OG12-18-101

queenie1987

请教大家OG里的101题。
The majority of successful senior managers do not





closely follow the classical rational model of first clari-








fying goals, assessing the problem, formulating options,








estimating likelihoods of success, making a decision,








(5) and only then taking action to implement the decision.








Rather, in their day-by-day tactical maneuvers, these








senior executives rely on what is vaguely termed “intu-








ition” to mangage a network of interrelated problems








that require them to deal with ambiguity, inconsistency,








(10) novelty, and surprise; and to integrate action into the








process to thinking.








Generations of writers on management have recog-








nized that some practicing managers rely heavily on








intuition. In general, however, such writers display a








(15) poor grasp of what intuition is. Some see it as the oppo-








site of rationality: others view it as an excuse for ca-








priciousness.








Isenberg’s recent research on the cognitive processes








of senior managers reveals that managers’ intuition is








(20) neither of these. Rather, senior managers use intuition








in at least five distinct ways. First, they intuitively sense








when a problem exists. Second, managers rely on intu-








ition to perform well-learned behavior patterns rapidly.








This intuition is not arbitrary or irrational, but is based








(25) on years of painstaking practice and hands-on experi-








ence that build skills. A third function of intuition is to








synthesize isolated bits of data and practice into an inte-








grated picture, often in an “Aha!” experience. Fourth,








some managers use intuition as a check on the results








(30) of more rational analysis. Most senior executives are








familiar with the formal decision analysis models and








tools, and those who use such systematic methods for








reaching decisions are occasionally leery of solutions








suggested by these methods which run counter to their








(35) sense of the correct course of action. Finally, managers








can use intuition to bypass in-depth analysis and move








rapidly to engender a plausible solution. Used in this








way, intuition is an almost instantaneous cognitive








process in which a manager recognizes familiar patterns.








(40) One of the implications of the intuitive style of execu-








tive management is that “thinking” is inseparable from








acting. Since managers often “know” what is right








before they can analyze and explain it, they frequently








act first and explain later. Analysis is inextricably tied








(45) to action in thinking/acting cycles, in which managers








develop thoughts about their companies and organiza-








tions not by analyzing a problematic situation and then








acting, but by acting and analyzing in close concert.








Given the great uncertainty of many of the manage-








(50) ment issues that they face, senior managers often insti-








gate a course of action simply to learn more about an








issue. They then use the results of the action to develop








a more complete understanding of the issue. One impli-








cation of thinking/acting cycles is that action is often








(55) part of defining the problem, not just of implementing








the solution.

23. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following would most probably be one major difference in behavior between Manager X, who uses intuition to reach decisions, and Manager Y, who uses only formal decision analysis?

(A) Manager X analyzes first and then acts; Manager Y does not.

(B) Manager X checks possible solutions to a problem by systematic analysis; Manager Y does not

(C) Manager X takes action in order to arrive at the solution to a problem; Manager Y does not.

(D) Manager Y draws on years of hands-on experience in creating a solution to a problem; Manager X does not.

(E) Manger Y depends on day-to-day tactical maneuvering; manager X does not.

C is the best answer. The question requires you to compare behavior based on intuition with behavior based on formal decision analysis. This choice specifies that the manager who uses intuition incorporates action into the decision-making process, but the manager who uses formal analysis does not. This distinction is made in several places in the passage. Lines 6-7 emphasize that decision-making and action-taking are separate steps in formal decision analysis: “making a decision, and only then taking action.” On the other hand, those who use intuition “integrate action into the process of thinking” (lines 15-16).Again, the author mentions that in the intuitive style of


management, “ ‘thinking’ is inseparable from acting” (lines 60-61), and “action is often part of defining the problem” (lines 80-81).


我有个疑问：
如果把选项C翻译：经理X采取行动是为了达到对于问题的解决，而经理Y不是这样的。


这句话的前半部分不是废话吗？任何经理采取行动是为了解决问题，我不能从C前面部分看出action is seprated from thinking.

哪位nn帮忙clearify一下。

queenie1987

我又看了一下，可不可以理解为MX在寻找问题解决的办法时采取了行动，而MY没有行动只是analysis呢？

davidpan86

我对这道题也很迷惑，D选项恰是原文中没有在formal的方法中提到的。

spoiledchild

我又看了一下，可不可以理解为MX在寻找问题解决的办法时采取了行动，而MY没有行动只是analysis呢？

-- by 会员 queenie1987 (2010/11/21 23:08:21)

我也是这么理解。
Manager X takes action in order to arrive at the solution to a problem; Manager Y does not but makes analysis in order to find a solution to a problem.