2025-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion — Small Businesses: Band 9 Sample & Analysis

Master IELTS Writing Task 2 small business discussion essays with Band 9 sample analysis, advanced entrepreneurship vocabulary, and expert business policy strategies for consistent high scores.

This comprehensive guide provides Band 9 sample analysis, advanced vocabulary, and expert strategies for IELTS Writing Task 2 small business discussion essays. Master sophisticated entrepreneurship terminology, balanced argument development, and evidence-based examples while achieving consistent high-band scores through detailed analysis of business policy, economic development, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneurial support systems.

Small business discussion essays challenge candidates to explore complex relationships between entrepreneurship, economic development, government policy, and market dynamics. Success requires sophisticated business vocabulary, nuanced understanding of economics and business strategy, and ability to present balanced arguments about small business support, regulatory frameworks, market competition, and innovation across diverse economic and cultural contexts.

Small business discussion questions typically present contrasting viewpoints about support mechanisms, regulatory approaches, competition dynamics, or innovation strategies. Your task is to analyze both perspectives while demonstrating sophisticated understanding of entrepreneurship, business economics, and contemporary commercial challenges.

Common small business discussion topics include:

  • Government support versus market competition for small businesses
  • Traditional retail versus e-commerce business models
  • Local business protection versus global market integration
  • Startup funding versus established business expansion support
  • Regulation versus deregulation for small business growth
  • Innovation incentives versus stability support for entrepreneurs

Success demands comprehensive analysis of small business complexity including market dynamics, policy effectiveness, economic development, and entrepreneurial ecosystems while maintaining balanced perspective throughout your response.

Essay Question

Some people argue that governments should provide extensive support and subsidies to help small businesses compete with large corporations, while others believe that market competition without government intervention leads to better business outcomes. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Band 9 Sample Response

Introduction: Contemporary small business development strategies generate debate about whether extensive government support and subsidies or unrestricted market competition more effectively promotes entrepreneurial success while addressing economic development goals, innovation requirements, and competitive fairness considerations across diverse industry sectors and regional contexts.

Body Paragraph 1 - Government Support Arguments: Small business advocacy emphasizes market failure correction necessity, arguing that large corporation advantages including economies of scale, capital access, and market power create systematic disadvantages requiring government intervention through targeted subsidies, regulatory protection, and development programs that level competitive playing fields. European Union small business support demonstrates this approach effectiveness, with €25 billion annual funding supporting 3.7 million enterprises, generating 42 million jobs while achieving 67% survival rates compared to 45% for unsupported startups through comprehensive programs including grants, loan guarantees, and technical assistance. Furthermore, government intervention addresses specific barriers including limited access to capital, regulatory compliance costs, and market entry difficulties that disproportionately affect small businesses, while large corporations benefit from internal resources, established relationships, and regulatory influence enabling systematic competitive advantages that pure market mechanisms cannot overcome. Strategic government support also promotes economic development goals including regional development, innovation promotion, and employment generation that market competition alone may not optimize, particularly in underserved communities and emerging technology sectors requiring coordinated investment and risk-sharing.

Body Paragraph 2 - Market Competition Arguments: Free market proponents contend that unrestricted competition drives superior outcomes through efficiency incentives, innovation promotion, and resource optimization while avoiding government intervention distortions including subsidy dependency, bureaucratic inefficiency, and market signal disruption limiting genuine competitive capability development. Silicon Valley entrepreneurial ecosystem exemplifies market-driven success, with minimal government intervention enabling rapid innovation, massive venture capital mobilization ($166 billion in 2021), and global technology leadership through competitive pressures rewarding efficiency, customer satisfaction, and technological advancement rather than political connections or subsidy access. Market mechanisms also demonstrate superior resource allocation accuracy, with investor due diligence and consumer choice directing capital toward genuinely viable businesses while eliminating inefficient enterprises that government support might artificially sustain, preventing creative destruction processes essential for economic dynamism and innovation. Additionally, competitive markets foster entrepreneurial resilience and adaptability by requiring businesses to develop genuine competitive advantages, customer relationships, and operational efficiency rather than depending on government protection that may reduce innovation incentives and market responsiveness.

