AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) Research Theme 2012

The Section A research theme for 2012 has now been released. The topic is Mergers and Takeovers.  Our team is now working flat out to provide support for colleagues and students taking on the research theme ahead of the BUSS4 exam on Thursday 21 June 2012.

Details of the research bullets are provided further below.

In common with previous research themes, we have created a dedicated channel on the Business Studies Blog which we’ll use to post advice, including useful research links, exam technique guidance and other resources which will help save you time.  The link to the BUSS4 channel for 2012 is:  http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/C634

The BUSS4 channel also has an RSS feed for anyone who wants to get first news of new blog entries.  The RSS link is:  http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/rss_2.0/C634

Our detailed BUSS4 Research Toolkit is now used by over 1,000 AQA centres in the UK and overseas.  This can now be pre-ordered from here or by downloading this printable order form. The toolkit will be published on 8 March following the completion of our BUSS4 Teacher CPD briefing days.

As in 2011, we are running a series of one-day CPD briefing days for colleagues wanting further support on how to handle the Section A Research Theme.  Details of these courses here

Finally, and certainly not least, our BUSS4 Student Rvision Workshops are scheduled to run in March & April 2012. These were hugely popular last year and all the signs are that they will be even busier in 2012.  You’ll need to move fast to book some places for the workshops - all the details you need are here.

Research Theme – Takeovers and Mergers

In your research on takeovers and mergers you should consider:

● the motives for takeovers and mergers and how these link with corporate strategy

● the problems of takeovers and mergers including difficulties integrating businesses successfully

● the factors influencing the success of takeovers and mergers

● the impact of takeovers and mergers on the performance of the businesses involved

● the impact on, and reaction of, stakeholders to takeovers and mergers

● the reasons why governments might support or intervene in takeovers and mergers.

You are strongly recommended to compare and contrast a number of different takeovers and mergers.

