XAT 2014 DM | Previous Year XAT Paper
XAT 2014 DM
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Read the following case – let and answer the questions that follow.
Ms. Banerjee, class teacher for 12th standard, wants to send teams (based on past performance) of three students each to district, state, national, and international competition in mathematics. Till now, every student of the class has appeared in 100 school level tests. The students had following distribution of marks in the tests, in terms of “average” and “number of times a student scored cent per cent marks”.
Ms. Banerjee has carefully studied chances of her school winning each of the competitions. Based on in-depth calculations, she realized that her school is quite likely to win district level competition but has low chances of winning the international competition. She listed down the following probabilities of wins for different competitions. Prize was highest for international competition and lowest for district level competition (in that order).
All the students are studying in the school for last twelve years. She wanted to select the best team for all four competitions (Ms. Banerjee had no other information to select students).
Which of three members should form the team for the International competition?
- A.
4, 11, 14
- B.
2, 8, 14
- C.
1, 6, 12
- D.
13, 14, 15
- E.
1, 3, 4
Answer: Option B
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Explanation :
The probability of winning in the international competition is very less (5%). So the students selected for it should have a greater chance of scoring cent percent.
Option (1) is eliminated because 4 & 11 score cent percent just once.
In option (2), the combined number of times cent percent is scored is 15 + 12 + 20 = 47
In option (3), the combined number of times cent percent is scored is 7 + 10 + 6 = 23
In option (4), 2 of the members score cent percent less number of times. Combined cent percent is 2 + 20 + 5 = 27
In option (5), the combined number of times cent percent is scored is 7 + 8 + 1 = 16
Hence, option (b).
Workspace:
Which of the following members should constitute the team for the district level competition?
- A.
4, 11, 14
- B.
1, 4, 11
- C.
4, 5, 6
- D.
4, 11, 13
- E.
Any team can win the competition
Answer: Option D
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Explanation :
The probability of winning in the district level competition is high (95%).
So Ms. Banerjee needs to select students who have high averages.
The number of times the students score cent percent is not important.
Students 4 & 11 have high an average of 70 and they score cent percent just once.
So option (1) is eliminated as it has student 14 who has scored cent percent 20 times.
Similarly, option (3) is also eliminated. In options (2) and (4), we select option (4) as the correct option because both students 1 & 13 have the same average but student 13 scores cent percent just twice.
Hence, option (d).
Workspace:
Ms. Banerjee has to select the team for national competition after she has selected the team for international competition. A student selected for international competition cannot be a part of national competition. Which is the best team for the national competition?
- A.
1, 7, 4
- B.
8, 9, 10
- C.
2, 8, 14
- D.
3, 6, 1
- E.
Any of remaining students, as it would not matter
Answer: Option D
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Explanation :
A student selected for international competition cannot be selected for national competition. So, students 2, 8 and 14 cannot be a part of national team. The probability of winning in the national competition is 10%. So, here the stress should be on the number of times cent percent is scored.
Also, the students with higher averages are preferred.
Option (1) has students having high averages but lesser cent percent scores.
Option (2) has students having lower average scores like 60.
Option (3) has all the students having an average score of 60.
Option (4) has students having higher averages of 65 and 70. Also, their combined cent percent scores is very high, 8 + 10 + 7 = 25.
Hence, option (d).
Workspace:
The main issues of interpretation arising from the work of professionally trained anthropologists are that they are late in colonial/post – colonial trajectories, because professional training shapes their interpretations. However, within field of interest and training, their works are most thorough and systematic
The best conclusion drawn from the above paragraph is analogous to:
- A.
Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which states that speed and position cannot be determined simultaneously.
- B.
Cultural relativism, which states that two or more than two cultures cannot be compared.
- C.
Personal relativism, which states that one should not study anthropological phenomenon for personal gains.
- D.
Conclusive relativism, which states that anthropologists should not knowingly color their findings.
- E.
Communicative relativism, which states that anthropologists should not be selective in communicating their findings.
Answer: Option A
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Explanation :
According to the information provided, the issues of interpretation arise from the fact that anthropologists cannot dissociate the influence of their training from their projection of colonial/ post-colonial trajectories.
