t matter which race or
legislations: gender. and serves as guidelines to prevent injustices and
discrimination in the workplace.
The legislations The Skills Development Act (SDA) (No. 97 of 1998)
and how it
affects Advantages:
businesses:
● Enhances employee skills and productivity, contributing
to economic growth
● Improves businesses' global competitiveness through a
skilled workforce
● Increases return on investment in training
● Leads to better service delivery
Disadvantages:
● Implementation is time-consuming and costly for
businesses
● SDL is an additional expense, even for struggling
businesses
● Difficult for businesses to monitor and control
● Employee training can decrease workplace productivity
Non-Compliance Actions:
● Preventing employee access to training and
learnerships
● Discriminating in providing training opportunities
● Submitting false proof of training
● Offering unauthorized training for profit
Penalties for Non-Compliance:
● Compliance orders from Labour Court
● Large fines and possible imprisonment
● Inability to offer learnerships or claim grants
● Operations shut down by labour inspectors
● Business licenses revoked
Ways to Comply:
● Display SDA summary for employees
● Assess training needs and provide opportunities
● Register with SETA and pay SDL if required
● Submit workplace skills plan and implement
,The Labour Relations Act (LRA) (No. 66 of 1995)
Purpose:
● Provides framework for employer-employee and trade
union-employer relations
● Promotes collective bargaining and fair labor practices
● Established the CCMA, Labour Court, and Labour
Appeal Court
● Maintains employees' basic workplace rights
Advantages for Businesses:
● Ensures participation in collective bargaining, reducing
conflict
● Protects business rights in labor issues
● Promotes quick, less expensive dispute resolutions
● Protects employers during strikes
● Prevents unfair workplace discrimination
Disadvantages for Businesses:
● May lower productivity, reducing competitiveness
● Decreased profitability from productivity declines
● Costly and time-consuming implementation
● Increased costs from legal/labor consultants
Non-Compliance Actions:
● Unfair dismissal, preventing trade union membership
● Refusing leave for union representatives
● Stopping employees from legal strikes
● Forcing employees to give up union representation
Penalties for Non-Compliance:
● Compliance orders, large fines
● Forced participation in dispute resolution
● Legal and CCMA fees
Ways to comply:
● Display LRA where employees can see it
● Allow employees to form trade unions and participate
in union activities and legal strikes
● Support establishment of workplace forums
● Adhere to any agreements made during collective
bargaining
● Do not unfairly dismiss employees
● Disclose all relevant information to union
representatives
, The Employment Equity Act (EEA) (55 OF 1998)
Purpose of the EEA:
● Encourages diversity in the workplace
● Employees with similar responsibilities must receive
fair wages
● Protects against discrimination in the workplace
● Hiring, opportunities and treatment must be unbiased
● Protects employees from victimization
● The ability to take unresolved disputes to the CCMA
Advantages:
● Promotes affirmative actions to create fair job
opportunities for disadvantaged groups
● Ensures hiring is based on skills and merit, not on
race, gender or disability
● Guarantees fair promotions, salaries and benefits for
all employees
● Promotes workplace diversity which leads to better
understanding of different customer needs
● Encourages open discussions between employers and
employees
Disadvantages:
● The procedure of training employees is
time-consuming and expensive
● The education is an ongoing expense for the business
● It causes workplace tension and can cause
unnecessary conflict
● Some businesses prioritize EE quotas over skill, which
affects performance
● Finding both EE and skilled candidates can be difficult
● Government compliance is required
Actions considered and non-compliant:
● Rejecting candidates based on race, gender, culture or
disability
● Promoting employees without merit to meet EE targets
● Rejecting young women due to potential maternity
leave
● Testing employees for HIV without Labour Court
approval
● Refusing employment because of religion
● Harassing or victimizing a person
Updated CAPS Curriculum (South Africa)
Term 1: Summary
This document is designed to help students understand the most important concepts from
the textbook without the confusing jargon. We’ve simplified everything into clear,
easy-to-understand notes with well-thought-out examples to make learning more effective.
This summary is not intended to be a replacement of the textbook provided, but rather to
help students grasp key ideas quickly and efficiently.
To get the most out of your studies, we recommend using these notes alongside the
test prep notes for Business Studies Term 1, which serves as an even more simplified
“flash card” or “crypt notes” version of the textbook with only the details that are most
commonly found in Grade 12 exams. These test prep notes also include a mockup test with
answers and exclusive exam tips to boost your grades!
