Lark Manufacturing Company initiated a voluntary Quality Circles program for machine operators. Independent surveys of employee attitudes indicated that the machine operators participating in the program were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program’s existence than they were at the program’s start. Obviously, any workers who participate in a Quality Circles program will, as a result, become less satisfied with their jobs.
Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion drawn above EXCEPT:
(A) The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful.
(B) The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles.
(C) While participating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism.
(D) Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that, while participating in Quality Circles in their previous companies, their work satisfaction had increased.
(E) The machine operators who participated in Quality Circles reported that, when the program started, they felt that participation might improve their work situations.

pls exp ur ans...thanks!

Yes B for me

wow gr8 explanations. Thanks buddies !

E for me.
Reason: it actually contradicts the argument as it says that the workers were already not happy with their situation so they were not happy in the beginning of the program. All other choices seem to strengthern the conclusion.

I go with answer B.

I'll go with E

employees expected improvement but the improvement didn't happen

"were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program’s existence than they were at the program’s start."

E thus strengthens the argument
_________________

AimHigher

I am going with E, see below:

Stem:
-Independent surveys of employee attitudes indicated that the machine operators participating in the program were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program’s existence than they were at the program’s start.
-Conclusion: Any workers who participate in a Quality Circles program will, as a result, become less satisfied with their jobs.
Argument says QCP --->dissatisfaction, where (--->) equals (causing).

Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion drawn above EXCEPT:
(A) The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful.
Cutbacks --->dissatisfaction , hence weakens
(B) The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles.
It suggests, non-QCP participants were also =dissatisfied. Hence, something else--->dissatisfaction of QCP participants, hence weakens
(C) While participating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism.
This one is attacking the definition of "dissatifaction" and suggesting key indicators show otherwise, hence weakens
(D) Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that, while participating in Quality Circles in their previous companies, their work satisfaction had increased.
Other firm using QCP are having positive results. So, it may be something else--->dissatisfaction of QCP participants, hence weakens
(E) The machine operators who participated in Quality Circles reported that, when the program started, they felt that participation might improve their work situations.
Neutral
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