Industry Study

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions, in syllabus order. Each dot point has a focused answer, with exam-style questions and worked answers where available.

What materials, tools, machines and production processes does a focus area industry use, and how do these choices shape cost, quality and the kind of product the business can make?

Investigate the materials, resources, tools, machines and production processes used by a focus area industry, and explain how the selection of materials and processes affects cost, quality, productivity and the finished product

Materials, tools, machines and processes. Material selection and properties, hand and machine tools, traditional and computer controlled processes, and how each choice affects cost, quality and productivity in a real focus area business.

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How is a chosen focus area industry organised and managed, and how do its structures, ownership, location and workforce shape the way it operates day to day?

Investigate and describe the organisation and management of a focus area industry, including its structure, ownership, size, location, scale of production, employment and the impact of technological change on the way it is managed

Organisation and management. Business structure and ownership, scale and location, workforce roles, technological change, and how to write the analysis up against a real Australian focus area business.

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How does a focus area industry assure the quality of its products, and how does it manage the environmental impact of the materials, energy and waste involved in production?

Examine the quality management and environmental practices of a focus area industry, including quality control and assurance, standards, waste minimisation, recycling, energy use and sustainable material choices, and explain their effect on the business and its products

Quality and the environment. Quality control versus quality assurance, standards and tolerances, inspection, waste minimisation, recycling, energy efficiency and sustainable materials, applied to a real focus area business.

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How does a focus area industry identify, control and manage workplace health and safety risks, and what legal duties shape the way it protects its workers?

Examine the work health and safety practices of a focus area industry, including hazard identification, risk assessment and control, legislative responsibilities, personal protective equipment and the safe use of materials, tools and machinery

Work health and safety. WHS legislation and duties, the hierarchy of control, hazard identification, risk assessment, PPE, safe operating procedures and safety data sheets, applied to a real focus area workplace.

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How does a focus area industry use design to develop its products, and what current and emerging trends in technology, markets and society are shaping its future?

Analyse the role of design in a focus area industry and identify the current and emerging trends, including new technologies, market changes and sustainability pressures, that are influencing the direction of the industry

Design and trends. The role of design in product development, the design process in industry, and current and emerging trends such as automation, digital design, customisation and sustainability shaping a focus area industry's future.

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