GCSE Business: Decide and Justify

This material practises the skill behind the highest-mark GCSE Business questions: reading a short business case, weighing up two options and making a decision you can defend. The DfE GCSE subject content for business asks students to make justified decisions using both qualitative and quantitative data, and to construct well-argued, balanced and structured arguments. Some boards ask for this with a command word such as 'justify', where one of two options is recommended to a business owner (for example Pearson Edexcel); others ask for evaluation in extended questions on a case study (for example AQA).

The quiz looks at method rather than content. It asks what makes one conclusion stronger than another, what sitting on the fence looks like, how a chain of reasoning is built, and how to apply a point to the case rather than write something generic. Three questions are short calculations that turn a case into evidence: the money left after costs under a price cut against an advertising campaign, a courier against the business's own vans, and how long electric vans take to pay back their extra cost.

The written work is the core of the material. It has eight cases, each with two options and figures in pounds, covering growth, sources of finance, staff turnover, pricing against promotion, delivery, sustainability, location and selling abroad. Each reference answer shows one well-argued route: both options analysed with evidence, the figures worked, a clear recommendation, the main weakness of the chosen option, and a specific 'it depends on'. Either option can earn credit when it is well justified.

The flashcards hold the language of evaluation. In the oral practice the examiner gives you one case at a time, asks for your decision and then pushes you with a follow-up about risk or evidence, ending with short feedback. The material is practice written by Zestly and is independent of any exam board.

• Explain what a strong answer to a two-option 'justify' question contains
• Build chains of reasoning and apply points to the details of a case
• Use simple calculations (costs, contribution, interest, payback) as evidence in a judgement
• Analyse both options before reaching a decision
• Reach a clear recommendation, including a counter-argument and a specific 'it depends on'
• Avoid sitting on the fence, generic answers and one-sided analysis

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the DfE GCSE subject content for business (December 2015: skills; use of quantitative skills), with example command-word styles from Pearson Edexcel GCSE Business 1BS0 and AQA GCSE Business 8132. All cases are invented.