Ascribed Status Is Usually Involuntary and Often Assigned at Birth

question 32

Multiple Choice

Ascribed status is usually involuntary and often assigned at birth. Achieved status is voluntary and often based on merit, ability, or achievement. What sort of status would you expect to find in a closed system?

• A) some ascribed status, but mostly achieved status
• B) only ascribed status based on gender would matter
• C) mostly ascribed status
• D) only achieved status
• E) an even mixture of both achieved and ascribed status

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Definitions:

Operating Leverage

A measure of how revenue growth translates into growth in operating income, determined by the proportion of fixed versus variable costs a company has.

Operating Income

Earnings from a company’s core business operations, excluding deductions for interest and taxes.

Variable Costs

Costs that fluctuate in direct proportion to changes in levels of production or sales volumes.

Fixed Costs

Financial obligations like rent, wages, and insurance that are stable and do not vary with the level of goods manufactured or sold.