Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[shvetsov2005]

Hello,

I have this multiple choice question in listening part of the exam.
Here is what the speaker says:

Development is the process of taking the basic scientific idea or item and running it through to the development of products or services. Innovation....

Q. Development is :

a)processing an idea then controlling the product or service
b) generating an idea then turning it into a product or service

I answered a) (though I am not sure about controlling part)
The answer sheet says b) is the correct answer.

My understanding was that in the development you don't generate the ideas. Generating ideas is the part of pure science.

Could you explain who is accurate? (may be there is a typo in Answers or may be I am wrong)

Alex.

[dragn]

I know zero about business theory, but strictly from the standpoint of English, it seems to me that B is clearly the right answer. From what they say, it's not about "controlling" the product or service (which sounds like controlling the finished product, with no mention of how it got to be a finished product); it's clearly about turning something into a product or service.

I think you let something you previously learned get in the way of what was stated in black and white right in front of your eyes. I chose the right answer partly because my ignorance gave me an advantage.

Off hand, I would agree that the wording of B is slightly imprecise. In my opinion, equating the phrase "taking the basic scientific idea or item" with the phrase "generating an idea" is nebulous at best; sloppy at worst.

Who is accurate? You mean you want me to tell you whether or not it is true that in the development stage you don't generate the ideas, and that generating ideas is the part of pure science?

Sorry, you'll have to ask someone whose area of expertise is business. Mine is English.

Greg

[shvetsov2005]

Yeah, understand your point, I am confused though.

The text states that
1) science is about creating ideas,
2)development is about taking the scientific idea turning them into products or services,
3)Innovation is about marketing the developed products or services.

So when I see the word 'generate' I refuse this answer b), because is the prerogative of the science to do that.
Then I look at choice a) and see the 'processing the idea', which is true for development. Controlling is... I don't know what they actually meant by controlling, but if it is about marketing, then it's the part of Innovation.

I would further say that

a) would be the Development(processing)+Innovation(controlling)
b) would be Science (generating)+Development (turning into)


That is my logic, but may be I don't feel some nuances of English.

Alexander.





-------------------------------
Hello,

I have this multiple choice question in listening part of the exam.
Here is what the speaker says:

Development is the process of taking the basic scientific idea or item and running it through to the development of products or services. Innovation....

Q. Development is :

a)processing an idea then controlling the product or service
b) generating an idea then turning it into a product or service

I answered a) (though I am not sure about controlling part)
The answer sheet says b) is the correct answer.

My understanding was that in the development you don't generate the ideas. Generating ideas is the part of pure science.

Could you explain who is accurate? (may be there is a typo in Answers or may be I am wrong)

[dragn]

I have nothing more to contribute to this one. My answer still stands unchanged. Maybe someone else would like to take a crack at it. I'm done here.

Greg

[shvetsov2005]

Thanks anyway.

Alex.