IA
The Internal assessment (IA), first assessment May 2024
The new IA is a business research project that requires students to produce a research project about a real business issue or problem facing a particular organization using one of the key concepts (conceptual lens): creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change. The IA also requires students to apply their knowledge of appropriate Business Management tools and theories.
The most noticeable change to the IA is that the assessment becomes common for both HL and SL.
The maximum marks for the IA is 25 marks, and the word count limit is 1,800 words.
Students will be required to:
Select a real business issue or problem for their research project that relates to any part of the IB syllabus. This means students must not use a hypothetical issue or problem, i.e., do not use hypothetical research questions based on possible future events.
Refer directly to a single business organization, but may consider industry-wide issues that impact on that organization.
Provide a research question for the business research project. This can be either forward looking or backward looking.
Base their research on primary and/or secondary research. These must be selected for suitability, depth, and breadth.
Use only one of the four key concepts* (change, creativity, ethics, or sustainability) as a conceptual lens through which to analyse the research project.
Attach to the business research project 3 to 5 supporting documents from which the majority of the information for the project has been obtained.
Produce a business research project that does not exceed 1,800 words.#
Fully reference all supporting documents and additional sources (such as textbooks for supporting tools and theories) and include these in a bibliography.
The IA is marked by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the two-year course.
The recommended time allocation for the internal assessment is approximately 20 hours. Teachers must submit their internally assessed marks to the IB no later than 20th April (May centres) or 20th October (November centres), as well as uploading the business research project and the supporting documents. Click on the link here for instructions on the upload process.
* Students must be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the key concept if they are to achieve highly on the internal assessment.
# Note that headings (subheadings used to structure the IA) continue to be part of the word count for the internal assessment.
Importance of the key concepts
The internal assessment must use only one of the four key concepts (creativity, ethics, sustainability, or change) as a conceptual lens through which to analyse the IA (the research question, the methodology, and the written contents of the research project).
Note that the chosen key concept can, but does not have to, be stated in the research question. However, it must be clearly indicated on the title page, by stating which key concept has been used in the IA.
There are 5 marks available for the clear identification and use of a relevant key concept. However, for these marks to be awarded, students must be explicit in their use of the chosen conceptual len by applying this appropriately throughout the research project.
Note: Using any other concept beyond the prescribed concepts (e.g., culture, globalization, or innovation) will result in zero marks for Criterion A (the integration of key concept).
Suitable IA research questions (from the Guide) include:
Should Company Y change its manufacturing to outsourcing?
This research project could examine operations management or HRM using change as the conceptual lens.How can Airline A successfully target segment X?
This research project could examine market segmentation, promotional strategies, targeting, positioning, and measures of financial success using sustainability as the conceptual lens.
Top tips!
Going beyond the syllabus should not be encouraged, i.e., stick to the tools and theories within the syllabus.
Using more than one key concept should not be encouraged. It is worthwhile doing a word search/check to ensure only the chosen key concept appears in the document before submission of the IA.
Using a non key concept beyond the prescribed concepts (e.g., culture, globalization, strategy, or innovation) will result in zero marks for assessment criterion A (integration of key concept).
There is greater flexibility with the new IA as students can choose:
A forward looking or backwards looking research question
A small or large business organization to research
Primary and/or secondary sources for their 3 - 5 supporting documents.
Primary sources for supporting documents
Competitor analysis - analysis of local competitors, such as price comparisons
Focus groups
Footfall count
Interviews (with full transcripts provided, and authenticated)
Observation checklists
Position/Perception mapping
Questionnaires (with supporting evidence provided)
Read more about the use of primary market research for the Internal Assessment here.
Secondary sources for supporting documents
Academic publications
Average earnings in local area
Business plans
Company annual reports
Company website (extracts)
DVD / video documentary
Economic data, e.g., unemployment data
Market analyses
Market research surveys
Mission statement
Newspaper articles
Trade journals
Note: Each of the supporting documents must be dated and not over three years old from the submission date to the IB (20th April for May centres and 20th October for November centres).
Read more about suitable secondary market research as supporting documents for the Internal Assessment here.
Top tips!
Students must refrain from including lengthy supporting documents (such as a complete company annual report). Instead, the IB recommends that each supporting document should not exceed five A4 pages (see guide, page 55). Students are discouraged from uploading supporting documents with many pages (such as the entirety of a company annual report).
Highly relevant portions of the supporting documents should be highlighted.
Aim to use a broad and diverse set of supporting documents. This will provide opportunities to consider alternative perspectives, support balanced discussions, and improve evaluation (critical and reflective thinking).
The 3 - 5 supporting documents must be included; specifying the URLs alone is insufficient. If candidates do not include the supporting documents, this will result in zero (0) marks for Criterion B.
Not including the supporting documents can also impact Criterion A (integration of the key concept to the context of the IA), Criterion C (selection and application of tools and theories in the context of the RQ), and Criterion D (analysis and evaluation of the evidence provided). Therefore, the IB requires students to upload their supporting documents as a separate PDF file on IBIS or ManageBac.
Additional sources for the IA
The following sources can be used for the internal assessment, but are not considered to be supporting documents.
Textbooks (for business management tools and theories)
Revision guides / Study guides
Educational journals, e.g. Business Review magazine (Hodder Education)
Class notes
However, if used, these must be directly relevant to the research question. All sources must be referenced and recorded in the bibliography.
