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Important Strategic Business Leader (SBL) Questions to Prepare for 2026

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SBL Important Questions 2026

SBL is all about thinking like a business leader and responding professionally to real-world scenarios. Based on our teaching experience and deep analysis of past exams, these are the most important SBL question areas you must prepare for the 2026 exam.

1. Strategic Analysis Questions

In almost every SBL exam, you will be asked to analyse the organisation’s strategy using information from the case.

You should be ready to answer questions like:

  • Analyse the current business strategy of the organisation
  • Identify key opportunities and threats facing the business
  • Evaluate whether the existing strategy is suitable for future growth

What ACCA expect from you in the exam:

  • Apply tools like SWOT or PESTLE only when relevant
  • Link every point directly to the scenario
  • Explain what the issue is and why it matters for the business

Remember: ACCA Is not just testing theory they are testing your judgement as a future leader.

2. Leadership and Organisational Culture Questions

Leadership and culture are core areas in SBL and frequently tested.

Common exam questions include:

  • Evaluate the leadership style of senior management
  • Discuss how organisational culture is affecting performance
  • Recommend leadership actions to manage teams or change

What it train you to focus on:

  • Practical leadership decisions
  • How leadership behaviour impacts employees
  • Managing resistance to change realistically

Examiners want to see that you can lead people, not just describe leadership styles.

3. Corporate Governance and Risk Questions

Governance and risk questions are almost guaranteed in SBL.

You may be asked to:

  • Identify weaknesses in corporate governance
  • Analyse the role of the board and senior management
  • Identify major business risks and recommend controls

In your answer, ACCA expect you to:

  • Clearly identify risks from the case
  • Explain the impact of those risks
  • Recommend realistic control measures                 

Strong governance answers always score well when written professionally.

4. Financial and Performance Analysis Questions

Many students fear this area, but we always tell our students: SBL tests understanding, not calculations.

Typical questions include:

  • Analyse financial performance trends
  • Comment on profitability, liquidity, or efficiency
  • Recommend actions to improve performance

What matters most:

  • Interpreting numbers in simple language
  • Explaining what the figures mean for decision-making
  • Linking financial results to strategy

No complex formulas just clear business sense.

5. Stakeholder and Communication Questions

SBL heavily focuses on stakeholders and professional communication.

You should expect questions like:

  • Identify key stakeholders and their interests
  • Analyse stakeholder conflicts
  • Recommend communication strategies

We always guide students to:

  • Prioritise stakeholders based on influence
  • Address conflicts professionally
  • Write responses as if speaking to real stakeholders

This area rewards clear thinking and structured answers.

6. Ethics and Professionalism Questions

Ethics is a high-scoring area if handled properly.

Possible exam tasks include:

  • Identify ethical issues in the scenario
  • Evaluate professional behaviour of management
  • Recommend ethical actions for the organisation

We advise our students to:

  • Clearly identify ethical concerns
  • Explain reputational and legal risks
  • Recommend actions aligned with professional values

Ethics answers should be firm, professional, and realistic.

7. Change Management and Implementation Questions

Many SBL cases involve transformation or restructuring.

You may be asked to:

  • Analyse why change is required
  • Identify barriers to change
  • Recommend a structured change plan

What examiner look for in your answers:

  • Logical steps to implement change
  • Managing employee concerns
  • Leadership involvement during change

This shows your ability to execute strategy, not just design it.

8. Strategic Decision-Making Questions

These questions test your ability to choose between options.

Common exam requirements:

  • Evaluate different strategic options
  • Recommend the best option
  • Justify your decision using the scenario     

We always remind our students:

  • There is rarely a “perfect” option
  • Examiners reward well-reasoned decisions 
  • Justification is more important than the choice itself                                  

Our Final Advice to SBL Students for 2026

Successful SBL students always:

  • Read the scenario carefully
  • Answer as a business leader, not a student
  • Use clear headings and professional tone
  • Link every point to the case
  • Focus on analysis, recommendations, and justification

If you prepare these important SBL question areas properly, you are already ahead of most candidates.

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