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INRODUCTION
The Internal assessment (IA), first assessment May 2024
The new IA is a business research project that requires students to produce a research project about a real business issue or problem facing a particular organization using one of the key concepts (conceptual lens): creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change. The IA also requires students to apply their knowledge of appropriate Business Management tools and theories.
The most noticeable change to the IA is that the assessment becomes common for both HL and SL.
The maximum marks for the IA is 25 marks, and the word count limit is 1,800 words.
Students will be required to:
Select a real business issue or problem for their research project that relates to any part of the IB syllabus. This means students must not use a hypothetical issue or problem, i.e., do not use hypothetical research questions based on possible future events.
Refer directly to a single business organization, but may consider industry-wide issues that impact on that organization.
Provide a research question for the business research project. This can be either forward looking or backward looking.
Base their research on primary and/or secondary research. These must be selected for suitability, depth, and breadth.
Use only one of the four key concepts* (change, creativity, ethics, or sustainability) as a conceptual lens through which to analyse the research project.
Attach to the business research project 3 to 5 supporting documents from which the majority of the information for the project has been obtained.
Produce a business research project that does not exceed 1,800 words.#
Fully reference all supporting documents and additional sources (such as textbooks for supporting tools and theories) and include these in a bibliography.
The IA is marked by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the two-year course.
The recommended time allocation for the internal assessment is approximately 20 hours. Teachers must submit their internally assessed marks to the IB no later than 20th April (May centres) or 20th October (November centres), as well as uploading the business research project and the supporting documents. Click on the link here for instructions on the upload process.
* Students must be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the key concept if they are to achieve highly on the internal assessment.
# Note that headings (subheadings used to structure the IA) continue to be part of the word count for the internal assessment.
Importance of the key concepts
The internal assessment must use only one of the four key concepts (creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change) as a conceptual lens through which to analyse the IA (the research question, the methodology, and the written contents of the research project).
Note that the chosen key concept can, but does not have to, be stated in the research question. However, it must be clearly indicated on the title page, by stating which key concept has been used in the IA.
There are 5 marks available for the clear identification and use of a relevant key concept. However, for these marks to be awarded, students must be explicit in their use of the chosen conceptual len by applying this appropriately throughout the research project.
Note: Using any other concept beyond the prescribed concepts (e.g., culture, globalization, or innovation) will result in zero marks for Criterion A (the integration of key concept).
Top tips!
Going beyond the syllabus should not be encouraged, i.e., stick to the tools and theories within the syllabus.
Using more than one key concept should not be encouraged. It is worthwhile doing a word search/check to ensure only the chosen key concept appears in the document before submission of the IA.
Using a non key concept beyond the prescribed concepts (e.g., culture, globalization, strategy, or innovation) will result in zero marks for assessment criterion A (integration of key concept).
There is greater flexibility with the new IA as students can choose:
A forward looking or backwards looking research question
A small or large business organization to research
Primary and/or secondary sources for their 3 - 5 supporting documents.
FAQs
FAQ 1 - Does the key concept need to be included in the research question?
Whilst all candidates must use one of the prescribed key concepts in the IA, it is not a formal requirement to include this in the research question. However, this could be helpful for some students to maintain focus. Note the following two requirements regarding the key concept:
Students must use one key concept as a conceptual lens to analyse the IA. This is critical as the assessment criteria for the key concept is worth up to 5 marks.
The key concept (creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change) must appear on the title (cover) page of the business research project.
FAQ 2 - Can two or more students from the same class/school choose the same business organization for the IA but each concentrate on a different key concept and/or area of the syllabus?
Yes - so long as they do not collaborate or collude in the process.
There are many IB centres with 100+ Business Management candidates, so it is not always possible (or necessary) to prevent students choosing to focus on the same business organization. However, in all cases, students must adhere to academic integrity guidelines. Note the following statement from the IB about this matter:
"If more than one student chooses the same organization for their research, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the business research projects reflect the students’ own individual research, interpretation and analysis"
(Business management guide, page 54).
In any case, every student must have their own unique (original) research question for the IA. The business research project submitted for internal assessment must be the student’s own work.
Note: the same rules apply to students who wish to use the same organization for the IA and EE. Students and supervisors must ensure there is no unfair advantage gained by choosing the same organization for both assessments. The IB guide makes this clear - As the IA and EE have different requirements and assessment criteria, students should choose different organizations for these different assessment tasks (page 54).
FAQ 3 - What happens if a student uses a non-prescribed key concept, such as culture, globalization, or innovation?
Using any other concept beyond the prescribed concepts in the Business Management guide will result in zero marks for Criterion A (integration of key concept). Therefore, stick to using only one of the key concepts in the guide: creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change.
FAQ 4 - Can teachers choose supporting documents for students?
No. The guide clearly states that "Students must select three to five of their own supporting documents, which must not be provided to the student by the teacher." (page 55).
However, teachers are permitted to and should guide students in choosing the most appropriate supporting documents (page 53), especially in cases where they have found more than 5 suitable sources.
FAQ 5 - Can a student examine an event that was started more than 3 years ago but is still current and relevant to the business, so long as the supporting documents are from within the last three years?
So long as the issue is live (even though it was initiated more than three years ago), this is fine for the IA if the 3 - 5 supporting documents are published within the 3-year rule.
For example, The Body Shop's sustainability objectives (Return, Recycle, Repeat) was launched in 2019 (so outside of the 3-year for first assessment in May 2024) but the RQ could be addressed by examining more recent data for sales revenue, market growth, and market share within the last 3 years and determining the degree of correlation with the organization's sustainability objectives and practices.
In most cases, it is more pragmatic to investigate an issue or problem within the last 3 years, with evidence provided in the supporting documents.
Note: For submissions in May 2024, with the upload deadline being 20th April 2024, the earliest date of any supporting document would be 20th April 2021.
FAQ 6 - Can students use supporting documents that are more than 5 pages in length?
Absolutely. The IB recommends that students should only upload up to 5 pages (A4) of evidence for each of the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
Many students have followed this practice in the past when uploading their SDs from lengthy publications such as company annual reports. So, it is a recommendation rather than a formal requirement or rule for the uploading of the most relevant parts of the supporting documents.
Pragmatically, this recommendation is to prevent students from uploading entire lengthy documents such as market analyses and company annual reports (which often go beyond 200 pages). Students can go beyond the 5-page recommendation where this is appropriate, e.g., if a student translates 4 pages from a supporting document in Spanish and includes the English translation thereby exceeding five A4 pages for this single source document.
Evidence of the supporting documents must be included in the appendices (which are uploaded separately from the 1,800-word commentary of the business research project). It is important to label each of the 3 - 5 supporting document clearly, e.g., “Supporting Document 1”, “Supporting Document 2”, etc.
FAQ 7 - What happens if a student submits more than 5 supporting documents?
It is the responsibility of the student and the teacher to ensure that this does not happen. Only the first 5 supporting documents will be considered, and in extreme cases students could even be penalised for academic malpractice. Make sure students stick to the guidelines in the specifications, i.e., they must use a minimum of three supporting documents and no more than five. If more than 5 supporting documents are provided, the maximum score for assessment criterion B is 1 mark. Also, note that students can use supporting documents not written in the language for which they are registered. However, they must highlight the relevant parts of the original supporting documents and these parts must be translated accordingly.
FAQ 8 - Should (Can) students include acknowledgements at the beginning of their Internal Assessment? In doing so, should students write in the first person?
Acknowledgements are not a formal requirement of the internal assessment. If a student chooses to include an acknowledgement at the beginning of the Internal Assessment, it is important to note that they do not include the teacher’s name (or the name of their school). This is because the IA must be anonymized (so must not include the name of the teacher, for example, which could give away the name of the school).
Students are responsible for ensuring that every page in the IA is anonymized (including the front cover page). This means that there are no footers or headers that contain the name of the school, the school (centre) number, the candidate name, or the candidate number.
As a formal business research project, the IA should not be written in the first person. Personal opinions and reflections are not required. The IA should be presented in the third person with the arguments based on the evidence presented in the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
FAQ 9 - Can students use tools and theories beyond the syllabus for the IA?
Students should be discouraged from using tools and theories beyond the DP Business Management syllabus.
For example, HL candidates can apply Business Management theory to real-life situations by using over 40 available tools and theories from the prescribed syllabus, focusing on their chosen organization and conducting research to investigate business problems or decisions.
Hence, students can access the highest mark band in the assessment criteria by sticking to the contents of the prescribed syllabus.
Note: If students do (for whatever reason) choose to use tools and theories beyond the syllabus, they are not directly penalized if these are relevant to the investigation and research question. Doing so is not explicitly prohibited or mentioned in the syllabus / guide. If this approach is used, students must show clear understanding and these must be accurately applied in order to meet the assessment rubric (assessment criteria).
However, note the following two points about such an approach:
Students do not get an extra credit for going beyond the syllabus.
Doing so can actually raise concerns about academic integrity as there is no need to use tools and theories that are not featured in the syllabus (indeed, this is one of the reasons for including the BMT in the new guide).
So, ultimately, there really is no reason for students to go beyond the IB Business Management syllabus for their HL IA because they are able to reach the highest level descriptors without having to do more than needed. Also, and very importantly, students must remember that the right tools, theories and techniques must be used to address the research question. So, for example, it is not appropriate for students to ignore financial analysis for a research question about an investment issue or decision. Similarly, relying on the use of a SWOT analysis and a force field analysis for such an IA is also not suitable either.
A related commonly asked question - by teachers and students - is whether tools and theories beyond the SL syllabus can be used in the IA by SL students. What do you think?
The same guidelines above also apply to SL students.
Whilst SL students are not prohibited from using HL tools and theories, such an approach is neither necessary nor encouraged by the IB.
SL students can access the top mark bands by using only the SL tools and theories from the IB Business Management syllabus, including relevant tools from the BMT.
Essentially, it is not recommended that students go beyond the SL syllabus by using HL tools and theories or those beyond the IB Business Management syllabus. It does not impress any IA moderator if a student chooses to go beyond the SL syllabus, especially if the tools and theories are not suitable to the research question and/or are applied inappropriately.
Note: If SL students do (for whatever reason) choose to use tools and theories beyond the SL syllabus, they will not be directly penalized if these are directly relevant to the investigation and research question. Students must show clear understanding and the chosen tools and theories must be accurately and suitably applied in order to meet the assessment rubric (assessment criteria). SL students must focus on a topic within the syllabus, e.g., pricing methods (Unit 4.5). If, and only if, directly appropriate SL candidates can use additional HL pricing methods like dynamic pricing. This is not going beyond their syllabus. However, using regression analysis is not appropriate as this is not part of the SL syllabus.
In a nutshell, there is no need for SL candidates to use HL tools and theories to reach the top mark band; doing so does not impress the moderators (and should not impress you as the internal assessor) and can even backfire due to alarm bells about academic integrity
Take this example of an SL student who used force field analysis (HL only) in the Internal Assessment about Google's acquisition of Fitbit. There are a couple of major issues with this approach:
Google had already acquired Fitbit at the time of writing; hence the use of FFA as a situational and decision-making tool is not appropriate.
The student would not be able to get the statistical weights for the identified driving and restraining forces from Google (doing so is unrealistic and would require access to primary research with a Google executive). Hence, the inclusion of FFA is unsuitable.
Typically, students who use force field analysis (SL and HL) self-assign the weights based on their own opinions. This brings in unnecessary bias to the result and invalidates the value of the findings.
There is a difference between what students "can" do, and what they "should" do
In summary, the use of tools and theories not in the syllabus carries its risks. Ultimately, there really is no reason for students to go beyond the syllabus and such an approach should be discouraged. Beside, students are able to reach the highest level descriptors without having to do more than needed.
In the words of the Curriculum Manager, students "should not be encouraged to go beyond the syllabus."
FAQ 10 - Are there any specific tools or theories that students should (or should not) use for the IA?
Teachers should not prescribe any tools or theories for the IA. It is not advisable to apply the same tools and theories to be used in the IA, irrespective of the research question.
Some centres have been known to use of the same tools by all students (such as SWOT, forcefield analysis, and investment appraisal - regardless of the research question); this simply suggests that some teachers are telling their students to use these tools, irrespective of their importance and relevance to the research question.
The following tools, if used for the IA, should also be applied with some caution:
Force field analysis should be avoided unless meaningful and reliable primary market research has been used.
Decision trees should also be avoided unless students can get authentic data from the business organization, i.e., reliable primary market research. Decision trees are often applied poorly in the IA, so it is generally best to avoid this tool.
Note that assessment criterion C requires student to apply the selected tools and theories effectively and that they are clearly relevant to the research question.
Another reason why I do not recommend that my students use SWOT analysis is because of the sheer amount of effort needed to do this properly, including citation and referencing (of each strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat stated). Furthermore, there is a tendency for students to not apply their SWOT analysis to the specific research question.
FAQ 11 - How many tools (or theories) should students use in the IA?
There is no prescribed or recommended number of tools or theories that students need to use in their IA. Teachers should not stipulate a specific number of tools and theories - this will clearly depend on student's unique research question. Instead, students should use those which are most relevant to their specific research question. For example, an IA that focuses on motivation should include relevant theories of motivation and relevant examples of financial and non-financial motivators (applicable to the business organization in question). Similarly, if the research question is about a growth strategy then Ansoff's matrix might be an appropriate tool to use, for example.
Do not simply include tools and theories just to show that you have used a range of these (see FAQ 10 above). Also, remember that the word count limit (WCL) of 1,800 words is very tight so you need to choose your tools and theories wisely and apply them well in order to answer the research question. For example, conducting a STEEPLE analysis will consume a significant proportion of the WCL.
FAQ 12 - Do students have to use at least one tool from the Business Management Toolkit (BMT)?
No, they are not required to do so. As always, students should use the more relevant tool(s) and theory(ies) that relate specifically to their research question.
Nevertheless, the BMT can be a good starting point for students, especially at the planning stage of the IA. For SL students, the BMT contains 8 different tools that may support them in addressing the research question; for HL students, there are 15 tools to choose from the BMT. Ultimately, students should use whatever tool(s) or theory(ies) are most suitable for addressing the research question.
FAQ 13 - Can students put a SWOT or STEEPLE analysis into a table or in the appendices to save on their word count?
The answer is a categoric "no".
Using a table to show explanations or analysis is acceptable if it is part of the presentation (such as showing a list of advantages and disadvantages of a strategic decision) - but the words in the table are counted.
Also, note that any work placed in the appendices is not read, assessed, or moderated. Therefore, placing a fully-explained SWOT or STEEPLE analysis at the back of the IA, even if it is painstakingly cited and referenced, will be superfluous. The appendices are used exclusively for the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
In any case, students cannot bypass the word count limit by placing texts and/or any analysis ot tools placed in a table or in the appendices.
