Question

"At Attical​ Publishing, products are produced by a team representing different functional​ groups, none of which have supervisory authority over any of the others. Represented departments include​ design, production, and marketing.

Which of the​ following, if​ true, would weaken the claim that this division of labor keeps employees focused on the tasks that fit their skills and leads to a better​ product?

a) Employees from different departments regularly clash due to differing visions.
b) The design department struggles to understand customer requirements accurately.
c) The production department consistently exceeds project budgets.
d) Marketing efforts consistently generate high revenues."

Answer 1

To weaken the claim that division of labor at Attical Publishing leads to better products, options (a), (b), and (c) each highlight different issues like interdepartmental clashes, misunderstanding of customer requirements, and inefficient budget management that suggest the division of labor might not be as effective as intended.

Step-by-step explanation:

At Attical Publishing, the division of labor is intended to help employees stay focused on areas where they have expertise, which in theory leads to a better product. To evaluate which option weakens the claim that this division of labor leads to better productivity and fit for employee skills, we can assess the impact of each scenario.

• Option (a), Employees from different departments regularly clash due to differing visions, weakens the claim because if the functional groups are clashing, this indicates that the division of labor is not promoting harmony and focus but is instead leading to conflict that could impede productivity and the quality of the final product.
• Option (b), The design department struggles to understand customer requirements accurately, also weakens the claim as it suggests that specialization does not equate to a better understanding of tasks at hand, which can lead to an inferior product that does not meet customer needs.
• Option (c), The production department consistently exceeds project budgets, implies a lack of efficiency and control in the production process, which could negate the advantages of specialized tasks within the production sphere.
• Option (d), Marketing efforts consistently generate high revenues, does not weaken the claim since high revenues can be seen as a result of effective marketing regardless of the division of labor within the company.

Considering the scenarios above, options (a), (b), and (c) each provide instances where the current division of labor at Attical Publishing could be detrimental to maintaining focus and producing a high-quality product.