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16 Mar 2022, 21:00
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Question 1
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
15%
(low)
Question Stats:
82% (02:17) correct
18%
(02:16) wrong
based on 195
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 2
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
88% (00:28) correct 12%
(00:51) wrong
based on 183
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 3
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
53% (01:12) correct 47%
(01:02) wrong
based on 189
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Creative thinking, adaptability, and collaboration are part of human nature. Unfortunately, however, the hierarchical structures at workplaces unwittingly discourage these traits. Paradoxically, the preeminent organizational strategy designed to maximize efficient productivity may actually be detrimental. The long-term success of a corporation requires flexibility and new ideas to respond to ever-evolving political, social, and economic conditions.
Becoming a “flat organization” will best ensure a company’s survival. Such enterprises abolish middle management structures and instead assign most workers to the same level, with only a few superiors. In doing so, corporations must reconsider their view of employees: rather than workers reporting to a manager responsible for making decisions, non-hierarchical committees share in a decentralized decision-making process. Collaboration is encouraged and innovation is rewarded; new ideas can be implemented more quickly without requiring the traditional levels of ascension through middle management. Limiting specialization in job titles fosters flexibility as workers can take on a variety of roles depending on individual project needs, which leads to an increase in employee learning. Simply put, leaders in flat organizations have the responsibility to construct organizations in which members maximize their abilities and directly contribute to the company’s success.
Becoming a “flat organization” will best ensure a company’s survival. Such enterprises abolish middle management structures and instead assign most workers to the same level, with only a few superiors. In doing so, corporations must reconsider their view of employees: rather than workers reporting to a manager responsible for making decisions, non-hierarchical committees share in a decentralized decision-making process. Collaboration is encouraged and innovation is rewarded; new ideas can be implemented more quickly without requiring the traditional levels of ascension through middle management. Limiting specialization in job titles fosters flexibility as workers can take on a variety of roles depending on individual project needs, which leads to an increase in employee learning. Simply put, leaders in flat organizations have the responsibility to construct organizations in which members maximize their abilities and directly contribute to the company’s success.
1. Which of the following could best serve as an example of how a company might become a flat organization, as such organizations are described in the passage?
A. Outsourcing middle management to a separate company
B. Abolishing job titles and rotating responsibility for leading meetings
C. Denoting specific guidelines for approval of new ideas
D. Hiring a specialist for each stage of a project’s completion
E. Assigning each employee another employee to oversee
A. Outsourcing middle management to a separate company
B. Abolishing job titles and rotating responsibility for leading meetings
C. Denoting specific guidelines for approval of new ideas
D. Hiring a specialist for each stage of a project’s completion
E. Assigning each employee another employee to oversee
2. The primary purpose of the passage is
A. to compare various corporate organizational strategies
B. explain and endorse an alternative business structure
C. propose a traditional corporate approach
D. evaluate and then criticize a new method of conducting business
E. acknowledge the similarities between two management theories
A. to compare various corporate organizational strategies
B. explain and endorse an alternative business structure
C. propose a traditional corporate approach
D. evaluate and then criticize a new method of conducting business
E. acknowledge the similarities between two management theories
3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about hierarchical workplaces?
They may result in a delayed approval process for new ideas.
They often contain more middle managers than upper managers.
They maximize efficiency by promoting specialization.
They are more beneficial for larger companies than for smaller companies.
They do not allow employees to have flexible roles.
They may result in a delayed approval process for new ideas.
They often contain more middle managers than upper managers.
They maximize efficiency by promoting specialization.
They are more beneficial for larger companies than for smaller companies.
They do not allow employees to have flexible roles.
RC Butler 2022 - Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.
Passage # 111 Date: 17-Mar-2022
This question is a part of RC Butler 2022. Click here for Details
Passage # 111 Date: 17-Mar-2022
This question is a part of RC Butler 2022. Click here for Details
17 Jul 2022, 02:21
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chrisgeo
Official Explanation
3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about hierarchical workplaces?
Difficulty Level: 650-700
Explanation
The subject of the question is hierarchical workplaces and the task of the question is referenced by the word inferred. This is an inference question. Determine what the passage says about hierarchical workplaces. The passage says these structures unwittingly discourage traits such as creative thinking, adaptability, and collaboration and that they are designed to maximize efficient productivity but may actually be detrimental. Evaluate the answer choices individually, looking for one that reflects these descriptions. Choice (A) is a good paraphrase of the information in the passage as delayed approval processes for new ideas is not adaptable. Additionally, more streamlined approval processes is listed as one of the benefits of flat structures that is not present in hierarchical structures. Keep (A).
Choice (B) is a no-such comparison answer as the passage does not compare the number of middle and upper managers. Eliminate (B).
Choice (C) uses recycled language to maximize efficiency. This is used to describe the intention of hierarchical structures but is not related to promoting specialization. Eliminate (C).
Choice (D) is a no-such comparison answer as the passage does not compare large and small companies. Eliminate (D).
Choice (E) contains extreme language do not allow. While the passage suggests hierarchical structures make it more difficult to have flexible roles, it does not state that flexible roles are not allowed. Eliminate (E).
The correct answer is (A).
Difficulty Level: 650-700
Explanation
The subject of the question is hierarchical workplaces and the task of the question is referenced by the word inferred. This is an inference question. Determine what the passage says about hierarchical workplaces. The passage says these structures unwittingly discourage traits such as creative thinking, adaptability, and collaboration and that they are designed to maximize efficient productivity but may actually be detrimental. Evaluate the answer choices individually, looking for one that reflects these descriptions. Choice (A) is a good paraphrase of the information in the passage as delayed approval processes for new ideas is not adaptable. Additionally, more streamlined approval processes is listed as one of the benefits of flat structures that is not present in hierarchical structures. Keep (A).
Choice (B) is a no-such comparison answer as the passage does not compare the number of middle and upper managers. Eliminate (B).
Choice (C) uses recycled language to maximize efficiency. This is used to describe the intention of hierarchical structures but is not related to promoting specialization. Eliminate (C).
Choice (D) is a no-such comparison answer as the passage does not compare large and small companies. Eliminate (D).
Choice (E) contains extreme language do not allow. While the passage suggests hierarchical structures make it more difficult to have flexible roles, it does not state that flexible roles are not allowed. Eliminate (E).
The correct answer is (A).
