Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 · exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028
The 9609 syllabus, topic by topic
The current Cambridge International AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus is for exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028. It is examined in 4 papers and lists 34 numbered topics. AS Level: Papers 1 and 2 in the same series. A Level: All four papers — in one series, or Papers 1 and 2 first with Papers 3 and 4 in a later series.
Cambridge publishes the syllabus, not how often each topic is examined. Beside the topics below is what Quanta measured on 36 real 9609 papers (Papers 1 and 2): the share of the marks each topic carried. The biggest is Human resource management, at 13.6% of those papers.
Source: Cambridge AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus, 2026–2028 (PDF, version 2, published December 2025).
Updated 5 October 2026
The 9609 papers
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Business Concepts 1Four short-answer questions, then one essay from a choice of two1 hour 15 minutes · 40% of AS · 20% of A Level | 1 hour 15 minutes | 40 | 40% of AS · 20% of A Level |
| Paper 2: Business Concepts 2Two data response questions, six parts each1 hour 30 minutes · 60% of AS · 30% of A Level | 1 hour 30 minutes | 60 | 60% of AS · 30% of A Level |
| Paper 3: Business Decision-MakingFive questions on a case study1 hour 45 minutes · 30% of A Level | 1 hour 45 minutes | 60 | 30% of A Level |
| Paper 4: Business StrategyTwo essay questions on a case study1 hour 15 minutes · 20% of A Level | 1 hour 15 minutes | 40 | 20% of A Level |
- AS Level: Papers 1 and 2 in the same series.
- A Level: All four papers — in one series, or Papers 1 and 2 first with Papers 3 and 4 in a later series.
AS Level is graded a to e; A Level A* to E. Exams run in the June and November series; schools in India can also enter in March. When each series’ papers come out →
AS Level topics (Papers 1 and 2)
“In past papers” is each topic’s share of all the marks on 36 Papers 1 and 2 sittings from 2024 to 2026, and how many of those sittings it appeared on. Each question part is counted once, under the topic it mainly tests.
Business and its environment
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | EnterpriseEnterprise, entrepreneurs and business plans guide | 5.4% · 98 mkon 18/36 |
| 1.2 | Business structureBusiness structure and types of ownership guide | 3.7% · 67 mkon 18/36 |
| 1.3 | Size of businessBusiness size and growth guide | 6.2% · 111 mkon 16/36 |
| 1.4 | Business objectivesBusiness objectives and stakeholders guide | 2.7% · 49 mkon 11/36 |
| 1.5 | Stakeholders in a businessBusiness objectives and stakeholders guide | 3.3% · 60 mkon 8/36 |
Human resource management
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Human resource managementHuman resource management guide | 13.6% · 244 mkon 27/36 |
| 2.2 | MotivationMotivation theories guide | 4.7% · 85 mkon 14/36 |
| 2.3 | ManagementLeadership styles and theories guide | 2.4% · 44 mkon 7/36 |
Marketing
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | The nature of marketingMarkets, demand and segmentation guide | 6.6% · 118 mkon 22/36 |
| 3.2 | Market researchMarket research guide | 4.2% · 75 mkon 12/36 |
| 3.3 | The marketing mixThe marketing mix guide | 11.7% · 210 mkon 27/36 |
Operations management
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | The nature of operationsOperations, production methods and productivity guide | 8.8% · 159 mkon 20/36 |
| 4.2 | Inventory managementInventory management guide | 4.6% · 83 mkon 16/36 |
| 4.3 | Capacity utilisation and outsourcingCapacity utilisation and outsourcing guide | 3.9% · 70 mkon 13/36 |
Finance and accounting
| # | Topic | In past papers |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Business financeSources of finance and cash flow guide | 2.5% · 45 mkon 11/36 |
| 5.2 | Sources of financeSources of finance and cash flow guide | 4.9% · 88 mkon 16/36 |
| 5.3 | Forecasting and managing cash flowsSources of finance and cash flow guide | 1.1% · 20 mkon 4/36 |
| 5.4 | CostsBreak-even analysis guide | 5.9% · 107 mkon 21/36 |
| 5.5 | BudgetsBudgets and variances guide | 3.7% · 67 mkon 13/36 |
A Level topics (Papers 3 and 4)
Quanta hasn’t mapped these papers, so the topics are listed without counts — the numbering and names are Cambridge’s.
Business and its environment
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 6.1 | External influences on business activity |
| 6.2 | Business strategy |
Human resource management
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 7.1 | Organisational structure |
| 7.2 | Business communication |
| 7.3 | Leadership |
| 7.4 | Human resource management strategy |
Marketing
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 8.1 | Marketing analysis |
| 8.2 | Marketing strategy |
Operations management
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 9.1 | Location and scale |
| 9.2 | Quality management |
| 9.3 | Operations strategy |
Finance and accounting
| # | Topic |
|---|---|
| 10.1 | Financial statements |
| 10.2 | Analysis of published accounts |
| 10.3 | Investment appraisal |
| 10.4 | Finance and accounting strategy |
What changed in this syllabus
This is version 2, published December 2025, for exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
- Cambridge states there are no significant changes which affect teaching; version 2 updated a web link.
- Textbooks endorsed for exams from 2023 are still suitable.
Revising for 9609
- 9609 grade boundaries — the raw mark every paper needed for each grade, all 11 series since 2023.
- Most common topics in 9609 — every topic ranked by what it carried across 38 real papers.
- 9609 topical past papers — every question filed under the syllabus topic it tests, with its paper and marks.
- All 38 mapped 9609 past papers — each with its code, filename and its own topic breakdown.
- How Cambridge paper codes work — what 0580/42/O/N/25 and 9709_s25_qp_12 each mean.
- How to revise from mark schemes and how to find your weak topics.
- Source: Cambridge AS & A Level Business 9609 syllabus, 2026–2028 (PDF, Cambridge International).
Practise Business against real mark schemes
Quanta has real Cambridge A Level Business 9609 past-paper questions, with the case study beside the answer boxes, every answer marked automatically against the published mark scheme objective by objective, and the reasoning shown — and it tracks which skills you’re missing. Free for individual students.
Start practising freeCommon questions
What topics are in A Level Business 9609?
34 numbered topics: AS Level topics (19), A Level topics (15). The full list is above in Cambridge’s numbering, with the share of the marks each one has carried on the papers Quanta has mapped.
How many papers are there in 9609?
4: Paper 1 (Business Concepts 1, 40 marks), Paper 2 (Business Concepts 2, 60 marks), Paper 3 (Business Decision-Making, 60 marks), Paper 4 (Business Strategy, 40 marks). AS Level: Papers 1 and 2 in the same series. A Level: All four papers — in one series, or Papers 1 and 2 first with Papers 3 and 4 in a later series.
Which 9609 topic comes up most?
On the 36 Papers 1 and 2 papers Quanta has mapped, Human resource management (2.1) carried the most: 13.6% of the marks, appearing on 27 of them. The full ranking →
Is the 9609 syllabus changing?
This syllabus covers exams in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Cambridge states there are no significant changes which affect teaching; version 2 updated a web link. For later years, check the syllabus page for 9609 on Cambridge International’s website — Cambridge publishes the next syllabus well before it is first examined.