levo

The External Environment

Technology and business

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 Unit 4

Overview

Three ways technology has changed how businesses operate, big data in a business context and cyber risk.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Name three ways technology has changed how businesses operate.

Key term

Define automation.

Key term

Give two benefits of automation to a business.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Name three ways technology has changed how businesses operate.

    Model answer

    Automation of production, e-commerce and digital marketing, and communication technology enabling remote and distributed working.

  2. 2

    Define automation.

    Model answer

    The replacement of human labour by machinery or software that performs a task with little or no human intervention.

  3. 3

    Give two benefits of automation to a business.

    Model answer

    Lower unit costs and greater consistency of quality, together with the ability to run continuously.

  4. 4

    Give two drawbacks of automation.

    Model answer

    High initial capital cost and a long payback, and the loss of flexibility if demand or the product changes.

  5. 5

    What effect does automation have on employees?

    Model answer

    It removes routine jobs while creating fewer, more technical ones, so the workforce shrinks and the skills required rise.

  6. 6

    How has e-commerce changed retailing?

    Model answer

    It removes the need for a physical presence near customers, lowers barriers to entry for small sellers, and shifts competition towards price, delivery and reviews.

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Enterprise and Starting a Business
Markets and Market Research
Marketing
People in Business

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Gross profit = − cost of sales.
revenueprofitexpenses

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AShort-term disruption depresses the early figures.
BThe benefits build up as people become proficient.
CAn early judgement is usually too harsh.

Build It gets the exam shape right

Assemble a full-mark answer from its marking points, in the order an examiner wants them.

Need means something essential for survival, such as food, water or shelter.
TrueFalse

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Spot the fault in a statement. The traps are the mistakes students actually make.

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