TT -20 -34 to 36:

glianer

Q34 to Q36:

      Firms traditionally claim that they

       downsize (i.e., make permanent

       personnel cuts) for economic reasons,

Line       laying off supposedly unnecessary staff

  (5)      in an attempt to become more efficient

and competitive.  Organization theory

would explain this reasoning as an

example of the “economic rationality”

that it assumes underlies all organi-

 (10)      zational activities.  There is evidence

that firms believe they are behaving

rationally whenever they downsize; yet

recent research has shown that the

actual economic effects of downsizing

 (15)      are often negative for firms.  Thus,

organization theory cannot adequately

explain downsizing; non-economic

factors must also be considered.

One such factor is the evolution of

 (20)      downsizing into a powerful business

       myth:  managers simply believe that

       downsizing is efficacious.  Moreover,

downsizing nowadays is greeted

favorably by the business press; the

 (25)      press often refers to soaring stock

prices of downsizing firms (even though

research shows that stocks usually

rise only briefly after downsizing and

then suffer a prolonged decline).

 (30)      Once viewed as a sign of desperation,

downsizing is now viewed as a signal

that firms are serious about competing

       in the global marketplace; such signals

are received positively by key actors—

 (35)
                       financial analysts, consultants,

shareholders—who supply firms with

vital organizing resources.  Thus, even

if downsizers do not become economi-

      cally more efficient, downsizing’s mythic

 (40)     properties give them added prestige

in the business community, enhancing

their survival prospects.

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Q34:

The primary purpose of the passage is to

             

1. criticize firms for engaging in the practice of downsizing
2. analyze the negative economic impact of downsizing on firms
3. offer an alternative to a traditional explanation for the occurrence of downsizing
4. chronicle how perceptions of downsizing have changed over time
5. provide evidence disputing the prevalence of downsizing

Answer:

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Q35:

The passage suggests that downsizing’s mythic properties can be beneficial to a downsizing firm because these properties

             

1. allow the firm to achieve significant operating efficiencies
2. provide the firm with access to important organizing resources
3. encourage a long-term increase in the firm’s stock price
4. make the firm less reliant on external figures such as financial analysts and consultants
5. discourage the firm’s competitors from entering the global marketplace

Answer:

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Q36:

The passage suggests which of the following about the claim that a firm will become more efficient and competitive by downsizing?

             

1. Few firms actually believe this claim to be true.
2. Fewer firms have been making this claim in recent years.
3. This claim contradicts the basic assumption of organization theory.
4. This claim is called into question by certain recent research.
5. This claim is often treated with skepticism by the business press.

Answer:

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QX:

According to the passage, the “key actors” (line 34) view a firm’s downsizing activities as an indication of the firm’s

             

1. troubled financial condition

2. inability to develop effective long-term strategies

3. inability to retain vital organizational resources

4. desire to boost its stock price

5. desire to become more competitive

Answer: E,A,D,E

跟TT给的答案很不一样啊,tt:CBDE.

大家讨论下吧