Body Paragraph 3 - Personal Opinion: In my opinion, optimal small business development requires strategic government intervention addressing specific market failures while preserving competitive pressures that drive innovation and efficiency, recognizing that targeted support and competitive markets serve complementary functions in entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Government support should focus on addressing systematic disadvantages including access to capital, regulatory navigation, and infrastructure provision while avoiding picking winners or creating dependency relationships that undermine competitive capability development. Successful entrepreneurial ecosystems like Israel's technology sector and Germany's Mittelstand demonstrate balanced approaches combining targeted government support for research and development, education, and infrastructure with competitive market dynamics rewarding innovation and customer satisfaction, achieving both economic development and business excellence through integrated rather than opposing strategies. This synthesis enables small business success through foundational support while maintaining market discipline that ensures resource efficiency, customer focus, and continuous improvement essential for sustainable competitive advantage.

Conclusion: Effective small business development requires recognizing government support and market competition as complementary elements within comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystems that address systematic barriers while maintaining competitive incentives, innovation rewards, and efficiency pressures essential for sustainable economic growth and business success.

Detailed Band 9 Analysis

At BabyCode, we've guided 410,000+ students through small business discussion essays using our specialized entrepreneurship vocabulary modules and comprehensive business economics training systems. Our proven approach helps students master sophisticated business terminology, balanced analytical skills, and evidence-based argumentation that consistently achieves Band 8-9 scores.

Task Achievement (Band 9):

  • Comprehensive Position Development: Both government support and market competition arguments receive thorough analysis with specific evidence, policy examples, and outcome evaluation
  • Sophisticated Opinion Integration: Personal viewpoint synthesizes arguments through strategic intervention recognition rather than simple preference statement
  • Complex Issue Recognition: Demonstrates understanding of business ecosystem complexity, market dynamics, and entrepreneurial challenges requiring multi-faceted approaches
  • Evidence-Based Argumentation: Incorporates specific statistical data, policy examples, and research findings supporting analytical claims

Coherence and Cohesion (Band 9):

  • Logical Argument Progression: Each paragraph develops systematically from conceptual framework through evidence presentation to outcome evaluation
  • Advanced Linking Devices: Uses sophisticated connectives ("Furthermore," "Additionally," "recognizing that targeted support") indicating complex relationship understanding
  • Integrated Conclusion: Synthesizes arguments through comprehensive business ecosystem perspective rather than simple summarization
  • Consistent Reference System: Maintains clear argument thread throughout while developing increasingly sophisticated analytical perspectives

Lexical Resource (Band 9):

  • Domain-Specific Precision: Uses advanced business and economics terminology appropriately ("market failure correction," "economies of scale," "systematic competitive advantages")
  • Academic Sophistication: Incorporates research-based vocabulary ("resource allocation accuracy," "creative destruction processes," "entrepreneurial resilience")
  • Varied Expression Patterns: Avoids repetition through synonym usage and complex phrase construction while maintaining technical accuracy
  • Contextual Appropriateness: Business terminology usage demonstrates genuine understanding rather than superficial vocabulary insertion

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Band 9):

  • Complex Sentence Construction: Uses multiple clause types effectively while maintaining clarity and logical flow
  • Advanced Grammar Structures: Incorporates passive voice, conditional constructions, and embedded clauses appropriately for academic discourse
  • Error-Free Execution: No grammatical mistakes or unclear constructions while maintaining sophisticated language usage throughout
  • Stylistic Consistency: Maintains formal academic register with appropriate verb tenses and modal usage for analytical discussion

Entrepreneurship and Business Development

  • Market entry barrier analysis: Systematic evaluation of obstacles preventing new businesses from competing effectively in established markets
  • Competitive advantage sustainability: Long-term business strategies maintaining superior market position through innovation, efficiency, and customer relationship development
  • Entrepreneurial ecosystem optimization: Comprehensive environmental development supporting startup creation, growth, and success through coordinated resources and policies
  • Value proposition differentiation: Business strategy development distinguishing products or services from competitors through unique benefits and customer solutions
  • Scalability planning frameworks: Strategic approaches enabling business growth without proportional resource increase through systems, technology, and market expansion
  • Innovation commercialization processes: Systematic approaches transforming creative ideas and technological advances into successful market products and services

Business Economics and Policy

  • Small business financing mechanisms: Financial instruments and programs providing capital access including loans, grants, equity investment, and alternative funding sources
  • Regulatory compliance optimization: Business processes ensuring legal requirement adherence while minimizing administrative burden and operational disruption
  • Economic development impact assessment: Evaluation methodologies measuring small business contribution to employment, innovation, and regional economic growth
  • Market concentration analysis: Economic study of industry competition levels and large corporation market dominance effects on small business viability
  • Entrepreneurial support program effectiveness: Research methodologies evaluating government and private sector initiatives promoting small business success and sustainability
  • Business cluster development strategies: Regional approaches concentrating related businesses to achieve collective advantages through shared resources and knowledge exchange

