Business Management IA Exemplar: Starbucks Israel Suspicion on Finance | RevisionDojo
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IB Business Management HL Internal Assessment Example
Examine the impact of the Starbucks suspicion of supporting Israel in sustaining its financeHL
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5
Official IB Result
15/25
Criteria A: Integration of a Key Concept
4/5
0
3
5
Criteria Strands
A.1Understanding and integration of key concept
Excellent
A.2Connection to organization
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Clear and sustained reference to financial sustainability throughout multiple analytical sections
Solid understanding of sustainability evident in terminology like “financial losses” and “long-term health”
Consistent linkage to Starbucks data (quarterly figures, public statements) to illustrate sustainability issues
Integration is uneven in sections such as Hofstede and SWOT where sustainability is implied rather than explicitly tied back
Some numerical analyses describe trends without interpreting their sustainability implications
Occasional generic comments (e.g., “large number of stores”) lack direct connection to the key concept
1.1·Weakness
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The Hofstede analysis discusses dimensions but never explicitly links cultural factors back to sustainability. Show how these dimensions threaten or support Starbucks’ financial sustainability.
1.2·Suggestion
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The analysis of the consolidated earnings table describes trends but fails to interpret these in sustainability terms. Connect EPS fluctuations to long-term financial health.
1.3·Suggestion
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The UAE FAQ document provides useful denials but lacks analysis. Explain how this supports or refutes the sustainability argument.
Criteria B: Supporting Documents
2/4
0
2
4
Criteria Strands
B.1Number of documents
Excellent
B.2Relevance and depth
Good
Criteria Feedback
Includes five supporting documents meeting the 3–5 requirement
Documents are properly cited and add primary Starbucks filings and media coverage
Limited depth and range: relies heavily on corporate and media sources without academic perspectives
Several documents (e.g., UAE FAQ, BBC excerpt) are descriptive and lack critical analysis
Formatting issues (e.g., uncropped screenshots) detract from clarity
2.1·Weakness
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Reference list relies heavily on media and corporate sources. Incorporate academic journals or textbooks to strengthen the depth of supporting documents.
2.2·Suggestion
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Citations follow MLA style but IB internal assessments typically require a consistent academic style. Verify format against IB guidelines.
2.3·Weakness
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The screenshot of the BBC article includes navigation menus and page headers. Crop to display only relevant content for clarity.
Criteria C: Selection and Application of Tools and Theories
2/4
0
2
4
Criteria Strands
C.1Selection of tools and theories
Good
C.2Application and relevance
Good
Criteria Feedback
Appropriate choice of common IB tools (SWOT, P&L, consolidated earnings)
Methodological inclusion of financial statements aligns with the research question
Selection of tools is not fully justified in terms of assessing sustainability
Application of some tools (e.g., Hofstede, SWOT) remains superficial or descriptive
No use of additional analytical frameworks (e.g., ratio analysis, stakeholder mapping)
3.1·Weakness
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The methodology statement lists tools without justifying why each is appropriate for assessing financial sustainability. Explain how each tool directly addresses the research question.
3.2·Strength
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Including a profit and loss account is an appropriate choice of tool for financial analysis and aligns with the research question.
3.3·Strength
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SWOT analysis inclusion is methodologically sound, showing appropriate tool selection for organizational context.
3.4·Strength
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Use of the consolidated statement highlights deeper financial metrics beyond revenue. This triangulation of data strengthens the assessment.
Criteria D: Analysis and Evaluation
2/5
0
3
5
Criteria Strands
D.1Data selection and use
Good
D.2Analysis quality
Good
Criteria Feedback
Data tables and graphs are used to illustrate key revenue and EPS trends
Some links are drawn between events (e.g., boycott) and financial dips
Analysis is largely narrative; causality is assumed without controlling for other factors
Lacks deeper benchmarking or ratio analysis to contextualize figures
Limited integration of findings across multiple tools
4.1·Suggestion
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Assertions about uncertainty avoidance affecting customer loyalty lack concrete examples or data. Incorporate survey results or market feedback to substantiate this claim.
4.2·Weakness
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The narrative assumes causality between the boycott and revenue decline without controlling for other factors. Discuss alternative explanations or use statistical tests.
4.3·Suggestion
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The P&L table is descriptive but would benefit from benchmarking the percentage declines against industry averages to deepen analysis.
4.4·Weakness
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The quarterly narrative describes trends, but lacks ratio analysis (e.g., gross margin, EPS changes). Calculate and interpret key ratios to strengthen evaluation.
4.5·Weakness
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The SWOT text is lengthy and unfocused on sustainability. Label each quadrant clearly and tie each point directly to financial sustainability implications.
Criteria E: Conclusions
2/3
0
2
3
Criteria Strands
E.1Consistency with evidence
Good
E.2Answer to research question
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Conclusion restates key findings and tools used
Explicitly addresses the research question regarding impact on financial sustainability
Sweeping claims (e.g., risk of bankruptcy) are unsubstantiated
No clear recommendations or implications are drawn
Synthesis of evidence into actionable insights is limited
5.1·Weakness
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The conclusion succinctly recaps tools used but does not synthesize findings into clear recommendations or implications for sustainability.
5.2·Weakness
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The claim that Starbucks risks bankruptcy is speculative and unsupported by financial ratios or scenario analysis. Moderate such statements or provide evidence.
Criteria F: Structure
2/2
0
1
2
Criteria Strands
F.1Organization and structure
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Logical organization with introduction, methodology, analysis sections, and conclusion
Headings align with the table of contents and guide the reader
Table of contents lacks page numbers, hindering navigation
Some sections (e.g., lengthy introduction, raw data appendices) could be more concise
6.1·Weakness
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The table of contents lists sections but omits page numbers. Populate the right–hand column to improve navigation and structure.
6.2·Suggestion
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The introduction provides extensive background but could be more concise and focused on scope. Streamline this section and define the precise time frame and variables.
6.3·Suggestion
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The comprehensive Q4 consolidated statements are well-sourced, but too much raw data overloads the reader. Extract key ratios for your main text instead of appending full tables.
Criteria G: Presentation
1/2
0
1
2
Criteria Strands
G.1Required elements
Excellent
Criteria Feedback
Includes most required elements (title, research question, word count, tables/figures)
Consistent citation style is evident
IB candidate code field is left blank (required element missing)
Some tables (e.g., supporting‐document table) are misaligned and reduce readability
7.1·Strength
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The clear declaration of “Key Concept: Sustainability” demonstrates inclusion of required elements and anchors the analysis in the sustainability theme.
7.2·Weakness
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The candidate code field is left blank. Include your IB candidate code to meet assessment requirements.
7.3·Weakness
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The Q1 supporting document table is misaligned and difficult to read. Ensure consistent table formatting for accessibility.