BIZ-OMICSAQA A-level Business 7138 · The 6-Mark Analyse Question
AQA A-level Business · 7138 · Paper 1
Analyse
Mastering the 6-mark question: building a chain, not a list
Spec 3.1.1 · Entrepreneurs TEACHER VERSION
What's in this booklet
- What the examiner is looking for
- GCSE mode vs A-level mode
- Connectives: the engine of a chain
- The method: Define → Evidence → Chain → Land
- Case study A: Loop Kitchen Ltd (worked example and chain-building)
- Case study B: Fernhill Climbing Ltd (be the examiner, chain-building, missing links)
- Review: diagnose the fault
- Self-assessment checklist and optional stretch
How this booklet works
Most tasks ask you to order, choose, mark or diagnose rather than write. The aim is to train your eye to see what a strong chain of reasoning looks like, so that writing one becomes automatic.
Spec content covered (3.1.1 Entrepreneurs)
- Characteristics of entrepreneurs: risk taker, resilient, focused, passionate, innovative, adaptable
- Challenges of setting up in business
- Purpose and value of a business plan
All businesses, people and data in this booklet are fictional.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
1What the examiner is looking for
Every 6-mark question starts with the command word Analyse. It tests three skills, 2 marks each.
| AO | Marks | What it means in a 6-marker |
|---|
| AO1 Knowledge | 2 | Show you know and understand the concept in the question. A short definition is often the quickest way. |
| AO2 Application | 2 | Use specific evidence from the case inside your reasoning. Copying out the case earns nothing. |
| AO3 Analysis | 2 | A chain of reasoning that links the start of the question to its end point, with no missing steps. |
| AO4 Evaluation | 0 | None available. A counter-argument or conclusion won't be penalised, but it earns nothing and uses up time. |
There are only two levels
| Level | Marks | What it looks like |
|---|
| Level 2 | 4–6 | Context used throughout. A chain of reasoning that effectively links the two key elements of the question. |
| Level 1 | 1–3 | Knowledge and an attempt to use the case, but no relevant analysis. |
The key message
Without a genuine chain of reasoning, your answer is likely to stay in Level 1 (1–3 marks), however good your knowledge is. The chain is the gateway to Level 2.
1. "Analyse one" means one. One factor, fully developed. A second factor earns nothing.
2. Land on the end point. If the question asks about profit, a chain that stops at sales is missing a step.
3. Explain every link. "Maya took a risk → she left her job → Loop Kitchen grew" is still missing a step, because it never explains how taking the risk led to growth.
MatchFind the start point and end point
Every Analyse question has two key elements:
- a start point: the factor your answer begins with
- an end point: the outcome your chain of reasoning must finish on
A Level 2 answer links the two. Spotting the end point before you write tells you where your chain has to land.
Worked example
Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business could have reduced a new café's profit.
Start point (underlined): one challenge of setting up · End point (circled): profit → Letter D, because profit means revenue minus costs.
Your turn. For each question below:
- Underline the start point.
- Circle the end point.
- Write the letter from the key that explains what your end point means. One letter is not used.
Key: what does the end point mean?
A Growth: the business getting bigger over time, e.g. more revenue, customers or employees
B Revenue: the money coming in from sales in a period
C Raising finance: investors or lenders agreeing to provide money
D Profit: revenue minus costs
E Competitiveness: the ability to win customers against rivals
| Question | Letter |
|---|
| 1. Analyse how one of Maya Okafor's entrepreneurial characteristics has contributed to the growth of Loop Kitchen Ltd. | A |
| 2. Analyse one way in which a business plan may have helped Loop Kitchen Ltd to raise finance through crowdfunding. | C |
| 3. Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business might have limited Loop Kitchen Ltd's revenue in 2021. | B |
| 4. Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business could have reduced Fernhill Climbing Ltd's profit in the first year after its planned opening date. | D |
Teaching point
Questions 3 and 4 have the same start point but different end points. An answer to Q4 that stops at revenue is one step short: it also needs to deal with costs to reach profit. E (competitiveness) is not used.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
2GCSE mode vs A-level mode
At A-level, the chain must keep going until it reaches the end point, and each link needs a reason.
Example: Spokes Bike Repairs
Sam opened a bike repair shop after leaving the army. He had never employed anyone before. He hired a friend without checking his skills. In the first three months, 40 bikes were brought back because repairs had failed. Each re-repair cost Sam about £25 in parts and time, and customers were not charged for it.
Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business could have reduced the profit of Spokes Bike Repairs. [6]
❌ GCSE mode (3 marks, Level 1)
One challenge Sam faced when setting up was a lack of experience in recruiting staff. For example, he hired a friend without checking his skills, and 40 bikes were brought back because the repairs had failed. This meant Sam had to spend £25 fixing each bike again, which increases his costs. Another challenge is that he had never employed anyone before, so he might not know how to manage staff properly.
✅ A-level mode (6 marks)
1A common challenge when setting up is a lack of business experience, such as recruiting and managing staff AO1.
2Sam had never employed anyone and hired a friend without checking his skills AO2.
3This meant repairs were done badly, so 40 bikes came back in the first three months AO2/AO3.
4This matters because each re-repair cost about £25 but brought in no extra revenue, adding around £1,000 of costs AO3.
5In addition, every hour spent re-repairing is an hour Sam cannot spend on new, paying jobs, so he takes on fewer repairs and earns less revenue AO3.
6As a result, unhappy customers are also less likely to return or recommend the shop, reducing future revenue AO3.
7Therefore, with costs higher and revenue lower, Sam's lack of experience reduced the shop's profit in its first months LANDS.
TickTell me why
1. The GCSE answer mentions "40 bikes". Why does this earn little credit?
It is the wrong figure from the case.
It is quoted but never used: the A-level answer turns it into ≈ £1,000 of costs.
Figures are not credited in 6-mark questions.
2. Where does the GCSE answer's chain stop?
At "lack of experience"
At "increases his costs", one step short of profit
At "reduced profit"
3. Why does the final sentence of the GCSE answer earn nothing?
It is too short.
It starts a second challenge: "analyse one" means depth, not breadth.
It uses the connective "so".
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
3Connectives: the engine of a chain
A connective only counts if it brings in a new idea.
| Job in the chain | Connectives | What must follow |
|---|
Move forward
(cause → effect) | this means that · which leads to · as a result · so · consequently | A new consequence |
Explain the link
(the mechanism) | because · since · this is due to · this matters because | Why the previous step causes the next |
| Bring in evidence | as shown by · for example · which can be seen in · such as | A specific fact or figure from the case |
| Land | therefore · ultimately · so this [increases/reduces/contributes to]… | The question's end point, in the question's words |
| Usually not needed | however · on the other hand · overall · it depends | Evaluation: no AO4 marks here, so it costs time. |
The "because" test
Every "therefore" should be backed by a reason that is actually written down. The Explain the link row is the one GCSE answers most often miss. No word earns marks on its own: examiners reward the reasoning, and connectives are tools to build it.
CountThe fake-depth trap
Jordan was resilient, which means he didn't give up. Therefore he kept going, and as a result he persevered with the business.
Connectives used: 3. Genuine steps of reasoning: 0
Every clause restates "resilient". Connectives are a vehicle for reasoning, not a substitute for it.
CirclePick the connective
Circle the right connective, then write its job (Forward, Explain, Evidence, Land).
| Sentence | Job |
|---|
| 1. The bank refused Maya's loan, [ so / however / for example ] she could only rent a kitchen by the hour. | Forward |
| 2. Investors felt less at risk [ therefore / because / overall ] the plan included feedback from 600 customers. | Explain |
| 3. Maya was resilient, [ so / as shown by / on the other hand ] two supermarket rejections. | Evidence |
| 4. Opening was delayed by four months, [ as a result / however / such as ] Jordan paid rent with no customers. | Forward |
| 5. [ Therefore / However / For example ], the delay reduced Fernhill's profit in the year after its planned opening. | Land |
Which connectives above would usually start evaluation (no marks in a 6-marker)?
so · because · as a result
however · overall · on the other hand
as shown by · for example · therefore
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
4The method: Define → Evidence → Chain → Land
One well-built paragraph is enough. Plan it in 1–2 minutes, write it in 7–8.
| Step | AO | What you do |
|---|
| 1. Define | AO1 | Show you understand the key concept. A short definition is a reliable way to do this. |
| 2. Evidence | AO2 | Pick one specific fact or figure from the case that will drive the chain. |
| 3. Chain | AO3 | Keep going until you reach the end point. Aim for three or more linked steps, with the reason for each link explained. |
| 4. Land | AO3 | Finish on the end point, using the question's own words. |
Sentence stems
[Key concept] is… AO1
In [business], [specific fact from the case]… AO2
This means that…
This matters because…
As a result… (use a figure from the case here if you can)
Therefore, [factor] [increases / reduces / contributes to] [end point in the question's words]. LANDS
Planner (use it in the exam margin)
Start point
End point I must land on
Evidence from the case I will use
Chain: ______ → ______ → ______ → ______
Characteristics of entrepreneurs (spec list)
Risk taker · Resilient · Focused · Passionate · Innovative · Adaptable
Pick the characteristic with the best evidence in the case, not the one you like best.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
5Case study A: Loop Kitchen Ltd
Maya Okafor was 23 and earning £34,000 a year at a consultancy firm when she left to start Loop Kitchen, a plant-based ready meal business. She wanted to be her own boss. She also wanted to help people eat less meat without giving up the West African dishes she grew up with.
