ORIGINAL TEXT

From page 108 of an article by Jenny Chan, Ngai Pun and Mark Selden) published in the journal New Technology, Work and Employment in 2013.

Foxconn’s competitive advantage, the basis for securing contracts with Apple and other brand-name multinationals, hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility. The mega factory has to reorganise its production lines, staffing and logistics in a very short time to be demand-responsive.

STUDENT’S ASSIGNMENT

For Foxconn, relationships with companies like Apple and other brand-name multinationals hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility (Chan, Pun & Selden, 2013).

Has the student paraphrased correctly?

Question

ORIGINAL TEXT

From page 108 of an article by Jenny Chan, Ngai Pun and Mark Selden) published in the journal New Technology, Work and Employment in 2013.

Foxconn’s competitive advantage, the basis for securing contracts with Apple and other brand-name multinationals, hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility. The mega factory has to reorganise its production lines, staffing and logistics in a very short time to be demand-responsive.

STUDENT’S ASSIGNMENT

For Foxconn, relationships with companies like Apple and other brand-name multinationals hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility (Chan, Pun & Selden, 2013).

Has the student paraphrased correctly?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The task asks whether the student’s paraphrase is correct. Question and options: "Has the student paraphrased correctly?" Options: 1) Yes 2) No.

First, examine what the original sentence says: Foxconn’s competitive advantage, the basis for securing contracts with Apple and other brand-name multinationals, hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility. The key ideas are that Foxconn’s competitive advantage enables it to secure contracts with Apple and other brand-name firms, and this advantage depends on Foxconn’s capacity to stay flexible.

Now evaluate option 1: Yes. If we paraphrase, we can rephrase into a sentence that preserves meaning while using different words, provided we keep the logical relationships intact and fix any grammar issues. The student’s version states: For Foxconn, relationships with companies like Apple and other brand-name multinationals hinges on its ability to maintain flexibility (Chan, Pun & Selden, 2013).
- Supporting point for acceptance: It preserves the core idea that flexibility underpins ongoing relationships with major brands and cites the source.
- Potential flaw: The original emphasizes the competitive advantage as the basis for securing contracts; the paraphrase shifts focus to ongoing relationships rather than the competitive advantage itself. This is a meaningful shift in emphasis, though not necessarily a complete misrepresentation.

Option 2: No. If we judge strictly, we should consider two main criteria: (a) semantic equivalence (do the same ideas remain?) and (b) grammatical correctness (do verb forms agree with the subject, and is the citation placed appropriately).
- The paraphrase alters the focus from Foxconn’s competitive advantage to its relationships with clients. While related, this changes what is identified as the basis for securing contracts, which may be seen as a substantive shift rather than a mere wording change.
- Crucially, there is a grammatical error: the subject "relationships" is plural, but the verb form used is "hinges". The correct verb would be "hinge". This error undermines the claim of a correct paraphrase.
- Additionally, the parenthetical citation is included, which is good practice if the paraphrase is attributed, but the overall change in emphasis may still render the paraphrase imperfect.

Considering these points, the more precise judgment is that the paraphrase is not fully correct due to the grammatical mismatch (should be "hinge"), and due to the shift in emphasis from the competitive advantage being the basis to a focus on relationships as the basis. Some instructors might accept a paraphrase that preserves meaning with minor stylistic changes, but the grammar error alone is typically sufficient to mark it incorrect.

In summary, the incorrect choice is supported by: (i) subject-verb agreement error with plural subject requiring "hinge" rather than "hinges"; (ii) a shift in emphasis from the original emphasis on competitive advantage to a focus on relationships, which alters the stated basis for securing contracts.

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