ATAR Notes: Forum

VCE Stuff => VCE Business Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Business Management => Topic started by: ngRISING on October 29, 2009, 01:54:50 pm

Title: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on October 29, 2009, 01:54:50 pm
Hey guys. exams are nearing. i havnt done much for it except check points which is potentially useless...

how do i cram all this stuff efficiently and effectively into memory? ==' done about 2 prac exams.

ty >.<
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: chumchum on November 01, 2009, 05:02:49 pm
hmm.....
wake up early,
and keep practicing?? i dont kno i need a cram method as well lol
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: shinny on November 01, 2009, 05:10:40 pm
Grab my notes, identify all the processes, definitions and lists you need to rote learn (i.e. not stuff like advantages/disadvantages; they're easy to make up), and then read it, say it out while looking at it, write it down while looking at it, now say it out a few times without looking at it, and then write it without looking at it. Do these steps over a few different things you need to learn in a relatively unstructured order so that you're not going through this process for one thing to learn entirely, then for the next and so on, but that the process overlaps for a few different things so that you commit it to your long-term memory rather than your short term.

Also, like half of the marks in BM are basically in how you write your answers, not your actual level of knowledge. It'd be wise not to only learn the theory, but to practise how to write answers. I only did 1 trial exam, but where I had my advantage was firstly of course knowing all the theory due to writing my notes, but more importantly, having mastered the answer writing process early on in the year. And because I'm feeling generous, normally I'd spend over an hour teaching these answering skills, but a quick summary is:
1. Write as much as you can
2. Define everything
3. Relate everything to the case study, and even quote from it where possible
4. Relate everything to a real life example if you have one where appropriate, particularly if you can't relate it to the case study
5. JUSTIFYJUSTIFYJUSTIFY. This is the bulk of your answer.

Good luck guys!
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 01, 2009, 05:14:31 pm
lol. i've had your notes since start of term 2. i've annotated them myself and revamped it, color code etc. ^^ for my personal use.

i just wanted opinions i guess on how to cram or study this subject well. like steps in decision making process [doodse] , facilities deisgn layout etc. like definition for definition. looks like rote learn it is. and your tip on disadvantages and advantages have cleared things up a bit. less stuff to memories but i should read over.

thanks :D
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: olly_s15 on November 01, 2009, 06:23:40 pm
Would it be wise to write my own notes? I feel like i know almost all of the content and i have shinny's notes and A+ notes to refer to..
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: shinny on November 01, 2009, 06:26:16 pm
Would it be wise to write my own notes? I feel like i know almost all of the content and i have shinny's notes and A+ notes to refer to..

If you know all the content, then nah it's a waste of time. You're better off doing the rote learning exercise I gave above to learn any more, or to just do practise exams to practise your answer writing abilities.
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: Ax3 on November 03, 2009, 01:58:25 pm

5. JUSTIFYJUSTIFYJUSTIFY. This is the bulk of your answer.

Good luck guys!

Hey Andrew i dont quite get what you mean by justifying? Would it be possible for you to give me an example? Thanks heaps

(sorry for hijacking)
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: shinny on November 03, 2009, 02:13:09 pm
"Dave employs an autocratic management style. [justification]This is shown by his 'lack of trust in employees' resulting in 'him making all the decisions'[/justification]."

Note in particular my use of quotes from the case study itself...not many people do this but I found it to be a good way to secure marks.While this is purely a evidence-based form of justification, there's also some slightly different forms depending on the question where you might need to justify in terms of how something is relevant, in which case you'll try and explain the two concepts and show the links; not merely define and leave it at that.
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 03, 2009, 02:39:56 pm
so justification is just like hmmph, summarising your point at the end or contrasting the 2 ideas.

Say the question was Identify and explain the differences between driving and restraining forces give examples.
So i would define the 2,  the a few examples. Justify the difference at the end

My answer would be.
Driving forces are the factors that promote the need for change and Restraining forces are the factors that prevent the need for change.
Various driving forces are technological advancements, globalisation, exchange rates and many more. Exchange rates, budget of a organisation, political factors are some of the many restraining forces. The difference is that driving forces are reasons for changing and restraining forces are reasons why an organisation should not or cannot change.

last sentence in bold is my justification?
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: shinny on November 03, 2009, 02:41:45 pm
Well in this case, you don't really need to justify to begin with. It's just asking for differences. Justification is more when there's many possible answers, and you're explaining why the factor, style, type or whatever is a correct one to identify.
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 03, 2009, 02:43:48 pm
okay. sweet lol. question i made myself haha ^^. many thanks. if i get near your score i'll be so happy xD .
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 06, 2009, 03:55:40 pm
okay, time to start. 2 AOS each day. 5 prac exams a day. :P
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: mypurpleundercracka on November 06, 2009, 03:56:38 pm
okay, time to start. 2 AOS each day. 5 prac exams a day. :P

LOL good luck buddy  ;)
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 06, 2009, 06:00:28 pm
Lol. 1 down already :D. just in reference to Shinnys notes. Acquisition; refers to the purchasing of all of an organisation's shares and assets by another company. isn't it >50% to own a organisation.
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: ngRISING on November 06, 2009, 07:08:47 pm
Say if the Q is to define what a vision&mission statement, is it okay to write a philosophical statement & broad statement [like the words statement to define a statement]


Vision Statement: A philosophical statement that describes the future direction and outlook of the organisation.
Mission Statement: A broad statement that provides insight into the core beliefs and values of an organisation, and the reasons why the organisation exists.

taken from shinnys notes.

and is medibank an example of privatisation.

and structure follows strategy. anyone wanna define that at ESL level?
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: chumchum on November 06, 2009, 08:32:28 pm
btw
i must say
Shinny's notes are very well prepared , i thank him for the efforts for making a great guide and distributing it on the net...
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: olly_s15 on November 06, 2009, 10:57:33 pm
i agree
Title: Re: BM. How to cram efficiently and effectively?
Post by: shinny on November 06, 2009, 11:05:35 pm
Lol. 1 down already :D. just in reference to Shinnys notes. Acquisition; refers to the purchasing of all of an organisation's shares and assets by another company. isn't it >50% to own a organisation.

I'm actually not sure. Actual business/economics stuff isn't my area, but I don't think examiners will get too hung up on technicalities anyway.

Say if the Q is to define what a vision&mission statement, is it okay to write a philosophical statement & broad statement [like the words statement to define a statement]
It's fine. The purpose of defining those terms isn't to define something as trivial as the word statement, so you can use it again. It's more to do with defining the non-obvious business side of things in terms of what a vision and mission statement are, so in that perspective, using the word statement again is fine. It's generally only where words aren't being used in their normal contexts, or are being used as jargon that you can't use in your definition.