If you choose Business Management as an Extended Essay subject, you get a real chance to think like a strategist. While conducting research, you must connect classroom theory with how business actually works in the real world. And that’s a really cool mix!
But before you start, let’s break down this subject—what it’s about, which topics to consider, and whether you should choose Business and Management for your Extended Essay at all.
- What Is the Business and Management Extended Essay?
- How to Choose a Topic for Business Management Extended Essay?
- Business Management Extended Essay Structure
- What Are the Assessment Criteria for Business Management EE?
- Need Help with Your IB Extended Essay?
- Who Should Choose Business Management as an Extended Essay Subject?
- Is the Business and Management Extended Essay Subject Hard?
What Is the Business and Management Extended Essay?
The Business Management Extended Essay is a 4,000-word research project where you apply business ideas, theories, and analytical tools to a real company, market, or industry. You’ll develop a research question, collect relevant data, analyze it, and present conclusions that are logical and backed by evidence.
In simple terms, the IB wants you to think like a real manager. You’ll examine how businesses handle problems, make decisions, and manage departments such as marketing, finance, or HR. Along the way, you’ll gather data, use different tools, and interpret what those results really mean.
Take a look at the table below, which shows some of the most important parts of a Business Management EE.
| Holistic view of business | Examine how different functions (marketing, finance, HR) interact within a company. |
| Concept-driven analysis | Use concepts like change, globalization, innovation, and ethics to frame your investigation. |
| Real context | Your research will focus on actual organizations, markets, or business environments. No purely theoretical models. |
| Critical, strategic thinking | You’ll be expected to evaluate decisions considering both qualitative and quantitative data. |
Looking past the table, I’d say the real advantage of picking the Business and Management extended essay subject is how practical it is.
As an example, Economics EE is mostly theoretical, and a Global Politics EE often involves abstract concepts. But the Business Management focuses on real decisions made inside actual organizations.
How to Choose a Topic for Business Management Extended Essay?
The best approach is to start with something you actually find interesting. If you’re into branding or leadership, don’t force yourself to write about accounting just because it sounds “serious.” You’ll spend many time researching, so make sure you enjoy the subject.
That said, it’s not just about what you like. You also need access to real data, including company reports, interviews, or surveys. The IB values essays that connect theory to reality, so choose a topic that lets you gather meaningful information.
Keep it narrow and specific, too. So, instead of writing about “Tesla’s marketing strategies,” you could come up with a better option. Research on “How well has Tesla’s use of influencer marketing helped build customer trust in 2023?” looks far better and realistic.
At the same time, it’s better to stay away from topics that are too broad, too theoretical, or too hard to research. For example, global economic trends or “how businesses adapt to COVID-19” are way too wide to analyze properly. Also, skip confidential or sensitive company data—you’ll struggle to get reliable information.
If you’re still unsure where to start, don’t worry, because we’ve gathered plenty of great topic ideas and research questions for you. 🤌
Business Management Extended Essay Structure
This essay makes me think of a business project. Why? It’s very much the same: you have to say what the problem is, how you’re studying it, what you found, and what it all means.
Introduction
Your intro is your first impression, so use it to explain what your topic is about:
- Start by introducing the company, market, or problem you’re investigating.
- Then, briefly mention what motivated your choice. Maybe you’ve always been interested in how startups manage growth, or you want to analyze how global brands adapt their marketing to different cultures.
- End the paragraph with your exact research question (that’s your essay’s backbone).
Also, it’s better to mention the tools or theories you plan to use later (for instance, SWOT or Porter’s Five Forces).
Methodology
In this part, explain how you collected your data. For instance, you can send surveys, interview people, or use company reports and market data. Whatever it is, mention it clearly.
The whole point is that the IB wants to see that you didn’t just describe things but actually used a structured approach.
Body Part (Analysis and Discussion)
In this section, you take all the information you’ve gathered and make sense of it. Start by presenting your findings—tables, graphs, and short summaries help a lot here. Then, connect your results to business theory.
To make your discussion easy to follow, try this simple flow:
- Present your data or evidence.
- Link it directly to a relevant theory or model.
- Explain what it means for your research question.
