Qualifications Scotland (SQA) Advanced Higher Business Management Past Papers 2026

Case-study + extended-response

Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes

Independent investigation

Duration: Coursework — externally marked

Sustained argument in extended-response questions

Across 2023–2025, markers noted that many candidates gained some marks on high-mark questions but failed to secure the upper range because they listed points without developing a sustained, logically connected argument. Questions worth 8–10 marks require candidates to build a case, weigh factors, and arrive at a judgement — not merely list separate points.

Question Paper

Theory application to business context (not generic answers)

In 2023, many candidates attracted only general mark allowances rather than the full range for questions on joint ventures and industry 4.0 because they failed to connect theory to Bosch's specific situation. In 2025, leadership and management-school questions were well-answered only by candidates who contextualised theory to Apple's operational challenges in the case study.

Question Paper

Source-evidence integration in the project

Across all three years, markers noted that some candidates described findings but failed to place the footnote in the required position (after finding, before analysis). More importantly, many findings lacked a clear, datable action — stating organisational aims rather than evidenced activities. Undated sources resulted in analysis marks not being awarded.

Project — Business Report

Case-study selectivity — choosing the right detail for each question

In 2024, some candidates misread the force field question and concluded drones were viable for pizza delivery despite case study evidence to the contrary. In 2025, Section 1 proved challenging because Apple's case study covered aspects beyond marketing that candidates had not anticipated. Candidates who read selectively and matched case-study detail to question demand outperformed those who applied general knowledge.

Question Paper

Strategic-decision frameworks — China, ASEAN, and EU specifics

In 2024, questions on China attracted only general marks from many candidates because they lacked specific facts about the economy. The 2024 and 2025 reports explicitly advise that candidates must detail responses with specific evidence and facts about China, ASEAN, and the EU to access the full mark range — general knowledge of these regions is insufficient.

Question Paper

Project recommendation strength and SMART criteria

Recommendations flagged as weak in all three years share the same defects: vagueness, lack of viability, and disconnection from the candidate's own analysis. The 2025 report introduced the explicit SMART framework as the standard. Recommendations that merely say 'continue' or repeat the conclusion without specifying how, by when, or at what scale consistently fail to achieve the top marks.

Project — Business Report

Financial analysis depth — interpreting data beyond surface description

The 2025 report identified finance as a systemic underperformance area, stating that 'many candidates do not perform well in financial questions at Advanced Higher' despite having encountered the concepts at Higher. Key distinctions — repatriated profit vs corporation tax revenue, net debt as a funding tool rather than a liability, franchise profit vs company profit — were widely misunderstood.

Question Paper

Contemporary case-study currency and current-issues awareness

In 2023, candidates who chose technological development as their project aim tended to focus on dated technology rather than recent developments. The 2023, 2024, and 2025 reports all repeat the same advice: candidates must stay abreast of current issues in business ethics, government influence, and technological developments, drawing on global examples beyond the UK, particularly China and the ASEAN region.

Question Paper, Project — Business Report