Mike Morrell is a production supervisor in Porco Rosso, an aircraft manufacturing firm. After evaluating Mike's managerial capabilities, some members of the senior management feel that average productivity would improve if more workers are assigned to him. However, some managers are skeptical about Mike's ability to handle more workers.
-Which of the following statements, if true, would weaken the argument favoring increased span of control?
A) Market trends indicate that the demand for aircraft is expected to increase substantially over the next few years.
B) Performance reports from the last few years show that teams that were monitored closely had higher productivity.
C) Porco Rosso recently launched its latest engine model, the PR-4.
D) When additional workers were assigned to Mike on a previous occasion, it had led to favorable and productive results.
E) Mike has a reputation of handling interpersonal conflicts effectively.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Performance reports from the last few years show that teams that were monitored closely had higher productivity. This statement weakens the argument favoring increased span of control because it suggests that Mike's ability to closely monitor his team is more important for productivity than a larger team size. Therefore, adding more workers to Mike's span of control may not necessarily lead to increased productivity.

Mike Morrell Is a Production Supervisor in Porco Rosso, an Aircraft