The majority of successful senior managers do not closely

1. The passage provides support for which of the following statements?
(E) Intuition enables managers to employ their practical experience more efficiently.
The passage explains that successful senior managers rely on intuition in their day-to-day tactical maneuvers. Intuition allows them to manage interrelated problems characterized by ambiguity, inconsistency, novelty, and surprise. The use of intuition is based on years of practical experience, which helps managers integrate action into the thinking process effectively.

2. According to the passage, the classical model of decision analysis includes all of the following EXCEPT:
(D) Action undertaken in order to discover more information about a problem.
The passage describes the classical rational model of decision analysis, which involves clarifying goals, assessing the problem, formulating options, estimating likelihoods of success, making a decision, and then taking action to implement the decision. However, the passage does not explicitly mention action as a part of discovering more information about a problem.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following would most probably be one major difference in behavior between Manager X, who uses intuition to reach decisions, and Manager Y, who uses only formal decision analysis?
(C) Manager X takes action to arrive at the solution to a problem, while Manager Y does not.
The passage emphasizes that senior managers who rely on intuition often act first and explain later. They "know" what is right based on their intuition and practical experience, whereas managers using formal decision analysis may hesitate to implement solutions suggested by systematic methods that go against their intuition or sense of the correct course of action.

4. According to the passage, senior managers use intuition in all of the following ways EXCEPT to:
(D) Stipulate clear goals.
The passage explains that senior managers use intuition to sense the existence of a problem, rapidly perform well-learned behavior patterns, synthesize data and practice into an integrated picture, and check the results of rational analysis. However, it does not mention using intuition to stipulate clear goals.

5. The passage suggests which of the following about the "writers on management" mentioned in line 12?
(D) They have misunderstood how managers use intuition in making business decisions.
The passage states that previous writers on management have displayed a poor grasp of what intuition is. Some see it as the opposite of rationality, while others view it as an excuse for capriciousness. Therefore, it can be inferred that they have misunderstood how managers use intuition in making business decisions.

6. Which of the following best exemplifies "an 'Aha!' experience" (line 28) as it is presented in the passage?
(C) A manager suddenly connects seemingly unrelated facts and experiences to create a pattern relevant to the problem at hand.
The passage describes the "Aha!" experience as a moment of synthesis where a manager intuitively connects isolated bits of data and practice into an integrated picture. It involves recognizing familiar patterns and creating a pattern relevant to the problem at hand by bringing together seemingly unrelated facts and experiences.

7. It can be inferred from the passage that "thinking/acting cycles" (line 45) in managerial practice would likely result in which of the following?
(D) II and III only
The passage states that managers often act first and explain later, and action is part of defining the problem, not just implementing the solution. This implies that managers gather data by acting and observing the effects of action (II) and take action without being able to articulate reasons for that particular action (III).

8. Which of the following best describes the organization of the first paragraph of the passage?
(B) A conventional model is dismissed and an alternative introduced.
The first paragraph of the passage introduces the classical

In Q.7, How is III (A manager takes action without being able to articulate reasons for that particular action.) correct? If it's correct, why is this answer incorrect in Q.1 (The option is Managers cannot justify their intuitive decisions.)

Fun question! According to the third paragraph, the intuitive style makes "thinking inseparable from acting." This is what line 45 is referring to when it describes "think/acting cycles." Reading on, we learn than managers frequently "act first and explain later."

Let's now consider Q7:


Notice this is specifically asking us to consider the phrase "think/acting cycles." We know that this phrase refers to a situation where thinking and acting are inseparable, and where managers often "act first and explain later." This rules out the statement above. Because in the "think/acting cycles," the managers do not analyze first and THEN act. The acting and analyzing are mixed together. So much so that managers sometimes act BEFORE explaining their action.

Let's now take a look at Q1:


Given what we said about thinking/acting cycles, why is (B) wrong?

Well, notice that the "thinking/acting cycle" doesn't mean that managers cannot justify their intuitive decisions. Remember, the passage tells us that managers often "act first and explain later." And if they can "explain later," that suggests they are eventually able to justify their decisions, even if they didn't analyze much to begin with.

So even if managers act without analyzing sometimes, that doesn't mean they CAN'T justify their decisions in the end. For that reason, (B) is wrong.

I hope that helps!