American Business Merit Badge
Six requirements. The first three are explanations: free enterprise, history, labor and the economy (1), financial statements, capital and insurance (2), profit, green marketing, ethics and online business (3). Requirement 4 is the Department of Labor and two labor laws. Requirement 5 researches a real business across the five primary areas, and 6 is a career or an interview with a business leader.
The plan behind this
The two projects
| requirement | what it needs |
|---|---|
| 5 | a business you choose, researched for how it applies to each of the primary areas of business: accounting, finance, economics, marketing and management. Then share what you learned with your counselor. |
| 6 (one of two) | research a business career, or interview a business leader |
Both build on 1(c), the five primary areas of business. Learn those first: requirement 5 applies all five to one business, and 6(a) starts from one of them.
Requirement 6: ONE of two
| route | what it asks |
|---|---|
| 6(a) a career | choose one of the primary areas of business, identify three career opportunities, research the education, training and experience for one, discuss it with your counselor and explain why it interests you |
| 6(b) an interview | interview a business leader about their company and career path, discuss the role ethics plays in business decisions, and share what you learned with your counselor |
The interview needs a business leader willing to give you the time. Ask early.
Requirement 4: TWO of four laws
Describe the role of the U.S. Department of Labor, then discuss TWO of: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Any two will do.
The explanations, 1 to 3
| requirement | the subjects |
|---|---|
| 1 | free enterprise, freedom and license, and the Scout Oath and Law in business; the Industrial Revolution and three influential people; the five primary areas of business; labor unions; business and the economy |
| 2 | the three financial statements; interest rates, taxes and government spending; how businesses get capital; five kinds of business insurance |
| 3 | profit; green marketing and sustainable practices; ethics in decisions; brick-and-mortar against online business |
What this page is
The American Business merit badge, drawn so the research project and the career or interview stand out from the explanations, with the five primary areas of business drawn before both of the requirements that use them. It is not a copy of the requirements: each step is a short label with a link to the official requirements, which are what actually governs and which change from year to year. The free official pamphlet is the fuller guide.
Sources for this page
- American Business Merit Badge Requirements, Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2025-12-15 · The requirements themselves, and the free official pamphlet linked from them.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.0.3 · The process every merit badge is earned through, which this page does not repeat.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 7.0.4.3 · Which version of a changed requirement applies to a Scout who has already started.
- Guide to Advancement, 2025, Section 4.0.0.1 · Why the requirements are not in the Guide to Advancement and are expected to change annually.
Last checked against its sources on .