50+ IB Business Management IA Ideas

1.) What marketing strategies should D-Mart supermarkets use to increase their sales revenue in Pune?

Research Question:

What marketing strategies should D-Mart supermarkets use to increase their sales revenue in Pune?

Area of Syllabus:

Marketing (The four Ps, Extended Marketing Mix)

Methodology:

Interview with the manager, Survey with customers, Observation at the store

Organizational Tools:

SWOT Analysis, Profit and Loss Account, Ratio Analysis, 7P’s of Marketing mix

Recommendation:

Invest in radio, television advertising, digital marketing and e-commerce. Open stores in shopping malls to attract more customers. Use direct, viral, social media, and guerrilla marketing.

2.) To what extent, and how should the employee motivation at Sonigara Builders be increased in Pune?

Research Question:

To what extent, and how should the employee motivation at Sonigara Builders be increased in Pune?

Area of Syllabus:

Human Resource Management (Planning, Motivation, Stakeholders, Leadership, Organizational Culture, Employee and Employer Relations)

Methodology:

Interview with the owner, Company’s Website, Interview employees

Organizational Tools:

Motivation Theories – Taylor and Maslow, Financial and Non-Financial Rewards, SWOT Analysis

Recommendation:

Sonigara Builders should seek to motivate their workforce to maximize job satisfaction, staff morale and labor productivity by financial rewards (salary, wages, commission, performance-related pay, perks) and non-financial rewards (job enrichment, job rotation, encourage teamwork).

3.) Should Sante Spa restaurant set up a new branch in order to maximize their profitability?

Research Question:

Should Sante Spa restaurant set up a new branch in order to maximize their profitability?

Area of Syllabus:

Operations Management (Quality Management, Location, Research and Development), Marketing (Market Research, Extended Marketing Mix)

Methodology:

Interview owner, Observations at new branch location

Organizational Tools:

Investment Appraisal (Payback Period), Decision Tree, SWOT Analysis, Force Field Analysis, Ansoff Matrix, Net Present Value

Recommendation:

It is recommended that Sante Spa should consider setting up a new branch. It should go digital to leverage growth. Consider franchising, reinvent your product portfolio, focus on customer service, encourage learning and training sessions for employees. Lastly, build partnerships that enable growth.

4.) What are the consequences of Takur Bakery’s decision to restrain from rapid expansion of the company?

Research Question:

What are the consequences of Takur Bakery’s decision to restrain from rapid expansion of the company?

Area of Syllabus:

Growth and Evolution (Internal and External growth), Operations Management

Methodology:

Interview with the owner, Observations

Organizational Tools:

SWOT Analysis, Force Field Analysis, STEEPLE Analysis, Balance Sheet

Recommendation:

Thakur Bakery should look at advantages of expansion rather than restraining it from expansion. The consequences to restrain from expansion include the company will not grow, it will not secure larger market share, sales and profit will not increase, poor brand awareness. However the reasons for restraining from rapid expansion would be entry into new markets that require extensive market research and compete with well-established rivals.

5.) What expansion strategies should Bajaj use to expand its electric scooters business in the face of increasing demand in Pune?

Research Question:

What expansion strategies should Bajaj use to expand its electric scooters business in the face of increasing demand in Pune?

Area of Syllabus:

Growth and Evolution (Internal and External Growth)

Methodology:

Customer Survey, Observations at the showrooms, Interview with manager

Organizational Tools:

Position Map, Investment Appraisal, SWOT Analysis, STEEPLE Analysis

Recommendation:

Expansionary fiscal policy should be used to boost bajaj business activity. The government should provide subsidies and reduce taxes on electric vehicles because it’s sustainable for the environment. Businesses tend to require external finance to fund their expansion. Expansion strategies should include product development, increase customer base, diversification, increase brand awareness, recruit more workers, franchise new showrooms, use high-tech machinery.

6.) What promotional strategies should Cake Studio use to target a new market segment which emphasizes their USP?

