IB Business Management Paper 1: How to Prepare for the Case Study

Paper 1 is worth 35% of the IB Business Management grade at SL and 25% at HL, so it deserves careful preparation. It is also the paper students feel least sure how to revise for, because the full case study is only seen in the exam. This guide explains how Paper 1 works and how to prepare for it.

How Paper 1 works

Before each exam session, the IB releases a short pre-released statement. It sets the scene for the case: the type of organisation, its industry and some of the issues it faces. In the exam you receive the full, unseen case study, built on that statement, and answer questions about it. Both SL and HL students sit Paper 1.

Using the pre-released statement well

The statement tells you the context, not the questions. Use it to:

1. Research the industry. Understand how businesses like this one make money, who their customers and competitors are, and what pressures they face.
2. List the likely tools. Think about which parts of the business management toolkit might fit, such as SWOT, STEEPLE, Ansoff, the marketing mix, break-even or investment appraisal.
3. Learn the key terms. Be ready to define the concepts the statement hints at, precisely.

Do not try to write model answers in advance. The full case adds new information, and pre-written answers rarely fit the actual questions.

Answer technique

• Use the case in every answer. Examiners look for answers about this organisation, not business in general. Quote names, figures and details from the case.
• Match the command term. "Define" needs a precise definition, "explain" needs reasons, and "evaluate" or "recommend" needs a balanced argument and a clear judgement.
• Show calculations clearly. Set out formulas and workings so you earn method marks.
• End with a decision. For the longer questions, weigh up the options and make a justified recommendation.

A revision plan

1. When the statement is released: read it closely and research the industry.
2. Next few weeks: revise the toolkit and finance topics, practising each on a business like the one in the statement.
3. Final weeks: do full, timed Paper 1 practice using past cases, and review your answers against the mark bands.

Get help

Paul William teaches IB Business Management at TutorPOD, with Paper 1 practice built around each session's pre-released statement and personalised feedback on timed answers. See IB Business Management HL or SL, and our guides to the Ansoff matrix and break-even analysis.