Note that moderators are advised by the IB to look out for ways that students try to circumvent the word count limit - avoid doing this at all costs on the grounds of academic integrity.
A related question is whether students can use and analyse a SWOT or STEEPLE analysis that has already been published (as a secondary source of market research).
If the published SWOT or STEEPLE analysis is directly relevant to the research question, then it can be used. However, please note that this should be contemporary and would count as one of the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
There is no need to prescribe any particular tool, theory, or technique for the IA. Whilst many students choose to use a SWOT analysis, any tool or theory used must be fit-for-purpose in addressing the specific research question. A SWOT analysis is not a formal requirement for the business research project.
Personally, I do not recommend my students to use SWOT analysis for the IA (certainly not a full SWOT), despite it being a commonly used strategic tool in the real corporate world. This is because students tend to struggle to create a meaningful SWOT analysis that can be suitably applied to answer the research question within the 1,800-word count limit.
The bottom line is that anything placed in the appendices is not actually read or marked, so it is pointless putting any "analysis" there. The appendices are exclusively for the SDs.
FAQ 14 - Should students include quantitative data and analysis in the IA?
There is no formal requirement to include quantitative data and analysis (such as final accounts or ratio analysis). The suitable will depend on your research question - as always, the tools and theories you use must be relevant to the research question.
For example, if the chosen topic is about non-financial motivation and the conceptual lens is ethics, the use of financial analyses may not be relevant. However, if your research question is about above-the-line promotion strategies or changes to a firm's pricing methods, using quantitative tools, theories, and techniques will be far more appropriate.
FAQ 15 - Do HL students need to use one or more tools/theories from the HL syllabus?
No, this is not a formal requirement nor will moderators be looking specifically for the use of HL only content in the business research project. What is important is that students use the right tools and theories for the task at hand. Do not force in a HL tool or theory if there is no direct purpose in doing so. However, if a specific HL tool or theory can help to add value to the research question, then it should be included (pending on the word count limit).
FAQ 16 - Do all aspects (components) of a particular tool or theory, such as STEEPLE analysis or curricular business models, have to be used in the IA?
All tools and theories used in the IA (and EE) must be fit for purpose. Therefore, students are expected to use only the most appropriate aspects of a particular tool or theory for the specific research question, examined in the context of the chosen business organization.
This applies to any tool or theory with multiple components, such as:
In the case of STEEPLE analysis, there is no need to refer to and use all seven components of the tool. Students should only apply the parts that are directly relevant to the chosen business organization, i.e., how the tool/theory is applicable to the operations of the chosen organization and written in the context of the specific research question.
In the case of circular business models, note that there are about 114 definitions of "circular economy", so there is certainly no expectation to use every component of any theory without authentic purpose. In fact, there are only 5 circular business models that feature in the IB DP Business Management course students - these are the only ones that students need to learn. Therefore, if students use this tool, make sure they stick to the definitions and models used by the OECD that feature in the official BM guide - but there is no need to use/apply all five of these models in the IA (or EE).
FAQ 17 - Can students use "Company X" in the case that the chosen organization wants to remain anonymous?
For the old HL IA, which required students to conduct in-depth primary market research, it was not uncommon for students to use "Company X" in place of the real business name. However, with the new IA - which relies on evidence from 3 - 5 supporting documents - this becomes less pragmatic due to several key reasons:
It is easier to prove that the chosen organization is a real business by stating its name, rather than "Company X".
The supporting documents must provide both breadth and depth. For breadth, students are likely to rely on external sources, so anonymisation is a little more challenging.
There is no requirement to conduct any primary research, which is usually far more time consuming than using secondary market research sources.
In any case, the teacher must be able to authenticate the primary research is genuine and that "Company X" really does exist. Whilst the IB does not prohibit the use of "Company X", such an approach might require far more effort than it is worth.
Top tip 1!
On a related note, it may be more pragmatic for most students to choose a large organization so that the supporting documents are accessible. Whilst it is permissable for students to focus on a small company or organizaton for the IA, it may not be possible for students to collect suitable and diverse supporting documents, especially secondary resources. Using only primary research from internal sources (such as interviews and surveys) can create significant biases, so this limits the breadth and depth of the supporting documents. In such cases, this will limit the marks for Criterion B (Supporting documents), as well as Criterion C (Analysis and evaluation), and Criterion D (Conclusions).
FAQ 18 - Can students use AI software, such as ChatGPT for the purpose of writing the Internal Assessment?
The answer is not a straightforward one. Whilst the IB does not ban the use of ChatGPT, the guidelines about academic integrity are clearly stated. All IB World Schools need to have a clear assessment policy, which includes coverage of its stance on academic integrity.
For the purpose of the IA, students cannot use ChatGPT or similar IA software to create their IA. The work must be authentic, original, and the student's own work.
However, there can be some benefits of using ChatGPT to refine aspects of the student's work. For example, if a student has exceeded the 1,800 words, s/he can use prompts to help, such as:
"Simplify this passage without losing its meaning" or
"Shorten this paragraph but retain the meaning"
This shortens the passage or paragraph (originally written by the student) so does not conflict with issues of academic integrity yet keeps the meaning of what the student wishes to communicate.
As with any source used for the IA, the use of AI software, such as ChatGPT, must be properly referenced including works cited entries with the prompts used.
FAQ 19 - What is meant by "double dipping" in the context of academic integrity?
The IB states the following about this matter: “The same piece of work cannot be submitted to meet the requirements of both the IA and the EE.” (Business Management guide, page 52)
This is reiterated in the EE Guide: "Students must ensure that their EE does not duplicate any other work they are submitting for the Diploma Programme. In particular, the EE must not be an extension of the internal assessment task. Students must ensure that they understand the differences between the two." (please refer to FAQ 1 above).
Hence, students cannot use the IA (or aspects of the IA) in order to gain an unfair advantage to complete their EE (and vice versa).
Furthermore, collaboration or collusion with other students is strictly prohibited from the business research project.
FAQ 20 - With the IA being identical for SL and HL students, are the grade boundaries the same or are they different for each level?
It is common for there to be a common SL/HL IA in the Diploma Programme. The grade boundaries for the IA are exactly the same for SL and HL. This makes sense given the commonality of the task and the exact same assessment criteria being applied to the business research project.
FAQ 21 - Do students need to include their 3 - 5 supporting documents as part of their business research project?
Yes. This is essential to enable the teacher and external moderator to mark Criterion B. In particular, moderators need to be able to see evidence that the student has chosen appropriate supporting documents and presented these in the work. Moreover, it is a requirement that students highlight the most relevant parts of each of the supporting documents (e.g., key parts of the company annual report) to demonstrate appropriate use of the source documents. Including the supporting documents (which must be electronically uploaded to IBIS or ManageBac) will also help external moderators to check the marks awarded for Criteria B and C.
So, students need to:
Include citation of the 3 - 5 supporting documents in their bibliography (for academic integrity purposes).
Include the 3 - 5 supporting documents in the appendices, which are uploaded to IBIS or ManageBac as a separate document (for assessment purposes).
Highlight the parts of each supporting document used to address the research question.
FAQ 22 - What kind of support can teachers provide for their students?
The responsibilities of teachers with respect to the business research project include the following points:
Ensure that students are familiar with the formal requirements of the business research project.
Share the assessment criteria with students and ensure they understand that the work submitted for internal assessment addresses the criteria effectively.
If more than one student chooses the same organization for their research, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the IA reflect the students’ own individual research, interpretation, and analysis.
Read and give advice to students on one draft of the work. The next version of the work handed to the teacher must be the final version for submission. Teachers must not provide feedback on multiple drafts nor should they edit the work of the candidates.
Ensure students are aware of academic integrity, especially authenticity and intellectual property.
Do not penalize students for seeking any/additional guidance.
Allocate the recommended total of approximately 20 hours of teaching time to the business research project. This include a session to introduce the IA, lesson time to support and monitor students with their work, and time for the administrative aspects of the IA (such as final checks prior to submission of the work for external moderation).
In schools with more than one member of staff who teaches Business Management, a process of internal standardization must take place. This is to ensure consistency in the application of the assessment criteria for each business research project.
All work submitted to the IB for external moderation must be authenticated by a teacher (typically via IBIS or ManageBac). In addition, all students must confirm that the work is their own authentic work and constitutes the final version of that work (refer to the Declaration of Authenticity).
Note that if a student also writes an Extended Essay in Business Management, it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that the student’s IA and EE are distinct pieces of work and use different research approaches.
FAQ 23 - Where can I find sample assessed student work for the IA?
Currently, there are no authentic exemplars of assessed student work as first assessment are in May 2024
TOOLS & THEORIES FOR THE IA
TOOLS & THEORIES FOR THE IA
Some appropriate Business Management tools and theories for the IA are outlined on this webpage. Tools and theories for the IA can come from the Business Management Toolkit (BMT) and any other part of the DP Business Management syllabus.
There is a total of (at least) 40 tools and theories that students can choose from to address the demands of their specific research question
Please note this is not a definitive or prescriptive list, but can be used to give students some ideas regarding the tools, theories, and techniques they might be able to use (if specifically relevant to their research question).
Common mistake!
Plenty of students confuse the Business Management Toolkit (BMT) with business management tools and theories when writing their IA. Note that tools and theories include but are not limited to those in the BMT. In other words, there is no expectation for candidates to use any of the 15 tools and theories from the BMT - they can use any business management tool(s) or theory(ies) from the official syllabus.
Tools and theories from the Business Management Toolkit
A good starting point for selecting the most relevant tools and theories is the Business Management Toolkit (BMT). This is a set of interrelated tools and techniques that can be used by students in different disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts across the contents of the new syllabus, including the Business Management IA.
Students can refer to the table below to make gain an overview of the tools in the BMT and make an initial decision about the suitability of these tools for their specific research questions (RQ) for the IA. Click the hyperlink to access the relevant resources for each of these tools.
SWOT analysis considers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a business at a specific point in time. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors that influence the business, while opportunities and threats are external factors which the business has no direct control over.
The Ansoff matrix is a framework of generic growth strategies for a business, based of providing new or existing products in new or existing markets. These four generic growth strategies are categorised as (i) market penetration, (ii) market development, (iii) product development, and (iv) diversification.
This framework considers factors in the external environment that affects a business. STEEPLE refers to the social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legal and ethical aspects of the external environment. It provides an overview of or insight into these external factors that are largely beyond the control of the organization.
4. Boston Consulting Group matrix
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix allows manager to assess their organization’s product portfolio based on measures of relative market share and market growth. It helps with long-term strategic planning and decision-making based on four categories of products: (i) question marks, (ii) stars, (iii) cash cows, and (iv) dogs.
This is an official guiding document that provides details of the organization's strategic goals and how the business intends to achieve these, with reference to the firm's human resources, finances, marketing, and operations management. It is also commonly used to secure loans from financial lenders as well as raising finance from investors.
This tool is a graphical representation of showing the probable outcomes of a business decision, based on the likelihood of success or failure of such a decision. The diagram shows the various choices faced by a business, including estimates of the costs and benefits in order to determine the probable risks of a specific courses of action.
This quantitative tool is used to summarise a given set of data to support statistical and data analysis. The various techniques help to present a large amount of quantitative data in a simplified and more manageable format. There are eight techniques specified for this tool: (i) Mean average, (ii) modal average, (iii) median average, (iv), bar charts, (v) pie charts, (vi) infographics, (vii) quartiles, and (viii) standard deviation.
These models explore how businesses create value for their customers and other stakeholder groups whilst also reducing the environmental impacts of their operations. There are five circular business models specified in the syllabus: (i) circular supply models, (ii) resource recovery models, (iii) product life extension models, (iv) sharing models, and (v) product service system models.
This visual tool helps managers to plan and schedule different tasks or jobs within a particular project. It illustrates the tasks or activities, their duration, and dependencies in order to determine the shortest time required to complete the project and helps managers to schedule resources to complete each task and to keep the overall project on track to be completed on t
10.Porter's generic strategies (HL only)
This commonly used tool helps managers to explore how a business can gain competitive advantages to help determine its strategic direction. These generic strategies comprise of: (i) cost leadership (producing at a lower cost of competitors), (ii) differentiation (providing products with a distinctive or unique selling point), and (iii) focus (selling specialized product aimed at specific market segments). Focus strategies are further categorised as (i) cost focus and (ii) differentiation focus.
11.Hofstede's cultural dimensions (HL only)
This tool helps managers to understanding the cultural similarities and differences that exist between and across different countries. This helps them to determine more appropriate ways to conduct their operations given different national and international settings. The tool suggests that countries can be categorised into one of six different cultural dimensions: (i) power distance, (ii) individualism vs collectivism, (iii) masculinity vs femininity, (iv) uncertainty avoidance, (v) long-term vs short-term orientation, and (vi) indulgence vs restraint.
12.Force field analysis (HL only)
This visual and quantitative tool is used by managers to examine the forces for and against change to make more-informed business decisions. It is useful during the planning and decision making stages of corporate strategy and change management. It provides an overview, in an easy to understand format, by illustrating and adding statistical weights to each of the driving and restraining forces identified in the analysis.
13.Critical path analysis (HL only)
This planning tool helps project managers to schedule and oversee large and complex projects to ensure efficient resource use and for the timely completion of the project. It maps out all the individual tasks or activities needed to complete the project so that realistic deadlines for a project can be set. The syllabus specifies HL students need to be able to: (i) complete and analyse a critical path diagram. (ii) identify the critical path from a diagram, and (iii) calculate the free and total float from a CPA diagram.
14.Contribution (analysis) (HL only)
This quantitative tool is used to support business decision-making by enabling manager to analyse and evaluate different cost and revenue situations. This tool comprises of three techniques in the syllabus: (i) make or buy analysis, (ii) contribution costing, and (iii) absorption costing.
15.Simple linear regression (HL only)
This quantitative tool comprises of three techniques used to identify, describe, and/or predict the relationship between dependent and independent variables under investigation. The three techniques covered in the course are: (i) scatter diagrams, (ii) line of best fit, and (iii) correlation/extrapolation.
Top tip 1!
Unless absolutely needed (i.e., it adds value to the business research project), conducting a SWOT analysis is probably best avoided in the Internal Assessment. SWOT analyses are often used poorly by students to address their research question. Quite often, SWOT analyses simply represent the personal opinions of the candidate without adequate data or evidence.
In addition, there is often a lack of proper citation and referencing (C&R) of a SWOT analysis in the business research project. For example, it is unlikely that a single supporting document could be used to provide all the strengths in the business research project, i.e., it is more likely that the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and weaknesses come from multiple different supporting documents gathered by the student. Over-reliance on a single source document is rather superficial.
Finally, remember that all texts - even a SWOT analysis presented in a table - contribute to the word count.
Hence, in most cases, using a SWOT analysis for the IA is not suitable unless it provides value in addressing the specific research question.
Top tip 2!
