Manager: This company's supply chain will develop significant weaknesses unless we make changes to our vendor contracts now. Some will argue that this problem is so far in the future that there is no need to address it today. But Conclusion that is an irresponsible approach. Just imagine Support if a financial planner offered the same counsel to a 30-year-old client: "Don't worry, Jane, retirement is 35 years away; you don't need to save anything now." That planner would be guilty of gross malpractice.
It would be irresponsible for the company to wait to address future supply chain issues. To support this claim, the manager uses an analogy: if a financial planner advised a client to postpone retirement planning simply because retirement is in the future, the planner would be engaging in malpractice.
The conclusion is a denouncement of waiting to address future supply chain issues: “that is an irresponsible approach.”
Which one of the following most accurately expresses the overall conclusion drawn in the manager's argument?
Some people argue that the supply-chain problem is so far in the future that there is no need to address it now.
This is the position that the manager is arguing against.
It would be irresponsible to postpone changes to the vendor contracts just because the supply chain will not develop weaknesses for a long time.
This rephrases the conclusion.
If no changes are made to the vendor contracts, the supply chain will eventually develop significant weaknesses.
This is context. (C) is important for understanding what “this problem” means, but it’s not part of the support or conclusion.
In planning to meet its future obligations, a company should follow the same practices that are appropriate for an individual who is planning for retirement.
This is a necessary assumption. For the analogy/support to be relevant, (D) needs to be true, but it’s never stated. If we negate (D), the connection between support and conclusion would be severed.
Financial planners should advise their clients to save money for retirement only if retirement is many years away.
The manager strongly implies that financial planners should advise clients to save for retirement when it’s many years away, but the manager doesn’t make the “retirement is many years away” component a necessary condition.
Answer five questions and we'll estimate your score.
It takes about five minutes.
Take the free diagnostic