Therefore, it would be very difficult to evaluate the work of an anthropologist without evaluating their professional training and vice-versa. This is analogous to the conclusion drawn from Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which indicates that one cannot evaluate speed without determining the position and vice-versa. This vindicates option 1. Options 2, 4 and 5 are beyond the scope of the analogy put forth in the question. Option 4 puts forth the conclusion drawn from the passage but is not analogous to it.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
Workspace:
Consider merit pay for teachers. Schools face constant pressure to change their management approaches to improve performance, which is usually assessed by standardized reading, math, and science scores. In most school teacher’s pay is determined by seniority, years of total teaching experience, and credentials. Pay is rarely based on performance, which is contrary to the belief among parents and private sector. Parents and business leaders lament that there are no carrots/sticks used to motivate teachers. Consequently, there has been greater push to implement some form of merit pay to improve the motivation
Which of the following statements will disapprove the claim of the parents and business leaders?
- A.
A recent study suggested that teachers are self – motivated.
- B.
Teachers are largely motivated, by financial incentives; so pay for performance will induce greater and more effective effort.
- C.
Learning cannot be measured reliably and accurately by a test given once a year.
- D.
Teaching is a solo – activity, there is a little interdependence with other co – curricular and extra – curricular activities in the school.
- E.
To err is human. And hence stick should be used to reduce errors.
Answer: Option A
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Explanation :
The claim made by parents and business leaders is that it is lamentable that “there are no carrots/sticks used to motivate teachers”. The option that disproves this claim is option 1 because if teachers are self-motivated, the provision of merit pay would not help in motivating them in any manner.
Option 2 supports the claim made by the parents instead of disproving it by indicating that financial incentives would work in motivating teachers. Eliminate option 2.
Option 3 disputes the yardstick used for assessing the performance of the teachers but does not pertain specifically to the claim made by parents and business leaders.
Options 4 and 5 do not bear any effect on the mentioned claim.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
Workspace:
In a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), researchers explored how caffeine can serve as a “mild anti – depressant”. They concluded that “drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce the risk of suicide”. Data pulled in from three large studies in the US showed that the suicide risk of those who drank two to four cups of caffeinated coffee a day was about half of those who drank decaffeinated coffee or very little or no coffee. In the studies, a respondent’s caffeine consumption was assessed every four years through a questionnaire. The respondents were all adults, and the study was published online. The authors,however, cautioned the public from increasing coffee intake as it could result in “unpleasant side effects”. “Overall, our results suggest that there is little further benefit for consumption above two to three cups/day or 400 mg of caffeine/day,” wrote the researchers. The authors observed that there` was no major difference in suicide risk for adults who drank two to three cups a day from those who drank four cups or more.Which of the following shaped graph would best capture the above paragraph(x – axis represents “coffee intake” and “Y – axis represents “suicidal tendency”)?
- A.
A straight line
- B.
Saw tooth curve
- C.
S shaped curve
- D.
U shaped curve
- E.
L shaped curve
Answer: Option E
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Explanation :
Risk of those who drank 2 to 4 cups of coffee was about half of those who drank almost no coffee.
Therefore, the graph would be a straight line from 2 to 4, and it is falling to half its value from 0 cups.
Therefore, it will look closest to an L shaped curve.
Hence, option (e).
Workspace:
A group of nine runners will finish the 400 meters race in a certain order. The runners are: Ashok, Benjamin, Chetan, Divya, Eshant, Girish, Himani, and Irravaty. They all finish at different times, and their finishing order is as follow:
- Faneesh finishes before Ashok
- Divya finishes before Benjamin and Eshant
- Irravaty finishes after Chetan
- Girish finishes after Ashok
Which is the best position Girish can finish?
- A.
First
- B.
Second
- C.
Third
- D.
Fourth
- E.
Fifth
Answer: Option C
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Explanation :
Denote the runners by the first letter of their name.
According to the given conditions, the runners based on their ranks are:
i) F > A, ii) D > B, D > E, iii) C > I, iv) A > G
Girish finishes after Ashok. But Ashok finishes after Faneesh. So, the BEST position Girish can finish is third.
Hence, option (c).
Workspace:
Read the following case – let and answer the questions that follow.
Krishna Reddy was the head of a pharmaceutical company that was trying to develop a new product. Reddy, along with his friend Prabhakar Rao, assessed that such products had mixed success. Reddy and Rao realized that if a new product (a drug) was a success, it may result in sales of 100 crores but if it is unsuccessful, the sales may be only 20 crores. They further assessed that a new drug was likely to be successful 50% of times. Cost of launching the new drug was likely to be 50 crores.
How much profit can the company expect to earn if it launches the new drug(suppose there are no additional costs)?
- A.
12 crores
- B.
10 crores
- C.
10.5 crores
- D.
