IB Business Management Paper 1 Guide: Top Tips for Case Study

Nouran has been working as an IB Business Management and Economics teacher for over a decade, with a proven track record of high performance and outstanding student results. She has also been an IB Business Management examiner since 2013, bringing a wealth of experience to support students in their exam preparation, as well as with Internal Assessments and Extended Essays. As such she is perfectly placed to contribute to this guide on how to excel in your IB Business Management Paper 1. You can find Nouran’s full profile here.

Article reviewed and updated by Nouran, 26th June 2025.

Feeling a bit lost about how to tackle IB Business Management Paper 1 and its case study? Just like you, many students wonder how they are supposed to connect theory, practice, and their own knowledge of the target industry while trying to meet the numerous assessment criteria. Seems like too much to handle? Not at all!

Nouran says to forget cramming definitions — Paper 1 is your chance to think like a real business leader! Start early, dive into the context of the case study, and treat it like a real-world challenge. With the right mindset and practice, you’re not just ready — you’re ahead!

In this article, she will walk you through proven methods to analyse Business Management case studies, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and write answers that hit the mark. Read further to find out what Business Management IB Paper 1 requires and how to deliver a top-scoring response with confidence.

What is the IB Business Management Paper 1?

The IB Business Management Paper 1 is built around a single case study, roughly 800 to 1,000 words in length, which students will encounter for the first time during the examination. To succeed, you need to apply the theoretical knowledge obtained during the course to practical business scenarios. While most questions focus on qualitative analysis, there may also be some minor calculations required.

Paper 1 is identical for SL and HL and focuses on the content of five syllabus units that both levels have in common. In other words, you shouldn’t expect HL topics even if you are an HL student.

Time constraints are also the same regardless of the level – 1 hour and 30 minutes. Overall, IB Business Management Paper 1 awards 30 marks, which represent 35% of the final grade at SL and 25% at HL.

Three months before the actual exam date, the International Baccalaureate releases a pre-statement featuring information about a case study you’ll be working with on your exam day. Specifically, it introduces a fictional company and provides some background details, such as, for instance, stakeholder information. It also contains the five opening sections of the case study itself, approximately 200 words long. Besides the study excerpt, you will get to know the central theme of the upcoming Paper 1 and receive a list of business terminology you should master.

All of this means that you will have ample time to research the given topic and become familiar with both the case study content and terminology. Nouran says:

“Think of it like this: You’re a business consultant walking into a company you’ve already studied — now you’re just answering questions about how they operate and what they should do next.”

IB Business Management SL/HL Paper 1: structure and format

Paper 1 has a two-section format, where each section is based simultaneously on the syllabus topics and the case study.

Section A

Nouran explains that Section A is a series of structured questions, all of which you must answer, bringing a total of 20 marks..

“Each part of a question includes a command term that tells you how deep your answer needs to go.”

Normally, they are based on the following command terms:

‘Define’ questions are worth 2 marks and ask for concise explanations of business terms, such as ‘Define the term ‘market segmentation’;
‘Explain’ questions carry 2-4 marks, depending on their complexity. A typical 2-mark question might be ‘Explain one advantage of franchising for ABC Company’. At the same time, a 4-mark version could ask ‘Explain two reasons why ABC Corporation should consider vertical integration’;
‘Describe’ questions are worth 4 marks and require more detailed responses. An example of such a question is ‘Describe the organisational structure of the Company based on the case study information.’
‘Analyse’ questions test your ability to connect theory to a specific business situation, for instance, ‘Analyse whether cost-plus pricing would be suitable for the Company’s new product launch’. They typically award 6 marks.
Calculation questions will ask you to work with numerical data from the case study. These might include ‘Calculate the break-even point for the Corporation’s expansion plan’ and usually offer 2-4 marks. Calculators are allowed.
‘Discuss’ is a command term for data interpretation questions. Those require you to make sense of charts, graphs, or financial information. A typical example is ‘Discuss whether the Company’s marketing campaign was effective based on the sales data’. You can earn 2-4 marks.

Section B

When it comes to Section B, Nouran explains you’ll choose one question to answer from a choice of two analytical questions, for a total 10 marks. Marking is based on a mix of analytic criteria and broader mark bands.

Like Section A, Nouran explains, each part will use command terms that guide how detailed your response should be, but they will demand higher-level thinking and comprehensive analysis. Command terms could include: discuss, evaluate, recommend, and analyse. An example of a Section B question is ‘Discuss the most significant challenge facing the Company as it expands into international markets.’

Key insights about the pre-released case study

As already said, a pre-released statement is available three months before your IB Business Management exam. You can find it on the PRC Programme Resources Centre in February (for May exam sessions) or August (for exams in November).

Nouran explains that this statement comes with two components that together provide the key details of a fictional company, including its industry, operations, challenges, etc. The goal is to help you familiarise yourself with key themes and industry specifics before the exam.