In 2021 Maya rented a shared commercial kitchen in Leeds by the hour, cooking at night and selling meals from a Saturday market stall. She had no experience of food production. Her bank turned down a request for a £20,000 loan because the business had no trading history, so she paid for everything from £8,000 of savings. She changed her recipes every week based on customer feedback. By the end of the year the stall regularly sold out by midday.
In 2022 Maya wrote a business plan and used it in a crowdfunding campaign. The plan included feedback from 600 stall customers, a 12-month cash flow forecast and a target of 10,000 subscribers by the end of 2024. The campaign raised £150,000 from 1,200 investors in five weeks and funded a weekly subscription box service. A national supermarket chain rejected Loop Kitchen twice before agreeing to stock its meals in 2023.
Appendix A: Loop Kitchen Ltd key data
| 2021 | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|
| Revenue | £90,000 | £2.1m | £6.8m |
| Employees | 1 | 14 | 42 |
| Subscribers | 0 | 8,200 | 38,000 |
Fictional business and data.
Worked example
A1. Analyse how one of Maya Okafor's entrepreneurial characteristics has contributed to the growth of Loop Kitchen Ltd. [6]
1Adaptability means changing plans or products in response to feedback or new circumstances AO1.
2Maya changed her recipes every week based on feedback from stall customers AO2.
3This meant each version of the meals was closer to what customers wanted, so more people came back and the stall regularly sold out by midday AO3.
4The feedback from 600 customers then went into her business plan. This matters because it gave crowdfunding investors evidence of demand, helping raise £150,000 to launch the subscription service AO2/AO3.
5Therefore, because adaptability produced a proven product and the funding to scale it, it contributed directly to revenue growing from £90,000 in 2021 to £6.8m in 2025 LANDS.
TickWhy is step 4 needed?
It adds evaluation, which earns extra marks.
Without it, the chain jumps from a stall selling out to £6.8m revenue with no explanation.
It repeats the case, which earns AO2.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
A2. Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business might have limited Loop Kitchen Ltd's revenue in 2021. [6]
OrderSix cards make the chain. One card doesn't belong. Put the six in order and write the odd one out in the bin.
AShe could only rent a shared kitchen by the hour and cook at night.
BTherefore, the lack of finance held Loop Kitchen's revenue at around £90,000 in 2021.
CHowever, Maya could have used crowdfunding earlier instead of a bank loan.
DOne challenge of setting up is raising finance, because a new business has no trading history to show lenders.
EEven though the stall sold out by midday, customers who wanted to buy went without.
FThe bank refused Maya's £20,000 loan, leaving her with only £8,000 of savings.
GThis meant she could make only enough meals for one Saturday stall.
Chain:
D→F→A→G→E→B
Bin:C
Why does your odd-one-out card belong in the bin?
It is factually wrong.
It is evaluation. There are no AO4 marks in a 6-marker.
It doesn't use the case.
A3. Analyse one way in which a business plan may have helped Loop Kitchen Ltd to raise finance through crowdfunding. [6]
OrderPut these six cards in order to build the chain.
ACrowdfunding investors are members of the public and cannot inspect the business themselves.
BOne purpose of a business plan is to persuade people to invest.
CFeedback from 600 stall customers showed there was real demand for the meals.
DThis reduced the risk investors felt they were taking.
ESo more were willing to invest, and Loop Kitchen raised £150,000 from 1,200 people in five weeks.
FThe target of 10,000 subscribers also showed investors how the business would grow.
Chain:
B→A→C→D→F→E
Which card, if removed, would break the chain most?
F: the extra evidence would be lost.
D: it explains why evidence of demand persuades investors. Without it, the chain jumps from "demand" to "they invested".
B: the definition would be lost.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
6Case study B: Fernhill Climbing Ltd
Jordan Price was a 29-year-old PE teacher in Sheffield who spent his weekends climbing. He noticed that the city's two bouldering centres were so busy on weekday evenings that they regularly turned customers away. In 2024 he left teaching to open his own centre, Fernhill Climbing, in a former warehouse.
