2024 VCE Business Management External Assessment Report

General Comments

Overall, students demonstrated a strong performance in the 2024 VCE Business Management examination, with most students attempting all questions. This reflects a robust understanding of the course content. However, it is essential for students to apply their understanding and skill set more effectively to the provided case studies and scenarios to achieve higher marks instead of merely relying on memorized content.

Definitions

There was noticeable confusion among students regarding the appropriate usage of definitions in their responses. It is crucial to note that marks will not be awarded for definitions unless specifically required by the question's wording. For instance, in Section B, students were not mandated to define ‘on-the-job training’ in Question 6, nor was there a need for defining ‘autocratic management style’ in Question 4. Similarly, in Section A, definitions such as ‘low risk strategy’ in Question 1b and ‘corporate social responsibility’ in Question 3a were unnecessary. Students can demonstrate their understanding of terms implicitly through their responses, and explicit definitions are only necessary when:

the command term instructs them to ‘define’
subsequent sections require application of a definition (example, Section B Question 1)
distinguishing between or comparing two terms.

Time Management

The majority of students managed to respond to all examination questions; however, effective time management remains crucial. Students should avoid dedicating excessive time to low-mark questions as this can limit their ability to address questions that carry higher mark allocations, such as Section A Question 4, worth 10 marks. A steady pace throughout the exam will help students avoid leaving questions unanswered by the examination’s end. Practicing with timed exams is recommended to cultivate the skills necessary for thorough completion within the allotted two hours.

Command Terms

Investigations indicate that students were generally comfortable with the command terms that are most frequently used. Their responses reflect an understanding of terms such as ‘discuss’ and ‘compare’. Nonetheless, students should be aware that less common command terms, such as ‘analyse’, ‘interpret’, and ‘justify’, might also appear in future examinations. In the latest examination, students had less success responding to these less familiar command terms.

The Study Design

The study design remains an effective tool for indicating the required language and terminology for demonstrating knowledge. A strong comprehension of the study's terminology enables students to utilize these terms accurately. It was evident that numerous students reproduced pre-learned material verbatim, which is not encouraged. There are no specific sequences of words required for definitions; marks are awarded based on the demonstrated depth of understanding and the ability to apply key concepts relevantly and accurately.

Many students focused on intricate details from contemporary case studies that often surpassed the scope of the task and did not align with the questions asked. For instance, in Section A Question 4, students were expected to discuss strategies for managing human resources, yet many responses centered on change management instead. Similarly, students misinterpreted Section A Question 3c, where the focus was on justifying a specific theory, with many instead describing the application of the theory, failing to meet the question's needs.

Examination Impact and Guidance

In 2024, a total of 65 examinations were potentially affected by the early release of examination material. Following an in-depth analysis, it was discovered that only five exams showed significant impact, with the Business Management examination being one among them. An independent Expert Advisory Panel, led by Professor John Firth, reviewed student marks in these affected exams by identifying anomalies in how students had responded relative to the rest of the exam. The statistical analysis revealed that a small number of students performed significantly better on the impacted questions compared to their overall performance in the examination. To mitigate any disadvantage for other students, the panel recommended removing these students from the standard study score and adjusting the overall distribution of study scores accordingly.

This corrective measure has ensured that no student lost marks and that fairness was maintained throughout the assessment process.

Specific Information

It should be noted that student responses reproduced in this report were not corrected for grammar, spelling, or factual inaccuracies. The report offers sample answers and includes insights into potential answer content. These examples are not intended to serve as definitive or complete responses to the exam questions. Moreover, statistics presented in this report may be subject to rounding, resulting in a total that does not equal precisely 100 percent.

2024 VCE Business Management Examination Insights

2024 VCE Business Management Examination Insights