2024_AQA-GCSE Business
Paper 2: Influences of Marketing and Finance on Business Activity
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
| Wednesday 5 June 2024
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GCSE
BUSINESS
Paper 2 Influences of marketing and finance on business activity
Wednesday 5 June 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
For Examiner’s Use
• a calculator.
Section Mark
Instructions
A
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. B
• Answer all questions. C
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside TOTAL
the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
• Do all rough work in this answer book. Cross through any work you do not
want to be marked.
Advice
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 90.
GCSE Business Paper 2: Influences of Marketing and Finance on Business Activity Summary
The GCSE Business Paper 2: Influences of Marketing and Finance on Business Activity, scheduled
for June 2025, will assess students' understanding of how marketing and finance impact business
operations and decision-making. This paper focuses on how businesses use marketing strategies to meet
,customer needs and manage financial resources to ensure growth and profitability. The key areas covered
include:
1. Marketing:
Market Research: The importance of gathering information about customers, competitors, and
the market to make informed decisions. This includes primary (surveys, focus groups) and
secondary (reports, online data) research methods.
Marketing Mix (4 Ps): The key components of the marketing strategy: Product, Price, Place, and
Promotion. Understanding how businesses create, price, distribute, and promote products or
services to meet customer demands.
Product Lifecycle: The stages a product goes through from development to decline (introduction,
growth, maturity, decline) and how marketing strategies change at each stage.
Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning: How businesses segment the market, identify target
customers, and position their products or services to appeal to specific customer needs.
Branding and Loyalty: The role of branding in building customer recognition and loyalty, and
how businesses maintain and enhance their brand value.
Digital Marketing: The use of online platforms (social media, websites, and digital ads) for
promoting products, interacting with customers, and increasing sales.
2. Finance:
Sources of Finance: Different ways businesses raise funds, including internal sources (retained
profits, selling assets) and external sources (bank loans, crowdfunding, share capital).
Financial Statements: Understanding the key financial documents, such as the Income
Statement (Profit and Loss Account) and Balance Sheet, and how they help businesses assess
performance and financial health.
Cash Flow: The importance of managing cash inflows and outflows to ensure a business has
enough liquidity to operate effectively. Students will need to understand cash flow statements and
how businesses manage short-term financial needs.
Break-even Analysis: How businesses calculate their break-even point, where total costs equal
total revenue, and how this information helps with pricing decisions, profit projections, and
financial planning.
Profitability: Key indicators of business success, including gross profit margin, net profit
margin, and return on investment (ROI). Students will analyze how businesses can improve
profitability through cost control, pricing strategies, and revenue growth.
Financial Ratios: How businesses use ratios (e.g., current ratio, quick ratio) to assess financial
performance, liquidity, and solvency.
3. External Influences on Marketing and Finance:
Economic Environment: How economic factors, such as inflation, interest rates, and economic
growth, impact marketing and financial decisions. This includes understanding consumer
spending patterns and cost implications for businesses.
Legal and Regulatory Framework: The role of business regulations, such as advertising laws,
competition laws, and taxation policies, and how businesses must comply with them.
Ethical Considerations: How businesses consider ethical issues in their marketing strategies and
financial practices, such as fair pricing, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
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IB/M/Jun24/G4004/E7 8132/2
, 2
Do not write
outside the
Section A box
Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
Only one answer per question is allowed.
For each multiple-choice question, completely fill in the circle alongside the appropriate answer.
CORRECT METHOD WRONG METHODS
If you want to change your answer you must cross out your original answer as shown.
If you wish to return to an answer previously crossed out, ring the answer you now wish to select
as shown.
0 1.1 Which one of the following is a source of internal finance for a business?
[1 mark]
A Bank loan
B Mortgage
C Overdraft
D Retained profit
0 1.2 Which one of the following is true for a private limited company?
[1 mark]
A It has plc after its name.
B It is fully owned by the government.
C Shares can be sold to the general public.
D Shareholders receive dividends.
*02*
IB/M/Jun24/8132/2
