VCE Business Management is structured very deliberately. Each unit builds on the last, following the life of a business from the initial idea through to managing change. Students who understand this progression early tend to feel far more in control of the subject, particularly once they reach Units 3 and 4.
The Study Design frames Business Management as the study of how businesses manage resources to achieve objectives in changing environments, using theory alongside contemporary case studies . That focus stays constant across all four units.
Unit 1: Planning a business
Unit 1 is about where businesses come from and how they are planned.
Students explore how business ideas are generated, what motivates entrepreneurs, and how innovation contributes to economic and social wellbeing. They look at the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs and consider how business ideas move from concept to feasibility.
The unit then shifts into planning. Students examine the internal environment of a business, including business structures, business models, resource requirements, location choices and sources of finance. They learn how planning tools, such as SWOT analysis and business plans, support decision-making.
Finally, students examine the external environment. This includes legal, economic, social, technological and global factors, as well as operating influences such as customers, competitors and suppliers. The emphasis is on how these factors affect planning decisions.
Unit 1 is largely about explanation and analysis. It introduces students to the language of Business Management and the expectation that decisions must be justified rather than described.
Unit 2: Establishing a business
Unit 2 focuses on what happens when a business is actually set up.
Students begin by learning the legal and financial requirements involved in establishing a business. This includes registrations, compliance obligations, financial record-keeping and the role of external professionals. Students are expected to understand why these systems matter, not just what they are.
The unit then moves into marketing. Students study how businesses establish a customer base, build a brand and use the 7Ps of marketing. They examine market research, target markets, the product life cycle, public relations and the impact of technology on marketing strategies.
The final area of study looks at staffing. Students examine recruitment, selection and induction, employer and employee expectations, legal obligations and the relationship between staff performance and business objectives.
Across Unit 2, students are expected to apply their knowledge to contemporary case studies. This is where the subject starts to reward students who can link theory to real business contexts clearly and accurately.
Unit 3: Managing a business
Unit 3 marks a shift. The focus is no longer on starting a business, but on managing one effectively.
Students begin by studying different types of businesses, their objectives and their stakeholders. They examine stakeholder interests, potential conflicts, management styles, management skills and corporate culture. The emphasis is on how management decisions affect people and performance.
Human resource management is a major focus of this unit. Students learn key motivation theories, including Maslow, Locke and Latham, and Lawrence and Nohria. They analyse motivation strategies, training, performance management, termination and workplace relations. This area of study is heavily assessed and requires students to evaluate strategies in context.
The final area of study is operations management. Students examine how businesses transform inputs into outputs and how efficiency and effectiveness can be improved. This includes technology, quality management, lean management, waste minimisation and global operations.
Unit 3 requires strong analytical and evaluative skills. Students must be able to propose and justify strategies using case studies from the past four years.
Unit 4: Transforming a business
Unit 4 focuses on change.
Students begin by examining why businesses need to change and how performance is reviewed using key performance indicators. They learn the difference between proactive and reactive change and analyse forces for and against change using Lewin’s Force Field Analysis.
Students then examine strategies for positioning a business for the future, including Porter’s Generic Strategies.
The second area of study focuses on implementing change. Students learn how managers use leadership and management strategies to overcome resistance, reshape corporate culture and manage stakeholder impacts. Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model and Senge’s Learning Organisation are applied to real business cases.
Throughout Unit 4, students are expected to evaluate business practice against theory. The emphasis is on justification, trade-offs and long-term effectiveness.
How Units 3 and 4 are assessed
Units 3 and 4 are scored and contribute to the study score. Each unit includes School-assessed Coursework worth 25 per cent, with the end-of-year examination worth 50 per cent of the study score.
Assessment tasks require students to analyse, evaluate and propose strategies using contemporary case studies. Writing that remains descriptive or generic is consistently capped.
What this means for students
Across Units 1-4, Business Management rewards students who can:
- use business terminology accurately
- apply theory to context
- explain decisions rather than describe outcomes
- evaluate effectiveness with evidence
Students who approach the subject methodically often see steady improvement.
Working with ATAR STAR
ATAR STAR supports Business Management students across all four units. We help students understand how questions are written, how evaluation is assessed, and how to use case studies effectively under exam conditions.
We work with students who are already performing well and want consistency, as well as students who understand the content but are losing marks due to response structure or application issues.
If you want Business Management explained clearly and taught in line with the Study Design, ATAR STAR provides structured, exam-focused support.