11 crores
- E.
11.5 crores
Answer: Option B
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Explanation :
Sales of the company if it launches the new drug = 0.5(100) + 0.5(20) = 50 + 10 = Rs. 60 crores
Cost of launching the new drug = Rs. 50 crores
Therefore, profit that the company can expect to earn = 60 – 50 = Rs. 10 crores.
Hence, option (b).
Workspace:
Now, Reddy and Rao were in a quandary whether the company should go ahead and market the drug. They contacted Raj Adduri, a common friend for advice. Adduri was of the opinion that given the risky nature of launch, it may be a better idea to test the market. Rao and Reddy realized test marketing would cost 10 crores. Adduri told them the previous test marketing results have been favorable 70% of times and success rate of products favorably tested was 80%.Further, when test marketing results were unfavorable; the products have been successful 30% of the times.
How much profit can the company expect to make if the product is launched after favorable test marketing results. (Assume there are no additional costs)?
- A.
11.5 crores
- B.
10 crores
- C.
8.5 crores
- D.
13.8 crores
- E.
24 crores
Answer: Option E
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Explanation :
Sales if the product is successful = 0.8(100) = 80 crores
Sales if the product is unsuccessful = 0.2(20) = 4 crores
∴ Total expected sales = 80 + 4 = Rs. 84 crores
Cost of launching the product = Rs. 50 crores
Cost of test marketing = Rs. 10 crores
∴ Expected profit of the company if the product is launched after favorable marketing conditions
= 84 – 60 = Rs. 24 crores.
Hence, option (e).
Workspace:
Now, Reddy and Rao were in a quandary whether the company should go ahead and market the drug. They contacted Raj Adduri, a common friend for advice. Adduri was of the opinion that given the risky nature of launch, it may be a better idea to test the market. Rao and Reddy realized test marketing would cost 10 crores. Adduri told them the previous test marketing results have been favorable 70% of times and success rate of products favorably tested was 80%.Further, when test marketing results were unfavorable; the products have been successful 30% of the times.
What is the probability of product failure if Reddy and Rao decides to test market it?
- A.
0.21
- B.
0.35
- C.
0.14
- D.
0.28
- E.
Cannot be computed
Answer: Option B
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Explanation :
Probability of product failure if the test marketing results were favourable = (0.7)(0.2) = 0.14
Probability of product failure if the test marketing results were unfavorable = (0.3)(0.7) = 0.21
Probability of product failure if it was test marketed
= 0.14 + 0.21 = 0.35
Hence, option (b).
Workspace:
Now, Reddy and Rao were in a quandary whether the company should go ahead and market the drug. They contacted Raj Adduri, a common friend for advice. Adduri was of the opinion that given the risky nature of launch, it may be a better idea to test the market. Rao and Reddy realized test marketing would cost 10 crores. Adduri told them the previous test marketing results have been favorable 70% of times and success rate of products favorably tested was 80%.Further, when test marketing results were unfavorable; the products have been successful 30% of the times.
If Rao and Reddy decides to launch the product despite unfavourable test marketing, how much profit can the company expect to earn?
- A.
13.2 crores
- B.
36.8 crores
- C.
46.8 crores
- D.
16 crores
- E.
10 crores
Answer: Option D
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Explanation :
Sales if the product is marketed unfavorable = 0.3(100) + 0.7(20) = Rs. 44 crores
Cost of launching the drug = Rs. 50 crores
Cost of test marketing the drug = Rs. 10 crores
Therefore, profit that the company can expect to earn if the product is marketed unfavorable = 44 – 50 – 10
= Rs. −16 crores
Hence, option (d).
Workspace:
Read the following case – let and answer the questions that follow.
Intercontinental Business Manufacturing (IBM) was doing a roaring business. Demand of the products was high and supply of raw – material was abundant. IBM was manufacturing three different products Some customers bought two types of products and some bought only one. The three products were “quickie – quick”, “run – of – the – mill”, and “maxi – max”. Customers were not complaining loudly.
Ram, the product manager, was confused! Demand for “quickie – quick “was increasing .Raw material suppliers wanted to supply lower quality at cheaper price. It was profitable for the company to increase production .Quality department was not happy with the product. Ram met Rahim, the CEO, who, as always, wanted higher profits. He said that IBM will set up a committee for improving the quality.
What must not be done by Ram?
- A.
Only produce “quickie – quick” as it gives highest profits.
- B.
Increase the production for “quickie – quick” and ask the supplier for better quality raw material.