It is not always a straightforward task to classify factors into a STEEPLE analysis framework. For example, changes in an economy's tax system or interest rates may be considered a political, legal, or economic factor. This is rather immaterial, so long as you can justify the reasoning.
For the IA, it is vital that you cite and reference your sources - this applies to all the points in a SWOT analysis or STEEPLE analysis (if used).
Finally, remember that any actual analysis is considered as part of the word count, and must not be placed in the appendices of the IA. Note that if it is not premissable for candidates to include a full STEEPLE or SWOT analysis in the appendices and expect the moderator to read this. It is, however, acceptable if the relevant parts of the STEEPLE or SWOT analysis are extracted and used in the written commentary itself.
In all cases, the items placed in the appendices are not read per se and cannot be used to circumvent the word count limit.
Common mistake!
Too often, HL students use force field analysis incorrectly in their Internal Assessment. Many students use this situational, planning, and decision-making tool to list the advantages and disadvantages of a certain project or strategic choice, and then proceed to personally assign the statistical weights to the driving and restraining forces in the analysis. The weights in a force field analysis are frequently unsubstantiated or even missing.
The tool requires the weights to come from the perspective of the organization being investigated, not from the perspective of the student (especially when there are no explanations or justifications provided for the allocation of these statistical weights).
In addition, FFA is often used in the IA inappropriately to look at a past event or decision. FFA is a forward-looking tool, so should not be use retrospectively to consider the reasons why a decision or strategic choice was made.
In addition to the tools and theories in the Business Management Toolkit (BMT), other tools and theories from the syllabus that may be relevant to the Internal Assessment include the following (not an exhaustive list):
Tools and Theories beyond the toolkit
1.
This is the process of identifying and assessing the interests, influence, and power of different individuals, groups, or organizations that are affected by or have an impact on a business or project. It is also about developing strategies to manage these relationships effectively to achieve organizational goals.
2.
This theory refers to the cost advantages that a business can achieve by increasing the scale (size) of its operations. This is because fixed costs can be spread over a larger number of units of output, resulting in lower average costs. This is important as it leads to competitive cost advantages and improved profitability.
3.
2.4 - Motivation and demotivation theory
This section of the syllabus is concerned with understanding the factors that influence an individual's level of motivation or demotivation in the workplace. The theories aim to explain why people behave the way they do and what motivates them to take action.
4.
2.5 - Organizational (corporate) culture (HL only)
Organizational culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and norms (or customs) that exist within an organization. The culture governs how things are done in the workplace and how people interact with each other. It permeates all aspects of an organization's operations.
5.
Sources of finance refer to the various ways businesses can raise capital to fund their operations, including investment and growth strategies. Without suffificent finance, it is not possible for a business to achieve its objectives. The choice of sources of finance requires careful consideration to ensure the business minimizes risks and maximizes returns from its operations.
6.
Costs and revenues are two of the most important topics in the Business Management course as they play a crucial role in determining a firm's profitability and financial health. All business decisions incur costs but not all strategic choices will lead to improved profitability.
7.
3.4 - Final accounts - balance sheets and profit & loss accounts
The balance sheet helps businesses, investors, and other stakeholders to understand a firm's financial health, liquidity, and solvency.
The profit and loss account shows a firm's revenues, expenses, and profit over a specific trading period. It is an essential financial statement used to assess a firm's financial performance.
8.
3.5 - Ratio analysis (profitability and liquidity ratio analysis)
Profitability ratio analysis is a financial tool that measures a firm's ability to generate profits relative to its revenue, assets, and equity.
Liquidity ratio analysis is a financial tool used to measure a firm's ability to meet its short-term obligations. This is done by calculating its ability to convert assets into cash.
Ratio analysis helps businesses to evaluate their financial performance, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions.
9.
This is an essential financial tool that provides firms with a forward-looking view of their liquidity position (in terms of cash inflows and outflows over a specific time period). It helps businesses to predict and manage their cash flows and therefore to reduce financial risks and improve decision making.
10.
3.8 - Investment appraisal - payback period, average rate of return, and net present value (HL only)
This management tool helps businesses to evaluate the potential profitability and feasibility of investment opportunities. It involves analyzing the costs, benefits, risks, and cash flows associated with an investment decision in order to determine its potential return on investment.
11.
3.9 - Variance analysis (HL only)
This is a financial tool used by businesses to compare their actual financial performance with their budgeted (planned or expected) performance. By identifying these areas, businesses can take corrective actions to improve their financial performance, such as adjusting their pricing, reducing costs, or changing aspects of their operations.
12.
4.1 - Importance of market share & market leadership (HL only)
Market share and market leadership are critical for a firm's long-term competitive position. High market share and market leadership offer interrelated advantages such as increased sales, brand loyalty, and economies of scale. Furthermore, they can help businesses to access greater growth opportunities.
13.
4.2 - Segmentation, targeting, and positioning (perception maps)
Segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP) are marketing strategies used by businesses to identify and target specific groups of consumers with goods or services that meet their specific needs and preferences.
14.
4.2 - The importance of having a USP
This marketing strategy is crucial for businesses operating in highly competitive markets. A USP sets a business apart from its rvials and helps it to attract and retain customers.
15.
4.3 - Sales forecasting (HL only)
This tool is about the process of estimating future sales and revenue for a business over a specific period of time. It helps organizations to plan their operations, manage their resources effectively, and make more informed business decisions.
This topic is particular well aligned with simple linear regression in the Business Management Toolkit (BMT).
16.
4.4 - Market research - primary and secondary market research techniques
This is the process of collecting and analyzing data to gain insights into changing market trends, customer preferences, and the activities of competitors. It is an essential tool for businesses as it helps them to better understand their customers, make more informed decisions, and stay ahead of the competition.
17.
4.5 - The importance of branding and product extension strategies
Branding is the process of creating a unique name, design, and corporate image for a business or its products in order to distinguishes it from competitors. It is a crucial aspect of any business strategy that helps the firm to establish a strong identity, build customer loyalty, and differentiate itself from the rival firms and products in the market.
18.
Pricing methods are the different strategies used by businesses to set a price for their goods and services. It is an important theory within the course as pricing methods can determine how attractive the firm's goods and services are to existing and potential customers. Different pricing methods can help businesses achieve their strategic goals, maximize profits, and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
19.
Promotion is an essential component of marketing as it helps businesses to communicate with their target audience, build brand awareness, enhance customer loyalty, and increase sales.
20.
4.5 - Appropriate marketing mixes
An appropriate marketing mix is essential for the success of all businesses as it helps them create a comprehensive strategy that addresses all aspects of their product offering, be it goods and/or services. Establishing an appropriate marketing mix helps a business to creates a strong brand identity, meets changing customer needs, differentiates the business from its competitor, and maximizes sales revenue.
21.
5.3 - Methods of managing quality (HL only)
Effective methods of managing quality are essential for businesses to ensure customer satisfaction, increase operational efficiency and productivity, comply with national and internal regulations and standards, enhance the corporate reputation (brand image), and drive continuous improvement for the firm's long-term success.
22.
5.4 - Location and ways of reorganizing production
The location or relocation of a business can have a significant impact on its success. This topic also covers strategies such as outsourcing (subcontracting), offshoring, insourcing, and reshoring.
23.
Break-even analysis is an important tool for businesses to understand their cost and revenue structures in order determine the output level at which they will begin to earn a profit. This tool can help managers to make more informed decision. It is an important tool for evaluating the financial viability of new business plans, business ventures, and product launches.
24.
5.6 - Production planning: productivity (HL only)
Production planning is a critical management tool that helps businesses to optimize their production processes, increase efficiency, and reduce production costs. It is about managing resources more efficiently and reducing or eliminating waste.
This topic also covers the local and global supply chain process, stock control, capacity utilization, and various measures of productivity.
25.
5.9 - Management Information Systems (HL only)
Management Information Systems (MIS) are computer-based systems that provide information and support for strategic decision-making in organizations. It is a critical component of modern organizations as MIS provides managers with the necessary data and information needed to improve operational efficiency, enhance communications, and enable performance measurement. This all helps to improve a firm's competitiveness and achieve its goals.
Top Tip 3!
Whichever tools or theories are used in the IA (and these do not have to be only those listed above), you must ensure that these are applied to the context of the business organization selected for the IA and that they are used to help answer the research question.
For example, far too many students use SWOT and PEST (STEEPLE) analysis in the IA without real purpose or value. These tools are rarely used effectively to answer the research question in the IA. So, unless the tools and theories are directly relevant and add value to the IA, you should avoid using them in the IA.
Simply referring to or using terminology, tools, theories, and techniques does not justify the full 4 marks for Assessment Criterion C (Selection and application of tools and theories). Instead, it is about how the appropriate terminology, tools, theories, and techniques are applied competently and effectively to the research question.
As always, what is appropriate for a particular IA really depends on the research question. It’s like saying, I have a hammer and spanner - can I use them? Not if you’re trying to change a lightbulb! Students must be advised to use the most appropriate tools and theories that address the specific issue being investigated.
Top Tip 4!
Many teachers and students often ask about the use of STEEPLE (or PEST) analysis in the Internal Assessment.
A potentially useful resource to help student with their PEST/STEEPLE analysis is https://pestleanalysis.com/
This website includes ready-made PEST analyses (and some SWOT analyses too) for numerous well-known companies that may be applicable to the Internal Assessment.
However, as with all tools and supporting documents, make sure these are fit for purpose.
Top Tip 5!
Students are reminded that they can, but are not required to, use methods of primary market research for their IA. However, any primary market research tools and theories used must be fit for purpose (purposeful) in relation to the specific research question.
If you are considering to use primary market research for your business research project, make sure you read this article on InThinking first. It contains top tips for the use of primary research for the IA.
All students are advised to read / refer to Unit 4.4 (market research) of the IB Business Management syllabus before embarking on their research for the IA.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR THE IA
SECONDARY SOURCES
The selection of supporting documents for the IA is very important. To achieve the highest levels for each assessment criterion, it is strongly recommended that the supporting documents present a range of ideas and views. For example, the use of three to five documents published by a single business organization would not provide sufficient balance or objectivity.
Please note that students must select 3 to 5 of their own supporting documents. These must not be provided to the student by the teacher (as stated on page 55 of the guide). Students are responsible for researching, collecting, and presenting their own supporting documents.
The chosen supporting documents must be contemporary in nature - so focusing on the 2008 global financial crisis, for example, is not suitable for the Internal Assessment. One of the core aims of the IA is for students to engage with a contemporary real-world business issue, with the support of recent authentic business documents.
This means the supporting documents must have been published within a maximum of three years prior to the submission of the business research project to the IB.
So, for submissions in May 2025, with the upload deadline being 20th April 2025, the earliest date of any supporting document would be 20th April 2022.
Examples of supporting documents that can be used for the Internal Assessment (so long as these are directly relevant to the research question) include the following:
Academic journals and publications
Company annual reports
Company websites
Economic key performance indicators, e.g., economic growth, unemployment, and/or inflation
Financial accounts / statements
Market research surveys
Market analyses
Newsletters
Newspaper articles
Online databases / encyclopaedias
Radio and television programmes*
Sales turnover figures
Other important points to note include the following:
*Note that one of the 3 - 5 supporting documents can be an audio-video source, although the source must be properly cited and referenced, along with the relevant parts being transcribed. The transcript must be included for assessment purposes. Do not include just the URL for the audio-video resource. Only the transcript is uploaded - there is no option to upload the audio-video recording on IBIS or ManageBac. As with all SDs, the audio-video source must be properly cited/referenced so that it can be traced.
Top tip 1!
Students who opt to use an audio-visual source for the IA should take note of the following:
Your bibliography (works cited page) must contain the details of the audio-video source, so that it can be traced. How this is presented depends on your school's citation and referencing (C&R) system.
The appendices (containing only the SDs) must contain the transcript of all the parts of the audio-video source used.
All SDs should be appropriately titled, e.g., Support Document 5 - Business Casual, The Rise of Nike: How One Man Built a Billion-Dollar Brand.
However, don't forget the 3-year rule also applies to audio-video supporting documents.
All source documents should be selected for their suitability (relevance), depth, and breadth. Above all, the supporting documents must be documents that are externally sourced (for secondary sources) or are generated from primary sources (if used).
Students must highlight all relevant parts of each of the supporting documents. These highlighted parts must relate directly to the research question of the business research project.
Students can also use supporting documents not written in the language for which they are registered. However, students must highlight the relevant parts of the supporting documents that are not in the language for which they have registered and these parts must be translated accordingly.
Using more than 5 supporting documents automatically means that the maximum mark awarded for this assessment criterion is 1 mark.
The most important point to note, however, is that student must ensure the chosen supporting documents are of direct relevance and address the specific research question.
Whilst textbooks and reference materials (such as class notes) should also be used in the IA, these do not count as supporting documents. Instead, they are used to apply the most relevant tools, theories, and techniques to address the specific research question. "Textbooks" refers to physical textbooks and e-books, whilst reference materials also include subject-specific websites such as InThinking Business Management. Note: for reasons of academic integrity, all of these sources used in the IA must be cited and referenced in a bibliography.
Top tip 2!
Once a supporting document has been approved by the teacher for use, it is sensible to download this (as a PDF document) or to take a high-resolution screen shot. Remember that the evidence from the SDs must be electronically uploaded on IBIS or ManageBac for IB assessment.
It it not acceptable for students to simply include the URL or hyperlinks of the 3-5 supporting documents. There are several important reasons for this:
The hyperlink(s) may no longer be active by the time the business research project (IA) is submitted to the IB for assessment purposes.
It is not possible for the external moderator to see which part(s) of each SD that has been used - this is also why it is important for students to highlight the relevant parts of the SDs used to answer the research question.
The external moderator is unlikely to have access to subscription based sites, such as Statista, New York Times, South China Morning Post, or various databases.
Top tip 3!
The IB recommends that students should only upload up to 5 pages (A4) of evidence for each of the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
Many students have followed this practice in the past when uploading their SDs from lengthy publications such as company annual reports. So, it is a recommendation rather than a formal requirement or rule for the uploading of the most relevant parts or pages of the supporting documents.
The reason for this recommendation is to prevent students from uploading entire lengthy documents such as market analyses and company annual reports (which often go beyond 200 pages). Students can go beyond the 5-page recommendation where this is appropriate, e.g., if a student translates 4 pages from a supporting document in Spanish and includes the English translation thereby exceeding five A4 pages for this single source document.
Evidence of the supporting documents must be included in the appendices (which are uploaded separately from the 1,800-word commentary of the business research project). It is important to label each of the 3 - 5 supporting document clearly, e.g., “Supporting Document 1”, “Supporting Document 2”, etc.
Top tip 4!
For students relying on the use of secondary research sources for large organizations, the use of company annual reports can be a highly valuable resource.