Fitting out the building would cost £240,000, and Jordan had £12,000 of savings. He had never run a business or managed staff. Fourteen landlords refused to lease him a building because the business had no trading history. The fifteenth agreed, but only if Jordan paid six months' rent (£30,000) upfront. Building work then overran, delaying opening by four months while rent still had to be paid.
To raise the money, Jordan wrote a business plan. It included:
- a survey of 400 climbers at the existing centres, in which 68% said they would switch to a centre with shorter queues
- competitor analysis showing both rival centres were at full capacity on weekday evenings
- an 18-month cash flow forecast
- a target of 700 monthly members by the end of the first year
Using the plan, Jordan secured a £150,000 bank loan. A business angel invested £110,000 in exchange for 25% of the company.
Appendix B: Fernhill Climbing Ltd, first year of trading
| Month 3 | Month 6 | Month 12 |
|---|
| Monthly members | 310 | 520 | 810 |
Monthly membership fee: £45 · Revenue in first year: £310,000
Fictional business and data.
SortEvidence hunt: characteristics of entrepreneurs
Write the number of each piece of evidence in the right cell. Some cells will stay empty.
- Left a £34,000 job to start the business
- Changed recipes every week based on feedback
- Rejected twice by a supermarket before winning a listing
- Set a target of 10,000 subscribers
- Refused by fourteen landlords but kept trying
- Paid £30,000 of rent upfront
- Spotted rivals turning climbers away as a gap in the market
- Set a target of 700 members
- Wanted to share the dishes she grew up with
- Climbed every weekend
| Characteristic | Maya (Loop Kitchen) | Jordan (Fernhill) |
|---|
| Risk taker | 1 | 6 |
| Resilient | 3 | 5 |
| Focused | 4 | 8 |
| Passionate | 9 | 10 |
| Innovative | (none) | 7 |
| Adaptable | 2 | (none) |
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
B1. Analyse how one of Jordan Price's entrepreneurial characteristics has contributed to the success of Fernhill Climbing Ltd. [6]
MarkBe the examiner. Read the three answers. Tick the features each one has, then give it a level and a mark.
Answer 1
Resilience is the ability to keep going after setbacks. Fourteen landlords refused to lease Jordan a building, but he kept trying until one agreed. This meant he had premises and could open Fernhill. As a result, Fernhill had 810 members by the end of its first year, so it was successful. However, he also had to pay £30,000 upfront, which was a big risk.
Answer 2
Resilience is the ability to keep going after setbacks. Fourteen landlords refused to lease Jordan a building because Fernhill had no trading history. A less resilient entrepreneur might have given up, but Jordan kept going until one agreed, even paying £30,000 of rent upfront. This matters because securing premises meant he could fill the gap he had spotted: both rival centres were turning climbers away on weekday evenings. As a result, Fernhill attracted climbers the rivals could not serve, reaching 810 members and £310,000 of revenue in its first year. Therefore, his resilience contributed directly to Fernhill's success.
Answer 3
Jordan is passionate because he climbed every weekend. Passionate entrepreneurs work hard and don't give up when things get difficult. This means Fernhill Climbing was successful.
| Feature | Answer 1 | Answer 2 | Answer 3 |
|---|
| Shows understanding of the concept (AO1) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Uses case evidence inside the chain (AO2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ (quoted only) |
| Explains why each link happens (AO3) | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lands on the end point (success) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ (asserted) |
| Contains evaluation or a second factor | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Level | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Mark / 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
Commentary
Answer 1 (4): a genuine chain, but it jumps from "had premises" to "810 members" without explaining why premises led to members (the gap left by the rivals' queues). The final sentence is evaluation: not penalised, but it earns nothing.
Answer 2 (6): every link is explained, the context drives the chain, and it lands on success.
Answer 3 (2): generic chain ("passionate entrepreneurs work hard"), case quoted but not used, and success is asserted rather than reached.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
B2. Analyse how one challenge of setting up in business could have reduced Fernhill Climbing Ltd's profit in the first year after its planned opening date. [6]
OrderSix cards make the chain. Two cards don't belong. Put the six in order and bin the other two.
AThose four months of planned trading were also lost, so there were fewer months of revenue in the year.
BAnother challenge was that Jordan had never managed staff before.
CA common challenge of setting up is that costs begin before any revenue comes in.
DTherefore, with costs higher and revenue lower, the delay reduced Fernhill's profit in the first year after its planned opening.
EBuilding work overran, delaying opening by four months.
FOverall, the delay was probably the biggest challenge Jordan faced.
GThis matters because that spending brought in no revenue to cover it.
HJordan still paid rent of £5,000 a month, around £20,000 with no customers.
