***2015 LC Business - Higher Level - June 11th***

Tables

Leitrim96 wrote: »

There was an evaluate on the price/product/promotion question?!

It said to 'Discuss' did it not? I could be getting it mixed up with another question.

Tray1234

Tables wrote: »

It said to 'Discuss' did it not? I could be getting it mixed up with another question.

I'm pretty sure the only question with evaluate on it was the C part of the ABQ

Leitrim96

Tray1234 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the only question with evaluate on it was the C part of the ABQ

Yeah I thought that too

Johnjoeboy

For that director of equality tribunal could you say they investigate try to solve dilutes about discrimination and arbitration that they listen to each person and come up with solution from there or is that something else??

leavingcert15

Ya that's what I was thinking of, what question was the marketing mix on I can't even remember if I done it

BlueWolf16

Johnjoeboy wrote: »

For that director of equality tribunal could you say they investigate try to solve dilutes about discrimination and arbitration that they listen to each person and come up with solution from there or is that something else??

I wasn't sure, so just waffled about how they advise the gov. on what laws to propose, like if a certain offence happens often to strengthen the consequences, then said that they investigate complaints, and finally that they promote good industrial relations and encourage employers to treat everyone equally. Don't trust me on this though.

The Adversary

Thought it was a lovely paper. Bit of waffle in a couple of parts but apart from that really happy.

The ABQ was nice but I was informed that the lads name was Martin and not Michael and here I was calling him Michael the whole time :P I'd hardly lose marks for that would I??

Kremin

Leitrim96 wrote: »

What's the business marking scheme like? If they wanted four points for that (C) part of the ABQ and you put down three are you automatically docked the marks? I thought that was far worse paper than the mocks

I think it was actually 6 for part c... 30 marks for 6x5 2 for statement, 2 for explanation and 1 for quote is pretty standard for the abq.. if you needed 5 and you only put 4 you lose 5 marks, they can't give you 6 instead of 5 for each point unfortunately

Johnjoeboy

BlueWolf16 wrote: »

I wasn't sure, so just waffled about how they advise the gov. on what laws to propose, like if a certain offence happens often to strengthen the consequences, then said that they investigate complaints, and finally that they promote good industrial relations and encourage employers to treat everyone equally. Don't trust me on this though.

Kinda touched on few of those it was most difficult question I thought

Kremin

The Adversary wrote: »

Thought it was a lovely paper. Bit of waffle in a couple of parts but apart from that really happy.

The ABQ was nice but I was informed that the lads name was Martin and not Michael and here I was calling him Michael the whole time :P I'd hardly lose marks for that would I??

The examiner would have to be seriously cruel to take marks away for using the wrong name... as long as the points make sense the name really shouldnt matter?

The Adversary

Kremin wrote: »

The examiner would have to be seriously cruel to take marks away for using the wrong name... as long as the points make sense the name really shouldnt matter?

My thoughts exactly. My only concern is that it might look like I wasn't reading it properly or paying attention to the article. The points are all spot on though so not too worried. That's what doing two weeks of LC papers does to you :cool:

Benm123

Did everyone find it very easy? I'm usually an A/B student in most subjects and I'm very good at business, but I've had a shocking teacher all year so it put me off doing that much work for it. I was prepared on a lot of topics but most of them didn't come up so I was kind of left just waffling in my best business spiel for a lot of questions just to scrape marks.

I guess what I'm asking is, did everyone else find it easy? Because if they did I could be looking at a D1 worst case scenario, or if people found it pretty meh then possibly a C1. I'm never sure how they mark business and if they're generous to give you marks or not?

Kremin

The Adversary wrote: »

My thoughts exactly. My only concern is that it might look like I wasn't reading it properly or paying attention to the article. The points are all spot on though so not too worried. That's what doing two weeks of LC papers does to you :cool:

I wrote something ridiculous for one of my points that when I read back over made absolutely no sense. Was just so tired after the 3 hours.. I wrote something like EU decisions are for regulation bodies or some crap as a statement on implementing eu law.

The Adversary

Kremin wrote: »

I wrote something ridiculous for one of my points that when I read back over made absolutely no sense. Was just so tired after the 3 hours.. I wrote something like EU decisions are for regulation bodies or some crap as a statement on implementing eu law.

Yeah, my writing was absolutely appalling by the end. I pity the poor examiner who won't be able to make heads nor tails of it. :pac:

Tables

Tray1234 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the only question with evaluate on it was the C part of the ABQ

Discuss/Evaluate/Analyse all invite the candidate to evaluate. It said to discuss twice, as far as I can remember.

