CR-Summit computers

[sonu_gmat]

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment.

Which of the following most strongly supports Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees?

1) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work.
2) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs.

As per logical reasoning, that hierarchical environment hinders ideas does not mean non hierarchical environment does not hinder the ideas. Since this is the OA, can you please explain if I'm missing something here. Because of the above reason I did not choose first one.

[RonPurewal]

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment.

Which of the following most strongly supports Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees?

1) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work.
2) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs.

As per logical reasoning, that hierarchical environment hinders ideas does not mean non hierarchical environment does not hinder the ideas. Since this is the OA, can you please explain if I'm missing something here. Because of the above reason I did not choose first one.

* you're supposed to post ALL the answer choices. (this is because you are not the only poster who will benefit from these posts.)
please do so from now on. thank you.

--

you said:
<i>As per logical reasoning, that hierarchical environment hinders ideas does not mean non hierarchical environment does not hinder the ideas.</i>

this is correct.

but notice that EITHER this OR this supports the argument.

since the first choice does this, it doesn't also have to do this.

--

(2) is irrelevant because whether employees will discuss their dissatisfaction is immaterial to whether they'll quit their jobs.
you can't make any connection there at all without making an absolutely unacceptable number of assumptions.

[cesar.rodriguez.blanco]

Dear Ron, I did not understand your explanation. Could you rephrase it?

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit Computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports Summit’s explanation of its success in retaining employees?
(A) Some people employed in the computer industry change jobs if they become bored with their current projects.
(B) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work.
(C) Many of Summit’s senior employees had previously worked at only one other computer company.
(D) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs.
(E) The cost of living near Summit is relatively low compared to areas in which some other computer companies are located

[prengasn]

Most employees in the computer industry move from company to company, changing jobs several times in their careers. However, Summit computers is known throughout the industry for retaining its employees. Summit credits its success in retaining employees to its informal, nonhierarchical work environment.

Which of the following most strongly supports Summit's explanation of its success in retaining employees?

1) A hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas that computer industry employees consider necessary for their work.
2) In a nonhierarchical work environment, people avoid behavior that might threaten group harmony and thus avoid discussing with their colleagues any dissatisfaction they might have with their jobs.

As per logical reasoning, that hierarchical environment hinders ideas does not mean non hierarchical environment does not hinder the ideas. Since this is the OA, can you please explain if I'm missing something here. Because of the above reason I did not choose first one.

It is true that a hierarchical work environment hinders the cooperative exchange of ideas, thus we know that it is a reason why people switch jobs. That supports the Summit’s explanation.

It is also true that we can not say that non hierarchical environment does not hinder the ideas. However, we can not say that non hierarchical environment hinders the ideas either. Thus we can not infer a reason to weaken the argument.

If we were to speculate-which GMAT does not like and punishes you for that- we would come up with a speculation that strengthens the Summit’s explanation: Nonhierarchical can be thought as the opposite of Hierarchical, having opposite characteristics. If hierarchical hinders the exchange of ides than we can speculate/infer that nonhierarchical does not hinder the exchange of ideas, strengthening the conclusion.

[RonPurewal]

Dear Ron, I did not understand your explanation. Could you rephrase it?

in short:
this passage is arguing that a non-hierarchical environment is better than a hierarchical one.

you can strengthen such a claim in either of 2 ways:
* show something better about the NON-hierarchical environment, OR
* show something worse about the hierarchical environment.

the official answer does the latter of these.

[tusharkhatri18]

Hi Ron,
I want to ask one thing. You are saying that we have to show some worse about hierarchical environment. But if we are saying that hierarchical envt hinders ideas then it doesn't mean people are leaving that place. It can be the case that people are leaving because of salary issues or any other possible case ... In other words this choice is saying only 1 part which can be true.
On the other hand, I presume option C to be correct. Because if many Summit' senior employees have worked only once in other computer company then it gives proof that Summit is retaining their employees. It is strengthening ...

[RonPurewal]

"summit retains employees" simply means that employees stay at summit once they're there. the number of places where they've previously worked is irrelevant.

analogy:
"all of my best friends have stayed married for more than 10 years already"
--> obviously, this has nothing to do with how many people my friends dated before marriage!
same thing here.

[andrewthai2000]

I would think choice D would show something better about the NON-hierarchical environment so I chose that answer. Can you explain what I'm missing?

[RonPurewal]

choice D basically says that people in non-hierarchical environments pretend to be happy all the time, so that they don't mess with the whole atmosphere of fake happiness ("group harmony") in the office in general. that's ... not really a good thing.