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ACCA SBL · Strategic Business Leader

Everything you need to pass ACCA SBL.

An integrated case study exam testing strategic leadership, governance, ethics, and professional skills at board level. £199 on its own, or all six Strategic Professional papers for £499, with lifetime access.

Buy SBL · £199See the Strategic Professional pack
Modern tuition AI Tutor in every lesson Lifetime access as standard
  • 3h 15m exam length
  • Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec exam sessions
  • Strategic Professional level
  • £199 on its own, lifetime access

Taught by experts

Real experts behind every SBL course.

The qualified-accountant tutors who teach the paper, with an AI Tutor in every lesson.

Gary Dewey, VIVA tutorGary Dewey
SBL

Gary Dewey is VIVA's tutor for ACCA Strategic Business Leader (SBL).

ACCA SBL
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The syllabus

What SBL covers.

Strategic Business Leader (SBL) is ACCA's flagship integrated exam, testing leadership, governance, strategy, and professional skills in a case study format. You'll advise a fictional organisation on a range of board-level issues using a case study you first see in the exam.

  • Strategic analysis and competitive strategy
  • Corporate governance and ethics
  • Leadership and organisational change
  • Risk management and internal controls
  • Technology and digital strategy
  • Professional skills: communication, analysis, scepticism

The course, section by section

8 sections · 101 lessons · 14h 23m of video

  1. 01 A. Leadership 2 modules11 lessons1h 26m of video
    1. Leadership and culture 6 lessons 54m
      1. Leadership 8m
      2. Ethics 12m
      3. Corporate governance 5m
      4. Intrapreneurship 6m
      5. Culture 15m
      6. Strategic change 8m
    2. Professionalism, ethical codes and the public interest 5 lessons 32m
      1. The public interest 4m
      2. Responsible leadership 4m
      3. Ethical conflicts 5m
      4. Corporate code of ethics 8m
      5. Fraud, corruption and bribery 11m
  2. 02 B. Governance 6 modules22 lessons2h 53m of video
    1. Agency 3 lessons 23m
      1. Agency theory 5m
      2. The agency problem 7m
      3. Corporate governance 11m
    2. Governance scope and approaches 3 lessons 29m
      1. Approaches to corporate governance 7m
      2. Corporate governance codes 16m
      3. Corporate governance across the world 6m
    3. The board of directors 6 lessons 51m
      1. The board of directors 11m
      2. Non-executive directors 10m
      3. Induction, training and performance evaluation 6m
      4. Board diversity 6m
      5. Committees 7m
      6. Remuneration 11m
    4. Public sector governance 3 lessons 15m
      1. Sector types 8m
      2. Public sector objectives 3m
      3. Public sector obligations 4m
    5. Stakeholder analysis and social responsibility 4 lessons 23m
      1. Stakeholders and their claims 6m
      2. Mendelow's Matrix 8m
      3. Stakeholder management 4m
      4. CSR and corporate citizens 5m
    6. Reporting to stakeholders 3 lessons 32m
      1. Principles and policies 8m
      2. Sustainability 14m
      3. Integrated reporting 10m
  3. 03 C. Strategy 5 modules16 lessons2h 24m of video
    1. Concepts of strategy 3 lessons 23m
      1. Strategy and strategic planning 11m
      2. Types of strategic planning 5m
      3. Strategic drift 7m
    2. Environmental issues 4 lessons 29m
      1. Internal v external analysis 7m
      2. PESTEL model 8m
      3. Porter's diamond 10m
      4. Scenario planning 4m
    3. Competitive forces 3 lessons 39m
      1. Porter's Five Forces 16m
      2. The value chain 17m
      3. SWOT analysis 6m
    4. The internal resources, capabilities and competences of an organisation 3 lessons 16m
      1. Internal resources 10m
      2. Strategic capabilities 4m
      3. SWOT analysis 2m
    5. Strategic choices 3 lessons 37m
      1. Competitive advantage 10m
      2. Organisation portfolios 12m
      3. Development opportunities 15m
  4. 04 D. Risk 2 modules6 lessons1h 14m of video
    1. Identification, assessment and measurement of risk 3 lessons 35m
      1. Types of risk 12m
      2. Risk categories 11m
      3. Risk assessment 12m
    2. Managing, monitoring and mitigating risk 3 lessons 39m
      1. Risk attitude 12m
      2. Embedding risk 8m
      3. Risk management 19m
  5. 05 E. Technology and data analytics 3 modules9 lessons1h 27m of video
    1. Technology and data 3 lessons 37m
      1. New technologies 11m
      2. Disruptive technologies 19m
      3. Big data 7m
    2. E-business 3 lessons 34m
      1. E-business 11m
      2. E-marketing 9m
      3. Supply chain management 14m
    3. IT systems security and control 3 lessons 16m
      1. IT systems risks 4m
      2. IT system controls 9m
      3. Cybersecurity 3m
  6. 06 F. Organisational control and audit 2 modules6 lessons49m of video
    1. Management and internal control systems 3 lessons 24m
      1. Internal controls 14m
      2. Internal control limitations 6m
      3. Organisational levels 4m
    2. Audit, controls and reporting 3 lessons 25m
      1. Internal audit 13m
      2. Independence and compliance 2m
      3. The audit committee 10m
  7. 07 G. Finance in planning and decision-making 3 modules13 lessons1h 41m of video
    1. Finance transformation 3 lessons 18m
      1. The finance function 8m
      2. The modern accountant 6m
      3. Alternative structures 4m
    2. Financial analysis and decision making techniques 6 lessons 40m
      1. Financial requirements 8m
      2. Equity and debt 4m
      3. Funding 7m
      4. Investment appraisal 8m
      5. Risk and uncertainty 6m
      6. Strategic action 7m
    3. Cost and management accounting 4 lessons 43m
      1. Cost management 11m
      2. Forecasting 5m
      3. Budgeting 18m
      4. Relevant costing 9m
  8. 08 H. Enabling success and change management 5 modules18 lessons2h 29m of video
    1. Disruptive technology 3 lessons 21m
      1. Competitive advantage 12m
      2. Disruptive innovation 7m
      3. Social innovation 2m
    2. Enabling success and change 5 lessons 54m
      1. Organisational structure 20m
      2. Centralisation v decentralisation 13m
      3. Other structures 11m
      4. Empowerment 5m
      5. Talent management 5m
    3. Redesigning processes 2 lessons 17m
      1. Types of strategic change 6m
      2. Change management 11m
    4. Change management 3 lessons 18m
      1. Changing processes 7m
      2. Process strategy matrix 5m
      3. Process redesign 6m
    5. Leading and managing projects 5 lessons 39m
      1. Project management 10m
      2. Project initiation 9m
      3. Project planning 5m
      4. Project execution 8m
      5. Project completion 7m

