Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company,

Question

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit Computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, non hierarchical work environment.

Which of the following, if true,most strongly supports Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees?

(A) Some people employed in the computer industry change jobs if they become bored with their current projects

(B) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work

(C) Many of Summit's senior employees had previously worked at only one other computer company

(D) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs

(E) The cost of living near Summit is relatively low compared to areas in which some other computer companies are located

Verbal Question of The Day: Day 14: Critical Reasoning 
 Subscribe to GMAT Question of the Day:   E-mail  |  RSS 
 For All QOTD Questions  Click Here

Correct me if I am wrong, but how can the "cooperative exchange of ideas" relate to job satisfaction. Moreover, how does "hindering the work" lead to employees leaving the company? It doesn't make sense. Statement (D) does this more clearly, as it actually has the word "dissatisfaction", and having one less assumption to make!
 The explanation for (B) is "The statement properly identifies a point that strengthens the company's argument, relating the work environment to job satisfaction and therefore to employees' remaining at the company".

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

The first sentence of the passage gives us some background information: most employees in the computer industry move from company to company and change jobs several times in their careers. This implies that most computer companies do NOT retain their employees very well. Summit Computers, on the other hand, is known for retaining its employees, so we can infer that employees of Summit Computers do not follow the same general pattern exhibited by  most  employees in the computer industry.

Why do employees of Summit Computers stay with their company while most computer industry employees tend to move from company to company? "Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment." This is just one hypothesis, and we don't know for sure whether it is accurate. The question asks us to select a piece of evidence that, if true, most supports the hypothesis of Summit Computers.

Choice (A) does not tell us  why  Summit employees tend to stay with their company. This statement simply provides one reason why employees in the computer industry might leave their jobs. If we were told that projects at Summit Computers were particularly exciting, that information might weaken Summit's explanation (by suggesting an alternative explanation), but it certainly would not strengthen Summit's explanation. Choice (A) can be eliminated.

Computer industry employees believe that a cooperative exchange of ideas is  necessary  for their work and that a hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperate exchange of ideas. Thus, having a  non hierarchical work environment is a  necessary  (though not sufficient) requirement if the employees are to be able to do their work. Given the information in statement (B), computer industry employees would prefer a nonhierarchical work environment where their ability to do their work is not necessarily hindered. This supports the theory that a nonhierarchical work environment improves employee retention, so let's keep choice (B).

As with choice (A), choice (C) does not tell us  why  employees of Summit Computers tend to stay with their company and certainly does not tell us whether Summit's success in retaining employees is due to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment. If anything, choice (C) might be taken as evidence that Summit manages to hire exceptionally loyal computer industry employees, perhaps explaining Summit's relatively high retention rates. But that would only serve to weaken the explanation presented in the passage because it provides an alternative explanation. Choice (C) can be eliminated.

Choice (D) implies that employees in a hierarchical work environment would be reluctant to discuss their job dissatisfaction. This characteristic of a nonhierarchical work environment certainly does not explain why employees working in such an environment would be  less  likely to leave their company. In fact, it suggests that such employees would quietly grow dissatisfied and then perhaps eventually leave to seek more satisfying jobs. Choice (D) can be eliminated.

This statement provides an  alternative  explanation for why Summit has a relatively high retention rate compared to that of some other computer companies. This actually weakens the hypothesis presented by Summit by suggesting that its high retention rate is due to cost of living, not due to Summit's hierarchical work environment. Thus, choice (E) can be eliminated, and we are left with choice (B).

teuy · Answer

IMO B. Cooperative exchange of ideas might not diractly relate to job satisfaction but it is necessary for them to work.

hitman4683v1 · Answer

Please remember that GMAT questions/options line of reasoning need not be TRUE in the real life also....
A -> if this were true, the conclusion would surely be weakened, since it would attribute the success not to informal nature and non-hierarchy
C -> Doesnt prove anything. Its like telling that since an employee has moved only one job, he wouldnt move from Summit
D -> Too much of magnanimity on the part of the employees, even if true, would atmost weaken the conclusion
E -> This again, like option A, weakens the argument by saying that there are other reasons for the Summits' ability to retain employees

