IB Business & Management – Internal Assessment (HL)



This is the html version of the file automatically generates html versions of documents as we crawl the web.IB Business & Management Internal Assessment (HL only)2009?Select an organisation that experiences problems (e.g. from competitors, falling sales, recruitment, cash flow, membership levels).? Your title must be in the form of a question. Analyse the causes of the problems and their implications for the business. Prepare and evaluate a plan to address the situation.?IB Business & ManagementInternal Assessment (HL)Nature and purpose of the internal assessment?The internal assessment (IA) component forms an important part of the assessment of the Business and Management (B&M) course, it accounts for 25% of the final mark. ?It aims to enable you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in B&M without the time limitations and stress associated with written examinations. Research project – An overview?The IA enables you to demonstrate the application of your skills and knowledge to real organizational issues or decision-making. You must select a real organization, and the issue or decision under investigation must also be real. The expectation is that you should carry out primary research relating to the organization. The research question has to be forward looking rather than descriptive and should require the student to make recommendations for further action. It should, therefore, be designed to be of practical value to management.?You need to develop two pieces of work for the project:?a research proposal and action plan (500 words max.) a written report (2,000 words max.) ?The following points have all caused problems in the past:?Your decision has to involve a real company, most probably your parent’s, friend’s or neighbour’s but be aware you may have problems getting the data you need when you need it – make sure they are aware.? Don’t just rely on daddy as he can often be away at the critical time? many businesses do not give out accounts and other sensitive documents – be prepared for this. Failure to provide accounts & figures will undermine the value of the Report. Your decision has to be current – you cannot take a decision that has already been made by the company and write a report in retrospect. Your decision has to be answered by you – not mummy’s staff / company Your decision has to be answerable within 2,000 words – don’t choose a ‘big’ decision, keep it simple and straightforward Your decision must not be descriptive.? Avoid questions beginning with ‘how’ instead aim for ‘should’? Some possible questions to ask:?When sounding out a Business it is best that both you and they know what is involved in the project.? ?To help you, here are a number of questions that may need answering before starting your project.??Which decisions are you currently making that I could investigate? ?Why are you making this decision? ?When does the decision have to be made by? ?Who is responsible for this decision? ?What data could you provide me with? ?Which personnel do I need to talk to? ?When would be a convenient time to visit the organisation? ?Is there any information that you need to know? ???Examples of past questions?Possible decisions that have worked well in the past: (grades 6-7)??Should company “x” employ an expatriate or a local manager? ?Should company ”y” purchase another photocopy machine? ?Should Japanese “Ringisho”, techniques be introduced into company “a”? ?What source of finance should company “z” use for renovations - share capital or loan capital? ?Should company “y” buy or lease another company car? ??Decisions that have just worked in the past: (grades 4-5)??Should company ”x” improve it’s motivation techniques? ?Should company “Y” relocate to China? ?Should Company “z” change its marketing strategy? ??Decisions that have failed in the past: (grade 3)??How can company “x” change its marketing mix? ??Can company “y” increase awareness of its product? ??Will company “c” increase market share by reducing the price of its top branded product for a limited time period every year? ???????????????????Internal PresentationAfter you have chosen your company and your decision then you need to think in terms of how you may go about answering the question.? To help you we ask that you present your idea to your supervisor and the class and they can give you immediate feedback. You will complete a form in the following format – this is the format used by the Research Proposal so use it!?You will be asked to produce a minimum 6 slide PPT presentation.? Of course you can always add to the presentation by role plays, Podcasts, costumes etc.? The slides will follow the format of the Research proposal and will help you complete that document.? A typical presentation may look like:???The Research Proposal?This is the core element of this section – the IB wants you to produce this at the start of the coursework and to use it to plan your report.? It is expected that you will modify this as you go along, you can do this by using different coloured fonts and/or handwriting amendments on the final copy.?The Research Proposal must be in NO MORE THAN 500 WORDS:?FormatResearch question- ?state the research question??Theoretical framework- ?give the rationale behind the study- ?show areas of the syllabus to be coveredMethodology?