BUSS3 Strategies for Success in Question 4

Students who are sitting BUSS3 next week either for the first time, or as a resit, must recognise the importance of the final question in achieving a good grade. This question, with either 34 or 36 marks, carries almost half the marks for the whole paper. Here are four tips that may help….

1. Structure - keep it simple

Use the three parts of the question to split your answer into three sections as sub-headings, this will help to focus your points and keep your structure logical. A good approach is to stick to two paragraphs of ‘for’ and two ‘against’, with a final section for the ‘recommendations’

2. Data, data, data

Make sure the paragraphs of ‘for’ and ‘against’ have plenty of data from the appendices to back up your points. This will strengthen both your application and analysis. The best points/paragraphs are ones that can identify and explain links between two different pieces of data, for example you might see that staff are paid piece rate, and that this has improved productivity

3. Focused analysis

When you start a paragraph ‘for’ or ‘against’ make sure you can analyse the point you are making back to the overall plan. WHY does that data/point suggest they should/should not go ahead with the plan? This should be the key focus of all your paragraphs

4. Recommendations

Here, you need a FIRM judgement. No fence-sitting!! Should the business go ahead with the plan? Why do you think they should/should not. Use evidence to back your judgement up and link it back to the overall aims and objectives of this business. It is then a good idea to consider what the success of this plan might depend on. Think functional areas….might it depend on finance? (can they afford it?)....perhaps it depends on operations (do they have enough capacity?)...it could depend on Human Resources (how might staff react?)...or perhaps on marketing (image/market size).