An overview

What to expect
• Aim of syllabus: demonstrate organisational leadership and senior consultancy or
advisory capabilities and relevant professional skills, through an integrated case study.

• SBL - mirrors the workplace - provides you with real world challenges - exams require
you to demonstrate a range of technical knowledge/skills (80 marks) demanded by
leaders in advising or supporting them in directing organisations.

• Knowledge and skills acquired in Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills or degree exams -
such as governance, IT, internal audit, control, risk, finance, and strategy – still relevant.

• Exams also require you to demonstrate a range of ethical and professional skills [CCASE]
(20 marks) acquired in Ethics and Professional Skills Module – EPSM should be
completed before attempting any SP examination.
 What to expect
• SBL syllabus covered in ten main sections (Sections A to J)

o Sections A to H - 8 technical skills sections [worth 80 marks]

o Section I – 1 professional skills section [worth 20 marks]

o Section J – 1 IT skills section

• Professional skills [CCASE] section - links to all other sections - will make you more
employable, and/or will enhance opportunities for advancement.

• IT section – you need to demonstrate appropriate digital and employability skills in

using computer functionality (Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Slide) to access
information and present responses in a professional manner during live exams.
ACCA Qualification
– Technical Skills
Technical skills/knowledge – 8 sections
Leadership Governance Strategy Risk Technology
and data
analytics
A B C D E

Controls Finance Enabling

and audit success and
change
mgmt.
F G H
IT skills
Section A - Leadership
1. Qualities of leadership
2. Leadership and organisational culture
3. Professionalism, ethical codes and the public interest
Section B - Governance
1. Agency theory
2. Stakeholder analysis and organisational social responsibility
3. Governance scope and approaches
4. Reporting to stakeholders
5. The board of directors
6. Public sector governance
Section C - Strategy
1. Concepts of strategy
2. Environmental issues
3. Competitive forces
4. The internal resources, capabilities and competences
5. Strategic choices
Section D - Risk
1. Identification, assessment and measurement of risk
2. Managing, monitoring and mitigating risk
Section E - Technology and Data Analytics
1. Cloud ,mobile and smart technology
2. Big data and data analytics
3. Machine learning, AI and robotics
4. E- business: value chain
5. IT systems security and control
Section F - Controls and Audit
1. Management and internal control systems
2. Audit and compliance
3. Internal control and management reporting
Section G - Finance in Planning and Decision-making
1. Finance transformation
2. Financial analysis and decision- making techniques
3. Cost and management accounting
Section H - Enabling Success and Change Management
1. Enabling success: organising
2. Enabling success: disruptive technologies
3. Enabling success: talent management
4. Enabling success: performance excellence
5. Managing strategic change
6. Leading and managing projects
 A bird’s eye view of SBL
Section C - Sections A &
Chapters 2 & 3 C (Chapter 4) Sections A, B, D, F
The business Internal Stakeholder expectations
environment capabilities and influences

Strategic
Position Sections E, G, H (Chapters 1 – 4)
Corporate Enabling success
level Section H – Chapter 5
Strategic Strategy
Managing strategic change
Choices into Action
Section H – Chapter 6
Business
level Leading and managing projects
ACCA Qualification
– Professional Skills
Section I - Professional skills CCASE
Leadership Governance Strategy Risk Technology
and data
analytics

Controls Finance Enabling

and audit success &
change
1 2
mgmt.

3 4 5
Section I - Professional skills CCASE
 Communication
• Inform concisely, objectively, and unambiguously, while being sensitive to cultural
differences, using appropriate media and technology.

• Persuade using compelling and logical arguments demonstrating the ability to

counter argue when appropriate.

• Clarify and simplify complex issues to convey relevant information in a way that
adopts an appropriate tone and is easily understood by the intended audience.

In summary, this means you have to express yourself clearly and convincingly through
the appropriate medium while being sensitive to the needs of the intended audience.
 Commercial Acumen
• Demonstrate awareness of organisational and wider external factors affecting the
work of an individual or a team in contributing to the wider organisational objectives.

• Use judgement to identify key issues in determining how to address or resolve

problems and in proposing and recommending the solutions to be implemented.

• Show insight and perception in understanding work-related and organisational issues,

including the management of conflict, demonstrating acumen in arriving at
appropriate solutions or outcomes.