- C.
Maintain the level of production for “quickie – quick” and ask the supplier for better quality raw material.
- D.
Reduce the production of “quickie – quick” till committee submits its report.
- E.
Stop production of “quickie – quick” till committee submits its report.
Answer: Option A
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Explanation :
In order to arrive at the correct answer for this question, one must read it very carefully.
The passage mentions that, “some customers bought two types of products and some bought only one”. This implies that “run-of-the-mill” and “maxi-max” were in demand as well. Thus, Ram must not only produce the “quickie-quick”.
All of the other options, indicate courses of action that Ram must undertake.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
Workspace:
Rahim set up a “brand” committee comprising of a few selected managers, headed by Robert. The committee proposed that IBM should continue to manufacture the three differently branded products. It also proposed to recruit a new brand manager for improving brand image of the products. It agreed with Rahim that the company should increase the price. Rocket Singh, head of sales, was confused because he realized that customers were miffed with “run – of – the – mill” and “maxi – max”.
What should Rocket Singh do?
- A.
Launch one more product to increase sales.
- B.
Stop production of quickie – quick.
- C.
Launch a campaign on social media to increase awareness about company’s products.
- D.
Send an anonymous email to all the employees highlighting customer dissatisfaction.
- E.
Conduct a research study to find out the reason for customer’s dissatisfaction.
Answer: Option E
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Explanation :
Rocket Singh realized that customers were upset with “run-of-the-mill” and “maxi-max”. Hence, the decision he takes must take this into consideration.
“Launching one more product” is uncalled for at this stage. Eliminate option 1.
The customers have not been mentioned as being upset with “quickie-quick”. Eliminate option 2.
Launching a campaign on social media to increase awareness does not address the customers' mindset. Eliminate option 3.
Option 4 is unprofessional in nature.
Option 5 will bring the required insight to the scenario.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.
Workspace:
Some of the managers in production department were discussing the problems faced in shipping products in time. They complained that they had to undertake responsibility of creating financial and marketing plans in addition to responsibility of production planning. At the same time, finance and marketing managers were to be involved in preparing production plans. It was expected that this will reduce customer complaints. It was rumored that these changes were initiated by the managers educated in the U.S.
Which of the following is the best possible course of action available to the affected managers?
- A.
Create a union to safeguard their rights.
- B.
File a law suit against the company.
- C.
Create a forum for discussion and resolution of issues.
- D.
Register a complaint with the human rights body.
- E.
Go for further education to the U.S.
Answer: Option C
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Explanation :
The affected managers in this scenario are those in the production, finance and marketing departments.
From the information given in the caselet, one may infer that their rights were certainly not violated in any manner. This eliminates options 1, 2 and 4.
Option 5 is not only far fetched but also erroneous. Going to the U.S. for further education is completely uncalled for.
Creating a forum for discussion will bring everyone’s ideas to the table and facilitate resolution of the mentioned issues.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
Workspace:
Please read the three reports (newspaper articles) on ranking of different players and products in smart phones industry and answer the questions that follow.
Report 1: (Feb, 2013)
Apple nabs crown as current top US mobile phone vendor
Apple’s reign may not be long, as Samsung is poised to overtake Apple in April, 2013.
For the first time since Apple entered the mobile phone market in 2007, it has been ranked the top mobile phone vendor in the US. For the latter quarter of 2012, sales of its iPhone accounted for 34 percent of all mobile phone sales in the US - including feature phones – according to the latest data from Strategy Analytics.
While the iPhone has consistently been ranked the top smartphone sold in the US, market research firm NPD noted that feature phone sales have fallen off a cliff recently, to the point where 8 out of every 10 mobile phones sold in the US are now smartphones. That ratio is up considerably from the end of 2011, when smartphones had just cracked the 50 percent mark. Given this fact it’s no surprise that Apple, which only sells smartphones, has been able to reach the top of the overall mobile phone market domestically.
For the fourth quarter of 2012, Apple ranked number one with 34 percent of the US mobile market, up from 25.6 percent year over year. Samsung grew similarly, up to 32.3 percent from 26.9 percent – but not enough to keep from slipping to second place. LG dropped to 9 percent from 13.7 percent, holding its third place spot. It should be noted that Samsung and LG both sell a variety of feature phones in addition to smartphones.
