IB Standard Level Business & Management Syllabus
and Curriculum Outline
2010-2011
Welcome to the start of a new school year! This year, IB Learning Partners will be studying the first year of the
Business & Management curriculum. It is a demanding yet dynamic curriculum that provides students with a
wide range of knowledge in business theory and activity, by providing a well-rounded background in
international business, marketing, production, human resources and finance.
Business and Management is a challenging subject that incorporates a wide range of topics and situations. This
subject would be extremely beneficial for any student, as it helps develop a wide range of skills needed in
everyday life; however it is particularly useful for those considering a career in business or economics.
Students who choose Business and Management as a subject will improve their critical thinking, technical,
analytical, and decision making skills. They will have a better understanding of the world around them, both
locally and globally, with a new international perspective on businesses and their diversity. Core principles and
practices of business will be studied as students learn the principles of ethics and social responsibility.
The IB Business and Management curriculum at the Standard Level consists of five main topics: business
organization and environment, human resources, accounts and finance, marketing, and operations management.
Supplies
Textbook: IB Business and Management, by Paul Hoang, ISBN 1876659637
Rulers, calculators, paper, and any other materials should be brought to class when necessary.
Several other IB Business and Management textbooks and resources are available in the Library at anytime.
Curriculum Outline
The following is a general outline of the topics covered for the two year curriculum. As with any other IB Standard Level
curriculum, the subject will be taught over 150 teaching hours. We will begin with Topic 1: Business Organization and
Environment. I hope to get through Topics 1, 2 and 4 in the first year and topics 3 and 5 in the second year. However, if
more or less time is required to gain full understanding of a topic the timeframes are subject to change.
Year 1:
Topic 1: Business Organization and Environment
-Business activity
-Types of organizations and organizational objectives
-Stakeholders
-External environment
-Organizational planning tools
-Growth and evolution
-Globalization
Topic 2: Human Resources
-Human resources planning
-Organizational structure
-Communication
-Leadership and management
-Motivation
Topic 4: Marketing
-The role of marketing
-Marketing planning
-Marketing Mix: Product, Price, Promotion, Place
-International marketing
-E-commerce
Year 2:
Topic 3: Accounts and Finance
-Sources of finance
-Investment appraisal
-Working capital
-Final accounts
-Ratio analysis
Topic 5: Operations Management
-Production methods
-Costs and revenues
-Break-even analysis
-Quality assurance
-Location
Grade Breakdown in Class
Grades for this course will be broken down into the following percentages.
Oral and written quizzes and tests
Projects and major activities
Daily assignments, homework and class participation
50%
35%
15%
Tests or quizzes will be given periodically throughout the year, and will be written individually. These help to ensure that
the Learning Partner has grasped the main concepts of the material.
Projects and major activities are extremely important in the IB Business & Management curriculum. They help to relate
current topics and real business situations to material covered in class. Projects are a good way of putting yourself in a real
business situation and understanding how to go about solving problems.
Daily assignments, homework and class participation are very important for the Learning Partner. They also help me to
ensure the Learning Partner is making sense of the current material we are studying. There will be frequent in-class
assignments, and a weekly participation grade will be given. Since we will only be able to meet 5 times within each twoweek period, homework will be assigned frequently and can be due any day of the week.
Assessment
The external assessment for the IB Business and Management course consists of two papers.
Paper 1 covers all five topics and is based on a Case Study that is issued in advance.
Section A is worth 30 marks. LPs should answer two of three structured questions.
Section B is worth 20 marks. It consists of one compulsory structured question including
evaluative skills.
Paper 2 covers all five topics.
Section A is worth 20 marks. LPs should answer one of two structured questions based on
stimulus material with a quantitative element.
Section B is worth 40 marks. LPs should answer two of three structured questions based on
stimulus material.
The internal assessment for the IB Business and Management course is a written commentary worth 25 marks. The written
commentary is based on three to five supporting documents about a real issue or problem facing a particular organization.
The maximum word length is 1500 words. There will be 15 teaching hours allotted to this assignment.
Therefore, the final breakdown for assessment is as follows:
Paper 1 35%
Paper 2 40%
Written Commentary 25%
If a Learning Partner is absent, it is his/her responsibility to follow up with me as soon as possible on work or notes that
may have been missed. Learning Partners are strongly encouraged to seek me out for extra help when needed. Extra tutorial
will need to be arranged with me ahead of time.
Please review this syllabus with your parents and feel free to let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I can be
reached either after school or at chrisernat@hotmail.com. I would appreciate having this form signed and returned to
me by Monday, August 23rd. I look forward to another exciting year!
Thanks!
Christine
Learning Partner Signature: ________________________
Parent Signature: __________________________
Date: __________________