Akela wrote:
Manager: I recommend that our company reconsider the decision to completely abandon our allegedly difficult-to-use computer software and replace it companywide with a new software package advertised as more flexible and easier to use. Several other companies in our region officially replaced the software we currently use with the new package, and while their employees can all use the new software, unofficially many continue to use their former software as much as possible.
Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the manager’s statements?
(A) The current company software is as flexible as the proposed new software package.
(B) The familiarity that employees have with a computer software package is a more important consideration in selecting software than flexibility or initial ease of use.
(C) The employees of the manager’s company would find that the new software package lacks some of the capabilities of the present software.
(D) Adopting the new software package would create two classes of employees, those who can use it and those who cannot.
(E) Many of the employees in the manager’s company would not prefer the new software package to the software currently in use.
The company is planning to completely abandon current software and replace with a new package advertised as more flexible and easier to use.
Experience of other companies that did the same - All their employees can use the new package (hence it does seem to be easy to use) but they continue to use the old one as much as possible unofficially (so employees still prefer the old system).
Hence, the manager wants the company to reconsider the decision to completely abandon the old one.
What is supported by the manager's statement?
So we are looking for something that the argument supports.
(A) The current company software is as flexible as the proposed new software package.
Not implied. We don't know how flexible each package is.
(B) The familiarity that employees have with a computer software package is a more important consideration in selecting software than flexibility or initial ease of use.
No. The manager doesn't say that familiarity is a more important consideration is selecting a software. The manager cites that in other companies, employees continue to use the old software as much as possible so the employees seems to prefer the old software. Why? We don't know. Perhaps it's because of familiarity. Perhaps there are some features of the old one that people prefer. He doesn't say. Based on data, he suggests to reconsider completely abandoning the old one.
(C) The employees of the manager’s company would find that the new software package lacks some of the capabilities of the present software.
No discussion on the capabilities of the softwares.
(D) Adopting the new software package would create two classes of employees, those who can use it and those who cannot.
He cites that in other companies, all employees can use the new software. So it is likely that all employees in this company will also be able to use the new software. There is no implication that there will be some employees who will not be able to use it.
(E) Many of the employees in the manager’s company would not prefer the new software package to the software currently in use.
Since in many other companies, many employees do not prefer the new software package to the old one (because of familiarity or features or whatever else), it is likely that in this company too the same will happen. So the argument supports this statement. (Note that the argument does not establish the statement, it only supports it i.e. makes it likely)
Answer (E)