COMPUTER SCIENCE TRIPOS Part II – 2021 – Paper 9
Business Studies (sam56)
You create a startup that helps companies manage office space use to boost employee
wellbeing while minimising the potential for workplace virus transmission.
After an intense 9 months of building a prototype and trialling it with early customers
you demonstrate enough market traction to raise funding and hire a team of 15 people
to support your growing customer base.
You’ve just completed your first month of work with the new team in your new and
larger office space when the government announces a new 2-month lockdown where
your staff must work from home.
As workers are no longer going to be in offices at the same rate, sales slow down.
Confident that this is just temporary you decide to put 5 employees on furlough, with
government support, until the lockdown is lifted.
(a) Discuss what needs to be done to support your employees as you transition the
business to everyone working from home. [8 marks]
(b) Unfortunately, at the end of the initial lockdown period the government decides
to extend it by another month. Looking at your financial forecasts you do not
have enough funds to continue the business in its current form. Discuss what
options are available to you. [12 marks]