Managers who think that strong environmental performance will (i) their company’s financial performance often (ii) claims that systems designed to help them manage environmental concerns are valuable tools. By contrast, managers who perceive environmental performance to be (iii) to financial success may view an environmental management system as extraneous. In either situation, and whatever their perceptions, it is a manager’s commitment to achieving environmental improvement rather than the mere presence of a system that determines environmental performance.
Blank (i): eclipse, bolster, degradeBlank (ii): uncritically accept, appropriately acknowledge, hotly disputeBlank (iii): complementary, intrinsic, peripheral
In the third blank, we're looking at an attitude from managers that is in complete contrast with the idea that strong environmental performance is good for the company. That means that the third blank should indicate that manages think good environmental performance is either bad for a company or not useful to it. If something is "complementary," it fits, belongs, and makes its other part complete. So the idea that environmental performance is "complementary" to company performance would closely match the idea that environmental performance is *good* for company performance. The "contrast" referenced in the passage would then be missing.
I am still not able to understand why "uncritically accept" is a better choice than "appropriately acknowledge" for the second blank. Can you please explain why "uncritically accept" is a better choice?
The important keywords here are "accept" and "acknowledge." To "accept" a claim means to believe it and agree with it. To "acknowledge" a claim simply means to notice that a claim has been made, without necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with the claim.
Since we're talking about the attitude of managers who believe that good environmental performance leads to good financial performance, we want a word that indicates managers agree with and believe claims that environmental performance aids have value. "Accept" matches the meaning we're looking for." "Acknowledge" does not.
2 Explanations