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SingaporeBusiness StudiesQuick questions
Business Organisation and Environment
Quick questions on Public and private sector enterprises explained: O-Level Business Studies
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the private sector?Show answer
The private sector is made up of businesses owned by private individuals, such as sole traders, partnerships and companies. Their main objective is usually to make a profit. Examples include shops, factories, banks and private hospitals. They raise their own finance and bear their own risk.
What is the public sector?Show answer
The public sector is made up of organisations owned and run by the government (national or local). They are funded mainly through taxes and their main objective is to provide a service to the public, not to make a profit. Examples include state schools, government hospitals, the police, the fire service, defence and (in many countries) public transport.
What are comparing the sectors?Show answer
Privatisation is when a public-sector organisation is sold to the private sector (for example, a state airline sold to private owners). Governments may do this to raise money, improve efficiency or reduce their role. The reverse, where the state takes over a private firm, is nationalisation.
What is q1?Show answer
State two examples of public-sector organisations. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain one reason a government provides defence itself rather than leaving it to private firms. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Analyse one possible benefit and one possible drawback of privatising a public service. [4 marks]
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