Kremin wrote: »

I think it was actually 6 for part c... 30 marks for 6x5 2 for statement, 2 for explanation and 1 for quote is pretty standard for the abq.. if you needed 5 and you only put 4 you lose 5 marks, they can't give you 6 instead of 5 for each point unfortunately

The C part of ABQs is almost always 3 points for 10 marks each, marked 4 for heading, 2 for first point, 1 for second point, 3 for evaluation (quote must be included).
Also never do they want more than 5 points, even if it is for 30 marks, it will be 5 points for 6 marks.
Also, just FYI there are only 4 headings for implenting change; Communication, Embody change, Employee Participation and Training.

Anonymagician

Talking to my teacher afterwards the (C) of the ABQ was just the strategies for managing change aka communication, consultation, negotiation and training.

Leitrim96

Would I get no marks for saying field research and desk research for ways of segmenting the market? Also where is the paper at in examinations.ie, should be up by now no?

Magnate

Leitrim96 wrote: »

Would I get no marks for saying field research and desk research for ways of segmenting the market? Also where is the paper at in examinations.ie, should be up by now no?

I wouldn't say so tbh, it's not really related at all, but it wasn't worth that many marks anyway, you'll be fine Paper should be up around 6

Tables

Anonymagician wrote: »

Talking to my teacher afterwards the (C) of the ABQ was just the strategies for managing change aka communication, consultation, negotiation and training.

Don't seem like the best headings, doesn't have Embody/reflect change. And consultation and negotiation are all the same thing, no?
My teacher writes the book and goes with Embody change, Employee participation, Training and Communication.

Anonymagician

Tables wrote: »

Don't seem like the best headings, doesn't have Embody/reflect change. And consultation and negotiation are all the same thing, no?
My teacher writes the book and goes with Embody change, Employee participation, Training and Communication.

They're the ones I always use for the strategies and I get A1s. Communication is telling them why change is necessary, how it will happen and what will happen if it doesn't. The piece talked about this and a meeting.

Consultation is hearing their suggestions and listening to them and there was a good link for this (employee participation).

Negotiation is 'give and take' like when he offered fair redundancies.

Training is the upskilling.

paddyp4

Tables wrote: »

Don't seem like the best headings, doesn't have Embody/reflect change. And consultation and negotiation are all the same thing, no?
My teacher writes the book and goes with Embody change, Employee participation, Training and Communication.

could you of said like they spent more on capital to match the other foreign businesses as an adaption to change with the edi and making the company website didnt think it was specifically related to the workers had 2 other points however such as the communication and training with an evaluation after each of them

Magnate

Tables wrote: »

Don't seem like the best headings, doesn't have Embody/reflect change. And consultation and negotiation are all the same thing, no?
My teacher writes the book and goes with Embody change, Employee participation, Training and Communication.

The headings don't have to be that exact, once you get the points in there. For example my book goes with:

1. Management Commitment
There must be total senior management commitment for the proposed changes. If this is not present, the change process will not progress.

2. Consultation
Consultation must take place with trade unions and employee representatives regarding the proposed changes and the effects of the change on them. Employees must understand fully the implications of change on them.

3. Communication
Effective communication between all parties throughout the change process is essential. This will reduce uncertainty and insecurity.

4. Negotiation
Negotiations between management and employees on options for implementing change, renumeration packages, productivity agreements, changes in work practises and a general improvement in working conditions may all be part of the change process.

5. Funding
Finance is required for training and retraining of employees in new skills needed to do the work as a result of the change.

However the important thing to note is that it said evaluate. I think that's where a lot of people will fall down, you have to relate it back to the question and show how these strategies have facilitated the change and how the employees have responded positively to it as a result.

Tables

Anonymagician wrote: »

They're the ones I always use for the strategies and I get A1s. Communication is telling them why change is necessary, how it will happen and what will happen if it doesn't. The piece talked about this and a meeting.

Consultation is hearing their suggestions and listening to them and there was a good link for this (employee participation).

Negotiation is 'give and take' like when he offered fair redundancies.

Training is the upskilling.

Again, you could deal with negotiation under consultation. Regarding your A1s that doesn't matter for much in the LC, I doubt your teacher would be marking the headings he gives you as wrong.

Johnjoeboy

Tables wrote: »

Don't seem like the best headings, doesn't have Embody/reflect change. And consultation and negotiation are all the same thing, no?
My teacher writes the book and goes with Embody change, Employee participation, Training and Communication.

Could you have said training,communication,introduction of efficient machinery and introduction of new product range??

