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  3. As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partially becau

As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partially becau

admin2019-05-04  31
问题    As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal-setting generally produces the best results. That’s partially because it appears people who set realistic goals actually work more efficiently, and exert more effort, to achieve those goals. What’s far less understood by scientists, however, are the potentially harmful effects of goal-setting.
   Newspapers relay daily accounts of goal-setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the long-trumpeted practice of setting goals may have contributed to the current economic crisis , and unethical behavior in general.
   "Goals are widely used and promoted as having really beneficial effects. And yet, the same motivation that can push people to exert more effort in a constructive way could also motivate people to be more likely to engage in unethical behaviors," says Maurice Schweitzer, an associate professor at Penn’s Wharton School.
   "It turns out there’s no economic benefit to just having a goal—you just get a psychological benefit," Schweitzer says. "But in many cases, goals have economic rewards that make them more powerful."
   A prime example Schweitzer and his colleagues cite is the 2004 collapse of energy-trading giant Enron, where managers used financial incentives to motivate salesmen to meet specific revenue goals. The problem, Schweitzer says, is the actual trades were not profitable.
   Other studies have shown that saddling employees with unrealistic goals can compel them to lie, cheat or steal. Such was the case in the early 1990s when Sears imposed asales quota on its auto repair staff. It prompted employees to overcharge for work and to complete unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis.
   Schweitzer concedes his research runs counter to a very large body of literature that commends the many benefits of goal-setting. Advocates of the practice have taken issue with his team’s use of such evidence as news accounts to support his conclusion that goal-setting is widely over-prescribed.
   In a rebuttal (反驳) paper, Dr. Edwin Locke writes: "Goal-setting is not going away. Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose."
   But Schweitzer contends the "mounting causal evidence" linking goal-setting and harmful behavior should be studied to help spotlight issues that merit caution and further investigation. "Even a few negative effects could be so large that they outweigh many positive effects," he says.
   "Goal-setting does help coordinate and motivate people. My idea would be to combine that with careful oversight, a strong organizational culture, and make sure the goals that you use are going to be constructive and not significantly harm the organization," Schweitzer says.
What is Schweitzer’s contention against Edwin Locke?
选项 A、The link between goal-setting and harmful behavior deserves further study.
B、Goal-setting has become too deep-rooted in corporate culture.
C、The positive effects of goal-setting outweigh its negative effects.
D、Studying goal-setting can throw more light on successful business practices.
答案D
解析 根据题干信息词定位至文章倒数第三段：In a rebuttal(反驳)paper，Dr．Edwin Locke writes： “Goal-setting is not going away．Organizations cannot thrive without being focused on their desired end results any more than an individual can thrive without goals to provide a sense of purpose．”可以看出Edwin的主要观点还是认为企业需要目标，个人也需要目标。选项[B]说制定目标已经在企业文化中根深蒂固，但此内容并不是文中话题。选项[C]则完全曲解了作者观点，认为制定目标的积极意义远超负面效果。选项[A]是最大干扰项，虽然文中提到了需要进一步关注这种由于制定目标带来的有害行为，但是这种继续关注是手段而非目的，而题目是问Schweitzer如何反驳对方，需要我们找的是继续关注带来的好处，所以选项[D]Studying goal-setting can throw more light on successful business practices．更符合题意。本题难度相当大，作者的态度一定要把握好。作者并未全盘否定目标制定，而是说一定要制定切合实际的目标，以保证建设性推进计划，避免不道德行为伤害到计划的实施，因此这方面的研究值得继续推进下去，从而让公司健康运转。
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