Question 20

The company's steering committee released a strategic plan that was deliberately nebulous.

The strategic plan was intentionally vague, allowing flexibility and avoiding firm commitments.

A) unpopular

This option suggests that the plan was not well-received, but the context does not indicate any reaction from stakeholders. The emphasis is on the plan's ambiguity rather than its popularity.

B) repetitive

Describing the plan as repetitive would imply it contained redundant information or ideas. However, the context does not support this interpretation; the plan's purpose was to be unclear, not to reiterate past content.

C) stringent

A stringent plan would imply strict and precise guidelines, which contradicts the intention of the steering committee to avoid specific commitments. Therefore, this option is incorrect as it does not align with the strategic goal of ambiguity.

D) inflexible

An inflexible plan would suggest a lack of adaptability, which is the opposite of what the committee aimed for. The committee wanted to avoid being bound by rigid commitments, making this option inaccurate.

E) nebulous

This option accurately captures the essence of the strategic plan as it implies a lack of clarity and precision. The committee's reluctance to make specific commitments aligns perfectly with the notion of creating a vague plan.

Conclusion

The correct answer, "nebulous," effectively reflects the committee's intention to remain non-committal and flexible in their strategic approach. All other options fail to capture this essential quality, either deviating from the intended meaning or directly opposing the core concept of ambiguity.