- ?indicate methods to be used to collect and analyse?????? data, and the reason for choosing them??Anticipated Difficulties- ?specify possible difficulties and ways to solve them??Action plan- ?show the order of activities & timescale of the project.- ?name organisations and individuals to be approached- ?outline possible sources of information500 WORDS MAX!?To help you organize the Research Proposal it may be wise to follow these suggestions for structuring your Research proposal below: ?Research Question – Just state it ?Theoretical Framework – ?Syllabus Areas 1?Overall RationaleSyllabus Areas 2Syllabus Areas 3??Methodology – ?Collect data -????? Primary researchReasons Why?Secondary researchReasons Why?Analyse data -?Business technique 1Reasons Why?Business technique 2Reasons Why?Business technique 3Reasons Why??Anticipated difficulties – ?Anticipated DifficultyProposed solution???Action Plan – DateActionSource of informationModification?????Note:?Even though the Research Proposal is expected to be produced at the beginning of the project it will not be marked before the end of the piece as it must be modified in some shape or form.?NB:? Remember – text in boxes is also counted in the word limit too.!Written Report – overview?The Written Report must not exceed 2,000 words. The table below indicates the required format and which information is included in the word count.?It must be noted that it is unacceptable to use tables and boxes for text (for example, for analysis and evaluation), thereby trying to exclude it from the word count. It will be included in the word count (see the section on frequently asked questions later in this pack).?SectionIncluded in word countCommentsTitle pageNo?AcknowledgmentsNo?Contents pageNo?Executive Summary (abstract)NoAn explicit summary with a recommended length of between 100 and 200 words.? The IA title question must be answered in this section.IntroductionYesDo not write too much about the history of the organization(s).Research questionYes?Procedure or methodYesThis must relate directly to the Methodology in the Research Proposal.Main results and findingsYes?Analysis and discussionYes?Conclusions and recommendationsYesMake sure the recommendations stem from the ‘Results and Findings’ and the ‘Analysis and Discussion’ sections in the IA.Bibliography and referencesNoUse the College-recommended MLA referencing format.AppendicesNoOnly include supporting documentation.?Collecting the data:?You must collect both primary and secondary data. There are two factors that are important when deciding what type data to collect:How is it to be used? How reliable is the data? Use of the data.?Your data has to be useful, that is it must be linked to a particular business technique.? There is no point in collecting company accounts unless you will use them appropriately.? In fact you will lose marks if you include unnecessary or irrelevant data.The first thing then is refer back to your theoretical Framework and decide how to apply the data you will collect to your chosen theories.? Here are some of the possible business techniques used in the past:?Decision Making ModelRatio AnalysisForecastingDecision TreesStatisticsNetworkingTQMSWOT AnalysisMarketing ModelsBudgetingFFAPEST AnalysisInvestment AppraisalMotivational TheoryIshikawa FishboneBCG MatrixCPAGANTT ChartsSurveying & Sampling TechniquesBenchmarkingAnsoff MatrixChannels of DistributionLeadership TheoryCommunication TheoryOrganisational Charts?None of these is better than another it is all a matter of relevance.? However, given the maximum word limit of 2,000 words you cannot choose more than 5 at an absolute maximum. More is certainly not better – you lose marks for going over the word limit and for including extraneous material.? You should also aim for balance between quantitative and qualitative data.??Reliability of the data?One of the single biggest mistakes students make is to rely on only one source of data.? This makes the data – and your analysis invalid.? It is too biased to be useful – again you will lose marks here if you have single source data.?Examples of single source data are when the source for your information is:????????????? a survey an interview a textbook a website one person only the business itself ?Data Source????Invalid Conclusion??This data is unreliable because there may be intended or even unintentional bias.? It is only one point of view and may distort your conclusion.Data SourceData Source??????Valid Conclusion??Data that is reliable will lead to a valid conclusion.? The way to achieve this is to triangulate the data – that is back it up with at least one other source.? The more triangulated the data the more valid will be the conclusion.? Commonly primary data is backed up with secondary data.Collating the data?After you have collected the data then you have to begin the task of organising it in your project.? We expect students to have all of their data ready by the start of grade 12.? If you have no evidence of any data by that time then the chances are you never will have and so we will ask you to start again with a different business and another decision.Once you have all of the data then you need to consider two points:Arranging the data Referencing the data Arranging the data:You need to consider what forms of presentation you will want to use.? Some common types are set out below.?MapsTablesCalculationsAccountsPie chartsHistogramsBar ChartsOrganisational chartsExcerptsQuotationsArticlesInterview TranscriptsDiagramsVenn DiagramsFlow diagramsMind MapsOnce again no one form of presentation is