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GMAT Club World Cup 2026 (Day 7): Consultant: Cross-functional project

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ShreyaMittal1609

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15 Jul 2026, 07:32

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My ans is E)

A) We are comparing innovation and it has nothing to do with higher rates of interdeptt communication- Irrelevant- Eliminate
B) Disruptive tech change can be due to innovation or other factors like investment- need assumptions- Eliminate
C) This reverses the conclusion- weakens- Eliminate
D) It is comparing diff types of single deptt team and not cross-func team- Out of scope- Eliminate
E) This directly offers the comparison and is in line with conclusion drawn- CORRECT

Bunuel

Consultant: Cross-functional project teams, those whose members are drawn from multiple departments, are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department. Members of a cross-functional team gain firsthand experience using a broad range of mental models and problem-solving heuristics from outside their own department, while being afforded frequent opportunities to observe—and be observed by—colleagues with substantial expertise using those cognitive tools. It is these relationships, along with the breadth of exposure to the tools themselves, that equips the members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the consultant’s argument?

(A) Companies that regularly use cross-functional teams for product development report higher rates of interdepartmental communication, on average, than similarly structured companies that do not.

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.

(C) On metrics that gauge innovation, teams drawn from multiple departments generally do not outperform single-department teams with a comparable breadth of combined educational and work experience.

(D) Teams drawn from a single department that are given regular briefings on problem-solving models and heuristics used in the employer’s other departments are no more innovative on average than teams from a single department that receive no such briefings.

(E) Teams made up of members who have previously worked in more than one of the employer’s departments are significantly more innovative than teams whose members have only worked in one such department.

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gaurikhanna17

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15 Jul 2026, 07:32

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IMO A
A clear winner as it strengthens the argument "
B : TRICKY : but actually this is reverse causation hence out
C: this is actually a weakener
D: keep but A is better
E: this doesnt support

firefox300

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15 Jul 2026, 07:42

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A Higher communication alone does not explain greater innovation.

B This is about the types of companies that use these teams, not the consultant's reason.

C It contradicts the claim that cross-functional teams are more innovative.

D CORRECT. If just hearing about other departments' methods doesn't help, then the real edge must come from watching each other work.

E Working in different departments may help, but this does not directly show that cross-functional teams are the cause.

The correct answer is D

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15 Jul 2026, 07:47

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IMO ANS is E.
Here we need to support strengthen the conclusion cross functional team's are more innovative.

SO just by eliminating the answer choice also- I feel E option gives some real ground level proof if we choose cross functional people they are more innovative hence supporting strengthening statement.

Bunuel

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DishaSaha

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15 Jul 2026, 07:52

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Passage analysis,

CFT>SDT in terms of innovation .
Author's reasoning, CFT has first hand exposure from different departments which bolsters innovation widely.

We need to strengthen author's conclusion.

Answer choice analysis,

A. Out of context option.
B. This is the correct answer. Since rapid, frequently disruptive technological change in an industry would need more innovation rather than gradually evolved industries. Since acc to the author innovation is better done by CFT. Those industries with rapid change use more CFT. This strengthen author's POV.
C.Irrelevant.. Talks about other factors.
D.irrelevant.
E.Irrelevant.

Bunuel

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A. Irrelevant as communication doesent convert to innovation. Its probably just a byproduct of cross functional teams
B. Irrelevant as it just says that some industries choose these teams. It doesent state anything to support regarding the relationship between the internal arrangements and innovation
C. Irrelevant as it weakens rather by saying that departmental diversity is irrelevant once we see more experience and education in a single department
D. Relevant as it literally says that only knowing other department methods isnt enough which in turn validates the consultant argument that for innovation we need relationships observation and exposure which is seen in cross functional teams.
E. Irrelevant as this talks about individualistic experience in multiple departments in isolated cases rather than a mingle of different departmental exposure simaltaneously. It can also be said that relationships take a hit from this statement when compared with what is in the passage.

D.

TheAdmissionHub

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16 Jul 2026, 05:07

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Premise 1: Cross-functional project teams are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department.
Premise 2: Members of cross-functional teams gain firsthand experience with a broad range of mental models and problem-solving heuristics from other departments.
Premise 3: Members of cross-functional teams also have frequent opportunities to observe—and be observed by—colleagues with substantial expertise using those cognitive tools.
Conclusion: These relationships, together with the breadth of exposure to different mental models and problem-solving heuristics, are what equip members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the consultant’s argument?
(A) Companies that regularly use cross-functional teams for product development report higher rates of interdepartmental communication, on average, than similarly structured companies that do not.
Wrong:Higher communication is expected if companies use cross-functional teams, but this does not show that the communication or cross-functional structure is what makes teams more innovative.

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.
Wrong: This introduces a possible alternative explanation: perhaps innovative industries are simply more likely to use cross-functional teams.

(C) On metrics that gauge innovation, teams drawn from multiple departments generally do not outperform single-department teams with a comparable breadth of combined educational and work experience.
Wrong:This weakens the consultant's claim by suggesting cross-functional teams are not actually more innovative when experience is held constant.

(D) Teams drawn from a single department that are given regular briefings on problem-solving models and heuristics used in the employer’s other departments are no more innovative on average than teams from a single department that receive no such briefings.
Correct: This provides indirect support. It suggests that simply hearing about other departments' methods is insufficient, so it suggests that innovation hinges on both esposure and buiding relationship, both.

