Risk & Reward (Edexcel GCSE Business)

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Steve Vorster

Written by: Steve Vorster

Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn

The Impact of Risk & Reward on Business Activity

  • The impact of risk and reward on business activity is significant

    • They are two sides of the same coin in business

  • Businesses must manage the risks associated with failure, financial loss, and lack of security while striving to achieve the rewards of success, profit, and independence

An Explanation of the Risks of Business Activity

Risks of Business Activity

Explanation

Business failure

  • Business failure affects businesses of all sizes and is a risk to both new and established businesses

  • It occurs when a business is unable to meet its financial obligations or when it cannot generate enough revenue to sustain its operations

  • The impact of business failure can be devastating, resulting in job losses, bankruptcy, and financial ruin for the owners and investors

Financial loss

  • This occurs due to factors such as poor financial management, economic downturns, or unexpected events such as natural disasters

  • The impact of financial loss can be severe, resulting in reduced profitability, reduced competitiveness, and reduced ability to invest in growth

Lack of security

  • This is a risk that businesses face in terms of data security, intellectual property theft, or physical security

  • A security breach can result in reputational damage, legal liability, and the loss of customer trust

  • There are many ways in which entrepreneurs can reduce the risks associated with starting up and running a business including 

    • Careful management of cash flows into and out of the business (See section 1.3.5)

    • Conducting thorough market research before and during trading (See section 1.2.2)

    • Setting clear aims and objectives (See section 1.3.1)

An Explanation of the Rewards of Business Activity

Rewards of Business Activity

Explanation

Business success

  • This is the ultimate reward that business owners strive for

  • It occurs when a business meets or exceeds its objectives, such as generating revenue, achieving profitability, or expanding its operations

Profit

  • Profit is a measure of the success of a business

  • Profit enables businesses to reinvest in growth opportunities, pay dividends to shareholders, and provide financial stability to the business

Independence

  • This reward is often overlooked but is crucial to the success of a business

  • Independence allows businesses to make their own decisions rather than being subject to the demands of external stakeholders such as investors or creditors

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Steve Vorster

Author: Steve Vorster

Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.

Jenna Quinn

Author: Jenna Quinn

Expertise: Head of New Subjects

Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.