Extended Essay Handbook

Business Management2017-18

Name: ______________________________

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Business management: Subject-specific guidanceSee also: Extended essay guide and Extended essay teacher support material

OverviewAn extended essay (EE) in business management gives students an opportunity to carry out in-depth

research in an area of personal interest relating to business management.

The EE gives students an opportunity to develop research skills by:

• reviewing business theories, concepts and principles

• critically analysing their use and application in the business world and their resultant impact on

business activity.

The EE requires the application of business management theories, tools and techniques to produce a

coherent and structured analytical essay that effectively addresses the research question.

Choice of topicStudents can choose a topic they have encountered during their Diploma Programme business

management course. However, they may also choose to investigate issues that fall outside its scope. For

example:

• business practices in a specific regional or national context, or

• the practical applications of the work of a particular business management theorist.

Whatever area they choose, students must root their research firmly in accepted business management

theories and use the core principles of business management as the basis for their research.

Students are strongly advised to choose a topic that enables them to carry out research and apply

business management theories and techniques in a real-world setting. This setting may be an

organization, industry or market in a particular region or country, or globally.

Sources of ideas may include:

• an interest in issues raised in the classroom

• aspects of a student’s own experience

• current events.

Research questions that do not allow a systematic and meaningful investigation using business

management theories, concepts and principles are unlikely to be suitable.

Backward versus forward-looking questionsStudents can choose to investigate past event(s). However, they must ensure that their question will

enable them to analyse and evaluate rather than simply describe what happened.

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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.

Examples of topicsThese examples are for guidance only. Students must ensure that their choice of topic is focused (left-

hand column) rather than broad (right-hand column).

Focused topics Broad topics

Application of lean production principles to theNGO ABC

Relevance of lean production for NGOs

Relevance of ethical objectives for very small andvery large companies in Canada

The link between ethical objectives andorganizational size

Use of Herzberg’s motivation theory inproductivity improvement at XYZ Ltd

Motivational techniques at XYZ Ltd

The contribution of Just-in-Time production inimproving efficiency in the textile industry inCambodia

Effectiveness of Just-in-Time productiontechniques

Treatment of the topicSourcesStudents’ research should be broad and detailed, using a range of sources. 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.

Students can include materials sourced from a particular business or organization whose area of business

is related to the topic chosen, eg market research companies, industry analysts or think tanks.

Secondary sourcesStudents should use secondary data as the basis of their EE, supported where appropriate by primary

research. The sole use of secondary sources is permitted and will allow students access to all levels of the

EE assessment criteria.

(Note that this is similar to the research approach of the SL internal assessment task of the business

management course and different to the research approach of the HL internal assessment task, where

primary research takes precedence.)

A good range of secondary sources should be consulted, including:

• business management textbooks

• general business management books

• industry analyses

• company reports and data.

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Primary researchStudents must plan any primary research well so that it yields genuinely additional and significant

insights.

Students and supervisors are required to:

• act with tact and sensitivity towards the research subjects

• respect the confidentiality of the organization(s) and people involved.

All the research carried out must address the research question. Similarly, the development of the essay

must be related to the research question directly and consistently and must not include information that

is unnecessary.

Use of analytical tools and numerical dataA good essay will demonstrate the appropriate use of analytical tools, often supported by numerical data

to assist the discussion and evaluation.

Appropriate analytical tools from the business management syllabus include the following.

• Ansoff Matrix

• BCG Matrix

• Break-even analysis

• Decision tree

• Financial statements and ratio analysis

• Fishbone diagram

• Force field analysis

• Position maps

• Stakeholders analysis

• STEEPLE analysis

• SWOT analysis

Students may also use analytical tools that are not included in the syllabus.

Conceptual perspectivesStrategic and conceptual perspectives on the research question can add to the interest and rigour of the

essay, for example:

• the effect of new technologies on organizational innovation

• the cultural and ethical implications of business decisions.

