The traditional model of employer-employee relations in the United Sta

For Question 1, why E is the correct answer?
Only in 2nd paragraph factors contributing to shift are discussed.
In my opinion then correct answer should be D, because he is analysing the impact of the change.

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Hi,

Overall the passage speaks about the shift from long-term employment to short-term employment and reasons supporting the same.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. discuss the financial implications of a recent shift in attitudes among workers - Yes, discusses about it a little but this is not the purpose of the passage.
B. propose a new approach for businesses to increase loyalty among their employees - the author does not propose anything. He only discusses about the shift.
C. defend certain business practices in light of criticism of corporations, actions in a recent past - The author doesn't defend, he provides us with some reasons for the shift.
D. speculate about possible long-term benefits of a recent change in the general business climate - Yes, he speaks about the benefits or the reasons why the shift is happening but they are never coined as long-term benefits.
E. consider some of the factors contributing to a major shift in employer-employee relationships. - Yes, the author discusses the shift and factors or reasons for the same.

As you pointed out the author is analyzing but not the impact of the change but causes for the change and effect of this cause which fueled up the change.
Overall, it is all about why change is happening? Factors causing it?. Which is captured in E.

I don't understand Q1. Does E imply the entire third paragraph is useless?

Skywalker18 - can you please elaborate more on the answer to question 3 than on your original post? How making fun of management's motivation and competence leads employees to say "management will take advantage of you if given the chance." I honesty do not see the connection; however, I see the connection between working long hours that the passage mentions in the 3rd paragraph and this quote.

GMATNinja can you please help me out if Skywalker18 does not reply back.

Thank you in advance,
Yazed

Got all correct in 6:35 including 2:15 for reading. What is the difficulty level of the passage?

Increased cynicism about management motivation and competence is cited. In line following it author writes that reason for this cynicism that in spite increasing workload for about 15 hours, management gives stress management workshops and no other financial benefit .
Thus an employee makes fun of management motivation techniques, giving example that of workshops they will try to take advantage as employee will work for long hours in return for no financial benefit, but workshops.

I chose D for question no 4, can anyone explain why the answer is C as the positions are more likely to filled by contract base employees

Hey Muriel
As the Stem says or you can say the Yellow Part - The companies are Shifting to a new Paradigm which means they are leaving the old one.

In question 4 it says - is based in part on the expectation that wrongful discharge suites against employers - this line is from the passage which helps - The enormous rights in wrongful discharge suites has created incentives for organizations to use temporary, contract, and leased employees in order to distance themselves from potential litigation problems.


So we are talking about the New Paradigm which is Option C
Old Paradigm is Option D.

Why in the last (4th) question (C) is the correct answer? Option (B) and (C) both are talking about the same thing ?

Hi mkmanderna,

Question 4 can be inferred from the lines:

"The enormous rights in wrongful discharge suites has created incentives for organizations to use temporary, contract, and leased employees in order to distance themselves from potential litigation problems."

Implication: The organizations’ movement to the “new paradigm” is based in part on the expectation that wrongful discharge suites against employers are less likely if the employees are not permanent.

Now B would have been correct if it would have been: less likely to be filed by leased employees than by permanent employees and not contract employees, as an organization might not face wrongful discharge suite from both kind of employees (leased and contract) as compared to permanent.

Hope this Helps.
Thanks.

EducationAisle plese could you check if my reasoning for rejecting (C) and (E) in Q3. are correct?

(C) It further weakens an argument that is being challenged by the author.

No. The author of the passage is not "challenging" any argument. He/she is simply stating facts of a given phenomenon. The lines (30-32) further strengthen the authors claim about this phenomenon

(E) It answers a question that is implicit in the preceding sentence (lines 27-30).

No. There is no question that is implicit in lines (27-39). Rather it provides statistical support to the preceding lines .

Would agree with your reasoning here Hoozan.

RC#9 - Long passage {3/4 correct}
Pharaphasing

Para 1: Employer-employee relations in the United States paradigm began to unravel from 1970, Employer reducing employees and employees looking out new opportunities, with growth in entrepreneurship

Para 2: Effect of shift from old paradigm to new paradigm:
- decreasing payroll costs by increasing outsource offering incentives to motivate
- top management is under increased pressure for higher levels of return on investment in the short run
- resulting in declines in hiring, increases in layoffs, and shortage of funds for employee development.

Para 3:
- Increased cynicism among employees about management’s motivation and competence
- Employee under high pressure for return of investment, with stress management workshop by employer
- the euphemistic jargon used by executives implementing frequently backfires & resulting in reduction of employee

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
A. discuss the financial implications of a recent shift in attitudes among workers
Wrong: Passage does not give information about financial implications of recent shifts among workers, it does speak about behaviour changes due to high pressure of return of investment without proper support from employer

B. propose a new approach for businesses to increase loyalty among their employees
Wrong: Passage gives information about shifting of old paradigm to new paradigm, no new approach is mentioned, in fact, there is no support for the employees expect stress management program, and incentives just to avoid conflicts is mentioned.