Looking only at smartphones, the ranking is a little different according to NPD. Apple holds the top spot with 39 percent of the US smartphone market, while Samsung again sits at number two with 30 percent. Motorola manages to rank third with 7 percent, while HTC dropped to fourth with 6 percent. In the US smartphone market, LG is fifth with 6 percent. Note how the percentages aren’t all that different from overall mobile phone market share – for all intents and purposes, the smartphone market is the mobile phone market in the US going forward.
Still, Samsung was the top mobile phone vendor overall for 2012, and Strategy Analytics expects Samsung to be back on top soon. “Samsung had been the number one mobile phone vendor in the US since 2008, and it will surely be keen to recapture that title in 2013 by launching improved new models such as the rumored Galaxy S4”.
And while Apple is the top vendor overall among smartphones, its iOS platform is still second to the Android platform overall. Samsung is the largest vendor selling Android-based smartphones, but Motorola, HTC, LG, and others also sell Android devices, giving the platform a clear advantage over iOS both domestically and globally.
Report 2: Reader’s Response (2013, Feb)
I don’t actually believe the numbers for Samsung. Ever since the debacle in early 2011, when Lenovo called into question the numbers Samsung was touting for tablet shipments, stating that Samsung had only sold 20,000 of the 1.5 million tablets they shipped into the US the last quarter of 2010, Samsung (who had no response to Lenovo) has refused to supply quarterly sales numbers for smartphones or tablets. That’s an indication that their sales aren’t what analysts are saying.
We can look to several things to help understand why. In the lawsuit between Apple and Samsung here last year, both were required to supply real sales numbers for devices under contention. The phones listed turned out to have sales between one third and one half of what had been guessed by IDC and others. Tablet sales were even worse. Of the 1.5 million tablets supposedly shipped to the US during that time, only 38,000 were sold.
Then we have the usage numbers. Samsung tablets have only a 1.5% usage rate, where the iPad has over 90%. Not as much a difference with the phones but it’s still overwhelmingly in favor of iPhone.
The problem is that with Apple’s sales, we have actual numbers to go by. The companies who estimate can calibrate what they do after those numbers come out. But with Samsung and many others, they can’t ever calibrate their methods, as there are no confirming numbers released from the firms. A few quarters ago, as a result, we saw iSupply estimate Samsung’s smartphone sales for the quarter at 32 million, with estimates from others all over the place up to 50 million. Each time some other company reported a higher number for that same quarter, the press dutifully used that higher number as THE ONE. But none of them was the one.
Without accurate self-reporting of actual sales to the end users, none of these market share charts are worth a damn!
Report 3: Contradictory survey (Feb, 2013)
iPhone5 Ranks Fifth In U.S. Customer Satisfaction Survey inShare
The iPhone5 ranks fifth in customer satisfaction according to the results of a recent survey from OnDevice Research, a mobile device research group. In the poll, they asked 320,000 smartphone and tablet users from six different countries, how satisfied they were with their devices. According to 93,825 people from the US, Motorola Atrix HD is the most satisfying and Motorola’s Droid Razr took second spot. HTC Corp (TPE : 2498)’s Rezound 4G and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 took third and fourth spots, while Apple’s iPhone5 landed in fifth spot.
It appears that Apple may be lagging in consumer interest. OnDevice Research, Sarah Quinn explained, “Although Apple created one of the most revolutionary devices of the past decade, other manufactures have caught up, with some Android powered devices now commanding higher levels of user satisfaction.”
Despite the lower rankings, things aren’t looking too bad for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) elsewhere. In the United Kingdom, they ranked second place, right after HTC One X. Interesting enough, Apple did take top spot for overall satisfaction of mobile device, whereas Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) ranked second. Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (NYSE:NOK) took third, fourth, and fifth places respectively, while Sony Ericsson trailed behind at sixth place.
The survey sampled mobile device users in the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and Indonesia. Although OnDevice didn’t share the full list of devices mentioned in the survey, it does show some insight to what customers want. Unfortunately, there were still many questions regarding the survey that were left unanswered. Everyone wants to know why Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) was on the list when they are not an actual smartphone maker and why was Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) on the bottom of the satisfaction list when the brand is leading elsewhere.
Source: 92.825 US mobile users, July 2012 – January 2013
Fortunately, those questions were answered by OnDevice Research’s representative. He explained that the survey was conducted on mobile web where the survey software could detect the taker’s device and since user’s rate their satisfaction levels on a 1 to 10 scale, thanks to the Nexus device, Google was included.
If you analyze the three reports above, which of the following statements would be the best inference?
- A.
Newspapers publish completely wrong data.
- B.
