BUSINESS STUDIES JSS 1 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS STUDIES Business Studies is a subject which provides us with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed for productive work or activity. Productive activity involves using business resources to make goods and services that satisfy human needs and wants. Business studies can also be regarded as the study of the methods and techniques of setting up and running a business venture profitably. The main objective of going into a business is to make profit. IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS STUDIES 1. It teaches you how to establish and run businesses (Private or Public) efficiently. 2. It develops and prepares you for office occupations in future 3. It equips you with the basic skills with which to begin an occupation, if you do not have an opportunity for further training. 4. It allows students to understand the necessity for the existence of various businesses. Furthermore, students are able to differentiate between types of businesses. 5. Business studies enable students to develop keen interest in various forms of business which they can engage in (set up) after leaving school. COMPONENTS OF BUSINESS STUDIES At this level, the term business studies comprise various areas of business that can be studied, analysed and explained. As you move up in your school career, you can specialize in studying a specific area of business.

The key components or branches of business include the following: COMPONENTS OF BUSINESS STUDIES

Office Practice

Commerce

Shorthand

Business Studies

Book-keeping

Keyboarding

1. OFFICE PRACTICE: Office practice deals with the study of the principles & procedures of running an office. It deals with activities carried out on a day-to-day basis within an org. 2. COMMERCE: Commerce is that part of business endeavor that deals with trade and aids to trade. It covers the buying and selling of goods and services along with those activities that facilitate this exchange to take place. The facilities that make the exchange of goods and services easier are known as aids to trade. They are banking, insurance, transportation, warehousing, adverting and communication. These are represented by the mnemonic BICWAT. These shall be treated in details later in the course of our studies in Business Studies. 3. BOOK-KEEPING: Book-keeping is concerned with the recording of Business transactions in an orderly and meaningful manner The process of buying the goods, selling them, paying the suppliers, receiving payments from customers are called business transactions. The trader cannot rely on his memory for all these transaction. He or

she needs to record them in the books of account. This all is called Book-keeping. 4. SHORT HANDS: Short hand is an act of using symbols to represent spoken words/sounds. Short hand can be used to record information speedily and accurately. One of the systems of short hand in the world is PITMAN SHORT-HAND will be used in the course of our study. 5. KEYBOARD: Keyboarding in the techniques of using the computer or typewriter keyboard to produce printed information in a hardcopy or softcopy. Hardcopy refers to information on paper while softcopy refers to information on the computer storage device such as compact disc or flash drive. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN BUSINESS STUDIES Those who have undergone training in Business Studies can be employed as: 1. Clerical officers who keep general office records. 2. Typists who type documents in the office 3. Computer operators who use computer to producer office information 4. Book keepers & accounts clerks who keep records of business transactions. 5. Salesmen who sell goods in supermarkets and stores 6. Receptionists who receive and attend to visitors and make telephone calls in an office. 7. Stenographers who take dictations in shorthand in offices. Other Career Opportunities are: - Self employment For students who proceed to the University after successful senior secondary education can study the following courses - Accountancy - Business administration - Marketing - Personnel management - Insurance etc.

Task 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

In your own way, define Business Studies State in your own ways three benefits of studying Business Studies Identify the five components of Business Studies List ten career opportunities available in Business Studies. List ten commercial activities that you have observed in your locality

Please send to the address below [email protected] Resource materials / Text Book 1. Business Studies 1. For Junior Secondary Schools Bk 1 by O A Lawal et al. UBE Edition. 2. Classic Business Studies for Junior Secondary School Bk 1 by A. A Adeyemi et al. UBE Edition.