Business Analysis
Essays

Business analysis is a core subject in business education that examines how companies operate, compete, and make strategic decisions. It appears across disciplines including management, marketing, finance, and operations, and forms the backbone of courses in business strategy and administration. The topic is academically interesting because it demands both quantitative and qualitative reasoning, asking students to evaluate real organizations — ranging from individual companies like Foot Locker, Nike, Starbucks, and Royal Dutch Shell to broader economic entities like the country of Singapore — against established frameworks and market conditions. The range of industries involved, from retail and aviation to healthcare and energy, means business analysis rarely reduces to a single formula.

Archived papers on this topic take several distinct approaches. Some are company-specific case studies that assess financial and operational performance, such as analyses of Royal Dutch Shell's business results or the failure of US Airways. Others apply structured analytical frameworks — including PESTLE and macro and micro environment models — to evaluate marketing strategy and consumer behavior, particularly in contexts like economic recession. Additional papers focus on proposals, including new marketing plans and business service proposals, while others compare methodologies such as RUP and ETHICS using evaluative frameworks like NIMSAD. Performance management and HR strategy also appear as recurring angles.

A strong business analysis essay begins with a clearly scoped thesis that connects a specific company or market situation to a defined strategic or operational question. Evidence drawn from financial data, consumer trends, and recognized analytical models carries the most weight. One common pitfall is describing a company's activities without producing a genuine analytical argument — summary and analysis are not the same thing, and examiners consistently reward the latter.