Advanced Business Collocations

  • Implement comprehensive entrepreneur support: Establish systematic programs addressing small business capital, technical assistance, and market access challenges
  • Enhance competitive market dynamics: Improve industry conditions enabling fair competition through regulatory oversight and anti-monopoly enforcement
  • Optimize small business financing access: Maximize capital availability through diverse funding mechanisms, risk mitigation, and investor confidence building
  • Facilitate innovation ecosystem development: Enable collaborative environments supporting research, development, and commercialization of new business concepts
  • Coordinate regional economic development: Organize local initiatives promoting small business growth through infrastructure, education, and policy coordination
  • Promote entrepreneurial culture cultivation: Foster community attitudes and educational programs encouraging business creation and risk-taking in economic development

Our specialized small business vocabulary system teaches 540+ advanced entrepreneurship, business economics, and policy terms through contextual application exercises. Students master sophisticated business terminology including market analysis, financial planning, and strategic development, achieving significant improvements in Task 2 business essay band scores.

Government Support Mechanisms

Financial Assistance Programs:

  • Small business loan guarantee programs reducing lender risk while improving capital access for entrepreneurs lacking collateral
  • Grant funding for research and development encouraging innovation in technology, sustainability, and social impact sectors
  • Tax incentive structures including reduced rates, deductions, and credits supporting startup costs and business reinvestment
  • Microcredit programs serving entrepreneurs excluded from traditional banking through community-based lending and support
  • Venture capital fund participation enabling government co-investment alongside private sector in high-potential startups
  • Emergency assistance programs providing crisis support during economic downturns, natural disasters, and market disruptions

Business Development Support:

  • Entrepreneurship education programs teaching business planning, financial management, and marketing skills through universities and community organizations
  • Mentorship networks connecting experienced business leaders with new entrepreneurs for guidance and industry knowledge transfer
  • Business incubator facilities providing affordable workspace, shared services, and professional development resources
  • Export promotion programs helping small businesses access international markets through trade missions and regulatory assistance
  • Procurement preference policies reserving government contract percentages for small and minority-owned enterprises
  • Technical assistance programs offering specialized consulting in areas including technology adoption, regulatory compliance, and strategic planning

Market Competition Advantages

Efficiency and Innovation Drivers:

  • Competitive pressure incentivizing continuous improvement in products, services, and operational efficiency to maintain market position
  • Customer choice mechanisms rewarding businesses providing superior value, quality, and service while eliminating inefficient competitors
  • Resource allocation optimization through market pricing signals directing investment toward most productive business opportunities
  • Entrepreneurial risk-taking encouragement through profit potential rewards and failure consequences promoting calculated business decisions
  • Creative destruction processes enabling industry transformation through innovative businesses displacing outdated competitors
  • Market discipline preventing resource waste and encouraging lean operations through competitive pressure and profit requirements

Private Sector Innovation:

  • Venture capital investment providing sophisticated due diligence, strategic guidance, and network access beyond government capability
  • Angel investor networks offering entrepreneurial experience, industry connections, and flexible funding arrangements supporting diverse business models
  • Accelerator programs combining intensive training, mentorship, and investment opportunities through private sector expertise and networks
  • Corporate partnership opportunities enabling small businesses to access large company resources, distribution, and customer bases
  • Technology transfer mechanisms connecting university research with commercial applications through private sector intermediaries
  • Industry association support providing networking, advocacy, and professional development through business community collaboration

International Small Business Policy Comparisons

German Mittelstand Success: Germany's medium-sized enterprise sector employs 16 million people and generates 55% of GDP through family-owned businesses benefiting from apprenticeship programs, regional bank relationships, and export support, demonstrating balanced government-private cooperation approaches.

US Small Business Administration Model: The SBA provides $44 billion annually in loan guarantees supporting 600,000 small businesses while maintaining 90% repayment rates, proving government risk-sharing can improve capital access without creating dependency or market distortion.

Singapore Startup Ecosystem: Singapore combines government investment in education, infrastructure, and startup funding with competitive market conditions, achieving 73% business survival rates and attracting $8.2 billion in venture capital through strategic intervention and market dynamics.

