HSC Business Case Studies PDF

In Business Studies, case studies are used to demonstrate understanding in section IV of the HSC exam. You will also be required to use case studies in your school assessments throughout the HSC course. You may find that your case study covers multiple syllabus points but is weaker in demonstrating...

In Business Studies, case studies are used to demonstrate understanding in section IV of the HSC exam. You will also be required to use case studies in your school assessments throughout the HSC course. You may find that your case study covers multiple syllabus points but is weaker in demonstrating other syllabus points. That is why it is important to have a range of real (or hypothetical) business case studies. Below is a table outlining how you can be revising case studies and linking them to relevant points of the syllabus. Think of this as a summary of what will be included in the 'A' part of a SEAL paragraph in an essay. +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | **Case Study** | **Relevant | **Outline** | **Outcome for | | | syllabus | | the business** | | | point** | | | +=================+=================+=================+=================+ | Qantas, a | - *Role*- | Minimising | Qantas has cut | | large, | strategic | production | costs by \$5 | | multinational | role -\> | costs, focusing | billion in the | | corporation | cost | on key expenses | past six years | | that | leadership | like staff | and plans to | | specialises in | | maintenance and | reduce an | | domestic and | | fuel (use the | additional | | international | | fewest inputs | \$330 million | | airline | | to deliver one | in 2024 by | | flights. | | unit of | further | | | | output). | emphasising | | | | | these methods. | | | | Qantas cost | | | | | leadership | | | | | methods | | | | | include: | | | | | | | | | | **Leveraging | | | | | technology** to | | | | | cut production | | | | | costs. Digital | | | | | advancements in | | | | | online booking, | | | | | ticketing, and | | | | | check-in reduce | | | | | the need for | | | | | customer-facing | | | | | staff, lowering | | | | | Labor costs. | | | | | Newer, more | | | | | efficient | | | | | planes decrease | | | | | fuel and | | | | | maintenance | | | | | expenses. | | | | | | | | | | **Minimise | | | | | production | | | | | costs by | | | | | implementing | | | | | waste reduction | | | | | measures** | | | | | including | | | | | recycling, | | | | | energy-efficien | | | | | t | | | | | lighting, | | | | | water-saving | | | | | devices, and | | | | | sustainable | | | | | design, | | | | | resulting in | | | | | reductions in | | | | | electricity, | | | | | water and | | | | | waste. | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Aldi, a German | - *Role -- | - Product | The utilisation | | multinational | strategic | feature | of sales | | family-owned | role -\> | | promotions to | | discount | goods/ | - Having | differentiate | | supermarket | services | more | Aldi from it's | | chain, | differentia | quantit | competitors | | | tion* | y | allowed it to | | | | in | establish a | | | | package | competitive | | | | s | advantage | | | | | within the | | | | | supermarket | | | | | industry. This | | | | - ALDI | is reflected in | | | | self-br | ALDI's increase | | | | ands | in market share | | | | | from 4% in 2009 | | | | - Product | to 11% in 2022. | | | | quality | | | | | | | | | | - Special | | | | | buys | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - High | | | | | quality | | | | | materia | | | | | ls | | | | | | | | | | - Time spent | | | | | of services | | | | | (service | | | | | product | | | | | differentia | | | | | tion)  | | | | | | | | | | - Time | | | | | spent | | | | | of | | | | | service | | | | | (check-out | | | | | speed) | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Apple is a | - *Influences | - Apple | - Apple has | | multinational | *- | source | more than 1 | | technology | globalisati | their | billion | | company that is | on | products | customers | | able to | | from all | across the | | dominate the | | over the | world and a | | market with | | world (9 | 30% market | | their | | major | share of | | innovative | | countries) | the global | | products | | | smartphone | | | | - By doing so | market | | | | they can | | | | | access | - Off-shore | | | | experts in | outsourcing | | | | their | means that | | | | field, at | there are | | | | affordable | higher | | | | prices | profits, | | | | | 25% NP | | | | - Improve | where | | | | quality | industry | | | | of | average is | | | | their | 15% | | | | product | | | | | to | | | | | maximis | | | | | e | | | | | on | | | | | profita | | | | | bility | | | | | | | | | | - Supply | | | | | chain comes | | | | | from all | | | | | over the | | | | | world | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | ARYZTA is a | - *Influences | - ARYZTA | - As a result | | leading | *- | provides | of their | | international | Technology | high-qualit | high | | company, that | | y | quality | | sells a | - *Processes* | buns to | products, | | wide-range of | - | McDonald's | ARYZTA | | high-quality, | Transformat | | recorded | | baked items | ion | - Implements | 1.525 | | | processes | quality | billion | | | (technology | control as | Euros in | | | ) | employees | revenue | | | | physically | | | | - *Strategies | check the | - Increased | | | *- | appearance | customer | | | | of buns.  | satisfactio | | | - Quality | | n | | | management | - Quality | as they | | | | assurance | receive | | | | is also | quality | | | | implemented | products | | | | with the | | | | | use of | - Reduced | | | | [operation | waste so | | | | process | they can | | | | leading-edg | achieve | | | | e | cost | | | | technology] | leadership | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Eye-Pro | | | | | Inspection | | | | | system to | | | | | identify | | | | | weight, | | | | | tone, | | | | | height | | | | | variation | | | | | in buns, | | | | | while being | | | | | cooked. | | | | | | | | | | *See ALDI Role | | | | | of Operations | | | | | case study for | | | | | another | | | | | example* | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - *Influences | *See ARYZTA | - Differentia | | | *- | Influence of | tion | | | Quality | Technology case | as products | | | expectation | study* | are of high | | | s | | quality | | | | - Because | | | | | ARYZTA | | | | | develop | | | | | high | | | | | quality | | | | | products, | | | | | customers | | | | | expect to | | | | | receive | | | | | high | | | | | quality | | | | | products | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - *Influences | *See back to | | | | *- | ALDI case | | | | Cost based | study(in | | | | competition | particularly | | | | | cost-leadership | | | | | )* | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Coles is an | - *Influences | - During | - High | | Australian | -* | COVID-19 | customer | | supermarket | Government | the | satisfactio | | retailer that | policies | government | n | | specialises in | | implemented | of new | | selling | - *Strategies | regulations | operation | | groceries | -* | to ensure | processes | | | Performance | public | | | | objectives | safety | - As a result | | | (Flexibilit | | of the | | | y) | - So Coles | positive | | | | implemented | reaction by | | | | changes to | the public, | | | | its | Coles sales | | | | standard | revenue did | | | | operations | not plateau | | | | processes | but rather | | | | | increased | | | | - During this | by 1% to | | | | period | \$20.6 | | | | nearly 78% | billion  | | | | of Coles's | | | | | sales | | | | | occurred | | | | | through | | | | | contactless | | | | | Online | | | | | Shopping | | | | | | | | | | - This meant | | | | | that many | | | | | of its | | | | | products | | | | | did not | | | | | need to be | | | | | stacked for | | | | | the public | | | | | to be | | | | | self-collec | | | | | ted | | | | | but rather | | | | | Coles had | | | | | to ensure | | | | | that when | | | | | products | | | | | were | | | | | ordered, | | | | | they: | | | | | prepare, | | | | | pack and | | | | | deliver | | | | | their | | | | | products in | | | | | a time and | | | | | cost | | | | | effective | | | | | manner | | | | | while also | | | | | continuing | | | | | to maintain | | | | | high | | | | | in-store | | | | | quality | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Get Baked UK is | - *Influences | - The | - Large | | a bakery | *- | business | amounts of | | company that | Legal | was forced | publicity  | | produced local | regulation | to stop | | | favourite baked | | using their | - Business | | items in the UK | | American | was able to | | | | sourced | reintroduce | | | | product as | their most | | | | it had an | popular | | | | UK illegal | product | | | | substance | | | | | | - Was able to | | | | - In response | regain 3.5% | | | | GB made | of profits | | | | their own | | | | | sprinkle | | | | | that | | | | | regained | | | | | sales | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Johnson and | - *Influences | - Johnson and | - Have good | | Johnson is an | - | Johnson is | market | | American | Environment | a driver to | relations | | multination | al | equity in | resulting | | pharmaceutical | sustainabil | healthcare | in a | | corporation.  | ity | by having | stronger | | | and CSR* | two charity | share price | | | | partners | than | | | | | competitors | | | | - By | | | | | providi | - J&J is on a | | | | ng | trend of | | | | medical | **reducing | | | | mission | carbon | | | | trips | emissions** | | | | | in | | | | | production | | | | | | | | | - Offer | - Setting | | | | free | 100% | | | | medical | **renewable | | | | support | energy goal | | | | to | by 2025** | | | | disadva | | | | | ntaged | - Increase | | | | compani | **brand | | | | es | reputation | | | | | for | | | | | customers** | | | | | | | | | - Ensure | | | | | all of | | | | | its | | | | | product | | | | | s | | | | | are | | | | | produce | | | | | d | | | | | in an | | | | | ethical | | | | | way(no | | | | | human | | | | | testing | | | | | ) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - By | | | | | using | | | | | profits | | | | | in a | | | | | cash | | | | | contrib | | | | | ution | | | | | for | | | | | individ | | | | | ual | | | | | medical | | | | |   | | | | | treatme | | | | | nt | | | | | | | | | | - J&J find | | | | | ecologicall | | | | | y | | | | | sustainable | | | | | solutions | | | | | to solve | | | | | existing | | | | | medical | | | | | challenges | | | | | | | | | | - Reduces | | | | | carbon | | | | | footpri | | | | | nt | | | | | through | | | | | renewab | | | | | le | | | | | energy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Reducin | | | | | g | | | | | waste | | | | | through | | | | | optimis | | | | | ing | | | | | recycla | | | | | ble | | | | | packagi | | | | | ng | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Effecti | | | | | vely | | | | | using | | | | | natural | | | | | resourc | | | | | es | | | | | to | | | | | protect | | | | | environ | | | | | ment | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | McDonald's is a | - *Processes* | **[Volume]{.und | - By | | fast food giant | - | erline}** | monitoring | | that serve high | Transformat | | of past | | quality food to | ion | - McDonald's | sales, | | customers at | (4Vs) | must cater | McDonald's | | competitive | | for 69 | can predict | | prices | | million | and | | | | customers | determine | | | | per day | the level | | | | | of output | | | | - To | required | | | | effectively | for profit | | | | serve that | maximisatio | | | | many people | n | | | | with a | | | | | level of | | | | | consistency | | | | | across all | | | | | stores, | | | | | McDonald's | | | | | has a | | | | | heavily | | | | | systemised | | | | | operations | | | | | process to | | | | | determine | | | | | how much | | | | | output is | | | | | made | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Charlie's | | **[Variety]{.un | - Variety has | | Confectionery | | derline}** | allowed | | Company Pty Ltd | | | Charlie's  | | is a foodery | | - Charlie's | to remain | | business that | | produces a | competitive | | sells sweet | | wide range |   | | perishable | | of sweets | | | items | | including | - Charlie's | | | | candy and | has had 8% | | | | chocolate | profit | | | | | growth in | | | | - Recently | the past 3 | | | | Charlie's | years | | | | have begun | | | | | to produce | | | | | traditional | | | | | Middle | | | | | Eastern and | | | | | Asian | | | | | sweets to | | | | | capitalise | | | | | on the | | | | | growing | | | | | market in | | | | | Australia | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Macpac, is a | | **[Variation in | - Macpac, had | | multinational | | Demand]{.underl | a 9% | | clothing brand | | ine}** | increase in | | that have a | | | the levels | | wide range of | | - Macpac | of sales | | summer and | | specialises | compared to | | winter clothes | | in selling | its | | | | winter | competitors | | | | clothes | such as | | | | | Kathmandu | | | | - Macpac | as they | | | | alters its | have a | | | | output | wider range | | | | according | of products | | | | to the | | | | | seasons | | | | | | | | | | - For | | | | | majority of | | | | | the year | | | | | Macpac | | | | | sells a | | | | | variety of | | | | | winter | | | | | clothes | | | | | | | | | | - In summer | | | | | Macpac | | | | | alters its | | | | | product | | | | | range to | | | | | suit the | | | | | summer | | | | | season | | | | | | | | | | - RELEASE | | | | | THEIR | | | | | SUMMER | | | | | RANGE | | | | | EARLIER | | | | | THAN | | | | | COMPETITORS | | | | | , | | | | | SO | | | | | ACCOMMODATI | | | | | NG | | | | | FOR | | | | | VARIATION | | | | | IN DEMAND | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Subway is a | | **[Visibility]{ | - With high | | multi-national | |.underline}** | visibility | | food chain that | | | customers | | specialises in | | - Subways | rate subway | | selling