C. defend certain business practices in light of criticism of corporations, actions in a recent past
Wrong: No such details mentioned in the passage, in fact euphemistic jargon used, this too were backfired.

D. speculate about possible long-term benefits of a recent change in the general business climate
Wrong: No new ideas are mentioned in the passage about long term benefits to improve or change business climate.

E. consider some of the factors contributing to a major shift in employer-employee relationships
Correct: as mentioned in passage 2 line 1 “Several factors have generated movement from the old paradigm to the new one” and entire para 3 interpretation can be concluded as mentioned below help us to make option E, correct choice
- Increased cynicism among employees about management’s motivation and competence
- Employee under high pressure for return of investment, with stress management workshop by employer


2. The passage suggests that which of the following is a legitimate reason for organizations’ shift to the new model of employer-employee relations?
A. Organizations tend to operate more effectively when they have a high manager-to-employee ratio.
Wrong: as per information mentioned in passage, employer was reducing manpower because of recession in 1970, which ultimately divided same workload on remaining manpower, this made organization to adapt outsource manpower to complete the work, with this logic high manger to employee ratio cannot be justified.

B. Organizations can move their operations to less expensive locations more easily when they have fewer permanent employees.
Wrong: this is irrelevant, Passage has no information about employer less expensive location & fewer permeant employees

C. Organizations have found that they often receive higher quality work when they engage in outsourcing.
Wrong: very close to be correct & probably a trap, but the logic to eliminate option C, is the not the high quality work, but organization were having less manpower, and outsource agency were able to do the same with less cost to organization, this was not a choice or option with organization but after recession at limited staff, to make it survive they need to adapt outsourcing

D. Organizations with large pools of permanent workers risk significant financial losses if the demand for their product or service decreases.
Correct: as mentioned in passage para 2, “Large numbers of permanent employees make it difficult for organizations to respond quickly to downturns in demand by decreasing payroll costs.”

E. Organizations are under increasing pressure to adopt new technologies that often obviate the need for certain workers
Wrong: Passage does not mention about adaptation of new technology


3. Which of the following best characterizes the function of the final sentence of the passage (lines 30-32)?
Last line: “In a recent study of employees’ attitudes about management, 49 percent of the sample strongly agreed that “management will take advantage of you if given the chance.”
A. It is such as an alternative explanation for phenomenon discussed earlier in the passage.
Wrong:No this is not an alternative explanation, easy elimination

B. It provides data intended to correct a common misconception.
Wrong: No this is not a misconception backed with data explanation, easy elimination

C. It further weakens an argument that is being challenged by the author.
Wrong: this actually strengthen the author, as it supports the passage intended meaning about employee cynicism

D. It introduces a specific piece of evidence in support of a claim made at beginning of the final paragraph (lines 20-21).
Line 20-21: “At the same time, a lack of forthrightness on the part of organizations has led to increased cynicism among employees about management’s motivation and competence.”
Correct: Line 20-21 is a argument and line 30-32 works as a support to argument with data

E. It answers a question that is implicit in the preceding sentence (lines 27-30)
Line 27-30 “But the euphemistic jargon used by executives to justify the changes they were implementing frequently backfires; rather than engendering sympathy for management’s position, it sparks employees’ desire to be free of the organization all together”
Wrong: Last line 27-30, when we ask, why employees are getting free? the answer is due to “the euphemistic jargon used by executives to justify the changes they were implementing frequently backfires, this has weaken the management position” , it cannot be “49% of sample – “management will take advantage of you”


4. The passage suggests that organizations’ movement to the “new paradigm” (line 11) is based in part on the expectation that wrongful discharge suites against employers are?
New Paradigm: we need relation between contract employee (out sourced) vs (permanent employee)
A. less likely to be filed by non-managerial employees than by managers
Wrong: Non-Managerial and Manager employee, technically (both can be in same category)

B. less likely to be filed by leased employees than by contract employees
Wrong: Leased employees and contract employees, technically (both can be in same category)

C. less likely to be filed by contract employees than by permanent employees
Correct: relation is between contract employees (out sourced) and permanent employee)
Supported by line mentioned in para 2: “The enormous rights in wrongful discharge suites have created incentives for organizations to use temporary, contract, and leased employees in order to distance themselves from potential litigation problems”

D. more likely to be filed by employees with a long history in the organization than by newer hirers
Wrong:New employee vs old employee of same organisation

E. more likely to be filed in small organizations than in large ones
Wrong: small organization vs large organization

Some basic RC thoughts

1. The passage starts with the employer- employee relationship & changes, in due course of time. No opinion. Therefore he is considering some factors contributing.

2. The risk of loosing business due to large work force.

3. It is giving a fact supporting the discussion in final paragraph.

4. The leased and contract may generate the discussion but overall its short term, contract employees are being talked about.

please comment incase basic concepts require more understanding & further discussion.