Some of the first attempts to standardize business practices came

Question

Some of the first attempts to standardize business practices came about during wartime. In world War I, shells frequently failed to detonate simply because two British armament manufactures had slightly different definitions of an inch. During World War II, Britain placed inspectors in weapons factories to determine the cause of accidental detonations. This led to a system by which potential suppliers had to detail their production processes - and ensure that workers stuck to them - before the supplier could be approved for a government contract. In 1959, the US developed its Quality Program Requirements for military procurement, and NATO followed suit in 1968. By 1987, the UK had formulated the BS9000, one of the first attempts to apply third--party standardization to a non-military manufacturing area: in this case, the electronics industry. Today's ISO9000, a global set of standards used by diverse businesses and governments, can be traced back to the BS9000. The ISO-a non-governmental organization consisting of representatives from 149 countries - has, to date, a portfolio of over 15,000 standards.

Implementation of ISO standards has not always gone smoothly. Too often, a company attempting to conform to standards has created an extra layer of bureaucracy - and all the paperwork that goes along with one - without actually improving processes. In addition, the military origins of the standardization process led to a system that was not always well-suited to businesses that were not traditional factory-floor operations. Recent ISO versions have tried to minimize the emphasis on documentation, and to stress management system effectiveness, process improvement, and customer satisfaction. Like any tool of business, however, ISO standards are used more effectively by some than by others. The difference lies in whether a set of standards is seen as a way to improve business practices or as an annoying checklist of obstacles.

In coming years, more ISO standards will apply to non-manufacturing realms such as the environment, service industries, security, information and communication, and even sociopolitical. Countries that have signed on to the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade have agreed to ISO assurance that their regulations do not amount to protectionism. International standardization also has the potential to allow developing countries a better chance at competing with businesses from richer nations, though this potential has only begun to be realized.   1 
 1. Which of the following is the most appropriate title of the passage?

A. How the ISO Became the Standard Bearer of Standards
B. Applying Military Methods to the Business World
C. The Future of the ISO
D. Problems Associated with Implementing Business Standards
E. A Brief History of Business Practice Standards

2 
 2. According to the passage, which of the following has been true of third-party standardization of the British electronics industry?

A. It has invariably led businesses to create extra layers of bureaucracy.
B. It has led to the formulation of the ISO9000.
C. It was created while Britain was at war.
D. Some of the standard practices were used by the military.
E. It was based on the Quality Program Requirements devised by the U.S..

3 
 3. The passage suggests that implementing ISO standards has led some businesses to _______.

A. make changes that have not been productive
B. create environmentally harmless manufacturing processes
C. adopt some of the same managerial practices of military operations
D. identify new methods with which to gauge customer satisfaction
E. improve their own internal standards

4 
 4. The passage suggests which of the following about the future of international standardization?

A. Developing nations will take a greater part in devising the standards
B. ISO standards will be less useful to traditional factory-floor operations
C. Security concerns will be addressed by a greater number of ISO standards
D. A greater number of businesses will use the standards to improve their practices
E. It will be used to punish countries that practice protectionism.

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

1. Which of the following is the most appropriate title of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

This is a Universal question that requires you to tie together the entire passage. The 1st paragraph outlines the origins of business standard practices, and the final paragraph talks about the future of the standards. In between, there is a brief discussion of how the standards have been used and how they have changed over time.

(A):  This choice doesn’t take into account most of the 1st paragraph. 
 (B):  Standards aren’t mentioned in this choice. 
 (C):  The focus is not primarily on the future. 
 (D):  The focus is not primarily on problems.

Answer: E

2. According to the passage, which of the following has been true of third-party standardization of the British electronics industry?

Difficulty Level:   550

Explanation

The 1st paragraph states that the BS9000 was  “one of the first attempts to apply third-party standardization to a non-military manufacturing area; in this case, the electronics industry. Today’s ISO9000, a global set of standards used by diverse businesses and governments, can be traced back to the BS9000.”

(A): “Invariably”  is too strong. 
 (C):  This was never said to be true of third-party standardization. 
 (D):  The passage never states that this is so. 
 (E):  No connection is directly made between the QPR and third-party standardization of the British electronics industry.

Answer: B

3. The passage suggests that implementing ISO standards has led some businesses to _______.

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

The 2nd paragraph states that  “Too often, a company attempting to conform to standards has created an extra layer of bureaucracy-- and all the paperwork that goes along with one-- without actually improving processes.”

(B):  The last paragraph states that standards may affect the environment in the future. 
 (C):  Nowhere does the passage state that businesses started using military practices. 
 (D):  Methods of gauging satisfaction were not mentioned. 
 (E):  Internal standards were not mentioned.

Answer: A

4. The passage suggests which of the following about the future of international standardization?

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

The last paragraph begins,  “In coming years, more ISO standards will apply to non-manufacturing realms such as the environment, service industries, security” .