Modern tuition

Expert video, with a tutor in every lesson.

Built and taught by people who have lectured this material for years, with an AI Tutor sitting inside each lesson to answer the question you have right now.

  • Experts Former Kaplan and BPP lecturers and academics from major UK universities.
  • AI Tutor Ask a question inside the lesson and get an answer grounded in that lesson.
  • Pick up where you left off Your progress is saved lesson by lesson, so you always come back to the right place.

ACCA Strategic Professional

SBL is one of the two Strategic Professional Essentials. You sit it alongside SBR, plus two of the four Options.

See all of Strategic Professional →
  1. SBL Strategic Business Leader You are here
  2. SBR Strategic Business Reporting
  3. AAA Advanced Audit and Assurance
  4. AFM Advanced Financial Management
  5. APM Advanced Performance Management
  6. ATX Advanced Taxation

Personalised ACCA pack

SBL is £199 on its own, or Strategic Professional for £499.

Tell us which ACCA papers you have already passed, or are exempt from taking. We have pre-ticked everything ACCA requires before SBL - adjust it if that is not you.

Applied Knowledge

🎉 You've completed the Applied Knowledge.

Papers included
  • BT Business and Technology Completed
  • FA Financial Accounting Completed
  • MA Management Accounting Completed

Applied Skills

🎉 You've completed the Applied Skills.

Papers included
  • AA Audit and Assurance Completed
  • FM Financial Management Completed
  • FR Financial Reporting Completed
  • LW Corporate and Business Law Completed
  • PM Performance Management Completed
  • TX Taxation Completed

Strategic Professional

£499

Papers included
  • SBL Strategic Business Leader
  • SBR Strategic Business Reporting
  • AAA Advanced Audit and Assurance
  • AFM Advanced Financial Management
  • APM Advanced Performance Management
  • ATX Advanced Taxation
Buy a single paper for £199

One paper at a time - or save with the Strategic Professional pack.

Your order

  • SBL Strategic Business Leader Single subject, lifetime access £199
  • 14-day refund
  • Secure payment by Stripe VisaMastercard
  • You'll set your password straight after payment - your receipt email has the link too
£199

Questions

The things students ask before buying.

What does the SBL course include?

Expert video lessons from qualified-accountant tutors across the SBL syllabus, with an AI Tutor in every lesson and your progress saved as you go. £199 on its own, with lifetime access.

How is SBL examined?

The SBL exam is 3h 15m long. SBL is sat in the March, June, September and December sessions.

Does the course cover the whole SBL syllabus?

Yes. The video lessons cover every section of the SBL syllabus, and the AI Tutor in each lesson answers questions on it as you study.

Do ACCA courses include mock exams?

ACCA courses are taught courses: video lessons with an AI Tutor in every lesson. Online mock exams with marking are part of our CIMA courses.

Is it cheaper to buy the whole Strategic Professional level?

The Strategic Professional pack is £499 and covers every paper in the level, however many you have left. Anything you have already bought comes off the pack price, so buying one paper first never costs you more.

How long do I have access?

Lifetime access, on every course. There is no subscription and no renewal - if you need to resit, or come back to the material years later, it is still there.

Ready for a clearer route to your SBL exam?

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Get on with your life.

Take SBL on its own, or add it to the papers you have left.

Buy SBL · £199