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19 Dec 2025, 23:40
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D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
75%
(hard)
Question Stats:
51% (01:53) correct
49%
(02:09)
wrong
based on 146
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Jack: Building an organization requires effective teamwork. Early in the life of an organization, the most important task is to market the organization’s products or services. This is where most of the work by founding members should go; the staff can take care of other activities. However, many founders mistakenly focus only on operations, believing that a satisfied customer will bring new business — but such focus often leads to poor results.
Henry: I disagree. It will not be worthwhile to acquire a high number of customers unless the founders focus on operations in their enterprise.
Which of the following would be the best reply from Jack to counter Henry’s objection?
(A) On average, organizations in which founders focus on marketing prosper faster than those in which founders focus on operations.
(B) For established businesses, founders focus on operations as well as marketing.
(C) It is not possible for founders to focus on both marketing and operations at the same time.
(D) Most organizations in which founders focus on operations do not get enough customers in the first place.
(E) Operations can be optimized when customer demand keeps rising for a long duration.
Henry: I disagree. It will not be worthwhile to acquire a high number of customers unless the founders focus on operations in their enterprise.
Which of the following would be the best reply from Jack to counter Henry’s objection?
(A) On average, organizations in which founders focus on marketing prosper faster than those in which founders focus on operations.
(B) For established businesses, founders focus on operations as well as marketing.
(C) It is not possible for founders to focus on both marketing and operations at the same time.
(D) Most organizations in which founders focus on operations do not get enough customers in the first place.
(E) Operations can be optimized when customer demand keeps rising for a long duration.
22 Dec 2025, 01:56
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The Setup:
Jack says: Founders should focus on marketing early on. Focusing only on operations is a mistake that leads to poor results.
Henry objects: "Not worthwhile to acquire many customers unless founders focus on operations."
In simple terms, Henry is saying: "What's the point of getting customers if you can't serve them properly?"
What Jack needs to do: Show why Henry's "operations first" approach is flawed.
A. On average, marketing-focused organizations prosper faster
What it says: Organizations that focus on marketing do better overall.
Why it fails: This just repeats Jack's original claim with a statistic. It doesn't address Henry's specific worry - "but how will you serve those customers without operations focus?"
B. Established businesses focus on both marketing and operations
What it says: Mature companies handle both areas.
Why it fails: Jack is talking about early-stage organizations, not established ones. This is off-topic.
C. Founders can't focus on both marketing and operations at the same time
What it says: You have to choose one or the other.
Why it fails: Even if true, this doesn't explain why marketing should come first.
Henry could just say "Fine, then choose operations."
D. Operations-focused organizations don't get enough customers in the first place
What it says: If you focus on operations, you won't have customers to serve.
Why it works: This flips Henry's logic against him.
Henry's concern: "You'll have customers but can't serve them well."
Jack's counter: "Your approach means you'll have no customers at all."
Think of it this way:
Henry is worried about a restaurant with bad food
Jack points out that perfecting the kitchen means nobody walks through the door
What's worse - having customers and struggling to serve them, or having perfect operations with zero customers? Jack shows Henry's "solution" creates an even bigger problem.
Why D is the killer counter:
It directly attacks Henry's recommendation- "Focus on operations first leaves you with NO customers"
It shows Henry's logic is self-defeating- Henry worries about serving customers well, but his approach means having no customers to serve
It's unconditional and direct- not "can" or "might," it says what actually happens
E. Operations can be optimized when customer demand keeps rising for a long duration
What it says: You can improve your operations later, once you have steady customer demand.
Why it's tempting: It supports Jack's "marketing first" idea- get customers, then fix operations as you grow.
Why it fails as a counter:
It doesn't attack Henry's position
• Henry says: "Customers are worthless without operations focus"
• E says: "You can fix operations later"
• Henry can respond: "But those early customers will leave before you optimize!"
It's conditional and weak
• E only works "when demand keeps rising for a long duration"
• Henry can say: "Exactly my point - demand WON'T keep rising if operations are bad"
It sidesteps rather than counters
• E talks about what can happen
• It doesn't show why Henry's approach fails
Answer: D
Jack says: Founders should focus on marketing early on. Focusing only on operations is a mistake that leads to poor results.
Henry objects: "Not worthwhile to acquire many customers unless founders focus on operations."
In simple terms, Henry is saying: "What's the point of getting customers if you can't serve them properly?"
What Jack needs to do: Show why Henry's "operations first" approach is flawed.
A. On average, marketing-focused organizations prosper faster
What it says: Organizations that focus on marketing do better overall.
Why it fails: This just repeats Jack's original claim with a statistic. It doesn't address Henry's specific worry - "but how will you serve those customers without operations focus?"
B. Established businesses focus on both marketing and operations
What it says: Mature companies handle both areas.
Why it fails: Jack is talking about early-stage organizations, not established ones. This is off-topic.
C. Founders can't focus on both marketing and operations at the same time
What it says: You have to choose one or the other.
Why it fails: Even if true, this doesn't explain why marketing should come first.
Henry could just say "Fine, then choose operations."
D. Operations-focused organizations don't get enough customers in the first place
What it says: If you focus on operations, you won't have customers to serve.
Why it works: This flips Henry's logic against him.
Henry's concern: "You'll have customers but can't serve them well."
Jack's counter: "Your approach means you'll have no customers at all."
Think of it this way:
Henry is worried about a restaurant with bad food
Jack points out that perfecting the kitchen means nobody walks through the door
What's worse - having customers and struggling to serve them, or having perfect operations with zero customers? Jack shows Henry's "solution" creates an even bigger problem.
Why D is the killer counter:
It directly attacks Henry's recommendation- "Focus on operations first leaves you with NO customers"
It shows Henry's logic is self-defeating- Henry worries about serving customers well, but his approach means having no customers to serve
It's unconditional and direct- not "can" or "might," it says what actually happens
E. Operations can be optimized when customer demand keeps rising for a long duration
What it says: You can improve your operations later, once you have steady customer demand.
Why it's tempting: It supports Jack's "marketing first" idea- get customers, then fix operations as you grow.
Why it fails as a counter:
It doesn't attack Henry's position
• Henry says: "Customers are worthless without operations focus"
• E says: "You can fix operations later"
• Henry can respond: "But those early customers will leave before you optimize!"
It's conditional and weak
• E only works "when demand keeps rising for a long duration"
• Henry can say: "Exactly my point - demand WON'T keep rising if operations are bad"
It sidesteps rather than counters
• E talks about what can happen
• It doesn't show why Henry's approach fails
Answer: D
