Education

Leaving Cert business: Students happy with ‘lovely’ selection of questions

Candidates who studied past paper and worked hard will be ‘richly rewarded’

Leaving Cert business students who studied past paper and worked hard will be ‘richly rewarded’. Photograph: iStock

Peter McGuire
Thu Jun 13 2019 - 15:46

Teachers have praised the higher level business paper and commended it for providing students with a wide choice of questions.

Ruairí Farrell, TUI subject representative and a teacher at Coláiste Chraobh Abhainn in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, said students were really happy with the paper.

Keith Hannigan, business teacher at the Institute of Education in Dublin, said students who studied past papers and worked hard will be “richly rewarded”.

Mr Farrell said that the full course was examined, with topical twists and a modern take, and that his students were very happy.

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“The short questions included one on the minimum wage and how increasing it might affect businesses; this was a different perspective to take as it’s usually focused on the employee’s point of view.

“Another interesting question asked them to name an imported product that we could not make ourselves,” he said.

Mr Hannigan said the short questions were “a lovely selection, with something for everyone.”

On the longer questions, Mr Hannigan said that one on enterprise and the benefits of being an entrepreneur was nice and topical.

“Students would have been hoping for this question and it was more than fair. There were also lovely questions on management activities and the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act. If students had practised with past papers they would have been very pleased here,” he said.

Other topical questions allowed students to address the environment and Brexit.

Green

“Question two was a lovely question about the environment, and how companies can be more green,” said Mr Hannigan.

“It’s lovely to see that the business subject took on the idea of how a company can be more environmentally friendly.”

Question three didn’t tackle Brexit head on, but instead focused on the benefits of continuing to trade within the Eurozone.

Mr Farrell said that it would allow students to use their knowledge of Brexit in a wider context.

One question, asking students about a fall in sales at multinational telecoms Vodafone, would have been challenging for students, said Mr Farrell.

“They would have needed to take some time to think about it,” he said.

Easier

The ordinary level paper was very accessible, Mr Farrell said.

“The language used was easier for students to understand although, as expected, similar topics were examined at both levels,” he said.

“However, there was a real trend on the ordinary level paper looking at environmental issues, with students asked about biodegradable cups and environmentally-friendly business,” he said.

One question that students could really relate to concerned an ad for a seasonal job at Kildare Village, Mr Farrell said.

“This is the type of part-time or summer job they would be looking at themselves, and I liked that they were asked to work out their own take home pay and net salary.”

Try this at home:

- Leaving Cert business (higher level)

(A) Evaluate the role of the EU institutions in the decision-making process of the European Union.

(B) In January 2019 the Euro celebrated its 20th anniversary. Explain the reasons why an Irish business may choose to trade with other businesses in the Eurozone.

(C) Read the information supplied and answer the question [SIC]which follow:

“Irish natural skincare businesses are using a combination of natural ingredients and science to develop innovative products for the growing international natural skincare market.” - The Irish Times June 2018

Discuss the benefits and the challenges for an Irish natural skincare business of trading in the global market.

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