To maximize profits, an employer should control his or her environment

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 141, Date : 12-APR-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

To maximize profits, an employer should control his or her environment in a factory, shop, or office and make sure that examples of energy and efficiency are numerous enough to catch employee attention and establish an atmosphere of industry. In the workplace, there are instances in which it would be in the mutual interest of the employer and the employees to increase the speed of work, but conditions may limit or forbid the use of pace-setters. In construction work and in some of the industries, where there are minute subdivisions of operations and continuity of processes, this method of increasing efficiency is very commonly applied with the use of time cards and software. In many factories, however, such an effort to “speed up” production might stir resentment, even among the workers paid at a fixed rate for each unit produced or action performed, and have an effect exactly opposite to that desired. The alternative, of course, is for the employer to secure unconscious pace setting by providing incentives for the naturally ambitious men and women in the way of a premium or bonus system or other reward for above-average efficiency.

Accordingly, to take advantage of the benefits of conscious or voluntary imitation, workers must be provided with examples that appeal to them as admirable and inspire the wish to emulate them. A common application of this principle is seen in the choice of department heads, foremen, and other bosses. Invariably these people win promotion by industry, skill, and efficiency greater than that displayed by their direct peers, or by mastery of their skills that enables them to show their less efficient peers how any and all operations should be conducted. This focusing of attention upon individuals worthy of imitation has been carried much farther by various companies. Some create weekly or monthly papers published primarily for circulation within the organization to record every incident reflecting unusual skill, initiative, or personal power in an individual member of the organization.  A big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time , a new personal record in production, the invention of an unproved method or machine—whatever the achievement, it is described and glorified, its perpetrator praised and held up for emulation. This, indeed, is one of the methods by which the larger sales organizations have obtained remarkable results.   1 
 1. The author of the passage mentions a “big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time,” ( Highlighted ) in order to

A. describe a list of rewards companies frequently offer high-achieving employees.
B. list some examples through which companies take unconscious incentivizing to the next level.
C. offer praise to companies for incentivizing high productivity. 
D. further incentivize workers to achieve maximum productivity. 
E. reflect upon the unusual skill, initiative, or personal power in the individual members of certain organizations.

we can say that the author mentions these phrases to list out the activities included in companies internal newsletters to motivate the workers. 
A. Incorrect: Out of Context

These items are not rewards but rather the achievements themselves.
B. Correct

his list appears in the middle of the second paragraph. The preceding sentence mentions how companies create internal newsletters to praise efficient work and spotlight the workers. The sentence describes each item as an "achievement" to be
"described and glorified."
C. Incorrect: Out of Context

The author objectively describes these items as things included in certain companies internal publications to incentivize workers.
D. Incorrect: Out of Context

This may be the companies' aim in publishing internal newsletters, but this is not the AUTHOR's reason for listing these achievements.
E. Incorrect: Out of Context

While the content of the newsletters does reflect upon unusual skill, author’s purpose of reflecting this is not to discuss the achievement but to illustrate how companies take unconscious encouragement to the next level. 
 2 
 2. The author is primarily concerned with

A. describing situations in which company policies do not always lead to more productivity. 
B. incentivizing workers in order to achieve maximum product output.
C. presenting two ways using which the companies can influence pace-setting and explaining one in greater depth
D. suggesting changes to company structure and policy that curtail efficiency. 
E. explaining how companies can best inspire sub-producing workers to achieve their best results.

A. Incorrect: Partial Scope

The first paragraph does mention this point briefly in its discussion of pace-setting, but the second paragraph doesn't explore the lack of productivity. Overall, the passage is concerned with what companies are successfully doing, not their missteps.

B.Incorrect: Out of Context

This is the goal of the companies described in the passage, not the goal of the passage itself. The author seems to be giving advice to companies, not to workers.
C. Correct

This is similar to what we came up in main point analysis. 
D. Incorrect: Out of Context

The author describes two ways of maximizing profit. He does not compare these two methods with older methods, nor does he/she complain that current policies are ineffective and curtail efficiency. The tone of the passage is not critical or negative.

E.Incorrect: Partial scope

This is the purpose of the second paragraph, not the entire passage. The first paragraph focuses on conscious pace-setting and the instances in which it can/cannot lead to more profits. 
 3 
 3. With which of the following statements would the author of the passage NOT agree?

