MBA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MBA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which type of analysis compares a company's financial ratios to industry averages? → Benchmarking Analysis
2. What is 'co-branding'? → A partnership where two brands collaborate on a product to leverage each other's equity
3. Depreciation in accounting is best described as: → The systematic allocation of an asset's cost over its useful life
4. Which product costing method assigns both variable and fixed manufacturing overhead costs to each unit produced? → Absorption Costing
5. Which type of organizational culture, as described by Cameron and Quinn's Competing Values Framework, emphasizes flexibility, creativity, and external focus? → Adhocracy culture
6. Which ratio measures a company's ability to meet short-term obligations using its most liquid assets? → Quick Ratio
7. Which financial ratio measures how efficiently a company collects payments from its credit customers? → Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio
8. Return on Investment (ROI) is most commonly calculated as: → (Net Profit / Investment Cost) × 100
9. What are the 4 Ps of the traditional marketing mix? → Product, Price, Place, Promotion
10. In a B2B sales context, what is a 'champion' in the buying organization? → An internal advocate who promotes your solution to decision-makers
11. Who is in charge of setting up product displays, replenishing stock, accepting orders, and fielding phone calls? → Order Takers
12. When leading cross-functional teams, which leadership challenge is MOST unique compared to leading a traditional functional team? → Managing competing loyalties and reporting relationships
13. What steps comprise the "Organizing" process? → All of the above
14. What does 'lean manufacturing' primarily focus on? → Eliminating all forms of waste (muda) to create more value with fewer resources
15. Which leadership concept describes a leader's ability to influence others beyond formal authority by leveraging relationships and personal credibility? → Informal leadership
16. Which concept describes a salesperson's ability to understand and share the feelings of a prospect? → Empathy
17. The matching principle in accounting requires that: → Expenses are recorded in the same period as the revenues they help generate
18. In account-based selling (ABS), what is the primary unit of focus? → A specific target account treated as a market of one
19. The BCG Growth-Share Matrix classifies business units into four quadrants. Which quadrant represents high market share in a low-growth market? → Cash Cows
20. What is a 'sinking fund' in corporate finance? → A fund set aside to retire debt over time
21. Which power base, identified by French and Raven, stems from others' perception that a leader has specialized knowledge or expertise? → Expert power
22. What is 'beta' in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)? → A measure of a stock's volatility relative to the market
23. A CEO delegates authority to regional managers who then adapt strategy for local markets. This describes which management principle? → Decentralization
24. Which accounting assumption requires that financial statements be prepared on the basis that the business will continue to operate indefinitely? → Going Concern Assumption
25. Which bias causes leaders to overweight early information when evaluating a subordinate's overall performance? → Anchoring bias
26. What is the purpose of a SWOT analysis in marketing planning? → To assess internal strengths/weaknesses and external opportunities/threats
27. A manager sets clear performance targets, rewards employees who meet them, and corrects those who do not. This best describes which leadership style? → Transactional
28. A company implements a policy requiring all major expenditure decisions to be approved by headquarters. This is an example of: → Centralization
29. In the context of emotional intelligence (EI), which component refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of others? → Empathy
30. Which territory design principle helps minimize travel time and maximize face-to-face selling time for field sales reps? → Geographic clustering of accounts within compact, contiguous territories