Analysing the dataUse of theoryStudents should integrate relevant business management theories, tools and techniques with the

evidence obtained by the research throughout the essay.

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Students should not present theory as a separate section. An essay that delivers theory as a separate

section of the essay and does not apply it to the specific research question is unlikely to succeed.

Students should avoid making assertions using business management theories and techniques if they

cannot meaningfully link these to their case study with supporting evidence.

Critical thinkingStudents must ask probing questions and look at all relevant factors when considering the information

obtained from their research. Information cannot always be accepted at face value.

A critical approach, in which students display the skills of analysis and evaluation, is essential.

Students should indicate unresolved questions, or new questions that have arisen from their study, in

their conclusions.

Students should remember that a business management essay must be written in an objective

style without personal bias. Conclusions should be derived from the evidence and not based on any

preconceptions of the student.

Examples of topics, research questions and suggestedapproachesOnce students have identified their topic and written their research question, they can decide how to

research their answer. They may find it helpful to write a statement outlining their broad approach. These

examples are for guidance only.

Topic An evaluation of the introduction of totalquality management in ABC Ltd

Research question To what extent has the introduction of totalquality management (TQM) improved quality atABC Ltd?

Approach • A literature review of how quality management

techniques have changed with the introduction

of TQM, both generally and specifically in the

industry of ABC Ltd.

• Selection of relevant indicators measuring

quality and collection of the corresponding data

for ABC Ltd.

• Analysis and evaluation of the ways in which

ABC Ltd has adapted its approach to managing

quality, and the impact of this on the selected

indicators.

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Topic An evaluation of the case for strengtheningsocial responsibility practices at multinationalXYZ

Research question Should multinational XYZ strengthen its corporatesocial responsibility practices in the aftermath ofscandal X?

Approach • A review of how various local and international

media reported on the reasons for and events

around scandal X at multinational XYZ.

• Analysis of the social responsibility practices at

multinational XYZ preceding scandal X, with a

particular emphasis on practices and indicators

relevant to scandal X.

• Application of SWOT analysis to these practices.

• Identification of potential ways of strengthening

social responsibility practices from industry

leaders.

• Application of SWOT analysis to these practices.

• Evaluation, from different stakeholder groups’

perspectives, on whether multinational XYZ

should strengthen its social responsibility

practices in suggested ways or leave them as is.

Topic Measuring the success of joint ventures: acomparative case study

Research question How successful has the joint venture betweenABC Ltd and XYZ Ltd been as a growth strategy forboth companies?

Approach • A literature review of the theoretical benefits

and drawbacks of joint ventures.

• A review on the reporting around the joint

venture at the time it happened: what were the

reasons given by the companies for the joint

venture and how did industry analysts assess

the case?

• An examination of the financial results of ABC

Ltd and XYC Ltd prior to and after the joint

venture, and comparison of these results with

industry benchmarks.

• Analysis and evaluation of the qualitative and

longer term benefits and drawbacks of the joint

Assessment Criteria

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Criterion D: Presentation(Strands: Structure, Layout)

This criterion relates to the extent to which the essay conforms to accepted academic standards in relation

to how research papers should be presented. It also relates to how well these elements support the

reading, understanding and evaluation of the essay.

Students may provide a section and sub-section structure to their essays, with appropriate informative

headings. sub-headings should not distract from the overall structure of the essay or argument presented.

Any graphs, charts, images or tables from literature sources included in essays must be carefully selected

and labelled. They should only be used if they are directly relevant to the research question, contribute

towards the understanding of the argument and are of a good graphic quality. Large tables of raw data

collected by the student are best included in an appendix, where they should be carefully labelled.

Too many graphs, charts and tables detract from the overall quality of the communication. Only processed

data that is central to the argument of the essay should be included in the body of the essay, as close as

possible to its first reference. Any tables should enhance a written explanation and should not themselves

include significant bodies of text; if this is the case then these words will be included in the word count.

