The following text is from a business analysis report on market entry strategies.While established competitors maintained their market positions throu...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from a business analysis report on market entry strategies.
While established competitors maintained their market positions through traditional advertising and distribution channels, newer companies found these conventional approaches insufficient for rapid growth. Alternative strategies-innovative, dynamic, and penetrating as they proved to be-offered the breakthrough potential that emerging businesses required.
As used in the text, what does the word "penetrating" most nearly mean?
Sharp
Effective
Intense
Obvious
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "While established competitors maintained their market positions through traditional advertising and distribution channels," |
|
| "newer companies found these conventional approaches insufficient for rapid growth." |
|
| "Alternative strategies—innovative, dynamic, and penetrating as they proved to be—" |
|
| "offered the breakthrough potential that emerging businesses required." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Alternative business strategies proved more effective than traditional approaches for newer companies seeking rapid market growth.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up a contrast between what works for established versus newer companies, then explains how alternative strategies provided the breakthrough potential that emerging businesses needed where traditional methods had failed.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? This is a Words in Context question asking us to choose the best meaning for "penetrating" based on how it's used in this specific passage.
What type of answer do we need? The answer must fit the context of describing successful alternative business strategies.
Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, "penetrating" describes alternative strategies alongside "innovative" and "dynamic" - all positive qualities that made these strategies successful
- The context tells us these strategies "offered the breakthrough potential that emerging businesses required," so "penetrating" must mean something that contributes to breakthrough success
- In business contexts, strategies that achieve breakthroughs are ones that work well - they get results, they're successful, they accomplish what they're supposed to do
- So the right answer should mean something like "successful" or "effective" - describing strategies that actually work and deliver results
Sharp
✗ Incorrect
- "Sharp" could describe strategies but doesn't capture the business success aspect
- While alternative strategies might be sharp/cutting-edge, this doesn't connect to the "breakthrough potential" emphasis
Effective
✓ Correct
- "Effective" perfectly fits the context of strategies that deliver breakthrough potential
- Matches our prethinking - these strategies worked where traditional ones failed
- Aligns with the passage's emphasis on success and results for emerging businesses
Intense
✗ Incorrect
- "Intense" focuses on effort or degree rather than success
- Doesn't connect to the breakthrough results that the passage emphasizes
Obvious
✗ Incorrect
- "Obvious" makes no sense in this context
- Alternative strategies being obvious would contradict the idea that newer companies had to find different approaches than established competitors