BUSS2 – Hit the Target!

A bit of quick last minute advice for BUSS2 students:This came up yesterday when doing a revision session for my students.Here is a question from AQA BUSS2 January 2010 (The Authentic Food Company Ltd) which illustrates a potential problem for some students – identifying the 'target' in the question:Motivational techniques have been the main method used by The Authentic Food Company to create an effective workforce. To what extent do you agree with this view? Justify your decision.So, what is this question all about?I asked my students and they all focussed in on motivational techniques. WRONG! (Incidentally, if you'd written at length about motivational theories in isolation, there were only 3 knowledge marks for all your efforts)The key here is actually: 'create an effective workforce'. Certainly, you need to discuss how motivational techniques may have been used by TAFC Ltd to create an effective workforce.However, the absolute key here is to say:· what an effective workforce actually is (and specifically how it applies to TAFC Ltd), · how it is measured (typically, productivity, labour turnover and/or absenteeism), and· how motivational techniques and other measures brought this about, based on evidence from the case study.Finally, weigh up your findings and make a justified conclusion.Business Studies questions are usually very short, so read them really carefully and identify your target – this is crucial to unlocking the question.