IB Business IA Criteria (2025) - How to Score Top Marks
A step-by-step guide to the IB Business Management IA criteria - built by IB experts who’ve reviewed hundreds of IAs. Fully updated for 2025 and designed to help you hit the top bands.
What Is the IB Business IA?
The Business IA is a 1,800-word report where you apply course concepts to a real issue faced by a real organization.
You’ll define a focused research question and analyze it using tools from the IB Business toolkit - like SWOT, decision trees, or financial ratios.
The IA is externally moderated and counts for 30% of your final grade in SL and 20% in HL.
IB Business IA Key Requirements
Before we break down the criteria, here’s what examiners expect you to know from the start:
Word count: Maximum 1,800 words. Anything beyond that won’t be read or marked. Supporting documents, tables, footnotes, and the bibliography don’t count toward the limit - but everything else does.
Real organization, real issue: You’re expected to investigate a specific business problem or decision faced by a real company (not a made-up case study).
One key concept required: Your Business IA must focus on one of these: Change, Creativity, Ethics, or Sustainability. This concept should run through the entire report - from the research question to the conclusion.
3 to 5 supporting documents: These are published sources (within the past 3 years) that give you real-world context or data. You’ll attach them as an appendix, reference them throughout, and highlight how they support your analysis.
Use of business tools: You need to apply at least two tools or techniques from the IB Business syllabus - like SWOT, STEEPLE, Ansoff Matrix, decision trees, or ratio analysis. The tools must be used to actually answer your research question, not just name-dropped.
Report structure matters: Your Business IA should include a title page, table of contents, clear section headings, and page numbers. It should read like a clean, focused business report.
Marked across 7 criteria (A–G): Each one targets a specific part of your work - from how well you apply the key concept, through the strength of your analysis, to the quality of your presentation. Together, they add up to 25 marks total.
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IB Business Criterion A: Integration of a Key Concept
(Max: 5 marks)
Your IA must be framed through one of four IB Business Key Concepts:
Change, Creativity, Ethics, or Sustainability.
The concept needs to shape how you understand the issue, how you analyze it, and how you reach your conclusion. You should ideally refer to it multiple times throughout your IA.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion A:
To score well in Criterion A, examiners expect you to:
Clearly identify one valid key concept in your introduction or title
Use it as a consistent lens throughout the IA - from framing the issue to interpreting results
Show a real understanding of what the concept means in context, not just a definition
Apply the concept to the actual business decision you're analyzing
If you fail to choose a valid concept - or accidentally use more than one - this criterion can be marked as zero, no matter how strong the rest of the IA is.
Criterion A Common Mistakes:
Not identifying a concept clearly at the start
Mentioning it once and never returning to it
Forcing a concept that doesn’t logically fit the research question
Using multiple concepts, which goes against the rubric and can nullify the criterion
Treating the concept like a label, instead of a way to frame the analysis
How to Hit the Criterion A Top Band (5/5)
Choose a concept that naturally fits your research question and business issue
Name it explicitly on the title page and again in your introduction
Use it to guide how you select data, analyze results, and interpret implications
Refer back to it in your conclusion - not just to restate it, but to show how it shaped your final recommendation
Whether you’re refining your IB Business IA draft or starting from scratch, our team of IB Business experts is here to guide you every step of the way - from choosing the research question up until final submission.
IB Business IA Criterion B: Supporting Documents
(Max: 4 marks)
You’re required to base your IA on 3 to 5 supporting documents - recent, relevant sources that give you real-world information about the business issue you’re investigating. These documents serve as your primary evidence and must be directly tied to your research question.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion B
To score well, examiners expect you to:
Include 3 to 5 clearly labeled documents (e.g. “Supporting Document 1”)
Use sources that are published within the last 3 years
Select documents that are relevant, reliable, and varied - offering different viewpoints or data
Actively reference these documents in your analysis (not just list them)
Highlight the specific parts of each document that you used (in the appendix)
Criterion B Common Mistakes
Submitting too many or too few documents (outside the 3–5 range)
Choosing documents that don’t clearly support the research question
Failing to reference the documents in the actual IA - or just name-dropping them without using their content
Using sources that are outdated, biased, or all present the same perspective on the topic
Forgetting to highlight the relevant sections of each document in the appendix
How to Hit the Criterion B Top Band (4/4)
Choose documents in such way that each of them adds something different to the analysis - e.g. a news article, a market analysis, a company report, etc.