better than another.? However, you must think in terms of standardisation – presentation is much more effective if there is a consistent style.? Secondly, you must source every piece of data you include.? This is critical; you will lose marks if you do not.? Sourcing can also be useful as it points to the reliability of your data.? At the very worst you could also be accused of plagiarism if you do not source all the data.?A final issue is were to put the data.? In many cases this will be in the appendix and you can then refer to the key points of that data by using bullet points in the main body of your findings.? You will not gain any extra marks by using IGCSE style pie charts and summary statements.? Keep your findings concise and relevant, only highlight the important facts.?Referencing the data?References must be included to show where statements, ideas and evidence come from. It is very important to cite all sources used. “If students do not reference their work, issues about the authenticity of the work may be raised.”??? (IBO, TSM, referencing, 2008)Sources should be referred to in the text, and a standard referencing format should be used for the bibliography and footnotes. Students should ensure that their method of referencing is consistent throughout, and that all the relevant information is provided. The referencing system must enable the reader to locate the original sources easily.How to reference sourcesThe following guidance is based on the Harvard author?date system. It is offered only as an example: the IBO permits any accepted convention for citing and acknowledging sources.Body textUse brackets or parentheses to set off a reference in the text. Give the author’s last name, if it is not part of the text, the page number(s) and the date of publication.(Johnson, p98, 2006)??? A full reference should appear in the bibliography at the end of the piece of work. FootnotesFootnotes provide related information that does not belong in the text. There should be as few of these as possible and they should be identified with a superscript number1and placed at the bottom of the same page.BibliographyThe bibliography, or list of references used, should appear at the end of the piece of work.List sources alphabetically by the last names of authors or editors. If there is no author or editor, list sources by titles and put them in order by date.Books: ?Author’s last name and first name, or initial if name is unknown. Date. Title (in italics). Place of publication. Publisher’s name.Hall, D, Jones, R, Raffo, C. 2001. Business Studies (2nd edition). Ormskirk United Kingdom. Causeway Press Ltd. ?Articles in journals: Author. Date. Title of the article (in quotation marks). Name of the journal (in italics). Volume number, first and last pages.???? Lindner, James R. June 1998. “Understanding employee motivation”. Journal of Extension. Volume 36 Number 3, pages 23–38. ?Information from the Internet: Author’s name if possible. Title (in italics). Date site was visited. URL (address for the home page). Heading as listed on the web page (if there is one).??? Webber, Sheila. The marketing mix, visited July 17 2006. marketing mix. ???????Writing the Analysis & Evaluation:?This is the most significant area in the whole project.? Just under 30% of your total marks (7% of your final exam!) come in here.? It pays to get this bit right, so to help you consider the following points: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 An example:?Imagine a student is writing a Report on whether a Hi Fi company should change its existing marketing strategy; they might produce the following SWOT Analysis as part of their data.?Strengths ?1.??? The company is making strong sales.2. The company has a well motivated?? workforce3.?? The company produces the best quality products4.??? They have very loyal customers?Weaknesses: ?1.?? There are many (but smaller) competitors2.?? The changes may cost moneyOpportunities: ?1.???? The company can expand2.??? The company can earn more profits3.???? The company can increase awareness.Threats: ?1.? The competitors can steal their ideas????Source:? Company x (interview with CEO)?Now they will need to analyse that data – they will face some immediate problems because the data is single sourced and weak.? Any analysis from this would score 2-3 out of the 7 marks from this section.?What could the student do?? They could link the data to another source – ?Product positioning map made from customer (not just this companies customers) responses.Independent market research – from What Hi Fi magazineCompany responses (not just managers – but workers & suppliers too)???SWOT?Analysis & Evaluation????Writing the Conclusion & Recommendation?This section should really be quite brief and it must continue on from the previous material.? Some points that you may want to bear in mind when writing your conclusion:????????????? There should be no new material introduced here The conclusions should be brief statements (even bullet points) The conclusions must be consistent with the evidence presented Don’t ignore evidence because you don’t agree with it. ?The recommendation should once again follow on from the conclusion and it should be brief and consistent.? It must include the following elements:????????????? A yes/no recommendation Unanswered questions should be stated Suggestions to resolve these unanswered questions are made ?4.?Producing The Completed Project?This final section involved tidying up and putting the whole project together.? There are three areas to consider:Organising the material Meeting IB requirements Making Hard / Soft copies ??????Organising the material?The project will be bound as one document but the Research proposal must be kept separate from the Business Report.? We suggest the following format:??Business Report?Title Page?Research Proposal?Title Page ?