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Northern IrelandBusiness Studies

Strategic Decision Making

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does a business plan for the future and prepare for the unexpected?

The purpose and content of a business plan, the role of corporate (business) planning, contingency planning and crisis management, and how risk and change are managed strategically.
A CCEA A-Level Business Studies answer on business and contingency planning, covering the purpose and content of a business plan, the corporate planning process, contingency planning and crisis management, and how a business manages risk and change strategically.
12 min answer →

What techniques help a business make and schedule complex decisions?

Quantitative decision-making techniques, including decision trees with expected values and critical path analysis (network analysis), how they are constructed and interpreted, and their strengths and limitations.
A CCEA A-Level Business Studies answer on quantitative decision-making techniques, covering decision trees and expected values, critical path analysis with the earliest start and latest finish times and the critical path, how each is constructed and interpreted, and their strengths and limitations.
13 min answer →

How does a business decide whether a major investment is worthwhile?

The methods of investment appraisal, including the payback period, the average rate of return and net present value using discounted cash flow, and the strengths and limitations of each as a basis for investment decisions.
A CCEA A-Level Business Studies answer on investment appraisal, covering the payback period, the average rate of return and net present value using discounted cash flow, how each is calculated and interpreted, and the strengths and limitations of the three methods.
13 min answer →

How does a business analyse its financial performance?

The use of accounting ratios to analyse performance, including profitability, liquidity, efficiency and gearing ratios, their calculation and interpretation, and the limitations of ratio analysis.
A CCEA A-Level Business Studies answer on ratio analysis, covering profitability ratios such as gross and net profit margin and return on capital employed, liquidity ratios, efficiency ratios and gearing, how each is calculated and interpreted, and the limitations of ratio analysis.
13 min answer →

How does a business plan its long-term direction?

The nature of strategy and the difference between strategic and tactical decisions, SWOT and PEST analysis, Ansoff's matrix of growth strategies, and the process of strategic planning.
A CCEA A-Level Business Studies answer on strategy and strategic planning, covering strategic versus tactical decisions, SWOT and PEST analysis, Ansoff's matrix of market penetration, market development, product development and diversification, and the strategic planning process.
12 min answer →