[分享]考前攒RP，发一篇GWD的downsizing的RC，本月有考，未收集

dustychen

Q2 to Q4:

      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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Q2:

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:

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Q3:

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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Q4:

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:

dustychen

Ans:ECD

Isabel221

谢谢lZ！

请问这篇是原题么？

waninayang

太及时了~感谢~！查了一下，发现第七套的题目跟你给的不一样，多了一题，答案是B

GWD-7-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

[此贴子已经被作者于2007-9-5 13:24:53编辑过]

dustychen

以下是引用Isabel221在2007-9-5 12:57:00的发言：

谢谢lZ！

请问这篇是原题么？

我还没有考，所以不知道

但是根据JJ判断原文70%相似。

题目就不知道了

dustychen

以下是引用waninayang在2007-9-5 13:16:00的发言：

太及时了~感谢~！请问是第几套？

13套

iflyagain

支持。。 有考过的战友确认以下么？

luciennegu

不是这篇吧。

这篇是说有非经济原因来解释downsizing。和JJ上不同的

AngelaGong

anyway, 3Q!

winssie

第一段：美国的公司80年代后有大规模的裁员，多至10％。这是经理阶层曾与雇主之间的一种隐性的协议不再有效。这种协议曾经保证精力的终生职位以及在公司中的升迁。（有一题问到：第一段做什么？答：解释这种曾有的agreement为什么不再有了）。

第二段：但是，经理更主要的能力应该再其他方面，比如解决问题的能力等。经理们应学会在公司里横向（lateral）移动。（不记得是否还有第三段)。

评论：如果你对公司中职业规划的话题不是很陌生，那这篇文章内容不算艰深。但是，我觉得文章第一段到第二段的承接很突兀，使人不能很容易意识到其实文章的主旨是讨论经理们没有了终生雇佣的保证后应如何做。读文章时，重点在第二段及以后。

【版本一】

第一段讲了Downsizing的表现，大概是70年代后各公司都裁了不少员，对比了以前员工的终身制。接着讲了裁员的好处，整顿管理层，使公司更有效率等等。并说是因为竞争的激烈导致公司作出裁员的决定。
              

第二段首句让步，说了终身制也有好处，马上又转折开始说裁员的好处并举例。
              

题目有问70年代前公司员工制度与70年代后有那些不同，但选项中没有能直接取非的，比较绕。我花了不少时间研究第一段，选了一个说70年代前裁员不涉及管理层的，不确定，大家到时仔细想想吧。

【版本二】

有一篇是讲公司的downsizing, 涉及到公司各个层面, 也影响到middle manager, 原先这些中层经理和公司都有unwritten agreement, 要保证他们的salary increase 和career advancing opportunity, 现在因为裁员, 这些都无法实现.

【版本三】
               

美国80 年代后普遍采用的一个 downsizing practise .这种方法使原来的那种unwritten agreement which make middle manager 认为他们会不断得到加薪或提升。但是这种不成文的规定带来很多不好的影响，如不能使公司很好地面对国际竞争。第二段又具体讲述了新方法的内容及好处。第一提问downsizing practise 和80 年代以前有和不同？