Small Business Economic Impact Research

Employment Generation Statistics: Small businesses create 64% of new jobs in developed economies while providing 44% of total employment, demonstrating entrepreneurship's crucial role in economic dynamism and labor market flexibility during economic transitions.

Innovation Contribution Analysis: Small businesses produce 16 times more patents per employee than large corporations while accounting for 37% of research and development in high-technology sectors, indicating entrepreneurial innovation significance for technological advancement.

Local Economic Multiplier Effects: Every dollar spent at local small businesses generates $3.50 in local economic activity compared to $1.40 for large chain stores, demonstrating community economic development benefits through small business support and local procurement.

Economic Theory Integration

Market Failure Analysis: "Small business challenges reflect information asymmetries, network effects, and economies of scale that create systematic disadvantages requiring targeted government intervention, though excessive support can undermine competitive discipline essential for business effectiveness and resource allocation efficiency."

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Theory: "Successful entrepreneurship requires interconnected elements including human capital, financial resources, market access, and institutional support, indicating both government policy and market mechanisms contribute essential components for comprehensive business development environments."

Comparative Policy Analysis

International Best Practices: "Cross-national research indicates optimal small business outcomes combine targeted government support addressing specific market failures with competitive pressures maintaining innovation incentives, as demonstrated by Nordic countries and East Asian development models."

Regional Development Integration: "Small business policy effectiveness improves when integrated with broader economic development strategies addressing education, infrastructure, and innovation systems while maintaining competitive market dynamics that reward efficiency and customer satisfaction."

Our comprehensive small business writing program combines advanced entrepreneurship vocabulary development, balanced argument construction, and detailed evidence-based analysis training. Students receive expert feedback on essay organization, business terminology usage, and analytical sophistication through our specialized business economics assessment system, ensuring consistent Band 7+ performance.

  1. Some people believe that governments should provide extensive financial support to small businesses to help them compete with large corporations, while others argue that market forces alone should determine business success. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

  2. Many argue that small businesses are more important for economic development than large multinational companies, while others believe large corporations drive more significant economic growth. Discuss both perspectives and provide your viewpoint.

  3. Some people think that online business platforms have made it easier for small businesses to succeed, while others believe they have created more competition and challenges. Discuss both approaches and state your opinion.

  4. Traditional small business models versus innovative startup approaches continues generating debate among entrepreneurs and policymakers. Discuss both viewpoints and give your own view.

  5. Some argue that local communities should prioritize supporting small businesses over attracting large retail chains, while others believe large businesses bring more economic benefits. Discuss both views and provide your opinion.

Sophisticated Small Business Arguments

Ecosystem Interdependence Analysis: "Small business success requires understanding complex relationships between entrepreneurs, financial institutions, educational systems, and regulatory frameworks, indicating both government support and market competition serve essential but different functions in comprehensive business development."

Innovation and Stability Balance: "Effective small business policy balances innovation encouragement through competitive pressures with stability support through targeted assistance, recognizing entrepreneurs need both market discipline and systematic barrier removal for optimal outcomes."

Regional Development Integration: "Small business development must align with broader economic development strategies including infrastructure investment, education systems, and industry clustering while maintaining competitive dynamics that reward efficiency and customer satisfaction."

Introduction Development Patterns

Business Development Context: "Contemporary small business support strategies examine optimal approaches to entrepreneurial success while addressing market competition dynamics, government intervention effectiveness, and economic development goals across diverse industry sectors and regional contexts."

Support-Competition Balance: "Small business development continues generating discussion about whether government support and subsidies or market competition mechanisms more effectively promote entrepreneurial success while considering innovation incentives, resource efficiency, and economic development outcomes."

Body Paragraph Development Strategies

Policy Effectiveness Analysis: Begin with government support evidence, develop through market mechanism evaluation, progress to outcome comparison, and connect to broader economic implications while acknowledging complexity and contextual factors affecting success.

Business Ecosystem Framework: Start with entrepreneurial challenges, analyze support mechanism effectiveness, consider competitive advantages, and evaluate long-term sustainability while recognizing that effective small business development requires integrated approaches addressing multiple factors.