Chain:
C→E→H→G→A→D
Bin:BF
| Binned card | Why it doesn't belong (write the letter) |
|---|
| B | P = second factor · Q = evaluation · R = repeats the case P |
| F | P = second factor · Q = evaluation · R = repeats the case Q |
Which card is the "because" that stops the chain having a missing step?
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
B3. Analyse one way in which the business plan may have helped persuade the business angel to invest in Fernhill Climbing Ltd. [6]
ChooseMissing links. Three links are missing from this answer. Tick the best option for each gap.
A business plan sets out the business idea, market, objectives and financial forecasts; one purpose is to convince investors that the business can succeed. Jordan had never run a business, so the business angel had no track record to judge him on. GAP 1 This showed there was real, unmet demand, GAP 2. The 18-month cash flow forecast and target of 700 members also showed how the business would grow, and so how the angel's 25% stake could become more valuable. GAP 3
GAP 1
The plan was written in 2024.
His plan included a survey in which 68% of 400 climbers said they would switch, and showed both rivals were full on weekday evenings.
Business plans are important for all new businesses.
Only this option brings specific evidence (AO2) that the next sentence can build on.
GAP 2
which reduced the risk the angel felt they were taking
however, surveys can be unreliable
and Jordan climbed every weekend
This is the "explain the link" step: why evidence of demand matters to an investor. The second option is evaluation; the third is irrelevant.
GAP 3
Overall, it depends on whether Jordan is a good manager.
So the bank also gave him a £150,000 loan.
Therefore, because the plan made the investment look lower-risk and rewarding, it helped persuade the angel to invest £110,000.
This lands on the question's end point: the angel's decision. The bank loan is the wrong investor.
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
7Review: diagnose the fault
Each answer has one main fault. Write the letter from the fault key.
Fault key
P Circular: ends where it started · Q More than one factor · R Stops before the end point · S Lists case facts without explaining why they matter · T Contains evaluation
| # | Answer | Fault |
|---|
| 1 | (A1) "Maya is a risk taker. She left her £34,000 job to start Loop Kitchen, which was a big risk. This shows she is a risk taker." | P |
| 2 | (B2) "Jordan faced lots of challenges, like landlords refusing him, not having enough money and building delays. These made it hard to set up and reduced profit." | Q |
| 3 | (A2) "The bank refused Maya's £20,000 loan because she had no trading history. This meant she only had £8,000 of savings to start the business with." | R |
| 4 | (B3) "The business plan had a survey of 400 climbers, competitor analysis, a cash flow forecast and a target of 700 members, so the angel invested." | S |
| 5 | (Spokes) "…so Sam's lack of experience reduced profit. However, he could have hired someone more experienced. Overall, it depends on how quickly he learned." | T |
Notes
3 stops at "only £8,000 of savings". It never reaches revenue. 4 is good application but has no link to reduced risk or expected return. 2 also fails R, but its main fault is listing three challenges.
RankWhich fault costs the most marks?
An answer has excellent knowledge and uses the case well, but never builds a chain of reasoning. Where is it most likely to be placed?
2 marks
Level 1 (up to 3 marks): without analysis it is unlikely to reach Level 2
4 marks
6 marks
BIZ-OMICSThe 6-Mark Analyse Question
8Self-assessment checklist
Use this on every 6-mark answer before you hand it in.
- I circled the start point and end point in the question.
- I analysed one factor only.
- I showed I understand the key concept, e.g. with a short definition. (AO1)
- I used a specific fact or figure from the case inside my chain, not just copied out. (AO2)
- My chain keeps going until it reaches the end point. (AO3)
- I explained why each link happens, not just what happens next. (AO3)
- Every connective brings in a new idea (no fake depth).
- My last sentence lands on the end point, in the question's words.
- I didn't spend time on a counter-argument or conclusion. There are no marks for it here.
Remember
Define → Evidence → Chain → Land. One factor, every link explained, and land on the question's words.
Stretch (optional): write one yourself
Using the cards from A2 or B2 as a guide, write the answer in full, in your own words. Then run the checklist above.
Model (B2)
A common challenge of setting up is that costs begin before any revenue comes in, and delays make this worse. Building work at Fernhill overran, delaying opening by four months. During this time Jordan still had to pay rent of £5,000 a month (£30,000 ÷ 6), so he paid around £20,000 in rent with no customers. This matters because that spending brought in no revenue to cover it, and those four months of planned trading were lost, so there were fewer months of revenue in the year. As a result, costs were higher and revenue lower than planned, so the delay reduced Fernhill's profit in the first year after its planned opening date.