Case studies are central to Cambridge IGCSE Business. The assessment uses case-study material to test whether you can apply business concepts to a real situation, analyse the effects, and reach a reasoned judgement. This guide explains how to read a case, identify what matters, choose the right concepts, and build answers that earn marks. It is specifically about Cambridge IGCSE.
A note on specifications. This guide focuses on Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies 0450 (and the renamed "Business" 0264 from March 2027). The case-study skills are common across business courses, but exact terminology and the assessment structure can differ. Confirm the details against the official Cambridge syllabus document for your sitting.
HK Study Hub also supports other International GCSE specifications where the relevant tutor teaches the student's course. This guide is specifically about Cambridge IGCSE.
Why Case Studies Matter
A case study describes a business situation: a decision a business faces, a problem it must solve, or a change in its market. The assessment tests whether you can use business concepts to reason about that situation, not just recall them. A student who knows the definitions but cannot apply them to the case will earn fewer marks than a student who can. See our Business guide for where case studies fit in the course.
Reading the Case
Before you write, read the case carefully. Read it once for overall meaning, then read again with the questions in mind. Annotate as you read: underline the key facts, circle the numbers, and mark the stakeholders. Most of the material you need for a strong answer is in the case, so invest time in reading it well.
Identifying Facts
A case contains facts and assumptions. Facts are what the case states: the size of the business, its market, its financial position, the decision it faces. Separate the facts from your own assumptions. When you make an assumption, state it, so the examiner can follow your reasoning. Do not invent facts that are not in the case.
Identifying Stakeholders
Most business decisions affect several stakeholders: owners, employees, customers, suppliers, the government and the community. Identifying the stakeholders helps you see the different perspectives on a decision. A choice that benefits owners may harm employees or customers, and evaluation often involves weighing these interests. List the stakeholders affected before you evaluate.
Finding Quantitative Information
Many cases include numbers: costs, revenues, prices, quantities. Find the quantitative information early, because it often supports analysis and evaluation. Note the units, and check whether the figures are totals, per-unit, or percentages. Accurate use of the numbers in the case is a consistent source of marks.
Choosing Relevant Concepts
Not every concept applies to every case. After you read the case and the question, choose the concepts that are relevant to the situation. A common error is to write everything you know about a topic regardless of the case. The marks come from choosing the right concepts and applying them, not from dumping unrelated knowledge.
Applying Evidence
Application means using the facts of the case to support your points. Refer to specific details from the case, not generic statements. "The business should expand because it has spare capacity" is generic; "the business has spare capacity, as the case states it is operating at 70% capacity, so expansion would use existing resources" is applied. The difference is the evidence from the case.
Calculations
Many questions ask for calculations: profit, margin, break-even, percentage change. Show your working, use the correct units, and interpret the result in business terms. A correct calculation with no interpretation earns fewer marks than one that explains what the result means for the business. Check your arithmetic, because calculation errors are a common source of lost marks.
Analysis
Analysis means showing cause and effect in the context of the case. If the business does X, then Y happens, because of the specific circumstances of the case. Use the evidence from the case to support the chain of reasoning. A diagram or calculation can support analysis, but the written chain of reasoning is what earns the marks.
Evaluation
Evaluation is what separates the top grades. It means weighing arguments, considering different stakeholders, and reaching a reasoned judgement that depends on the context. For any decision, ask: what are the arguments for and against? Which stakeholders benefit and which lose? What does the conclusion depend on (the size of the business, the market conditions, the time scale)? A strong evaluation reaches a conclusion and states what it depends on.
An Illustrative Example
The following is an original illustrative example, not an actual Cambridge exam question. It is designed to show how to apply the skills above.
Illustrative case: A small bakery in Hong Kong has been selling pastries from a single shop for ten years. Demand is steady but not growing. The owner is considering opening a second shop in a new district. The case states that the bakery has savings that would cover half the cost of the new shop, that the new district has no direct competitor, and that the bakery's two senior bakers have said they would not want to travel to the new location.
Applying the skills: The stakeholders are the owner, the employees (especially the senior bakers), and the customers in the new district. The facts include the savings, the lack of direct competition, and the bakers' reluctance. Relevant concepts include sources of finance (the savings cover only half the cost, so further funding is needed), market research (is there demand in the new district?), and human resource constraints (the senior bakers' reluctance may affect quality or require new staff). Analysis would trace the effects of opening the second shop on revenue, costs and staff. Evaluation would weigh the opportunity against the risks and the staffing constraint, and reach a judgement that depends on whether demand in the new district is sufficient and whether the staffing issue can be resolved.
This example shows the method: read, identify facts and stakeholders, choose relevant concepts, apply the evidence, analyse, and evaluate with a reasoned judgement.
Common Case-Study Mistakes
- Not reading the case carefully. Most of the material you need is in the case. Read and annotate before you write.
- Dumping knowledge. Writing everything you know about a topic, regardless of the case, earns few marks. Choose relevant concepts.
- Ignoring stakeholders. Most decisions affect several groups. Consider the different perspectives.
- Calculation errors. Show your working, use units, and check your arithmetic.
- Listing instead of evaluating. A list of points for and against is not evaluation. Reach a judgement and state what it depends on.
How HK Study Hub Can Help
Tutoring helps most when it targets your specific case-study weaknesses. A tutor can rebuild your reading and application skills, drill calculations, and improve your analysis and evaluation so your answers earn the marks they should. If you would like focused support, see our IGCSE Business tutoring in Hong Kong.
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IGCSE Business Case Study FAQs
Do I need to memorise the case? No, but you need to read it carefully and use the facts. Annotate the case before you write.
Should I write everything I know about a topic? No. Choose the concepts that are relevant to the case and the question. Dumping knowledge earns few marks.
How do I evaluate? Weigh the arguments, consider the stakeholders, reach a judgement, and state what the judgement depends on.
Do I need to show working in calculations? Yes. Show your working, use units, and interpret the result in business terms.
Can tutoring help with case studies? Yes. A tutor can target your application and evaluation weaknesses, though it cannot guarantee a grade. See our IGCSE Business tutoring in Hong Kong.
For more, see our Business guide and guide to getting a 9. Browse all IGCSE Business resources or IGCSE resources.