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qhoc0010
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(C)
Same explanation PRaveen gave
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my choice is C

The only way the worker will gain without wage increase is by buying their company's products, which prices are going down.
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If new working practices raise a firm's productivity, will the firm respond by paying its workers more? Not in a competitive market. In such a market the firm, to gain a competitive edge, will reduce prices. The workers' real wages, as measured by those wages' purchasing power, will still rise because of lower prices.

In a competitive market which of the following, if true, ensures that the workers of a firm that achieved productivity gains will derive from these gains the benefit of higher real wages?

(A) The workers' firm continues to achieve productivity gains.
(B) Other firms do not achieve comparable productivity gains.
(C) The workers buy products made by the firm that employs them.
(D) The workers prefer the new working practices over the old.
(E) The firm pays its workers at or above the industry's average.
---------

I do not like this question at all. But the logic here is that in competitive market the firm will not play more to it's workers, so the wages of these workers will remain the same, But
the real wages will become higher if the workers buy the cheaper production.
So yes, it is only C.
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A tough one for me. Even after analyzing OA a dozen times, I dont see how it fits as a solution. The aim here is though salaries dont rise lets make the cost prices less. As per option A, if workers go on increasing the company's productivity, the same price cut would be applicable making the same/higher purchasing potential.
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qhoc0010
If new working practices raise a firm's productivity, will the firm respond by paying its workers more? Not in a competitive market. In such a market the firm, to gain a competitive edge, will reduce prices. The workers' real wages, as measured by those wages' purchasing power, will still rise because of lower prices.

In a competitive market which of the following, if true, ensures that the workers of a firm that achieved productivity gains will derive from these gains the benefit of higher real wages?

(A) The workers' firm continues to achieve productivity gains.
(B) Other firms do not achieve comparable productivity gains.
(C) The workers buy products made by the firm that employs them.
(D) The workers prefer the new working practices over the old.
(E) The firm pays its workers at or above the industry's average.

The only reason i think A is the OA is because when a particular firm's productivity increases, the price of their products drop. Subsequently other competitors also drop their prices to stay in the market(although we don't know they make profit or not) this reduces prices overall and they have a greater advantage than option C.
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Understanding the argument -
If new working practices raise a firm's productivity, will the firm respond by paying its workers more? - Question
Not in a competitive market. - Fact
In such a market the firm, to gain a competitive edge, will reduce prices. - Fact
The workers' real wages, as measured by those wages' purchasing power, will still rise because of lower prices. - Conclusion

Option Elimination -

(A) The workers' firm continues to achieve productivity gains. - But this doesn't ensure that the workers will derive the benefit of higher real wages.
(B) Other firms do not achieve comparable productivity gains. - Out of scope.
(C) The workers buy products made by the firm that employs them. - ok.
(D) The workers prefer the new working practices over the old. - Out of scope.
(E) The firm pays its workers at or above the industry's average. - Out of scope.
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