- Offer a short evaluation of the results.
Show how different parts of your data connect, highlight any surprises, and don’t be afraid to question your own assumptions. That’s what strong critical thinking looks like.
Conclusion and Evaluation
Time to wrap it up. Summarize your main findings and make sure your conclusion connects directly to the research question.
Oh, and don’t forget to quickly note any limitations you encountered, such as missing data or time constraints. It’s okay since admitting your shortcomings doesn’t lower your score. It demonstrates that you know yourself instead.
Then, if it fits with your topic, suggest how more research could build on what you’ve already done.
References and Appendices
Keep your sources clean and consistent. Whether you use MLA or APA doesn’t matter as much as doing it properly.
And note that appendices are only for extra material (charts, transcripts, or detailed data), not for new arguments.
What Are the Assessment Criteria for Business Management EE?
In the older guideline, the assessment consisted of five criteria (A-E), totalling 34 points. But starting with the first assessment session in May 2027, the IB has introduced an updated rubric for the EE, including for Business and Management.
Now, there are 30 points in total. The overall structure remains a five-part rubric (A-E) in broad terms. Still, the focus of some criteria has been refined so that analysis and evaluation are more clearly distinguished.
| Criterion | What Examiners Look For | Max Points |
|---|---|---|
| A. Framework for the Essay (Focus and Method) | A clear, well-defined research question, logical structure, and appropriate research methods. | 6 |
| B. Knowledge and Understanding | Strong grasp of business concepts, theories, and terminology used to analyze your topic. | 6 |
| C. Analysis and Line of Argument | A logical, well-supported argument. It should connect evidence, data, and theory. | 12 |
| D. Discussion and Evaluation | Balanced discussion of findings and a thoughtful evaluation of results. | 4 |
| E. Reflection | A reflection on your research process, challenges, and personal learning growth. | 2 |
| TOTAL | 30 points |
Put simply, the IB wants to see that you can think like a researcher: plan effectively, analyze critically, and reflect.
So, when writing, aim not just for descriptive content but for real analytical depth, strong reflection, and a structured argument. These changes won’t overhaul everything overnight, but they do raise the bar for strong work.
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Who Should Choose Business Management as an Extended Essay Subject?
This subject is a great choice for students who already take Business Management as one of their IB courses and genuinely enjoy it.
If you like looking at how companies make decisions, what makes one business strategy more successful than another, or how leadership affects performance, this subject will feel natural to you.
And in my opinion, this EE fits perfectly if you see yourself studying Business, Economics, Marketing, Finance, or Management at university. It gives you a head start by teaching you how to research, analyze, and evaluate information just like you would in a first-year business course.
Plus, it looks great on your university application. It shows that you can think critically, work independently, and apply academic concepts to real situations.
Now, let’s sum up. Here are a few signs this subject might be right for you:
- You’re already taking IB Business Management and enjoy the course.
- You’re planning a career in business, marketing, or entrepreneurship.
- You like researching real companies and case studies.
- You’re comfortable working with data, reports, or surveys.
- You prefer practical analysis to theoretical essays.
If all these sound like you, then choosing the Business and Management EE subject is a smart move.
Is the Business and Management Extended Essay Subject Hard?
This Extended Essay subject can look hard and a little intimidating at first glance. It’s not one of those essays you can rush through in a weekend. Here, you have to think, plan, and analyze like a real manager. You’ll be dealing with companies, numbers, and strategies. So it takes effort. But that doesn’t mean it’s too hard. It just needs the right approach.
In fact, many students who already take the Business Management course say that this essay feels familiar. You already know the theories, the models, and the terminology; now you simply apply them to a real situation. That’s where it gets interesting. When you start connecting what you’ve learned in class to how actual businesses work, the whole process becomes surprisingly engaging.
Of course, there are moments when it feels tough—collecting data, getting responses, or making sense of results. But that’s the real-world side of business, and it’s what makes this EE so interesting.
And remember, you don’t have to go through it alone. At BuyTOKEssay Service, we also help IB students with Internal Assessments and Extended Essays. If you’re stuck on your topic, not sure how to structure your ideas, or just want someone to check your final draft, our team of IB experts is always ready to help.
