The fact that a superior product can generate a

Question

The fact that a superior product can generate a competitive advantage for a company does not mean that every attempt at improving a product's quality will create such an advantage. Investments in product quality, like those in marketing and distribution, must be weighed against other types of investments with regard to direct, tangible benefits, such as increased profitability (including one or both of decreased costs and increased revenues) resulting from an investment. If a company is already competitive with others in the market in providing a product that is satisfactory to customers and avoids a negative reputation, then investment in increasing the quality of the product may be wasted because product quality, so long as it exceeds a minimum threshold, is rarely a primary factor for most customers in their buying decisions.

This concept was not understood by executives of one leading toy company, which failed to improve its competitive position, despite tremendous investment in strengthening the durability of its wooden toys. The toy company's executives did not recognize the leading role in which the brand names of their company and that of their primary competitors play in the buying decisions of their customers. As such, customers who are satisfied with a certain brand tend to remain loyal to that brand, despite changes in the quality of products made by that brand or any of its competitors. Similarly, they failed to analyze and properly understand the negative effects of an improvement in product quality, whereby their future purchases by customers loyal to their brand were actually cannibalized by the improved durability and extended lifespan of the newly improved toys. The only positive outcome of the improved product quality was the ability to easily market the toys to customers.  This primary purpose of this passage is to
 a. compare potential positive and negative outcomes of a type of business investment.
 b. suggest greater due diligence into a type of business investment.
 c. illustrate a variety of cases in which a type of business investment could fail to achieve greater revenue.
 d. analyze the general problems of a company caused by a certain type of business investment.
 e. criticize the manner in which managers tend to consider costs and benefits of business investments.
 1 
 B

Why can't c. be the answer?
According to VeritasPrep, (C) is incorrect as the passage only explores one case in which an investment did not achieve increased revenue.

I can see one example of a business and several cases such as
1. If a company is already competitive with others in the market
2. Brand loyalty as over looked by the toy company

Please help. Thank you.

joshnsit · Answer

Hi, C actually tells about illustrations and illustrations are factual. Since, the passage is about an opinion of author, so it cant be an illustration. I applied OCTAVE to this and got B and E after that. Only B and E were Opinions. Then E specified and focused only on 2nd para, so remaining choice was B. BTW, this is a modification of OG passage: the-fact-that-superior-service-can-generate-a-competitive-67847.html?fl=similar

vietmoi999 · Answer

please, tell me what is OCTAVE

I want to learn from you

sanjoo · Answer

IMO B

C looks bit broad. Look at the intro of passage, the wording shows author is actually alerting, and the author tone shows that He actually want their reader to analyze different factors before investing.
In starting of the second paragraph author starting with "This concept was not understood by executives of one leading toy company" again it shows that be alert ! Or Be conscious or " due diligence into a type of business investment".

TheMechanic · Answer

This passage is Dangerously similar to the-fact-that-superior-service-can-generate-a-competitive-67847-20.html

prashantrchawla · Answer

Why A is wrong, The passage clearly compares potential positive and negative outcomes of a investing in quality. 
Lot of negative impacts were discussed about investing in quality for already popular product. However, end of the second passage also mention "The only positive outcome of the improved product quality was the ability to easily market the toys to customers."

pramitmishra0607 · Answer

A is wrong because the passage discusses only one positive outcome not "outcomes". Moreover the outcomes discussed are not potential outcomes but actual outcomes of a company's decision. You need to verify every word.

anje29 · Answer

OCTAVE concept in RC O---> opinion of author C---> contrast toward T----> Tone of the passage A----> Avoid superlative V----> Verify each word E----> Always eliminate not select Happy Learning

Nikhil · Answer

Discussed here the-fact-that-superior-service-can-generate-a-competitive-advantage-fo-67847.html

The fact that a superior product can generate a

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