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Extended Essay: Individuals & Societies: Business Management

A guide for everything concerning the Extended Essay process.

Extended Essays in History

Extended Essays in Business Management

 

Choosing a Topic

Choosing a Business Management Topic

An Extended Essay in Business Management gives students an opportunity to develop research skills by:
  • reviewing business theories, concepts and principles
  • critically analyzing their use and application in the business world and their resultant impact on business activity.

An extended essay in Business Management should apply business management theories, tools and techniques to produce a coherent and structured analytical essay that effectively addresses your research question.

For example:
  • business practices in a specific regional or national context, 
  • the practical applications of the work of a particular business management theorist
  • other topics covered in the business management course
Some sources for ideas may include:
  • an interest in issues raised in the classroom
  • aspects of a student’s own experience
  • current events

Topic Examples:

Broad Topics Focused Topics
Relevance of lean production for NGOs Application of lean production principles to a specific NGO
The link between ethical objectives and organizational size Relevance of ethical objectives for very small and very large companies in Canada
Motivational techniques at a particular corporation Use of Herzberg’s motivation theory in productivity improvement at a particular corporation.
Effectiveness of Just-in-Time production techniques The contribution of Just-in-Time production in improving efficiency in the textile industry in Cambodia

History Sources

Business Management Sources

Students 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.

In Context Databases

Gale In-Context databases offer topic pages and the Topic Finder search feature. 

This video will show you how to use topic pages.

 

 

Research in Context

Browse Topics in:

Cultures

Geography

Government

People

Social Issues

U. S. History

World History

All Topics >>

Opposing Viewpoints

Browse Issues in:

Business and Economics

Energy and Environmentalism

Law and Politics

National Debate Topics

Science, technology and Ethics

Society and Culture

All Issues >>

Gale OneFile Databases

Gale OneFile databases have two features to help you find search words as well as topics and sub-topics.

Use the "subject guide search" feature in Gale OneFile databases to help you find good search terms.(tutorial video).

Use the "topic finder" to help you find good topics and sub-topics (tutorial video)

Business Insights

 

Economics and Theory

Entrepreneurship

 

Vocations and Careers

Insurance and Liability

 

New York Times

Approaches to Research

Sample Approaches to Research

 

Topic: An evaluation of the introduction of total quality management in ABC Inc.
Research Question: To what extent has the introduction of total quality management (TQM) improved quality at ABC Inc?
Approach to Research
  • A literature review of how quality management techniques have changed with the introduction of TQM, both generally and specifically in the industry of ABC Inc.
  • Selection of relevant indicators measuring quality and collecting relevant data for ABC inc.
  • Analysis and evaluation of the ways in which ABC Inc. has adapted its approach to managing quality, and the impact of this on the selected indicators.
Topic: An evaluation of the case for strengthening social responsibility practices at multinational XYZ
Research Question: Should multinational XYZ strengthen its corporate social responsibility practices in the aftermath of scandal X?
Approach to Research: 
  • 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.

 

For any questions, email Mr. Mulvey at jmulvey3@schools.nyc.gov