A conditional conclusion states what the business should do and the condition under which that advice holds. It commits to a decision, supports it with a case fact, and names what would change it.
This lesson pulls together identifying stakeholder interests, explaining objective conflicts, prioritising with evidence and separating time frames into one closing paragraph. A fuller treatment of conclusions across all topics is in writing a conclusion tied to the business objective.
What does a good conclusion contain?
A strong conclusion has four parts:
- Judgement: the decision, in a clear sentence.
- Because: the strongest reason, using a fact or figure from the case.
- Condition: the circumstance under which the judgement holds or changes.
- Objective link: a mention of the objective the advice serves.
The condition is what makes the conclusion honest. A case never gives all the information, so the condition shows what you would want to check.
Worked example
Seri Mutiara Kraf in Kota Bharu makes handwoven bags. The owner’s objective is to grow sales. She wonders whether to hire artisans.
Each artisan would cost RM3,000 a month and make 150 extra bags a month. Each bag earns a contribution of RM25. There is currently a waiting list of 150 orders, which grew in the weeks before Hari Raya.
Step 1, gather the numbers: one artisan costs RM3,000 and, if all 150 extra bags sell, adds 150 × 25 = RM3,750 a month. The break-even number of bags is 3,000 ÷ 25 = 120 a month. Two artisans would cost RM6,000 and need 6,000 ÷ 25 = 240 bags a month.
Step 2, compare with the evidence: the waiting list of 150 orders is above 120 but below 240.
Step 3, write the conclusion:
“Seri Mutiara Kraf should hire one artisan, not two, to support its objective of growing sales.
One artisan needs 120 extra bags a month to cover the RM3,000 cost, and the waiting list of 150 orders is above that, giving a possible monthly surplus of up to RM750. A second artisan would need 240 bags a month, which the current waiting list does not support. This advice holds if the orders continue after Hari Raya. If the rush proves seasonal, the owner should use temporary help instead.”
Check: 3,750 − 3,000 = RM750 surplus if all 150 sell. Two artisans produce 300 bags, worth 7,500 against a cost of 6,000, but only if orders reach 240 or more, which the case does not show.
Notice what the conclusion does. It makes a clear decision, uses numbers from the case, names the condition (orders continue) and offers a fallback.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is an absolute conclusion with no condition.
Mistaken answer: “The owner should hire two artisans because the business will grow.”
This claims certainty the case does not support, and it ignores that 240 bags are needed to cover two salaries.
A second slip is the opposite: “It depends on many things.” That names no condition and makes no decision. The correction is to name one specific condition and say what you would advise in each direction.
Check yourself
1. Rewrite this as a conditional conclusion: “The café should open a second branch.”
Show answer
Example: “The café should open a second branch, to support its growth objective, because the current branch has a queue at lunchtime. This holds if the new location can attract enough customers to cover its monthly rent. If it cannot, the café should first extend the opening hours of the existing branch.” Any answer with a decision, a case-based reason and a condition earns the same credit.
2. In the Seri Mutiara Kraf case, orders fall to 100 a month after Hari Raya. Using the break-even figure for one artisan, what does that mean for the advice?
Show answer
One artisan needs 120 bags a month to cover RM3,000. With only 100 bags, the contribution is 100 × 25 = RM2,500, which is RM500 short of the RM3,000 wage. The condition fails, so the advice changes to temporary help.
3. Underline the condition in this sentence: “Lowering the price is sensible, provided the rise in sales is large enough to replace the lost margin.”
Show answer
The condition is “provided the rise in sales is large enough to replace the lost margin”. It states exactly what must be true for the advice to hold.
Where this leads next
Work through the objectives and stakeholders practice set to use all five skills together. The business case-answer planner can help you map the judgement, the reason and the condition before you write.
If you want someone to read your conclusions and sharpen the condition, online one-to-one Business tuition is where our teachers work on that.