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

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions
Start free 5-day trial
Read 559 reviewsTarget Test Prep

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

O.G.12 (Q.100) - Need expert help!

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:43 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 1 times
by yvonne0923 » Wed Jun 08, 2011 8:59 am
One way to judge the performance of a company is to compare it with other companies. This technique, commonly called "benchmarking", permits the manager of a company to discover better industrial practices and can provide a justification for the adoption of good practices.

Any of the following, if true, is a valid reason for benchmarking the performance of a company against companies with which it is not in competition rather that against competitors EXCEPT:

(A) Comparisons with competitors are most likely to focus on practices that the manager making the comparisons already employs
(B) Getting "inside" information about the unique practices of competitors is particularly difficult
(C) Since companies that compete with each other are likely to have comparable levels of efficiency, only benchmarking against non competitors is likely to reveal practices that would aid in beating competitors
(D) Managers are generally more receptive to new ideas that they find outside their own industry
(E) Much of the success of good companies is due to their adoption of practices that take advantage of the special circumstances of their products of markets








____________________________________________________________________________________________________

I don't get what the question really ask for. Can anyone simplify the question stem for me?
Also, why E is right? Thanks.

O.A:E
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Critical Reasoning |
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 amFollowed by: 123 members
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:10 am
IMO E
all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies
except??
question: which option prefers benchmarking against competitor?
a)comparisons with competitors doesn't provide any new practice, thus benchmarking won't be useful.
b)as we can't get inside information, it is difficult to compare against competitors
c)supports benchmarking against non-competitors
d)managers recpetive to new ideas outside their industry i.e. non competitors
e)correct (special circumstances can be competitive market)
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:43 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 1 times

by yvonne0923 » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:53 am
cans wrote:IMO E
all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies
except??
question: which option prefers benchmarking against competitor?
a)comparisons with competitors doesn't provide any new practice, thus benchmarking won't be useful.
b)as we can't get inside information, it is difficult to compare against competitors
c)supports benchmarking against non-competitors
d)managers recpetive to new ideas outside their industry i.e. non competitors
e)correct (special circumstances can be competitive market)
Thanks for simplifying the question stem. I am clear now.
Meanwhile, I just have one more question about this problem. Is it okay to simplify the question "all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies except?" to "which option prefers benchmarking against competitor"? Normally, in a CR weakening problem with the word"except", we don't translate the question into strengthening problem. Hope I didn't confuse you about my question, please point this out for me, thanks.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:19 amFollowed by: 7 members
Thanked: 25 times

by Ozlemg » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:59 am
my answer is E But I spend nearly 5 mins to get what the Q is asking.

The q says, benchmarking is beneficial tool for a company.
A company can benchmark
1. its competitors (like Cola benchmarks Pepsi, vice versa) or
2. a company that is out of the industry-not a competitior ( Cola benchmarks Citibank, vice versa)

The q asks us to find such a valid reason/option for benchmarking performance that the reason will include the 1st option. In other words we will look for a valid option which prefer 1st option.


(E) Much of the success of good companies is due to their adoption of practices that take advantage of the special circumstances of their products of markets

success+circumstances of their products of markets are indicating the 1st option.
The more you suffer before the test, the less you will do so in the test! :)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 96
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:43 pmFollowed by: 1 member
Thanked: 1 times

by yvonne0923 » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:23 am
Ozlemg wrote:my answer is E But I spend nearly 5 mins to get what the Q is asking.

The q says, benchmarking is beneficial tool for a company.
A company can benchmark
1. its competitors (like Cola benchmarks Pepsi, vice versa) or
2. a company that is out of the industry-not a competitior ( Cola benchmarks Citibank, vice versa)

The q asks us to find such a valid reason/option for benchmarking performance that the reason will include the 1st option. In other words we will look for a valid option which prefer 1st option.


(E) Much of the success of good companies is due to their adoption of practices that take advantage of the special circumstances of their products of markets

success+circumstances of their products of markets are indicating the 1st option.
Thanks for your detailed explain of the argument by showing some examples, they are very helpful for me.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 amFollowed by: 123 members
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:12 pm
yvonne0923 wrote:
cans wrote:IMO E
all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies
except??
question: which option prefers benchmarking against competitor?
a)comparisons with competitors doesn't provide any new practice, thus benchmarking won't be useful.
b)as we can't get inside information, it is difficult to compare against competitors
c)supports benchmarking against non-competitors
d)managers recpetive to new ideas outside their industry i.e. non competitors
e)correct (special circumstances can be competitive market)
Thanks for simplifying the question stem. I am clear now.
Meanwhile, I just have one more question about this problem. Is it okay to simplify the question "all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies except?" to "which option prefers benchmarking against competitor"? Normally, in a CR weakening problem with the word"except", we don't translate the question into strengthening problem. Hope I didn't confuse you about my question, please point this out for me, thanks.
companies are either competitors or non-competitors. I think its okay to simplify the question like I did.
If my post helped you- let me know by pushing the thanks button ;)

Contact me about long distance tutoring!
[email protected]

Cans!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:09 amFollowed by: 27 members
Location: Los Angeles
Thanked: 8 times

by LIL » Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:47 am
yvonne0923 wrote:
cans wrote:IMO E
all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies
except??
question: which option prefers benchmarking against competitor?
a)comparisons with competitors doesn't provide any new practice, thus benchmarking won't be useful.
b)as we can't get inside information, it is difficult to compare against competitors
c)supports benchmarking against non-competitors
d)managers recpetive to new ideas outside their industry i.e. non competitors
e)correct (special circumstances can be competitive market)
Thanks for simplifying the question stem. I am clear now.
Meanwhile, I just have one more question about this problem. Is it okay to simplify the question "all of the options prefer benchmarking performance against not in competition companies except?" to "which option prefers benchmarking against competitor"? Normally, in a CR weakening problem with the word"except", we don't translate the question into strengthening problem. Hope I didn't confuse you about my question, please point this out for me, thanks.
it's fine to simplify the question stem this way.

basically the question is this: which of the following answer choices makes an argument for benchmarking against competitors, rather than against non-competitors?

(e) is correct, because if there are "special circumstances" in a market, then comparing your company to non-competitors will be useless (since the non-competitors will not have the same "special circumstances"). thus, it makes sense to compare your company with competitors.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1