IB Business and Management (HL / SL)
IB Business and Management
Topic ideas for IB Business and Management Internal Assessment (IA) and Extended Essay (EE)
22 Mar 2020
Tesla launches Cyber truck
Source: business insider.com
- Product development
- Position map
- Boston matrix
11 Oct 2018
Gu expands its international markets
Source: Business times
- Market development
- Improve supply chains (design and research)
26 Nov 2015
Amazon launches its physical bookstore in Seattle
Source: Techcrunch.com
- Market development
- Marketing Mix
26 Oct 2015
Iphone loses its market share to Xiaomi in China
Source: Money CNN
- Market segment
- Market development
2 Oct 2015
Google restructure
Source: Money CNN
- Organisational structure
- Growth
4 May 2015
McDonald's restructuring
Source: Nation's restaurant news
- Organisational structure
- Market segment
- Franchises
16 April 2015
Heinz and Kraft merge to become the 5th food manufacturer
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Growth (product development / market development)
- Integration
12 April 2015
Meng niu signed strategic alliance to supply Shanghai Disneyland
Source: Nasdaq
- Strategic alliance
9 April 2015
Fedex acquires TNT express increasing the market share to 18%
Source: Forbes
27 Mar 2015
Google's robert deal with J&J on surgical devices
Source: Wall Street Journal
25 Mar 2015
Hutchison Whampoa acquires O2 to become the largest mobile network company
Source: Telecoms.com
23 Mar 2015
Tag Heuer strikes a deal with Google and Intel to build connected watch to compete with Apple
Source: International business times
- Growth (product development / market development)
- Integration
12 Mar 2015
PC market shrinks
Source: CNET
- Boston matrix (decreasing market growth)
23 Feb 2015
BYD becomes first Auto company to penetrate Japanese market
Source: SYS-CON media
- Growth (market development)
- Quality (standard)
21 Feb 2015
Youtube to launch an app for kids
Source: Forbes
- Marketing (market development)
- Market segmentation
21 Feb 2015
Samsonite buys airport retailer Rolling Luggage for GBP 15.75 million
Source: DNA correspondent
- Growth strategy (Inorganic growth)
- Economies of scale
17 Feb 2015
H&M rings up sales growth thanks to aggressive store opening program
Source: Business news, The Independent
- Growth strategy (Organic growth)
5 Feb 2015
McDonald's Japan posts ¥22 million loss after food woes
Source: The Japan Times
- Human resources (Crisis Management)
- Marketing (Customer perception)
30 Jan 2015
CompareMyMobile says iPhone 6 is the most valuable smartphone in 2014 with a market share of 38%
Source: Mobile Burn News
- Marketing (branding)
26 Sep 2014
Wellness centre aims to prepare for retirement
Source: SCMP
- Marketing (Grey market population)
- Demographics (Ageing population)
22 Mar 2020
Tesla launches Cyber truck
Source: business insider.com
- Product development
- Position map
- Boston matrix
11 Oct 2018
Gu expands its international markets
Source: Business times
- Market development
- Improve supply chains (design and research)
26 Nov 2015
Amazon launches its physical bookstore in Seattle
Source: Techcrunch.com
- Market development
- Marketing Mix
26 Oct 2015
Iphone loses its market share to Xiaomi in China
Source: Money CNN
- Market segment
- Market development
2 Oct 2015
Google restructure
Source: Money CNN
- Organisational structure
- Growth
4 May 2015
McDonald's restructuring
Source: Nation's restaurant news
- Organisational structure
- Market segment
- Franchises
16 April 2015
Heinz and Kraft merge to become the 5th food manufacturer
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Growth (product development / market development)
- Integration
12 April 2015
Meng niu signed strategic alliance to supply Shanghai Disneyland
Source: Nasdaq
- Strategic alliance
9 April 2015
Fedex acquires TNT express increasing the market share to 18%
Source: Forbes
27 Mar 2015
Google's robert deal with J&J on surgical devices
Source: Wall Street Journal
25 Mar 2015
Hutchison Whampoa acquires O2 to become the largest mobile network company
Source: Telecoms.com
23 Mar 2015
Tag Heuer strikes a deal with Google and Intel to build connected watch to compete with Apple
Source: International business times
- Growth (product development / market development)
- Integration
12 Mar 2015
PC market shrinks
Source: CNET
- Boston matrix (decreasing market growth)
23 Feb 2015
BYD becomes first Auto company to penetrate Japanese market
Source: SYS-CON media
- Growth (market development)
- Quality (standard)
21 Feb 2015
Youtube to launch an app for kids
Source: Forbes
- Marketing (market development)
- Market segmentation
21 Feb 2015
Samsonite buys airport retailer Rolling Luggage for GBP 15.75 million
Source: DNA correspondent
- Growth strategy (Inorganic growth)
- Economies of scale
17 Feb 2015
H&M rings up sales growth thanks to aggressive store opening program
Source: Business news, The Independent
- Growth strategy (Organic growth)
5 Feb 2015
McDonald's Japan posts ¥22 million loss after food woes
Source: The Japan Times
- Human resources (Crisis Management)
- Marketing (Customer perception)
30 Jan 2015
CompareMyMobile says iPhone 6 is the most valuable smartphone in 2014 with a market share of 38%
Source: Mobile Burn News
- Marketing (branding)
26 Sep 2014
Wellness centre aims to prepare for retirement
Source: SCMP
- Marketing (Grey market population)
- Demographics (Ageing population)
IB Business Management (HL / SL)
Content overview
Unit 1: Business Organization and environment
· Introduction to business environment
· Types of organizations
· Organizational objectives
· Stakeholders
· External environment influences
· Growth, evolution and globalization
· Organizational planning tools (HL only)
Unit 2: Human resources management
· HR planning (Trainings, appraisals and outsourcing)
· Organizational structure
· Leadership theory
· Motivational theories
· Organizational culture (HL only)
· Industrial / employee relations (HL only)
Unit 3: Finance and Accounts
· Sources of finance
· Break-even Analysis
· Profit and loss account, balance sheet (Depreciation HL only)
· Ratio Analysis (Efficiency ratio HL only)
· Cash flow
· Investment appraisal (NPV HL only)
· Budgets (HL only)
Unit 4: Marketing
· Role of marketing
· Market segmentation and planning
· Sales forecasting (HL only)
· Market research
· 4Ps (extended 3Ps HL only)
· International marketing (HL only)
· E-commerce
Unit 5: Operations management
· Production methods
· Lean production and quality (HL only)
· Location
· Supply chain, JIT, JIC (HL only)
· Research and development (HL only)
· Crisis management and contingency planning (HL only)
Assessment format
1) Internal Assessment (25%)
Research project (HL)
Students are required to undertake a research that addresses an issue facing a business or analyses a decision to be made by a business organizations.
