IB Business Management Paper 1 Strategy

IB Business Management Paper 1 is based on a pre-released case study (HL) or unseen stimulus material (SL). It tests your ability to apply business concepts to specific organisational situations.

Paper 1 format overview

• SL: Based on unseen stimulus material. Section A (30 marks) and Section B (20 marks). 1 hour 15 minutes.
• HL: Based on a pre-released case study. Section A (20 marks), Section B (20 marks), Section C (20 marks). 2 hours 15 minutes.

Case study preparation (HL)

For HL students, the pre-released case study is essential:

• Read the case study at least 10 times over several weeks
• Annotate it with relevant business concepts (e.g., SWOT, PEST, Ansoff Matrix)
• Identify the company's key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
• Prepare potential exam questions and outline answers

Sharpen your Paper 1 case study technique with past paper practice and AI-powered marking feedback.

Time management

• Read the questions carefully before writing
• Allocate roughly 2 minutes per mark
• For higher-mark questions, spend 1-2 minutes planning before writing
• Leave 5 minutes for review

Answer structure

For analysis and evaluation questions:

1. Name the relevant business concept or tool
2. Explain how it applies to the case study
3. Use data and evidence from the stimulus material
4. Evaluate strengths and limitations
5. Give a reasoned recommendation

Common mistakes

• Generic answers: Not referencing the case study specifically
• Only using one business tool: Top answers integrate multiple tools
• No recommendation: "Recommend" and "evaluate" questions require a clear final judgement

For more exam strategies, see our guides on BM Paper 2 Strategy and BM Case Study Questions Explained.