Reference your documents consistently in your analysis using labels like “Document 2 shows…”
Attach your sources at the end of the IA and highlight the sections you actually used
Assess credibility when it matters - if a source is biased (e.g. from the company itself), acknowledge that
Stick to sources that are clearly connected to your research question - if it doesn’t help you answer it, don’t use it
IB Business IA Criterion C: Selection and Application of Tools and Theories
(Max: 4 marks)
This criterion assesses how well you select and apply business management tools or theories to help answer your research question. These tools should come from the IB syllabus - like SWOT, STEEPLE, Ansoff Matrix, decision trees, or relevant financial ratios.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion C
To score well, examiners expect you to:
Choose tools that are relevant to your specific research question
Apply each tool to real findings or document data
Use the results to develop your analysis - not just describe them
Show that the tools contribute to answering the research question
Common Mistakes
Including a tool that’s not appropriate for the topic
Defining the model but not applying it to your case
Listing tool results (e.g. SWOT factors) without interpreting what they mean
Cramming in too many tools, each covered too lightly
Leaving tool output unexplained due to word count overload
How to Hit the Criterion C Top Band (4/4)
Choose 2–3 tools that clearly align with your research question
Apply each one to your data or documents - and interpret what the results tell you
Link each tool’s output to your broader analysis or recommendation
Acknowledge limitations briefly if needed (e.g. assumptions, missing data)
Keep the focus on quality of insight - not quantity of frameworks
IB Business IA Criterion D: Analysis and Evaluation
(Max: 5 marks)
This criterion assesses how effectively you analyze your findings and evaluate their significance in relation to your research question.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion D
Examiners are looking for:
A clear, logical analysis supported by your documents
Use of business tools and concepts to develop your argument
Consistent links to the research question throughout
Balanced evaluation of findings - strengths, weaknesses, and implications
Awareness of assumptions or limitations, if they impact your conclusion
Common Mistakes
Summarizing instead of analyzing
Presenting points out of order or without structure
Leaving findings surface-level or unexplained
Not connecting back to the research question
Ignoring bias, gaps, or data limitations
How to Hit the Criterion D Top Band (5/5)
Base your analysis on evidence - not assumptions or general knowledge
Use tools to interpret findings, not just describe them
Structure your analysis around themes or decision factors
Discuss implications - what your findings suggest for the business
Note limitations briefly if they affect how strong your conclusion is
Not sure if your analysis in the Business IA is deep enough?
Contact us for one-off IA reviews with feedback from IB examiners.
IB Business IA Criterion E: Conclusions
(Max: 3 marks)
This criterion assesses the clarity and strength of your conclusion. Your final answer should provide a direct response to your research question and follow logically from the analysis presented earlier in the IA.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion E
To score well, examiners expect:
A clear, direct answer to the research question
A conclusion that reflects the evidence and analysis in the main body
No new data or arguments introduced in the conclusion
Brief mention of any unresolved issues, limitations, or areas for further investigation
Common Mistakes
Not answering the research question explicitly
Repeating the analysis instead of summarizing the key outcome
Including new findings, data, or ideas that were not covered earlier
Making vague or generic statements without tying back to the core issue
How to Hit the Criterion E Top Band (3/3)
Write a clear, one-sentence answer to the research question
Support your conclusion by briefly referencing the most important findings
Keep it focused - don’t re-analyze or introduce anything new
If applicable, note any limitations or uncertainties that affect your recommendation
Avoid vague summaries - the conclusion should be specific, concise, and based entirely on your IA
IB Business IA Criterion F: Structure
(Max: 2 marks)
This criterion assesses whether your IA is organized in a way that’s easy to follow and focused on answering the research question.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion F
Examiners are looking for:
A logical progression of ideas from introduction to conclusion
Clear sections that each serve a purpose - context, analysis, evaluation, conclusion
A consistent argument that stays focused on the research question throughout
Common Mistakes
Jumping between unrelated points with no clear flow
Mixing up sections - e.g. analysis in the introduction or new ideas in the conclusion
Including repetitive or irrelevant content
Losing track of the research question mid-way through the IA
How to Hit the Criterion F Top Band (2/2)
Structure your IA into distinct, purposeful sections - introduction, main analysis, conclusion
Keep each section focused on its job, and cut anything that doesn’t move your argument forward
Make sure your analysis builds toward your conclusion - don’t scatter your points
Refer back to your research question periodically to keep your focus tight
IB Business IA Criterion G: Presentation
(Max: 2 marks)
This criterion assesses whether your IA meets the formal requirements for layout, formatting, and documentation.
