Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes

Question

Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior, information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy. the chief executive is therefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels.

Assumption: CEO receive their information only through their sub-ordinators. Because if they would have been receiving through other sources, they would have had some more clear picture regarding it.

The conclusion drawn above is based on the assumption that
a) problems should be solved at levels in the management hierarchy at which they occur
This statement is giving a solution and not an assumption.

b) employees should be rewarded for accurately reporting problems to their superiors
This again gives a solution rather than an assumption

c) problems-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy
Out of context. Gives a conclusion and not an assumption/

d) chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from the no source other than their subordinates
Refer to my assumption

e) some employees are more are concerned about truth than about the way they are perceived by their superiors
Out of context. We do not care about what they perceive.

egmat · Accepted Answer

Hi, The first step in the process is understanding the passage or drawing a logical structure. The argument structure is of the form A->B->C. Let's draw it: No employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior ------------>>>> information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy ----------------->>>>>>> the chief executive is less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels. Does the argument make sense? It says that employees don't want to be associated with bad news; so, they distort the bad news when they report to higher levels. Now, this means that chief executive would be less well informed about problems than his juniors (this is because the distortion in information increase as the information travels up the heirarchy). Now, in these kind of causal arguments A->B: we need to consider all the statements which could break this relationship and negation of such statements would be assumption (since our conclusion is that the relation A->B holds, so anything which prevents such relationship, we assume it not to be true) Now, if you can pre-think an assumption in this case, do it; if not, just move on to the options. However, for understanding purpose, let's see how prethinking can be done here: Is there a way chief executive knows as well as his juniors even though information is distorted as it travels up? The answer could be that if he has some other source of information than his immediate juniors. In this case, he'll probably know as well or better than his juniors. Therefore the assumption for the conclusion to hold, would be that Chief executive has no other source of information than his juniors. This is what is expressed by option D, which is the correct choice. Hope this helps

Thanks, Chiranjeev

alicegmat · Answer

Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior, information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy. the chief executive is therefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels.

The conclusion drawn above is based on the assumption that
a) problems should be solved at levels in the management hierarchy at which they occur
b) employees should be rewarded for accurately reporting problems to their superiors
c) problems-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy
d) chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from the no source other than their subordinates 
e) some employees are more are concerned about truth than about the way they are perceived by their superiors

The assumption here is a logic gap assumption.
An assumption is what is absolutely necessary for the conclusion to be true. In short, an assumption is a hidden premise that bridges the gap between the premises and the conclusion.
See how the premises jump to the conclusion here.

Premise 1. No employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of the superior. 
Premise 2. Hence, information about serious problems at lower levels is softened and distorted as it goes up the management ladder.
Conclusion: the CEO is less well informed about the problems at lower level than the sub-ordinates at that levels.

Premises say that information is softened by sub-ordinates. Conclusion says that the CEO is less well informed that sub-ordinates. Does it not assume that CEO is not informed by any other means than his sub-ordinates?

Try negating the choice D. The conclusion falls apart.
Negating is a good test on assumption questions.

Lets have a look at other choices.
A - problem  solving  is not discussed in the argument. though this seems like a real world solution, it is not in the scope of the argument and by no means is the assumption made to reason.
B - same as A. it is a solution. not an assumption
C - this is a trap choice! this is NOT an assumption. this might be true but this is not an assumption. even if problem solving ability were not more important at higher levels, this argument would remain valid. 
D - correct answer as discussed above.
E - this assumption actually weakening the conclusion by challenging the premises. Remember, in CR assumption questions the validity of premises and conclusion cannot be challenged unless the question asks for a flaw in reasoning in which the assumption is put in a negative light!!

sudhir18n · Answer

D is a supporter Assumption..The conclusion brings in the new piece of information "CEO".. so Use this in the answer choices

thangvietname · Answer

There are 2 kinds of assumptions which are explained in the book GMAT CRITICAL REASONING BIBLE by powerscore.

The 2 kinds are defender assumption and supporter assumption.

The problem is that negation test make clear the assumption.

in hard assumption questions in gmatprep va Manhantan, I normally see there are 2 choice, negation of both of which weakens the argument and can both be an assumption. However, only one is correct. Other choice is considered far. The example is question "bacteria on earth now" in gmatprep.

Carcass · Answer

Bold = premise

Red = conclusion

Assumption = only D is true for the conclusion

A) problem solving is not the point

B) employee rewarded is not the point

C) PS ability is more important is not the point

E) how employee are perceived is not the point

ChrisLele · Answer

For this argument to hold true, the phrase, 'goes up each step in the hierarchy' must apply to the conclusion. However, unless the C.E.O. is getting his/her news from the person/s directly below him/her and that person/s directly below them, then distortion is not likely to happen. Meaning that if the C.E.O. hears bad news from someone far lower on the hierarchy the conclusion does not hold true. Therefore (D) works best.