This leaves only option B. And even B alone can be directly seen to support the argument. 
Please let me know if this explanation helped....

vannbj · Answer

I didn't like B either but I still chose it. Here's why if you'll accept it. Cooperative exchanges of ideas relates to job satisfaction because "employees consider it necessary for their work." So it links a nonhierarchial work environment to job satisfaction but it somewhat leaves open the link between job satisfaction and employee retention. Therefore, I kept it as a possible and kept reading.

D is the other possible at least initially. It links a nonhierarchial environment with satisfaction which, I guess is linked to retention. But it does something else. It says that since people are in a nonhierarchial environment they aviod speaking of dissatisfaction. So their issues go unresolved. This would suggest that they are more likely to attrite in a nonhierarchial environment than a hierarchial- contending with Summit Computer's claim. And the question asks us for something that supports the claim that the environment of nonhierarchy helps retention. Does that answer your question? The other 3 choices don't come close to strengthening the assumption.

GyanOne · Answer

Should be (B).

A): Being bored with current projects has nothing to do with hierarchy. Irrelevant. 
B): CORRECT. If a hierarchical work environment is a hindrance to something that employees consider necessary to their work, then they will leave if the environment is hierarchical or stay if it is not. 
C): The number of companies the employees had previously worked with is irrelevant. 
D): There is no relation drawn between people voicing dissatisfaction and people quitting their jobs. Incorrect. 
E): The cost of living is irrelevant to this argument. Incorrect.

jlgdr · Answer

Hey Guys, just checking this one out. So here I am again. Which one will strengthen the claim that an Informal, NH WE improves success at retaining employees? Well clearly we have 2 contenders here, B and D I tried using the negation technique on this one, and guess what? Ouch, I didn't get the correct answer. Let's go through the logical reasoning here. So using negation technique: In B - A hierachical WE does NOT hinder the cooperative exhange of ideas bla, bla, bla. Well if it does not hinder the exchange of ideas then will a nonhierachical WE do? Doesn't mean it has to. So I guess this took me nowhere In D- In a NH work environment, people DO NOT avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony etc.. So I think this one if true would weaken the claim. So this must be the correct answer choice. Nevertheless, I think I got it wrong. Wonder how? Any thoughts? Experts please advice Many thanks Cheers * Will be happy to throw some Kudos out there for any proper explanation on why this negation technique didn't quite work for this problem J

notrandom · Answer

@jldgr: The question is a strengthen question, not an assumption question. So negation won't work

Option D is wrong because it actually weakens the argument. It implies that people can be dissatisfied in a non hierarchical which works exactly against the arguments conclusion.

DmitryFarber · Answer

It's very revealing that some of us are struggling to decide whether D is a positive or a negative. That's a pretty good sign that it isn't the Strengthen answer we wanted! In the end, we just don't know whether avoiding discussions about dissatisfaction has a positive effect on employee retention. It's quite a stretch!

zoezhuyan · Answer

Hi  GMATNinja , I am not sure whether i completely assimilate your explanation.
especial

Does you mean  hierarchical environment is  necessary  to "no share ideas"?  
according the definition of   necessary   If A is necessary to B, then Not A , Not B,
So having a  non hierarchical work environment is a  necessary  (though not sufficient) requirement if the employees are to be able to do their work

Did i miss something?

Please clarify.

Thanks in advance
Have a lovely day
>_~

GMATNinja · Answer

Computer industry employees consider the cooperate exchange of ideas (CEI) NECESSARY for their work. In other words, if there is no CEI, then the employees cannot do their work. This implies that employees would NOT want to work at a company where there is no CEI.

According to (B), a hierarchical work environment  hinders  (i.e. obstructs, prevents, impedes) CEI. Since hierarchical  hinders  CEI and employees  want  CEI, they would probably prefer NON-hierarchical instead of hierarchical.