A. Utilizing time cards and software can sometimes lead to less profitability.
B. Corporations looking to maximize profits should promote employees based on talent and skill rather than seniority. 
C. There is some disparity between the methods companies use to promote good examples to their employees. 
D. In order to maximize profitability, time cards and promotion of efficient paradigms must be used together. 
E. Certain employees might be averse to the idea of speeding up the production, even when there are distinct monetary benefits of doing so.
 A.Incorrect: Can be Inferred

This IS something the author would agree with as illustrated by the discussion of conscious pace-setting and factories in the first paragraph.
B. Incorrect: Can be Inferred

This IS something the author would agree with as mentioned in the second paragraph. The author states that, Invariably these people win promotion by industry, skill, and efficiency greater than that displayed by their direct peers, or by mastery of their skills
Since the above is cited as part of a strategy advocated by the author to maximize profits, choice B can be inferred as something that the author would agree with.
C. Incorrect: Can be Inferred

This IS something the author would agree with and is directly supported by the second paragraph, which states, "This focusing of attention upon individuals worthy of imitation has been carried much farther by various companies." "Various" companies create internal newsletters, so we can assume this is not a method all companies put into effect.
D. Correct: Opposite

The author introduces the strategy of promoting good examples as an alternative to use of time cards, implying that it’s not a must that they be used together. 
E. Incorrect: Can be Inferred

The author mentions in the first paragraph that

..., however, such an effort to "speed up" production might stir resentment, even among the workers paid at a fixed rate for each unit produced or action performed,...

Accordingly, it can be inferred that these workers will stand to benefit if they speed up their production work, but even then they might not be open to the idea of doing so. 
 4 
 4. Which of the following best illustrates an instance of successful unconscious pace-setting?

A. A car factory sets a quota for the number of windshields installed per hour incentivizes windshield-installers to work at a faster rate. 
B. A military unit consisting of infantrymen cross-train with multiple weapons so they are more efficient in battle.
C. A magazine regularly sets aside a column to name a specific “Employee of the Month” and award the employee for his/her dedication.
D. A watch repair store requiring its employees to self-report their hours finds them to be inaccurate.
E. An accounting firm that hires specialized workers to handle simultaneous parts of its billing increases efficiency by requiring workers to clock in and out.

A. Incorrect: Opposite

The paragraph warns that factory workers who are given such quotas can be resentful, and that ultimately such policies can backfire, decreasing inefficiency. 
B. Incorrect: Out Of Scope

The passage does not mention workers cross-training as a way to improve efficiency. The paragraph is specifically focused on whether setting pace expectations causes more or less efficiency. 
C.Correct

This is an example of unconscious pace setting mentioned in the passage.
D. Incorrect: Out of Scope

The morality of employees is outside the scope of the paragraph. The paragraph is concerned with the situations in which pace-setting is and is not effective at improving efficiency.
E. Incorrect: Out of Scope

There is no incentivizing mentioned here. This example is irrelevant to the passage.

Rishabh121 · Answer

Q1: B

The first three lines of the second paragraph clearly states: the need to set examples which the workers would want to emulate,
and could inspire them subconsciously. "A big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time" are some of the examples that could inspire employees.

Q2: C

1) "there there are minute subdivisions of operations and continuity of processes, this method of increasing efficiency is very commonly applied with the use of time cards and software".

2) "The alternative, of course, is for the employer to secure unconscious pace setting by providing incentives for the naturally ambitious men and women"
and the second one is explained in greater detail in the second paragraph.

Q3: D

Time cards is something author wouldn't agree too. As he mocks the use of time cards in the first paragraph ("speed up").

Q4: C

By awarding "employee of the month" to one employee, it could inspire other employees to achieve the same (or similar).

This is my first answer/post on gmatclub

Sneha333 · Answer

Not sure about the answers of Q1 and Q4.

Q1-->point B is about conscious effort not unconscious.

Q4-->Pont C is again Conscious pace setting.

globaldesi · Answer

Q4 Which of the following best illustrates an instance of successful unconscious pace-setting?

there is a small subtle difference between conscious and unconscious.
Conscious would have be in case of option A " A car factory sets a quota for the number of windshields installed per hour incentivizes windshield-installers to work at a faster rate. " Here an owner is explicitly setting hours (pace setting) whereas in option C " A magazine regularly sets aside a column to name a specific “Employee of the Month” and award the employee for his/her dedication."
The magzine owner never sets explicit criteria for employee of month. Rather employees would unconsciously set the pace to be an employee of the month

Q1-- Similarly these are some examples through which companies take unconscious incentivizing to the next level.
The lines abov "This focusing of attention upon individuals worthy of imitation has been carried much farther by various companies. " is anther explanation of unconscious

Timebomb · Answer

Can some one please explain why the word  "unconscious"  is used in the Question settings.

