(A) Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep discounts on their own products

The plan is to offer such low prices as to lure customers away from competitors. However, if competitors counter by also lowering the prices of their cars, then consumers no longer have an incentive to switch to the 'certain automaker'. Thus (A) is the answer.

(E) Whether an alternative strategy might enable the automaker to enhance its profitability while holding a constant or diminishing share of the market

We are only focusing on the strategy of lowering the price of cars. Will it work or not? Saying that an alternative strategy may be more effective does not answer this question.
_________________

(A) vs (D)
(A) wins because the plan of acquiring more customers will fail if the competitor starts similar program.
(D) fails because,it is already mentioned that the .."The discounts will cut into profits,...."

A.

If the rival manufacturers also discount their vehicles prices then the plan fails.

for D the discounts cut into profits is mentioned agreed . . but what if company starts making loss and get closed before reaping advantages of loyal customers later on . .

Whether the automaker will be able to cut costs
sufficiently to maintain profit margins . .thats the question which is not mentioned in the stimulus. .

I have selected option "E" which thinks of alternative strategy of profits. Reason bein
1. It is said that "Discounts cut io profits" , so if the discounted customers do not turn out to be loyal customers
then company may get into losses.
2. For "Option A" , even if the competitor discounts more, situation doesnot improve due to point 1.

(A) Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep discounts on their own products

Options were pretty straight forward.
_________________

Pls help in eliminating E.

It talks of an alternative strategy. But I think the effectiveness of it is not discussed.
Am i true

Hi Archit

The question asks you to assess the plan's chances of achieving its AIM. What is the aim? The aim is that customers initially attracted by the discounts may become loyal customers.

Do you think option E affects the aim in anyway?


_________________

I was not asking to eliminate C... I know thats not affecting the plan but i had confusion with E

Sorry I mistakenly wrote C where I intended to write E
_________________

it is an Evaluate the Argument question, and by applying Variance Test, it comes down to answer choice A.

the conclusion states " A certain automaker aims to increase its market share
by deeply discounting its vehicles' prices for the next
several months "

(A) Whether the automaker's competitors are likely
to respond by offering deep discounts on their
own products

applying the variance test

IF YES : if competitors respond in the same way, the automaker's strategy will not have much effect in customers.

IF NO: if competitors do not respond in the same way, then the automaker's strategy will have great probability of success.
_________________

The question asks: In assessing the plan's chances of achieving its aim, it would be most useful to know which of the following?
According to the passage, the aim is to "increase its market share by deeply discounting its vehicles' prices for the next several months"

Now lets look at (E),
(E) Whether an alternative strategy might enable the automaker to enhance its profitability while holding a constant or diminishing share of the market
The answer choice talks about a strategy to enhance profitability. That was not the aim of the plan. The plan was to "increase market share". Therefore E is not the answer.

For the sake of completeness,

(A) Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep discounts on their own products
If others also offer the same "strategy" of deep discount, the plan to increase market share will not work. Market share for all competitors will then remain the same.

(B) Whether the advertisements will be created by the manufacturer's current advertising agency
May impact effectiveness market share plan, but we are not told how good or bad the agency is. Unable to determine.

(C) Whether some of the automaker's models will be more deeply discounted than others
Knowing the discount difference between model A vs B tells us nothing about the potential success of the plan to increase market share

(D) Whether the automaker will be able to cut costs sufficiently to maintain profit margins even when the discounts are in effect
The plan already assumes it will cut into profit for the purpose of increasing market share. The ability to make profit after new lower cost does not tell us however if it will lead to greater market share

A it is , If other competitors apply for the same discounts then this company will lose its edge over competition.
_________________

Hi experts and mikemcgarry

Although I picked up A long time ago, a new question came up when I reviewed this case,

my interpretation of evaluation is that combination strengthen and weaken. when a extreme of the option ( say Yes or 0%, and so on) strengthens the conclusion, then opposite extreme of the option (say No, or 100%, and so on) weaken the conclusion.