healthy | | allows its | to be the | | fast food | | customers | healthiest  | | | | to be apart | | | | | of the | - This | | | | production | correlates | | | | process by | to the 3.5 | | | | allowing | health star | | | | customers | rating out | | | | to select | of 5 subway | | | | and see | receives, | | | | what is | compared to | | | | being | fast food | | | | placed in | average of | | | | their | 2.3 health | | | | sandwiches | rating | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Apple is a | - *Strategies | - Apple | - Apple had | | multinational | *- | products | 4% of | | technology | New product | are exactly | smartphone | | company that | or service | what | market | | dominates the | design and | consumers | share in | | market with | development | want | 2007 | | their | | | | | innovative | | - Apple | - In 2020, | | products | | strive to | Apple has | | | | constantly | 30% of the | | | | create new | smartphone | | | | products | market | | | | that will | share | | | | differentia | | | | | te | | | | | products | | | | | from | | | | | competitors | | | | | | | | | | - Apple | | | | | conduct R&D | | | | | and market | | | | | research on | | | | | areas of | | | | | safety/secu | | | | | rity, | | | | | software | | | | | development | | | | | , | | | | | quality and | | | | | consumer | | | | | desires  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - In 2019 | | | | | Apple | | | | | has\$18bill | | | | | in R&D and | | | | | market | | | | | research | | | | | | | | | | - In 2020 | | | | | Apple had | | | | | \$21bill in | | | | | R&D and | | | | | market | | | | | research | | | | | | | | | | - In 2021 | | | | | Apple had | | | | | \$26bill in | | | | | R&D and | | | | | market | | | | | research | | | | | | | | | | THIS IS AN | | | | | INCREASING | | | | | TREND IN R&D | | | | | EXPENDITURE  | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Walmart is an | - *Strategies | - Walmart has | - Walmart | | American | *- | identified | products | | hypermarket | Supply | products | are approx | | that operates | Chain | that | 10-15cents | | stores in the | Management | customers | cheaper | | US | (SCM) | require and | than | | | | source them | industry | | | | at the best | average | | | | prices  | | | | | | - Cross-docki | | | | - Walmart | ng | | | | establish | means | | | | partnership | logistics | | | | s | is no | | | | with their | longer than | | | | suppliers, | 3 days | | | | and can | | | | | access | | | | | cheapest | | | | | supplies | | | | | due to long | | | | | term | | | | | relationshi | | | | | ps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Walmart use | | | | | cross-docki | | | | | ng, | | | | | where they | | | | | can | | | | | transfer | | | | | products | | | | | from | | | | | suppliers | | | | | to the | | | | | business | | | | | with no | | | | | storage | | | | | between | | | | | them  | | | | | | | | | | - Products go | | | | | to Walmart | | | | | DCs and | | | | | then are | | | | | cross-docke | | | | | d | | | | | and go | | | | | straight to | | | | | retailers | | | | | | | | | | - Walmart | | | | | thus keeps | | | | | logistics | | | | | costs down, | | | | | and | | | | | eliminates | | | | | inefficienc | | | | | ies | | | | | | | | | | - And | | | | | pass | | | | | the | | | | | savings | | | | | to | | | | | custome | | | | | rs | | | | | with | | | | | cheap | | | | | prices | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Apple is a | - *Strategies | - Apple | - Apple | | multinational | *- | outsources | achieve | | technology | Outsourcing | their | economies | | company that | | operations | of scale as | | dominates the | - *Strategies | process to | Foxconn has | | market with | *- | Foxconn in | 40% of | | their | Performance | China | China's | | innovative | objective | | electronic | | products | (cost) | - This | manufacturi | | | | enables | ng | | | | Apple to | | | | | reduce | - By | | | | their costs | outsourcing | | | | and | Apple is | | | | maintain | earns 50% | | | | the | more from | | | | cheapest | their | | | | possible | profits, | | | | production | because of | | | | process | reduced | | | | | costs | | | | - Because | | | | | Apple | | | | | outsources, | | | | | they are | | | | | able to | | | | | focus more | | | | | on R&D | | | | | | | | | | Disadvantages: | | | | | | | | | | - Reputation | | | | | of Apple is | | | | | dented | | | | | | | | | | Due to trade | | | | | war between US | | | | | and China, | | | | | Apple has lost | | | | | over 4% of | | | | | their share | | | | | price and apple | | | | | products are | | | | | expected to | | | | | increase in | | | | | cost due to | | | | | tariffs | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Amazon is a | - *Strategies | - Amazon Go | - Lead time | | multination | *- | uses Just | is 5x | | company that | Technology | Walk Out | faster | | provides a | | Technology | | | range of | | | - ~~Amazon | | different | | - Reduces | has | | services | | costs for | recorded | | | | Amazon as | under 50% | | | | they can | increase in | | | | reduced | the number | | | | number of | of sales ~~ | | | | employees | | | | | in store, | - Customer | | | | decreased | satisfactio | | | | lead times | n | | | | because of | has | | | | no check | repeated | | | | outs | sales, so | | | | | one Amazon | | | |   | Go store | | | | | will | | | | Customer | receive | | | | satisfaction | about | | | | has repeated | \$1.5millio | | | | sales, so one | n | | | | Amazon Go store | is profits | | | | will receive | | | | | about | | | | | \$1.5million is | | | | | profits | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Charlie's | - *Strategies | - Charlie's | - Charlie's | | Confectionery | *- | predominant | records | | Company Pty Ltd | Inventory | ly | increased | | is a foodery | management | sells sweet | levels of | | business that | | perishable | profits  | | sells sweet | | items | | | perishable | | | - Charlie's | | items | | - They | has had 8% | | | | implement | profit | | | | FIFO and | growth in | | | | JIT allows | the past 3 | | | | for lean | years | | | | production | | | | | through | | | | | minimising | | | | | the chance | | | | | of stock | | | | | from | | | | | getting | | | | | obsolete/sp | | | | | oilt | | | | | | | | | | - As a result | | | | | of JIT and | | | | | FIFO | | | | | Charlie's | | | | | can achieve | | | | | lean | | | | | production, | | | | | reduced | | | | | chance of | | | | | obsolescenc | | | | | e | | | | | meaning | | | | | Charlie's | | | | | are cost | | | | | leaders and | | | | | can | | | | | differentia | | | | | te | | | | | their | | | | | products | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | - *Strategies | | | | | *- | | | | | Quality | | | | | management | | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Alpine Cars is | - *Strategies | - Alpine Cars | - Alpine Cars | | a French | *- | have | saw a 71% | | company that | Overcoming | redesigned | increase in | | has recently | resistance | its car | the level | | redesigned | to change | product | of sale | | their product | | range, | globally in | | range  | | after they | the first | | | | have | half of | | | | entered F1, | 2022 | | | | with the | | | | | hope of | | | | | increasing | | | | | its company | | | | | awareness | | | | | | | | | | - Alpine Cars | | | | | received | | | | | resistance | | | | | as they | | | | | changed | | | | | their plant | | | | | layout, | | | | | suppliers | | | | | and staff | | | | | structures | | | | | | | | | | - Alpine | | | | | utilised | | | | | change | | | | | agents, and | | | | | financial | | | | | support | | | | | from their | | | | | parent | | | | | company | | | | | Renault  | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | Red Rooster is | - *Strategies | **Global | - Red Rooster | | an Australian | -* | sourcing** | restructure | | fast food | Global | | d | | chicken company | factors | *See Apple | their | | | | Influence of | product | | | | Globalisation | range(e.g. | | | | case study(in | RR boxes) | | | | particularly | similar to | | | | the global | its | | | | sourcing* | competitors | | | | | products | | | | | | | | | | - After | | | | | scanning | | | | | and | | | | | learning | | | | | they had | | | | | approximate | | | | | ly | | | | | \$0.5mill | | | | | increase in | | | | | sales | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | **Economies of | | | | | scale** | | | | | | | | | | *See Walmart | | | | | Strategies of | | | | | SCM case | | | | | study(in | | | | | particularly | | | | | the Economies | | | | | of | | | | | Scale\[sourcing | | | | | \])* | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | **Scanning and | | | | | learning** | | | | | | | | | | Red Rooster are | | | | | always scanning | | | | | to learn the | | | | | best practice | | | | | of its | | | | | competitors | | | | | such as KFC and | | | | | McDonald's to | | | | | identify | | | | | possible new | | | | | product lines | | | | | and | | | | | process(plant | | | | | layouts) can | | | | | increase their | | | | | efficiency | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+ | | | **Research and | | | | | Development** | | | | | | | | | | *See Apple | | | | | Strategies of | | | | | NPDD case | | | | | study(in | | | | | particularly | | | | | the R&D)* | | +-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+