GMAT Focus Diagnostic

Page 5 of 5 - Final Questions

Question 9

"The CEO of a software engineering firm plans to boost total corporate productivity by replacing all private, closed-door offices with a single, open-plan workspace. The CEO bases this decision on a recent industry study showing that open-plan layouts increase spontaneous employee collaboration and idea-sharing by over 40%."

Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the CEO’s expectation that the plan will succeed?

A) The cost of remodeling the office into an open-plan layout is higher than the financial value of the expected productivity gains in the first year. B) Spontaneous collaboration typically accounts for only a modest percentage of a software engineering firm's overall daily operations. C) Open-plan layouts significantly increase ambient noise and visual distractions, leading to a severe drop in the individual "deep work" productivity required for software engineering. D) The employees at the software engineering firm were not consulted before the CEO made the final decision to change the layout.

Question 10

"In a recent large-scale consumer survey, 70% of respondents stated they would strongly prefer to purchase eco-friendly cleaning products over standard alternatives, provided the price was identical. However, subsequent retail data from major grocery chains reveals that eco-friendly cleaning products account for only 15% of total sales in categories where they are priced exactly the same as the standard alternatives."

Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the information above?

A) Consumers consistently lie on market research surveys regarding their environmental preferences. B) Factors other than price and stated environmental preferences heavily influence the purchasing decisions of these consumers. C) Eco-friendly cleaning products are generally perceived to be of lower quality than standard cleaning products. D) Major grocery chains stock significantly fewer eco-friendly products than standard products on their shelves.

GMAT Expert Tip: "Weaken the Plan" Questions

When a GMAT question asks you to weaken a proposed plan (like Question 9), the correct answer almost always introduces an unexpected negative side effect that prevents the plan from achieving its specific stated goal. Showing that the open-plan office destroys individual productivity directly attacks the CEO's goal of boosting overall corporate productivity.

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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the CEO’s expectation that the plan will succeed?

Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the information above?

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