(E) Teams made up of members who have previously worked in more than one of the employer’s departments are significantly more innovative than teams whose members have only worked in one such department.
Wrong: The situation described here, where team members have worked in different departments, is different from the cross-functional teams that the consultant says lead to more innovation.
The passage says: “These relationships, together with the breadth of exposure to different mental models and problem-solving heuristics, are what equip members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely”.
This is about the team, we know that they worked in different departments and then are more innovative. But we need to strengthen the idea that relationship created + exposure lead to innovation. The fact of working in different departement is not a garantee of that.

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19 Jul 2026, 07:53

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for option E - the issue is cross functioning team and members belonging multiple teams mean different. cross functioning team ideally would be the one having experience from all functions or departments of a company whereas members belong to multiple teams could have all members belonging to the same multiple teams.

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Consultant: Cross-functional project teams, those whose members are drawn from multiple departments, are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department. Members of a cross-functional team gain firsthand experience using a broad range of mental models and problem-solving heuristics from outside their own department, while being afforded frequent opportunities to observe—and be observed by—colleagues with substantial expertise using those cognitive tools. It is these relationships, along with the breadth of exposure to the tools themselves, that equips the members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the consultant’s argument?

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.

Hi KarishmaB, MartyMurray, can you please help why B is incorrect! I took "frequently disruptive technological change" as more/widely innovative, and if those firms use cross functional teams then it strengthen the argument. It's like argument is made and B is practical example supporting it.

Also, can you explain what is the meaning of "more widely", is it more frequently?

egmat

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15 Aug 2026, 08:48

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Hi gullyboy09,

Your instinct that B "feels" connected to innovation is understandable, but let's look at exactly what B says versus what the consultant needs.

The consultant's conclusion isn't just "cross-functional teams are more innovative." It's a claim about why - that the relationships plus the breadth of exposure to tools are what drive the extra innovation. So a strengthener has to support that mechanism.

What B actually says: firms in fast-changing industries are more likely to use cross-functional teams. Notice the direction - B tells us which firms choose these teams, not whether the teams are actually more innovative, and definitely not why. If anything, it hints at reverse causation: innovative-type firms pick these teams, rather than the teams producing the innovation.

The outside step you took: you read "frequently disruptive technological change" as "these teams are more innovative." But that's a real-world assumption the argument never states. "An industry has disruptive change" is not the same as "this company's cross-functional team innovates more because of relationships and exposure." The GMAT wants you to judge only what's on the page.

On "innovate more widely": it means innovate across a broader range - more breadth, more variety of areas - not "more frequently." It ties back to the "broad range of mental models" the members are exposed to.

Turn one knob to feel the trap:

- B as written: Fast-moving firms are more likely to use cross-functional teams. - Which came first? Doesn't tell us.
- Reworded: Cross-functional teams, once formed, produce more innovations than single-department teams in the same firm. - Now it supports the cause.

That second version acts on the argument's link; B only reports a correlation about who adopts these teams. That's why B doesn't strengthen - and why D, which rules out "tools alone" being enough, does.

Answer: D

gullyboy09

Consultant: Cross-functional project teams, those whose members are drawn from multiple departments, are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department. Members of a cross-functional team gain firsthand experience using a broad range of mental models and problem-solving heuristics from outside their own department, while being afforded frequent opportunities to observe—and be observed by—colleagues with substantial expertise using those cognitive tools. It is these relationships, along with the breadth of exposure to the tools themselves, that equips the members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the consultant’s argument?

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.

Hi KarishmaB, MartyMurray, can you please help why B is incorrect! I took "frequently disruptive technological change" as more/widely innovative, and if those firms use cross functional teams then it strengthen the argument. It's like argument is made and B is practical example supporting it.

Also, can you explain what is the meaning of "more widely", is it more frequently?

KarishmaB

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17 Aug 2026, 08:43

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gullyboy09

Consultant: Cross-functional project teams, those whose members are drawn from multiple departments, are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department. Members of a cross-functional team gain firsthand experience using a broad range of mental models and problem-solving heuristics from outside their own department, while being afforded frequent opportunities to observe—and be observed by—colleagues with substantial expertise using those cognitive tools. It is these relationships, along with the breadth of exposure to the tools themselves, that equips the members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the consultant’s argument?

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.

Hi KarishmaB, MartyMurray, can you please help why B is incorrect! I took "frequently disruptive technological change" as more/widely innovative, and if those firms use cross functional teams then it strengthen the argument. It's like argument is made and B is practical example supporting it.

Also, can you explain what is the meaning of "more widely", is it more frequently?

This is given to us in the argument: Cross-functional project teams, those whose members are drawn from multiple departments, are consistently more innovative than teams whose members all work in a single department.
...
Conclusion: It is these relationships, along with the breadth of exposure to the tools themselves, that equips the members of cross-functional teams to innovate more widely.
(talks about why these cross functional teams are more innovative. This is what we need to support - the why)

(B) Firms in industries characterized by rapid, frequently disruptive technological change are more likely to use cross-functional teams than are firms in industries that have evolved more gradually over time.

No discussion on WHY cross functional teams are more innovative.
Let's assume "rapid, frequently disruptive technological change" as "more innovation" - fine. So this option says that more innovative firms are more likely to use cross-functional teams than less innovative firms. Ok, but why are cross functional teams more innovative? No idea. No support.