In summary, this means you have to show awareness of the wider business and external
factors affecting business, using commercially sound judgement and insight to resolve
issues and exploit opportunities.
 Analysis
• Investigate relevant information from a wide range of sources, using a variety of
analytical techniques to establish the reasons and causes of problems, or to identify
opportunities or solutions.

• Enquire of individuals or analyse appropriate data sources to obtain suitable evidence to

corroborate or dispute existing beliefs or opinion and come to appropriate conclusions.

• Consider information, evidence and findings carefully, reflecting on their implications

and how they can be used in the interests of the department and wider organisational
goals.

In summary, this means you have to thoroughly investigate and research information from
a variety of sources and logically process it with a view to considering it for recommending
appropriate action.
 Scepticism
• Probe deeply into the underlying reasons for issues and problems, beyond what is
immediately apparent from the usual sources and opinions available.

• Question facts, opinions and assertions, by seeking justifications and obtaining sufficient
evidence for their support and acceptance.

• Challenge information presented or decisions made, where this is clearly justified, in a

professional and courteous manner; in the wider professional, ethical, organisational, or
public interest.

In summary, this means you have to probe, question and challenge information and views
presented, to fully understand business issues and to establish facts objectively, based on
ethical and professional values.
 Evaluation
• Assess and use professional judgement when considering organisational issues,
problems or when making decisions; taking into account the implications of such
decisions on the organisation and those affected.

• Estimate trends or make reasoned forecasts of the implications of external and internal
factors on the organisation or of the outcomes of decisions available to the organisation.

• Appraise facts, opinions and findings objectively with a view to balancing the costs, risks,
benefits and opportunities, before making or recommending solutions or decisions.

In summary, this means you have to carefully assess situations, proposals and arguments in
a balanced way, using professional and ethical judgement to predict future outcomes and
consequences as a basis for sound decision-making.
Scoring Professional Skills Marks – General Principles
• Make the most important or crucial points relating to the requirement, first

• Show the ability to prioritise and make points progressively and logically

• Show deep understanding of underlying or causal issues by integrating knowledge from a

number of sources (exhibits)

• Only make relevant points

• Avoid repetition

• Answer the question asked rather than the question you wish the examiner would have
asked
Scoring Professional Skills Marks – General Principles
• Structure, sequence and present answers in a professional manner in the required tone,
format, playing the given role.

• Apply knowledge from previous learning or wider reading.

• Express points clearly, factually and concisely.

• Usually each task will contain some professional skills marks - all five professional skills
will certainly be tested in each exam sitting but not necessarily in equal measure.
ACCA Qualification
– IT Skills
Section J – IT/digital skills
Leadership Governance Strategy Risk Technology
and data
analytics

Controls Finance Enabling

and audit success &
change
mgmt.

IT skills
• Word
Processor
• Spreadsheet
• Slide
Section J – IT/digital skills
During the exam you should be able to:

• Use computer technology to efficiently access and manipulate relevant information.

• Work on relevant response options (Word Processor or Spreadsheet or Slide), using

available functions and technology, as required at the workplace.

• Navigate windows and computer screens to create and amend responses to exam
requirements, using appropriate tools.

• Present data and information effectively, using the appropriate tools.

Section J – IT/digital skills
• Since exams are computer-based, it’s a MUST that you visit the ACCA Practice Platform
and practice the computer-based exam multiple times before you sit for the final exam.

• Question practice is an extremely vital part of exam preparation. Being able to practice in
the CBE environment provides a realistic and practical opportunity to get fully prepared for
the real exam.

• The ACCA Practice Platform contains a range of content that allows you to attempt
questions to time and then mark and debrief your answers.
Section J – IT/digital skills
• You need to log into the Practice Platform, using your ACCA ID and password, at:
https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader/cbe-question-practice.html

• Please watch all the videos on how to get prepared for the SBL computer-based exams at:

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/cbe-platform-support.html

• ACCA has also summarised the videos in a PDF (check documents given to you)
To sum up: A.
B.
Leadership
Governance
Sections A to H C. Strategy
Technical 8 core D. Risk
skills areas E. Technology and Data Analytics
(80 Marks) F. Controls and Audit
G. Finance
H. Enabling Success and Change
Management

Strategic Section I • Communication

Business • Commercial Acumen
Professional 5 core
• Analysis (CCASE)
Leader skills areas • Scepticism
(20 Marks) • Evaluation

Section J
Using 3 • Word Processor
IT
applications • Spreadsheet
skills • Slide
professionally
during exams
Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)
 Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)
• EPSM supplements your technical knowledge - interactive online module - places you in
realistic business situations.

