APT’s Complete Context Companion for Edexcel’s Paper 3 Examination on the ‘Chocolate Confectionery Market’ 

APT’s Complete Context Companion will be packed full of resources to support teachers and their students with this year’s Edexcel’s A Level Pre-released 2018 Paper 3 Context right up until the exam, saving months’ of preparation and planning time.  It includes: powerpoints, research tasks, highly comprehensive, in-depth research and analysis on each bullet point of Edexcel’s research brief, revision summaries, mock exam questions with detailed model answers.  It is due to be published in around four weeks’ time, and can be pre-ordered now 

Feedback received on APT resources published to date for use with pre-released Contexts, Case Studies and Themes:

Absolutely outstanding.  I call this my ‘Bible’.  Your resources are in a different league.  It’s worth every penny! A fantastic tool that fully supports teaching and learning and student progression in great depth and detail!  Greatly appreciated! Your work is amazing!” Laura Pickford, Heworth Grange School 

A description of the information included in the first 3 (of 5) sections of APT’s ‘Detailed Investigation into the Context (for Teachers)’ is provided below – so you can see just how comprehensive this resource will be (from which the other 5 resources contained in APT’s Complete Companion are produced). 
INTRODUCTION TO THE CONTEXT           
The Nature and Scope of the Research Students are Advised to Undertake
Some General Facts about Chocolate                                                                           
General Statistics and Information on the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market       
General Statistics and Information on the UK Chocolate Confectionery Market       
RESEARCH BULLET 1                                                                                                    
Trends in the Number and Size of Manufacturers Operating in the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market over the last 20 years, Including Investment, Business Growth & Takeovers                
General Introduction – Scope of Research and Essential Revision      
Trends in the Number and Size of Manufacturers Operating in the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market Over the Last 20 Years   
Introduction – Defining Key Terms
What is trend?
What are manufacturers?  What do chocolate manufacturers do? What methods of production do global chocolate manufacturers use?
Research and Analysis of Changes in the Number of Manufacturers Operating in the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market Over the Last 20 Years                 
What changes have there been in the number of manufacturers?
What is the significance of this research?                     
Research and Analysis of Changes in the Size of Manufacturers Operating in the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market Over the Last 20 Years          
Introduction – Ways of Measuring Size
What changes have there been in the size of manufacturers?       
What are the main findings of this research?   
What are the objectives / benefits of growth in the size of a business (in general)?  
What problems arise from growth in the size of a business (in general)?    
Essential Theory and Relevant Research into Investment within the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market Over the Last 20 years          
Possible Exam Questions
Different Types of Investment
Examples of Investments Made by Global Confectionery Manufacturers Over the Last 20 Years
What reasons might be behind these investments / What are the potential rewards?          
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Foreign Direct Investment (in relation  to exporting?)
The Use of Investment Appraisal Techniques and Key Factors to Consider When Making Decisions Over Investments / Decisions Between Potential Investments
Raising Finance for Investment            
Overview of Internal and External Finance
Methods of Finance Used by Chocolate Manufacturers
Essential Theory & Relevant Research Relating to Business Growth & Takeovers Within the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market Over the Last 20 years       
Possible Exam Questions
The Distinction between Inorganic and Organic Growth
Methods and Examples of Organic Growth (with Reference to Ansoff’s Matrix) within the Global Chocolate Confectionery Market
Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Business Growth
The Distinction between Mergers and Acquisitions, Including Takeovers
Examples of Inorganic Growth through Takeovers within the Chocolate Confectionery Market over the Last 20 years
Horizontal and Vertical Integration – Have these mergers and acquisitions, including takeovers involved horizontal and / or vertical integration?                                                                                
Reasons for Mergers and Takeovers – What reasons have been behind the mergers and takeovers within the global chocolate confectionery market?      
Financial Risks and Rewards – What financial risks and rewards are associated with these acquisitions and takeovers?
Rapid Growth – What potential problems can arise from rapid expansion?   
Diseconomies of Scale, Overtrading
Other Problems Associated with Mergers and Takeovers        
Conflict Arising from Redundancies
Conflict Arising from Differences in Organisational Culture
Problems with Customer Retention Arising from Confusion in Brand Values         
RESEARCH BULLET 2                                                                                                     
Influences on the Global Market for Chocolate Confectionery Over the last 20 years, such as the growth and development of Emerging Economies, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Trends, Changing Costs and Prices           
Essential Revision                  
The Influence of Growth and Development of Emerging Economies on the Global Market for Chocolate Confectionery                                                                              
Introduction – Definition and Example of Emerging Economies and Possible Exam Questions
General Explanation of Opportunities to Trade Arising from the Growth and Development of Emerging Economies   
Opportunities to Sell to Emerging Economies
Opportunities to Produce in Emerging Economies
Examples of Confectionery Manufacturers that have Taken Up these Opportunities
Potential Reasons Behind / Rewards from Selling to Emerging Markets
Potential Reasons Behind / Rewards from Producing in Emerging Markets
Factors Affecting Success in Emerging Economies, including Examples of Early Failures and Successes of Western Chocolate Manufacturing Companies in China – Lessons Learnt
Other ‘Risks’ Associated with Expansion Overseas in General – Exchange Rates, Greater Risk of Diseconomies of Scale
Corporate Social Responsibility          
Introduction – Definitions of Corporate Social Responsibility and Possible Exam Questions
Examples of Socially Responsible Behaviour Amongst Global Chocolate Confectionery Manufacturers                
Potential Costs and Arguments Against CSR Initiatives
Potential Benefits of CSR – Trade-offs between Profit and Ethics
Social Trends (and Implications)  
Introduction – Definition and Possible Exam Questions
The Rise in Global Chocolate Consumption
Increase in the Demand for Premium Chocolate in particular Chocolate with a Dark High Cocoa Content Due to Growing Awareness of the Health Benefits
Increasing Concern Over Sugar Resulting in Consumers Trying to Reduce Sugar Intake and Stagnating Demand for Chocolate in Western Economies
Increasing Demand for ‘All Natural Ingredients’
Rise in Snacking and Trend Towards Healthier Snacks / Alternatives to Confectionery
Increasing Demand for Sustainable and Ethical Sourcing Practices
The Growth in Shopping Online
The Rise of Social Media
Changing Costs and Prices                 
Increased Raw Material Costs (and Impact of Exchange Rates) – Consideration of the Potential Impact and Strategies to Minimise the Impact
Other Costs
The Use of New Technologies to Cut Costs/Counteract Rising Costs
The Impact of Government Subsidies (Political Influences)
The Impact of Taxes on High Calorie, Fat or Sugar Products (Political Influences)
The Impact of Changing Prices
Other Influences: Seasonal Peaks in Demand 
Concluding Remarks – Scope for Evaluation   
RESEARCH BULLET 3       
Human Resource Management in the UK Chocolate Confectionery Industry  
Overview of Specification Requirements Relating to HRM – Essential Revision
Approaches to Staffing                        
Staff as an Asset and Staff as a Cost – Lessons from Nestlé
The Use of Flexible Working Practices – General Introduction, Nestlé’s Commitment to Flexible Working, The Potential Benefits
The Use of Outsourcing
Dismissal and Redundancy – The Difference between Dismissal and Redundancy, The Cost of Redundancies, Minimising the Negative Effect
Mondelez’s Focus on Voluntary Redundancies to Achieve Job Cuts
Employer / Employee Relations: Individual Approach, Collective Bargaining – Nestlé’s Attitude and Approach
Potential Benefits of Union Recognition / Collective Bargaining
The Importance of Good Industrial Relations at the Individual Level
Recruitment, Selection and Training               
Recruitment – Recruitment Process, Internal and External Recruitment Used within the Industry, Potential Advantages and Disadvantages
Selection, including Examples of Methods Used by Nestlé
Training – The Importance of Induction and Training, The Use of On-the-job Training and Examples Used by Nestlé and Potential Advantages and Disadvantages               
Organisational Design             
General Introduction
Analysis of Nestlé’s ‘Flat and Flexible’ Organisational Structure
Decentralisation within Nestlé and Mars
Motivation in Theory and Practice – Financial and Non-financial Incentives    
Financial Incentives – Basic Pay/Remuneration, importance, information on Nestlé, Mars and Cadbury
Financial Incentives – The Use of Bonuses (used by Nestlé), including potential advantages and criteria to be effective
Financial Incentives – The Use of Performance-related Pay (used by Nestlé), including potential advantages and disadvantages
Fringe Benefits – Examples (benefits at Nestlé), potential advantages
Non-financial Techniques – Recognition and Reward for Effort / Achievement, importance for motivation
Non-financial – Opportunities for Career Progression / Personal Development at Nestlé, importance of motivation
Non-financial – The Use of Consultation (information on Cadbury’s and Nestlé), potential benefits
Non-financial – Job Enrichment (used by Nestlé), potential benefits  
Leadership      
Leadership Styles – examples, potential advantages and disadvantages
6 separate resources are included in APT’s COMPLETE CONTEXT COMPANION for this year’s (2018) Paper 3 Exam (see below), which can be pre-ordered now.  The 6 separate resources can be purchased individually, or together at a discounted price: 

