The SL Business & Management IA

To write a commentary based on 3-5 documents covering a common theme, 1,500 words. Your Task:

Meaning You have to write a commentary on a real issue or problem, not a fictional one, with a title presented as a question. The commentary must refer directly to a single business organisation, but may consider industry-wide issues that impact on that organisation.

There are two parts to the IA: Commentary 25 / 25 = 25 % of the final mark = Every mark you get 1% of your final mark Or:

An Example question How can British Airways resolve the industrial dispute with its cabin crew?

An Example question What impact will the recall of Toyota cars have on the brand?

An Example question How will the introduction of pay per view for Times online be profitable?

An Example question Will the merger of Continental and United Airlines be a success?

Example question Is in increase in the wages an effective way to increase productivity at Happy Valley Inc? Is including a product line for male customers a profitable decision for Dan & Glover?

Example Questions Can the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s current social marketing strategies address the issue of recent declines in revenue? Is Ford motor’s decision to increase productive capacity by building a new plant a sound financial decision?

Example Questions How effective is the zero pricing strategy for “The Standard” (newspaper)?

The Format: 1.Title (in the form of a question) 2.Introduction (including a description of methodology) 3.Findings (based on the supporting documents) 4.Analysis of the findings 5.Conclusion(s) 6.Bibliography and references 7.Appendices: supporting documents

Stage 1 - The Supporting Documents:

Supporting Documents Some secondary sources: market research surveys articles from local, national or international press financial reports business accounts business plans mission statements web based surveys extracts from co’ websites gov’t and other statistics academic publications Some primary data: questionnaires interviews discussions with focus groups observations surveys

Supporting Documents To achieve the highest levels of each assessment criterion, it is strongly recommended that the supporting documents will present a range of ideas and views. The selection of three to five documents, for instance, published by a single company or three to five surveys of similar populations would not provide balance or objectivity.

Tools & Techniques Decision Making Model Ratio Analysis & Final Accounts ForecastingSWOT Analysis Product Life Cycle Motivational Theory TQMCSR Marketing MixStakeholder Conflicts Economies of scale PEST Analysis Investment Appraisal Motivational Theory Break Even Analysis BCG Matrix BenchmarkingAnsoff MatrixChannels of Distribution Leadership Theory Communication Theory Organisational Charts

Additional….Tools and Techniques Position (perception) mapping Product Portfolio analysis Marketing Strategies Outsourcing

Stage 2 - Using the tools & techniques Confirming the tools & techniques Applying the tools & techniques Writing the first Draft

The data Sources You must collect secondary data. You may want to collect primary – but you don’t have to. There are two factors that are important when deciding what type data to collect: 1.How is it to be used? 2.How reliable is the data source?

An example – A Product Positioning Map If your commentary is a marketing one then you may well decide to introduce a product position map.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing the analysis & evaluation You need to consider: How to link the analysis to more than one of your supporting documents Be succinct and ordered Integrate your data, analysis and evaluation Avoid relying too heavily on one document Avoid unsupported generalisations Be critical – don’t take everything for granted

Evaluating the strategic options and decisions of a business Long term – strategic decision making is about a firm’s future direction and competitiveness Objectives – are the strategic decisions in line with the organization’s corporate objectives Stakeholders- who are the key stakeholders & which are most affected by the decision Functional area effects- HR, Finance, etc

External Environment – what are the constraining and driving forces that are beyond the firm’s control Resources – does the business have the financial & human resources to implement the plans (recommendations)? Pros & Cons of this change or approach Synergies – overall, does the decision or strategy add value (synergy) to the organization?

Assessment Criteria Total = 25 marks D = 3 marks E = 3 marks F = 3 marks A = 4 marks B = 6 marks C = 6 marks

Assessment criterion ‘A’: supporting documents There are three to five supporting documents. The documents cover a range of ideas and views. The supporting documents are contemporary in nature, written within the last two years. The relevant parts of the supporting documents are highlighted. The documents are relevant to the issue or problem being examined. Different types of documents are included.

Assessment criterion ‘B’: Choice and application of business tools, techniques and theory Business tools and techniques are included in the commentary. Business theory is included in the commentary. The tools, techniques and theory are relevant to the question posed. The commentary includes a range of tools, techniques and theories.

Assessment criterion ‘C’: Use, analysis and synthesis of data There is evidence that data is used, analysed and synthesized. Data from the supporting documents is used to help answer the question posed. The ideas are written in a clearly structured and logical manner.

Assessment criterion ‘D’: Conclusions The conclusion(s) are relevant and answer the question posed in the title. The conclusions are supported by the data from the supporting documents. The conclusions are a logical extension of the arguments.

Assessment criterion ‘E’: Evaluation and critical thinking Judgments are made. All judgments are substantiated. The nature of the supporting documents has been considered. The reasons why the problem or issue exists have been discussed.

Assessment criterion ‘F’: Presentation The written commentary is within the word limit. Sources are provided for all the supporting documents. Sources are provided for any quotations used in the written commentary. The referencing is consistent throughout. An appropriate bibliography is provided. Subject-specific terminology has been used throughout the commentary. The title question has been answered. The word count is provided on the commentary. The commentary is focused on the issue or problem identified. The commentary follows a logical structure from identifying the issue or problem through to he conclusion.