I got 2 questions wrong because of this.
From the passage.

"Accordingly, to take advantage of the benefits of  conscious  or voluntary imitation, workers must be provided with examples that appeal to them as admirable and inspire the wish to emulate them. "

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi

Which questions you have got wrong? Official explanation is given with each of the question. Click on spoiler button at the end of each question.

Happy prep.

TheNightKing · Answer

5 and a half minutes. One Incorrect.

Got tricked by Question 3.
A. Utilizing time cards and software can sometimes lead to less profitability.
B. Corporations looking to maximize profits should promote employees based on talent and skill rather than seniority.
C. There is some disparity between the methods companies use to promote good examples to their employees.
D. In order to maximize profitability, time cards and promotion of efficient paradigms must be used together.
E. Certain employees might be averse to the idea of speeding up the production, even when there are distinct monetary benefits of doing so.

A,B and E are out.
Between C and E, I ended up picking C because I thought the author is not talking about disparity as such but rather just presenting examples.
But D was my first instinct specially because A and D both talk about Punch cards

chaitnya10 · Answer

For People wondering why C is the answer to question 2.
The passage never states which method is the best. It is just discussing various ways to improve efficiency. Option E is extreme.

chaitnya10 · Answer

Q 3. A similar solution as for Q.2 Option D is extreme. Never was it mentioned that the two methods are to be use together.

owen1ee · Answer

I have a question for Q1. From passage below:

This focusing of attention upon individuals worthy of imitation has been carried much farther by various companies. Some  create weekly or monthly papers published primarily for circulation within the organization  to  record every incident reflecting unusual skill, initiative, or personal power in an individual member of the organization .

The listed things isn't reflecting people's achievement like above?

- controversy

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The author of the passage mentions a “big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time,” (Highlighted) in order to

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The passage discusses ways in which employers can maximize profits by increasing efficiency and productivity in the workplace. One method mentioned is to provide incentives for employees to increase the speed of work consciously or voluntarily. To do this, workers must be provided with examples of high-achieving individuals that inspire them to emulate such behavior.

The highlighted phrases,  "big order closed, a difficult contract secured, a complex or delicate operation performed in less than the usual time,"  are examples of notable achievements that employees might strive to accomplish. These examples serve to demonstrate how companies take unconscious incentivizing to the next level by highlighting and praising outstanding achievements of individual employees.

Option A  is not entirely accurate. While the mentioned examples can be considered rewards or achievements, the passage is not solely focused on listing rewards offered to high-achieving employees.

Option C  is not the primary purpose of mentioning these examples. The passage is more concerned with explaining methods of incentivizing high productivity rather than offering praise to companies.

Option D  is not the intent of mentioning the examples. The purpose is not to directly incentivize workers with these specific examples but to show how such achievements can inspire other employees to increase their productivity.

Option E  is partially correct. The examples do reflect upon the unusual skill and initiative of individual members of organizations, but the primary purpose of mentioning them is to demonstrate how these achievements are highlighted and glorified to inspire other employees to emulate them.

In summary,  option B  is the most appropriate choice as it accurately captures the purpose of mentioning the examples in the passage.

Answer: B

sayan640 · Answer

MartyMurray  In question 1 , wherein passage ( in which line ) was the "unconscious incentivizing" mentioned ? Not sure why the answer is B ?

MartyMurray · Answer

Unconscious incentivizing is mentioned in the last sentence of the first paragraph.

(B) is not clearly supported, though, because the second paragraph appears to have an issue with wording, in that it mentions "conscious or voluntary imitation" rather than "unconscious imitation."

If we decide that, despite that wording, the second paragraph is about unconscious incentivizing, the examples highlighted in yellow are examples companies use in taking unconscious incentivizing to a high level.

The wording "through which companies take unconscious incentivizing to the next level" is not ideal. "That companies use in taking unconscious incentivizing to the next level" would make more sense, but anyway, that's what's going on.

To maximize profits, an employer should control his or her environment

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

To maximize profits, an employer should control his or her environment

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