Entrepreneurship and Business Development

  • Strategic market entry planning: Comprehensive approaches helping small businesses identify opportunities, assess competition, and develop sustainable competitive advantages
  • Business model innovation facilitation: Support systems enabling entrepreneurs to develop creative approaches to value creation, customer engagement, and revenue generation
  • Entrepreneurial capacity building: Educational and mentorship programs developing business skills, leadership capabilities, and strategic thinking among small business owners
  • Venture capital ecosystem optimization: Investment environment development connecting entrepreneurs with appropriate funding sources and strategic guidance
  • Small business networking coordination: Relationship-building programs enabling collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support among entrepreneurs and small business owners
  • Market access enhancement programs: Initiatives helping small businesses overcome barriers to customer acquisition, distribution, and international market entry

Business Policy and Economic Development

  • Regulatory framework simplification: Government process improvement reducing administrative burden while maintaining necessary oversight and consumer protection standards
  • Business cluster development strategy: Regional planning approaches concentrating related businesses to achieve shared advantages through collaboration and resource pooling
  • Entrepreneurial finance diversification: Financial system development providing multiple funding sources including traditional banking, alternative lenders, and investor networks
  • Innovation commercialization support: Programs helping entrepreneurs transform research and creative ideas into viable business products and services
  • Economic resilience building: Community preparation strategies enabling small businesses to survive and recover from economic downturns and market disruptions
  • Public-private partnership facilitation: Collaborative arrangements combining government resources with private sector expertise and efficiency for optimal small business support outcomes

Question: Some people believe that small businesses should receive government subsidies and protection to compete with large corporations, while others argue that free market competition without intervention produces the best results for entrepreneurs and consumers. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Sample Introduction Analysis: "Contemporary small business development approaches generate debate about whether government subsidies and market protection or unrestricted competitive environments more effectively support entrepreneurial success while addressing economic development goals, innovation promotion, and consumer welfare across diverse market conditions and industry sectors."

Analytical Breakdown:

  • Business Environment Context: Establishes contemporary entrepreneurship challenges and policy debates
  • Balanced Framework: Introduces both government support and free market approaches equally
  • Multiple Considerations: Acknowledges development, innovation, and consumer welfare factors
  • Scope Recognition: Demonstrates awareness of diverse market and industry contexts affecting outcomes

Market Dynamics and Competition

Competitive Ecosystem Analysis: "Small business competitiveness depends on market structure characteristics including entry barriers, network effects, and economies of scale, requiring policy approaches that address systematic disadvantages while preserving competitive pressures essential for innovation and efficiency."

Innovation and Efficiency Balance: "Entrepreneurial success requires combining creativity and innovation with operational efficiency and financial discipline, suggesting optimal support systems provide foundational resources while maintaining market accountability and performance standards."

Economic Development Integration

Regional Growth Strategies: "Small business development contributes to regional economic diversification, employment generation, and innovation diffusion, indicating entrepreneurial support should align with broader development strategies addressing infrastructure, education, and industry clustering."

Sustainable Business Models: "Long-term small business success requires developing sustainable competitive advantages through customer relationships, operational efficiency, and continuous innovation rather than depending on government protection or short-term market advantages."

Q: How can I develop sophisticated small business vocabulary quickly for IELTS Writing? A: Focus on entrepreneurship and business economics collocations in academic contexts. Practice expressions like "market entry barrier analysis," "competitive advantage sustainability," and "entrepreneurial ecosystem optimization" while reading business research to understand sophisticated terminology usage patterns.

Q: What's the optimal approach for balancing small business arguments? A: Allocate approximately equal word counts to different support approaches, ensuring each argument includes specific evidence, policy examples, and outcome evaluation while maintaining analytical objectivity throughout your response and demonstrating understanding of business complexity.

Q: How do I incorporate business research effectively in small business essays? A: Reference specific findings rather than general claims. Instead of "small businesses are important," discuss "small businesses create 64% of new jobs while producing 16 times more patents per employee than large corporations, generating $2.2 billion in economic activity annually."

Q: Should I take a strong position on small business policy approaches? A: Your opinion should synthesize arguments rather than simply choose sides. Consider integrated approaches: "Effective small business development requires combining targeted government support addressing market failures with competitive pressures maintaining innovation incentives and operational efficiency."

Q: How can I make my small business arguments more academically sophisticated? A: Integrate business theory concepts, economic analysis, and policy evaluation frameworks. Discuss market dynamics, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and development strategies rather than simple business descriptions or basic economic observations.

Expand your IELTS Writing expertise with these complementary small business and economic resources:

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