TechFlow Corporation, a Silicon Valley software company, developed innovative agile project management methodologies in the early 2000s that significa...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
TechFlow Corporation, a Silicon Valley software company, developed innovative agile project management methodologies in the early 2000s that significantly improved development efficiency. Analysis of internal corporate documents reveals that several major tech companies in Austin began implementing nearly identical project management frameworks around 2008, with these specific methodologies appearing in their operational procedures for the first time during that year. Additionally, employment records show that key TechFlow project managers with expertise in these methodologies were recruited by Austin tech companies between 2007-2009. Thus, researchers concluded that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
TechFlow employees migrated to Austin tech companies around 2008 and introduced their project management expertise with them.
business conditions in Silicon Valley and Austin were more similar in 2008 than they are today.
Austin tech companies primarily relied on traditional management approaches and did not use agile methodologies before 2008.
TechFlow likely adopted its project management practices from Austin-based tech companies.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "TechFlow Corporation, a Silicon Valley software company, developed innovative agile project management methodologies in the early 2000s that significantly improved development efficiency." |
|
| "Analysis of internal corporate documents reveals that several major tech companies in Austin began implementing nearly identical project management frameworks around 2008, with these specific methodologies appearing in their operational procedures for the first time during that year." |
|
| "Additionally, employment records show that key TechFlow project managers with expertise in these methodologies were recruited by Austin tech companies between 2007-2009." |
|
| "Thus, researchers concluded that ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Evidence suggests a connection between TechFlow's methodologies appearing in Austin companies and the recruitment of TechFlow managers during the same time period.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes TechFlow as the originator of specific project management methodologies, then presents two pieces of evidence - Austin companies adopting identical methods in 2008 and TechFlow managers being recruited to those same companies around the same time. This sets up a clear cause-and-effect relationship that needs to be completed.
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
- The evidence shows us three key facts: TechFlow created the methodologies first, Austin companies adopted identical methods in 2008, and TechFlow managers with expertise were recruited to Austin companies between 2007-2009
- The timing is crucial here - the recruitment happened right before and during the period when Austin companies started using these methodologies
- The logical connection is that the TechFlow employees brought their knowledge with them when they moved to Austin companies
- This explains both why the methodologies appeared suddenly in Austin and why they were nearly identical to TechFlow's
TechFlow employees migrated to Austin tech companies around 2008 and introduced their project management expertise with them.
- This directly explains the connection between all the evidence presented
- The timing matches perfectly - recruitment happened 2007-2009, methodologies appeared 2008
- It explains why Austin companies had "nearly identical" frameworks - they came from the same source
- This follows logically from the cause-and-effect relationship established in the passage
business conditions in Silicon Valley and Austin were more similar in 2008 than they are today.
- This makes a comparison between business conditions in 2008 versus today
- The passage provides no information about business conditions in either time period
- This doesn't address the connection between methodology adoption and employee recruitment
Austin tech companies primarily relied on traditional management approaches and did not use agile methodologies before 2008.
- While this might be implied by the phrase "appearing in their operational procedures for the first time," it doesn't complete the researchers' conclusion
- This doesn't explain the connection between the evidence points - why did Austin companies suddenly adopt these methods?
TechFlow likely adopted its project management practices from Austin-based tech companies.
- This reverses the timeline - TechFlow developed their methods in the early 2000s, before Austin companies adopted them in 2008
- This contradicts the evidence presented in the passage