Recently, a student of mine focused on BMW's operations in the e-vehicle sector and was able to use the company's latest annual report very effectively. Although the supporting document was in excess of 200 pages, she included only 5 pages from this source document in the IA to address the research question, which included:
BMW's mission statement
Data for the German carmaker's profit and loss account (showing 5 consecutive years of data)
Data for the company's balance sheet (again, for a 5-year period)
BMW's market share in the electric vehicles industry from its financial analysis section in the annual report
An outline of BMW's strategic plan to increase its market share.
So, a company annual report as a single support document can provide students with significant depth of data and information to help address the research question.
Top tip 5!
Pragmatically, a source document is considered a supporting document if it is used 2 or more times in the business research project. So, any additional source document (if included in the IA) must only be used once. Furthermore, these additional sources are not bound by the 3-year contemporary rule applied to the supporting documents.
Moderators have often commented that many students include more than 5 supporting documents in their IA, and are not credited for this. Having more than 5 SDs can also raise issues related to academic integrity.
Furthermore, including more than 5 supporting documents will automatically mean that the maximum mark awarded under Criterion B is 1.
Hence, pragmatically speaking, if a student uses a source multiple times, this should be considered as a supporting document - after all, the 1,800 word business research project is based upon 3 to 5 supporting documents. Using any other source (just the once) is therefore not considered a SD.
An example might be the use of an official government website to get information that adds context to the research questions and the focus of the business research project, such as:
Population size
Unemployment rate
Economic growth forecasts
Inflation rate
Interest rates
Dates of when particular laws were passed.
The only exception to this guideline is the use of a textbook (which is not a SD and can be used multiple times for the tools, theories, techniques, and terminology that are appropriate to the research question).
Cautionary note: Using more than 5 supporting documents automatically means that the maximum mark awarded for this assessment criterion is 1.
Top tip 6!
To provide breadth (and perhaps depth) of evidence, students should use both internal and external source documents, i.e., there should be at least one supporting document from the chosen organization itself, such as its company annual report or final accounts. External sources, such as newspaper articles or market analyses reports, should also be used to provide a broader perspective and insights to the research question.
Top tip 7!
Avoid using websites such as Course Hero, Studypool, and StuDocu for supporting documents as these are not reliable source document. For example, Course Hero is a site that enables subscribers to download complete papers that were submitted by other people (such as IB alumni and ghost writers) and then submit them as their own work. This would clearly breach academic integrity and could potential jeopardize a candidate's work submitted for external moderation. Furthermore, Course Hero goes as far as stating it will not inform schools if students use their platform and paid services.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Primary market research can also be used for the Internal Assessment. These sources, if used, must be cited properly and referenced in a bibliography. Examples of such sources might include:
Interviews (with full transcripts)
Observation checklists
Competitor analysis (i.e., an examination of local competitors through survey, interviews and/or observations)
Focus groups
Questionnaires / surveys
Footfall count
The most important thing to remember about the use of primary research is that it must be fit for purpose - ask yourself the following questions:
Why are you using a particular method of primary research?
What is the purpose of conducting, for example, 50 customer questionnaires?
How will this add real value in answering your research question?
Note: a SWOT or STEEPLE analysis produced by the student, if applied suitably, can be derived from both primary and secondary sources.
Common mistake!
Many students who choose to use surveys as part of their primary research forget the importance of a representative sample. Take the example of the TikTok sample IA available on My IB. The student mentions that TikTok has an estimated 800 million customers, but then goes ahead with a survey that asks 80 people if they have ever heard of TikTok. Clearly, the results would not be statistically valid based on such a negligible sample size of 0.0001%.
Top tip 8!
If a small organization is chosen for the IA, then primary research should be conducted in cooperation with the chosen organization, and with their knowledge and prior approval. This means it should be possible for students to conduct an interview with a manager or even some employees from the organization, with their willingness to share information and data as appropriate.
Too often, students only include surveys and questionnaires from customers, and sometimes interview transcripts from unnamed employees of the business.
Note that for the IA, it is not appropriate for students to conduct an investigation of a small business (such as a sole trader) without the input or involvement of the business organization itself. This must also be evidenced in the business research project.
Top tip 9!
To support students with their primary research, many schools provide letters of support (on official school letter-headed paper or via an official school email to the organization). This helps to authenticate that the research being conducted by the student is authentic and for academic research purposes only.
An example of such a statement is shown below.
To whom it may concern
Re: (student's name, school name)
This is to certify that (student's name) is a student at (school name), studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Business Management. The two-year academic course requires students to produce a 1,800 word research project on a real-world business issue. This research is for internal assessment purposes only (accounting for 20% of the final grade for Higher Level students and 30% for Standard Level students) and will not be disclosed to third parties beyond the school and the International Baccalaureate (the examination board).
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this matter.
Thank you for supporting (student's name) with this compulsory task from the International Baccalaureate.
With kind regards,
(Your name, your position, your school name, your school contact details)
Top tip 10!
For most students, it will be easier to complete the IA using only or predominantly secondary research sources. If students choose to also include primary research (which is permitted by the IB), they must ensure that this:
Adds value to the research question.
Complements the secondary research that has been conducted.
If primary research is undertaken, it must be approached with academic rigour. For example, customer questionnaires based on speculative, circumstantial responses do not tend to generate appropriate or meaningful data, so should not be used as a supporting document.
In all cases, students must carry out relevant and meaningful research that directly address the research question. Suitable use of primary research could include interviews with experts in a particular topic/field (specifically linked to the topic and RQ of the business research project), such as:
University lecturers
Journalists
Government officials
Business people / entrepreneurs
In all cases, irrespective of whether secondary and/or primary research is used, the student must ensure the chosen sources (supporting documents) are of direct relevance to the IA research question. Remember that the supporting documents are used as evidence in order to address and answer the specific research question – watch this comical video clip (it is brilliant, and should be self-explanatory about the importance of evidence):
PRIMARY RESEARCH TIPS
In this section of the website, I provide some sound suggestions on how to create instrument designs for primary data collection as part of the Business Management Internal Assessment (IA). Many thanks to Rima, my esteemed IBEN colleague, for her efforts in providing these top tips.
Teacher only box
Note to teachers:
The contents on this page provide specific advice on the use of primary research for the new IA. This is an area where many students fall short due to a poor grasp of using relevant and meaningful primary research.
Whilst in theory it is possible for students to focus on a small family owned business for the business research project, the overliance on primary market research may limit the breadth and depth of the supporting documents that drive the internal assessment.
It is important to remember that, wherever possible, students should use secondary research for the IA - this is a far easier approach in most cases in terms of ease of access and time. However, if your students really feel that primary research is of value to their business research project, get them to read this section of the website first.
Data collection is a significant step in the research process. The business research project can be based on primary and/or secondary data. The data from these sources form the basis of the supporting documents (SDs). It is not compulsory to include primary data. However, if data collected from primary sources adds value to the research report, then it can be included in the IA. Primary research should be included if it complements the secondary research that has been conducted
Primary sources provide first-hand information to answer the issue or research question (RQ) under consideration. Primary data can be collected through:
Surveys
Interviews
Focus groups, and
Observations
You must include evidence of these primary data sources. For example, if a survey is conducted, a blank copy of the survey, sample size, sampling method, and summary of responses should be included as a supporting document. The sample size should be significant to draw a conclusion to substantiate the findings. This should be clearly titled ‘Supporting Document 1 - Survey’.
If an interview is conducted, the job title of the person, numbered questions, and answers (responses) should be included. The person interviewed can be the expert in the field, a key stakeholder in the issue investigated, or the director or senior member of staff of the organization.
If focus groups are used for the purpose of investigation, you must include a copy of the questions asked along with the summary of these findings.
Supporting documents are assessed in Criterion B and are worth four marks (or 16% of the overall marks for the IA). To be awarded 4 out of 4 in Criterion B, the supporting documents should be:
relevant
sufficiently in-depth, and
provide a range of ideas and views.
Therefore, there must be between 3 - 5 supporting documents (although we always recommended five SDs).
The following tips will support you further in this process of using primary research (if relevant to your RQ):
1. The data collected should be relevant to the issue under investigation
What this means is that the data and information you collect should add value to the research project and allow you to apply appropriate Business Management tools and theories to a real organizational issue or problem using a conceptual lens.
For example, have a look at the following research question:
To what extent has Pret A Manger’s subscription model in the UK increased sales revenue?
Key concept: Change.
In this case, it is not relevant to conduct a human resource survey to find out the preferences or views of employees about Pret A Manger’s subscription model. Instead, you would be expected to interview a representative sample of the loyal consumers at Pret A Manger in order to determine if the subscription model has led to increased or more frequent purchases. Interviewing the finance director or a branch manager in order to get information about the changes in the sales revenue after the introduction of the subscription model would also support you in answering this research question.
Essentially, if questions asked in the survey or interview are poorly designed and not relevant to the research question, it will not be possible for you to reach a high mark band in the assessment criteria.
Interviews, if used, must add value in addressing the research question
Top tip 1!
If you are recording the interview, make sure you include a full transcript for assessment purposes as it is not possible to upload audio-visual files on IBIS for the Business Management IA.
2. The data collected should be sufficient to answer the research question
It is vital to get the research question right so that you can collect sufficient data to address the problem or issue being investigated. The data collected should be of appropriate depth and breadth for Business Management students. Interviews with just five or six short questions won’t usually allow you to obtain sufficient information to write a well-considered research project of 1,800 words.
Although there is no ideal number of questions specified to include in a survey or interview, having 10 to 20 questions in one instrument (method) allows you to get in-depth information. Above all, make sure each and every question asked adds value to addressing the research question.
3. The data collected should be appropriate to the issue under investigation
Do not rely on one single source of data, such as getting all your primary sources from the manager, organization, or customers. This will limit the quality of the information and could therefore impact your scores. Asking different questions to the same person is considered a single source and would not provide different perspectives to answer the research question.
The number of sources needed will depend on the size and scope of the business organization as well as your research question. In general, more sources are better (five SDs being better than three) so long as these sources are appropriate in allowing you to address the research question directly.
Also, remember that business functions are integrated so a change in one function will impact the other functions. For example, let’s say the following issue is being investigated:
To what extent implementation of ethical practices, impacted the success of H&M?
Key concept: Ethics
In this question, just interviewing one person is not sufficient. The research question should be analysed from different perspectives to enable you to think critically about this decision-making in a Business Management context. It is important to study different ethical practices including their impact on different stakeholders. The information for measuring the success could be obtained by the finance director or the key person having access to the final accounts. However, the impact on the employees, customers, or suppliers could be examined by conducting relevant surveys.
Interview and survey questions should help you to answer the research question
4. The data should provide quantitative and qualitative information
In the real world, management decision-making is often based on both quantitative and qualitative factors. As far as possible, quantitative analysis and tools will help you to provide clear directions, present coherent arguments, and use justified conclusions. Qualitative information will also support the issue or problem being addressed and can provide alternative interpretations possible.
5. Use a variety of primary research methods
There are numerous research methods that you can use for your IA. For example, you can choose from questionnaires, interviews, surveys, observations, and focus groups, as long as they are appropriate to the research question. You should therefore select the most practical ones, both in terms of their relevance and those within your reach.
In any case, ensure the primary sources allows you to analyse and evaluate the issue being investigated. For instance, use a mixture of open and close-ended questions in your primary research. For example, suppose the research is based on the following research question:
To what extent would modification of the current promotional strategies used by X3 Inc. attract more customers in Location X?
Key concept: Change
In this case, you can use open-ended questions to gather qualitative information about the views of different customers (their perceptions or feedback about the current promotional mix being used by X3 Inc.) as well as closed questions to gather quantitative data (such as which promotional methods are remembered or favoured by X3’s customers). This could be done by providing interviewees with various (but feasible) promotional methods to choose from in order to support your research.
In the case of focus groups (if used to collect primary research information), use open-ended questions framed with caution in line with the research question. Include questions that provide an opportunity for participants to talk to one another about the research issue. This will allow you can gather more considered responses from the group.
In the same way, if observations are used as a method of primary research, make sure the information and data collected directly help to address the research question.
Gather data and opinions from a range of research methods
6. Check the wording of your questions
Before conducting your primary research, ensure the wording of the questions are meaningful and that the sequence of the questions in the survey or interview is logical. These questions should flow coherently and not be biased (avoid asking misleading questions as part of your primary research).
Questions asking for basic and/or irrelevant information should be avoided. For example, asking questions about the respondent’s gender or age would certainly be irrelevant in the case of a research question such as:
Is TOMS Shoes' "One-for-One Model" considered to be a commercial approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) or a genuine altruistic approach to CSR?
Key concept: Ethics
Asking about the company’s mission statement during an interview is also superfluous as this should have been gathered in the preliminary investigation prior to conducting any interviews – such information is easily available through the use of secondary research (such as the company’s website).
Top tip 2!
When conducting interviews or surveys, remember to use a formal business tone at all times.
7. Be ethical with all aspects of your research
Assure your chosen organization and all research respondents about the confidentiality of the information and data gathered and shared. The organization has entrusted you with access to real information about its operations, finances, and customers, so this must be appreciated and always treated with respect.The data collected should not be manipulated to meet your individual needs or to match any preconceived notions. Do not jump to conclusions that might dominate your mind – you should not actually know the answer to your research question from the outset. Be open-minded to the information and data collected and use these in an objective way to address the issue or problem at hand.
8. Apply the data to relevant Business Management tools and theories
Ensure that data and information collected from your primary research allow you to apply the relevant tools, theories, and techniques identified in the initial proposal for a suitable business research project. For example:
If the research requires the application of ratio analysis to determine the financial position of your chosen business, ask the organization for relevant final accounts that will be required to carry out such analysis.
In the case of break-even analysis, raise questions with the interviewee about the firm’s total fixed costs, average variable costs, and average selling price.
Essentially, it is important to check that you are able to gather all meaningful data required to apply the most relevant Business Management tools and theories selected to address the research question.
9. Connect with your teacher
Make sure you work with your teacher throughout the IA process, including getting approval for the research question and the instrument designs created to gather primary research (if these are used). Remember that your supporting document can also include secondary research.
Clear and consistent communications with your teacher will help to ensure that unnecessary aspects of your primary research are removed (such as inappropriate interview and survey question) and the data become relevant in helping you to directly answer the research question.
50+ SAMPLE IA QUESTIONS
Getting the research question (RQ) is vital to getting a good grade based on the assessment criteria. Students need to choose a real world and contemporary issue (phrased as a probing question) that:
engages their interest
is realistic in terms of access to relevant supporting document /resources
is well focused
meets the criteria for IB assessment
The research question should enable students to show evidence of critical and reflective thinking.
The research project must not be a descriptive piece of work.
Also, note that suitable research questions from a year or two ago may not necessarily be the case for this year. It is important to remember the requirement to focus on a contemporary issue or problem (the 3-year rule). Furthermore, the RQs do not necessarily provide the context for the real-world issue or problem being investigated but these must be included in the introduction section of the business research project.
