BUSINESS · Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
BUSINESS/11
Paper 1
Business · 2024 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.2 / 5
160
180 min
The marketing mix
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
160
Duration
180 min
Session difficulty
3.2 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A significant portion of the marks in both papers is concentrated in the high-tariff 9-mark Justify and 12-mark Evaluate questions.
In Paper 1, the 12-marker on the importance of market research for Café Pinch rewarded candidates who could distinguish between the direct customer feedback of questionnaires and broader competitor trends sourced from the internet.
In Paper 2, the evaluation of TUI's quality service required a careful balance between the high upfront costs of employee training and the long-term benefits of brand loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.
In contrast, many students lost marks in the lower-tariff 3-mark Explain questions by failing to develop their chains of reasoning with sufficient context, resulting in generic business answers instead of contextualized insights.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Knowledge & Understanding
Weight: 5100%Application (AO2)
Weight: 360%Analysis (AO3)
Weight: 240%Evaluation (AO4)
Weight: 120%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Match the expected response style for “Define” questions.
Match the expected response style for “State” questions.
Show formula, substitution, and unit; method marks need visible working.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Break into parts and explain how each contributes to the whole question focus.
Match the expected response style for “Outline” questions.
Support your choice with specific evidence from data or the scenario given.
Weigh arguments for and against with evidence; end with a supported judgement.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 0.2
Min per mark: 0.2
Min per mark: 0.1
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
The marketing mix
28 marks this session
Market research
21 marks this session
Quality
12 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
The marketing mix
Motivation and rewards
Market research
Internal and external communication
External factors
Accounts analysis
Quality
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1: Investigating small businesses:
Paper 2: Investigating large businesses:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
The marketing mix
28 marks this session
Practise in RevuiMarket research
21 marks this session
Practise in RevuiQuality
12 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A significant portion of the marks in both papers is concentrated in the high-tariff 9-mark Justify and 12-mark Evaluate questions.
- 2Message
In Paper 1, the 12-marker on the importance of market research for Café Pinch rewarded candidates who could distinguish between the direct customer feedback of questionnaires and broader competitor trends sourced from the internet.
- 3Message
In Paper 2, the evaluation of TUI's quality service required a careful balance between the high upfront costs of employee training and the long-term benefits of brand loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.
- 4Message
In contrast, many students lost marks in the lower-tariff 3-mark Explain questions by failing to develop their chains of reasoning with sufficient context, resulting in generic business answers instead of contextualized insights.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2024 2024
Business
A significant portion of the marks in both papers is concentrated in the high-tariff 9-mark Justify and 12-mark Evaluate questions. In Paper 1, the 12-marker on the importance of market research for Café Pinch rewarded candidates who could distinguish between the direct customer
A significant portion of the marks in both papers is concentrated in the high-tariff 9-mark Justify and 12-mark Evaluate questions.
In Paper 1, the 12-marker on the importance of market research for Café Pinch rewarded candidates who could distinguish between the direct customer feedback of questionnaires and broader competitor trends sourced from the internet.
In Paper 2, the evaluation of TUI's quality service required a careful balance between the high upfront costs of employee training and the long-term benefits of brand loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.
- Total marks
- 160
- Duration
- 180 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.2 / 5
Session analysis
A significant portion of the marks in both papers is concentrated in the high-tariff 9-mark Justify and 12-mark Evaluate questions. In Paper 1, the 12-marker on the importance of market research for Café Pinch rewarded candidates who could distinguish between the direct customer feedback of questionnaires and broader competitor trends sourced from the internet. In Paper 2, the evaluation of TUI's quality service required a careful balance between the high upfront costs of employee training and the long-term benefits of brand loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations. In contrast, many students lost marks in the lower-tariff 3-mark Explain questions by failing to develop their chains of reasoning with sufficient context, resulting in generic business answers instead of contextualized insights.
Updated Jun 13, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1: Investigating small businesses:
Paper 2: Investigating large businesses:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
78% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Structured Analysis
(6 marks)
36·6·23%
Justify Options
(9 marks)
36·4·23%
Short Answer
(2-3 marks)
28·10·18%
Evaluate Case
(12 marks)
24·2·15%
Multiple Choice
12·12·8%
Definition & Short State
12·12·8%
Calculation
12·6·8%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1 - Q1 & Q
5.33 m/minPaper 1 - Q3 & Q
9.78 m/minPaper 2 - Q1 & Q
5.33 m/minTotal marks
920
Total time
135 min
Avg pace
6.81
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Production
90%90%
Decisions on location
85%85%
Motivation and rewards
75%75%
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Lack of Application (AO2): Many candidates lose marks on 'State', 'Outline', and 'Explain' questions because they write textbook definitions without referring to the business case. For instance, explaining the benefits of health and safety training must link directly to TUI's travel agency environment rather than factory assembly lines.
- Weak Quantitative Working: While many calculated the correct percentage increase in TUI's employee costs or the operating profit margin of Café Pinch, others lost easy marks by failing to show their intermediate workings or neglecting to state the formula.
- One-Sided Evaluations: In the 9-mark Justify questions, weaker candidates merely listed advantages of both Option 1 and Option 2, whereas top-tier answers explicitly weighed the trade-offs (AO4) and explained why one option was superior to the other under the specific circumstances.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 30min
- Total marks
- 80
- Weighting
- 50%
- Question types
- Multiple Choice, Define, State, Calculate, Outline, Explain, Analyse, Justify, Evaluate
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.