A colleague was wondering about a sentence of the type “Borgop Company’s commitment to environmental responsibility is wide-ranging, including [assorted things].” It didn’t sound quite right to her but she couldn’t put her finger on the reason.
My take is that it’s because a set of things “including” specified things is a plural, whereas commitment is a mass object. If it were a collective, it would work:
Margaret’s doll collection is wide-ranging, including seventeen from China, eighty-six from Scotland, and at least two from Las Vegas.
And as a plural it would work (though it might seem to suggest that the individual objects travel a lot):
Margaret’s dolls are wide-ranging, including seventeen from China, eighty-six from Scotland, and at least two from Las Vegas.
But as a mass object, and an abstract at that, it’s problematic:
Margaret’s interest in dolls is wide-ranging, including seventeen from China, eighty-six from Scotland, and at least two from Las Vegas.
Also, some people might find it odd to say a commitment is wide-ranging.
Sesquiotica 