Strategic business decisions depend on two primary information channels: statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies. Each approach del...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Strategic business decisions depend on two primary information channels: statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies. Each approach delivers important perspectives for organizational strategy development. Statistical evaluation provides exact measurements and numerical patterns, whereas market studies reveal customer perspectives and societal influences. However, when findings from statistical evaluation and qualitative studies concerning the same business opportunity completely contradict one another, this indicates one or both approaches overlooked some factor that was critical to the commercial context.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
When statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies yield conflicting conclusions about a business opportunity, the statistical approach is more likely to produce reliable strategic insights.
Statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies each offer important information for business decisions, but both approaches have constraints that may undermine the dependability of strategic conclusions.
Organizations that employ both statistical evaluation and qualitative studies for strategy development frequently face conflicting results that cannot be conclusively settled.
Conflicting conclusions between statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies reveal that both information-collection approaches have inherent flaws that compromise the reliability of their strategic guidance.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Strategic business decisions depend on two primary information channels: statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies.' |
|
| 'Each approach delivers important perspectives for organizational strategy development.' |
|
| 'Statistical evaluation provides exact measurements and numerical patterns, whereas market studies reveal customer perspectives and societal influences.' |
|
| 'However, when findings from statistical evaluation and qualitative studies concerning the same business opportunity completely contradict one another, this indicates one or both approaches overlooked some factor that was critical to the commercial context.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Both statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies are important for business decisions, but when they contradict each other, it reveals that one or both approaches have limitations that may compromise their reliability.
Argument Flow: The passage begins by establishing that business strategy relies on two information channels, then affirms both are valuable. It contrasts their specific strengths before presenting the key insight that contradictory findings between these approaches indicates limitations in one or both methods.
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
- It should acknowledge that both statistical and qualitative approaches are valuable for business decisions
- It should recognize that both approaches have limitations or constraints that can affect decision-making
- It should connect these limitations to the reliability or dependability of strategic conclusions
- It shouldn't favor one approach over the other, since the passage treats them as equally important but equally fallible
When statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies yield conflicting conclusions about a business opportunity, the statistical approach is more likely to produce reliable strategic insights.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims statistical approach is 'more likely to produce reliable strategic insights' but this contradicts the passage, which treats both approaches as equally valuable and equally prone to missing critical factors
Statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies each offer important information for business decisions, but both approaches have constraints that may undermine the dependability of strategic conclusions.
✓ Correct
- Recognizes both approaches 'offer important information for business decisions' and acknowledges 'both approaches have constraints that may undermine dependability' which directly connects to the passage's point about missing critical factors
Organizations that employ both statistical evaluation and qualitative studies for strategy development frequently face conflicting results that cannot be conclusively settled.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims organizations 'frequently face conflicting results' but passage doesn't establish this happens often, and says conflicts 'cannot be conclusively settled' when passage doesn't suggest they're unsolvable
Conflicting conclusions between statistical data evaluation and qualitative market studies reveal that both information-collection approaches have inherent flaws that compromise the reliability of their strategic guidance.
✗ Incorrect
- Uses strong language about 'inherent flaws' that 'compromise reliability' which overstates the passage's more measured conclusion that approaches can 'overlook' factors