BUSS4 Emerging Markets : Starbucks’ challenges in China [21 May 2012]
AQA BUSS4 - ‘with reference to *** plc and your own research ....’ [13 May 2012]
BUSS4 - Keep Calm and Carry On… [13 May 2012]
‘Hooks’ in BUSS4 Essays [5 May 2012]
AQA BUSS2 & BUSS4 Revision Workshops in Spring 2013 [4 May 2012]
AQA BUSS4 Section A Research Online Clinic - Tuesday 1 May 2012 [1 May 2012]
BUSS4 - Three Ways to Evaluate Emerging Markets [28 Apr 2012]
Paul Polman (Unilever CEO) on cultural change, leadership, Asia and Corporate Social Responsibility [27 Apr 2012]
BUSS4: 6 Essential M&A Cases [22 Apr 2012]
BUSS4: The Seven Point Scale for Perfect Paragraphs [22 Apr 2012]
Irene Rosenfeld on Leadership, Transformation, and THAT takeover [18 Apr 2012]
Revision Presentation - Mission, Aims, Objectives and Stakeholders [7 Apr 2012]
Essay writing: turn evidence into analysis [4 Apr 2012]
The Ultimate BUSS4 Takeovers and Mergers Crossword 2012 [26 Mar 2012]
BUSS2 and BUSS4 Comes to the Olympics! [25 Mar 2012]
Women & Leadership [22 Mar 2012]
BUSS4 2012 - Keeping in Touch using the #BUSS4 Hashtag [19 Mar 2012]
Takeovers and Mergers - tutor2u Mini Briefs [4 Mar 2012]
Takeovers and Mergers - the BUSS4 Card Game [4 Mar 2012]
AQA BUSS4 CPD Briefing Days in 2012 [16 Feb 2012]
BUSS4 Research Theme - Merger and Takeover Egg Heads [10 Feb 2012]
Takeovers in the UK - the long-term trend [5 Feb 2012]
AQA BUSS4 - Research Toolkit for June 2012 & Jan 2013 [2 Feb 2012]
BUSS4 Revision Workshops 2012 - Programme Outline [1 Feb 2012]
BUSS4 2012 - Mergers and Takeovers on the Business Studies Blog [31 Jan 2012]
The Guardian on Takeovers and Mergers [31 Jan 2012]
Post-Easter 2012 Revision Workshops for AQA AS & A2 Business Studies [16 Jan 2012]
AQA BUSS2 & BUSS4 Revision Workshops Spring 2012 [11 Nov 2011]
CSR - 40 Years of Upsetting Big Business [15 Sep 2011]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Exam Topic Tracker [16 Jun 2011]
AQA BUSS4 CSR Briefing - Review Copies Available [9 May 2011]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Specification Resource Map [22 Apr 2011]
CSR - A responsible company from day one? [21 Apr 2011]
Leadership Resource - Every Little Helps [16 Mar 2011]
BUSS4 - Research Theme for 2011 - CSR [26 Feb 2011]
BUSS4 Section A Research Briefing Days - 2011 Research Task [22 Feb 2011]
BUSS4 2011 - Introducing the tutor2u Twelve [20 Feb 2011]
BUSS4 Research - “Beyond e.g.” [18 Feb 2011]
CSR - Avoiding the child labour hotspots [15 Feb 2011]
Emerging Markets Video - The perfect plenary [29 Jan 2011]
Globalisation Video - The perfect plenary [26 Jan 2011]
AQA BUSS4 Student Research - How Was it for You in Summer 2010? [29 Sep 2010]
The Business Scrapbook [25 Sep 2010]
Developing Exam Skills - POMFEO [19 Jun 2010]
AQA BUSS4 Section B Practice Question - British Airways [15 Jun 2010]
Emerging Stronger - How UK Businesses Responded to the Recession [14 Jun 2010]
BUSS4 - Recession Strategy Lessons from Four Female Entrepreneurs [6 Jun 2010]
Gearing Up for BUSS4 [6 Jun 2010]
BUSS4 - Dyson’s Success is a Great Example to Use in Section A Essays [27 May 2010]
BUSS4 - Leadership in a Changing Environment [16 May 2010]
BUSS4 UK Recession - Strategies in a Downturn [16 May 2010]
BUSS4 UK Recession - Data Burn [15 May 2010]
Book wars! [5 May 2010]
BUSS4 - Building exam skills [21 Apr 2010]
AQA GCE Business (BUSS4) - Workshop Booklet is Go [17 Apr 2010]
Girl Power [12 Apr 2010]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Teacher PowerPoint Presentations [7 Apr 2010]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Revision Quizzes [7 Apr 2010]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Digital Course Companion [7 Apr 2010]
AQA A2 Business (BUSS4) - Resource Overview & Links [7 Apr 2010]
Nice visual for the Enlarged EU [19 Mar 2010]
BUSS4 and British Airways - a marriage made in heaven [1 Mar 2010]
BUSS4 Essay Technique - Big Mac or Hamburger & Fries? [21 Feb 2010]
BUSS4 Essay Technique - An Invitation to an Argument [21 Feb 2010]
Strategies for the Recession - Insights from Six Restaurant Group CEOs [19 Feb 2010]
BUSS4 - winning insights into recession strategy from annual reports [18 Feb 2010]
Strategic reaction to the UK recession - notes and observations [9 Feb 2010]
UK Recession - Some Winners and Losers [5 Feb 2010]
AQA BUSS4 - Research Theme for 2010 - UK Recession [1 Feb 2010]
Recession Tracker for UK Economic Data [1 Feb 2010]
Revision Quiz - Government Spending & Taxation [13 Jan 2010]
Revision Quiz - Interest Rates and Monetary Policy [13 Jan 2010]
On the road for BUSS1 & BUSS3 [8 Dec 2009]
Ten reasons for UK businesses to invest in Brazil [16 Sep 2009]
Video briefing - Doing Business in China [14 Jul 2009]
BUSS4 Jan 2010 - Research Theme Issues - Emerging Markets [30 Jun 2009]
BA posts a record loss [22 May 2009]

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