Instructional Area Exams

Exams for Business Students

Instructional Area exams, or Level 1 and Level 2 badges, are based on an individual instructional area or standard from the MBA Research National Business Administration Standards.

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Level 1

Questions in Level 1 Instructional Area exams cover specific (not all) performance indicators within the standard and are drawn from the Business Administration Core at the pre-requisite and/or career sustaining curriculum planning levels. Level 1 assessments consist of 25 multiple-choice questions. The fee for Level 1 badge assessments is $3.75 (member) and $5.50 (non-member). Criteria for passing is 80%.

Students holding the Level 1 badge have developed employability and job-survival skills, as well as skills and knowledge needed for continued employment in or study of business based on the application of basic academics and business skills. See our online store to purchase.
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Level 2

Level 2 Instructional Area Exams/Badges are based on an individual instructional area, but exam questions will be at a higher planning level than level 1 badges. Level 2 exam questions will be at the career-sustaining and specialist levels and can be from the BA core, a specific cluster core (i.e. finance, management, marketing) and/or from a specific pathway. Level 2 exams are 25 questions. Criteria for passing is 80%. The fee for Level 2 badge assessments is $3.75 (member) and $5.50 (non-member). See our online store to purchase.

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Economics

Economics

Holder demonstrated understanding of economic principles and concepts fundamental to business operations. Skills and concepts assessed include: fundamental economic concepts; the nature of business and its contributions to society; economic systems; the impact of government on business activities; cost/profit relationships; economic indicators; and the impact of global trade.

Badge Criteria
Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence

Holder demonstrated understanding of the techniques, strategies, and systems used to foster self-understanding and enhance relationships with others. Skills and concepts assessed include: fostering self-understanding and the impact of personal feelings on others; developing personal traits needed for career advancement; applying ethics to demonstrate trustworthiness; exhibiting techniques to manage emotional reactions to people and situations; identifying with others’ feelings, needs, and concerns to enhance interpersonal relationships; using communication skills to foster open, honest communications; managing stressful situations to minimize potential negative impact; implementing teamwork techniques to accomplish goals; employing leadership skills to achieve workplace objectives; and managing internal and external business relationships to foster positive interactions.

Badge Criteria
Professional Development

Professional Development

Badge holder demonstrated an understanding of the concepts, tools, and strategies used to explore, obtain, and develop in a business career. Skills and concepts assessed include: acquiring self-development skills to enhance relationships and improve efficiency in the work environment; following company rules and regulations to maintain employment; using critical-thinking skills to determine best options/outcomes; participating in career planning to enhance job-success potential; implementing job-seeking skills to obtain employment; and utilizing career-advancement activities to enhance professional development.

Badge Criteria
Communications Skills

Communications Skills

Badge holder demonstrated an understanding of the concepts, strategies and systems used to obtain and convey ideas and information. Skills and concepts assessed include: reading to acquire meaning from written material and apply information to a task; applying active listening skills to demonstrate understanding of what is being said; applying verbal skills to obtain and convey information; recording information to maintain and present a report of business activity; writing internal and external business correspondence to convey and obtain information effectively; using social media to communicate with a business’s stakeholders; and communicating with staff to clarify workplace objectives.

Badge Criteria
Financial Analysis

Financial Analysis

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of tools, strategies, and systems used to maintain, monitor, control, and plan the use of financial resources. Skills and concepts addressed include: understanding the fundamental principles of money needed to make financial exchanges; analyzing financial needs and goals to determine financial requirements; managing personal finances to achieve financial goals; using investment strategies to ensure financial well-being; acquiring a foundational knowledge of accounting and finance to understand its nature and scope; implementing accounting procedures to track money flow and to determine financial status; implementing financial skills to obtain business credit and to control its use; and managing financial resources to ensure solvency.

Badge Criteria
Information Management

Information Management

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of tools, strategies, and systems needed to access, process, maintain, evaluate, and disseminate information to assist business decision-making. Skills and concepts assessed include: using information literacy skills to increase workplace efficiency and effectiveness; acquiring a foundational knowledge of information to understand its nature and scope; utilizing information-technology tools to manage and perform work responsibilities; and applying data mining methods to acquire pertinent information for business decision-making.

Badge Criteria
Operations

Operations

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of the processes and systems implemented to monitor, plan, and control the day-to-day activities required for continued business functioning. Skills and concepts assessed include: operation’s role and function in business; production’s rule and function in business; supply chain management; adhering to health and safety regulations; implementing safety procedures; implementing security policies/procedures; complying with security rules, regulations, and codes; utilizing project-management skills; implementing purchasing activities; and maintaining property and equipment.

Badge Criteria
Selling

Selling

Badge holder demonstrated an understanding of the concepts and actions needed to determine client needs and wants and respond through planned, personalized communication that influences purchase decisions and enhances future business opportunities. Skills and concepts assessed include: acquiring a foundational knowledge of selling and sales activities to understand its nature and scope; acquiring product knowledge to communicate product benefits and to ensure appropriateness of product for the customer; understanding sales processes and techniques to enhance customer relationships and to increase the likelihood of making sales; performing pre-sales activities to facilitate sales presentation; processing the sale to complete the exchange; conducting sales-support activities to meet prospect’s needs/requirements; conducting post-sales follow-up activities to foster ongoing relationships with customers; and planning sales activities to increase sales efficiency and effectiveness.

Badge Criteria
Promotion

Promotion

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of the concepts and strategies needed to communicate information about products, services, images, and/or ideas to achieve a desired outcome. Skills and concepts addressed include: the nature and scope of promotion and promotion activities; promotional channels and public relations activities to communicate with targeted audiences; utilizing word-of-mouth strategies and product placement to build brand and to promote products; using direct marketing; developing content for use in marketing communications; understanding design principles; using a website to promote a business/product; managing media planning and placement to enhance return on marketing investment; utilizing publicity/public-relations activities to create goodwill with stakeholders; employing sales-promotion activities to inform or remind customers of business/product; developing marketing briefs to apprise staff and client of promotional strategy; working with advertising agencies to create marketing communications; planning marketing communications to maximize effectiveness and to minimize costs; and implementing and monitoring promotional activities to maximize return on promotional efforts.

Badge Criteria
Marketing

Marketing

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of the tools, techniques, and systems that businesses use to create exchanges and satisfy organizational objectives. Skills and concepts assessed include: understanding marketing’s role and function in business to facilitate economic exchanges with customers; and acquiring foundational knowledge of customer/client/business behavior to understand what motivates decision-making.

Badge Criteria
Business Law

Business Law

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of business’s responsibility to know, abide by, and enforce laws and regulations that affect business operations and transactions. Skills and concepts assessed include: foundational knowledge of business laws and regulations, the civil foundations of the legal environment of business, the regulatory environment of United States’ businesses, knowledge of business ownership, and knowledge of commerce laws and regulations.

Badge Criteria
Customer Relations

Customer Relations

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of the techniques and strategies used to foster positive, ongoing relationships with customers. Skills and concepts assessed include: the nature of customer relationship management, fostering positive relationships with customers, resolving conflicts with/for customers, and reinforcing company’s image.

Badge Criteria
Project Management

Project Management

Badge holder demonstrated understanding of tools, techniques, and systems that are used to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate business projects. Skills and concepts assessed include: utilizing project-management skills to start, run, and end projects as well as to improve workflow and minimize costs.

Badge Criteria

For More Information

For more information on our Instructional Area exams, contact MBA Research now.

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