Syllabus: International Baccalaureate - Individuals and Societies - Business management (Higher Level)
Module: Unit 4: Marketing
Lesson: 4.4 Market Research
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Introduction
Unit 4.4 of the IB Business Management (Higher Level) syllabus focuses on Market Research, a core component of strategic marketing. This unit enables students to investigate how data-driven decisions improve organisational performance, link with wider business functions, and respond to dynamic market conditions. Teaching this topic supports the International Baccalaureate’s focus on conceptual understanding and real-world application, while aligning with Enterprise Skills’ priority themes of Commercial Awareness, Decision-Making & Problem-Solving, and Workplace Readiness.
Key Concepts
According to the official IB syllabus, students are expected to understand:
The purpose of market research, including how it supports strategic and tactical decision-making.
Primary and secondary research methods, including advantages and limitations of techniques such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, academic databases, media, and government data.
Sampling methods, including quota, random, stratified, and cluster sampling, with commentary on biases and representativeness.
The market research process, including problem definition, research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
Limitations of market research, including cost, time, bias, and reliability of findings.
The role of ethics in market research, including consent, privacy, and transparency.
These concepts provide the foundation for students to assess how information is gathered and applied to solve real business challenges.
Real-World Relevance
Market research is pivotal in today’s fast-moving, customer-centric economy. For example:
Tesco uses loyalty card data to personalise promotions, revealing how secondary data informs operational decisions.
Nike employed ethnographic research to refine its women’s product lines, demonstrating the power of qualitative methods.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitality businesses such as Pret A Manger shifted strategy based on primary customer feedback gathered online, highlighting market responsiveness through agile research.
Embedding these real-world applications in lessons shows students how market research links directly to profitability, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
How It’s Assessed
Assessment of Unit 4.4 occurs through both internal and external IB evaluation:
Paper 1 and Paper 2 may include structured or extended response questions involving data analysis or application of research methods.
Command terms such as analyse, evaluate, and recommend require students to interpret data, weigh trade-offs, and justify strategic decisions.
In the Internal Assessment (IA), students may conduct original research, applying primary or secondary methods to a real business problem. Accuracy, ethics, and methodological rigour are evaluated.
Teachers should ensure students are fluent with business data formats (e.g. tables, graphs, market trends) and can critically evaluate sources.
Enterprise Skills Integration
Teaching market research is an ideal opportunity to develop:
Commercial Awareness – understanding how businesses gather insights to stay competitive.
Decision-Making & Problem-Solving – students learn to define research problems, interpret data, and propose solutions.
Communication – presenting findings clearly and persuasively mirrors workplace expectations.
Digital Fluency – modern research involves tools like Google Forms, Excel, and online analytics platforms.
Enterprise Skills simulations support this by placing students in realistic business roles where they must research customer needs and justify marketing strategies under pressure.
Careers Links
This topic directly supports Gatsby Benchmarks 4, 5, and 6:
Benchmark 4: Links curriculum learning to careers by exploring job roles like Market Research Analyst, Brand Strategist, Data Scientist, and Product Manager.
Benchmark 5: Can be enriched with encounters from local employers or guest speakers in marketing, PR, or consulting.
Benchmark 6: Skills Hub Futures offers employer-set challenges simulating market research projects with feedback from professionals.
These roles exist across industries, from retail and finance to healthcare and tech, making the learning universally relevant.
Teaching Notes
Top Tips:
Case study integration: Use recent brand campaigns or local businesses to contextualise theory.
Group role-play: Simulate market research teams conducting surveys and presenting to ‘executives’.
Critical discussion: Explore ethical dilemmas such as data privacy or manipulation of findings.
Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse primary vs secondary research – ensure they grasp the source and purpose.
Over-reliance on Google-based research – emphasise academic and industry sources for rigour.
Superficial data interpretation – encourage depth by asking why and what next.
Extension Activities:
Use Skills Hub tools such as the “Market Analysis Simulator” or “Customer Persona Builder” for applied learning.
Ask students to critique a published market research report for bias, reliability, and ethical integrity.
Invite a local startup to pose a live research brief to your class for them to solve over a week.
