Business 100 Final Paper
Professor Muldrow
Survival of the Fittest by Yvette D. Brooks
Due: 02/22/2014

“The weak die out and the strong will survive, and will live on forever”
-Anne Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank

Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

ETS’ History…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

ETS’ Mission, Vision and Value……………………………………………………………………………………….5

ETS and Kurt Landgraf…………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

ETS’ Financial Woes……………………………………………………………………………………………………..7-9

ETS and Landgraf Meeting the Goal……………………………………………………………………………….9

Walt MacDonald is Named ETS’ New President…………………………………………………………..10

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………11

Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12

Businesses today face many challenges. Organizations face the challenge of keeping competitors at bay, staying competitive in the job market, keeping cost down in the flailing economy, and surviving in the business market. Challenges such as international and global competitors of like organizations are striving to compete and save in revenue. It is vital that an organization stay ahead of its competitors. Survival is not just for the fit, it is also for the strategic planner. In an ever growing and changing world, business organizations must adapt and strategically plan for the future. Failure to plan could lead to a failed business. Organizations are striving to find ways to stay current in the business world. The domino effect from the uncertainty of the economy has forced organizations to think outside the box. Using a strategic formulation, a company can clearly define the company’s mission, goals, external threats, and internal strengths. Therefore, planning is everything. Educational Testing Service (ETS) is a nonprofit testing organization has learned how to “tuck-and-roll” with challenging times. Focusing on ETS’ development, setbacks, and growth in an ever changing educational testing environment, the company has continued to grow in spite of its setbacks. With strong leadership and examples of strategic planning to rebound after financial hits, ETS has become one of the leading non-profit educational organizations known internationally.

ETS’ History
To establish ETS’ history, we must start from the beginning, College Board. ETS was inspired by the creation of the College Board’s SAT test.
In the early 1900’s colleges and universities used their own admission tests for entry. This created chaos for students (and their parents) wishing to apply to different colleges. In 1901, CEEB (College Entranced Examination Board), later shortened to College Board, was founded. The College Boards main objective was to formulate one test for college entry that would encompass and test the skills and knowledge base of individuals that wanted to enter college. This need lead to the development of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). However, not all institutions were opting to use this test for college entrance.
Dr. James B. Conant, President of Harvard, also recognizing the need for a standardize testing for Harvard’s admissions, asked his assistant Henry Chauncey to develop a test that would assess college ready individuals on their knowledge, not social standing. Chauncey met with Carl Bringham, the creator of the SAT’s, to assess the SAT test to measure if it was a fair and valid test for Harvard’s admission process. The SAT test proved to be what Harvard needed, thus was the beginning of the relationship between College Board and Henry Chauncey. (ETS Heritage)
After the Second World War, returning soldiers (with the help of the G.I. Bill) wanted to enroll in college and pursue the American dream. With the influx of applicants, colleges and universities (not using the SAT Test) now needed a more simplified, reliable, and efficient way to test the applicant’s knowledge and receive their scores quickly. The SAT’s were in