Please also note that the 3-year contemporary rule does not apply to the above additional sources.
The new SL/HL IA vs the old SL IA
The new IA | The old SL IA |
A key concept is required and must be integrated throughout the IA (worth up to 5 marks) | The use of a key concept is not required nor is it expected |
Can be based on primary and/or secondary research | Use of secondary research sources must be the main focus of the supporting documents |
Focus on large or small organizations | Pragmatic to focus on larger organizations |
Word count limit = 1,800 | Word count limit = 1,500 |
20 hours | 15 hours |
Analysis and evaluation part of same assessment criterion (worth up to 5 marks) | Analysis and evaluation marked separately (worth up to 5 marks and 4 marks respectively) |
| Weighting = 30% (SL) 20% (HL) | Weighting = 25% (SL) |
The new IA vs the Extended Essay
Internal Assessment | Extended Essay |
| The IA is a business research project | The EE is a scholarly piece of work |
| A key concept is required and must be integrated throughout the IA | The use of a key concept is not required |
| Can be based on primary and/or secondary research, so the IA can be solely based on primary research if appropriate | Use of secondary research sources must be the basis of the EE but this can be supplemented by primary research if it adds value |
| Sources can be based on news media articles and journalistic sources | Sources are mainly of an academic nature, such as academic journals and scholarly articles |
| 3 – 5 Supporting documents (SD) must be used and attached to the IA | Supporting documents are not required, and there is no quantitative limit number of sources required |
| Word count limit = 1,800 words | Word count limit = 4,000 words |
| Reflections are not required nor expected | Reflections (RPPF) are compulsory, and worth up to 6 marks |
| SDs must be published within 3 years prior to submission of the research project to the IB | No stipulated time frame for the use / publication of sources |
| Permissible to focus on a smaller organization (as primary research can be used) | Usually more pragmatic to focus on a relatively large organization and/or industry-wide topic |
| Recommendations can be provided, if relevant to the research question | There is no expectation or requirement for any recommendations to be made |
| No obligation to consider the impact of international mindedness on the IA | Consider the impact of international mindedness on the EE as part of the core |
| 7 assessment criteria, totalling 25 marks | 5 assessment criteria, totalling 34 marks |
| Time allocation = 20 hours | Time allocation = 40 hours |
Note that for academic integrity reasons, the IB states the following: “The same piece of work cannot be submitted to meet the requirements of both the IA and the EE.” (Business Management guide, page 52) and that "students should choose different organizations" the two different tasks (Business Management guide, page 54).
Summary of the new assessments
Component | Standard Level | Higher Level | ||
Time | Weight | Time | Weight | |
Paper 1 | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 35% | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 25% |
Paper 2 | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 35% | 1 hour and 45 minutes | 30% |
Paper 3 | - | - | 1 hour and 15 minutes | 25% |
Internal assessment | 20 hours | 30% | 20 hours | 20% |
Common mistake!
One of the most common mistakes made with Business Management EEs is the lack of understanding of the differences between the IA and the EE. This therefore leads to underperform.
Refer to the table above and make sure that you understand the differences between the requirements of the IA and EE - ask your teacher and supervisor if you are unsure.
As the timings of completing the IA and EE often have some overlap, it is not uncommon that students get confused, so mix the two set of requirements. In any case, do not produce an extended IA task as an EE as this is a self-penalizing approach.
The IA and the Business Management Toolkit (BMT)
Note that students are permitted to use tools, theories, and techniques beyond the Business Management Toolkit (BMT) for the Internal Assessment - but only if these are directly appropriate in addressing the research question.
The BMT is a great starting point for students who now have potentially 15 tools to choose from (eight for SL and 15 for HL students). However, students can go beyond this and use any combination of other tools from the syllabus if they are fit for purpose.
Examples of tools, theories, and techniques beyond the BMT that might be applicable include, but are not limited to:
The IA and the 7 assessment criteria
Criterion A: Integration of a key concept - To what extent does the student effectively integrate the analysis of the connection between the key concept and the organization under study throughout the internal assessment? This criterion is worth up to 5 marks.
Criterion B: Supporting documents - To what extent does the student select three to five relevant supporting documents that address the research question in appropriate depth and breadth? This criterion is worth up to 4 marks.
Criterion C: Selection and application of tools and theories - To what extent does the student effectively select and apply business management tools and theories that are relevant to the research question? This criterion is worth up to 4 marks.
Criterion D: Analysis and evaluation - To what extent does the student effectively select and use data from the supporting documents in their analysis and evaluation of the research question? This criterion is worth up to 5 marks.
Criterion E: Conclusions - To what extent is the student’s conclusion consistent with the evidence presented and explicitly answers the research question? This criterion is worth up to 3 marks.
Criterion F: Structure - To what extent is the student’s business research project organized using an appropriate structure? This criterion is worth up to 2 marks.
Criterion G: Presentation - To what extent is the student’s business research project effectively presented with the use of required elements including a title page, an accurate table of contents, appropriate headings and sub-headings, and numbered pages? This criterion is worth up to 2 marks.
This Google Slides presentation has been prepared and shared by Dana Ramadan who teaches at Amman Academy in Jordan. Many thanks, Dana!
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