Research Question:

What promotional strategies should Cake Studio use to target a new market segment which emphasizes their USP?

Area of Syllabus:

Marketing (Planning, Four Ps – Promotion: ATL and BTL)

Methodology:

Focus Groups, Observation

Organizational Tools:

4 P’s of Marketing Mix, Ansoff Matrix, Perception Map, BCG Matrix, AIDA Model

Recommendation:

Prices could also be changed to attract different market segments. Cake Studio must be able to provide suitable products to cater for each market segment. The size and purchasing power of each market segment must be quantifiable. They should use mass marketing strategy to target market segments. The marketing strategies should focus on the uniqueness and exclusivity of the product. Promotion may need to take place on a large scale through above the line methods to attract a large number of potential customers.

7.) Should Suhana company undertake investment into ready to eat product lines in order to increase their market share and build a larger brand in the Indian Food Industry?

Research Question:

Should Suhana company undertake investment into ready to eat product lines in order to increase their market share and build a larger brand in the Indian Food Industry?

Area of Syllabus:

Marketing (Role, The Four Ps, Market Research)

Methodology:

Focus Groups

Organizational Tools:

STEEPLE Analysis, Decision Tree, Investment Appraisal, Force Field

Recommendation:

Yes definitely Suhana company should invest in ready-to-eat packets in order to increase their market share and build a larger brand in the Indian Food Industry. It should be segmented by product types (Instant Break, Soup and Snacks), distribution (Supermarkets, retailers) and geography(Asia-Pacific, South America). It should focus on packaging for promotion. It should constantly innovate products to meet and even preempt evolving needs. They should also focus on product development, market penetration and expansion of the sales channel. To increase demand, the firm should consider introducing loss leader pricing strategy in relation to ready-to-eat packets.

8.) How can Hi-Fi Gym improve its brand presence in Pune, India?

Research Question:

How can Hi-Fi Gym improve its brand presence in Pune, India?

Area of Syllabus:

Marketing (Branding, Promotion – ATL and BTL, Pricing)

Methodology:

Interview with owner, Customers Survey

Organizational Tools:

SWOT Analysis, Position Map, Fishbone Diagram, BCG Matrix, STEEPLE Analysis
Recommendation: Hi-Fi Gym should use branding to improve its brand presence in Pune by using several marketing strategies. It should franchise new branches in different locations. They should use psychological pricing by offering packages in months and years. It should focus on long-term goals and objectives. It should create brand identity, keep branding consistent, they should be authentic, offer value and focus on quality.

9.) How can Big Bazar supermarket increase its staff productivity?

Research Question:

How can Big Bazar supermarket increase its staff productivity?

Area of Syllabus:

Human Resource Management (Appraisal, Training, Leadership Style, Employer and employee relations)

Methodology:

Interview with HR Manager, Survey with employees

Organizational Tools:

Taylor’s, Maslow’s, Profit and Loss Account, SWOT Analysis

Recommendation:

It should change its leadership style. Since there is a communication problem between staff and managers, they should change their ways of dealing and treating employees. The managers should assign tasks and roles to staff. It should divide the staff and implement division of labour on a rotational basis to build teamwork. Staff should be appreciated for their hard-work through promotion or higher pay. On-site training should be provided to staff.

10.) What methods of motivation should Ranka Jewellers implement to retain staff?

Research Question:

What methods of motivation should Ranka Jewellers implement to retain staff?

Area of Syllabus:

Human Resource Management (Planning, Motivation, Leadership, Corporate culture, Employee and Employer relation)

Methodology:

Survey with employees to evaluate their level of satisfaction, Interview with owner of the company.

Organizational Tools:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, Non-Financial Rewards, SWOT Analysis

Recommendation:

The work should be appreciated and employees should feel valued. This will encourage them to work harder for praise, keeping them motivated throughout. On-site training should be provided by business executives. Leadership style needs to be changed to situational. The company should reconsider the current employee positions in regards to their abilities and past experiences.