Business activity affects the daily lives of all Canadians as they work, spend, save, invest, travel, and play. It influences jobs, incomes, and opportunities for personal enterprise. Business has a significant effect on the standard of living and quality of life of Canadians, and on the environment in which they live and which future generations will inherit. Eventually, all students will encounter the world of business, whether they work in urban or rural areas.They must be prepared to engage in business activity with confidence and competence.Young people need to understand how business functions, the role it plays in our society, the opportunities it generates, the skills it requires, and the impact it can have on their own lives and on society, today and in the future.

The business studies program will build a strong foundation for those who wish to move on to further study and training in specialized areas such as management, international business, marketing, accounting, information and communication technology, or entrepreneurship. It will also provide practical skills for those who wish to move directly into the workplace.

Engaging in the world of business involves studying individuals, communities, and organizations, assessing their needs and problems, and generating solutions. Business studies draws upon facts, concepts, and processes from many other fields of study. For example, close links exist between marketing and communications, accounting and mathematics, entrepreneurial studies and technology, international business and world studies, and management and studies of society and human nature. Furthermore, knowledge and skills related to information and communication technology are relevant across all disciplines. Students will be able to apply what they learn in other subject areas to their study of business, as well as to transfer the knowledge and skills they acquire in business studies to their work in other areas.

Business studies provides students with a new, practical context for many of the subjects they studied at the elementary level, including mathematics, science and technology, language, and social studies. It helps students to recognize the relevance of these subjects as they are applied in the world of business – for example, in the study of individuals and diverse communities; in helping people with their needs, challenges, and problems; and in creating products and services that help to improve the quality of life.

The fundamental purpose of the business studies program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to achieve success in secondary school, the workplace, postsecondary education or training, and daily life.

The goals of the business studies curriculum are to enable students to:

• gain an understanding of business concepts through the study of subjects such as accounting, entrepreneurship, information and communication technology (ICT), international business, marketing, and business leadership;
• achieve business, economic, financial, and digital literacy;
• develop the skills, including critical thinking skills, and strategies required to conduct research and inquiry and communicate findings accurately, ethically, and effectively;
• apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired through the study of business to a variety of learning tasks and relate them to business phenomena on the local, national, and global levels;
• develop lifelong learning skills that will help them adapt to technological advancements, the changing workplace, and the global economy;
• make connections that will help them take advantage of potential postsecondary educational, work, and business opportunities.

The business studies program offers two courses that can be taken in Grade 9 or Grade 10: Introduction to Business and Information and Communication Technology in Business. Both of these courses are offered as open courses, which comprise one set of expectations for all students. The course type is defined as follows:

Open courses are designed to prepare students for further study in the subject, and to enrich their education generally.These courses comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students.

Four types of courses are offered in the business studies program in Grades 11 and 12: university/ college preparation, college preparation, workplace preparation, and open courses. Students choose between course types on the basis of their interests, achievement, and postsecondary goals. The course types are defined as follows:

University/college preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the entrance requirements for specific programs offered at universities and colleges.

College preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the requirements for entrance to most college programs or for admission to apprenticeship or other training programs.

Workplace preparation courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to meet the expectations of employers, if they plan to enter the workplace directly after graduation, or the requirements for admission to certain apprenticeship or other training programs.

Open courses are designed to broaden students’ knowledge and skills in subjects that reflect their interests and to prepare them for active and rewarding participation in society.They are not designed with the specific requirements of universities, colleges, or the workplace in mind.

The Introduction to Business course is the foundational course for the business studies program. This course introduces students to each of the major areas of business: business operation, accounting, marketing, information and communication technology, human resources, production, management, international business, finance, and entrepreneurship.This introductory course aims to ensure that all students acquire a general understanding of the role and nature of business, as they begin to develop management skills related to financial decision making and ethical business practice. The course will provide a strong foundation both for students who wish to pursue business studies in greater depth and for students who wish to master the business-related knowledge and skills required for everyday life.

The Information and Communication Technology in Business course prepares students for a world of business and communication that relies on electronic technology. Rapid changes in information and communication technology have influenced all aspects of our lives, and the operations of business have been particularly affected. Students will benefit from the knowledge and skills they acquire in this course, whether their goal is to understand the effects of technology on business or to gain practical skills using application software that will benefit them throughout their studies and in their careers.This course would be particularly helpful for students who intend to take information and communication technology courses in Grades 11 and 12.

The Grade 11 and 12 program in business studies offers a variety of courses to help students develop a deeper understanding of the world of business and to focus their interests in this area.There are courses that will help students develop their knowledge and skills in the areas of accounting, entrepreneurship, information and communication technology, international business, marketing, and business leadership. Students can select courses in entrepreneurship to learn about the creation and operation of a small business or how to develop and apply enterprising skills as employees. In the information and communication technology courses, students will develop essential digital literacy and application software skills critical for success in their academic studies and chosen career path.They will also be able to select courses that focus on the key skills and concepts of accounting and marketing, or courses that will develop their understanding of the nature of leadership and the ways in which businesses are structured and managed to achieve organizational goals. In the international business courses, students will learn about opportunities that lie beyond our borders, and will explore the business relationships that Canadian companies and the Canadian government have established with other countries.

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