IB BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HL, Paper 1, November, 2002, TZ0, Solved Past Paper

This question asks you to analyze how the implementation of new information and communication technologies (ICT) can enhance various aspects of a business named Open Views. Specifically, you need to consider how these technologies can improve communications, operations, and organizational control within the company. Open Views is currently experiencing issues with communication, decision-making, and organizational fragmentation, which are areas that ICT can potentially address.

Open Views has four offices and a resort complex called Warm Breezes, each with its own management structure. The existing communication is primarily 'top-down' and heavily reliant on telephone conversations, which can lead to inefficiencies and miscommunication. The goal is to explore how modern ICT tools such as mobile phones, laptops, pagers, the internet, teleconferencing, wireless and satellite systems, and Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) can be utilized to improve the company's overall functionality.

Additionally, the company might consider setting up its own website, possibly including a webcam of the resort to enhance customer engagement and operational transparency.

This question requires a detailed discussion of the marketing mix to support the launch of a new self-catering complex at the Warm Breezes resort. Additionally, it asks for a comparison of this new marketing mix with the current one, assessing the likely impact on Warm Breezes' image and customer profile.

This question is divided into two parts. The first part asks you to identify three problems caused by the location of Warm Breezes in the Caribbean and discuss appropriate strategies that the local government could implement to mitigate these issues. The second part requires you to use a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) framework to analyze the opportunities and threats facing Open Views as it moves into its next phase of development.