CONCEPT - CREATIVITY
To what extent has Bloxham Florists' creative use of social media marketing been a financial success?
Given the intensity of growing competition, how effective does Muller Bookstores differentiate itself from other bookstores in Dusseldorf?
How effective has The Studio adjusted its promotional strategy to attract a wider target market in Sai Kung, Hong Kong?
To what extent has Pointwell Ltd.'s use of non-financial motivation reduced its labour turnover rate?
How effective have Xiaomi’s growth strategies been in enhancing the company’s market position in Taiwan?
Will Firery Pots' "Give Back to Dulwich" initiative enable the business to improve its financial success as part of the social enterprise’s five-year plan?
How might creativity help Warner Bros. Discovery to increase its market share in the streaming market in the United States?
To what extent has Pret A Manger’s subscription model in the UK increased the company's profitability?
CONCEPT - ETHICS
How ethical has McDonald’s been in competing for employees in Oregon during the COVID-19 pandemic?
To what extent has Uber Eats violated its ethical code of practice by exploiting gig workers in the UK?
How can British Airways best resolve the industrial dispute with its cabin crew?
How effective is Greenpeace’s promotional strategy in Poland?
How competitive is the zero-pricing strategy of ‘The Standard' (newspaper)?
To what extent has the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal harm the market value of Facebook?
To what extent has Starbucks committed to meeting its 99% ethical coffee standards and practices?
Is TOMS Shoes' "One-for-One Model" considered to be a commercial approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) or a genuine altruistic approach to CSR?
CONCEPT - SUSTAINABILITY
How effective has Natural Elements Skincare’s internal growth strategy been in strengthening the company’s corporate image in the UK?
To what extent has Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper’s pricing methods enabled it to stay competitive in Japan’s growing online grocery market?
How likely will OLA’s investment in environmentally-friendly e-scooters improve its market share in Mumbai, India?
To what extent are the operations of Costa Coffee ecologically and economically sustainable?
To what extent can Deliveroo (UK) rely on its current growth strategies to reverse its operating losses caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic?
To what extent is Zara’s “Join Life” initiative able to tackle the problems it faces in the ‘fast fashion’ industry?
To what extent has H&M’s sustainability policies impacted its financial performance in the post-COVID era?
To what degree does the role of data play in Coca-Cola remaining relevant and staying connected to its consumers in the age of digital transformation in the US market?
Given that Coca-Cola has been accused of being the world's “worst plastic polluter”, to what extent does its “World Without Waste” sustainable packaging strategy disprove this claim?
To what extent will Apple’s 2030 agenda contribute to improving its global ecological impact?
To what extent is IKEA’s CSR measures making its supply chain more sustainable?
How probable will IKEA's Buy Back programme (the decision to purchase unwanted furniture at up to half the original purchase price) impact the company's profitability?
To what extent has H&M's sustainability strategies had a positive impact on its sales revenue in Portugal?
How effective has TOMS Shoes (US) operations as a B-Corp been in sustaining its shareholder value?
To what extent is Tesla’s sourcing of lithium and cobalt sustainable (economically and ecologically) and socially responsible?
To what extent will Toyota’s plan to launch a range of 15 new electric vehicles by 2025 improve its low market share in the UK’s EV industry?
CONCEPT - CHANGE
How likely will Netflix’s change in its product portfolio strategy (its gaming platform) be likely to increase the company’s profitability?
Will H&M’s change in distribution strategy improve its profitability?
How significant will KPMG’s decision to abolish homeworking following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions impact its labour productivity?
How likely will Citibank's decision to enable its employees to continue working from home (WFH), despite the recent lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, improve labour productivity?
To what extent has the lack of HGV vehicle drivers in the UK affected supply chain management at Tesco?
How effective has lovenSkate's external growth strategy impacted the social enterprise's financial performance?
How far is Goldman Sachs's change in vacation policy useful to reduce the company's labour turnover rate?
How effective has Pho’s external growth strategy through franchising been in improving the company's financial performance in the UK?
How likely is Google Bard to achieve market leadership in the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot industry in the US?
To what extent has Brexit impacted Marks & Spencer’s European sales revenue?
To what extent will Amazon’s strategy of vertical integration of logistic services contribute towards it profitability?
How probable will Lego's new supply chain strategy (production planning strategy) lead to an increase in its market share in Asia?
How likely is it that Peloton’s decision to stop in-house production (of exercise bikes) in favour of outsourcing will be effective in solving the company's cash flow issues?
To what extent will Netflix’s decision to change its subscription pricing enable the company to increase its profits?
How likely will Netflix’s limit on password sharing increase the number of subscriptions?
To what extent will Netflix’s strategy of introducing games on its streaming platform lead to an increase the company’s overall profitability?
To what extent can changing its channels of distribution (shifting away from using wholesalers and independent retail chains) improve Nike's profitability?
Should Waitrose (supermarkets) invest in up-selling and cross-selling algorithms to make online shopping more personalized for customers?
To what extent will Waitrose reducing prices of its own-branded products maintain the supermarket chain's market share in a cost of living crisis?
To what extent has Aldi’s low price strategy allowed it to gain market share in the UK?
RECOMMENDED FORMAT FOR THE IA
There is no stipulated format for the Internal Assessment (IA). However, the IB does recommend the following for the Business Management research project, which must be a structured piece of well-organized work. This means there must be an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
1. Introduction
Brief background information about the chosen business organization. This provides the context of the business research project.
Outline of the contemporary, real-world issue or problem under investigation (to provide context).
Rationale for the study, including choice of key concept.
Relevance of the chosen key concept to the research question.
Description of the methodology used to investigate the chosen issue or problem. This should include an outline of the relevant tools and theories, i.e., the contents of the syllabus most relevant to the RQ.
2. Body
Main findings (from the 3 - 5 supporting documents).
Analysis of the findings (in relation to the research question).
Application of relevant Business Management tools, theories, techniques, and terminology.
Integration of the chosen key concept.
Evidence of evaluation (critical thinking) in relation to:
Why and how the information in the 3 - 5 supporting documents are helpful (or unhelpful) in addressing the research question
Strengths and limitations of the data/information in the 3 - 5 supporting documents with respect to answering the research question.
An evaluative approach to the discussions, e.g., the short-term and long-term implications of the findings on the chosen business organization, including the impact on employees, customers, or other key stakeholder groups, as well as its finances.
3. Conclusion
Provide a clear and explicit answer to the research question, backed by the evidence presented in the main body of the research project.
Do not introduce any new materials, facts, or arguments that have not been discussed in body of the research project.
Acknowledge any aspect of the research question that has not been fully addressed from the findings and analysis of the research project, outlining any further investigation needed to answer the research question more effectively.
Top tip 1 - The recommended format for the IA
The following structure/format works well for the IA.
Title page (cover sheet) - refer to the "Top tip 4" box below
Table of contents
Introduction
Main body
Conclusion(s)
Bibliography and references (works cited page)
Appendices: include the 3 to 5 supporting documents (to be electronically uploaded on IBIS or ManageBac as a separate PDF file).
Good presentation also requires the appropriate use of headings and sub-headings, consistent referencing, and numbered pages.
Top tip 2 - The Bibliography
For the bibliography, ensure you include all works cited in the business research project. This should include details of:
The 3 - 5 supporting documents. The first 3 to 5 items in the bibliography must contain full citations of the supporting documents used. This does not include the actual supporting documents, which are merged and uploaded as a separate PDF file (see Top tip 3 below).
Additional sources. These should include at least a textbook (for referencing the tools and theories used, for example).
Top tip 3 - The Appendices (The Supporting Documents)
For the appendices, which are uploaded separately on IBIS or ManageBac, only include the supporting documents.
Do not place additional items (such as a table of main findings or a SWOT analysis) in the appendices.
Students should label each of the supporting documents clearly (e.g., Supporting Document 1, Supporting Document 2, and so forth).
Start each new supporting document on a new page. This makes is easier for the moderator (and your teacher) to see where each SD starts and ends.
Highlight (or underline) the parts of the SDs used within the analysis of the business research project.
Ensure the SDs in the appendix are saved and uploaded as a single PDF file to IBIS or ManageBac.
Top tip 4 - Recommendations for the title page
Recommended structure for the title (cover) page:
Subject name, i.e., Business Management (SL or HL)
Session, e.g., May 2024
Research question
Key concept
Word count declaration
Personal code#
Declaration of authenticity*
As the IA must be anonymised, do not include your candidate name, candidate number, or the name of the centre (school).
# Please click on the icon below to read more about the use of personal codes.
Please note that the IA must be anonymized as per the IB's guidelines:
The candidate's personal information must not be included in the submission of the IA (i.e., the candidate's name and the candidate number must not appear on the cover page of the IA or the report itself.
The candidate's personal code (e.g., ghm007) can be used as this is indecipherable beyond the candidate and the staff at the school. Speak to your IB DP coordinator to access the personal codes for your own students.
When assessing the work, teachers must not refer to the name of the student in their comments on the teacher feedback form - instead, they should use "the student". It is also acceptable to use the student's initials.
Similarly, students must not refer to their teacher(s) at their school by name in their acknowledgements (if included). Any acknowledgements made must not include any information that could identify the school, or its location.
* Since November 2017, the IB has required schools to obtain candidates’ confirmation of authenticity of the work
they submit for assessment. Please refer to the information from the IB about this matter by clicking the icon below.
The IB coursework upload system allows IB coordinators or school administrators to upload work on behalf of candidates. The system requires the teacher or coordinator uploading on behalf of candidates to confirm that they have received signed declarations of authenticity from each candidate for every item of coursework submitted.
It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that these declarations have been properly made, recorded and stored, and that they are available to the IB if the authenticity of the work is called into question during the assessment process.
Schools must ensure that the authentication from a candidate is for the work submitted for assessment. No replacement work will be accepted by the IB after the authenticity of a piece of work is called into question or the deadline for submission has passed.
Source: IB Coordinators Notes, January 2023, page 21
Suggested declaration of authenticity for the Business Management Internal Assessment:
I confirm that this work is all my own and that this is the final version of this written commentary. I have acknowledged the use of any information collected from primary and/or secondary sources. All supporting documents are attached in the appendices. These are contemporary in nature and were written within a maximum of 3 years prior to submission. All parts in the supporting document that relate directly to this commentary have been highlighted. Additional sources have been acknowledged in the bibliography.
Signed (candidate's initials) ……...………….
Top tip 5!
It can be useful to include the mission statement or vision statement, if appropriate, to the Introduction.
Note that there is no formal requirement to include the mission or vision statement of the chosen organization - after all, the IB does not prescribe a specific format or structure for the IA. However, and where appropriate, including the mission or vision statement of the chosen business can add purpose and context to the business research project. Also, providing the mission/vision statement can go some way to address the following aims of the IA:
Select a real business issue or problem for the research project
Refer to a single business organization (but this can be related to industry-wide issues or problems that impact on the chosen organization).
Use primary and/or secondary research to address the research question.
Having a clear and purposeful focus can also help students to formulate their IA research question and provides the parameters for selecting the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
Top tip 6!
The IB recommends all IAs are produced using the following style of presentation:
Arial font or Times New Roman font
Font size 11 or 12
1.5 or double-spaced
Numbered pages
This makes it significantly easier for the moderator or examiner to check the work of the candidate.
I would also recommend that all internal assessments are converted into a PDF document and checked before uploading to IBIS. This is because the Portable Document Format (PDF) document will keep the original work intact. Word documents (in .doc or .docx format) do not always convert nicely once uploaded, and the original work can become truncated with page numbers getting out of sync, especially when text columns, images, photos, tables, diagrams, charts etc. are used.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is at the heart of what the IB stands for. Essentially, academic integrity is about being honest and principled when it comes to academic work. The IB defines academic integrity as follows:
"Academic integrity is a principle in education and a choice to act in a responsible way so others can trust us. It means conducting all aspects of your academic life in a responsible and ethical manner. The IB expects students to produce genuine and authentic pieces of work, that represent their own abilities. That is, the IB wants to support "content creators", not "content imitators". Students should give credit where credit is due - so be honest and transparent and recognize how previous work is influencing/supporting your own work."
Source: https://ibo.org/academic-integrity
The IB regards academic dishonesty, or academic malpractice, as anything that gives a candidate an unfair advantage over others. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Plagiarism - copying the work of others is academically dishonest
Fabricating research data and findings
Collusion
Missing internal (school) deadlines.
Source: Pexels
Academic integrity involves citing or referencing the works, ideas and creations of others. Hence, if a student does not include citations or references in the IA, it becomes challenging for moderators to authenticate the work.
For academic integrity reasons, Internet web pages using the URL are not acceptable as a substitute to including the actual supporting documents (in the appendices and uploaded as a separate document for the external moderators).
All IB candidates are expected to provide a declaration of authenticity on for the IA. An example of such a statement is shown below:
I confirm that this work is all my own and that this is the final version of this written commentary. I have acknowledged the use of any information collected from primary and/or secondary sources. All supporting documents are attached in the appendices. These are contemporary in nature and were written within a maximum of 3 years prior to submission. All parts in the supporting document that relate directly to this commentary have been highlighted. Additional sources have been acknowledged in the bibliography.
Signed (initials of candidate) ……….…………. Personal code ………… Date ……………..
Students do not have to actually sign the declaration with their name (so as to keep the assessment work anonymous) but can write or type their initials instead.
The declaration of authenticity should appear on the front cover page of the business research project.
Finally, for academic integrity reasons, students must not be allowed to redraft their IA. The guide clearly states the following:
"As part of the learning process, teachers should read and give advice to students on one draft of the work. The teacher should provide oral or written advice on how the work could be improved, but not edit the draft. The next version handed to the teacher must be the final version for submission."
Source: Business Management guide, page 51
Case Study - Academic misconduct and IB assessment
The proportion of individual students receiving a penalty for academic misconduct is actually quite low (approximately 0.2% of the total number of DP candidature). However, the absolute number of cases investigated by the IB remains high. For example, each year, the IB receives a significant number of reports from examiners relating to irregularities with citation and referencing (C&R). It is important, therefore, to understand the need for appropriate C&R in the business research project. In a nutshell, it is crucial that you acknowledge the ideas, words, or work of other people when using, presenting, or interpreting their original work.
Source: adapted from Diploma Programme Coordinator's Notes, January 2023 (page 21)
Word count limits
Recall that the word count limits for the IA is 1,800 words. Note that IA moderators are instructed not to read beyond the word count limit for the IA.
Word count limits exist to prevent students from spending too long on individual assessments (such as the IA or the Extended Essay), to reduce overall pressure on students across the IB Diploma, and to create a level playing field (for academic integrity purposes). The instructions in the IB Business Management guide on word count adherence are clearly stated on page 56 of the official guide.
