IB Business Management HL

The Higher Level BM program is structured into five main units, with a strong emphasis on strategic decision-making and coverage of fundamental business functions, including business organization, human resource management, finance and accounting, marketing, and operations management. The course aims to enhance students' understanding of business management theories and their ability to apply various tools and techniques effectively. By delving into four interdisciplinary ideas — creativity, change, ethics, and sustainability — this course equips students to investigate these concepts within business. Further students must integrate, apply, analyze, and evaluate the 15 Business Management tools in different disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts.

• Assessments: At the end of the program, all BM HL students sit paper 1, paper 2, and paper 3. All three papers can cover the full breadth of the curriculum.

Paper 3 (1 hour and 15 minutes, 25 marks): This examination centers on an unseen stimulus material about a social enterprise. Students answer one compulsory question based on the unseen stimulus material. This question draws upon syllabus content from Units 1 to 5 and accounts for 25 marks. This paper carries a weightage of 25%.
Assessment objectives: AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4

Internal Assessment (25 marks): Business Management HL students must produce a 1,800-word research project about a real-life business or a problem facing a particular organization or business. The students must use a conceptual lens and produce the research project using the business management toolkit and the four key concepts. The research project is worth 25 marks and weighs 20%.

• Read the questions carefully and pick the ones you're confident about. When you get the case study, don't rush. Read it carefully, underline important info, and jot down key points. This helps you remember details. Use paragraphs to separate your ideas. If it fits, use headings. A well-structured answer is easier to read.
• Apply your answers to the case study, write names and any data provided. Remember, you are talking about that specific business, so do not be generic in your answers. Show your work when answering calculation-based questions. Remember you have marks for steps in calculations. When you use concepts or theories, explain how they relate to the case study. Always give reasons for your answers. Consider how your answers impact the business. Show that you understand the situation as a whole.
• Be critical. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of options and decisions taken by the business in the case study. Talk about what could happen with different choices. Be fair in your evaluation. Every answer should have a conclusion. Sum up what you've said. A good conclusion leaves a strong impression.