Feedback received on APT resources published to date for use with Pre-Released Contexts, Case Studies and Themes: 

Absolutely outstanding.  I call this my ‘Bible’.  Your resources are in a different league.  It’s worth every penny! A fantastic tool that fully supports teaching and learning and student progression in great depth and detail!  Greatly appreciated! Your work is amazing!” Laura Pickford, Heworth Grange School

 “The materials you provided were excellent and suited every level of teaching.  I wish I had ordered earlier in the year.”  Gareth Moran, Rye St Antony School 

“Your resource is outstanding and becomes the sole resource in my class from February to all the way to the exam day.”  Jillur Rahman, Woodbridge High School 

Excellent materials. All the students came out with a smile on their face and commented everything on the analysis came out”. Ruth Daniel, Tower Hamlets College

 “It is the most comprehensive pack I think we have ever received.  JL-H

“Pleased with the level of detail, insight and depth. They have become an invaluable part of our preparation.” Andrew Livingstone, Heart of England School

 Fantastic results using your material.  My  business student went from a predicted Grade E to a B on her  paper and was just short of an A.”  Jane Wood, Tutor

 “Your resources are proving invaluable and so much more useful than other providers that I buy from.”  Ian Chapman, Queen Anne’s School

Pre-order NOW  (if not already) – Expected publication: mid to end of Feb 2018

Price: £85 + VAT for email or download (+ £2.50 for CD)

Licensed for staff and up to 60 students to use, in any given year, attending the purchasing institution, ie the individual school / college. 

Pre-order (if not already): by email to office@apt-initiatives.com / online with a debit/credit card or by PayPal (click here)