for this case, the OA is A Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep discounts on their own products
extreme : No, none competitors has embarked similar plan, then the plan sounds good, --strengthen

opposite extreme : Yes, some competitors have embarked similar plan,

now, my doubt come up. we do not know the effect of competitors' plan, so there will be two results.
result #1 : competitors' plans were successful, therefore automaker's plan is ineffective -- weaken
result #2 : competitors' plans were unsuccessful, then it is hard to say whether automaker's plan will be successful or not -- neither weaken nor strengthen.

above reasoning seems not works as strengthen or weaken...

struggling~~~~
genuinely want you to clarify

have a nice day
>_~

Zoe

OG2017 CR558 P514

Discounted Vehicles

Step 1: Identify the Question

This question asks which answer would be most useful to know in assessing the plan, so this is an Evaluate the Argument question.

Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument

Discounts → increase MS
But drop in profit
© create loyal cust
Note: MS is an abbreviation for market share.
 
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal

This argument presents a plan, and all steps of the plan must work for the plan to achieve its aim. Do any specific aspects of the plan seem questionable or unlikely to work? On Evaluate questions, the answer should be something that is important to know to decide if the plan will in fact work as stated in the argument.

Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right

(A) CORRECT. If competitors cut prices in response, the automaker is unlikely to gain much market share from its price cuts, weakening the argument. If competitors would not respond in this way, at least the first step of the plan is more likely to work (price cuts lead to gains in market share), strengthening the argument.
(B) In order for the plan to work the advertising campaign must attract buyers, but the advertising agency that creates these ads is not relevant.
(C) In order for the plan to work, the discounts must attract customers. The relationship between the levels of discounts on different models of cars, however, does not address whether the discounts will be effective.
(D) The argument acknowledges that the plan will initially cut into profits; the plan focuses on increasing long-term profits. Whether the company is able to maintain short-term profits through cost cuts is thus not important to the success of the stated plan.
(E) This question asks about the specific plan in the argument achieving its aim. Other plans to improve profitability are not relevant.
_________________

D is wrong because the aim is to increase the market share. Not to make quick profits.

D is in correct but the seller is focused on increasing sales and not profits.

if the competitor brings in discounts also, this sales and thereby his MS would not increase

Argument Analysis:
Aim of Automaker: To increase its market share by deeply discounting its vehicles prices for the next several months.
Premises:
1. The discounts will cut into profits, but because they will be heavily advertised the manufacturer hopes that they will attract buyers away from rival manufacturers' cars.
The automaker explicitly mentions that the intended step would cut into the profits, but bring the customers from the rival car manufacturers
2. In the longer term, the automaker envisions that customers initially attracted by the discounts may become loyal customers.
He intends to earn from the customers once they become the loyal customers of his brand.


This is an evaluate question and an answer in yes/no or a +ve/-ve as per the demand of the answer option would strengthen the belief in the answer choice. If a +ve and -ve take answers into two different directions i.e. one strengthens and other weakens argument conclusion/aim.

(A) Whether the automaker's competitors are likely to respond by offering deep discounts on their own products

(B) Whether the advertisements will be created by the manufacturer's current advertising agency

(C) Whether some of the automaker's models will be more deeply discounted than others

(D) Whether the automaker will be able to cut costs sufficiently to maintain profit margins even when the discounts are in effect

(E) Whether an alternative strategy might enable the automaker to enhance its profitability while holding a constant or diminishing share of the market

VeritasKarishma abhimahna
Is my understanding of passage is correct?
Goal- to increase the market share.
how to achieve goal?
1.By deeply discounts on vehicles.
2.the vehicles will be highly advertised which will also attract customers from rival competitors.
how discounts will be converted into profits?
the customers which would get attracted may become loyal from which automakers cover up their profits.

i do have doubt regarding option D
option d-this will not impact our aim(to increase market share) because whether profit margins maintained or not during discounts will not have any impact to attract customers.

also explain why "BUT"(The discounts will cut into profits, but because they will be heavily advertised the manufacturer hopes that they will attract buyers away from rival manufacturers' cars. ) is used. what is the contrast.

THANKS