corporate executives

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corporate executives

by gmatnmein2010 » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:25 am
A researcher studying corporate executives found that they tend to have "take charge" personalities, with the predominant traits of assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. The researcher concluded that people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?


1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop "take charge" personality traits.


2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful.


3)Some people who are not executives have stronger "take charge" personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives.


4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs.


5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.

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by fibbonnaci » Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:33 am
research study: corporate executives have 'take charge' personalities.
Conclusion: people who have take charge personalities -> likely to become corporate executive.

Now this is similiar to cause -> effect reasoning. what if effect-> cause? This is a definite weakener.

1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop “take charge� personality traits. [addresses E -> C. Correct.]


2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful. [this no ways addresses the stimulus. Eliminated]


3)Some people who are not executives have stronger “take charge� personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives. [let them have stronger take charge personalities. acc to the passage they are more likely to become corp executives. this does not weaken the conclusion. Eliminated!]


4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs. [we are not talking about people who aspire. we talking about traits and people. Eliminated!]


5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.[ when did family activities fall into corporate executive management skills. no research is needed to conclude this. LOL!! but seriously family activity has nothing to do with corporate life. Eliminated!]

Hope this helps!

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by thephoenix » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:17 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:A researcher studying corporate executives found that they tend to have "take charge" personalities, with the predominant traits of assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. The researcher concluded that people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?


1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop "take charge" personality traits.


2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful.


3)Some people who are not executives have stronger "take charge" personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives.


4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs.


5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.
IMO A
If a "take charge" personality is observed in people who are corporate executives because the job itself causes those traits to emerge, then the researcher's conclusion that the personality traits lead to the job would be weakened.

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by komal » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:10 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:A researcher studying corporate executives found that they tend to have "take charge" personalities, with the predominant traits of assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. The researcher concluded that people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?

Cause : take charge personalities
effect : become corporate executives


1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop "take charge" personality traits.
Correct : This weakens the conclusion by reversing roles of causal relationship. (Cause : job of corporate executive Effect: develop 'take charge' personalities)

2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful.
Incorrect : 'Charitable or community projects of corporate executives does nothing do undermine the conclusion.

3)Some people who are not executives have stronger "take charge" personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives.
Incorrect : Comparison between corporate executives and ppl who are not executives is irrelevant here.

4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs.
Incorrect : Management styles of ppl who 'aspire' to become executives does nothing to weaken the conclusion.

5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.
Incorrect : Family activities blah blah blahhhh IRRELEVANT here.

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by finas83 » Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:19 am
Dear All,
need great help. Appreciate your comments.
I got confused between A and C.

Conclusion: people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Possible weaken: 1. not all people with more take charge will become corporate executive
2. Executive jobs requires that

I got confused between A and C and ended up with C.
how to avoid this confusion.
Hope to hear from you. Many thanks
Many thanks.