Question

Niles is the slowest member of his relay team. He happens to be faster than the fastest team member on the other 3 teams. His group will likely perform better than if he were to run against his team members. This is an example of a

a) Additive task
b) Compensatory task
c) Conjunctive task
d) Discretionary task

Answer 1

The example given with Niles is an instance of a conjunctive task, where a group's performance relies on its weakest member. In contrast, the situation with Jethro's camping group illustrates the principle of comparative advantage, suggesting that task delegation should be based on individual productivity advantages for overall efficiency.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario described with Niles and his relay team is an example of a conjunctive task. In a conjunctive task setting, the group's performance is determined by its weakest link, or in this case, its slowest runner. Since Niles is faster than the fastest members of the other three teams, his team is likely to outperform the others despite him being the slowest member of his own team.

Comparatively, the situation with Jethro and the camping group highlights the principle of comparative advantage. It's not efficient for Jethro to undertake all tasks just because he has an absolute advantage. Instead, tasks should be delegated according to the comparative advantage of each individual, meaning each person should focus on the task where their productivity disadvantage is the least. This approach maximizes overall productivity and efficiency, allowing all the campers to gain from a well-coordinated effort.