Internal factors in a global business

Practice

Recall it first, then use it — testing yourself builds the memory, where rereading the notes above only feels easier.

Recall and application shuffled together — you have to work out what each item wants before you can answer it, which is the part the exam actually tests. Both kinds feed the same spacing schedule, so anything you miss comes back sooner.

Say the answer out loud before flipping — that attempt is where the learning happens, even when you get it wrong.

Exam-style only. Instant feedback, shuffled each attempt, best score saved on this device.

What actually comes up

One task, four parts (a)–(d), every year, each opening with a given NZ business but explicitly allowing you to swap in "a New Zealand-registered business operating in a global context that you have studied in depth" instead. Four internal factors rotate through the parts — quality management, innovation, change management, and IP/tikanga Māori concepts — nearly always as benefit, then cost, then a justified "how likely is it" judgement.

Across 4 years

The pattern — what to prepare

The 2022 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Choosing a quality management strategy

Kirīmi Pai is developing a blueberry and white chocolate ice cream and risks the colour leaching too purple; managers are choosing between Quality Assurance and Quality Circles.

• a(i) Choose one of the quality management strategies (Quality Assurance or Quality Circles) and explain one positive effect of it for the business. Achieved
• a(ii) Explain one negative effect of the chosen strategy for the business. Merit
• a(iii) How likely is it that implementing the strategy will result in a high-quality product? Provide a justified conclusion, including any new information. Excellence

Part (b) — Tikanga values and employees

Kirīmi Pai's practices are guided by whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, rangatiratanga and pono.

• b(i) Explain how applying values derived from tikanga may affect the employees of the business. Achieved
• b(ii) What is one possible impact on employee retention if the business applies values derived from tikanga? Merit

Part (c) — An intellectual property right

Kirīmi Pai owns trademarks and designs protecting its "Quack Berry" ice cream marketing, including the Gio the whio duck character and duck-shaped container.

• c(i) Identify an intellectual property right the business owns or may own, and explain one benefit to the business of using it. Achieved
• c(ii) Explain one cost to the business of using this intellectual property right. Merit
• c(iii) How likely is it that this intellectual property right will be successful in protecting the business's intellectual property? Provide a justified conclusion, including any new information. Excellence

Part (d) — Change management

New products and evolving technology mean Kirīmi Pai's employees sometimes need to change how they operate.

• d(i) Explain why it may be necessary to use a change management process when employees are required to change how they operate. Achieved
• d(ii) What is one possible consequence for the business's market share of implementing a change management process? Merit

The 2025 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Protecting intellectual property

The Honest Grain, an Invercargill breakfast-cereal business, is launching a new cereal bar named "OatRise" and has hired an IP lawyer ahead of launch.

• a(i) Explain one benefit to the business of protecting its intellectual property. Achieved
• a(ii) Explain one cost to the business of protecting its intellectual property. Merit
• a(iii) How likely is it that the protection of intellectual property will support the successful launch of a new product into the market? Excellence

Part (b) — An innovative culture

The OatRise bar exists because Ben, the founder, has actively encouraged an innovative culture at The Honest Grain. (You may swap in your own studied business here.)

• b(i) Explain one benefit to the business of encouraging an innovative culture. Achieved
• b(ii) Explain one possible impact that encouraging an innovative culture could have on the staff employed at the business. Merit

Part (c) — Kaitiakitanga

The Honest Grain chose oats partly for their positive impact on the land, and is selective about which oat suppliers it works with.

• Kaitiakitanga: the exercise of guardianship over natural resources, not just for short-term or individual profit

• c(i) Explain one positive impact that demonstrating kaitiakitanga may have on the business. Achieved
• c(ii) Explain one negative impact that demonstrating kaitiakitanga may have on the business. Merit
• c(iii) How likely is it that demonstrating kaitiakitanga will result in the business being able to increase its profitability? Provide a justified conclusion, including any new information. Excellence

Part (d) — Choosing quality control

Ben has decided, at least in the short term, to use quality control rather than quality assurance or total quality management.

• d(i) Explain one benefit to the business of using quality control rather than an alternative quality management system. Achieved
• d(ii) Explain one possible negative impact on the customers of the business of using quality control rather than an alternative quality management system. Merit

The 2024 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Pūtake

Oarsome Aotearoa, a Queenstown adventure-tourism operator, states its pūtake through its mission statement about the natural environment and Māori history.

• a(i) Explain how the pūtake of the business may affect its brand. Achieved
• a(ii) Explain one possible consequence the pūtake of the business may have for their market share. Merit

Part (b) — Product/service innovation

Oarsome Aotearoa has invested in innovations including guided-history kayak trips, new rafting routes, and being first to offer electric-powered jet boats on the Shotover River.

• b(i) Explain one positive impact that product or service innovation may have on the business. Achieved
• b(ii) Explain one negative impact that product or service innovation may have on the business. Merit
• b(iii) How likely is it that product or service innovation will result in the business being able to increase its profitability? Provide a justified conclusion, including any new information. Excellence

Part (c) — Total quality management

To keep its safety-critical adventure experiences consistently high-quality, Oarsome Aotearoa has implemented total quality management (TQM).

• c(i) Explain one positive effect the implementation of total quality management will have on the business. Achieved
• c(ii) Explain one negative effect the implementation of total quality management will have on the business. Merit
• c(iii) How likely is it that the implementation of a total quality management system will result in the consistent delivery of a high-quality product or service? Provide a justified conclusion, including any new information. Excellence

Part (d) — Inclusive change management

Consistent with TQM's principles, Oarsome Aotearoa used an inclusive change management process to implement it.

• d(i) Explain one benefit that using an inclusive change management process can have on the business. Achieved
• d(ii) Explain one possible impact that using an inclusive change management process can have on the costs of the business. Merit

The 2023 paper ↗ Marking schedule ↗

Part (a) — Quality assurance

Helpful Honey, a boutique NZ mānuka honey exporter with 9,000 hives, closely monitors every production step to certify its honey with the UMF (Unique Mānuka Factor) trademark.

• a(i) Explain how the business has implemented, or could implement, a quality assurance system. Achieved
• a(ii) Explain how using a quality assurance system may impact the economic sustainability of the business. Merit

Part (b) — Innovation

Helpful Honey has invested in innovation, including digital mapping with the Ministry for Primary Industries for tracked hive placement.

• b(i) Explain one benefit that the investment in innovation has had, or could have, for the business. Achieved
• b(ii) Explain one cost that the investment in innovation has had, or could have, for the business. Merit
• b(iii) How likely is it that the implementation of an innovation will be successful in improving the profitability of the business? Excellence

Part (c) — Top-down change management

Helpful Honey's managers used a top-down change management system to implement a significant operational change.

• c(i) Explain one positive effect that a top-down change management approach has had, or could have, on the business. Achieved
• c(ii) Explain one negative effect that a top-down change management approach has had, or could have, on the business. Merit
• c(iii) How likely is it that a top-down change management approach would be effective for the business? Excellence

Part (d) — A trademark

Helpful Honey uses the UMF trademark to certify and protect the quality reputation of its mānuka honey.

• d(i) Explain how the business has used, or could use, a trademark. Achieved
• d(ii) Explain one possible consequence for the business of not using a trademark. Merit

Every part explicitly allows swapping the given company for your own studied business — practising with one real, well-known example (its actual products, IP, and sustainability practices) is worth more than trying to memorise every past resource company.

Past exams & resources

⏱ Timed opens the paper and starts a countdown matching the exam length. Official NZQA PDFs. If a link 404s, that year’s paper may sit under a slightly different code: browse the NZQA subject page.