(copy)???????The Final Business report – format details???Format?Title page- This should give a clear indication of what is contained in the research project.? ?-? Example of a title page:?????To: ?Managing Director?Title:?Should company ‘x’ change the layout of the printroom??From:?(student name & IB number)?Date:?November 2008?CC:?Board of directors?Word count:?1,860 words?I confirm that this work is my own and that it is the final version. I have also acknowledged each use the words or ideas of another person whether written or oral.?Signed?: - This is a good example of a title because it: is a question is specific is manageable encourages the application of business terms looks forward and requires recommendations. Acknowledgments- This section should acknowledge any individual who has made the production of the report possible.?????Contents page- This should include the major headings in the report, beginning with the executive summary. Page numbers should be clearly indicated.??Executive? Summary (abstract)- The executive summary provides a review of the document as a whole, outlining conclusions drawn and recommendations made. Together with the title, the executive summary should provide a clear overview of the document. It is imperative, therefore, that it is explicit yet brief (between 100 and 200 words). It is recommended that the executive summary include three elements: the research question the scope of the research (including the methodology) the main findings, conclusions and recommendations. ??Introduction- The function of the introduction is to demonstrate background knowledge about the organization, to give a clear outline of the topics under investigation and to outline the rationale for the research.??Research question- This is a clear, unambiguous question that indicates the scope of the investigation and requires an answer. A well-devised question is more likely to result in a report that achieves high marks. The research question should be reviewed at the end of the process and amended if necessary.??Procedure or method- This should be a summary of the primary and secondary research undertaken and the business techniques applied. It should also include an assessment of the validity and reliability of the data collected (for example, partiality and scope) and the methods employed. The student should explain any changes made as the work progressed.???????Main results and findings- The purpose of the analysis of the results section is to clarify what the raw data has revealed. This should include a summary of all the data collected and of the findings, and should, where appropriate, be supported by tables, graphs and statistics.??Analysis and discussion- This involves interpreting the results and findings clearly and succinctly. Students should identify the main issues emerging from the research and explain their significance. The discussion should be sequenced and coherent. It should also be carefully referenced.??Conclusion and recommendation- The conclusions must follow from the analysis and discussion. This is not the place to introduce new facts or arguments. Conclusions are normally presented as a list of fairly brief statements.- Recommendations should be precise and there should be practical proposals for action that stem from the conclusions. If the results of the research are inconclusive, the student should recommend further research to be undertaken.??Bibliography and references- The project should contain a correctly presented bibliography, acknowledging all material referred to in the research. Quotations from textbooks and other sources of information should be acknowledged in the main body of the text or through the use of footnotes. Students should include the specific pages used from texts in the footnotes. Students should be discouraged from including inappropriate materials such as lengthy company management reports.??Appendices- These should include only relevant information that supports or emphasizes what is discussed in the report. They will include examples of photographs, documents, questionnaires, numerical raw data in tables and statistical calculations.??All students will need to submit an authenticity report via (you will get a user log-in and password nearer to the final draft deadline date).HL research project – Assessment CriteriaA?Research proposal and action planCriterion A should be used to assess the Research Proposal and Action Plan only.Achievement levelDescriptor0There is no research proposal or action plan.1There is a research proposal and action plan. However, elements of the research proposal or action plan are inappropriate.2The research proposal and action plan are generally appropriate, but they are not clear and focused.3The research proposal and action plan are appropriate, clear and focused. There is some identification of the theoretical framework and methodology to be employed.4The research proposal and action plan are appropriate, clear and focused. There is clear identification and explanation of the theoretical framework and methodology