After successfully completing the CAT 2016 sprint series and the SNAP 2016 sprint series, we are back with the XAT 2017 sprint preparation series – Decision making 3 to boost your prep. This series will consist of 10 sets of questions from past year XAT papers, leading to XAT 2017 and covered almost all the question types that you needed to know come the 8th of January.
XAT 2017 sprint preparation series – Decision making 3
Answer question nos. 1 – 3 on the basis of the information given in the following case.
Due to increased competition, Ginger Automobiles, the Indian subsidiary of Pepper Automobile Company (PAC) reported lower sales and profits. PAC expects its new model Limo, developed especially for value conscious customers of India and China, would revive its fortunes. In order to prevent customers from buying competing products, PAC announced the launch of Limo six months before schedule. Due to unrest in its Indian supplier’s plant, deliveries of essential components for its main plant was hampered, and hence it decided to launch Limo in China only as per the original plan. Within a short span of time, Limo captured 30% market share in China, which was 200% higher than expected. Indian customers who had looked forward to purchasing Limo were becoming increasingly unhappy to the nonavailability of Limo in India. Ginger’s dealers were worried about loss of business from the customers who might switch to other cars.
1. Statement I: In the Chinese market, Baft, and Hebe, are competing models in Limo’s target market. Due to increase in sales of Limo by 200%, Baft and Hebe saw their market share decline by 10%.
Statement II: Baft and Hebe were not desired by the customers due to their new features.
Which of the following conclusions can be most justifiably made?
A. I alone
B. II alone
C. Either I or II
D. Neither I nor II
E. I and II together
2. Unhappy customers will not only leave the company, but also spread negative publicity about the company. The best way, among the options below, to deal with customers is:
A. suggest to customers to wait.
B. suggest to customers to consider purchasing any of the other PAC’s models available in showrooms, with a substantial discount along with gifts.
C. suggest to PAC to treat Indian and Chinese markets equally.
D. promise the top management of PAC higher sales/profit from Indian market compared to Chinese market.
E. suggest to the top management of PAC to manufacture essential components in either India or China.
3. Mr. Murugan from Chennai experienced the comfort of Limo during his visit to China. He was willing to deposit an approximate price of Limo to buy the first available unit from Mr. Ahmed, a dealer in Chennai, known for fair dealing. Ginger Automobile is yet to announce the actual price, and the process for allocation of the vehicles. In order to maximise his cash flow, Mr. Ahmed should
A. collect the amount from Mr. Murugan. Later when the delivery is delayed, blame it on PAC’s problems.
B. collect 50% as advance and the remaining 50% after the confirmation of launch date by Ginger Automobiles.
C. collect the amount Mr. Murugan is willing to deposit after clarifying that delivery is subject to the company policy.
D. not collect the amount, but suggest to Mr. Murugan to write to Ginger Automobiles.
E. collect the amount and transfer it to the account of Ginger Automobiles, instead of keeping it in his personal account.
Answer question nos. 4 – 7 on the basis of the information given in the following case.
Tina a blast furnace expert, who works as a technology trouble-shooter stays in Jamshedpur. She has got an important assignment in Delhi, which requires six hours to complete. The work is so critical that she has to start working the moment she reaches the client’s premises.
She is considering various options for her onward and return journey between Jamshedpur to Delhi. A quick search revealed that ticket from Jamshedpur to Delhi is available in two trains. Trains 12801 and 12443 depart from Jamshedpur station at 06:45 hrs and 15.55 hrs and reach Delhi next day at 04:50 hrs and 10:35 hrs respectively. Trains 12444 and 12802 start from Delhi at 17:20 hrs and 22:20 hrs and reach Jamshedpur next day at 10:35 hrs and 20:05 hrs respectively.
Another option is to reach Ranchi by a three hour road trip and take a flight to Delhi from Ranchi. The distance between Ranchi and Delhi is covered in 105 minutes both-ways by any of the scheduled flights. Air India operates two flights, AI 9810 and AI 810, which depart Ranchi at 8:00 hrs and 15:25 hrs respectively. Flight number IT-3348 operated by Kingfisher Airlines departs Ranchi at 19:20 hrs. Return flights operated by Air India, AI 9809 and AI 809, depart Delhi at 5:50 hrs and 11:00 hrs respectively. Flight number IT-3347 operated by Kingfisher Airlines departs Delhi at 17:10 hrs.
