BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Postal Service

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 amFollowed by: 43 members
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
GMAT Score:640
by GmatKiss » Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:27 pm
Correctly measuring the productivity of service workers is complex. Consider, for example, postal workers: they are often said to be more productive if more letters are delivered per postal worker. But is this really true? What if more letters are lost or delayed per worker at the same time that more are delivered?

The objection implied above to the productivity measure described is based on doubts about the truth of which of the following statements?

(A) Postal workers are representative of service workers in general.

(B) The delivery of letters is the primary activity of the postal service.

(C) Productivity should be ascribed to categories of workers, not to individuals.

(D) The quality of services rendered can appropriately be ignored in computing productivity.

(E) The number of letters delivered is relevant to measuring the productivity of postal workers.

OA after sometime. Please explain your pick in detail!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 905
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:38 amFollowed by: 123 members
Thanked: 378 times
GMAT Score:760

by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Thu Oct 06, 2011 12:17 am
GmatKiss wrote:Correctly measuring the productivity of service workers is complex. Consider, for example, postal workers: they are often said to be more productive if more letters are delivered per postal worker. But is this really true? What if more letters are lost or delayed per worker at the same time that more are delivered?

The objection implied above to the productivity measure described is based on doubts about the truth of which of the following statements?

(A) Postal workers are representative of service workers in general.

(B) The delivery of letters is the primary activity of the postal service.

(C) Productivity should be ascribed to categories of workers, not to individuals.

(D) The quality of services rendered can appropriately be ignored in computing productivity.

(E) The number of letters delivered is relevant to measuring the productivity of postal workers.

OA after sometime. Please explain your pick in detail!
Gods, I wish I had written this question - it's a good twister :)

I'm watching this topic, but am waiting with my proposed explanation to let other forum members have a go first.
Geva
Senior Instructor
Master GMAT
1-888-780-GMAT
https://www.mastergmat.com
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 1:14 am

by briology » Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:02 pm
D. He's contesting the argument that # of letters delivered is the only important factor when measuring productivity
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:17 am

by rakp » Thu Oct 06, 2011 10:58 pm
"D" objection is 'Correctly measuring the productivity of service workers is complex' and Answer D does a good job of expressing that doubt.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:29 pm
Thanked: 4 times

by theforrestgump » Fri Oct 07, 2011 11:40 am
IMO D.

Torn between E and D, but since the person says "measure is complex"...
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 11:49 pm
Thanked: 3 times

by mukgera » Fri Oct 07, 2011 6:44 pm
GmatKiss wrote:Correctly measuring the productivity of service workers is complex. Consider, for example, postal workers: they are often said to be more productive if more letters are delivered per postal worker. But is this really true? What if more letters are lost or delayed per worker at the same time that more are delivered?

The objection implied above to the productivity measure described is based on doubts about the truth of which of the following statements?

(A) Postal workers are representative of service workers in general. -- This doesn't cast any doubt on the productivity measures.

(B) The delivery of letters is the primary activity of the postal service. -- Even if this statement is true.It doesn't cast any doubt over the productivity measure.

(C) Productivity should be ascribed to categories of workers, not to individuals. -- Not relevent

(D) The quality of services rendered can appropriately be ignored in computing productivity. -- Correct -- If we are measuring productivity only by calculating the number of letter per postal man but do not consider the number of letters lost then it is going to affect the quality of service.

(E) The number of letters delivered is relevant to measuring the productivity of postal workers. -- It actually supports the statement.

OA after sometime. Please explain your pick in detail!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 215
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:24 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 13 times

by 1947 » Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:35 am
GmatKiss wrote:Correctly measuring the productivity of service workers is complex. Consider, for example, postal workers: they are often said to be more productive if more letters are delivered per postal worker. But is this really true? What if more letters are lost or delayed per worker at the same time that more are delivered?

The objection implied above to the productivity measure described is based on doubts about the truth of which of the following statements?

(A) Postal workers are representative of service workers in general.
A is a fact no doubts on this.
(B) The delivery of letters is the primary activity of the postal service.
This ignores the quality.
(C) Productivity should be ascribed to categories of workers, not to individuals.
No way linked to this argument.
(D) The quality of services rendered can appropriately be ignored in computing productivity.
This looks into quality.
(E) The number of letters delivered is relevant to measuring the productivity of postal workers.
Not true.
OA after sometime. Please explain your pick in detail!
Argument is that quantity is not the only way to judge productivity quality also is.
so ans should be D.
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button. Thanks
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 197
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:22 amFollowed by: 2 members
Thanked: 6 times

by parul9 » Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:50 am
D for reasons rightly explained by people before.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2011 9:03 am

by darwin » Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:26 pm
So, if you want to formalize it, here it is

Conclusion : No. Delivered = Productivity

Counter Argument : What about lost letters?

And the question mentions "doubts about the truth..."

In this case, it is asking for the assumption. Assumption has to be true. If it is not, the conclusion will not stand

Lost # of letters is related to quality of service. So choice D) correctly states the assumption.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2019 1:00 am

Awesome

by ereion » Wed Jul 10, 2019 1:06 am
Postal services all across the world are pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing the information.

liteblue.usps.gov
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 12:54 am

by jameslite » Thu Oct 24, 2019 12:59 am
USPS Postal services all across the world are pretty awesome and also provides services for postal employees with liteblue
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1