In the mid-1920s the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.

a) that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance
b) investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance.
c) for investigating what the effects on workers' performance are that changes in working conditions would cause
d) that investigated changes in working conditions' effects on workers' performance
e) to investigate what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

GMATGuruNY wrote:

In the mid-1920s the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.

a) that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance
b) investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance.
c) for investigating what the effects on workers' performance are that changes in working conditions would cause
d) that investigated changes in working conditions' effects on workers' performance
e) to investigate what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

In A, it is unclear whether their refers to changes or to working conditions. Eliminate A.

In C, for investigating is unidiomatic. Eliminate C.

In D, a possessive construction such working conditions' should not be used to for an inanimate noun as conditions. Eliminate D.

E is hard to follow and needlessly wordy. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.

tetura84 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

In the mid-1920s the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company was the scene of an intensive series of experiments that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance.

a) that would investigate changes in working conditions as to their effects on workers' performance
b) investigating the effects that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance.
c) for investigating what the effects on workers' performance are that changes in working conditions would cause
d) that investigated changes in working conditions' effects on workers' performance
e) to investigate what the effects changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance

Mitch, I eliminated A & D because 'that' refers to experiments which is wrong.
However, I prefer E over B.
In B, can you please explain the role of 'that'? what it is? For me, if looks like that is a relative pronoun and the entire clause modifies 'effects' which is wrong I guess.

Also, can you say few words on 'would have' ? I know it is used for hypothetical conditions but would like to hear more from you.

In B, that changes in working conditions would have on workers' performance is a restrictive relative clause modifying the noun effects. What kind of effects? The effects that changes in working conditions would have. That is a relative pronoun referring to the noun effects.

One function of would is to express the future-in-the-past: an action expected to take place in the past after another past action.

...the effects that changes in working conditions were having...

In the example above, the tense of were having indicates that the changes and the effects happened contemporaneously (at the same time) in the past.

...the effects that changes in working conditions would have...

In the example above, the tense of would have indicates that the changes in working conditions happened first and that the effects were expected to happen later (but still in the past).

Hope this helps!