to be employed.B?Use of theoretical concepts, sources and data (written report)?Achievement levelDescriptor0There is no use of theoretical concepts, sources or data.1There is a very limited understanding of relevant theoretical concepts, and these concepts have been misused. The sources and data are irrelevant or insufficient.2There is a limited understanding of relevant theoretical concepts, but these have not been applied effectively. The sources and data are generally relevant, but insufficient.3There is an understanding of relevant theoretical concepts and evidence of some of them being applied effectively. The sources and data are relevant and sufficient.4There is an understanding of relevant theoretical concepts and evidence of them being applied effectively. The sources and data are relevant and sufficient. There is some evidence of the sources and data being used effectively and related to the theoretical framework.5There is an in-depth understanding of relevant theoretical concepts and consistent evidence of them being applied effectively. The sources and data are relevant and sufficient. There is consistent evidence of the sources and data being used effectively and integrated with the theoretical framework.C?Analysis and evaluation (written report)Achievement Descriptor0There is no discussion, analysis or evaluation.1Findings are very limited and the discussion is superficial. The report lacks order and coherence.2Findings are limited and the discussion tends to be superficial. There is an attempt to sequence ideas and references.3There is some analysis of the findings but the discussion may be unnecessarily descriptive. There is some integration of ideas and issues in a logical order.4The analysis of the findings is appropriate. There is some integration of ideas and issues in a coherent order.5The analysis of the findings is appropriate and there is an attempt at evaluation. There is sound integration of ideas and issues in a coherent order.6The analysis and evaluation of the findings are appropriate. There is sound integration of ideas and issues in a coherent order, and some evidence of critical thinking.7The analysis and evaluation of the findings are appropriate. There is sound integration of ideas and issues in a coherent order, and consistent evidence of critical, reflective thinking.D?Conclusions and recommendations (written report)Achievement Descriptor0There are no conclusions or recommendations.1There are conclusions or recommendations, but they are inconsistent with the evidence presented.2There are conclusions or recommendations. Some are consistent with the research question, but may not be supported by evidence presented in the main body of the report.3There are conclusions and recommendations. These are consistent with the evidence presented in the main body of the report and with the research question, but are not fully developed.4There are conclusions and recommendations. These are consistent with the evidence presented in the main body of the report and with the research question, and are well developed. 5There are conclusions and recommendations. These are consistent with the evidence presented in the main body of the report and with the research question, and are well developed. Future action to address limitations of the research is proposed.E?Value to management (written report)?Achievement levelDescriptor0The report is of no practical value to management.1The report exceeds 2,000 words, or is of limited practical value to management.2The report has some practical value to management. There are significant omissions in the presentation of the report. Bibliography and referencing are inappropriate.3The report is of practical value to management. There are minor omissions in the presentation of the report. Bibliography and referencing are appropriate.4The report is of practical value to management. The report is well presented, forward-looking and follows the required written report format. Bibliography and referencing are appropriate.Excerpt from the Business & Management Subject Reports – May 2008 Criterion A Research Proposal?The action plan should be a ‘working document’, prepared in advance of the research so that the teacher and student can manage the process effectively.? Dates should be included and it is not only acceptable, but also desirable, for the action plan to be amended throughout the process as required. This will provide evidence that the candidate is fully engaged.Criterion B Use of Sources, Data and Theoretical Concepts?Those, which used a balance of primary and secondary research, produced better quality research projects. There was often an over-reliance on the questionnaire as sole base for primary research; often with a limited sample size.?Candidates did not venture into studying the perspective of the customer, employee or supplier and relied too heavily on potentially biased internal sources, which were not always well acknowledged. There was too little assessment of the reliability and validity of the internal sources relied upon.?It is expected, that a range of business theory is introduced, explained and applied.?References should include page numbers and web sites the date when they were accessed.Criterion C Analysis and Evaluation?Information provided by the organisation or data collected from questionnaires value and data should be fully analysed. The better candidates included a range of business techniques, concepts and tools to