Students must take care in their use of appendices as examiners are not required to read them. All

information with direct relevance to the analysis, discussion and evaluation of the essay must be

contained in the main body of the essay.

Any material that is not original must be carefully acknowledged, with specific attention paid to the

acknowledgment and referencing of quotes and ideas. This acknowledgment and referencing is

applicable to audio-visual material, text, graphs and data published in print and electronic sources. If

the referencing does not meet the minimum standard as indicated in the guide (name of author, date of

publication, title of source and page numbers, as applicable), and is not consistently applied, work will be

considered as a case of possible academic misconduct.

A bibliography is essential and has to be presented in a standard format. Title page, table of contents,

page numbers, etc must contribute to the quality of presentation.

The essay must not exceed 4,000 words of narrative. Graphs, figures, calculations and diagrams are not

included in the word count. Students should be aware that examiners will not read beyond the 4,000

word limit, nor assess any material presented thereafter.

Criterion E: Engagement(Strands: Process, Research focus)

This criterion is applied by the examiner at the end of the assessment of the essay, after considering the

student’s Reflections on planning and progress Form (RPPF). It assesses the overall impression the examiner

has with regard to the student’s engagement with the research process and their subject area.

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Overall AssessmentThe total score obtained, on the scale 0 to 36, will be used to determine in which of the following bands the extended essay is placed. This band, in conjunction with the band for Theory of Knowledge, determines the diploma points awarded for these two requirements.

The overall award boundaries are:

28 – 34 Excellent A22 – 27 Good B15-21 Satisfactory C7 -14 Mediocre D0 - 6 Elementary E

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The band descriptions are:

A Work of an excellent standardB Work of a good standardC Work of a satisfactory standardD Work of a mediocre standardE Work of an elementary standard

The band description provides the basis of reporting back to schools on each candidate’s performance in the extended essay requirement.

Organising the EssayAfter careful outlining and drafting, it is likely that the majority of extended essays will follow a structure similar to that described below.

IntroductionThe introduction should include:

▪ An indication of why the topic chosen is interesting, important or worthy of study▪ Some background information and an attempt to place the topic in an appropriate context▪ An indication of whether the topic has been narrowed to a focus of more manageable

proportions▪ A clearly and precisely stated research question▪ A clear concluding statement of the thesis and argument, i.e. the response to the research▪ Questions that will subsequently be developed in the body of the essay.

Body / DevelopmentThe essential feature of the major section, or body, of the essay is the systematic development of a convincing answer to the research question. The structure and the approach to this section will be shaped by the conventions of the particular subject in which the extended essay is being undertaken. Some subjects may require sub-headings for major sections within the main body. For example, scientific investigations will usually have separate sections for method and results. In some other subjects, however, sub-headings should be avoided because they disrupt the flow and unity of an essay.

ConclusionThe requirements of the conclusion are that it

▪ Is clearly stated▪ Is relevant to the research question being investigated▪ Is substantiated by the evidence presented▪ Indicates issues, unresolved questions and new questions that have emerged from the

research

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Formal PresentationThe extended essay should be written in a clear, correct and formal style appropriate to the subject from which the topic is drawn. The use of typewriters or word processors is encouraged.

LengthThe upper limit is 4000 words for all extended essays. This upper limit includes the introduction, the body, the conclusion and any quotations, but does not include:

▪ The abstract▪ Acknowledgements▪ The contents page▪ Maps, charts, diagrams, annotated illustrations and tables▪ The references/bibliography▪ Appendices.

Essays in excess of 4000 words are subject to penalties and examiners are not required to read material in excess of the word limit.

AbstractAn abstract not exceeding 300 words must be included. It does not serve as an introduction but presents a synopsis of the extended essay, and therefore should be written last.

The inclusion of an abstract is intended to encourage candidates to examine closely the development of an argument within the extended essay and the pertinence of any conclusions that are reached. It is also designed to allow readers to understand quickly the contents of the extended essay. It should be in past tense.

