OCR GCSE (9–1) Business Business 1: business
activity, marketing and people (J204/01)
May 2026 – Afternoon
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
GCSE (9–1) Business
J204/01 Business 1: business activity, marketing and people
Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
You can use:
• a calculator
Please write clearly in black ink. Do not write in the barcodes.
Centre number Candidate number
First name(s)
Last name
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. You can use extra paper if
you need to, but you must clearly show your candidate number, the centre number and
the question numbers.
• Answer all the questions.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 20 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, 2
Section A
1 Which option contains two secondary sources of market research?
A Focus groups and websites
B Internal data and newspapers
C Magazines and questionnaires
D Place and product
Your answer [1]
2 A young entrepreneur has decided to start up their own café.
The quality of communication will be important for this business because:
A all communications will be internal
B all of its employees will be new
C it will need to operate without risk
D it will use digital distribution channels
Your answer [1]
3 Two bakeries have different objectives.
What is a likely reason for this?
A Both bakeries use market segmentation
B It is illegal for food producers to set identical objectives
C One bakery makes bread and the other makes cakes
D The same entrepreneur owns both bakeries
Your answer [1]
, 3
4 An inventor is trying to develop a robot that can remove clothes from a washing machine and iron
them. The inventor continues to try out new designs despite frequent setbacks.
Which entrepreneurial characteristic is the inventor showing?
A Delegation
B Determination
C Leadership
D Risk avoidance
Your answer [1]
5 What is not a likely advantage of improving the human resources function in a business?
A Better training opportunities
B Greater use of trialling
C Higher levels of employee motivation
D More staff development
Your answer [1]
6 A small garage sells low-priced second-hand cars.
Which market segment is the garage most likely to target?
A Cycling enthusiasts
B High earners with luxurious lifestyles
C Local residents with low incomes
D Teenagers from across the country
Your answer [1]
Turn over
, 4
7 What is a form of staff development?
A A job description
B A person specification
C An apprenticeship
D An award scheme
Your answer [1]
8 A fancy dress shop operates as a partnership. Its four partners have produced a business plan
outlining their aim to grow the business.
The business plan will be useful to the partners because it will:
A help identify new costume suppliers and suitable markets
B help raise finance by persuading new investors to buy shares
C include an estimate of the dividends payable to shareholders
D include photographs of all their current fancy dress costumes
Your answer [1]
9 A toy manufacturer wants to improve the way the business promotes itself. So far, it has been
unable to do so due to a skills gap.
Which option would fix this problem?
A Advertise for more production workers so that more toys can be made
B Encourage the most innovative toy designers to apply for new roles
C Order better raw materials to improve the quality of the toys
D Recruit a marketing specialist with experience in the toy industry
Your answer [1]
activity, marketing and people (J204/01)
May 2026 – Afternoon
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
GCSE (9–1) Business
J204/01 Business 1: business activity, marketing and people
Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
You can use:
• a calculator
Please write clearly in black ink. Do not write in the barcodes.
Centre number Candidate number
First name(s)
Last name
INSTRUCTIONS
• Use black ink.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. You can use extra paper if
you need to, but you must clearly show your candidate number, the centre number and
the question numbers.
• Answer all the questions.
INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 80.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document has 20 pages.
ADVICE
• Read each question carefully before you start your answer.
, 2
Section A
1 Which option contains two secondary sources of market research?
A Focus groups and websites
B Internal data and newspapers
C Magazines and questionnaires
D Place and product
Your answer [1]
2 A young entrepreneur has decided to start up their own café.
The quality of communication will be important for this business because:
A all communications will be internal
B all of its employees will be new
C it will need to operate without risk
D it will use digital distribution channels
Your answer [1]
3 Two bakeries have different objectives.
What is a likely reason for this?
A Both bakeries use market segmentation
B It is illegal for food producers to set identical objectives
C One bakery makes bread and the other makes cakes
D The same entrepreneur owns both bakeries
Your answer [1]
, 3
4 An inventor is trying to develop a robot that can remove clothes from a washing machine and iron
them. The inventor continues to try out new designs despite frequent setbacks.
Which entrepreneurial characteristic is the inventor showing?
A Delegation
B Determination
C Leadership
D Risk avoidance
Your answer [1]
5 What is not a likely advantage of improving the human resources function in a business?
A Better training opportunities
B Greater use of trialling
C Higher levels of employee motivation
D More staff development
Your answer [1]
6 A small garage sells low-priced second-hand cars.
Which market segment is the garage most likely to target?
A Cycling enthusiasts
B High earners with luxurious lifestyles
C Local residents with low incomes
D Teenagers from across the country
Your answer [1]
Turn over
, 4
7 What is a form of staff development?
A A job description
B A person specification
C An apprenticeship
D An award scheme
Your answer [1]
8 A fancy dress shop operates as a partnership. Its four partners have produced a business plan
outlining their aim to grow the business.
The business plan will be useful to the partners because it will:
A help identify new costume suppliers and suitable markets
B help raise finance by persuading new investors to buy shares
C include an estimate of the dividends payable to shareholders
D include photographs of all their current fancy dress costumes
Your answer [1]
9 A toy manufacturer wants to improve the way the business promotes itself. So far, it has been
unable to do so due to a skills gap.
Which option would fix this problem?
A Advertise for more production workers so that more toys can be made
B Encourage the most innovative toy designers to apply for new roles
C Order better raw materials to improve the quality of the toys
D Recruit a marketing specialist with experience in the toy industry
Your answer [1]
