1. Business and its environment (AS Level)
A section of Business Studies, 9609
Listing 10 of 76 questions
Brenda’s Bricks (BB) BB is a newly established social enterprise in country X. It was set up by Brenda. Brenda has no experience of running a national business, but she used all her savings to recruit a team of young intrapreneurs. Country X specialises in recycling plastic waste from other countries. It has a dynamic business environment and many businesses have recently failed. Brenda saw an opportunity to recycle low-cost plastic waste into construction bricks. These could be used to help the poorest in society to build waterproof houses. BB recently featured in a government promotion highlighting successful innovators. BB has trialled the method using job production and needs investment to produce its bricks commercially. A large national business, CC, is keen to invest in community projects to improve their corporate social image. CC needs to see a business plan before making a decision. Brenda has started to investigate the costs of production for the business plan that CC has requested. (See Table 1.1.) Table 1.1: Data about BB’s costs and methods of production Batch production Flow production Purchase cost $100 000 capital cost $150 000 capital cost Hire purchase cost $500 per month over a 20-year period $600 per month over a 25-year period Output A variety of sizes manufactured to customer preferences One size of brick used in 80% of house construction Manufacturing time Average 40 bricks per hour 100 bricks per hour Identify one potential risk to a business. Explain the term national business (line 2). Refer to Table 1.1. Calculate the total cost for the 25-year period of using hire purchase if Brenda chooses to use flow production. Explain one advantage for BB of using hire purchase as a source of finance. Analyse two limitations for BB of creating a business plan. Evaluate whether BB should use flow production to produce bricks.
9609_w24_qp_23
THEORY
2024
Paper 2, Variant 3
Questions Discovered
76