Quick Answer
The answer is the Executive. This role is correct because the Executive is the single individual who owns the business case and is ultimately accountable for the project's justification, making them responsible for ensuring its viability from initiation through closure. In the PRINCE2 Business Case theme, the Executive must continuously assess whether the project remains desirable, viable, and achievable, approving any changes that could alter the business justification. On the PRINCE2 Foundation exam, this question tests your understanding of accountability versus responsibility—a common trap is confusing the Executive with the Senior User or Project Manager, who support viability but do not own it. Remember the mnemonic "Executive Equals Endorsement": the Executive endorses every stage that the business case remains sound.
This PRINCE2F practice question tests your understanding of business case and organizing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which role is responsible for ensuring that the project's business case remains viable throughout the project?
Senior User
Why wrong: The senior user represents user interests, not the business case.
Senior Supplier
Why wrong: The senior supplier provides resources, not ownership of the business case.
Executive
The executive owns the business case.
Project Manager
Why wrong: The project manager manages the project but does not own the business case.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Executive
The Executive is the single individual who owns the business case and is ultimately accountable for the project's justification. Throughout the project, the Executive must ensure that the business case remains viable, approving any changes that affect its justification. This is a core responsibility defined in the PRINCE2 Business Case theme.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Senior User
Why it's wrong here
The senior user represents user interests, not the business case.
Senior Supplier
Why it's wrong here
The senior supplier provides resources, not ownership of the business case.
Executive
Why this is correct
The executive owns the business case.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Project Manager
Why it's wrong here
The project manager manages the project but does not own the business case.
Common exam traps
PeopleCert often tests the misconception that the Project Manager is responsible for the business case's viability, but the Executive is the owner and decision-maker for the business case, while the Project Manager only manages its development and updates.
Detailed technical explanation
The Business Case is developed iteratively; the Executive must formally review it at each stage boundary and at the end of each management stage. If the business case becomes unviable (e.g., costs exceed benefits), the Executive has the authority to prematurely close the project. This is enforced through the PRINCE2 principle of continued business justification, which mandates that the project must remain desirable, viable, and achievable.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the PRINCE2F exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Business Case and Organizing — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Business Case and Organizing — This question tests Business Case and Organizing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Executive — The Executive is the single individual who owns the business case and is ultimately accountable for the project's justification. Throughout the project, the Executive must ensure that the business case remains viable, approving any changes that affect its justification. This is a core responsibility defined in the PRINCE2 Business Case theme.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A project manager is assigned to a project where the executive is often unavailable. Which role can act as a substitute for the executive when making business case decisions?
mediumWhy A: In PRINCE2, the Executive is the single point of accountability for the business case and must approve any changes to it. If the Executive is unavailable, no other role can substitute for this authority; the project manager must escalate the decision to the full Project Board. This ensures that business justification decisions are never made without the accountable party or the collective board.
Variation 2. During a project, the cost-benefit ratio becomes unfavorable. What is the first action the project manager should take?
hardWhy D: In PRINCE2, the Business Case is the key document for justifying the project's continued viability. When the cost-benefit ratio becomes unfavorable, the project manager must escalate this issue to the project board, which holds the authority to approve changes to the Business Case or decide on project continuation. Option D is correct because the project manager's first action is to request a formal review by the project board, as per the 'continued business justification' principle and the 'manage by stages' theme.
Variation 3. You are the project manager for a software development project. The business case shows a net present value (NPV) of $200,000 with a payback period of 18 months. During the initiating stage, the senior supplier informs you that the cost of a key component has increased by 20%, which will reduce the NPV to $50,000 and extend the payback period to 24 months. The project board is not scheduled to meet for another month. What should you do?
mediumWhy A: The correct answer is A because PRINCE2 requires that any change to the business case, especially one that significantly reduces NPV and extends payback period, must be escalated to the project board for a decision. As project manager, you cannot unilaterally update the business case or change scope; you must request an extraordinary meeting to present the revised business case and seek approval to continue. This aligns with the 'continued business justification' principle and the 'manage by stages' theme.
Variation 4. During a project, the senior user requests a change that significantly increases benefits but also increases costs. What should the project manager do first?
hardWhy D: In PRINCE2, any change that impacts the Business Case must be formally assessed before action is taken. The project manager's first responsibility is to evaluate the change's effect on the Business Case (costs vs. benefits) and then submit a formal change request to the Project Board, which holds authority for approving changes that alter the project's justification. Option D aligns with the 'manage by stages' and 'continued business justification' principles.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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