(A):  There is nothing in the passage about an increased role for developing nations. 
 (B):  The standards will apply to a greater range of businesses, but that is not to say that they won't apply to traditional Operations as well. 
 (D):  Whether the businesses actually improve their practices remains to be seen. 
 (E):  Nothing in the passage deals with punishment.

Answer: C

Hope it helps

jamifahad · Answer

Ask these questions: 1) Is ISO the only standard mentioned in passage? No. other business practice standards before ISO are also mentioned.
2) Has ISO evolved from some previous standards? Yes. Infact there is a chronological order in which practices have been mentioned.
3) Has author dedicated more words to the past/present of Standards in general than to ISO's future? Yes.

E. A Brief history of Business Practice Standards.

A. Out of scope
B. Opposite of this is true. ISO has not been useful to non-traditional factory-floor operations.
C. Richer nation agreed to ISO standards hence leveling the playing field with poorer nation. OA.
D. Doesn't say greater number of businesses will use standards because standards depend totally on the implementation and whether it is perceived as a way to improve business or as an obstacle.
E. Out of scope.

arorni · Answer

Hi,

Can someone help me with the question 4:

4. The passage suggests which of the following about the future of international standardization?

A. Developing nations will take a greater part in devising the standards -> Incorrect, as developing nations will get chance to compete but we don't know if they will get chance to devise standards.

B. ISO standards will be less useful to traditional factory-floor operations ----> It's not mentioned..
C. Security concerns will be addressed by a greater number of ISO standards ----> Is C the correct answer because protectionism will not be favored by any of the participating country. confused between C and D. 
D. A greater number of businesses will use the standards to improve their practices-----> selected D as developing nations will get chance to compete with the other advance nation. 
E. It will be used to punish countries that practice protectionism. -----> It's said that countries agreeing with the standard has agreed not to favor protectionism.. but it's not mentioned that the countries that practice protectionism will be punished.

Can somebody please explain?

nightwalkeuv · Answer

Same doubt ,selected D as developing nations will get chance to compete with the other advance nation, in option C we are just extending a small information to make bigger statement

In first question1,I dont get the preference you give when we talk about 1 st option , how the ISO became standards (this includes the history as well that how it originated " but the option E,(only talks about History ,clearly does not include Future(last para) .

guddo · Answer

I’d say (C) is actually  almost directly stated , not an extension. The passage says that  “in coming years, more ISO standards will apply to... security.”  That directly supports the idea that more security concerns will be covered by ISO standards.

(D) makes an unsupported jump. The fact that developing countries may become better able to compete does  not  mean that a greater number of businesses will use ISO standards specifically to improve their practices. They could benefit from standardization in other ways.

So (C) stays very close to the text, while (D) adds a new claim that the passage never makes.

guddo · Answer

I’d say the key is that  (E) describes the passage more broadly than (A) .

(A) suggests that the passage mainly explains  how ISO itself became the leading standards organization . But much of the passage discusses the development of standardization before ISO, as well as implementation problems and later expansion.

(E), “A Brief History of Business Practice Standards,” can still include the final paragraph. A historical overview can end by discussing  where that development is heading next . The future section is presented as the latest stage in the evolution of business standards, not as a separate main topic.

So even though (E) says “history,” it still fits the overall structure better than (A).

egmat · Answer

Hi nightwalkeuv,

I see exactly where this is coming from, so let's put C and D side by side against the actual text.

Your instinct that C feels like a "big" statement is worth checking - but look at the first sentence of the last paragraph:

"In coming years, more ISO standards will apply to non-manufacturing realms such as  the environment, service industries, security , information and communication..."

Security is named directly in that list.  So C isn't extending a minor detail - it's just restating something the passage explicitly says: more ISO standards, applied to more realms, and security is one of them. That's about as close to a straight paraphrase as RC gets.

Why D doesn't hold

D says "a greater number of businesses will use the standards to  improve their practices ." You're mapping this onto the line about developing countries getting "a better chance at competing." But watch the two gaps:

-  "Chance to compete" is not "will improve their practices."  Getting a fairer shot at competition is a  possibility , not a statement that businesses will actually adopt the standards and get better.
- The passage even flags this earlier: whether standards improve a business "lies in whether a set of standards is seen as a way to improve business practices or as an annoying checklist." So the passage deliberately leaves the  outcome  open.

So D requires you to add an assumption the text never gives, while C simply repeats what's on the page.

A quick test to feel the difference:  if a report says  "cheaper internet gives rural students a better chance to learn,"  can you conclude  "more students will improve their grades" ? No - a  chance  isn't an  outcome . That's the same leap D asks you to make.

On RC, the answer that quietly restates the passage almost always beats the one that sounds bigger but needs an extra step.

Answer: C

Some of the first attempts to standardize business practices came

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Some of the first attempts to standardize business practices came

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