For years, business experts have portrayed technology startups as functioning in isolation, with company leaders focused primarily on safeguarding the...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
For years, business experts have portrayed technology startups as functioning in isolation, with company leaders focused primarily on safeguarding their exclusive innovations from rival firms. However, recent research on Silicon Valley enterprises suggests that startup environments may demonstrate greater collaboration than previously understood. Management advisor David Chen contends that thriving startups consistently share resources with their direct competitors.
Which observation, if true, would most directly support Chen's claim?
Startup leaders frequently dedicate long hours to achieving product development goals.
Numerous technology firms make substantial investments in security systems to safeguard intellectual property.
The majority of startup workers cultivate professional connections within their respective organizations.
Multiple rival startups have been discovered collaboratively financing shared research projects.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "For years, business experts have portrayed technology startups as functioning in isolation, with company leaders focused primarily on safeguarding their exclusive innovations from rival firms." |
|
| "However, recent research on Silicon Valley enterprises suggests that startup environments may demonstrate greater collaboration than previously understood." |
|
| "Management advisor David Chen contends that thriving startups consistently share resources with their direct competitors." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
- Main Point: Recent research challenges the traditional view of isolated startups, with some experts now arguing that successful startups actually collaborate with their competitors.
- Argument Flow: The passage moves from establishing the conventional wisdom about startup isolation to presenting contrasting research evidence, then focuses on one expert's specific claim about resource-sharing among competing startups.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Chen's claim is very specific: thriving startups consistently share resources with their direct competitors.
- To support this claim, we'd need evidence that shows successful startups actually working together with their competitors and some form of resource sharing happening between rival companies.
Startup leaders frequently dedicate long hours to achieving product development goals.
- This describes internal work habits of startup leaders and says nothing about collaboration with competitors.
- Actually supports dedication to their own company goals, not resource sharing.
Numerous technology firms make substantial investments in security systems to safeguard intellectual property.
- Investing in security systems suggests protecting information from competitors.
- This directly supports the traditional view of isolation and secrecy.
The majority of startup workers cultivate professional connections within their respective organizations.
- Professional connections within their own organizations is internal networking.
- Doesn't involve competitors or resource sharing at all.
Multiple rival startups have been discovered collaboratively financing shared research projects.
- Shows rival startups working together on shared research projects.
- "Collaboratively financing" demonstrates actual resource sharing between competitors.
- This directly matches Chen's claim about thriving startups sharing resources with direct competitors.