Section B Answer one question from this section. Evaluate the usefulness of strategic choice techniques to AP's directors to help them decide between the two options for growth.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. L1 Skills maximum if just making a choice based on data rather than focussing on usefulness of techniques
2. Strategic choice techniques – Ansoff, Force Field analysis, Decision trees and how they might be used in this case to weigh up the options
3. Option A is selling the same products but in a different market, but also a new direction into service sector.
4. Option B is developing a new range of related products, for a market that AP has limited knowledge of.
5. Balance of costs and risk
6. Would either option prove a disaster for the company in the case of failure?
7. Reference to data in table 4 and other information as it applies to techniques
8. Detail of two options applied to strategic choice techniques
9. Use of techniques to weigh up data – cost and risk, followed through with affordability to AP
10. Comparison between techniques, given the data available.
11. Limitations of techniques
12. Dynamic nature of markets concerned
13. Need to use other information
14. Which option is favoured by Directors?
15. Examiner's note: maximum L1 Analysis and Evaluation, if only the choice between options is addressed rather than techniques.