The minimum requirements for the abstract are to state clearly:▪ The research question being investigated▪ The scope of the investigation▪ The conclusion/s of the extended essay.

The abstract should be on one side of a sheet of paper, and placed immediately after the title page.

Contents PageA contents page must be provided at the beginning of the extended essay and all pages should be numbered. An index is not required.

IllustrationsPresentation and overall neatness are important, and it is essential that illustrative material, if included, is well set out and used effectively. Graphs, diagrams, tables and maps are effective only if they are well labeled and can be interpreted with ease. All such material, which is incorporated into the extended essay, must be directly related to the text and acknowledged where appropriate. The use of photographs and postcards is acceptable only if they are captioned and/or annotated and are used to illustrate a specific point made in the extended essay.

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References / BibliographyThe direct or indirect use of the words of another person, written, oral or electronic, must be acknowledged appropriately as must visual material in the essay, derived from another source. A candidate’s failure to comply with this requirement will be viewed as plagiarism, and will therefore be treated as a case of malpractice.

The list of references should include only those works, such as books and journals, that have been referenced by the candidate. The APA form of quoting and documenting sources, should be applied consistently.

AppendicesAppendices are not an essential section of the extended essay and examiners are not required to read them, so care should be taken to include all information of direct relevance to the analysis and argument in the main part of the essay. Unless considered essential, complete lists of raw data should not be included in the extended essay.

An extended essay should not constantly refer to material presented in an appendix as this may disrupt its continuity

Works Cited in this guideExtended essay guide, [Book] / auth. Organization International Baccalaureate. - Cardiff, Wales : International Baccalaureate Organization, February 2017.

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Time frame for Extended Essay Class of 2018

Timeframe for EE Class 2017.

August 2015 Introduction to EE at Diploma CampOctober 26th 2015 EE launch day

Make choices of subject for EENovember 13th 2015 Subjects chosen

Supervisors allocatedNovember 27th 2015 Proposal written in Managebac and approved by supervisor

First meetings with supervisor

January 15th 2016 Draft research questionReference List startedResearch begun

February 24th 2016 EE Day in school Blocks 2-5February 26th 2016 First formal reflection made in ManagebacJanuary 2016 - March 2016 Conduct research

Keep research notesMake reference list

March - April 2016 Create an outline for the essayApril - June 2016 Write first draftJune 1st 2016 Submit first draft to Supervisor

Supervisor writes Semester Report and gives gradeJune 2016 Receive feedback from Supervisor and make a summer plan

June 12th 2016 Second formal reflection made in ManagebacSeptember - December 2016 Revise draft

Work with SupervisorWrite reference listCompile final essay

November 2016 Write Abstract, contents page and finish formatting the essay

December 2nd 2016 Submit final essaySupervisor writes Semester Report and gives grade

January – February 2017 Viva voceFinal reflection made in ManagebacSupervisor makes a comment on yellow cover sheet

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Checklists

EE Checklist and Timeline

Activity Date to be completed Completed

Decide what to research – Identify the topic and develop the research question

Doing the research – locate the relevant sources, gather notes from each source

Organizing the research – putting all the information in outline form in order to discover the best way to relay what you have discovered.

Create subtopics – divide and present your research

Analyzing the data – question what you have discovered and relate your concerns in the body of the essay

Reach a conclusion – what did you learn? Are there unanswered questions? Do you feel you need to do more research?

