Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical

Question

Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were those who were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic.

A. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were those who were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic.

B. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic.

C. Years ago, when many organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, leaders who were great were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic.

D. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, leaders who were great were unemotional, rational, and also mechanistic.

E. Years ago, when many organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were those who were unemotional, rational, and also mechanistic.

daagh · Answer

More to do with concision, it looks

A. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders  were those who were  unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic --- coloured part redundant

B. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic. ---- Concise choice

C. Years ago, when many organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, leaders  who were great  were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic. --- coloured part redundant
D. Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, leaders  who were grea t were unemotional, rational, and also mechanistic --- coloured part redundant

E. Years ago, when many organizations were based on the hierarchical business model of the Industrial Age, great leaders were  those who were  unemotional, rational, and also mechanistic. ---- coloured part redundant

HardWorkBeatsAll · Answer

This IS a tough one!! Thanks for posting.

There is also a subtle change of meaning -

great leaders were those who were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic. => seems to imply that anyone who was unemotional yada yada was a great leader

great leaders were unemotional, rational, and even mechanistic. => seems to imply that great leaders were unemotional etc.

Malbash212 · Answer

Lol you scored 750 on the GMAT, according to you is it really a tough one? Apparently this one is like a 600 level one.

DarleneTran · Answer

daagh

Hi, I would like to ask that how we can know "those who were" or similar term is redundant or not.

daagh · Answer

In all those redunadnt parts, we unifiromly see that the verb "were" (those who were... were) is being used twice. We can legally reduce such clauses more concisely as in C. Redundance often is about perception. One has to have an eye for such things. Lot of reading may help the situation, I feel.

ArtVandaley · Answer

Hi  daagh ,
I carried with me a doubt since a long time and this question has given me the opportunity to gain wisdom from you.

What is the difference between great leaders and leaders who were great???
To me both are same and have same meaning.

Can you please clarify whether they change the meaning?

Posted from my mobile device

daagh · Answer

Dear ArtVan
 In the shorter version if the verb 'were' is not added it may twist the meaning . Longer version refers to those who were great in the past but we can't say about their status in the current times. They may be continue to be great or may not be so great as before. On the contrary, by simply saying great leaders, we taken them as eternally great. 
I hope your question is more general than specific to the topic on hand because in the the topic on hand there is no comparison to the contemporary leaders.

ArtVandaley · Answer

daagh  that's excellent. I didn't think from that perspective.

Yes my query was more general than related to this problem.

What if the sentence is in present?

Great leaders are smart vs lesders who are great are smart.

Can I infer that the first one says that all great leaders are smart irrespective of the time frame.

Whereas the second one limits the application to only those who ARE great. Not those who were great or those who will be great.

Is that correct?

Posted from my mobile device

VerbalBot · Answer

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Years ago, when most organizations were based on the hierarchical

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