M23 Paper 1
The Paper 1 examination for May 2023 (Skandvig Terra PLC) has been rescheduled for Friday 28th April 2023 (morning session for Exam zones B and C, and afternoon session for Exam zone A). For details of Exam zone, click the link here. If you are not sure which IB time zone your school is in, please check with your IB DP Coordinator.
The Paper 1 examination for November 2023 is scheduled for Monday 24th October 2023 (afternoon session). This is the final examination of the Paper 1 in its current format.
The main aims and overview of the Paper 1 assessment are as follows:
Promotes a holistic approach to IB Business Management
Assesses all 5 topics of the IB BM syllabus
Demands extensive analytical and critical thinking skills.
Table 1 - Overview of Paper 1
Exam paper | Duration | Topics | Weighting (%) | Total marks |
Paper 1 (SL) | 1 hr 15 mins | All | 30 | 40 |
Paper 1 (HL) | 2 hr 15 mins | All | 35 | 60 |
SL candidates answer only two questions from Section A, plus the compulsory question in Section B.
HL students answer two questions from Section A and the compulsory question in Section B. In Section C (an extended response/essay question), additional unseen data/information will be provided in the exam.
Note: Schools are responsible for providing the formulae sheet plus a clean copy of the pre-issued case study for students in the external exam. It is therefore useful to practice this by setting students a mock/trial exam for Paper 1.
The Paper 1 pre-issued case study
Each exam session, the IB releases a pre-issued case study for the external examinations. This is made available on the PRC (Programme Resources Centre) - speak with your IB Coordinator if you are not sure how to access this resource.
For the May 2023 examination, the pre-issued case study (Skandvig Terra PLC) was made available on 2dn February. For the November 2023 examination, the pre-issued case study is available on the PRC in August.
The case study is based on a hypothetical organization, which covers all 5 units in the syllabus. It can act as a useful stimulus for students when revising for both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Note: students must not use this organization for their CUEGIS essay in Paper 2, Section C!
FAQ 1: So, what would happen if a student decided to write about the organization featured in Paper 1 for their CUEGIS essay in Section C of Paper 2?
The CUEGIS essay in Paper 2 must be based on a real-world organization. The organization featured in the Paper 1pre-issued case study is a fictitious business. Therefore, students will be penalized if they choose to use the business organization featured in Paper 1!
Paper 1 – Standard Level
Section A: answer 2 of 3 structured questions
10 marks per question; there are no AO3 questions in Section A
Additional unseen additional material in Section B
Section B: answer the compulsory structured question worth 20 marks
Total = 40 marks
Time = 1 hour 15 mins examination
FAQ 2: What happens if a student answers all three questions in Section A?
This is not a recommended strategy! As the proverb goes, “If you run after two hares, you will catch neither".
Students need to be familiar with the rules for each exam paper.
However, in such a case, the examiner will mark all three answers and award the top two marks. However, there is an opportunity cost if answering all three questions in Section A because students are likely to run out of time for Section B of the exam.
Paper 1 – Higher Level
Section A: answer 2 of 3 structured questions
10 marks per question; there are no AO3 questions in Section A
Additional unseen additional material in Section B
Section B: answer the compulsory structured question worth 20 marks
Total = 40 marks
Time = 1 hour 15 mins examination (approx.)
Section C:
Additional unseen material will be provided in the actual Paper 1 exam
Answer the compulsory question worth 20 marks
HL extension topics may be assessed
Total for HL Paper 1 = 60 marks
Total time for HL Paper 1 = 2 hour 15 mins
FAQ 3: How do the HL and SL Paper 1 examinations differ from each other?
Sections A and B are very similar for SL and HL, although the latter can include HL extension or HL only topics as mentioned in the Guide (page 54).
The main difference is Section C for HL only students, which is a single question worth 20 marks. This requires students to answer a business strategy question based on the pre-released material and the additional stimulus materials in Section B and Section C of the examination.
Paper 1 Quiz
So, how much do you know about the Paper 1 assessment?
Use any resource you have access to (such as the IB Business Management Guide) to answer the following questions:
| 1. | Which two items must a school provide for students in the Paper 1 Business Management exam? | The formulae sheet plus a clean copy of the pre-issued case study. |
| 2. | What is tested in Section C of Paper 1 (HL only)? | Business decision-making and business strategy, using tools, theories, and techniques such as decision trees or investment appraisal techniques. |
| 3. | Are there any AO3 questions in Part A of the exam paper? | No – only up to AO2 (such as describe or explain). |
| 4. | Can quantitative questions appear in Section B of the Paper 1 exam? | Yes, potentially. Section B is different for SL and HL but students can expect data / quantitative questions (although this is not prescriptive). |
| 5. | What is the rule on the use of calculators in the Paper 1 exam? | A 4-function calculator would suffice; graphic display calculators (GDCs) with storage devices must have the memory completely swiped and checked by an exams invigilator. |
| 6. | What is the weighting of the Paper 1 exam for HL? SL? | 35% for HL and 30% for SL - as stated on pages 53 and 54 of the official IB Business Management Guide. These weightings potentially represent three grade boundaries for the Paper 1 examination, so schools are strongly advised to devote adequate time to review and revise the syllabus through the context of the organization and information contained in the pre-issued case study. |
| 7. | How long does the IB recommend that schools should spend on the pre-release case study? | Up to three weeks - but this is not prescriptive. You know your students best, so use your professional judgement when deciding how much time your students will need. |
| 8. | Is there any difference between the pre-seen case study for SL and HL candidates? | |
| 9. | When responding to questions in Section B (SL) and Sections B and C (HL), are students expected to draw on the pre-seen material? | Yes, students are expected to draw on the pre-seen material where relevant. This can include aspects of their answers from Section A (for SL candidates) and Sections A and B (for HL candidates). |
| 10. | Are the questions in Sections A and B the same for SL and HL students? | students. In Section A, all questions are based on the pre-seen case study (so there may be HL content in Section A for HL only candidates). In Section B, the questions are mainly based on the additional stimulus material provided on the day of the exam. |
May 2023 Paper 1 Case Study - ATL Activities and resources
You may want to bookmark the above URL for ease of access to the resources that will be added over the next couple of months.