That could certainly help explain why a company with a NON-hierarchical work environment would have success in retaining computer industry employees.

I hope that helps!

Probus · Answer

Hi  GMATNinja ,

Like most users is was able to quckly elminate A C and E and then D and was finally left with B . But B as answer choice doesn't looks appealing to me . It does not increase my belief in explanation that ' sumit is retains its employees because of some work environment"

Possible strengthener i pre -thought was :
Some advantages that is one of the many factors the industry employee seeks that this work environment has and the other lacks which makes employee stick to sumit.

Answe Choice D: Incorrect
 in D > It can creates a paradox like situation . In NH work environment people avoid a certain behavior, that threatens the work environment. This part tells us something good about NH work environment,. So people want to stick to such environment. But part after this 'dissatisfaction' brings out a possibility that they might leave because of suffocation as they are unable to completely express themselves. (This was very easy as i could relate to my workplace) So rule out D

Answer Choice B: very close to my pre- thinking but there is an assumption required for this answer choice to match up to strengthener.

Here is what i mean We are taking certain facts about HW environment and e are inferring that NH environment will not do so.

For the highlighted portion below aren't we assuming that

NH work environment does not hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work.
without this assumption this statement as strengthener will fall apart

All we know is this HW hinders certain aspect which employees consider very important. So this give me a one of a reason why employees employed in HW companies quit.

I am sure there is a gap in my understanding.

Could you enlighten that aspect

Probus

GMATNinja · Answer

Keep in mind that the question asks us to identify which answer choice  most strongly supports  Summit's explanation.

We don't need an ironclad statement that proves Summit's explanation to be undeniably true. We just need to pick the 1 out of 5 answer choices that gets us closest to accepting the explanation.

You can accept (B) and move on purely because every other answer choice is clearly worse. Honestly, we can stop this discussion here, because the real challenge is answering the question we're asked and not spending any more valuable time wrestling with these choices.

But to address your doubt more head-on: if we accept that a hierarchical workplace hinders cooperative exchange, then at the very least it's reasonable to accept that a non-hierarchical workplace does not actively hinder cooperative exchange.

This is not a big, stretchy assumption. We're just recognizing that if a workplace has X characteristic, it proactively will do Y. So if a workplace is does not have X characteristic, it's sensible to expect that this workplace will not proactively do Y. And in this case, "Y" (in choice (B), the hindrance of cooperative exchange) is precisely what makes the employees' work impossible to do.

I hope this helps!

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

An interesting question. I think these questions test whether you are able to keep in mind SPECIFICALLY what is being asked: Which of the following, if true,most strongly supports  Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees ?

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit Computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, non hierarchical work environment.

Which of the following, if true,most strongly supports Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees?

(A) Some people employed in the computer industry change jobs if they become bored with their current projects

SOME should jump out at you. Regardless of what follows you should think about how it does not speak to MOST people employed in the computer industry job. Irrelevant and out. Eliminate.

(B) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work

Consider necessary   is a pretty strong statement. It gives credence for why people may change their company. Yellow flag this immediately just in case something better comes along.

(C) Many of Summit's senior employees had previously worked at only one other computer company

Irrelevant. Freebie elimination. What relevance could it bring to the explanation at hand? Looking at it now I see the trap. This is the “start a story” answer choice.  Oh! People worked at another company before. They now work and stay at Summit. Yes, that means Summit is great and it’s due to their non-hierarchical structure.  But who’s to say the LAST company these people worked at did not ALSO have a non-hierarchical structure?

(D) In a non-hierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs

Eliminate. This actually weakens the Summit explanation if anything. If people do not discuss their problems, they may still, I would imagine, want to LEAVE their job.

(E) The cost of living near Summit is relatively low compared to areas in which some other computer companies are located

This gives ANOTHER explanation for why Summit retains its employees. It doesn’t support the explanation GIVEN by Summit itself. Trap answer for those who took their eye off the ball.

