BUSS4 Section B Past Paper Questions

Can a new CEO change organisational culture quickly?

How easy is it for a new CEO to turn a business from failure to success?

Does an innovative culture guarantee success?

Does globalisation mean firms need to change strategy to achieve higher profits?

Can a leader make a significant difference to the long-term success of an organisation?

Is employee resistance the biggest problem for a process of change management?

Is corporate planning still worthwhile in a period of rapid economic & political change?

Will a cautious business inevitably suffer a fall in market share?

Is diversification the best strategy to achieve profitable growth?

Why do big businesses make bad decisions?

Will business performance inevitably decline after the departure of the founder?

Should businesses avoid changes in strategy that are high risk?

Are emerging markets the best opportunity for major profit growth?

Does organisational culture determine success in a rapidly changing external environment?

Has managing information effectively become the key to being market leader?

Is the external environment in the UK favourable for businesses at the moment?

Is it essential for managers to take ethics into consideration when making decisions nowadays?

- Notice how often strategic decision-making is addressed, usually in the context of a fast-changing and uncertain external environment. The terms "risk", "reward", "uncertainly" should become a regular feature of practice Section B essays.

- The potential effect of new leadership is also a common theme, particularly in the context of being able to achieve significant change in organisational culture or re-positioning a business. These questions don't invite students to write all they know about the nonsensical concepts of theoretical leadership styles - they reward students who have real-life insights into the strategies and decision-making of real-life CEOs.

- Lastly, notice how the underlying theme of culture has been used effectively several times. Studentspreparing for Section A in June 2013 should look really closely at those questions above which address organisational culture