Question

Some people believe that “what gets measured, improves”. Some others believe that “what gets measured, gets gamed”. One possible reason for the difference in the beliefs is the work culture in organizations. In organizations with good work culture, metrics help improve outcomes. However, the same metrics are counterproductive in organizations with poor work culture. Which one of the following is the CORRECT logical inference based on the information in the above passage?

• A. Metrics are useful in organizations with poor work culture
• B. Metrics are useful in organizations with good work culture
• C. Metrics are always counterproductive in organizations with good work culture
• D. Metrics are never useful in organizations with good work culture

Hint:

Good work culture ensures that metrics drive improvement; poor culture leads to gaming or misuse of metrics.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The given passage presents two contradictory beliefs about the use of metrics in organizations, and links the effectiveness of metrics to the work culture in these organizations. Let's analyze the passage and options step-by-step to determine the correct logical inference:

1. The passage states two beliefs:
   • "What gets measured, improves" - This implies that measuring something leads to improvement.
   • "What gets measured, gets gamed" - This implies that measurement can lead to manipulation to meet targets without genuine improvement.
2. The role of work culture:
   • In organizations with a good work culture, metrics are helpful in improving outcomes. This suggests that the organization uses metrics constructively to enhance performance.
   • In organizations with a poor work culture, the same metrics become counterproductive. This indicates that such organizations might manipulate metrics rather than using them for genuine improvement.
3. Now, let's evaluate the given options in light of the above analysis:
   • Metrics are useful in organizations with poor work culture
     - This option contradicts the passage, which states metrics are counterproductive in organizations with poor work culture.
   • Metrics are useful in organizations with good work culture
     - This option aligns with the passage's assertion that metrics help improve outcomes in organizations with good work culture.
   • Metrics are always counterproductive in organizations with good work culture
     - This option is incorrect, as the passage states that metrics help improve outcomes in such organizations.
   • Metrics are never useful in organizations with good work culture
     - This is clearly contradicted by the passage, which suggests metrics improve outcomes in good work cultures.
4. Conclusion:
   • The correct logical inference, based on the passage, is Metrics are useful in organizations with good work culture.