Magnate

Tables wrote: »

Again, you could deal with negotiation under consultation. Regarding your A1s that doesn't matter for much in the LC, I doubt your teacher would be marking the headings he gives you as wrong.

Hang on a minute, your teacher writes a book. He/she doesn't set the syllabus, or the marking scheme for that matter. There's not just one business book. So let's just jump off our horses for a second.

From the 2008 marking scheme, here's a list of a accepted answers for strategies for managing change:

Senior Management commitment to the change process.
• Consultation with trade unions and employee representatives regarding the
proposed changes/involve all in the decision making process.
• Effective Communication between all parties throughout the change process. This
will reduce uncertainty and tensions.
• Adequate funding for the proposed changes/ funding of new technologies and
staff involvement/training.
• Negotiation – remuneration packages, productivity agreements, changes in
work practices etc.
• Employee Empowerment/training/job rotation/job enlargement etc.
• Change in management style from ‘controller’ to ‘facilitator’.
• Funding/Rewards- Adequate funding for the change process/remuneration
packages for staff.

Negotiation and consultation are two different things. There's no need to worry people, their answers are just as valid.

RoRo979

Magnate has is all ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Communication: Discussed the Swot with them
Leading by an example : investing his own money
Training employees : Upskilling courses
Participate in the change: Got their opinions on the manufacturing

Anyone do q3?
Part b and c particularly?

Tables

Magnate wrote: »

The headings don't have to be that exact, once you get the points in there. For example my book goes with:

1. Management Commitment
There must be total senior management commitment for the proposed changes. If this is not present, the change process will not progress.

2. Consultation
Consultation must take place with trade unions and employee representatives regarding the proposed changes and the effects of the change on them. Employees must understand fully the implications of change on them.

3. Communication
Effective communication between all parties throughout the change process is essential. This will reduce uncertainty and insecurity.

4. Negotiation
Negotiations between management and employees on options for implementing change, renumeration packages, productivity agreements, changes in work practises and a general improvement in working conditions may all be part of the change process.

5. Funding
Finance is required for training and retraining of employees in new skills needed to do the work as a result of the change.

However the important thing to note is that it said evaluate. I think that's where a lot of people will fall down, you have to relate it back to the question and show how these strategies have facilitated the change and how the employees have responded positively to it as a result.

Yeah, a lot of people don't realise you need a quote for the C section as well. I suppose the books are all going to vary with the author's preference.

RoRo979 wrote: »

Magnate has is all ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I wouldnt worry about it. Titles on that wont be too specific anything to do with
Communication: Discussed the Swot with them
Leading by an example : investing his own money
Training employees : Upskilling courses
Participate in the change: Got their opinions on the manufacturing

Negiotation will work also. Coming to terms with the change with employees.

However negiotating and consulting are not the same thing:
Negiotating: Trying to come up with a deal etc. Redundancies
Consulting: Getting advice, talking to others etc.

Consulting + communication would be the only iffy ones.

Communication is basically consultation and negotiating wrapped in one.

Anonymagician

Tables wrote: »

Communication is basically consultation and negotiating wrapped in one.

It's really not, they're three separate points as per the marking scheme above.

Magnate

Tables wrote: »

Communication is basically consultation and negotiating wrapped in one.

Okay allow me to go one step further. The 2006 marking scheme. This was a part B to an ABQ question identical to ours.

Strategies that will help to manage the changes (advise)
• Total commitment by senior management to the changes proposed
• Genuine involvement and participation in the change process by employees
• Effective communications between all the parties throughout the change process
• Consultation with trade unions/employee representatives
• Adequate funding for all stages of the change process
• Negotiation - remuneration packages, productivity agreements
• Empowerment/Train

They're all different points, it comes down to how you argue them. If you just put down different headings but said the same thing underneath then you're not going to get all the marks.

Anyway it's behind us, nothing we can do now so there's no point in analysing it. Time to enjoy the summer

RoRo979

Well thats that sorted so Anyone else find it hilarious that is was 30 marks for a swot analysis which was basically done for us already haha.

It was probobly the biggest waffle exam i have ever seen. Id say if i did no study my grade would of only dropped by less than 10%. All my beautiful business expansion, Identifying oppertunities, Management skills and activities (which yes did come up but feck all, 4 ways to communicate well.....).

Comparing it to last year im left thinking, if it was harder would i have done better? im worried that alot of people are going to get high marks so marks must be stripped from somewhere. There was no real show off area which was a bit irratating. Q7 on the place, price and product maybe.

Q6 though..... Sure thats HL junior Cert there. couldnt believe it when i seen it.

Point Must relate to ABQ

If its supported by the text and not repeating quote its valid