TheNightKing · Answer

Argument : People switch jobs in Computer industry. SC seems to be an exception. SC cites the reason as informal, non hierarchical work.

Pre-thinking: we need to make sure informal, non hierarchical work is really crucial for employees.

(A) Some people employed in the computer industry change jobs if they become bored with their current projects -  "Some" is not what we would be looking for. Also doesn't even talk about why employees would stick to SC.

(B) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work
 - In line with pre-thinking. 
 
(C) Many of Summit's senior employees had previously worked at only one other computer company -  Irrelevant

(D) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs -  Even though it talks about non-hierarchical behavior it has no impact to the conclusion. Just because employees do not share dissatisfaction does not mean they would stick to the current job.

(E) The cost of living near Summit is relatively low compared to areas in which some other computer companies are located -  It rather weakens the argument. We need a strengthener.

kornn · Answer

Dear  AjiteshArun   DmitryFarber   VeritasKarishma   IanStewart   MartyTargetTestPrep ,

I have some question on the condition in choice B.
(B)  A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider  necessary  for their work

Why presenting a necessary condition strengthens the sufficient condition?

IMO,
Sufficient condition = retaining employees
Necessary condition in choice B. = non-hierarchical which does not hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas

Necessary condition is present does not mean sufficient condition is met. 
Why is choice B. correct?

KarishmaB · Answer

In comp industry, people change jobs frequently.
Summit retains its employees.
Explanation: Summit's informal, non hierarchical work environment.

What supports Summit's explanation? What supports that informal, non hierarchical work environment is the reason why Summit retains employees? Mind you, we don't need to establish that it is the reason. We need to increase the probability that it is the reason why employees don't move.

(A) Some people employed in the computer industry change jobs if they become bored with their current projects

Why "some employees" switch is irrelevant. In any case, this gives an alternative reason and does not strengthen our reason.

(B) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work

Informal, non hierarchical work environment does not hinder cooperative exchange of ideas. Employees consider cooperative exchange of ideas necessary for work. So this could be a reason why employees stick around. They could be switching if they are unable to find cooperative exchange of ideas. The work environment of Summit encourages it and hence that might be encouraging employees to stick around. If people consider cooperative exchange of ideas essential, and the environment of Summit is conducive to it, the environment of Summit could be the reason people stick around. It increases the probability that this is the reason.

(C) Many of Summit's senior employees had previously worked at only one other computer company

Irrelevant.

(D) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs

This option says that in Summit's environment, people do not discuss their dissatisfaction. It doesn't say that they are not dissatisfied, just that they do not discuss dissatisfaction. If anything, not discussing could be counter productive. Doesn't help to say that nonhierarchical work environment is causing people to stay at Summit.

(E) The cost of living near Summit is relatively low compared to areas in which some other computer companies are located

This could be another reason why people don't move out of Summit. It does not help strengthen that environment is the reason people stick around.

Answer (B)

KarishmaB · Answer

Think of it this way:

Conclusion: A is the reason for B.

We don't know whether A is the reason for B. We need to strengthen that it is.

A gives C which is necessary for B.
Now, it is more likely that A is the reason for B, right? We cannot establish that A is but it does become more likely. There could be other reasons D, E etc which also give C. Hence, we cannot establish that A is the reason. But knowing that A gives C strengthens that A is the reason. It is just about increasing the probability.

kornn · Answer

Is presenting a necessary condition strengthens the argument or neutral? According to the above, you say it strengthens . However, in our previous post (https://gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep ... l#p2350751), you say presenting a necessary condition is neutral Is say that a necessary condition happens strengthen or neutral?

PrashantK0099 · Answer

cant A be used to genrate

"Many countries that are large consumers of sugarcane increased their production of sugarcane-based ethanol, yet their overall consumption of sugarcane decreased"

that producers are making profit by selling sugarcane based ethanol , since the production of the sugarcane based ethanol has been increased.

hence making more profit rather than by selling producing sugarcane ?

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company,

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company,

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards