When the middle-level manager of the production department at Wilson Works was laid off, many employees who worked under him became apprehensive about their job security. They were aware of the current trend toward laying off employees in the economy. The termination of their manager combined with the fact that their division had performed only moderately well in the last two quarters led the employees to believe that they were at a high risk of losing their jobs as well. Which of the following, if true, would weaken the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division?
A) The employees have serious concerns over job security.
B) Rumors had spread about impending layoffs at Wilson Works.
C) The middle-level manager supervised over five hundred employees.
D) Wilson Works has a strong formal communication network in place.
E) The company has no fixed policy with regard to rightsizing employees.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the employees have serious concerns over job security strengthens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division. The fact that rumors had spread about impending layoffs at Wilson Works also strengthens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division. The fact that the middle-level manager supervised over five hundred employees weakens the argument that the production manager should hold face-to-face meetings to assure the employees in the production division as it is not feasible. The fact that Wilson Works has a strong formal communication network in place does not strengthen or weaken the argument presented here. The fact that the company has no fixed policy with regard to rightsizing employees does not strengthen or weaken the argument presented here.

When the Middle-Level Manager of the Production Department at Wilson