A-level BUSINESS 7132/3

A-level BUSINESS 7132/3 Paper 3 Business 3 Mark scheme June 2023 Version: 1.0 Final Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from Copyright information AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Copyright © 2023 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Level of response marking instructions Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level. Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme. An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Marking guidance • Be clear on the focus of the question. • Read the response as a whole; follow the flow of the argument as a whole. • Remember that the indicative content provides possible lines of argument but there may be others that are equally valid. Be willing to credit other lines of argument. • Annotate the script as you read in accordance with the instructions given at standardisation. • Consider what it all adds up to, eg is this a limited response? A reasonable one? A good one? Refer back to the standardisation scripts and guidance to help you benchmark. You are marking to the standard agreed at standardisation. Be careful of the standard you are marking at; refer back to standardisation scripts regularly. • Summarise your findings briefly at the end of the response. This will help you decide on the overall level and is helpful for others to understand the mark given, eg for an extended response ‘well-argued’ but does not focus fully on the issue of ‘long term’ feels as if it might be good rather than excellent. Make sure the comments fit with the level awarded: ‘unbalanced and not comparing with alternative solutions’ does not sound as if it is ‘good’. • Next to your comment put the level awarded, eg L4. • If in doubt about an approach contact your Team Leader, do not make up your own rules because we must have a standardised approach across all marking. • Be positive in your marking. Look to reward what is there. K U Knowledge and understanding – used to credit knowledge of the specification and also to acknowledge ‘points’ made in relation to the question, perhaps explained, but once the point has some analytical dev, annotate AN or R AN Analytical but lacks context, ie a theoretical line of argument R Argument (analysis in context) (Ignore re-telling on the screen) G Do not use DP Developed argument (well-developed analysis in context) EVAL Judgement with support Q? Losing/lost focus – not fully focused on the demands of the question Bal Balanced response eg both sides acknowledged BD Benefit of doubt – though there is some uncertainty over the student’s meaning, the point or aspect of the argument will be accepted as creditworthy NR Not relevant – ie not answering the question – response has drifted from answering the question set. When using, be sure to read the whole response carefully – students will often drift back to answering the question later in their response – normal annotation should resume whenever they come back to addressing the demands of the question O Own figure rule – to be annotated where a valid argument develops following a miscalculation (ie a wrong answer is used correctly) (Ignore overview/ collation) SEEN Tear drop Icon Used to show work has been read but contains nothing creditworthy – please check carefully (See NR)  ONLY used to show a correct calculation – please use KU when annotating valid points  To show an incorrect calculation or a clearly incorrect link in a chain of logic – if in doubt, do not cross, use BD  Txt Box Comments must be made at the end of a response with level and mark with explanation of why it has been awarded. Level to be included. ? Meaning unclear Highlighter Highlighter The following should be used at the end of the response in addition to a text box. L1 L1 L2 L2 L3 L3 L4 L4 L5 L5 Level must be awarded within final comment text box and outside of it using relevant level. Refer to standardisation scripts. 0 1 Analyse why Logger Boards Ltd prioritises meeting environmental objectives when making operational decisions. [12 marks] Marks for this question: AO1 = 3, AO2 = 3, AO3 = 6 Level The student will typically demonstrate: Marks 3 A good response overall that focuses on many of the demands of the question. Provides an answer to the question set that: • demonstrates a depth and range of knowledge and understanding of issues in the question • demonstrates analysis which is well developed, applied effectively to the context and considers a range of issues in the question. 9–12 2 A reasonable response overall that focuses on some of the demands of the question. Provides an answer to the question set that: • demonstrates a limited knowledge and understanding of a range of issues in the question or a good knowledge and understanding of relatively few issues in the question • demonstrates analysis which is developed, applied to the context and considers some of the issues in the question. 5–8 1 A limited response overall with little focus on the demands of the question. Provides an answer to the question set that: • demonstrates a limited range and depth of knowledge and understanding of issues in the question • demonstrates analysis with little development and mainly descriptive application to the context. 1–4 The demands of this question are: • understand the meaning of environmental objectives and operational decisions • link these to Logger Boards Ltd • to analyse why environmental objectives may be prioritised when making operational decisions. There is no requirement for more than one reason to be analysed Indicative content: Operational decisions may include decisions relating to inventory, supply chains, quality, technology, resource mix, production methods or any other valid decision. Operational decisions mention in the Item include: • use of only recycled materials • use of energy exclusively from renewable sources • on-site wind turbine • solar panelled roof • waste-water filtering and reuse. Reasons for prioritising environmental objectives: • owner’s personal values – Bodhi is clearly passionate about the environment and the impact of surfing on the environment • contributes to strong sense of mission – a key part of the business’ purpose is to help to improve the environment