Note that the following are not included in the word count:
Acknowledgements
Contents page
Tables of statistical data
Diagrams or figures
Equations, formulae and calculations
Supporting documents (but these must be uploaded separately on IBIS or ManageBac)
Citations (which, if used, must be in the body of the business research project, not in the footnotes)
References (which, if used, must be in the footnotes/endnotes rather than the body of the business research project)
Bibliography.
Note, as stated in the guide, that footnotes/endnotes can only be used in the IA for references only. Definitions of business management terms and/or quotations, if used, must be in the body of the work and are included in the word count.
Also, note that citation is a shorthand way of making a reference (in the body of the written commentary), which is
then linked to the full reference in the bibliography.
Citation and referencing
References or in-text citations must be included in the IA to show where ideas, comments and evidence has come from
The IB does not prescribe any particular referencing system (be it APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago etc.) but it must enable the moderator to locate the original sources with relative ease
Footnotes/endnotes can only be used for references – using footnotes/endnotes for any other purpose (such as definitions) will be included in the word count
In-text citation is a shorthand method of referencing, which must be linked to the full reference in the bibliography
Statements made by the student that are not cited or referenced can inadvertently turn potentially good evaluation into opinions or assertions
If students do not reference their work, concerns about the authenticity of their IA may be raised.
Top tip 1!
Not only are citations and referencing (C&R) formal requirements of academic integrity, doing so also shows your respect for the ideas and work of other people. Do not leave the citations and referencing until the end of the IA writing process as you will find it really challenging and time consuming to compile a decent and comprehensive bibliography. So, cite as you write.
Top tip 2!
If a students chooses to use primary research for the IA, the teacher (marker) must be able to validate the research and findings. Therefore, it is important that students provide evidence of their primary research (such as the questionnaires and interviews conducted).
I recommend the following to my students (which may seem a bit overly cautious, but I prefer to be safe than sorry). Any combination of the following would satisfy my suspicious mind!
Signed copy of the interview transcript.
Business card, stapled to the transcript.
Email notification / confirmation of the research conducted.*
Copies of the questionnaires - there is no need to include these (scanned copies) in the IA, but they must be made available for authentication purposes.
Photographic evidence.
Viva voce with the student to authenticate their primary research.
* For example, these authentification letters were included in the appendices.
Top tip 3!
The IB does not recommend any particular style for citation and referencing (C&R) for the IA nor does it require that the latest version of any C&R style be used. Many schools choose to use the MLA style, whilst others use the APA, Harvard, or Chicago C&R styles.
What is important is that students use a consistent style for all C&R in the completion of their IA.
It can be very useful (for the students) if the school adopts a consistent C&R style across all subjects, as part of its academic integrity and assessment policies. It can be extremely challenging and confusing for students if different teachers/subjects do different things about C&R for internal assessments.
Top tip 4!
For schools using the MLA referencing style, here is a straightforward template that you can use for C&R in the Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay for Business Management.
Top tip 5!
If any of the supporting documents are not in English (the language of submission), the highlighted sections of these documents must be translated. The original supporting document must also be included.
Note: whilst citation and referencing are not explicitly assessed in the IA, please be aware of the following. There is further guidance for teachers in the IB Academic Integrity Policy. An excerpt is below:
"Incidents related to coursework
When a school identifies issues with a final piece of work before submission or upload to the IB and before the IB submission deadline, the situation must be resolved as per the school’s academic integrity policy, provided it specifies if resubmissions are permitted. However, the school should not submit to the IB a piece of work that does not meet the expectations in regard to academic integrity or award a mark of zero." (page 24)
Please be aware that IA moderators are instructed to raise an exception if citations and references are missing from the business management project. The IA is then reviewed by the Academic Integrity team in Cardiff.
This is another reason for why I encourage teachers to use a declaration of authenticity, but this does not mean students necessarily include basic citation and referencing in their work.
Ultimately, any IAs submitted to moderators without citations/references will be investigated by the IB as a potential breach of regulations that may result in a penalty imposed by the IB final award committee.
The IA and AI
The IB acknowledges the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in assessment work such as the IA and EE. The IB has updated its Academic Integrity policy (March 2023) which provides guidance on how students can correctly reference AI tools and maintain academic honesty. Read the policy statement here.
It is important to note that the IB will not ban the use of AI software for the IA (or EE). However, the use of AI must be in line with the IB's academic integrity guidelines and the school's internal assessment policy. Essentially, whilst AI can be used, schools must adapt and transform their assessment practices and policies so that students can use these tools in ethical and effective ways.
For the IA, it is vital to cite all sources (not just the 3 - 5 supporting documents), including any texts or images obtained from AI tools, such as ChatGPT, both in the body of the IA and in the bibliography. Use the reference style adopted in the school (see Top tip 2 above).
For further guidance on the use of AI for assessment purposes (such as the IA and EE), download the IB's infographic poster here.
Another useful resource is the IB's academic integrity webpage on its official website. This includes links to the IB's academic integrity policy and video resources to support teachers and students. Thes resources can be accessed here.
Top tip 6!
The Scribbr website provides examples of how to cite the use of IA, such as ChatGPT, using different referencing styles.
Important points to note:
If you are using ChatGPT (or alternative AI software) responses as a main source of information, you must cite this for its purpose - just as you would with any piece of evidence or research.
If you are using ChatGPT to help with the research or writing process (e.g., using it to develop a suitable IA research question or to create an outline plan), you must also cite or acknowledge this.
If you are using ChatGPT as a source of factual information (e.g., asking ChatGPT to define a key term or key concept and then quoting its definition in your IA), this still needs to be appropriately cited.
However, be warned that the likes of ChatGPT are not considered a credible source for use in academic writing, especially for the Extended Essay.
ADVICE ON THE WORD LIMIT
The word count limit (WCL) for the IA is 1,800 words. The IB states that if the WCL is exceeded, the teacher’s internal assessment of the business research project must be based on the first 1,800 words. In additional, IB moderators are all instructed not to read beyond the WCL for the business research project.
Teachers, please do not encourage (or allow) students to go beyond the word count limit.
Word count limits exist to prevent students from spending too long on individual assessments (such as the IA or their Extended Essay), to reduce the overall pressure on students across the IB Diploma Programme, and to create a level playing field (for academic integrity purposes).
Further guidance on word count adherence can be found on page 56 of the IB Business Management guide.
A student who exceeds the word count limit could potentially lose marks under the following assessment criteria for the IA:
Criterion D - Analysis and evaluation (5 marks)
Criterion E - Conclusions (3 marks)
(that’s potentially 8 marks from a maximum of 25 marks!)
All IB moderators are instructed not to read beyond the word count limit (1,800 words) within the business research project.
The rules for adhering to the WCL are not new protocol. For example, as stated in the May 2020 Subject Report regarding the word count limit for the IA:
"exceeding the word count should have resulted in the recommendations or possibly both conclusions and recommendations being ignored. However, this was not done in most cases. Word count violations should not be ignored in the assessment process." (page 4)
A related finding was reported in the November 2019 Subject Report:
"...some candidates met the word count restrictions by placing substantial analysis and key findings only in the appendices, which is not acceptable." (page 4)
Note that such an approach can be deemed to be academically dishonest, as the candidate may be seen to be trying to circumvent the word count limit. Importantly, it is worth pointing out to students that the only thing allowed in the appendices are the 3 - 5 supporting documents (which must be uploaded as a separate document). Moderators will certainly not check or mark any analysis that does not appear in the report itself. Hence, students would be self-penalizing by placing any analysis (such as a SWOT analysis, STEEPLE analysis, financial ratio analysis, decision tree, or force field analysis in the appendices).
Remember, only the information in the main body of the IA (the written report, not the appendices) counts towards the overall assessment marks.
A commonly/frequently asked question is whether SWOT and STEEPLE diagrams/tables with bullet points inside the quadrants are considered as part of the word count, if used in the IA. After all, it states on page 56 of the Business Management guide that diagrams or figures are not included in the WCL. However, take note of what this actually means:
Examples of diagrams include perception maps, break-even charts, decision trees, and the product life cycle. These are not part of the word count limit as they do not contain any explanations or analysis.
Any analysis or explanation within tables/diagrams/figures are most definitely considered as part of the word count.
Top tip 1!
To create a table for a SWOT or STEEPLE (analysis) does not exempt students from the word count restriction - they are not diagrams or figures. Given the WCL, I personally advise my own students to avoid using a SWOT or STEEPLE analysis in the IA - these are often incorrectly used, poorly applied, and lack appropriate referencing. Essentially, they generally lack specific value or purpose for an IA but add to the word count.
Top tip 2!
Many students use definitions of business management terms in their IA, often quoting these from a particular source such as a textbook. If definitions and quotations are used, they must appear in the body of the work (not as footnotes or endnotes), and these are included in the word count.
Top tip 3!
Tables (containing statistical data), equations, formulae, and calculations (if used) are not part of the WCL for the internal assessment. Examples include data for:
Cash flow forecasts or statements
Economic growth rates
Inflation rates
Profit forecasts
Ratios (calculations)
Sales forecasts
Sales revenue
Tourist visitor numbers.
Unemployment figures
The 7 Step-by-Step Guide to the IA
The 7 Step-by-Step Guide to the IA
The essentials
The Internal Assessment (IA) is a comprehensive and focused business research project that challenges students to delve into a genuine business issue or problem afflicting a specific organization. By employing one of the key conceptual lenses, namely creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change, students are tasked with scrutinizing the situation through a specialized perspective (or conceptual lens).
The IA has a length of 1,800 words.
Furthermore, the IA requires students to apply their acquired knowledge of essential and relevant Business Management tools and theories. By leveraging these tools and theories, students can offer a well-informed analysis and propose effective strategies to address the identified issue or problem in order to answer the research question (RQ).
STEP 1 - Identify the organisation of choice
(a) Research and explore the options
Start by conducting research to identify potential organizations that align with the scope and requirements of your business research project. Consider factors such as the industry, size, market presence, reputation, financial performance, or any other criteria that are important for your study. Some possible starting points, from YouTube channels, include:
○ Business Insider
○ The Economist
○ Vox
(b) Consider personal interests
Reflect on your own interests, passions, or career aspirations. Select an organization that captures your curiosity and engages you on a personal level. This will help you maintain motivation and enthusiasm throughout the research process.
(c) Relevance to the project
Assess the relevance of each potential organization to the objectives of the IA and the specific focus of your business research project. Ensure that the chosen organization has a very clear issue (such as a decision to be made) or a specific problem (such as falling sales or the threat of competition) to analyze. This alignment will allow you to gather meaningful data and insights for your business research project.
(d) Availability of information
Check the availability of information about the organization. Ensure that there are sufficient data, reports, articles, or other relevant sources that can support your research and analysis. Access to information is crucial for conducting a thorough and meaningful investigation.
Before moving on, check if you agree with the following statements:
The organization chosen is of direct interest to me.
The organization has a newsworthy issue or problem that is no older than 3 years (from the final submission date of the business research project to the IB).
The organization has a website in English with available information relevant to the business research project.
There are sufficient resources available about the organization and the specific issue or problem specified in the research question.
Use at least two sources to summarize the organization of your choice. Include relevant information such as its mission and/or vision statement, a description of the goods and/or services provided, the organizational structure, leadership styles, the size of the workforce, etc.
STEP 2 - Define the issue or problem
(a) Gather information
Collect relevant information about the organization through sources such as annual reports, financial statements, news articles, industry reports, interviews, or any available data. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s operations, market position, competitive landscape, and recent developments.
As a researcher, you will face several problems when seeking previously recorded historical evidence and data. The main objectives of these are that of:
locating and accessing them
authenticating the sources
assessing credibility
gauging how representative they are
selecting methods to interpret them.
Locating relevant and meaningful data can be an enormous topic. Activities can involve anything from rummaging through archives in a library to downloading the latest government statistical data from the Internet. Getting hold of current data can also be challenging.
First, read the Wikipedia/Britannica articles related to your area of focus. This will help you get a general understanding of the topic. If you have access, the following research databases may be helpful for your investigation:
EBSCO
Euromonitor International
Google Scholar
History Reference Centre
JSTOR
ProQues
PsycInfo
Apart from the above databases, you should also try to use specific searches related to your topic using search engines such as Google. There should be some reliable and relevant sources that you can find to demonstrate some unique and contrasting perspectives. Try searching some of these sources to see if they align with your research question:
List 10 specific sources that are directly related to your business research project.
(b) Identify the key challenges
Analyze the information gathered to identify the key challenges or issues that the organization is currently facing. Look for patterns, trends, or significant events that indicate areas of concern. These challenges can be related to various aspects of the business, such as:
financial performance
market share
customer satisfaction
employee retention
technological advancements
regulatory compliance
investment decisions
competitive pressures
(c) Prioritize the key challenges
Evaluate the identified challenges (issues or problems) and prioritize them based on their significance and potential impact on the organization’s operations or its overall performance. Consider factors such as financial implications, strategic importance, long-term sustainability, or alignment with the research question.
(d) Analyze causes and effects
Dive deeper into each identified issue or problem and analyze the underlying causes and effects. Consider both the internal factors (e.g., the organizational structure, management practices, or operational inefficiencies) and external factors (e.g., market trends, changing consumer preferences, or industry disruptions) that contribute to the issue or problem. This analysis will help you to provide a thorough explanation of the issue and its main implications, or the problem and its root causes.
List 3 issues or problems that the organization faces in order of importance.
Outline the main causes and effects.
Explain the impact of the issue or problem on the organization.
Provide at least two pieces of supporting evidence and quote these correctly.
Use evidence to summarize the problem or issue of your choice. Explain the causes and effects, importance, and impact.
(e) Consider alternative perspectives
Acknowledge that different stakeholders may have different interpretations of the issue or problem. Consider alternative perspectives and viewpoints to present a well-rounded analysis. This will showcase your ability to critically evaluate multiple perspectives and offer a comprehensive understanding of the issue or problem being investigated.
(e) Develop a research question
Based on your literature review and refined consideration of the topic to be investigated, develop a research question that serves as the central focus of your business research project. Your research question should be clear, concise, and capable of being addressed through research and analysis, as well as a conceptual lens (see Step 3 below).
Note that your research question may well change as you progress with your investigations. It is not uncommon for the final research question to differ slightly from the initial or proposed research question.
STEP 3 - Develop a conceptual lens
Developing a conceptual lens involves creating a framework or basis that guides your analysis and understanding of the problem or issue that your chosen organization is facing. Choose one of the following key concepts in relation to the issue or problem at hand.
Choose one key concept for your IA: Creativity, Ethics, Sustainability, or Change.
(a) Determine the scope and boundaries
Consider the scope and boundaries of your conceptual lens. Also, identify the specific aspects or dimensions of the topic that your conceptual lens will focus on. This step helps narrow down your analysis and provides a clear focus (framework) for examining your research question.