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umeshpatil · Answer

I liked the explanation by e-GMAT. Adding to this..

The assumption here is a logic gap assumption.
An assumption is what is absolutely necessary for the conclusion to be true. In short, an assumption is a hidden premise that bridges the gap between the premises and the conclusion.
See how the premises jump to the conclusion here.

Premise 1.  
No employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of the superior.
 Premise 2. 
Hence, information about serious problems at lower levels is softened and distorted as it goes up the management ladder.
 Conclusion:  
The CEO is less well informed about the problems at lower level than the sub-ordinates at that levels.

Premises say that information is softened by sub-ordinates. Conclusion says that the CEO is less well informed that sub-ordinates. Does it not assume that CEO is not informed by any other means than his sub-ordinates? Option D opens up the answer for this question.

mbaiseasy · Answer

Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior, information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy.  the chief executive is therefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels .

a) problems should be solved at levels in the management hierarchy at which they occur
 this is not about what needs to be done.. irrelevant... the issue is whether the chief executive know any less than his or her subordinates...

b) employees should be rewarded for accurately reporting problems to their superiors
 same as a... not the issue...

c) problems-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy
 the issue is whether the chief executive is any less informed.. out...

d) chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from the no source other than their subordinates 
 bingo! if there are other sources then the conclusion is not solid...

e) some employees are more are concerned about truth than about the way they are perceived by their superiors
 if so, then the author shouldn't conclude that the chief executive will know less... if they are not that concerned about how they are percieved.. opposite... out

nandetapuri · Answer

Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes of a superior, information about serious problems at lower levels is progressively softened and distorted as it goes up each step in the management hierarchy. the chief executive is therefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels.

Assumption: CEO receive their information only through their sub-ordinators. Because if they would have been receiving through other sources, they would have had some more clear picture regarding it.

The conclusion drawn above is based on the assumption that
a) problems should be solved at levels in the management hierarchy at which they occur
  This statement is giving a solution and not an assumption.

b) employees should be rewarded for accurately reporting problems to their superiors
  This again gives a solution rather than an assumption

c) problems-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy
  Out of context. Gives a conclusion and not an assumption/

d) chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from the no source other than their subordinates 
 Refer to my assumption

e) some employees are more are concerned about truth than about the way they are perceived by their superiors
 Out of context. We do not care about what they perceive.

Abhishek009 · Answer

THe official flow of information according to the Organizational hierarchy can be represented as the blue and purple lines.... e1a444_01da3f98eb734d4894a899b1a3103ca0_mv2.jpg What if the CEO , alike police has its informers / seeks data by direct interaction from the lines men/ ground information (indicated by the red lines).... The same idea has been presented in option (D)...

stackskillz · Answer

Conc : The chief executive is therefore, less well informed about problems at lower levels than are his or her subordinates at those levels.

(A)  problems should be solved at levels in the management hierarchy at which they occur  - Does the chief know more/less than his subordinates at lower levels? Doesn't really answer this question.  Drop

(B)  employees should be rewarded for accurately reporting problems to their superiors  -  Does the chief know more/less than his subordinates at lower levels? Doesn't really answer this question.  Drop

(C)  problems-solving ability is more important at higher levels than it is at lower levels of the management hierarchy  - Does the chief know more/less than his subordinates at lower levels? Doesn't really answer this question.  Drop

(D)  chief executives obtain information about problems at lower levels from the no source other than their subordinates  - If this is true, this does imply that chief executives don't know more than their lower level subordinates, i.e., they don't have any other source to verify or check against.  Keep

(E)  some employees are more concerned about truth than about the way they are perceived by their superiors   - Does the chief know more/less than his subordinates at lower levels? Doesn't really answer this question.  Drop

Arunava7393 · Answer

bb   Bunuel

This question needs edit.

Option D has a the in wrong place (After From) which is making comprehension almost impossible.

Correct source don't have it. (Remove "the").

Thanks

Bunuel · Answer

__________________
Fixed that. Thank you.

edjksh · Answer

Sir, I didn't understand the answer properly will u help me that why we choose option D in easy way . 
Thank u for reading this request letter . I'm so great ful .

bb · Answer

One of the best ways of answering critical reasoning questions is answer them in your own words.

So I would encourage you too, just think and try to answer this question in your own words, what assumption would be required?

For this argument to work, the only required assumption I could think of was that for information to be distorted at the CEO level, it must pass through those channels. If the information was delivered directly then the argument would not hold true.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes

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Because no employee wants to be associated with bad news in the eyes

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