produce their results and to provide the basis for supported recommendations and conclusions.Criterion D Conclusions and Recommendations?In this section students should be reflective, evaluate their research and identify issues that have not been fully addressed. As suggested earlier, an appreciation of the future financial implications of the recommendations would satisfy the requirement to suggest future action.? They should examine the cost and financial consequences of their recommendations. Those candidates who recognised the financial implications were able to suggest that these recommendations provided the basis for addressing unanswered questions and future action.Criterion E Value to Management?To be of value to management, the reports needed to help the organization develop its decision-making and address future problems and issues. The best reports were clear and well structured and provided solutions, which were specific, rather than generalized.?? IBO, 2006HL research project - FAQ?Can the same student reuse an extended essay title and topic for an internally assessed research project?No. However, the same company or organization can be studied for both the IA and the EE provided that two distinct areas or topics are explored in the EE and the IA, e.g. Marketing for the IA and HRM for the EE.?Is a penalty imposed when a student does not follow the requirement on the length of the research proposal?Yes. The maximum word limit for the research proposal is 500 words. If a student exceeds this word limit, the research proposal cannot be regarded as focused and therefore the student will not be awarded above 2 marks for Criterion A.?Is a penalty imposed when a student does not follow the requirement on the length of the written report?Yes. The maximum word limit for the report is 2,000 words. If a student exceeds this word limit, a maximum of 1 mark can be awarded for Criterion E. It is unacceptable to use tables and boxes for text (for example, for analysis and evaluation), thereby trying to exclude it from the word count. These will be included in the word count.?Is data and information in appendices assessed?No. Information in appendices will not be directly assessed. It is reference material only.? You should not include any superfluous materials in the appendices (see Criterion E).?Should the teacher write comments on the finished research project?This is not a requirement, but comments can be very helpful to the moderator in understanding how the marks have been allocated. However, these comments should not be written in red or green ink (the colours used by the moderator and the Chief Examiner respectively!)?Are students allowed to submit group work for internal assessment?No. The work submitted for final assessment must be entirely the work of individual students.?How much assistance and guidance should a teacher give the student?It is important that the project is the student’s own work, although some assistance and guidance is allowed, e.g. the choice of research question, the methodology and the theories to be used. When the first draft is submitted, this should not be heavily annotated or edited. Constant drafting and redrafting is not allowed and the second draft should be the final one.?Is every student required to sign a candidate declaration on the front cover?Yes. If the teacher adds a comment on the sheet that the work may not be authentic, the student will not get a grade. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure the work is authentic. Use !?Is it essential to have both a research proposal and action plan?Yes. If either element is missing, 0 marks must be awarded for criterion A.?What is “appropriate” analysis and evaluation?Analysis and evaluation should be relevant to the issues being investigated and the data presented. The student should use relevant business tools and concepts and these should be evidence of critical and reflective thinking.?What is meant by “future action to address limitations of the research”?Students should identify aspects of their research requiring development or areas that are worthy of additional research by the organization, i.e. identify any unanswered questions in their written report.????What is meant by “value to management”?This means that the report should add to the decision-making process of the chosen organization. The report is well structured, concise and well presented, allowing effective use by management (as identified on the front cover page of the submitted IA).Some Do’s and Don’ts?Do’s…?Use size 12 font Double space your work (or use at least 1.5 spacing) Spell check your work / proofread your work Cross-reference your work Include sources for tables, charts, photos (basically anything that isn’t your own) Use business key terms and definitions Use the Student Checklist in this pack Include an Executive Summary (you cannot get any marks for Criterion E without one!) HL Only Meet internal deadlines Include a Bibliography Hand in 2 copies of your final draft – two clean hard copies and one emailed copy to your teacher: med@shatincollege.edu.hk, lkf@shatincollege.edu.hk, dz@shatincollege.edu.hk or ph@shatincollege.edu.hk ?Don’ts?Use your Extended Essay title for IA Exceed the word limit Copy other people’s work!? You will need to submit your work to Forget to apply business concepts and theories Ignore the tips in this Guide! ??Oh, and GOOD LUCK! ................
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