WAEC SSCE Commerce
Study notes for INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT — part of the WAEC SSCE Commerce syllabus. 1 learning objectives with explanations and exam tips.
Business is any activity where people exchange goods or services to make profit. Business management means organizing and controlling these activities to achieve set goals. Think of a Nigerian trader selling clothing in Lekki Market—they must manage money, employees, fabrics, and customer relationships to succeed.
The main objectives of business include making profit, providing employment, and satisfying customer needs. Business management has five key functions: planning (deciding what to do), organizing (arranging resources), staffing (hiring people), directing (leading workers), and controlling (checking progress).
Every business needs five resources to operate successfully. Man refers to employees and entrepreneurs who do the work. Money includes capital and finance needed. Materials are the raw goods and equipment used. Finally, opportunities and goodwill represent market demand and the business's good reputation.
A successful example is Dangote Group, which manages thousands of workers, billions in capital, materials, factories, and strong market goodwill to produce cement and sugar across Nigeria.