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Lark Manufacturing

by jainrahul1985 » Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:33 pm
Lark Manufacturing Company initiated a voluntary Quality Circles program for machine operators. Independent surveys of employee attitudes indicated that the machine operators participating in the program were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program's existence than they were at the program's start. Obviously, any workers who participate in a Quality Circles program will, as a result, become less satisfied with their jobs.
Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion drawn above EXCEPT:
(A) The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful.
(B) The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles.
(C) While participating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism.
(D) Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that, while participating in Quality Circles in their previous companies, their work satisfaction had increased.
(E) The machine operators who participated in Quality Circles reported that, when the program started, they felt that participation might improve their work situations.

OA is E
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by MakeUrTimeCount » Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:56 am
(A) The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful.
Weakens: Recession could be a reason of less satisfication.

(B) The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles.
Weakens: Those who did not participate were evenly unsatisfied.

(C) While participating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism.
Weaken: These indicators tends to increase satisfaction.

(D) Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that, while participating in Quality Circles in their previous companies, their work satisfaction had increased.
Weaken: An evidence that Quality circles program increase satisfaction.

(E) The machine operators who participated in Quality Circles reported that, when the program started, they felt that participation might improve their work situations.
Stengthens: Initially they were finding it useful, but later same workers were satisfied.

Ans: E
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:51 am
jainrahul1985 wrote:Lark Manufacturing Company initiated a voluntary Quality Circles program for machine operators. Independent surveys of employee attitudes indicated that the machine operators participating in the program were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program's existence than they were at the program's start. Obviously, any workers who participate in a Quality Circles program will, as a result, become less satisfied with their jobs.
The premise is about X: participation in the Quality Circles program.
The conclusion is about Y: a decrease in job satisfaction.
The argument assumes that X caused Y.
Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion drawn above EXCEPT:
Four of the answer choices will BREAK THE LINK between X and Y.

(A) The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful. WEAKENS by offering an ALTERNATE CAUSE, implying that it wasn't X (the QC program) but the RECESSION that caused Y (the decrease in job satisfaction). Eliminate A.

(B) The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles. WEAKENS by giving us Y (decreased job satisfaction) WITHOUT X (participation in the QC program), thus BREAKING THE LINK between X and Y. Eliminate B.

(C) While participating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism. WEAKENS by giving us X (participation in the QC program) WITHOUT Y (a decrease in job satisfaction), thus BREAKING THE LINK between X and Y. Eliminate C.

(D) Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that, while participating in Quality Circles in their previous companies, their work satisfaction had increased. WEAKENS by giving us X (participation in the QC program) WITHOUT Y (a decrease in job satisfaction), thus BREAKING THE LINK between X and Y. Eliminate D.

(E) The machine operators who participated in Quality Circles reported that, when the program started, they felt that participation might improve their work situations. Potentially STRENGTHENS the link between X and Y, implying that the workers were disappointed by their participation in the QC program.

The correct answer is E.
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by abhi.iitb » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:32 am
My Answer is C. because while participating in Quality circle programs,machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism,contrary to the conclusion of decreased job satisfaction as shown in the main argument.[/b]
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