(b) Apply the lens to your research or analysis
Use your conceptual lens as a framework for analyzing and interpreting your data, findings, or other research findings. Apply this lens to gain deeper insights, uncover patterns/trends, or identify relationships within your chosen research area. This step allows you to explore the topic from a specific conceptual perspective and draw meaningful conclusions.
Explain the relationship between your chosen key concept and the issue or problem stated in the research question. Use evidence to justify your response.
STEP 4 - Methodology
Choosing the methodology for your business research project involves deciding on an appropriate approach to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data in order to address your research question effectively.
(a) Align the methodology with your research question
Ensure you have a clear understanding of your research question and the specific objectives of your business research project. Clarify what kind of information you need to gather and what insights you aim to derive from your data analysis.
Outline the main method(s) that you intend to apply to your investigation to complete the business research project. Explain their importance in relation to the issue/problem identified in the research question.
(b) Align appropriate tools and theories with your research question
Choose the most suitable IB Business Management tool / theories to analyze the issue or problem stated in your research question. Choose a minimum of two and a maximum of four tools/theories only. These can be from the Business Management Toolkit (BMT) or any other part of the syllabus.
Provide a brief but clear justification for including each of these tools/theories in your business research project.
Top tip!
The IB does not prescribe any particular number of tools or theories to use in the business research project. However, most students will typically include 2 - 4 tools/theories in their IA.
STEP 5 - Writing the introduction
Writing an introduction is an essential step in any research or academic project. It serves as the opening section of your business research project, providing an overview of the topic (the issue or problem itself), context, objectives, and scope of your study. Based on what you have completed so far, write your introduction using the following steps.
(a) Start with a compelling hook
Begin your introduction with an attention-grabbing statement, anecdote, or statistic that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for your work. The hook should be relevant to your topic and create a sense of curiosity. Do not start your introduction with a time reference or a question.
(b) Provide background information
Give a brief overview of the background or context of your research topic. Explain why it is significant, relevant, or timely. Provide key details, historical context, or any other relevant information that helps the reader understand the broader situation of your study.
(c) State the problem or objective of the study
Clearly state the objective of your business research project, focusing on the problem or issue stated in the research questions, i.e., what is it that your study aims to address? This statement should be concise and focused, highlighting the specific research question that your research seeks to explore or answer. Essentially, it sets the purpose and direction of your study.
(d) Explain the relationship between the topic and a key concept
The key concept provides a lens or framework through which the issue or problem (stated in your research question) will be examined and approached.
(e) State your research question
The research question specifies the theoretical framework and main topic of the essay. It helps the reader to understand what the written commentary for the business research project will focus on.
Top tip!
Remember that the topic in the research question must be a contemporary issue or problem that is worthy of further academic study.
(f) Outline your methodology
The methodology is the process of explaining what techniques or approaches you will use to investigate the issue or problem stated in your research question. This section of the introduction should therefore be a summary that outlines how you went about conducting your research as well as the tools and theories you used.
(g) Develop your thesis statement
A thesis statement outlines the main points or arguments that will be discussed or supported in the business research project. It provides a clear roadmap for the reader and helps structure the overall organization of the written commentary. To develop your thesis statement, think about two or three correlations/relationships that arise from the issue or problem stated in your research question.
Use the subheadings and tips above to write your full introduction. (Write one-side of A4 maximum)
STEP 6 - Compiling a bibliography of the supporting documents
A bibliography is a list of sources (such as textbooks, journals, websites, periodicals, and so forth) that you have used for researching a particular topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works cited" depending on the style or format that you use. A bibliography includes information such as the name of the author, title of the source, the publisher, and publication date.
It is imperative that you find out which citation and referencing (C&R) system is used at your school. Do not leave the task of C&R as well as compiling the bibliography until the end of the writing process. The IB does not prescribe a particular style, although common referencing systems include the MLA, Harvard, and Chicago systems. Seek further guidance about this from your teachers.
Consider these top tips when selecting your sources (supporting documents) and compiling bibliography:
Each supporting document is of an academic nature and/or is from a reputable source. (Do not use the likes of Wikipedia, Investopedia, or personal blogs).
Each source provides information about the topic (issue or problem in the research question) or provides a historical context that is relevant to the business research project.
Each source helps you to deepen your conceptual understanding of the issue or problem at hand.
Each source helps to answer your research question.
Each source is published within 3 years from the final submission date of the IA to the IB.
Top tip!
Remember that the IB states a minimum of three and a maximum of five supporting documents must be included in the business research project.
For each supporting document, you must clearly state the main findings and relevance to the research question. Instead of describing the source or its contents, quote the main findings that you can use in your investigation to address the research question. However, to reach the top mark band, you must also provide clear evidence of evaluation of each of the sources used.
Complete the template below for each supporting document you have used.
Source of supporting document:
Purpose:
Main content (findings):
Value of the content in relation to the RQ:
Relevance of the content to tools/theories:
Limitation(s) of the source:
STEP 7 - Constructing the IA
You might find it useful to use the template below.
(a) Title page
Subject, i.e., IB DP Business Management (indicate SL or HL)
Research question (phrased as a probing question)
Key concept
Exam session, e.g., May 202X or November 202X
Word count declaration
(b) Introduction
Background and context:
Methodology:
Thesis statement / Research question:
(c) Body paragraph (approx. 3 – 5, but use as many as appropriate within the word count limit)
Point:A statement of what the paragraph is about and how it directly links to your RQ
Evidence: Use the SD(s) to present specific evidence that directly addresses the RQ (including counter-arguments).
Analysis: Interpret the meaning of the findings in the SD(s) and explain the perspective it and how the evidence supports the point or the investigation.
Significance: Tie in the central argument of the investigation with the evidence and perspectives at hand. Evaluate how significant the perspectives demonstrate the point, support, or contradict each other.
Top tip
Use the PEAS framework to develop each of the paragraphs in the body of your written commentary:
Point
Evidence
Analysis
Significance (to the research question)
(d) Conclusion(s)
Summary: Summarize the contents of your written commentary, i.e., the main points presented in the body paragraphs.
Implications: Discuss what your research contributes to our understanding of the issue or problem stated in the RQ. For instance, “If the problem continues…” or “If the problem is addressed…”
Answer the question: Refer back to the research question and answer the entirety of the RQ. Try to finish with a strong statement.
Limitations: Discuss the limitations of your research (including the SDs). Are there any unanswered questions? What else, if anything, is needed to research further?
Top tip
Make sure your overall conclusion is a direct answer to your research question.
UNDERSTANDING THE IA ASSESSMENTR CRITERIA
Overview
As there is a common IA (the business research project) for SL and HL students, the same assessment criteria apply to all candidates. Teachers should mark the internally assessed work using the level descriptors on pages 56 - 58 of the guide. The maximum number of marks is 25.
The business research project is assessed using 7 assessment criteria:
Criterion A - Integration of a key concept (5 marks)
Criterion B - Supporting documents (4 marks)
Criterion C - Selection and application of tools and theories (4 marks)
Criterion D - Analysis and evaluation (5 marks)
Criterion E - Conclusions (3 marks)
Criterion F - Structure (2 marks)
Criterion G - Presentation (2 marks)
These are explained, along with top tips, in the section below
Note: When marking the business research project, teachers should refer to the level descriptors for each assessment criterion based on a "best fit" model, i.e., the mark band that most appropriately describes the achievement level for each of the seven assessment criteria. This means that it is not it is not necessary for every single aspect of a level descriptor to be met for that particular mark to be awarded.
Finally, note that the IB recommends that the assessment criteria (pages 56 - 58 of the guide) should be made available to students.
CRITERION A - INTEGRATION OF A KEY CONCEPT
Criterion A - Integration of a key concept
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student effectively integrates the application of the chosen key concept and the research question, i.e., how well the student makes connections between the issue or problem of the chosen business organization and the key concept throughout the IA.
Remember to award the level descriptor that most appropriately describes the level of the work being assessed.
Marks
Either the work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below or the key concept identified is neither change, creativity, ethics, nor sustainability. 0
The student demonstrates knowledge of the key concept. 1
The student describes the connection between the key concept and the organization under study. 2
The student analyses the connection between the key concept and the organization under study. 3
The student partially integrates the analysis of the connection between the key concept and the organization under study in the internal assessment. 4
The student effectively integrates the analysis of the connection between the key concept and the organization under study throughout the internal assessment. 5
Top tips for assessment criterion A
Students must integrate only one of the four key concepts (change, creativity, ethics or sustainability) in their business research project. The chosen concept is used as a lens through which to analyse the work. Using more than one key concept should not be encouraged.
If none of the prescribed key concepts are used or a non-prescribed key concept (such as power, perspectives, innovation, globalization, culture, or strategy), students will be awarded zero for this assessment criterion.
The key concept can, but does not have to be, stated in the research question. However, in all cases, the key concept must be clearly shown on the title page (cover) page.
There are 5 marks (out of a total of 25) available for the identification and appropriate integration of a relevant key concept. Hence, it is important for students to make explicit reference to the use of the chosen conceptual lens throughout their work. This includes specific and purposeful inclusion of the key concept in the introduction, body, and conclusion of the business research project.
Each time you use the chosen key concept, you can put this in bold text to highlight to your teacher and the external moderator that you are using the conceptual lens throughout your business research project. However, make sure you apply the conceptual lens appropriately and link this to relevant content and the context of the RQ.
Do a check using your computer software to ensure that none of the other three key concepts (plus any non-prescribed key concepts such as globalization, culture, innovation, and strategy) appear in your written work. For example, if creativity is the chosen key concept, make sure the words "change", "ethics", and "sustainability" do not appear in the business research project. Use alternative words for these if need be.
CRITERION B - SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student selects 3 to 5 supporting documents that are directly relevant in addressing the research question in appropriate depth and breadth.
Again, as with all assessment criteria, remember to award the level descriptor that most appropriately describes the level of the work being assessed.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
There are only one or two, or more than five, supporting documents or they are of marginal relevance. 1
There are three to five supporting documents that are generally relevant but some lack depth. 2
There are three to five supporting documents that are relevant and sufficiently in-depth. 3
There are three to five supporting documents that are relevant, sufficiently in-depth and provide a range of ideas and views. 4
Top tips for assessment criterion B
The the supporting documents must present a range of ideas and views. Therefore, avoid using a single source for the 3 - 5 supporting documents. For example, using only supporting documents published by the chosen organization would not provide balance or objectivity in order to address the research question in a critical and reflective way.
The 3 - 5 supporting documents must be contemporary in nature and published within a maximum of 3 years prior to the submission of the work to the IB (20th April for May centres and 20th October for November centres). Therefore, it is vital that teachers check the validity of SDs prior to students embarking on the writing process.
The IB recommends that no single supporting document should exceed the equivalent of five A4 pages. This is because the inclusion of overly lengthy supporting documents (such as company annual reports of market analyses reports) must be avoided.
You can use a transcript of an appropriate audio or video source as one of your 3 - 5 supporting documents. If used, this must be from a reliable source and proper citation and referencing are required.
The relevant parts of each supporting document (used within the business research project and relate directly to the research question) should be appropriately highlighted.
The supporting documents must form most, if not all, of the information obtained for the written commentary.
Evidence of the supporting documents must be included in the appendices (which are uploaded separately from the 1,800-word commentary of the business research project. It is important to label each of the 3 - 5 supporting document clearly, e.g., “Supporting Document 1”, “Supporting Document 2”, etc.
The sources for the 3 - 5 supporting documents must be included in the Bibliography (works cited page). This is required for academic integrity purposes.
The supporting documents must also be appropriately cited and referenced throughout the written commentary. Whichever referencing system is used, it must enable the reader to locate the original sources easily.
Additional sources used for theory and tools, such as IB textbooks or class notes, are not considered as part of the 3 - 5 supporting documents, but these must still be appropriately cited and referenced.
Include the 3 - 5 supporting documents in the appendices (no more than approximately 25 pages in length). These should be combined into a single PDF document and uploaded to IBIS or ManageBac as a separate document for assessment purposes.
Using more than 5 supporting documents automatically means that the maximum mark awarded for this assessment criterion is 1.
Note: The 3 - 5 supporting documents must be included combined as a separate file in order to be uploaded to IBIS or ManageBac for assessment purposes. If you are not sure how to do this, check with your school's IB Diploma Programme Coordinator. Web page URLs are not acceptable as a replacement of attaching the supporting documents for submission of the IA.
It is also important to note that any inappropriate supporting documents (such as those that do not comply with the 3-year rule) not only impacts assessment criterion B but can also be detrimental to assessment criterion D (analysis and evaluation) and assessment criterion E (conclusions).
Top tips for showing evidence of primary research
If primary research is used in the IA, insist on students providing evidence of the primary research they have stated in their Introduction or Methodology of the business research project. Some suggestions include:
Evidence to show surveys (questionnaires) have actually been conducted, e.g., copies of surveys that have been physically completed by participants or screenshots of results from online survey providers such as Survey Monkey or Google Forms.
Email communications with the interviewee(s) from the chosen business organization.
A letter of acknowledgement from the business organization.
The business cards / contact details of the interviewees at the business organization
Appropriate photographic evidence.
Signed copies of interview transcripts.
CRITERION C - SELECTION AND APPLICATION OF TOOLS AND THEORIES
Criterion C - Selection and application of tools and theories
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student effectively selects and applies business management tools and theories that are relevant to the research question.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
There is a limited selection and application of business management tools and theories or these business management tools and theories are not relevant to the research question. 1
There are some business management tools and theories selected and applied to the research question. Their relevance to the research question is superficial. 2
The business management tools and theories are adequately selected and applied to the research question. Their relevance to the research question is not always clear. 3
The business management tools and theories are effectively selected and applied with clear relevance to the research question. 4
Top tips for assessment criterion C
Consider the use of the tools in the Business Management Toolkit as a starting point - which of the 8 SL tools and 15 tools for HL can be used in a meaningful way to address your research question?
Students can use tools and theories beyond the BMT, such as investment appraisal or motivation, so long as these are directly relevant to the research question.
Students should be discouraged from using tools and theories beyond the DP Business Management guide - you can reach the top mark bands without going beyond the syllabus. Whilst SL students are not prohibited from using HL tools and theories, if and only if these are directly relevant to the research question, such an approach is neither necessary nor encouraged by the IB.
Top tips - Which tools to avoid?
Students often ask which tools or theories are most suitable to the internal assessment. The right tool for the right job will clearly depend on the specific research question. For example, a research question that focuses on a financial decision could be benefit from the use of descriptive statistics (in the Business Management Toolkit) and/or investment appraisal (Unit 3.8 in the syllabus).
The BMT consists of the following (HL only tools are shown on the right hand side).
