Why firms adhere to or deviate from their strategic plans is poorly understood. However, theory and limited research suggest that the process through which such plans emerge may play a part. In particular, top management decision-sharing—consensus oriented, team-based decision-making—may increase the likelihood that firms will adhere to their plans, because those involved in the decision-making may be more committed to the chosen course of action, thereby increasing the likelihood that organizations will subsequently adhere to their plans.
However, the relationship between top management decision sharing and adherence to plans may be affected by a strategic mission (its fundamental approach to increasing sales revenue and market share, and generating cash flow and short-term profits). At one end of the strategic mission continuum, “build” strategies are pursued when a firm desires to increase its market share and is to sacrifice short-term profits to do so. At the other end, “harvest” strategies are used when a firm is to sacrifice market share for short-term profitability and maximization. Research and theory suggest that top management decision-sharing may have a more positive relationship with adherence to plans among firms with harvest strategies than among firms with build strategies. In a study of strategic practices in several large firms, managers in harvest strategy scenarios were more able to adhere to their business plans. As one of the managers in the study explained it, this is partly because “typically all a manager has to do [when implementing a harvest strategy] is that which was done last year.” Additionally, managers under harvest strategies may have fewer strategic options than do those under build strategies; it may therefore be easier to reach agreement on a particular course of action through decision-sharing, which will in turn tend to promote adherence to plans. Conversely, in a “build” strategy scenario, individual leadership, rather than decision-sharing, may promote adherence to plans. Build strategies—which typically require leaders with strong personal visions for a future, rather than the negotiated compromise of the team-based decision—may be most closely adhered to when implemented in the context of a clear strategic vision of an individual leader, rather than through the practice of decision-sharing.
Which of the following best describes the function of the first sentence of the second paragraph of the passage?
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Logical Map：
1.Why firms adhere to or deviate from their strategic plans is poorly understood.
1. 提出问题
(1)However, theory and limited research suggest that the process through which such plans emerge may play a part.
(1)给出第一个答案：process through plans 产生play a Part.
(2)In particular, top management decision-sharing—consensusoriented, team-based decision-making—may increase the likelihood that firms will adhere to their plans, because those involved in the decision-making may be more committed to the chosen course of action, thereby increasing the likelihood that organizations will subsequently adhere to their plans.
(2)进一步给出答案：management decision-sharing may increase likelyhood that firm adhere to plans. 原因是...
2.讲到 top management decision sharing and adherence to plans之间的关系影响因素---strategic mission
(1)“build" strategies --- increase market share ---sacrifice short-term profits
(1)BS是牺牲短期利益来增加市场份额。
(2)“harvest" strategies ---sacrifice market share--- for short-term profitability and Maximization
(2)HS是牺牲市场份额来获得短期利益最大化。
(3)decision-sharing---positive relationship with adherence to plans --- harvest strategies than among firms with build strategies.
（3）decision sharing是能坚持计划的，在HS中，相比BS中。
(3.1) managers in harvest strategy scenarios ---more able to adhere to their business plans. because “typically all a manager has to do [when implementing a harvest strategy] is that which was done last year.”
（3.1）HS:坚持plans,原因
(3.2)Additionally, managers under harvest strategies ---fewer strategic options than do those under build strategies ---be easier to reach agreement --- through decision-sharing---tend to promote adherence to plans.
（3.2）HS很少能选择策略，更容易达成一致，在decision sharing过程中-更能坚持plans.
(4)Conversely, in a “build" strategy scenario, individual leadership--- rather than decision-sharing---may promote adherence to plans.
(4)BS-个人领导会促进坚持plans
(4.1)Build strategies—require leaders with strong personal visions for a future,---rather than the negotiated compromise of the team-based decision—may be most closely adhered to vision of an individual leader---rather than through the practice of decision-sharing.
(4.1)BS要求leaders有很强的个人魅力，不妥协，由自己独裁为主
第二段第一句话：（主要讲他们关系之间的影响因素是S mission）
A.why firms adopt particular strategic missions没有说为什么会采取不同missions,只是提出来影响因素
B. To refute an argument没有反驳
C. To provide evidence 没有证据
D. To an assertion made in the preceding sentence about how top management
decision—making affects the likelihood that firms will adhere to their strategic plans就是那句话的统一转化
E. To explain a distinction没有解释不同
If you qualify a statement, you make it less strong or less general by adding a detail or explanation to it.
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2018-09-25 17:52:04
这里qualify的意思：make ( a statement or assertion) less absolute, add reservation to.
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2018-05-16 13:48:40
一开始在B和D上会纠结。后来觉得第一段结论里面decision-making—may increase the likelihood that firms will adhere to their plans.说的是may increase有可能增加，不是说一定会增加，只要说两者有关联。所以作者写第二段不是用来反驳第一段的结论。 但是我还是有点不理解，一开始我对文章的理解是DSM会提高plan adherence,但是DSM会受HS,BS的影响，adherence会增高，也会降低，那不就是有反驳的意思么？求大神解惑
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2017-12-27 21:28:00
这道题难在D选项中 qualify的意思，动词 局限 同义词limit
verb [T] ： to limit the strength or meaning of a statement。上一个自然段说top manager制定决策的过程影响到最终大家是否按计划执行这一决策。第二段一开始就说 然后 这种因果关系会受到a firm's strategic mission 的影响。也就是在谈局限性。不具有普适性。
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2017-09-15 17:48:04
hecmelo回复蛋挞
qualify在这里不是限制的意思吧，这里更多的是描述，就是qualify一下上一段的结论，详细讲一下为什么decision making sharing 会影响likelihood.
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2017-12-27 21:21:59
说个简单点的 很多人可能没理解qualify的意思 qualify 限制 出现在阅读里基本都是限定的意思 be affected by受XX影响 对应qualify
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2017-09-15 17:47:28
qualify的意思是让之前所说的话更具体
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2017-08-14 11:24:18
VictoriaX回复VictoriaX
这句话只是说adherence受a strategic mission 影响，并没有解释说二者不同在哪里
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2017-08-14 11:25:41
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