According to the "technocentric" approach-the model that shaped the

Explanation for Question 1

1. The passage mentions all of the following as disadvantages of the technocentric approach EXCEPT:

To correctly answer this question, we must eliminate all the choices that present disadvantages that are mentioned in the passage and choose the choice that presents something not mentioned in the passage.

A. It is based on the traditional model of efficiency.

Scanning the passage for "traditional model of efficiency," we find the following:

the current global economy has rendered obsolete the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach

The fact that the traditional model of efficiency is "underlying" the technocentric approach means that the technocentric approach is "based on" the traditional model of efficiency. Also, the fact that the traditional model of efficiency that underlies the technocentric approach has been rendered obsolete is a disadvantage of the technocentric approach.

So, the passage mentions the disadvantage presented by this choice.

Eliminate.

B. It can have a negative effect on employees' attitudes.

Scanning the passage for "employees' attitudes," we find the following:

a technocentric approach to computerization decreased employee morale

"Decreased employee morale" is basically the same as "have a negative effect on employees' attitudes." So, the disadvantage this choice presents is mentioned in the passage.

Eliminate.

C. It relies on decentralized decision making within a company.

Scanning the passage for "decentralized decision making," we find the following:

the current global economy has rendered obsolete the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach; success is now founded not on mass production and traditional workplace structures but on decentralized decision-making

We see that the author is saying that the technocentric approach is obsolete (no longer useful) because success is "now founded" on something that the technocentric approach is NOT founded on: "decentralized decision making."

So, the author does mention "decentralized decision making" in discussing a disadvantage of the technocentric approach but does not say that the technocentric approach "relies on decentralized decision making." Quite the contrary, the author is saying that the technocentric approach does not rely on decentralized decision making.

So, that the technocentric approach relies on decentralized decision making within a company is not a disadvantage mentioned by the author.

Keep.

D. It does not take into account the global economy.

Scanning the passage for "global economy," we find the following:

In addition, the current global economy has rendered obsolete the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach

We see that the author is saying that the technocentric approach does not fit the current global economy.

That statement isn't quite the same as "it does not take into account the global economy," but since choice (C) clearly does not match what the passage says, we can safely decide that this choice is close enough to what the passage says to be eliminated.

Eliminate.

E. It can fail to increase productivity.

Toward the end of the first paragraph, we see the following:

a technocentric approach to computerization decreased employee morale while failing to increase productivity

Eliminate.

The correct answer is (C)

Explanation for Question 2

2. The passage suggests that proponents of the organization-centered approach would most likely offer which of the following explanations for the problem noted in the banking industry?

A. The process of implementing new technology failed to include adequate worker participation.

The passage says that, according to the "organization-centered approach," "worker participation is vital: people who actually do the work to be automated are seen as a crucial source of information during technological implementation."

The organization-centered approach approach is different from the technocentric approach in that the technocentric approach fits "a traditional hierarchical workplace with a top-down decision-making structure." In other words, it doesn't involve much worker participation in decision making.

So, since the passage says that worker participation is "vital" and that it's not involved in the technocentric approach, it's most likely that proponents of the organization-centered approach would offer as an explanation for the problem noted in the banking industry that "the process of implementing new technology failed to include adequate worker participation."

Keep.

B. The types of technology that were used in the initial computerization of the banking industry rapidly became obsolete.

The passage doesn't say anything about types of technology or technology becoming obsolete. It says only that the traditional model of efficiency has been rendered obsolete.

Eliminate.

C. The process of computerization created a hierarchical relationship between managers and workers.

The passage does mention "a hierarchical relationship between managers and workers" as an issue involved in the technocentric approach.

However, this choice has a failure point in that the passage does not say that the process of computerization created that relationship.

Eliminate.

D. The nature of the banking industry is such that implementation of technology is less likely to increase productivity in this industry than in some other industries.

The passage doesn't say anything about "the nature of the banking industry" or how likely the implementation of technology is to increase productivity in the banking industry.

Eliminate.

E. The banking industry's computerization was based on the mistaken assumption that workers and managers agreed about their goals and interests.

The passage does mention, in the second paragraph, "the sometimes faulty assumption that workers and managers share a consensus about their goals and interests," but it mentions that assumption in the context of discussing the organization-centered approach, rather that in discussing the technocentric approach.

In fact, given what the passage says about the technocentric approach, we can infer that the computerization of the banking industry, which involved the technocentric approach was not at all based on the assumption that workers and managers agreed about their goals and interests but rather was based on the idea of a traditional hierarchical workplace with a top-down decision-making structure.

Eliminate.

The correct answer is (A).

Explanation for Question 3

3. The passage suggests which of the following about the "traditional model of efficiency" mentioned in the highlighted text?

A. It is largely incompatible with the technocentric approach.

This choice says basically the opposite of what the passage says about the traditional model of efficiency. The passage mentions "the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach."

If the traditional model of efficiency is "underlying the technocentric approach," then it must be compatible, rather than incompatible, with that approach.

Eliminate.

B. It continues to be used in the banking industry.

The passage indicates that the traditional model of efficiency was used in the banking industry in the past, when "a technocentric approach to computerization decreased employee morale," but it does not say that it "continues to be used."

Eliminate.

C. It evaluates efficiency using the standards of mass production.

Scanning the passage for "mass production," we find the following:

the current global economy has rendered obsolete the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach; success is now founded not on mass production

We see that the passage indicates that the the traditional model of efficiency has been "rendered obsolete (out of date)" in that, now, success is not founded on mass production. So, the passage could be seen as suggesting that the traditional model of efficiency is obsolete because it does evaluate efficiency using the standards of mass production.

Honestly, the idea that the traditional model of efficiency "evaluates efficiency using the standards of mass production" is not 100 percent clearly supported by the passage, but what the passage says comes close to supporting it, and none of the other choices work at all. So, we can safely go with this one.

Keep.

D. It prompted the division of workers and managers into a hierarchical relationship.

This choice is tricky because the passage does associate the traditional model of efficiency with division of workers and managers into a hierarchical relationship since both of them are involved in the technocentric approach as we can see from the following two things in the passage: "This approach is predicated on a traditional hierarchical workplace" and "the traditional model of efficiency underlying the technocentric approach."

At the same time, this choice fails because it distorts what the passage says since the passage does not say that the traditional model of efficiency "prompted the division of workers and managers into a hierarchical relationship."

Eliminate.

E. It is outmoded due to the increased productivity of today's skilled workers.

This choice is half right since the passage does indicate that the traditional model of efficiency is "outmoded" when it says, "the current global economy has rendered obsolete (out of date) the traditional model of efficiency."

However, this choice has a failure point in that the passage does not indicate that the traditional model of efficiency is outmoded "due to the increased productivity of today's skilled workers."

Eliminate.

The correct answer is (C).