The first component includes a few topics designed to give context to the upcoming case study. These are not topics covered in the syllabus but instead areas students are expected to independently research, with about five hours of preparation time suggested.
The second component provides a preview — roughly the first 200 words — of the actual case study that will be featured in the exam.

Although Paper 1 will be based on the 5 units of the syllabus, the IBO wants you to keep your finger on the pulse of modern business management. Therefore, there might be contemporary topics that the syllabus doesn’t cover. This is the reason why you receive this statement in advance.

Here you can find some pre-released case studies for previous examination sessions.

Top tips to pass the IB Business Management Paper 1

And now let’s get to the chase – here are time-tested strategies and techniques to ace IB Business Management paper 1. We will cover all question types, with a special focus on the extended-answer question in Section B.

Want to know how to achieve a great result in the entire examination? Then don’t overlook our article on how to get a 7 in IB Business Management.

1. Examine the pre-released case study

First of all, you need to read the statement multiple times. Try to understand its main points and identify key themes. For example, in the statement released in May 2025, those were business growth, digital marketing, and multinational operational challenges of a non-alcoholic beverage producer.

Nouran says:

“You really need to know the Case Study inside out. When the IB releases the statement, read it carefully (more than once); highlight key facts, challenges, and stakeholders; Think: “Which business concepts and topics relate to this?””

Although you won’t have full information yet, you should still be able to apply some analytical business tools. Chances are, the question will actually want you to utilise them. This is your chance to figure out which tools will be useful in this specific business scenario and hone your skills in working with them.

The statement can also help you predict possible exam questions. Based on the information for the May 2025 session, expected questions could be ‘Evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s social media strategy in enhancing brand awareness’ or ‘Analyse the impact of the company’s acquisition strategy on its market position.’ So, you can task yourself to formulate as many relevant questions as possible and answer them.

Nouran suggests that you discuss your statement with classmates or your Business Management teacher. This can help you see different perspectives on the matter and come up with more ideas for possible exam questions.

Last but not least, you need to get familiar with the industry the case-study company operates in. You may use The Economist, Financial Times, and other business publications to put the case study in context and ensure your analysis has depth.

2. Understand mark schemes and examiner expectations

How to use Paper 1 mark schemes

Mark schemes are detailed guides that specify the criteria examiners use to award marks for each question in Paper 1. If you know what earns those marks, Nouran assures you that you can tailor your answers to meet all examiner’s expectations.

Specifically, the mark scheme details the best approach to every type of question. For example, you will get one mark for every correct point in Section A questions. So, if a question requires you to ‘identify an advantage or disadvantage of social media marketing’ of a target company, you will get one mark for the advantage and one mark for the disadvantage. For questions worth more than two marks, you need to additionally provide explanations or examples.

“When answering definition questions (usually at the beginning of Section A), don’t keep your answer too short. Try to give two valid points or sentences to fully explain the term and secure the full 2 marks.”

The mark scheme rewards precision and relevance. That means you should avoid vague answers such as ‘It’s good for business.’ Instead, use specific details tied to the case study or syllabus.

“Pay attention to every part of the question. Every word matters. For example, if a question asks about “profitability” and you leave that out, you’ll lose marks — even if the rest of your answer is strong.”

Top Marks in Section B

Section B involves longer, structured questions that require deeper analysis and are worth 10 marks. To secure them, Nouran emphasises that you need to meet these four criteria:

Maintain a clear focus on the question and address it with reference to the command term. So, if you are asked to ‘evaluate’ a strategy, you must do exactly this, and not just describe it;
Apply relevant business tools and theories. It must be clear from your analysis which tools you used, with calculations if applicable;
Integrate the stimulus material into your answer. Among other things, this means using the data from the case study to support your argument;
Provide a balanced and substantiated argument based on the data the case study provides. This also implies discussing the benefits and drawbacks of an action or solution, as well as addressing the limitations of the case study.

“In Section B, evaluative questions need balance. To score above 5/10, make sure you explore both sides of the argument. To reach 8/10 or higher, discuss the limitations of the information provided in the stimulus as part of your analysis.”

Examiner Reports

Examiner reports, in turn, complement mark schemes and offer feedback on past student performances. Specifically, these reports highlight:

Common mistakes. For instance, they point out that students often fail to correctly use business terminology, misapply SWOT analysis, neglect to address all parts of a question, or ignore limitations in the Section B question.
Strengths of top answers. High-scoring replies use specific case study examples, apply relevant theories, and balance arguments with clear judgments.
Improvement tips. Reports often provide suggestions on how to improve exam answers. Typically, those are focusing on command terms or better integrating stimulus material.

Summing up, these reports can help you avoid pitfalls and missed opportunities. If they note that students lost marks for not explaining limitations, your reply surely needs to specify those.

