first, i would want to know the source of this question. This question just mimicks one of the MGMAT test questions (couple and their sleeping habits).

Coming to the question, this is a causual argument.
The stimulus tells that different working times causes disagreements among partners

In order to weaken, we need to prove one of the five things:
1. alternate cause exists.
2. cause exists but effect does not exist.
3.cause does not occur but effect occurs.
4. effect leads to cause
5. data invalidation.

Now lets look at our options to find one of the fitting statements.

A) Some business partners who work together all the time still have significant differences of opinion about how best to run their company. [ what applies for some business partners need not apply to this business firm at hand. this does not weaken our argument that different work schedules causes the rifts. Eliminated!]

B) The work schedules of the owners of small businesses tend to vary over time because of economic cycles.[ this addresses why there are different work timings for the partners. it still does not address the causual conclusion. Eliminated!]

C) Business partners who work very long hours together can sometimes alienate family members and friends. [family and friends is beyond the scope of the stimulus. the stimulus only talks about the causual relationship between work timings and arguments among the partners. Eliminated!]

D) Business partners who are not able to reach a consensus on major business issues often adopt different schedules in order to avoid conflict. [Bingo! this weakens our conclusion. this falls under category no.4. This states that effect ie. disagreements cause ppl to work in different work schedules and not the other way around. ]

E) Business partners who express a willingness to be flexible have found that they can easily align their work schedules more closely. [This again does not address our causal conclusion. Eliminated!]

Hope this helps!

fibbonnaci wrote:first, i would want to know the source of this question. This question just mimicks one of the MGMAT test questions (couple and their sleeping habits).

!

Fibo..

U said it rightly. When i was going thru the stem, I had the same "couple and their sleeping habits "in my mind.If the same patterns repeat on Real GMAT it would be awesome!

That was a good explanation!

Thanks Fibbonnaci the source is Kaplan GMAT. I was confused why A is not right but your explaination makes sense

This is actually a modified GMAT Paper Test question, but it is an example of a modification that produces a legitimate question

Hahaha, it is a dirty copy of a OG / GMATPrep copy, changing from couples to business partners.

The reason that this problem looks familiar is not because this problem is a rip-off of an OG problem, but rather because many OG problems are rip-offs of one another!

This is a classic "Cause and Effect" assumption, one of the most common mistaken assumption both on the GMAT and on real life. The author provides evidence that X and Y happen at the same time, and concludes that X causes Y. Whenever you see this pattern, whether in real life, you know the author is making one or more of three closely related assumptions:

1) The relationship isn't coincidental (Z causes Y)
2) Both effects aren't the result of another, underlying cause (Z causes both X and Y)
3) Cause and effect aren't reversed. (Y causes X)

In this particular problem, choice D) matches the 3rd common assumption perfectly--a skilled GMAT taker will recognize this pattern instantly, and get the answer with time to spare.