Case Studies Layout?

[pels]

Hey all,

I would like to know what would be the best way of putting in those case studies into my section IV of the Business Studies HSC exams.
Also, what would be the best things to include in the case studies, and if its actual stats, is it safe to make up some stuff or better to leave it out?
Are the markers strict when it comes to numerical stats in case studies?

Cheers

[kevin217]

For how you want to structure your business essay, I recommend you analyse the 3 band 5/6 responses here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/stds-matl/business-studies-sm.html
As to what case study information you want to include depends on what syllabus dot point the question addresses.It's kinda hard for me to explain so my tip is to just write as many business essays as you can get them marked by your teacher. Also y teacher told me that you don't want to straight up make up stats e.g. Qantas' Net Profit ratio was 10% for the 2014-15 financial year (It was 6.2%). I'm guessing the markers are strict for those kinds of financial statistics for Qantas but I doubt they chase anything up for less popular businesses.

[isaacdelatorre]

Hey all,

I would like to know what would be the best way of putting in those case studies into my section IV of the Business Studies HSC exams.
Also, what would be the best things to include in the case studies, and if its actual stats, is it safe to make up some stuff or better to leave it out?
Are the markers strict when it comes to numerical stats in case studies?

Cheers

Hi pels,
Kevin217 is right when he says analyse the band 5/6 responses to gain an idea of how to integrate case studies. However these responses are not the only way to include a case study; there is no correct way for you to use a case study; it just has to be there and be used effectively. This means that the case study must be relevant to your essay and correlate with whatever your paragraph is about. Thus, the case study should enhance your argument.

In saying this some methods include using PEEL/TEAL/SEER whatever structure in that you have a topic sentence, explain the theory behind it and then use a case study to show that it actually does happen.
e.g. "To minimise expenses, some strategies can be implemented such as cost centres; in which a firm segments departments or sections of the business where costs can be directly attributed in order to isolate which areas incur large and unnecessary direct and indirect costs that can be addressed. This strategy is successful in maintaining and increasing profits; seen through Westpac’s reported 3% profit increase to $7.82 billion due to reducing fixed and variable employee costs. "

Other ways to do this are to focus your paragraphs around the case study itself and use the case study to explain strategy/influence or whatever the question asks.
e.g. In order to differentiate itself in a competitive environment, Billabong differentiates itself by engaging in social and ethical practices by constantly scanning the political environment of different regions to ensure it's activities remain legal across a range of different regions that it operates in. Billabong does this by... and the effect of this is..." etc.

In terms of actual statistics, it does show the marker that you put in research and have concrete information that shows a direct correlation between strategy/influence etc and the effect on profits or market share etc. However, the syllabus does say "investigate aspects of business using hypothetical situations and actual business case studies" and the rubric of section IV states "apply relevant business case study/studies and contemporary business issues" Thus you are allowed to use case studies/statistics that are fabricated (within reason, it cannot be an unrealistic statistic like using a cashflow statement saw business X increase profits by 250%) but they must be relevant to your essay.

Hope this helps