PrepTest 114

Incorrect. There's no indication that the suggestions wouldn't be directed at the employee in these dialogues. In fact, emphasizing how the employee contributed to the ideas would almost require directing the suggestion at them.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
Goal — Improve efficiency
Problem — If management makes suggestions to do this, employees resent them
Approach — Engage in dialogue that focuses on the employee's contributions to ideas for improvement

Answer Anticipation:
Strengthen (Principle) questions ask us to find a principle that connects the details in the premises to the judgment in the conclusion.

Here, the "judgment" in the conclusion is a recommendation—to improve efficiency have a dialogue with employees to emphasize their contributions to ideas on how to achieve this goal. Why? Because making these suggestions without the employee feedback or contribution will result in resentment and the suggestions are likely to be implemented slowly and ineffectively.

Let's find an answer then connecting those ideas—that getting employee feedback on an idea makes it more likely they'll like and try that idea.

Answer Explanation:
This answer supports the recommendation by establishing that it's more likely to lead to successfully reaching the goal.

Key Takeaway:
For Strengthen (Principle) questions if there's a should statement focus on that. It's almost certainly what you're going to need to find an answer justifying.

Incorrect. This answer is solid until the end, when it discusses a dialogue in which they didn't participate. There's no indication that the ideas generated without employee input came from some other dialogue—it may just have been the manager deciding on her own!

Incorrect. The stimulus is about getting employees to implement ideas for improved efficiency, not generate good ideas. Even in the dialogue suggested, the Sociologist suggests focusing on the positive contributions that employees made to the development of ideas—not on generating ideas during that dialogue.

Incorrect. First, the dialogue is about discussing how employees contributed to the development of good ideas, but it's not about generating or collecting those ideas themselves. The ideas have apparently already been decided on! This answer is also about the resentment, not the likelihood of implementing the ideas. Since the argument recommends the dialogue to get the employees to implement the ideas effectively and quickly, this answer connects to the wrong reasoning.