The following text is from a company newsletter describing the various departments at TechFlow Industries.When recently hired personnel at TechFlow...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is from a company newsletter describing the various departments at TechFlow Industries.
When recently hired personnel at TechFlow Industries voice apprehensions that the workplace atmosphere could be overly cutthroat and detached, existing team members promptly comfort them by explaining that the organizational culture is genuinely cooperative. These staff members cite the guidance initiatives, collaborative exercises, and accessible management practices. Most significantly, they regularly emphasize the Research and Development division as the unit that most perfectly represents the organization's creative philosophy and cooperative methodology.
What does the text suggest about the Research and Development team?
They possess a notable standing within the organization.
They consist mainly of recently hired staff members.
They favor operating autonomously from other divisions.
They doubt the organization's cooperative strategies.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'When recently hired personnel at TechFlow Industries voice apprehensions that the workplace atmosphere could be overly cutthroat and detached,' |
|
| 'existing team members promptly comfort them by explaining that the organizational culture is genuinely cooperative.' |
|
| 'These staff members cite the guidance initiatives, collaborative exercises, and accessible management practices.' |
|
| 'Most significantly, they regularly emphasize the Research and Development division as the unit that most perfectly represents the organization's creative philosophy and cooperative methodology.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: TechFlow Industries has a genuinely cooperative culture, with the Research and Development division serving as the prime example of this philosophy.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from a problem (new hires' concerns about harsh culture) to a solution (reassurance from existing staff) to evidence supporting that solution, culminating in the most significant evidence—the R&D division as the perfect embodiment of the company's cooperative approach.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked: What we can conclude or infer about the Research and Development team based on the passage information.
What type of answer do we need: An inference about the R&D team's characteristics, role, or status within the company.
Any limiting keywords: The word 'suggest' indicates we need to make a reasonable inference, not find something explicitly stated.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The R&D division is described as the unit that 'most perfectly represents' the organization's philosophy
- They're used as the prime example when staff want to prove the company is cooperative
- They're emphasized 'most significantly' among all evidence presented
- This suggests they hold a special, respected position as the ideal model of company values
They possess a notable standing within the organization.
✓ Correct
- This directly matches our analysis
- If the R&D team is held up as the 'perfect' example of company values and emphasized 'most significantly,' they clearly have notable standing
- The fact that existing employees regularly point to them as proof of the company's cooperative culture shows they're respected and prominent within the organization
They consist mainly of recently hired staff members.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage mentions 'recently hired personnel' but never connects them specifically to the R&D division
- The R&D team is presented as an established example of company culture, not as a group of newcomers
They favor operating autonomously from other divisions.
✗ Incorrect
- This contradicts the entire passage, which emphasizes that R&D represents the company's 'cooperative methodology'
- Operating autonomously would be the opposite of cooperative
They doubt the organization's cooperative strategies.
✗ Incorrect
- This directly contradicts the passage, which says R&D 'most perfectly represents' the cooperative methodology
- If they represented it perfectly, they certainly wouldn't doubt it