Writing the rough draft – write once, read over, make changes,

Writing the rough draft - write a second time, read over, make changes

Writing the rough draft - write a third time, hand to another person for critique, think about the comments/questions raised by the reader

Write the final draft – edit for appearance, accuracy of citations, page numbers, appendices and illustrations (if used)

Write the Abstract – summarize your research in 300 words

Write a Table of Contents – organize and present the research for publication

Insert Header – mark every page with your name and IB candidate number

Electronic Copies – Turn in PDF and Word/Pages versions of essay

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General Criteria Checklist

Action Check

1 Is the essay within 4000 words?

2 Is there a Contents page?

3 Are all pages numbered?

4 Are all diagrams, charts and graphs indexed and labeled and sources referenced where applicable?

5 Are all necessary terms defined/explained?

6 Is every reference cited in APA style?

7 Are your references cited consistently and correctly?

8 Does the Reference List include all and only the works of reference you have consulted?

9 Does the Bibliography specify author(s), title, and date of publication and publisher for every reference?

10 Are the Bibliography sources cited consistently and correctly?

11 Does the Appendix contain only relevant information?

12 Are all references to the Appendix clearly cross-referenced and labeled?

13 Is your research question stated on the title page?

14 Is your research question stated and in bold in the Introduction?

15 Is your research question restated and in bold in the Conclusion?

16 Does your Conclusion address unresolved questions?

17 Does your Conclusion address new questions that have emerged?

18 Are your Introduction and Conclusion titled?

19 Is your Abstract within 300 words?

20 Does your Abstract contain the research question (in bold), the scope of the investigation and the conclusion reached?

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Formatting Your IB Extended Essay

The Final Draft

Order of Items

• Title Page (main focus of the essay and not necessarily the research question) • Abstract (300 words... this is written last. Include abstract word count at bottom of page) • Contents page (all pages of essay included except for the title page, abstract and contents page) • Introduction • Body of essay (with section headers if desired) • Conclusion (EE word count on final page) • Reference List • Appendices

The Reference List

DO ☺ • Start on a new page • Centre title at the top (References, Works Consulted or Works Cited) • Double space

DO ☺ DON’T "• Double space • Include your last name, page number and

candidate number in top right corner of every page of the essay

• 1 inch margin all sides • Indent at the start of paragraphs (tab) • Bold your research question in the introduction • All in-text citations (Larson, 2011) must have a

corresponding citation in the Reference List. • Use italics to denote book titles within the body

of the essay (do not underline) • Use quotations sparingly and succinctly. • Lengthy quotations (more than 3-4 lines) should

be indented and justified one inch rather than placed in quotations

• You may use headings to denote the various parts of the paper but name them purposefully (not Body, Main, etc.)

• Do not right justify • Do not put quotations in italics or bold font • Don’t use BOTH in-text citations and

footnotes- this is redundant. • Don’t overuse tables and charts such that

they break the flow in the paper (append them instead- however note that the IB examiner is not required to read the appendix so use your judgment).

• Do not use photographs or images unless they illustrate a specific point. If used they must be captioned and/or annotated

• Don’t underline your title or put it in quotation marks

• Don’t use a whimsical font- keep it formal (Helvetica, Arial)

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• Use a hanging indent (inspector>text>tabs> paragraph indent>left) This bumps the second line in. • Alphabetize by author’s last name or title of work (when author is unknown. For titles skip the

words A, An and The to alphabetize) • When there are two-seven authors, use an ampersand & before the last author (Langston, S., Battye,

R. & Clark, R. etc) • Capitalize only the first word of book titles and articles. Italicize the title and subtitle. • Cite any photos, maps, graphs at the bottom of the image as well as in the Reference List • Use the words “Retrieved from” before URLs • Label the resource medium at the end of the citation. (ie: Print. Web. Personal Interview.)

DON’T " • Separate the sources into categories (ie: books, websites etc.) • Don’t use bullets or numbering • Don’t use “Unknown Author”- skip the author and go straight to the title. • Don’t use ‘ibid’ (this is Chicago style), if several sources are by the same author. Instead use three

hyphens --- and then the title of the next work.

Access the NIS APA guides located on the library website at: http://share.nanjing-school.com/library/library-home-2/apa-guides/

For more obscure citation types consult the “APA Long Version” on the library website or go to the library to browse the print guide: A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker 2012.

! http://citationmachine.net/

! http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

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Appendix 1: APA Basic Guide

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