Comparative Guide: Business & Commerce (IGCSE & O Level) in Bangladesh
For schools and teachers in Bangladesh, Business and Commerce offer two complementary pathways into enterprise, trade and economic life. This page presents concise, decision-ready comparisons across Cambridge International, Pearson Edexcel and OxfordAQA, in the same style as your Maths, Sciences and English guides.
Part A — Business
Content & Structure
- Cambridge O Level Business (7081): Two written papers — short/structured responses and a case-study paper. Topics: business activity, people in business, marketing, operations, finance, external influences.
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Business (4BS1): Two papers — investigating small businesses and large businesses. Topics: business activity/influences, people in business, finance, marketing, operations.
- OxfordAQA International GCSE Business (9225): Two papers — operations & HR; marketing & finance. Focus on applied case studies and accessible command words.
Implications for Teaching
- Plan regular case-study/application practice; spiral core concepts (aims, stakeholders, finance, marketing) across the year.
- Embed short-answer technique (define/explain/calculate) alongside extended analysis/evaluation.
Implications for Students
- Expect calculations (break-even, cash flow, % change), interpretation of charts/tables, and reasoned recommendations.
- Build exam stamina for multi-part items and applied scenarios.
Opportunities
- Direct progression to A Level Business/Economics; strong links to entrepreneurship and local case studies.
- Large pool of past papers and support materials across all boards.
Business: Key Comparisons at a Glance
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| Exam Board | Papers & Duration | Assessment Model | Core Topics | Distinctive Features | Notes for Curriculum Design | Official Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge O Level Business (7081) | 2 papers (written) | Short/structured + Case study | Business activity; People; Marketing; Operations; Finance; External influences | Clear, traditional O Level structure; case-led evaluation | Interleave definitions, calculations and extended responses; build real-world case banks | Cambridge 7081 |
| Pearson Edexcel Int. GCSE Business | 2 papers (equal weighting) | Paper 1: Small business Paper 2: Large business |
Activity & influences; People; Finance; Marketing; Operations | Split by business size; extensive resource ecosystem | Sequence micro (small) to macro (large) contexts; weekly data-response drills | Edexcel Business |
| OxfordAQA Int. GCSE Business (9225) | 2 × 1h30 | Ops & HR / Marketing & Finance | Real world; Influences; Ops; HR; Marketing; Finance | Accessible command terms; applied case studies | Map command words (state/explain/assess) to modelling answers; emphasise evaluation | OxfordAQA Business |
Part B — Commerce
Content & Structure
- Cambridge O Level Commerce (7100): Two written papers covering trade, production, business organisation, and aids to trade (banking, insurance, transport, communications, warehousing, advertising).
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Commerce (2017 — Linear): Two papers assessing trade & production, commercial services (banking, insurance, transport, warehousing), retail & marketing, consumer protection.
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Commerce (2023 — Modular): Same content as linear, split into two units with staged assessment/resits.
Implications for Teaching
- Conceptually descriptive/applied: prioritise clear notes, flow diagrams of processes, and sector case studies.
- Emphasise contemporary examples (e-commerce, digital payments, logistics chains) to keep content current.
Implications for Students
- Strong foundation in how goods/services move from producer to consumer; frequent short-answer to extended responses.
- Interpret real data (tariffs, freight modes, premiums) and explain practical implications.
Opportunities
- Complements Business/Economics pathways; highly relevant to Bangladesh’s trading/retail/service sectors.
- Modular route (Edexcel) provides pacing flexibility.
Commerce: Key Comparisons at a Glance
Swipe / scroll to explore →
| Exam Board | Papers & Duration | Assessment Model | Core Topics | Distinctive Features | Notes for Curriculum Design | Official Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge O Level Commerce (7100) | 2 papers (written) | Short/structured + longer responses | Trade & production; Business organisation; Banking; Insurance; Transport; Warehousing; Communications; Advertising | Classic “aids to trade” emphasis with real-world mechanisms | Use up-to-date local examples (ports, courier, telco, digital payments) to anchor concepts | Cambridge 7100 |
| Edexcel Int. GCSE Commerce (Linear) | 2 papers (equal weighting) | Knowledge/application/data response | Trade; Production; Banking; Insurance; Transport; Warehousing; Retail & marketing; Consumer protection | Strong retail/marketing and consumer focus | Build a case-study library (wholesale → retail → e-commerce); include simple quantitative tasks | Edexcel Commerce (2017) |
| Edexcel Int. GCSE Commerce (Modular) | 2 units (staged) | Same content, modular assessment with resits | As per linear specification | Pacing/resit flexibility (June/Nov windows as available) | Sequence for checkpoints; maintain spiral review so Unit 2 builds on Unit 1 | Edexcel Commerce (Modular) |