All three reports have been bought by the companies.
- C.
Newspapers may report selectively.
- D.
Apple is leading but its dominance in Korean market is definitely under threat.
- E.
Customer’s response, in report 2, is neutral and objective.
Answer: Option C
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Explanation :
Options 1, 2 and 5 while possible in real life, do not have data to support them in the passage.
Option 5 has two issues: it refers only to that report, and the response may not be objective / neutral since it is critical of Samsung.
Option 3 is the best option since the three reports highlight different parts of the same picture leading us to the conclusion that newspapers may report selectively.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
Workspace:
Assume report1 and report3 are both correct, which of the following can be a reason for seemingly divergent ranks of different companies and their products?
- A.
iPhone4, another product from Apple, could have been the best seller in the U.S.
- B.
HTC-One was the most preferred device in Japan.
- C.
OnDevice included Google in the list because it is an important player in Android market.
- D.
Customer satisfaction never leads to higher customer loyalty.
- E.
None of the above.
Answer: Option A
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Explanation :
Report 1 is focused on the US, while option 2 focuses on Japan, eliminating it.
Options 3 and 4 bypass the crux of the question.
Option 1 creates the possibility that the sales of iPhone could have come from iPhone 4 (note that report 1 discusses the sales of the iPhone in general and report 3 discusses iPhone 5 in particular).
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.
Workspace:
If report1 and report3 are both correct, which of the following can be a reason for seemingly divergent ranks reported for different companies and their products?
- A.
OnDevice has been paid by Motorola to publish.
- B.
Customers in France, in report3, have voted Samsung as the favorite company.
- C.
Customers in Japan, in report3, have voted Samsung as the favorite company.
- D.
Sales and satisfaction may not be perfectly related with each other.
- E.
None of the above.
Answer: Option D
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Explanation :
This question asks for another reason for the same data as the previous question.
Report 1 presents sales data, while report 3 presents data on customer satisfaction.
Only option 4 satisfactorily answers the question asked. All of the other options address other concerns.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.
Workspace:
Which of the following is more likely to be a correct conclusion about the respondent/reader in report2?
- A.
The reader is an Apple user.
- B.
If the reader is an Apple user, his usage rate is higher.
- C.
The reader is a frequent user of HTC One.
- D.
The reader does not like Android platform.
- E.
The reader wants more objective data to be released by the companies.
Answer: Option E
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Explanation :
The reader makes the clear point that data on Samsung is ambiguous, since the company does not release data on phones sold. This makes option 5 correct.
There is no justification for options 1 to 4 in report 2.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.
Workspace:
Read the following case-let and choose the best alternative for the questions that follow.
Ajay was thinking deeply about a problem that his organization, a business consulting company, faced. Globalization had affected his company like many other companies. Despite the downturn, the current revenues remained healthy. However, Ajay knew it was inevitable that the company could not do business the same way. The complexity of managing the business had increased with time. Consultants were under pressure to deliver good and innovative solutions. The organization had consultants from different age groups having a good mix of domain and industry expertise. It was a flat organization with three levels. The biggest challenge for Ajay was to have consultants with latest knowledge who would also earn revenues. Getting additional business was a challenge as all the consultants were busy and it was very difficult to hire new consultants.
Some of the consultants were adept at applying old solutions to new problems. Ajay was not very sure if this would work for long. Some of the clients had complained about the performance of old and reputed consultants. Ajay was mulling over the following five solutions to tackle this problem.
- Decrease time spent on client interaction and increase time spent for generating solutions.
- Increase support staff to help consultants to remain updated.
- Decrease the number of simultaneous projects handled by consultants.
- Make it compulsory for consultants to work on inter-industry and inter-domain problems.
- Recruit more consultants.
Which of the following would be the best sequence of decisions taken by Ajay (starting from immediate to distant)?
- A.
3, 2, 1, 5, 4
- B.
4, 3, 2, 1, 5
- C.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- D.
2, 4, 5, 1, 3
- E.
1, 5, 4, 3, 2
Answer: Option B
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Explanation :
The consultants have been mentioned as giving old solutions to new problems and the clients have complained about the same. Hence, the first course of action would be making it compulsory for them to be versatile in their work methods as mentioned in statement 4. Secondly, in-order for them to perform better, their work load needs to be reduced and new as well as competent support staff should be hired to help the consultants stay adept with the latest developments in the industry. This could be followed by devoting more time towards the finding of solutions and spending less time on client interactions. Given that hiring new people has been mentioned as a challenge, that would be one of the last courses of action to embark.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.