3. Practice with IB Business Management Past Paper 1

Past papers are perfect tools to prepare for the upcoming Business Management external assessment. Basically, they are papers used in previous examination sessions. Therefore, they have the same format, complexity, question styles, and data types as the Paper 1 you will be dealing with on the exam day. Practice solving these papers, and you will get the confidence and skills to tackle the real thing.

Nouran emphasises that:

“Even if they use different case studies, practicing real questions helps a tonne to understand how questions are phrased and practice structuring your answers. Make sure to time yourself as you practise!”

To make this practice as effective as possible, you should:

simulate exam conditions – set a timer for exactly 90 minutes, put your phone and study notes aside, and complete the entire paper without interruptions.
make sure to read the questions first and underline the keywords and command terms. This way, you will know precisely what to look for in a fairly large (up to 1200 words) case study and won’t lose your focus when wading through data.
highlight all the information you consider useful in the text. This will allow you to get back to it quickly when you begin your analysis. And don’t forget to directly refer to this useful data in your reply.

After completing each past paper 1, Nouran suggests noting the main points about the case study. Those can be business issues, the tools you used, the exact questions you had to answer, etc. This way, you might recognise recurring patterns and try to make an educated guess on what the pre-released statement cuts short.

The next step could be to generate the information you are lacking and thus create your own case studies. Again, these are extremely useful for honing your problem-solving skills in context.

After completing a past paper, compare your answers with the mark schemes and examiner reports. Based on the criteria they outline, you can award yourself a mark and note any reasons why it is less than 30. It can then be useful to rewrite your answers considering all the possible improvements.

4. Practice analysing new information

Although the pre-released statement gives you a head start, the full case study provides new details you won’t see until the day of your exam. Therefore, your ability to analyse unfamiliar information, especially under time pressure, is the key to success.

To develop this skill, it is important to expose yourself to diverse business scenarios and practice applying syllabus concepts. One way to do it is to solve past papers as we described above. However, you can also find various case studies in business journals and specialised literature. Try focusing on ‘trendy’ topics such as digital marketing and sustainability initiatives, since they often appear in Paper 1. Using the data from these sources, Nouran suggests applying relevant business tools and conducting your own analysis.

For example, you might come across a news article about a tech startup. If the data permits, perform a SWOT analysis: which strengths (innovative product), weaknesses (limited funding), opportunities (market growth), and threats (competition) are you able to find? If there is not enough information from a particular source, try to combine various resources for a fuller picture.

Apply Business Tools Effectively: Don’t Just Name Them, Use Them

Whatever the case, Nouran insists it’s important to use these Business Management tools effectively.

“As an examiner, I’ve seen students mention tools like SWOT or Ansoff Matrix but not actually use them to support their analysis. Apply the tool directly to the business’s situation — don’t just name-drop it.”

Often, these case studies will come with their own conclusions, and your results may or may not align with them. Either way, you need to evaluate the pros and cons of your analysis since it is also a requirement of the Section B question.

It makes sense to focus on the industry specified in the pre-released statement. However, it won’t hurt if you practice with unseen data from other sectors as well. After all, the point is to build your adaptability and ensure you can handle any new information thrown at you on exam day.

5. Mix theory and practice in IB Business Management Paper 1 exam

The purpose of the IB Business Management Paper 1 is to test your ability to apply business management concepts and tools to make sense of real-world scenarios. In other words, you can score high only if you can ‘demonstrate a clear understanding of business theories and link them explicitly to case study evidence’, explains Nouran.

“This isn’t just reading comprehension — it’s a Business Management exam. Simply copying phrases from the case study won’t earn marks. You need to show your understanding of business concepts and apply them thoughtfully to the case.”

In practice, it means the following:

When reading exam questions, you need to identify the relevant theoretical framework for each question and integrate it into your answer. For example, if a task is to analyse a company’s growth strategy, Ansoff’s Matrix is a theoretical framework you can rely on. Similarly, for marketing questions, it may be appropriate to use the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion).
While applying and explaining the tools and theories you used, make sure that you base them on specific details from the case study. You should use numbers or qualitative insights from the stimulus text (alongside phrases like ‘as specified in the case study’) to show you can understand and use it for your analytical work.

Remember, examiners expect a balance between theory and practice, meaning your reply shouldn’t lean excessively on either aspect.

Additionally, you can provide real-world insights from the industry in the case study. However, you should do so only as evidence supporting your analysis. If you include such data unjustified, you are at risk of losing marks for not maintaining a focus on the question.

How can you incorporate real-world business scenarios into your reply? Let’s say, you read how companies use influencers to promote their brands. When your Paper 1 task is about marketing, you may suggest influencer marketing and discuss its effectiveness for other market participants. All in all, this approach meets examiner expectations for depth and critical thinking.

