Business: Overview
Students can choose a topic they have encountered in their DP Business Management course or investigate issues beyond its scope. For example:
Business practices in a specific regional or national context.
The practical applications of the work of a particular business management theorist.
Whatever area is chosen, students must root their research firmly in accepted business management theories and use the subject's core principles as the basis for their work.
Students are strongly advised to choose a topic that enables them to apply business management theories and techniques in a real-world setting. This setting may be:
An organization, industry, or market.
In a particular region, country, or globally.
Sources of ideas may include:
An interest in issues raised in the classroom.
Aspects of a student’s own experience.
Current events.
Research questions that do not allow a systematic investigation using business management theories, concepts, and principles are unlikely to be suitable.
Backward-Looking (Past Events): Students can investigate past events, but must ensure their question enables them to analyse and evaluate rather than just describe what happened.
Forward-Looking (Future Events): A forward-looking question can allow students to search for conflicting sources to build a well-supported argument. However, the topic should not be so forward-looking that information is unavailable. Hypothetical questions based on future events are to be avoided.
Requirements for a Business EE
The Subject-Specific Guidance page for your chosen subject is THE KEY to ensuring your paper meets the requirements. Print, highlight, and annotate this page and pin it above your desk!
The Command Terms are the key terms and phrases used in examination questions. Use these in your essay to indicate a strong background in your subject
The Subject Reports give an overview of what EXAMINERS have said about makes a successful paper in the subject. It's smart to read these over to know what the examiners are looking for (from the OLD GUIDE, use for ideas, only)
InThinking, a resource you use in class, has excellent resources to help you plan, research, and write a Business Management EE.
Research Questions for Business
Review the questions below
Topic 1:
How McDonald’s trains its managers in the USA: The Hamburger University in Chicago
Research question: To what extent is McDonald’s Hamburger University an optimal form of training?
Outline of Approach: The in-house training courses offered by McDonald’s are described and evaluated, using secondary sources, supported by the findings from primary research. Primary research: interviews with trainers who work at Hamburger University and surveys of graduates from that school.
Topic 2:
McDonald’s charitable work: Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)
Research question: Who benefits more from the relationship: RMHC or McDonald’s?
Outline of approach: Many academic articles have recently been published about RMHC, both to praise the charity but also to criticize the fact that donations could be more substantial. Using secondary data only, this extended essay discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the relationship between McDonald’s and RMHC.
Sample Questions from the Old Guide, scoring A or B
(use for ideas only)
How far could one argue that Starbucks' marketing strategies have significant roles on its success in expanding into China?
How successful is Burberry's approach to establish brand recognition through a digital platform?
To what extent can VINFAST compete in the Vietnamese automobile market?
To what extent was the acquisition of Pixar by The Walt Disney company attributed to Disney's growth?
To what extent has Apple’s brand equity led to its market leadership over Samsung in the premium smartphone market?
Research Questions from other international schools (pre-2027)
(use for ideas only)
Past Papers: Why Read Them?
Business Management Papers
from the OLD GUIDE, to be used for ideas only
Assessment of an I&S Essay
Review the general assessment criteria in the Assessment Tab first.
Then review these descriptors, specific to I&S courses, to see what to focus on.
Five Criterion - Full marks = 30 points
A: Framework for the Essay
Make sure your focused research question and research methods clearly align with the individuals and societies subject you are using. It may be a good idea to refer to the subject guide for that subject to confirm that you understand the nature of the subject and its methodology—you are investigating your topic through the lens of your chosen individuals and societies subject.
Structural conventions relating to individuals and societies subjects include: clearly labelling diagrams, maps (that have all the required elements, such as scale and a key/legend), images and graphs, acknowledging if these are the work of others, and actively referring to them in the body of your essay; appropriate use of headings to organize your essay where appropriate.
B: Knowledge and Understanding
Each individuals and societies subject will have its own terminology, technical words and other special words or phrases that are used in that subject. Using this terminology identifies you as someone who understands the nature of the subject, e.g. “supply and demand” in economics or “digital systems” in digital society.
Using important concepts in the subject in a meaningful and explanatory way in your writing demonstrates your knowledge and understanding. Application of key concepts in your writing is essential. For example, in a history extended essay you are likely to work the concepts “causation” and “consequence” into your essay. In social and cultural anthropology, you might apply a concept such as “marginalization” to show your understanding of a topic concerning the social exclusion of a group of people.
C: Analysis and Line of Argument
Regardless of the individuals and societies subject you are using, when you “own” the theories, concepts and methods of that subject, and can weave your research findings towards conclusions that answer your research question, you will have produced a strong line of argument that links your analysis to the research question and the conclusion.
D: Discussion and Evaluation
Consider what a balanced discussion looks like in an essay written in your subject. Review good examples of extended essays and other academic essays in that subject, and ensure that the supporting evidence you have used is appropriate. Evaluate by weighing up the strengths and limitations of your essay.
A balanced discussion considers different perspectives on your topic. For example, a social and cultural anthropology essay exploring elements of cultural control in the context of neocolonialism could include discussions stemming from analysing the perspectives of the different stakeholders involved.