This document provides guidance on completing the HL Business & Management Internal Assessment (IA). The IA is worth 25% of the final grade and consists of a research proposal and business report. The research proposal outlines the research question, methodology, and timeline. The business report analyzes a real business problem, using both primary and secondary data from multiple sources. It concludes with a recommendation to solve the problem. The document reviews the assessment criteria and provides examples to help students structure and complete a high-quality IA.

1. The HL Business &
Management IA

2. How important is this IA?
• The Extended Essay is worth:
1.5 points
• The Business IA is worth:
2.5 points

3. Your Task:
• You have to write a report on a
current problem facing a real
business.
• Your report must include a
recommendation to solve the
problem.

4. There are two parts to the IA:
Research
Proposal
4 / 25
Business
report
21 / 25
Research
Project
25 / 25
4% of the
final mark
21% of
the final
mark
+ =
25 % of
the final
mark
+ =
Or think of it like this:

5. What do they mean?
• The Research Proposal - is a document
that states what and why you are writing
your report.
• There is a maximum limit of 500 words.
• The Report itself – states how you are
proposing to solve the problem identified.
• There is a maximum limit of 2,000 words.

6. How will you do this?
• Stage 1 – Produce the Research Proposal
May – June
• Stage 2 – Collect the data and produce a
1st
draft
June – August
• Stage 3 – Write up final draft of the Report
September - October

7. An Example question
Should company ‘x’
improve its marketing
strategy in order to
make more profits?

8. An Example question
Should company ‘x’
improve its marketing
strategy?

9. An Example question
Should company ‘x’
improve its pricing
strategy?

10. An Example question
Should company ‘x’
introduce a ‘destroyer’
pricing strategy to
product ‘y’?

11. Stage 1 -
The Research Proposal:

12. The Format:
• Research Question -
what are you going to do?
• Theoretical Framework -
why are you going to do it?
• Methodology -
how are you going to do it?
• Anticipated difficulties
what can go wrong & how will you sort it out?
• Action Plan -
when will you do it?

13. Stage 2 -
Producing The Data
• Collecting the data
• Collating the data
• Writing the first Draft

14. The data
• You must collect both primary and
secondary data.
• There are two factors that are
important when deciding what type of
data to collect:
1. How is it to be used?
2. How reliable is the data?

15. Collecting data
Examples of single source & unreliable
data are when the source for your
information is only:
• a survey
• an interview
• a textbook
• a website (the company)
• one person (the manager)
• only the business itself

16. An example – A Product
Positioning Map

17. High Price
Low
Quality
High
Quality
Low Price
Apple
Oregon
Creative
iriver

18. Source:
• “I did a survey of 20 ’randomly’ selected
students from my school – as they are the
ones who use MP3 players the most.”

19. High Price
Low
Quality
High
Quality
Low Price
Apple Nano
MPman
Oregon
Rio
Sharp
Creative (Muvo)
Beosound
Archos
iriver
Ministry of
Sound
Apple Shuffle
Apple Photo

20. Source:
•“What Hi Fi? Sound & Vision Awards 2005”
Survey criterion – System: MP3, AAC or
WMA; Radio, Microphone, Storage capacity,
USB, FireWire, Battery life, Dimensions &
Weight

21. The Techniques to use
We recommend two general points
1. Use 3 or 4 techniques.
2. Use at least 1 qualitative and 1
quantitative technique.

22. Some techniques used well
Decision Making
Model
Ratio Analysis Forecasting Decision
Trees
Statistics Networking TQM SWOT
Analysis
Marketing Models Budgeting FFA PEST
Analysis
Investment
Appraisal
Motivational
Theory
Ishikawa
Fishbone
BCG Matrix
CPA GANTT Charts Surveying & Sampling
Techniques
Benchmarking Ansoff Matrix Channels of Distribution
Leadership
Theory
Communication
Theory
Organisational Charts

23. Stage 3 -
The final write-up
There are four elements in this stage:
1. Reworking the first draft
2. Writing the analysis & evaluation
3. Writing a conclusion & recommendation
4. Producing the completed project

24. Writing the analysis & evaluation
You need to consider:
• Link the analysis to your research data
• Be succinct and ordered
• Integrate your data, analysis and evaluation
• Avoid relying too heavily on a single source
(the business)
• Use independent sources
• Avoid unsupported generalisations
• Be critical – don’t take everything for granted

25. Assessment criterion ‘A’:
The Research Proposal:
• Has to be in the format required
• Has to have an ‘adequate’ action plan
• Has to include anticipated difficulties
• Has to be in the word limit
• Has to be a ‘working document’

26. Assessment criterion ‘B’:
The Report:
• Has to include primary & secondary
research
• Has to include qualitative & quantitative
data
• Has to be multi sourced
• Has to only include appropriate data
• Has to be used effectively

27. Assessment criterion ‘C’:
The Report:
• Has to be ‘probing’ – not descriptive
• Has to be objective
• Has to be realistic
• Has to be ‘critically reflective’
• Has to be informative

28. Assessment criterion ‘D’:
The Report:
• Has to have a succinct set of
conclusions
• Has to have a yes/no recommendation
• Has to include unanswered questions
• Has to suggest ways of resolving these
• Has to have no obvious omissions

29. Assessment criterion ‘E’:
The report:
• Has to have an ‘Executive Summary’
• Has to have accurate & consistent
referencing
• Has to include relevant appendices
• Has to be in the word limit