Syllabus: International Baccalaureate - Individuals and societies - Business management (Standard Level)
Module: Unit 2: Human resource management
Lesson: 2.6 Communication

Introduction

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Business Management (Standard Level) course plays a pivotal role in developing students’ understanding of business functions through a global lens. Unit 2.6, Communication, sits within Human Resource Management and equips learners with insight into how information flows within organisations, influences decision-making, and impacts employee relations.

This unit directly aligns with workplace readiness and commercial awareness, two of the core Enterprise Skills themes. It connects theory to practice by exploring the modes, effectiveness, and barriers of communication — competencies that are increasingly valued by employers across all sectors.

Key Concepts

According to the IB Business Management SL syllabus, Unit 2.6: Communication covers:

• The importance of effective communication in achieving business objectives.

• Types of communication: formal and informal, internal and external, vertical and horizontal.

• Communication methods: oral, written, visual, and electronic.

• Barriers to effective communication, such as noise, cultural differences, or organisational structure.

• The role of communication in employee-employer relations, including feedback, transparency, and conflict resolution.

• The impact of technology on communication processes within organisations.

Students are expected to analyse communication strategies within a business context and understand how communication influences leadership, morale, and productivity.

Real-World Relevance

Communication breakdowns cost UK businesses an estimated £37 billion per year due to errors, delays, and conflict. In contrast, companies like Unilever have implemented strong internal communication frameworks across global teams, using digital tools like Microsoft Teams, Yammer, and Slack to manage cross-border collaboration. These technologies have improved transparency, reduced miscommunication, and supported hybrid working models.

During the pandemic, the rise of remote and hybrid teams highlighted the role of digital communication tools and the need for clear protocols. Case studies such as Zoom’s internal rollout of asynchronous communication practices provide timely, relevant examples for discussion and analysis.

How It’s Assessed

In the IB examination, students may encounter this content through:

• Short-answer questions requiring definition or explanation of communication types and barriers.

• Data response questions asking students to analyse communication issues in a given business scenario.

• Extended response questions (10–20 marks) requiring evaluation of a communication strategy or recommendation for improving communication in a business.

Key command terms include:

• Explain: Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.

• Analyse: Break down to show understanding of underlying structure.

• Evaluate: Make an appraisal by weighing strengths and weaknesses.

Encourage students to support their arguments with real-world examples and to apply course theory (e.g. types of communication, barriers) to structured, reasoned recommendations.

Enterprise Skills Integration

This topic seamlessly integrates with Enterprise Skills themes such as:

• Workplace Readiness: Students explore professional communication formats and digital collaboration tools used in real workplaces.

• Commercial Awareness: Understanding how internal communication supports strategy, culture, and stakeholder relationships.

• Decision-Making & Problem-Solving: Evaluating how poor communication affects organisational performance and proposing evidence-based improvements.

These are not abstract skills — they are measurable, transferable, and essential for post-16 destinations. Our simulation-based learning model also reinforces communication by having students practise real-time decisions in dynamic business scenarios.

Careers Links

This unit aligns closely with Gatsby Benchmark 4, linking curriculum learning to careers by showing how communication underpins performance in every workplace role.

Relevant roles include:

• Human Resource Officer – Managing internal communications and conflict resolution

• Marketing Executive – Tailoring messaging for stakeholder groups

• Operations Manager – Facilitating cross-functional collaboration

• Customer Service Lead – Ensuring clear external communications

Students also gain exposure to Benchmark 5 and 6 when using Skills Hub Futures, which provides simulated workplace scenarios and real employer challenges based on communication failures or misalignment.

Teaching Notes

Tips for Effective Delivery:

• Use live case studies (e.g. Elon Musk’s communication with Twitter staff vs. Satya Nadella at Microsoft) to illustrate contrasting leadership communication styles.

• Incorporate peer feedback activities where students role-play managers delivering messages.

• Use Skills Hub tools to simulate communication breakdowns and decision-making.

Common Pitfalls:

• Students often overlook the link between communication and other HR elements (e.g. motivation, organisational structure).

• There’s a tendency to generalise “communication is important” without evaluating how or why it’s effective or ineffective in context.

Extension Opportunities:

• Invite an employer guest speaker to share insights on communication challenges in hybrid teams (aligns with Benchmark 5).

• Set a cross-curricular project with English, exploring persuasive business writing or professional email structure.

• Use a flipped classroom model to assign video analysis on business communication styles.