Business Management Pre-released Statement: Myt PLC (Myt)

Instructions to Candidates

This pre-released statement is required for higher-level paper 1 and standard-level paper 1 business management examinations.
Published by the International Baccalaureate Organization for use in May 2025.

The statement is released three months before the examination.
It informs candidates about topics and terminology not in the Business Management guide but will be in the case study.
Candidates should spend a maximum of five hours researching these topics and learning the terminology.
The topics build upon the syllabus.
The primary goal is to assess knowledge of contemporary business topics that were not anticipated when the guide was written.

The case study will focus on a multinational non-alcoholic drinks manufacturer.
It will also consider the business operations of a multinational company.
Candidates are expected to have basic familiarity with these topics, rather than comprehensive expertise.

Avatar: A digital representation of a person.
Biodegradable: Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Chain (of a business): A network of linked businesses or outlets.
Pressure Group: An organized group that tries to influence public opinion or government policy.
Recycling: Converting waste into reusable material.
Social Media Influencer: Someone with a significant following on social media who can influence their audience.

Myt PLC (Myt) is a publicly held multinational company that manufactures non-alcoholic drinks.
The head office is located in the United States (USA).
Myt has manufacturing factories on six continents.
The company has grown through both internal and external growth strategies.
Initially, Myt manufactured only one drink: a non-alcoholic, sweet, and carbonated root beer.
By 2020, Myt had a portfolio of over 30 different drinks sold in bottles and cans.
Myt uses social media influencers as part of its promotional strategy.

Obesity and diabetes are health issues linked to many drinks, including those manufactured by Myt.
Many drinks contain the entire recommended daily sugar intake for an adult in a single can.
Sugar substitutes used in diet drinks have also been linked to various health problems.
Many of Myt’s drinks are high in caffeine and sugar.

In 2023, Myt’s board of directors began a process of diversification, taking over:
- Lotssa Coffee (LC), a chain of coffee shops with over 4000 outlets across 35 countries.
- Honest Water (HW), a manufacturer of bottled drinking water.
Myt announced plans to:
- Modernize and make its factories green
- Explore entering the healthy snacks market
- Utilize computer-generated avatars when creating advertisements
- Reduce caffeine and sugar levels in its products
- Improve its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Companies, products, and individuals named in the case study are fictitious, and any similarities with actual entities are purely coincidental.