From Tina’s home Jamshedpur railway station is five minutes’ drive, and her destination at Delhi is 90 minutes and 30 minutes’ drive from airport and railway station respectively. One has to reach the airport at least one hour before the scheduled departure to complete the boarding procedure. At every railway station she loses five minutes in navigating through the crowd.
4. If Tina wants to minimize the total time out of Jamshedpur, the best option for her, from the options given below, is:
A. AI 9810 and return by IT 3347.
B. AI 9810 and return by train number 12802.
C. IT 3348 and return by AI 9809.
D. Train number 12443 and return by train number 12444.
E. AI 9810 and return by train number 12444.
5. Tina gets a message that her work has to be completed between 9:00 hrs. and 17:00 hrs. If she wants minimize the total time out of Jamshedpur, the best option, from the options given below, for her among the following is to go by
A. Train 12443 and return by Train 12444.
B. Train 12801 and return by Train 12802.
C. AI 9810 and return by AI 9809.
D. AI 810 and return by AI 9809.
E. IT 3348 and return by IT 3347.
6. Tina has to appear for an exam on 8th of January in Jamshedpur and she can start from her residence in Jamshedpur only after 16:00 hrs of the same day. Choose the option, from the options given below, that will help her to minimize the total time out of Jamshedpur.
A. Go by Train 12443 and return by Train 12444
B. Go by Train 12443 and return by AI 9809
C. Go by IT 3348 and return by Train 12801
D. Go by AI 810 and return by Train 12801
E. Go by AI 9810 and return by AI 9809
7. If Tina decides to minimize the in-between waiting period, the option that she should choose from the options given below, will be:
A. Go by Train 12801 and return by IT 3347
B. Go by Train 12443 and return by Train 12802
C. Go by AI 9810 and return by Train 12802
D. Go by AI 810 and return by AI 9809
E. Go by IT 3348 and return by AI 809
Answer question nos. 8 – 10 on the basis of the information given in the following case.
Dev Anand, CEO of a construction company, recently escaped a potentially fatal accident. Dev had failed to notice a red light while driving his car and attending to his phone calls. His well-wishers advised him to get a suitable replacement for the previous driver Ram Singh, who had resigned three months back.
Ram Singh was not just a driver, but also a trusted lieutenant for Dev Anand for the last five years. Ram used to interact with other drivers and gathered critical information that helped Dev in successfully bidding for different contracts. His inputs also helped Dev to identify some dishonest employees, and to retain crucial employees who were considering attractive offers from his competitors. Some of the senior employees did not like the informal influence of Ram and made it difficult for him to continue in the firm. Dev provided him an alternative job with one of his relatives.
During the last three months Dev has considered different candidates for the post. The backgrounds of the candidates are given in the table below.
Dev is primarily looking for a stable and trustworthy driver, who can be a suitable replacement for Ram. His family members do not want Dev to appoint a young driver, as most of them are inexperienced. Dev’s driver is an employee of the firm and hence the appointment has to be routed through the HR manager of the firm. The HR manager prefers to maintain parity among all employees of the firm. He also needs to ensure that the selection of a new driver does not lead to discontent among the senior employees of the firm.
8. From his perspective, and taking into account the family’s concerns, Mr. Dev would like to have
A. Chethan
B. Chintan
C. Bal Singh
D. Mani
E. Sunder
9. In order to resolve the conflicting preferences, one of Dev’s friends suggested Dev, his family members and the HR manager to identify their most and the least preferred candidates without considering the concerns of other stakeholders.
I. Dev’s most and least preferred candidates: Bal Singh and Chetan respectively
II. Family members’ most and least preferred candidates: Bal Singh and Chintan respectively
III. HR manager’s most and least preferred candidates: Chethan and Bal Singh respectively
Which of the above three statements is/are in conformity with the information provided in the passage?
A. Option I
B. Option II
C. Options I and II
D. Options II and III
E. Option I, II and III
10. Who among the following five candidates is most likely to be rejected by the GM (HR)?
A. Chethan
B. Chintan
C. Bal Singh
D. Mani
E. Sunder
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Solutions
1. Option d.
2. Option b looks to be the best course of action with regard to the customers.
3. Option c is an ethical solution and will also improve Mr. Ahmed’s cash flow.
4. Option b. For this set, which was incredibly tedious, it makes sense to use the options directly and solve it if you are indeed looking to solve it in the first place.
5. Option b.
6. Option e.
7. Option d.
8. Option c.
9. Option a.
10. Option c.
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You can follow the entire sprint series here: XAT 2017 Sprint Preparation Series by Learningroots