To access these “test prep” notes, enter the following code in the search bar on the
homepage of this platform:
“bsprep5684”
Study Smarter, Not Harder!
Term 1 covers the following topics:
● The impact of recent legislation on businesses
● The human resources function
● Ethics and professionalism
● Creative thinking and problem solving
● Macro environment: Business strategies
,Chapter 1:
The impact of recent legislation on businesses
Purpose of To ensure that businesses treat all employees fairly. It ensures
these equality for all South Africans, doesn’t matter which race or
legislations: gender. and serves as guidelines to prevent injustices and
discrimination in the workplace.
The legislations The Skills Development Act (SDA) (No. 97 of 1998)
and how it
affects Advantages:
businesses:
● Enhances employee skills and productivity, contributing
to economic growth
● Improves businesses' global competitiveness through a
skilled workforce
● Increases return on investment in training
● Leads to better service delivery
Disadvantages:
● Implementation is time-consuming and costly for
businesses
● SDL is an additional expense, even for struggling
businesses
● Difficult for businesses to monitor and control
● Employee training can decrease workplace productivity
Non-Compliance Actions:
● Preventing employee access to training and
learnerships
● Discriminating in providing training opportunities
● Submitting false proof of training
● Offering unauthorized training for profit
Penalties for Non-Compliance:
● Compliance orders from Labour Court
● Large fines and possible imprisonment
● Inability to offer learnerships or claim grants
● Operations shut down by labour inspectors
● Business licenses revoked
Ways to Comply:
● Display SDA summary for employees
● Assess training needs and provide opportunities
● Register with SETA and pay SDL if required
● Submit workplace skills plan and implement
,The Labour Relations Act (LRA) (No. 66 of 1995)
Purpose:
● Provides framework for employer-employee and trade
union-employer relations
● Promotes collective bargaining and fair labor practices
● Established the CCMA, Labour Court, and Labour
Appeal Court
● Maintains employees' basic workplace rights
Advantages for Businesses:
● Ensures participation in collective bargaining, reducing
conflict
● Protects business rights in labor issues
● Promotes quick, less expensive dispute resolutions
● Protects employers during strikes
● Prevents unfair workplace discrimination
Disadvantages for Businesses:
● May lower productivity, reducing competitiveness
● Decreased profitability from productivity declines
● Costly and time-consuming implementation
● Increased costs from legal/labor consultants
Non-Compliance Actions:
● Unfair dismissal, preventing trade union membership
● Refusing leave for union representatives
● Stopping employees from legal strikes
● Forcing employees to give up union representation
Penalties for Non-Compliance:
● Compliance orders, large fines
● Forced participation in dispute resolution
● Legal and CCMA fees
Ways to comply:
● Display LRA where employees can see it
● Allow employees to form trade unions and participate
in union activities and legal strikes
● Support establishment of workplace forums
● Adhere to any agreements made during collective
bargaining
● Do not unfairly dismiss employees
● Disclose all relevant information to union
representatives
, The Employment Equity Act (EEA) (55 OF 1998)
Purpose of the EEA:
● Encourages diversity in the workplace
● Employees with similar responsibilities must receive
fair wages
● Protects against discrimination in the workplace
● Hiring, opportunities and treatment must be unbiased
● Protects employees from victimization
● The ability to take unresolved disputes to the CCMA
Advantages:
● Promotes affirmative actions to create fair job
opportunities for disadvantaged groups
● Ensures hiring is based on skills and merit, not on
race, gender or disability
● Guarantees fair promotions, salaries and benefits for
all employees
● Promotes workplace diversity which leads to better
understanding of different customer needs
● Encourages open discussions between employers and
employees
Disadvantages:
● The procedure of training employees is
time-consuming and expensive
● The education is an ongoing expense for the business
● It causes workplace tension and can cause
unnecessary conflict
● Some businesses prioritize EE quotas over skill, which
affects performance
● Finding both EE and skilled candidates can be difficult
● Government compliance is required
Actions considered and non-compliant:
● Rejecting candidates based on race, gender, culture or
disability
● Promoting employees without merit to meet EE targets
● Rejecting young women due to potential maternity
leave
● Testing employees for HIV without Labour Court
approval
● Refusing employment because of religion
● Harassing or victimizing a person