· Based on primary research
· Secondary research may be used for support
· Does not exceed 2000 words
Written commentary (SL)
Students are required to write a commentary on a selected business problem
· Based on secondary research
· Primary research may be used for support
· Does not exceed 1500 words
2) External Assessment (75%)
For HL students
Paper 1: 2 hour 15 min 70 marks
Students are required to answer questions based on a pre-released case study
Section A
· Students need to answer three structured questions out of a choice of four
Section B
· Students need to answer one compulsory question
Section C
· Students need to answer one compulsory extended response question based on new stimulus material
Paper 2: 2 hour and 15 mins 80 marks
Section A
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of two based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 3: Account and Finance
Section B
· Students need to answer two question out of a choice of three based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 1-5
Section C
· Students need to answer an extended response question out of a choice of three
· The question will mainly focus on the concepts of changes, culture, ethics, globalization, innovation and strategy.
For SL students
Paper 1: 1 hour 15 min 50 marks
Students are required to answer questions based on a pre-released case study
Section A
· Students need to answer three structured questions out of a choice of four
Section B
· Students need to answer one compulsory question
Paper 2: 1 hour and 45 mins 60 marks
Section A
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of two based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 3: Account and Finance
Section B
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of three based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 1-5
Section C
· Students need to answer an extended response question out of a choice of three
· The question will mainly focus on the concepts of changes, culture, ethics, globalization, innovation and strategy.
Unit 1: Business Organization and environment
· Introduction to business environment
· Types of organizations
· Organizational objectives
· Stakeholders
· External environment influences
· Growth, evolution and globalization
· Organizational planning tools (HL only)
Unit 2: Human resources management
· HR planning (Trainings, appraisals and outsourcing)
· Organizational structure
· Leadership theory
· Motivational theories
· Organizational culture (HL only)
· Industrial / employee relations (HL only)
Unit 3: Finance and Accounts
· Sources of finance
· Break-even Analysis
· Profit and loss account, balance sheet (Depreciation HL only)
· Ratio Analysis (Efficiency ratio HL only)
· Cash flow
· Investment appraisal (NPV HL only)
· Budgets (HL only)
Unit 4: Marketing
· Role of marketing
· Market segmentation and planning
· Sales forecasting (HL only)
· Market research
· 4Ps (extended 3Ps HL only)
· International marketing (HL only)
· E-commerce
Unit 5: Operations management
· Production methods
· Lean production and quality (HL only)
· Location
· Supply chain, JIT, JIC (HL only)
· Research and development (HL only)
· Crisis management and contingency planning (HL only)
Assessment format
1) Internal Assessment (25%)
Research project (HL)
Students are required to undertake a research that addresses an issue facing a business or analyses a decision to be made by a business organizations.
· Based on primary research
· Secondary research may be used for support
· Does not exceed 2000 words
Written commentary (SL)
Students are required to write a commentary on a selected business problem
· Based on secondary research
· Primary research may be used for support
· Does not exceed 1500 words
2) External Assessment (75%)
For HL students
Paper 1: 2 hour 15 min 70 marks
Students are required to answer questions based on a pre-released case study
Section A
· Students need to answer three structured questions out of a choice of four
Section B
· Students need to answer one compulsory question
Section C
· Students need to answer one compulsory extended response question based on new stimulus material
Paper 2: 2 hour and 15 mins 80 marks
Section A
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of two based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 3: Account and Finance
Section B
· Students need to answer two question out of a choice of three based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 1-5
Section C
· Students need to answer an extended response question out of a choice of three
· The question will mainly focus on the concepts of changes, culture, ethics, globalization, innovation and strategy.
For SL students
Paper 1: 1 hour 15 min 50 marks
Students are required to answer questions based on a pre-released case study
Section A
· Students need to answer three structured questions out of a choice of four
Section B
· Students need to answer one compulsory question
Paper 2: 1 hour and 45 mins 60 marks
Section A
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of two based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 3: Account and Finance
Section B
· Students need to answer a question out of a choice of three based on stimulus
· The questions will mainly focus on Unit 1-5
Section C
· Students need to answer an extended response question out of a choice of three
· The question will mainly focus on the concepts of changes, culture, ethics, globalization, innovation and strategy.