Workspace:
After Ajay implemented some of the steps mentioned above, consultants wanted to renegotiate their contract with the organization. It seems that the organization had never mentioned that consultants have to work across industries and domains. Some of the old consultants were reluctant to change their ways, while many of the younger consultants were willing to follow Ajay’s advice. Which of the following decision can be taken by Ajay to handle this situation?
- A.
Retrench old consultants and recruit young consultants.
- B.
Pressurize non-conformists by giving preferential treatment to the conformists.
- C.
Negotiate with the old consultants and communicate that the new rules would apply to the new consultants only.
- D.
Do nothing and wait for a right solution to emerge, as with time resistance would die down.
- E.
Discuss the issue in an open house and let solutions emerge democratically.
Answer: Option E
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Explanation :
From what is mentioned in the caselet, the old consultants seem to have entered into a comfort zone as far as their work is concerned. The fact that them working across industries and domains was not mentioned earlier added to their discomfort in the said scenario. Given that the job requires them to mend their ways, the problem calls for a platform where they can raise their concerns openly. Only option 5 puts forth a viable solution for all the stakeholders involved i.e. the company, the old consultants as well as the younger consultants.
Options 1 and 2 are extreme and can very well be avoided.
Option 3 is unfair to the younger consultants.
Option 4 is passive in nature.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.
Workspace:
Ajay was to retire in five years and he wanted to leave behind a legacy. Order the following activities, from the most important to the least important, that Ajay should undertake in next five year:
- Do nothing.
- Set a future direction for the organization in these challenging times.
- Benchmark performance with respect to the best consulting company in industry.
- Empower senior consultants and at the same time seek opinion of all others for handling future challenges.
- Infuse fresh thinking by hiring outsiders.
Choose the best option from the following sequences
- A.
1, 2, 3, 4
- B.
2, 3, 4, 5
- C.
3, 4, 2, 1
- D.
2, 5, 3, 1
- E.
2, 5, 4, 3
Answer: Option B
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Explanation :
Statement 1 as a course of action is out of question, given that Ajay has been mentioned as being concerned about the well-being of his company. Eliminate options 1, 3 and 4.
The only difference between options 2 and 5 is that option 2 gives benchmarking the performance of the company with the best in the industry priority, while option 5 does not. Given that Ajay wants to set the situation straight within the next five years, statement 3 should be one of his first priorities.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.
Workspace:
Read the following case-let and choose the best alternative for the questions that follow.
Rajinder Singh was 32 years old from the small town of Bhathinda, Punjab. Most of the families living there had middle class incomes, with about 10% of the population living below the poverty level. The population consisted of 10 percent small traders, 30 percent farmers, besides others. Rajinder liked growing up in Bhathinda, where people knew and cared about each other.
Even as a youngster it was clear that Rajinder was smart and ambitious. Neighbors would often say, “Someday you’re going to make us proud!” He always had a job growing up at Singh’s General Store – Uncle Balwant’s store. Balwant was a well-intentioned person. Rajinder loved being at the store and not just because Balwant paid him well. He liked helping customers, most of who were known by the nicknames. Setting up displays and changing the merchandise for different seasons and holidays was always exciting. Uncle Balwant had one child and off late, his interest in business had declined. But he had taught Rajinder ‘the ins and outs of retailing’. He had taught Rajinder everything, including ordering merchandise, putting on a sale, customer relations, and keeping the books.
The best part about working at the store was Balwant himself. Balwant loved the store as much as Rajinder did. Balwant had set up the store with a mission to make sure his neighbors got everything they needed at a fair price. He carried a wide variety of goods, based on the needs of the community. If you needed a snow shovel or piece of jewelry for your wife, it was no problem – Singh’s had it all. Rajinder was impressed by Balwant’s way of handling and caring for customers. If somebody was going through “hard times”, Balwant somehow knew it. When they came into the store, Balwant would make them feel comfortable, and say something like, “you know Jaswant, let’s put everything on credit today”. This kind of generosity made it easy to understand why Balwant was loved and respected throughout the community.
Rajinder grew up and went to school and college in Bhathinda. Later on, he made it to an MBA program in Delhi. Rajinder did well in the MBA course and was goal oriented. After first year of his MBA, the career advisor and Balwant advised Rajinder for an internship at Bigmart. That summer, Rajinder was amazed by the breadth and comprehensiveness of the internship experience. Rajinder got inspired by the life story of the founder of Bigmart, and the value the founder held. Bigmart was one of the best companies in the world.
