The normative model of strategic decision-making suggests that executives examine a firm’s
external environment and internal conditions, and in using the set of objective criteria they derive
from these analyses, can decide on a strategy.
A. conditions, and in using the set of objective criteria they derive from these analyses, can decide
B. conditions, and they use the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses in deciding
C. conditions and, in using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, deciding
D. conditions and, using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, decide
E. conditions and, in their use of the set of objective criteria they derive from these analyses, they
decide

OA: D
i chose B
i want to understand whats wrong with B. i think in B "they" makes it more clear..
but in D is it the "decide" is parallel with "examine".

Hello,

Remember when you use AND, you would probably be doing two things- (1) connect two independent clauses (each with subject +verb), (2) Laundry list , means you have two or more items of equal priority refer to one common subject.

Here, you dealing with SECOND usage of AND.

Choice b is incorrect because :

it consists independent clause after AND, i.e. it already has subject +verb...Intent of sentence is to have item that could refer to "executive" which is already a "Main Subject"....in short , as per choice b, sentence would look like this.

executives they use the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses in deciding......Does it make sense ?

However choice D is correct because:

executives examine a firm’s external environment and internal conditions, AND executive (implied), using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses(modifier), decide (verb).

see how both items : examine something AND decide something refer to common main subject "executive"

Hope this explanation helps...oh well, I have seen some really good questions posted by you in recent past...All the best : )

Great explanation. Take away the modifier in the comma and you get:

executives examine X and decide Y

Also note that with two elements in the list, you usually don't need a comma in front of the word "and" as in (B).

_________________
Joe Lucero
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

OPTION D:- conditions and, using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, decide

Can someone explain me the role of using (VERBING) here in the right answer?

Does it modify the first part of the sentence i.e. "executives examine a firm's external environment ..." or
modifies the second part "decide on a strategy"

We have similar problem in OG12, SC79 but the VERBING Modifier modifies the second part of the sentence.

(Below is the OG12 problem for reference as this same problem has even appeared on GMATPrep)

"Defense attorneys have argued that their clients' misconduct stemmed from a reaction to something ingested, but in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to some food allergy, the perpetrators..."

Use the sentence structure to help you out:

(D) The normative model of strategic decision-making suggests that executives examine (a firm’s external environment and internal conditions) and, (using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses,) decide on a strategy.

Notice that the modifier "using the set..." comes after the parallel marker "and" and so the modifier must modify the second parallel element:

Executives (examine X) and, (using ABC, decide on Y).

_________________
Joe Lucero
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

I still don't clearly understand why B is incorrect .

The sentence with option B reads - " The normative model suggests that executives examine...,and they use....."

The sentence with option D reads - "The normative model suggests that executives examine...and decide..."

D is more concise than B that's all I can think of .

Is that what the poster who i've quoted is trying to say ?

Am I missing something ?

I don't like the phrase "in deciding on a strategy" in option B. I would prefer "to decide on a strategy"

Do the executives examine and decide or do they examine and use? This is a difference in meaning in the sentence. I also wouldn't use a comma in front of a list of two things. Notice the difference in meaning:

College taught me to drink coffee, and stay awake to study for tests.
(College taught me to drink coffee and stay awake??? Comma misused to separate two ideas)

College taught me to drink coffee and, by staying awake, study for tests.
(College taught me to drink coffee and study for tests. Correct meaning. Commas are used to separate the aside (by staying awake).

_________________
Joe Lucero
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

I usually don't like any of the sentences they offer. But that's not what you're trying to find. You're trying to find 4 answer choices that make grammatical mistakes. The one that is left over often isn't the way that you would write the sentence.

_________________
Joe Lucero
Manhattan GMAT Instructor

Hi,
First, I am a non-native English speaker, and I am having tough time in understanding when the noun class introduced by "that" ends. Is there a standard rule to convey my concern?

Second, I understand a comma precedes a conjunction, but in the above mentioned example comma follows the conjunction. Is there any difference in the two patterns or are they one and the same?

Third, In the above example, I thought "using the set of ...." modifies the executives and not "decide", as decide is a verb, and it cannot use anything as such.

Please clarify my concerns. Thanks in advance.

1. There's not really a standard rule here, but do make sure that when you are introducing a "that", you include both a noun and verb. However, you do need to be careful about two different ways of using the word "that"- (a) introducing an essential modifier vs (b) introducing a second clause.

(a) The boy "that threw the red ball" went to detention.
(b) The boy knew "that he shouldn't have thrown the ball".

2. In the correct answer (D), you want to put the clause in the comma next to the item in the list that you want it to modify. If it were before the "and", the modifier would be modifying the initial clause, how executives examine a firm's environment.

3. Again, the core of this sentence:

Executives examine a firm’s environment and, using the set of objective criteria derived from these analyses, decide on a strategy.

This means that executives use the set of criteria to decide on a strategy. This makes sense because they can't use the criteria derived from an analyses before they've even examined the firm's environment.

_________________
Joe Lucero
Manhattan GMAT Instructor