Edexcel IGCSE Business: Communication, recruitment and selection (4BS1) – Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers from your board or school.

These questions cover Topic 2 “People in business”, sections 2.1 and 2.2, in the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Business (4BS1) specification, Issue 2, February 2026. Use the study guide and revision notes first if you need them. Course links: the 4BS1 Business hub, the printable checklist and the free diagnostics. Every business is invented and amounts are in dollars.

Questions

1. Give two communication methods that use information technology (IT) and state one limitation of one of them. [3]

2. Explain how jargon can act as a barrier to communication and how this barrier can be removed. [4]

3. Lakehurst Tours prints 40 copies of a weekly staff memo at 0.12 per copy. It is considering sending the memo by email instead, using a messaging service costing 18 a month. Assume 52 weeks and 12 months in a year.

(a) Calculate the yearly cost of printing the memo. [2] (b) Calculate the yearly saving from using email. [1] (c) Evaluate whether Lakehurst Tours should replace printed memos with email. [6]

4. State the type of employment in each case (full-time, part-time, job share or casual/seasonal/temporary).

(a) A café hires a student for six weeks over the summer. [1] (b) Two nurses share one post, one working Monday to Wednesday and the other Thursday to Friday. [1] (c) An assistant works 12 hours a week. [1] (d) A manager works the business’s standard full working week on a permanent contract. [1]

5. Seaview Ice Cream hires 5 seasonal workers for 8 weeks. Each works 24 hours a week at 9.00 an hour.

(a) Calculate the total wage cost. [3] (b) Explain one benefit of using seasonal workers rather than permanent staff. [3]

6. Brindle Logistics is recruiting a warehouse supervisor.

(a) Explain how a job description differs from a person specification. [4] (b) Outline one advantage to Brindle of asking applicants to complete an application form rather than send a curriculum vitae (CV). [2]

7. Redfield Library has a full-time post of 36 hours a week at 10.50 an hour. It is offered as a job share between Tam (20 hours) and Uri (16 hours).

(a) Calculate the library’s weekly wage cost for the post. [2] (b) Analyse one benefit and one limitation of job share for the library. [6]

8. Pellam Engineering needs a new supervisor on a salary of 30,000. External recruitment would cost an advertisement of 450 plus an agency fee of 10% of the salary. Promoting a current employee would cost 1,100 in training for the promoted person. Both candidates, one internal and one external, have similar qualifications.

(a) Calculate the cost of external recruitment. [3] (b) Justify whether Pellam should recruit internally or externally. [8]

9. A shop receives 80 applications for a sales post and shortlists 10% of them. Each interview lasts 40 minutes.

(a) Calculate the number of interviews and the total interview time in hours, to 2 decimal places. [3] (b) Explain two ways the shop can make shortlisting and interviewing fairer. [4]

10. An advertisement from Corran Motors says: “Young, energetic man wanted as sales assistant.”

(a) State two of the grounds named in the specification on which the advertisement may treat people less favourably. [2] (b) Analyse the effects of equal opportunities laws on how Corran Motors recruits staff. [6]

11. Marrow Café employs 4 part-time workers, each for 18 hours a week at 7.90 an hour. A new minimum wage law sets 8.50 an hour. Assume 52 weeks a year.

(a) Calculate the extra weekly wage cost. [3] (b) Calculate the extra yearly cost. [1] (c) Evaluate the likely effects of the law on Marrow Café. [8]

Answers

1. Any two of email, text/instant messaging, video conferencing, intranet, social media [2]. Limitation, such as email overload or video conferencing needing a reliable connection [1]. [3] Examiner insight: Name the method and attach a limitation that belongs to that method; a limitation that could apply to any method is weaker.

2. Jargon is technical language [1] that the receiver does not know, so the message is misunderstood [1]. It can be removed by using plain language or explaining terms [1] and checking understanding by asking the receiver to repeat the instruction [1]. [4] Examiner insight: A full answer states how the barrier arises and how it is removed; naming the barrier alone does not answer both halves.

3. (a) 40 × 0.12 = 4.80 per week [1]; 4.80 × 52 = 249.60 [1]. (b) Email 18 × 12 = 216; saving 249.60 − 216 = 33.60 a year [1]. (c) Email saves 33.60, a small amount [1]; it is quicker and leaves a record [1]; but staff without regular computer access may miss it [1], and the memo may be skimmed or lost in an inbox [1]. Judgement: email is worth adopting if all staff have access, since it is cheaper and faster [1], perhaps keeping a notice board copy for those without [1]. [6] Examiner insight: For “evaluate”, use the figures from the stem and reach a conclusion with a reason; the saving alone is not enough.

4. (a) Casual/seasonal/temporary [1]. (b) Job share [1]. (c) Part-time [1]. (d) Full-time [1]. [4] Examiner insight: Use the specification’s names for the types; “short contract” or “half job” are less precise than the named type.

5. (a) Hours each: 24 × 8 = 192 [1]. Workers: 5 × 192 = 960 hours [1]. Cost: 960 × 9.00 = 8,640 [1]. (b) Seaview pays only while the summer peak lasts [1], because workers are hired for set weeks [1], so it avoids paying permanent wages in the quiet months [1]. [6] Examiner insight: An explain answer works best as a fact, a reason and a consequence in that order, each building on the last.

