Executive Assessment case studies
Executive Assessment · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Executive Assessment (EA) is an admissions assessment from GMAC, the organization behind the GMAT, built specifically for experienced professionals applying to graduate business programs. It is not a subject-matter entrance exam in the traditional sense: the source describes it as a way for schools to evaluate business school readiness while valuing the knowledge and real-world experience candidates bring, and it is used in admissions by part-time, full-time, hybrid, and EMBA programs worldwide. The assessment runs 90 minutes and covers three sections - Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. According to GMAC, it measures higher-order reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills rather than memorized content, and candidates can take it either at a test center or online. Topics on this exam: Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The Executive Assessment case studies are 5 cases and about 3,893 words.
1The Unprofitable Product Line
A mid-sized manufacturer sells three products: A, B, and C. Last year's income statement shows total revenue of 5,000,000 and total costs of 4,200,000, yielding an operating profit of 800,000. Product A had revenue of 2,000,000 and direct costs of 1,500,000. Product B had revenue of 1,800,000 and direct costs of 1,600,000.
453 words, about 2 min2The Overlapping Committees
A company has 12 employees who are members of various committees. The table below shows the committees and their members (using employee initials). Committee X: Alice, Bob, Charlie, Dana Committee Y: Bob, Charlie, Evan, Fiona Committee Z: Alice, Dana, George, Hannah Committee W: Charlie, Evan, Ian, Julia Each employee can be on multiple committees. The company wants to form a new task force consisting of exactly 3 employees, with the condition that no two employees on the task force can be on the same committee more than once.
2,052 words, about 10 min3The Declining Market Share
A company's revenue in Year 1 was 10 million. In Year 2, revenue increased by 20% to 12 million. However, the overall market grew by 30% in the same period, from 50 million to 65 million. In Year 3, the company's revenue decreased by 10% from Year 2, while the market grew by another 10%.
484 words, about 2 min4The Defective Batch
A factory produces electronic components. Each component is tested for defects. The test is not perfect: if a component is defective, the test correctly identifies it as defective 95% of the time (sensitivity). If a component is not defective, the test correctly identifies it as not defective 90% of the time (specificity).
462 words, about 2 min5The Ambiguous Memo
Please limit all non-essential travel. Essential travel must be approved by me in advance. Also, remember that client meetings are our top priority, but we must also cut costs. The current quarterly travel budget is $50,000.
442 words, about 2 min