Standard Level (SL) tools
Ansoff's matrix
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix
Business plans
(The OECD) Circular business models
Decision trees
Descriptive statistics
STEEPLE analysis
SWOT analysis
Higher Level (HL) tools
Contribution
Critical path analysis
Force field analysis
Gantt charts
Hofstede's (six) cultural dimensions
Porter's generic strategies
Simple linear regression
It is recommended that certain tools should not be used in the IA or at least used with extreme caution. These tools are highlighted in red above.
CRITERION D - ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student effectively selects and uses data from the supporting documents in their analysis and evaluation of the research question.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
There is limited selection and use of data from the supporting documents with no analysis and evaluation of the research question. 1
The selection and use of data from the supporting documents is superficial, leading to limited analysis and evaluation of the research question. 2
The selection and use of data from the supporting documents is adequate with some analysis and evaluation of the research question. 3
The selection and use of data from the supporting documents is sufficient, leading to a mostly effective analysis and evaluation of the research question with some integration of ideas. 4
The selection and use of data from the supporting documents is effective, leading to a thorough analysis and evaluation of the research question. There is a sustained integration of ideas with consideration of the assumptions underpinning the arguments and implications. 5
Top tips for assessment criterion D
The purpose of the analysis and evaluation section of the IA is to apply supporting documents collected and then to provide a balanced (two-sided) argument. This will then help students to reach reasoned/justified conclusions for assessment criterion E.
There are numerous ways to show evidence of your application of the supporting documents. Some commonly used (and effective) ways are:
Citing and referencing of the supporting documents - the supporting documents should be merged as a single PDF document and placed in the appendices (as a separate upload of the business research project).
Highlighting the key parts of the supporting documents used in the analysis - this helps to show appropriate selection and application of the most relevant parts of the source documents. Again, the 3 - 5 supporting documents must be included in the appendices for the teacher and moderator to check.
Making clear reference to the contrasting evidence in your 3 - 5 supporting documents, i.e., the evidence should provide breadth, depth, and varied perspectives in relation to the research question. This will help to develop the integration of ideas in order to analyse and evaluate the research question.
Note: statements made by the student that are not cited or referenced in the business research project can inadvertently turn potentially good analysis and evaluation into opinions or assertions. Knowledge claims must be backed by evidence from the supporting documents and cited or referenced accordingly.
Top tips for the integration of ideas
To get to the top band in Criterion D, students must demonstrate a sustained integration of ideas (based on the key concept, supporting documents, and relevant tools and theories). One approach to this is to ensure students use fit-for-purpose paragraphs by using the PEEL framework. This requires each and every paragraph in the body of the business research project to contain the following elements:
Point - What is the focus of the paragraph? This should be about one single point only.
Explanation - Explain the point using relevant tools/theories, making relevant connections to the key concept where appropriate.
Examples - Apply examples/evidence from the supporting document(s).
Link - How does the paragraph link directly to the research question? How does it link to the chosen key concept?
To improve the evaluation of these ideas, candidates must show consideration of the assumptions behind the arguments and their implications (see Top tips for evaluation below).
Top tips for analysis
A useful way to demonstrate the skills of analysis is to use the DEAD framework, i.e., the analysis of a particular issue or problem needs to include:
Definitions - or appropriate use of Business Management terminology in addressing the chosen issue or problem facing the real-world organization in the business research project.
Explanations - appropriate tools and theories need to be explained in the context of the research question. Do not allow the moderator to question any of your written work. All paragraphs must be fit-for-purpose in order to prevent the moderator being able to question "why?"
Advantages of the points discussed, i.e., provide arguments in favour of a particular choice / outcome/ decision.
Disadvantages of the points discussed, i.e., provide arguments against a particular choice / outcome / decision.
An alternative framework you can use to demonstrate analysis is to use the DATE framework, by showing the following:
Definitions and use of key terminology that are relevant to the research question.
Application - each and every paragraph must be written in the context of the chosen organization and the issue or problem identified in the research question.
Theory - use terminology, tools, techniques, and theories relevant to the focus of the research question.
Evidence - explanations and applications are improved by the use of evidence from the 3 - 5 supporting documents. In turn, this helps to improve the analysis in the written commentary.
Top tip for evaluation - The SLAP framework
Students often struggle with demonstrating evaluation skills. One way that works well for many students is to use the SLAP framework - the evaluation can include a critical view of any of the following aspects:
Stakeholder perspectives - not all stakeholder groups are equal, nor are they equally affected by business decisions and strategic choices.
Long-term versus short-term consequences - as is often the case in business, there may need to be some short term pains (sacrifices) for long term gains.
Assumptions - what do we not know? Given that the student has used (only) three to five data sources, there will be limitations of the findings and/or sources, including potential biases. Comment on the reliability of each of the supporting documents. What other information may have been useful to answer the research question?
Priorities - this requires the student to prioritize the arguments presented in the written commentary. For example, if the student has presented more advantages or strengths than drawbacks or weaknesses, which of these has the greatest weighting, and why?
An alternative way to present this is the PALS framework (switching Priorities with Stakeholder perspectives).
Top tips for citation and referencing (C&R)
The IB does not specify or prescribe a referencing system to be used for assessment purposes - so students (or IB World Schools) can use their own preferred style (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard and so forth). Some students use footnotes for their citations and referencing (C&R), whilst others use in-text C&R.
Whichever method is used, students need to be consistent in their approach. The moderator needs to be able to locate the sources (supporting documents). It therefore helps if students label each of their supporting documents clearly, such as “Supporting Document 1”, “Supporting Document 2” and so on.
Note: Each IB World School must have its own formal assessment policy, which is aligned with the IB's standards and practices. The rules about citation and referencing should be included as part of the school's assessment policy. Therefore, speak with your IB Diploma Programme Coordinator if you need further clarification about citation and referencing for the business research project.
CRITERION E - CONCLUSION
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student’s conclusion is consistent with the evidence presented and explicitly answers the research question.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
Conclusions are inconsistent with the evidence presented, or conclusions are superficial. 1
Some conclusions are consistent with the evidence presented. 2
Conclusions are consistent with the evidence presented and explicitly answer the research question. 3
Top tips for assessment criterion E
As with all good conclusions (be they for the IA, the EE, or an extended response question in the external examinations), conclusions should:
be succinct and clear
synthesize the key findings in the main body of the main body of the work, and
specifically answer the research question in its entirety.
For the business research project, ensure that you:
Synthesize your findings - this is more than just a summary of what has already been presented, but a considered consolidation of the main arguments presented in the written commentary.
Make reference to the evidence from the primary and/or secondary research conducted. Ensure that your conclusion is consistent with this evidence and the analysis presented in the written commentary. Hence, there is no need for any citation or referencing of evidence in the conclusion.
Refer back to the conceptual lens and how this relates to / addresses the research question.
Answer the commentary question in its entirety - this means that the reader (your teacher or the external moderator) can work out the research question on the front/cover page just by reading your conclusion.
The IB often states in the Subject Reports that "Conclusions are not the place to introduce new ideas nor to analyze and evaluate these new ideas." This is because adding in new content in the conclusion does not substantiate the findings, analysis, and discussions in the main part of the business research project.
Essentially, if students introduce new ideas in the conclusion that have not been included in the main body of the written commentary, they cannot be awarded full marks (3 marks) for the conclusion.
Also, note that unsupported statements will negatively impact the conclusion, which is required to be substantiated (fully justified) to obtain full marks for this assessment criterion.
Writing good conclusions
A good conclusion will address the following:
Draw relevant conclusions based on the analysis of the evidence in the 3 - 5 supporting documents.
Answer the research question in its entirety.
In addition, the reader should be able to work out the research question from your conclusion, without having to refer to the actual RQ on the cover page.
Conclusion Example 1
"The results from the analysis and the tools and theories used above suggest that the Coca-Cola Company can adapt to changes in consumer tastes for healthier drinks to a large extent in order to reverse its decline in profits. Referring to the analysis, acquiring other companies is a practical way forward for the company. This is because it helps spread risks by diversifying the company’s product range in order to meet changing consumer preferences. The Coca-Cola Company is already in this process, with its recent acquisitions in the non-soda drinks market, including Topo Chico sparkling mineral water, Honest Tea, and Unilever’s AdeS soy-based beverages."
What was the RQ to this conclusion?
To what extent can the Coca-Cola Company successfully adapt to changes in consumer tastes for healthier drinks in order to reverse its decline in profits?
Notice that the key concept has been included in this particular research question and that it has been referred to twice in the concluding paragraph.
Conclusion Example 2
"The financial analyses, and in particular the GPM and ROCE calculations, seem promising for CVS to return to profitability following its merger with Aetna Inc., thereby maintain the company's economic sustainability. However, the legal aspects of the merger may cause CVS to face issues with antitrust laws due to the potential monopolisation of the industry. In the short term, the increased control of the healthcare industry, increased clientele from Aetna Inc., and increased profit margins suggest that CVS will indeed return to profitability following its integration with Aetna Inc. Furthermore, in the long term, CVS is likely to be better positioned to compete against existing healthcare providers in the USA. Therefore, the merger is likely to sustain CVS's profitability in the industry for the foreseeable future."
What was the RQ to this conclusion?
How likely will CVS Health Corp. be able to return to profitability following its merger with Aetna Inc.?
Again, notice how the key concept (sustainability) has been purposefully included in the concluding paragraph.
CRITERION F - STRUCTURE
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student’s research project is organized using an appropriate structure. This means your ideas and arguments (backed by evidence in the 3 - 5 supporting documents and appropriate application of tools and theories) are arranged in a way that flows well and is easy to follow.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
Limited structure. 1
Appropriate structure. 2
* It is rare for moderators to award zero marks for presentation. This only tends to happen when the structure of the business research project is incomprehensible.
Top tips for assessment criterion F - recommended structure
Whilst there is no prescribed format for the IA, students should follow the IB's recommended structure shown below:
Title page (Cover page) - see criterion G for how to present this.
Introduction (including background information about the chosen organization, the (real-world) issue or problem being investigated, the methodology used, and the key concept).
Analysis and evaluation of the findings (based on evidence from the 3 - 5 supporting documents)*
Conclusion(s) - The exact research question must be explicitly answered.
A complete bibliography (of all works cited).
Appendices (the 3 - 5 supporting documents, as these must be uploaded on IBIS or ManageBac). Make sure the order of the SDs matches that presented in your bibliography.
* The analysis and evaluation must specifically address the research question in order to be awarded full marks for criterion F. The same applies to any tools or theories that are used - these must be relevant and used to develop your arguments in the context of the chosen organization, key concept, and research question.
A common mistake is for students to use the prescribed format of the IA from the previous syllabus. Do not include superflous elements in your business research project, such as an executive summary, abstract, or research proposals. Stick to the IB's recommended structure for the new IA.
Other top tips for criterion F (structure) include:
Use relevant section or paragraph headings, such as "Advantages of ..." followed from "Disadvanatges of ..." or "Reasons for Option 1" followed by "Reasons for Option 2".
Comment on each of the 3 - 5 supporting documents, one after the other.
It is also common practice, although not a requirement from the IB, for students to present a section on their main "Findings" (from the 3 - 5 supporting documents) followed by "Analysis" or "Analysis and Evaluation".
Top tip - The PEELS framework
Good structure requires students to use fit-for-purpose paragraphs. One useful framework to help students write their work in a well-structured way is to use the PEELS framework.
Point - what is the focus of the paragraph?
Explain this point using appropriate Business Management tools, theories, techniques, or terminology.
Examples can help to clarify the point being made, and help to consolidate the explanation being provided.
Link this to the research question - what is the purpose of this paragraph?
Structure - how does this particular paragraph fit into the overall structure of the business research project? Is it placed in the correct section and does it make the written commentary easy to follow, in a logical way?
Using the PEELS framework helps to ensure that paragraphs are fit for purpose in order to prevent the moderator being able to question "why?", i.e., you have provided sufficient detail and reasoning in your work. It also helps to ensure your ideas and arguments flow in a clear and coherent manner.
CRITERION G - PRESENTATION
This assessment criterion judges the extent to which the student’s business research project is effectively formatted and presented with the use of required elements including: (i) a title page, (ii) an accurate table of contents, (iii) appropriate headings and sub-headings, and (iv) numbered pages.
Marks
The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. 0
One or more of the required elements of a well-presented research project is missing. 1
All of the required elements of a well-presented research project are included. 2
Top tips for assessment criterion G - The cover page
The title or cover page of the business research project should include the following information:
Subject, i.e., IB DP Business Management (it is common practice but not a formal requirement to indicate SL or HL)
Research question - this must be phrased as a probing question
Key concept
Session, e.g., November 2024 or May 2025
Word count declaration
Personal code*
Declaration of authenticity*
*Please check with your IB Diploma Programme Coordinator about internal protocols for including the personal code (this is not the same as the candidate number) on internal assessments as well as a formal declaration of authenticity (which is required by the IB for each piece of work submitted for IB assessment). Do not include the candidate name, candidate number, or name of the centre (school).
For an example of the declaration of authenticity used in the business research project, click the icon below.
Also, make sure that you include a full and accurate contents page (placed after the front cover sheet) with accurate page numbers.
Top tips for assessment criterion G - Presenting the research project
Use the following methods to present your business research project, as suggested by the IB:
Use appropriate headings and sub-headings (but remember these are part of the word count).
Use consistent citation/referencing throughout the written commentary.*
Use Times New Roman or Arial font.
Use font size 11 or 12, i.e., not too small and not too large.
Number all pages accurately.
*Note: whilst citation and referencing are not explicitly assessed in the IA, please be aware of the following. There is further guidance for teachers in the IB Academic Integrity Policy. An excerpt is below:
"Incidents related to coursework
When a school identifies issues with a final piece of work before submission or upload to the IB and before the IB submission deadline, the situation must be resolved as per the school’s academic integrity policy, provided it specifies if resubmissions are permitted. However, the school should not submit to the IB a piece of work that does not meet the expectations in regard to academic integrity or award a mark of zero." (page 24)
Please be aware that IA moderators are instructed to raise an exception if citations and references are missing from the business management project. The IA is then reviewed by the Academic Integrity team in Cardiff.
This is another reason for why I encourage teachers to use a declaration of authenticity, but this does not mean students necessarily include basic citation and referencing in their work.
In the past, incorrectly presented bibliographies and/or inadequate citation have sometimes resulted in the loss of 1 mark under the presentation criterion (May 2020 Subject Report, page 13).
Ultimately, any IAs submitted to moderators without citations/references will be investigated by the IB as a potential breach of regulations that may result in a penalty imposed by the IB final award committee.
Finally, note that spelling, punctuation, and grammatical (SPG) errors are not penalised by the IB, nor do they directy affect your criterion G (presentation) marks. However, given the 20 hours allocated to the IA, and as part of being a principled and knowledgeable IB student, you should take every effort to ensure SPG errors do not exist in your final version of the IA. After all, any incomprehensible content in the IA can be self-penalising.
STUDENT CHECKLIST
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