• Helps you develop the ethical and professional behaviours you’ll need to successfully
complete your Strategic Professional exams.

• Prepares you for a successful career as a trusted and confident professional accountant.

• It should be started after the Applied Knowledge exams have been completed and
before commencing the Strategic Professional exams.

• Designed to provide you with the complete range of skills employers need.
 Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)
• Greatly enhances your chances of success in exams – so ACCA strongly recommends you
to complete the EPSM before attempting Strategic Professional exams, particularly SBL.

• On completion, you will receive a certificate - a great resource to evidence your

professionalism to existing and future employers.

• A must do if you want to qualify as an ACCA member!!

• Fee - £72 – one-off - no additional fees required to re-take end-of-module assessment, if

need arises.

• Expected to take 15 to 20 hours to complete.

• Made up of 10 units including an end assessment - students take the end assessment
only once they have completed all the previous units.
SBL Exam Format
 Exam Format
• Integrated case study (12 – 18 pages long) containing a number of assignments or tasks
which may require candidates to take on different roles, depending on the situation.

• Need to prepare various documents (in different formats) for various recipients.

• Extremely important to read “The Importance of Effective Communication for SBL” at:
https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader/exam-technique.html
to understand the various formats (this PDF document has also been given to you).

• Total marks - 100 (80 Technical and 20 Professional Skills marks) - usually each task will
contain some professional skills marks.
 Exam Format
• 4 hours duration including Reading, Planning and Reflection Time (RPRT) - can be used
flexibly at any time during the exam.

• Approximately 2.25 minutes per mark if you take 60 minutes for RPRT or

• 2 minutes per mark if RPRT consumes 80 minutes.

• For past exam question papers with answers, visit:

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader/past-exam-papers.html
 Exam Format
• Each exam will give you information (in the form of exhibits) about an organisation from
a range of sources, such as the following:

• Interviews with staff • Memos

• Survey results • Spreadsheets
• Board or organisation reports • Pictures
• Press articles/website extracts • Figures
• Financial statements and extracts • Tables
• Emails • Diagrams
• Risk register • Slides
• Above list is not exhaustive - these sources make up the exhibits of the scenario –
typically an exam paper will contain 7 to 9 exhibits – remember, exhibit 1 is the
introduction or overview section.
 Examiners’ Reports

Examiner's reports

• An essential study resource. Use them alongside the relevant past year question to get
insights into the marking process, including common student mistakes and how to avoid
them.

• The latest reports contain question walk-throughs and performance feedback on

questions sat by students.

• Examiners’ reports are available at:

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader/examiners-reports1.html
Know Your Verbs
Intellectual Level Verbs
1 Define
1 Identify
1 Describe
1 Explain
2 Contrast
2 Analyse
3 Discuss
3 Assess
3 Evaluate
3 Recommend
3 Justify
What do they want?
Give the meaning of
Recognise or select
Give the key features
Make clear
Make a comparison based on differences
Give reasons for the current situation or what has happen
or
Examine in detail the structure of
Examine in detail by using arguments for and against
Determine the strengths/weaknesses/importance/significance/ability to contribute
Determine the value of by looking at the pros and cons. A conclusion is required
Advise the appropriate actions to pursue
‘We should…
Level 2 and particularly Level 3
Support with reasons
verbs are more important for SBL
 Technical Articles
• A library of articles to help you develop your technical knowledge or develop broader
insight into the subject is available at:
o https://www.accaglobal.com/my/en/student/exam-support-
resources/professional-exams-study-resources/strategic-business-
leader/technical-articles.html
• They improve both, technical and ‘commercial acumen’ skills – MUST read!!
• Note: These articles are also available on the Sunway e-learn system
 Other Resources
• Extremely wide range of highly valuable resources, including videos, available at:
o https://www.accaglobal.com/my/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-
exams-study-resources/strategic-business-leader.html

• Note: Many of these resources are also available on the Sunway e-learn system.

• GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!