How to study management paper

Many people have problem in dealing with management paper, but why? Problems could arise because:
1. Questions are always different.
2. Not easy to understand.
3. Sometime the way of answering question cannot be found in textbook.

Questions are always different
This doesn't mean that examiner only change the numbers, this means that the question is completely a new type of question. Therefore, it is quite impossible to predict what question will come out in exam. Although practice questions will help, but the most important thing to do is to think how the topics are questioned and how they can be answer instead of keep practicing questions, ie. put yourself in an examiner point of view.

Not easy to understand
It is common that a lot of technical knowledge are found in any management paper, whether performance, business or finance. To really understand them well, read through the examples given in the textbook to get some idea first, then try to apply them to the real world, you can ask lecturer on how they can be used. Having a group to discuss about the best way to understand the thing can help, especially when you are totally confused, some of your friends may understand what you didn't and you might be good in certain areas that your friends find them difficult, sharing knowledge will improve the understanding and understanding is the best way to pass management paper.

Sometime the way of answering question cannot be found in textbook
You may find that why textbook does not include the format of answer given by examiner, this is very common, it is actually because there is no strict format of answering questions. This is the main reason why memorisation is not useful to pass management paper, so how to improve the technique? Clearly doing questions can help but what I suggest is to think from different angle, don't memorise the examiner answer, the answer is specifically related to the question only and cannot be applied to other type of question (most of the time). Remember there is no one perfect answer but whatever answer you give, especially theories, justify that you are right, you will get marks even you gave a wrong point.

In conclusion, the definition of understanding related to management paper is:
1. Being able to write in your own words which have the same meaning as what is given in the book.
2. Being able to put the knowledge into practice.
3. Being able to give some examples.
4. Being able to pick relevant information.
5. Being able to criticise and justify.