6. (a) A job description sets out the job: title, duties and responsibilities [1], hours and who the post reports to [1]. A person specification sets out the person wanted: qualifications, skills and experience [1], and personal qualities, often essential and desirable [1]. (b) Every applicant answers the same questions [1], so Brindle can compare them directly and fairly [1]. [6] Examiner insight: Part (a) needs both documents described; writing only about the job description will leave half the marks.

7. (a) Total hours 20 + 16 = 36, so the job is covered [1]. Cost 36 × 10.50 = 378 [1]. (b) Benefit: the post is covered when one person is away [1], so the library keeps its opening hours without hiring a temporary replacement [1], and it keeps two sets of skills [1]. Limitation: handover between Tam and Uri must be good [1], otherwise tasks are missed or repeated [1], and there is extra admin for two people [1]. [8] Examiner insight: Analyse answers should be set in the library context and develop each point; a bare list of benefits does not analyse.

8. (a) Agency fee 0.10 × 30,000 = 3,000 [1]. Add advertisement 450 [1]. Total 3,450 [1]. (b) External costs 3,450 against 1,100 for internal, so internal is 2,350 cheaper [1]. Internal is also quicker and the person knows the firm [1], and the promotion may motivate other staff [1]. But internal recruitment creates another vacancy to fill [1], and gives no new ideas [1]. External offers a wider choice and fresh skills [1]. As the candidates have similar qualifications, the extra 2,350 for external buys little [1]. Decision: recruit internally, unless the internal candidate proves weak at interview [1]. [11] Examiner insight: A justify answer picks one option and uses the data in the case; here that is the cost gap and the similar qualifications.

9. (a) 80 × 0.10 = 8 interviews [1]. 8 × 40 = 320 minutes [1]. 320 ÷ 60 = 5.33 hours [1]. (b) Compare every application with the same person specification [1], so the choice rests on the job needs [1]. Ask all candidates the same core questions and score the answers [1], so candidates are compared consistently [1]. [7] Examiner insight: Give the time as the unit asked for and show the conversion step; a rounded hours figure with no working is risky.

10. (a) Age [1] and gender [1]. (b) The advertisement must describe the real job requirements instead of a preferred age or gender [1], so Corran draws on a wider pool of applicants [1]. Candidates must be chosen for their ability to do the work [1], using the same questions and written records for each candidate [1]. Failing to comply risks legal action and bad publicity [1], while compliance can improve the firm’s reputation [1]. [8] Examiner insight: Tie each effect back to a recruitment stage (advert, shortlisting, interview) so the answer stays on Corran’s process and not on discrimination in general.

11. (a) Current weekly pay 4 × 18 × 7.90 = 568.80 [1]. New weekly pay 4 × 18 × 8.50 = 612 [1]. Extra 43.20 [1]. (b) 43.20 × 52 = 2,246.40 [1]. (c) Costs rise by 2,246.40 a year [1], so profit falls unless prices rise [1]. Raising prices may lose price-sensitive customers [1]. Workers receive more pay [1], which may raise motivation and cut turnover [1]. The firm may cut hours to save cost [1], but that may weaken service [1]. Judgement: the rise is modest relative to the total wage bill of 568.80 a week, so the café can probably absorb part of it and benefit from staff retention [1]. [8] Examiner insight: Evaluate needs a weighed conclusion; stating the law raises costs and stopping there reads as description.

Where marks are usually lost

• Giving a method or barrier with no limitation, cause or removal.
• Mixing up the job description and the person specification.
• Calling a job share “part-time” without explaining it is one job split between people.
• Forgetting to multiply by the number of workers or weeks.
• Giving a final cost without units or leaving out one cost (such as the advertisement).
• Answering “justify” or “evaluate” with advantages only.
• Writing generally about discrimination instead of effects on the business’s recruitment.
• Ignoring figures given in the case study.

Next steps

• Recap with the revision notes and the study guide.
• Course hub: 4BS1 Business and the printable checklist.
• Take the free diagnostics.
• Book a free trial class.

Frequently asked questions

What do these communication and recruitment questions cover? They follow Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Business (4BS1) sections 2.1 and 2.2: communication methods and barriers, types of employment, recruitment documents, internal and external recruitment, and legal controls over employment.

What is a job share? A job share is one full-time job split between two or more people. Calling it simply “part-time” without explaining that one job is shared is a common error.

What are common slips in recruitment cost calculations? Forgetting to multiply by the number of workers or weeks, leaving out a cost such as the advertisement, and giving a final figure without units.

How should you answer a question on equal opportunities? Explain the effects on the business’s recruitment, such as fair adverts, consistent selection and possible adaptations, rather than writing generally about discrimination.

Official syllabus

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Business (4BS1), Specification, Issue 2, February 2026, published by Pearson Education Limited. Topic 2: People in business, sections 2.1 (points 2.1.1 and 2.1.2) and 2.2 (points 2.2.1 to 2.2.4).