Packaging

Expert replies

komal: Legendary Member; Posts: 777; Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:02 amFollowed by: 47 members; Location: Mumbai, India; Thanked: 117 times

by komal » Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:49 am

In order to reduce the number of items damaged while in transit to customers, packaging consultants
recommended that the TrueSave mail-order company increase the amount of packing material so as to fill any
empty spaces in its cartons. Accordingly, TrueSave officials instructed the company's packers to use more
packing material than before, and the packers zealously acted on these instructions and used as much as they
could. Nevertheless, customer reports of damaged items rose somewhat.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why acting on the consultants' recommendation failed to
achieve its goal?

(A) The change in packing policy led to an increase in expenditure on packing material and labor.

(8) When packing material is compressed too densely, it loses some of its capacity to absorb shock.

(e) The amount of packing material used in a carton does not significantly influence the ease with which a
customer can unpack the package.

(D) Most of the goods that TrueSave ships are electronic products that are highly vulnerable to being
damaged in transit.

(E) TrueSave has lost some of its regular customers as a result of the high number of damaged items they
received.

OA[spoiler] (B)[/spoiler]

https://www.e-gmat.com/

Source: Beat The GMAT — Critical Reasoning | Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:49 am

sadullaevd: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 81; Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:12 pm; Location: South Korea; Thanked: 4 times

by sadullaevd » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:29 am

Komal, could point the source, the CR questions that u have posted recently seem very familiar.

appreciate your time,

Stay skeptical,
Think critically,
Assume nothing.

harsh.champ: Legendary Member; Posts: 1132; Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:38 amFollowed by: 6 members; Location: India; Thanked: 64 times; GMAT Score:760

by harsh.champ » Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:18 pm

komal wrote:In order to reduce the number of items damaged while in transit to customers, packaging consultants
recommended that the TrueSave mail-order company increase the amount of packing material so as to fill any
empty spaces in its cartons. Accordingly, TrueSave officials instructed the company's packers to use more
packing material than before, and the packers zealously acted on these instructions and used as much as they
could. Nevertheless, customer reports of damaged items rose somewhat.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain why acting on the consultants' recommendation failed to
achieve its goal?

(A) The change in packing policy led to an increase in expenditure on packing material and labor.[expenditure is not related to damage in any manner]

(8) When packing material is compressed too densely, it loses some of its capacity to absorb shock.[since,it cannot absorb shock,it can lead to breakage due to stress ,hence true explanation]

(e) The amount of packing material used in a carton does not significantly influence the ease with which a
customer can unpack the package.[ease of unpacking is convenience not security of the content]

(D) Most of the goods that TrueSave ships are electronic products that are highly vulnerable to being
damaged in transit.[but it is still unrelated to whether or not more packing material should be used]

(E) TrueSave has lost some of its regular customers as a result of the high number of damaged items they
received.[this is the result, not the diagnosis]

OA[spoiler] (B)[/spoiler]

Hey sadullaevd,
I think these questions are taken from the OG-12th edition.What-say komal??

It takes time and effort to explain, so if my comment helped you please press Thanks button

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ldoolitt: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 184; Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:23 am; Location: Madison, WI; Thanked: 17 times

by ldoolitt » Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:53 pm

I believe (B). Heres why.

(A) The change in packing policy led to an increase in expenditure on packing material and labor.

This doesn't have any direct effect on the damage in transit. One could posit that the company then started using cheaper transportation to offset the costs of the packing material, but the passage mentions nothing like that

(8) When packing material is compressed too densely, it loses some of its capacity to absorb shock.

This could certainly be an answer. The packers used more material 'zealously'

(e) The amount of packing material used in a carton does not significantly influence the ease with which a
customer can unpack the package.

Note that this could be an answer however the question specifies IN TRANSIT, not at a customers home. Therefore this is not valid.

(D) Most of the goods that TrueSave ships are electronic products that are highly vulnerable to being
damaged in transit.

This would have no effect unless somehow the distribution of goods that were packaged changed towards electronics after the change in packing strategy. However this is not the case.

(E) TrueSave has lost some of its regular customers as a result of the high number of damaged items they
received.

This would actually have the opposite effect resulting in less total damaged goods reported.

money9111: Legendary Member; Posts: 2109; Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:25 pmFollowed by: 79 members; Location: New Jersey; Thanked: 109 times; GMAT Score:640

by money9111 » Mon Feb 08, 2010 2:33 pm

IMO B is the answer because it directly addresses why the change in policy resulted in the increase of damages...

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akahuja143: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 182; Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:09 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 1 times

by akahuja143 » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:52 pm

Go with B. direct reference to excess packing material

komal: Legendary Member; Posts: 777; Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:02 amFollowed by: 47 members; Location: Mumbai, India; Thanked: 117 times

by komal » Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:14 pm

sadullaevd wrote:Komal, could point the source, the CR questions that u have posted recently seem very familiar.

appreciate your time,

It is from og-12

https://www.e-gmat.com/

sadullaevd: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 81; Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:12 pm; Location: South Korea; Thanked: 4 times

by sadullaevd » Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:34 pm

I checked OG, and yep they are from OG 12th edition, just in the beginning of CR section.

Stay skeptical,
Think critically,
Assume nothing.

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