7. Identify key business issues and potential solutions

Identify the issues
When reading the pre-released statement (or case studies for practice purposes), your task is to catch details about the business’s operations and environment. You should pay extra attention to the things that repeat more than once – these are great indicators of underlying problems.

At the same time, you can identify potential business issues in visuals and tables that come with the case study, as well as quotes from the company’s representatives. Overall, case studies feature multiple veiled business issues, you should be able to recognise 3-4 of those.

Group issues into categories

After that, it makes sense to group each issue into categories, such as:

Financial issues (e.g. declining profit margins, unsustainable cost structures, etc.);
Operational/production issues (shortcomings in the supply chain, low process efficiency, poor quality control, etc.);
Human resource issues (high staff turnover, low employee motivation, and others);
Marketing issues (ineffective advertising, shrinking market share, etc.)
Strategic issues (overdependence on a single product line, lack of diversification, failure to adapt to technological change, and so on).

You can come up with other categories. The point is to see connections between these issues and identify the most urgent ones.

Clearly, you can’t focus your analysis on all the issues you have found (you simply won’t have time for that). Although only those issues that have the largest impact are good candidates for analysis, you can briefly mention the smaller ones as well. This can show that you can distinguish between surface-level problems and root causes that need addressing.

Analyse the issues using the appropriate tool

After you’ve decided on the high-priority business issues, you need to choose analytical tools that help you understand their causes and implications. Make sure you explain which tool and for which purpose you use – phrases like ‘using SWOT analysis, we can see that…’ can help with that.

Suggest solutions

The next step is to suggest solutions to these issues. Responses that consider alternatives usually earn more marks. However, it is important to mention why you’ve chosen other solutions.

When discussing the decisions you would make, you need to explain how it is supposed to address the underlying problem. For the questions that require evaluation, don’t forget to point out advantages and potential drawbacks. It’s worth briefly discussing those for other analytical questions, but don’t make them the focus of your reply.

It’s also worth considering the short-term and long-term impacts of your solutions. Some suggested actions may provide immediate relief to problems but do nothing to improve the situation in the long term. Make it clear which stage each recommendation addresses.

Finally, you should discuss the feasibility of the proposed solutions, their risks, and trade-offs.

8. Strengthen problem-solving skills

To nail IB Business Management Paper 1, Nouran insists it is an absolute must to solve the business challenges at hand. For the case study used in the May 2025 sessions, those were an evaluation of the company’s growth strategy and proposing operational improvements. Your problem-solving skills will come in handy to interpret case study data, apply business concepts, provide balanced arguments, use evidence, evaluate the effectiveness of business-related proposals, and in many other instances.

Since you will have access to the pre-released case study months before the exam, you should use this time to thoroughly prepare for the upcoming assessment. Besides getting to know a company’s background, it also implies considering business theories that you can apply to this scenario and conducting an analysis. Needless to say, this analysis must be based on the tools from the Business Management Toolkit, as they provide an opportunity to dissect business problems and evaluate strategic options.

Although you won’t have all the data for a solid analysis, practising your problem-solving skills using the BMT is still a great revision strategy. If you’re having gaps that prevent you from applying those tools, you can ‘borrow them’ from case studies with a similar premise. Or you can create your own possible scenarios for the case study excerpt – the more you can come up with, the more tools you can utilise.

It is a good idea to anticipate situations in which a full scope of tools (i.e. situational, planning, and decision-making) will be of use. Remember, the point here is to train your problem-solving skills and BMT application, and not to collect accurate data.

9. Plan your responses to maximise marks

Since there are various types of questions in IB Business Management Paper 1, you will have different approaches to answering them.

For Section A questions, you need to provide concise and direct answers. Those that award 2 marks (or 2+2, with 2 marks for every point) usually don’t require profound explanations. Still, you need to be quite specific. So, a good response structure for these is to restate the question and immediately provide your answer. Typically, 2-3 minutes should be enough to write each point.

Questions that require 4-6 marks will have a similar straightforward structure. However, you should also add examples from the case study and, if the question requires, simple calculations with brief explanations. It is also a good idea to incorporate relevant business terminology and a short conclusion.

The 10-mark question, in contrast, will require a more complex structure, such as one commonly used for essays. It typically has three main elements:

Introduction, where you state your argument and outline 2–3 main points;
Body paragraphs, in which you elaborate on every point. Here, you repeat your statement, provide evidence from case studies, apply business management tools for analysis, as well as explain your results and their significance. You may also include a mini-conclusion, no more than one sentence long. Remember, to keep your structure clean, use a separate paragraph for every point.
The conclusion is a summary of your analysis.

Although the mark scheme has no requirements regarding a response structure, the approach suggested can provide a clear direction for your 10-mark answer. Nouran confirms that examiners appreciate it when they can effortlessly follow your train of thought, and you, in turn, can ensure that you don’t overlook anything in your reply.

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