Extended

Essay

Business
Management
Key principles

- Extensive piece of academically rigorous research

- Students who fail to submit their EE are not awarded the IB Diploma.
- An average of 40 hours work
- Should spend between 3-5 hours with the EE supervisor

- 4,000 words research (excluding the bibliography and appendices)

EE BM

- Application of BM theories, tools and techniques

- The essay should be written in a coherent and structured way

- The EE BM includes breadth and depth of analysis and embrace extensive

and detailed research

- The emphasis of BM EEs is on use of secondary data. Students can use

primary research if this helps to address the title question.

- Collected datas must be be from 2021/2022 onwards

How to find your research question?
Sources of ideas may include:

• an interest in issues raised in the classroom

• aspects of a student’s own experience

• recent / current events.

The research questions must allow a systematic and meaningful investigation using
business management theories, concepts and principles looking forward.
A forward-looking question can enable students to search for conflicting sources to
arrive at a well supported argument and conclusion.

But the topic should not be so forward-looking that information and results are
not yet available: hypothetical questions based on future events are to be avoided.
Example of research question

To what extent has the joint venture

between Nestle and Haagen Dazs

increased its market share in the US ice cream industry?

 To what extent has the joint venture between Nestle and Haagen Dazs
increased its market share in the US ice cream industry?

Approach :

- a review from secondary sources of growth strategies available to a

firm and joint ventures specifically.
- Relevant indicators are selected to quantify the impact of the joint
venture on the growth of Nestle and Haagen Dazs.
- Relevant data is collected from the two businesses, and the findings
are analysed and evaluated.
 To what extent has the introduction of Total Quality Management (TQM)
improved quality at ABCLtd?

Approach :

- A review of how quality management techniques have changed with

the introduction of TQM.
- Relevant indicators are selected for measuring quality and the data for
ABC Ltd is collected. The way in which ABC Ltd have adapted their
approach to managing quality, and the impact of this on the selected
indicators, is analysed and evaluated.
Appropriate use and application of selected analytical tools

Some examples of analytical tools • Fishbone analysis

are as follows.(very important)
• PESTELE analysis
• Ansoff’s Matrix
• Porter’s generic strategies and
• Boston Matrix five forces
• Break-even analysis • Position maps
• Decision tree analysis • Statistical
tables/charts/diagrams
• Financial accounts and
performance ratios • SWOT analysis
• Stakeholders mapping Forces field analysis
Example of research question

How effective has the takeover of Cadbury's been as a

growth strategy for Kraft Foods in the USA?

Example of research question

How is market positioning significant in establishing Audi

as a premium brand in Hong Kong?

EE samples question from last years

- To what extent has the inorganic growth strategies of Alibaba

attributed to its success in Asian markets?

- To what extent has IKEA’s low price contributed to its revenue growth

and brand success?

- Should Ben&Jerry adjust its distribution channel strategy in the UK to

target health conscious customers?

Where to find your datas?
- Company’s annual report
- Market research companies
- Industry analyst / think tanks
- https://scholar.google.com/
- https://www.jstor.org/

Important note : Excessive reliance on a single source, such as a company’s annual

report, is unlikely to give students sufficient scope or breadth in their analysis.
Avoid to cite this kind of websites
- Wikipedia
- YouTube videos

Must checking the information found on these websites

with trustworthy sources