Examiner Expectations for Criterion G
To score full marks, you must:
Include a title page, table of contents, page numbers, and clearly labeled sections
Stay within the 1,800-word limit (anything beyond that won’t be read or marked)
Attach all 3 to 5 supporting documents, with the relevant parts highlighted
Include a bibliography or works cited section using a consistent citation style
Common Mistakes
Forgetting required elements like a title page or table of contents
Going over the word limit without trimming - examiners stop reading at 1,800
Failing to highlight the relevant parts of your supporting documents
Inconsistent or missing citations and references
How to Hit the Criterion G Top Band (2/2)
Make sure every required element is present and clearly formatted
Keep the document tidy and easy to navigate - use headings, spacing, and consistent fonts
Triple-check your word count and list all sources used, including supporting documents
Highlight exactly what you used in each document - don’t leave it to the examiner to guess
IB Business IA Final Checklist
Use this to catch the issues that actually cost marks. If you can’t tick every box, fix it before you submit.
The research question is focused, specific, and clearly stated
One key concept (Change, Creativity, Ethics, or Sustainability) is identified and used throughout
The IA is based on 3 to 5 supporting documents - all recent, relevant, and clearly referenced
Business tools are applied to the actual data or issue, not just defined
Each finding is analyzed, not just described, and linked to the research question
The conclusion answers the research question directly, with no new information added
The IA stays within 1,800 words (excluding footnotes, appendix, and bibliography)
All required elements are included: title page, table of contents, page numbers, bibliography
Supporting documents are attached and the parts used are clearly highlighted
The structure is clear and logical, with each section doing its job
Citations are complete, consistent, and correctly formatted
The final version is proofread, clean, and professionally presented
FAQ: IB Business IA Criteria
Do SL and HL students do the same IA?
Yes - the task and criteria are identical. The only difference is weighting: it’s worth 30% of the final grade for SL and 20% for HL.
What happens if I go over the 1,800-word limit?
Anything beyond 1,800 words won’t be read or marked. You won’t lose points for going over - but if key analysis or your conclusion lands past the limit, you’re in trouble.
Can I use more than 5 supporting documents?
No. The IB allows 3 to 5 - if you submit more, the examiner will only read the first five.
Do I have to use a specific citation style?
No, but your references must be consistent and complete. Use a standard style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) and apply it cleanly across all sources.
What if I can't find documents published in the last 3 years?
Then you’ll need to pick a different issue or company. Recency is part of the requirement - older sources will lose you marks under Criterion B.
Can I base my IA on a company I or my family owns?
Technically yes, but it’s risky. The IB prefers published sources, and using internal or anecdotal data usually weakens your credibility - and your mark.
How do I choose the right key concept?
Start with your research question. Don’t force the concept - pick the one that best frames the issue you’re analyzing. It should shape your thinking throughout the report.
Need Help With Your Business IA?
Whether you’re stuck, unsure how it’s being assessed, or just want someone to double-check your work - we can help.
We offer:
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