AQA BUSS 4 - Corporate Culture Discussion

Is organisational culture the most important cause of business failure?

In the actual exam it will give you a short case study to use as well as your own research

That would not be such a bad question after all.
I think section A becomes pretty easy after you do a bit of research and find some key information about your companies.

For those researching on Apple here is a good article to use
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3517093e-ace0-11e2-9454-00144feabdc0.html

How much are you expected to write in total for section A

also how much you meant to write about the researched businesses? paragraphs??

4 factors and 3 evaluation points will do the job and yh I just write a paragraph for each business.

What do you mean by 3 evaluation points because I seem to be struggling a lot with the conclusion in this unit.

04/05/2013
I've officially given up on BUSS4!

Wayyy to many things to learn that aren't even in the textbook and it's too time consuming so i'll invest my time in other subjects

Gonna settle with a B which means i only need about 45 UMS

Evaluation is the other side of the argument.

So for example you tell me a firm can increase its margins by increasing its prices HOWEVER this will only hold true if the price elasticity of demand is inelastic otherwise the firm could see a fall in revenue.

So where I said increase prices to increase margins that's my point but from "however onwards its my evaluation.

Don't forget that conclusion and evaluation are two different things.


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Don't give up on it now. You have your BUSS3 knowledge just add BUSS4 to it and you'll be fine!


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Oh, never actually knew that always thought evaluation was the same as coming to some sort of conclusion at the end of your point probably why I never got top top marks in my main paragraphs. Just wondering how many paragraph you actually do for your conclusion because Im use to doing one final paragraph and its worked for me for the last 3 units but my teacher tried telling everyone it should be broken up into 3 separate paragraphs (summary, it depends on factors and conclusion).

BUSS3 is NOTHING like BUSS4, I found 3 really easy since it's something you can actually revise for out of a textbook and you'll know if you've covered everything or not
But only like half of what you need on unit 4 is in the textbook, the rest is like research and value judgement, but i'm happy with a B anyway

Amen bro i need 38 for a B. Can i ask which textbook you're using?

Haven't started revising for it yet, i'll start a few days before the exam, I'm putting all my time in economics to secure an A

And i'm using this business studies textbook..

Here's my notes on bullet point one:

Factor 1 - Leadership
Culture is more often than not derived from the leader of an organisation. According to Handy, Power Culture tends to suit an Autocratic Leadership style, Role culture is suited towards Autocratic or paternalistic leadership, Task Culture lends itself to Paternalistic or democratic leadership style and Person culture tends to suit a Democratic leadership style.
Steve Jobbs for example had an autocratic leadership style and Apple operates under a power culture (With those in the Apple Top 100 enjoying benefits).

Factor 2 - Ownership
Ownership is a factor that affects culture. For example if its a PLC or LTD. PLCs tend to focus (According to Hofstede) on short-termism which is derived from profit and pleasing its shareholders. Whereas LTDs are suited more to Long-termism. Tesco is a Plc that dominates the grocery market, however its short term stint in the USA with Fresh n' Easy will damage its long term profits due to the massive cost of 300 stores with none turning a profit. JCB however is an LTD, thats long term view recently saw it breaking even after 15 years.

Factor 3 - Market Size/Growth/Structure
The market size, growth and structure can also affect culture. A business in a market with low size but high growth may have an entrepreneurial culture, wheras one with large size and low growth might have a high uncertainty avoidance as to not lose its foothold in the market. The market for baked beans has been stagnant for 20 years so companies like Heinz would have a high uncertainty avoidance, sticking to what they know to maintain their market share.

Factor 4 - Past Recruitment Policies
Past recruitment policies can affect cultuere too. A monochromatic recruitment culture (where most people hired are the same) may have a culture of collectivism due to a lack of individuality. Whereas polychromatic recruitment culture may have a culture of individualism. Google has a very open, passive culture that encourages collectivism, and in each of its main offices the type of people tends to be very monochrome.

Factor 5 - External Factors
There are many External Factors that can affect culture. For example economic factors may cause a change to a business' uncertainty avoidance and masculinity/femininity. Wider cultures (Multi-business cultures) can also be affected such as the libor fixing scandal that affected all banks.


I'll write the rest up later, its kinda hard on a phone.

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