SC advanced Question Normative Model
Suppose you want to say two things:
1) Sachin rides a bike
2) Seeing a direction signboard, Sachin takes a way to Mysore.
You can combine these two sentences in a precise and succinct way as show below:
Sachin rides a bike and, seeing a direction signboard, takes a way to Mysore.
Since, modifier (seeing….) is referring to Sachin, there is no other place to put that modifier.
Thanks
Rahul
Akshay,
Look at the parallelism markers in this sentence:
The normative model of strategic decision-making suggests that executives examine <a firm’s external environment and internal conditions> and, <using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses,> decide on a strategy.
This structure is correct only in D.
Option B essentially connects ‘examine’ and ‘use’ and puts the two in parallel. However, it uses a comma after and. Typically, we do not use a comma before ‘and’ in a list of only 2 items. For e.g.
Sam ate nuts, cookies, and a banana at 6PM. <correct>
Sam ate nuts, and cookies at 6PM. <incorrect>
I hope this helps.
Regs
Gowri
There are two problems in option B.
1) There is a meaning change. Original sentence says that executives examine…., and…decide as you already figure it out, but option B says that executives use those criterion. deciding on a strategy is just a goal.
2) COMMA+AND is used to say two separate things.
e.g. Soumya is studying SC these days, and Crackverbal team launched a fantastic forum for its students.
Here, both the sentences are two separate facts.
If you want to say two different things about the same subject. COMMA+AND is generally not used in GMAT SC.
Thanks
Rahul
You are true Hardik. However parallelism would still be the bigger grammatical reason.
The normative model of strategic decision-making suggests that executives examine <a firm’s external environment and internal conditions> and, <using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses,> decide on a strategy.
The highlighted set of words would indicate the list, the items of which need to be parallel!
Remember the difference between using a conjunction and a v+ing modifier.
A conjunction denotes two separate actions that are not linked to each other whereas a v+ing modifier denotes a cause and effect.
Ex : Rahul amused all his friends and walked 300km.
Rahul amused all his friends, walking 300km.
In the first sentence, Rahul did two things viz. amused and walked. In the second sentence Rahul did one primary thing – amused.
Hope that helps 🙂
The normative model of strategic decision-making suggests that executives examine a firm’s external environment and internal conditions, and in using the set of objective criteria they derive from these analyses, can decide on a strategy.
A. conditions, and in using the set of objective criteria they derive from these analyses, can decide
B. conditions, and they use the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses in deciding
C. conditions and, in using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, deciding
D. conditions and, using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, decide
E. conditions and, in their use of the set of objective criteria they derive from these analyses, they decide
Looking at the options, i was kind of sure of option B as the meaning came out clear though I was slightly apprehensive of “they” on ambiguity grounds ( conditions or executive)…
Now, I am confused with the right ans. D which uses the participial “using ” that should be referring to Normative model instead of Executives though gives structural parallelism in the sense – “Normative model suggests that Executives examine … and …. decide on a strategy.”
I hit the right ans using parallism here.. examine .. decide ..
and I am not sure why the modifier ‘using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses’ refers to executives but it does make sense from the sentence that executives are being referred through that sentence.
Somebody,Please correct me if my approach is wrong.
Sample this: John bought 2 apples, and using the money left, bought 1 banana.
What is the problem here? How else would you have constructed this sentence?
Arun
Arun, I am afraid I still do not have full clarity of the faults in B. Request you to explain please. Thanks.
Also, I am not clear about the “COMMA+AND” explanation given by Rahul
