Question RE: Sentence Correction problem (TIME SENSITIVE)

[sbosshard]

I have a question regarding one of your Sentence Correction practice test problems. Please respond to my question quickly as I am taking the GMAT on Tuesday (tomorrow). The problem follows:

28. By applying optimization techniques commonly used to plan operations, it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company’s products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms.

A. it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company’s products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms
B. a company’s managers can determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of the company’s products in order to meet its short and long term goals
C. it can be determined by company managers how much effort ought to be devoted to each of the company’s products in order to meet its goals, both short and long term
D. it may be possible for company managers to determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company’s short and long term goals
E. managers at a company can determine how much effort ought to be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company’s goals in both the short and long term

You claim that the answer to this question is B. However, the word "its" (see bolded underlined word in answer choice) makes this answer choice incorrect, doesn't it? The company is not mentioned before this pronoun is used in the sentence. This makes it unclear what "its" is referring to, doesn't it? Please explain.

[amitganguly2k12]

By applying optimization techniques commonly used to plan operations, it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company’s products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms.

A. it is possible to determine how much effort ought to be devoted to each of a company’s products in order to meet its goals in both the short and long terms
B. a company’s managers can determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of the company’s products in order to meet its short and long term goals
C. it can be determined by company managers how much effort ought to be devoted to each of the company’s products in order to meet its goals, both short and long term
D. it may be possible for company managers to determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company’s short and long term goals
E. managers at a company can determine how much effort ought to be dedicated to each of these products in order to meet the company’s goals in both the short and long term

Two reasons - 1.By applying optimization ..... requires a subject to be placed to the clause as close as possible.Hence,the company's managers.

2.Its basically refers to the company itself company,i.e the company's goals.The presence of effort and each of the company’s products make it slightly difficult to determine to whom its refer to.However,if you logically think neither effort nor company's products can have short and long term goals.

That interprets,its refers to the company itself.

Best of luck for your GMAT tomorrow.Have a great day.

[sbosshard]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm still a bit stuck on this though. In your verbal strategy guide, you mention that one should be careful with possessives (i.e., in this case the possessive is "company's managers") on pronoun questions. I think this problem falls into that category. No noun that corresponds to "it" appears in the sentence before the pronoun "it" appears. Isn't this breaking your rule?

[amitganguly2k12]

I understand your problem.
you mean something like this :

Beatrix potter's stories depict animals in an unsentimental and humorous manner,and SHE illustrated them with delicate water color paintings.

Proper noun ie Beatrix dosen't exist over here.So she cannot be used.(The rule you are referring to).YOU ARE RIGHT my friend.

However,here the noun is a possessive noun i.e company’s managers and also company’s products.Company can be referred by its,as it is a possessive pronoun.

Thanks

[Ben Ku]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm still a bit stuck on this though. In your verbal strategy guide, you mention that one should be careful with possessives (i.e., in this case the possessive is "company's managers") on pronoun questions. I think this problem falls into that category. No noun that corresponds to "it" appears in the sentence before the pronoun "it" appears. Isn't this breaking your rule?

While subject and object pronouns must refer to other nouns as antecedents, possessive pronouns can refer to either other nouns in the sentence, or other possessives in the sentence. In answer choice (B), "its" can refer to "the company" since "the company's" is used as a possessive.

Correct: a company’s managers can determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of the company’s products in order to meet its short and long term goals

It would be incorrect for the sentence to use the subject pronoun "it" to refer to "the company":

Incorrect: a company’s managers can determine how much effort should be dedicated to each of the company’s products in order for it to meet short and long term goals

Hope that makes sense.

[umeshkathuria]

post36073.html#p36073

[tim]

http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/post36073.html#p36073

Thanks for pointing this out. A good reminder that it's often a good idea to search for other posts dealing with the same question in case other people have already asked and answered your question.