The people that Rajinder worked for at Bigmart during the internship noticed Rajinder’s work ethic, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the business. Before the summer ended, Rajinder had been offered a job as a Management Trainee by Bigmart, to start upon graduation. Balwant was happy to see Rajinder succeed. Even for Rajinder, this was a dream job – holding the opportunity to move up the ranks in a big company.Rajinder did indeed move up the ranks quickly, from management trainee, to assistant store manager, to supervising manager of three stores, to the present position – Real Estate Manager, North India. This job involved locating new sites within targeted locations and community relations.
One day Rajinder was eagerly looking forward to the next assignment. When he received email for the same, his world came crashing down. He was asked to identify next site in Bhathinda. It was not that Rajinder didn’t believe in Bigmart’s explanation. What was printed in the popular press,especially the business press, only reinforced Rajinder’s belief in Bigmart. An executive viewed as one of the wisest business persons in the world was quoted as saying, “Bigmart had been a major force in improving the quality of life for the average consumer around the world offering great prices on good, giving them one stop solution for almost everything.” Many big farmers also benefitted through low prices, as middlemen were removed. At the same time, Rajinder knew that opening a new Bigmart could disrupt small business in Bhathinda. Some local stores in small towns went out of business within a year of the Bigmart’s opening.
In Bhathinda, one of the local stores Singh’s,now run by Balwant’s son, although Balwant still came in every day to “straighten out the merchandise.” As Rajinder thought about this assignment, depression set in, and the nightmares followed. Rajinder was frozen in time and space. Rajinder’s nightmares involved Balwant screaming something- although Rajinder could not make out what Balwant was saying. This especially troubled Rajinder, since Balwant never raised his voice.
Rajinder didn’t know what to do – who might be helpful? Rajinder’s spouse, who was a housewife? Maybe talking it through could lead to some positive course of action. Rajinder’s boss?Would Bigmart understand? Could Rajinder really disclose the conflict without fear? Uncle Balwant? Should Rajinder really disclose the situation and ask for advise? He wanted a solution that would make all satkeholders happy.
Who is the best person for Rajinder to talk to?
- A.
Wife
- B.
Boss
- C.
Let time take its own course
- D.
Balwant
- E.
His colleagues in the office
Answer: Option D
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Explanation :
Rajinder has been mentioned as being on good terms with Balwant. This relationship is responsible for his emotional response to the possibility of Bigmart opening in Bhatinda.
Given that the passage gives no details on Rajinder's relationship with his boss and colleagues, we do not know if they will be the right people to approach. Eliminate options 2 and 5.
Option 3 is extremely passive in nature.
Although option 1 seems tempting, the association he shares with Balwant makes option 4 the most appropriate choice.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.
Workspace:
After delibertation with many people and a lot of research, Rajinder came across a study published in leading journal, which stated that most local farmers benefited because Bigmart bought agricultural produce directly from the farmers.
Which of the following actions would you prefer Rajinder to take, after he got this fresh information?
- A.
Since farmers benefit from Bigmart’s presence, Rajinder should be happy with Bigmart’s presence in Bhatinda
- B.
Rajinder should undertake a new study to find out influence of Bigmart on local farmers
- C.
Rajinder should see this as an opportunity to take concerns of local traders to the top management of Bigmart in India. It may help Bigmart to develop new solutions that can benefit Bigmart, retailers, farmers and consumers.
- D.
Quit job at Bigmart and start another big retail chain to compete with Bigmart
- E.
Request his boss to transfer him to new location, which has a low percentage of mom and pop stores. This would reduce Rajinder’s discomfort.
Answer: Option C
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Explanation :
Options 1, 2, 4 and 5 do not take any concrete action to address the issue at hand.
Option 3 addresses the issue at hand.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
Workspace:
Which is the right ascending order, in terms of proportion of population, benefitting from Bigmart, in and around Bhathinda?
- A.
Consumers, farmers, retailers
- B.
Farmers, consumers, retailers
- C.
Retailers, farmers, consumers
- D.
Farmers, retailers, consumers
- E.
Consumers, retailers, , farmers
Answer: Option C
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Explanation :
The passage mentions that 10 percent of the population comprised of small traders and 30 percent farmers. Therefore, we can infer that retailers made for the smallest proportion of the population followed by farmers and consumers which would include most of the population. Therefore, the entities in ascending order would be – retailers, farmers and consumers.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
Workspace:
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