Trang Chính
P3 Business Analysis
Important areas to cover:
Strategy models
Analysis of the environment and/or internal factors has featured in most exams. Key models include PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces and the value chain. Expect something on forecasting soon.
Evaluation of strategic options is usually tested one way or another (although wasn’t in the last paper).SAF can be a useful framework to generate ideas but don’t feel you need to follow it slavishly.
Strategic action (largely change management and organisational configuration) is often overlooked, but has featured in the last two papers, emphasising the need for good syllabus coverage.
Business Process Change
A popular area, which may be based around models such as Harmon, or completely unstructured, describing a process and asking for improvements. Expect to see some numbers coming in to questions in this area to help with decisions such as automation and outsourcing.
Information Technology
A pervasive theme in many questions. Make sure you are comfortable with some of the more important recent concepts in technology such as cloud computing, viral marketing and new business models.
Project Management
This is a major topic and was not tested in the last sitting so may well be this time. Questions could well focus on analysis and realisation of benefits and again are likely to include a numerical element.
Financial Analysis
Lots of management accounting knowledge from F5 is assumed knowledge here, including budgeting, variance analysis and relevant costing. The lessons from Q1 in the last paper are that, 1) this may be in the compulsory question and 2) you may not be specifically told which techniques to use, but have to work it out from the data given.
People
This is most likely to be tested in conjunction with one of the other topics, as it was in the last paper.
Most importantly…
Knowledge alone will not get you close to a pass on this paper. You need to be able to apply your knowledge to specific situations. Practice this using past questions and stories in the press or on the web as often as you can and you will be ready for whatever the exam throws at you!
Important areas to cover:
Strategy models
Analysis of the environment and/or internal factors has featured in most exams. Key models include PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces and the value chain. Expect something on forecasting soon.
Evaluation of strategic options is usually tested one way or another (although wasn’t in the last paper).SAF can be a useful framework to generate ideas but don’t feel you need to follow it slavishly.
Strategic action (largely change management and organisational configuration) is often overlooked, but has featured in the last two papers, emphasising the need for good syllabus coverage.
Business Process Change
A popular area, which may be based around models such as Harmon, or completely unstructured, describing a process and asking for improvements. Expect to see some numbers coming in to questions in this area to help with decisions such as automation and outsourcing.
Information Technology
A pervasive theme in many questions. Make sure you are comfortable with some of the more important recent concepts in technology such as cloud computing, viral marketing and new business models.
Project Management
This is a major topic and was not tested in the last sitting so may well be this time. Questions could well focus on analysis and realisation of benefits and again are likely to include a numerical element.
Financial Analysis
Lots of management accounting knowledge from F5 is assumed knowledge here, including budgeting, variance analysis and relevant costing. The lessons from Q1 in the last paper are that, 1) this may be in the compulsory question and 2) you may not be specifically told which techniques to use, but have to work it out from the data given.
People
This is most likely to be tested in conjunction with one of the other topics, as it was in the last paper.
Most importantly…
Knowledge alone will not get you close to a pass on this paper. You need to be able to apply your knowledge to specific situations. Practice this using past questions and stories in the press or on the web as often as you can and you will be ready for whatever the exam throws at you!
