Argument 56/57/82 Arg 57 discontinue use of the Endure manufacturing process -o
56) The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of marketing at Dura-Sock, Inc.
A recent study of our customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years. We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite our socks' durability, our average customer actually purchases new Dura-Socks every three months. Furthermore, our customers surveyed in our largest market, northeastern United States cities, say that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors. These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process.
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
57) The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of marketing at Dura-Sock, Inc.
A recent study of our customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years. We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite our socks' durability, our average customer actually purchases new Dura-Socks every three months. Furthermore, our customers surveyed in our largest market, northeastern United States cities, say that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors. These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process.
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
82) The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of marketing at Dura-Socks, Inc.
A recent study of Dura-Socks customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years. We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite the socks' durability, our customers, on average, actually purchase new Dura-Socks every three months. Furthermore, customers surveyed in our largest market¡anortheastern United States cities¡asay that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors. These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process.
Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.
C1: A recent study of our customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years.
G1: We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite our socks' durability, our average customer actually purchases new Dura-Socks every three months.
G2: Furthermore, our customers surveyed in our largest market, northeastern United States cities, say that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors.
C2: These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process.
A1 (G1, C1): The fact that average customers purchases new socks every three months implies that they do not value the sockss durability.
A2 (G2, C1): The survey results are useful and applicable.
A3 (C2): Discontinuing use of the technology would increase the profits.
how long the customers expect to use the socks
- they buy new ones every three months probably because they find socks of new styles attractive
- but they may expect to use the socks for 2 years
- they may donate their old socks to Salvation Army and count on the fact that such socks last for 2 years
to what extent the survey results reflect the overall customers attitudes
- how about the city customers in the South who are in general less wealthy
- how about the customers from rural areas who may care less about appearance and colors
the impact of using other tech on costs and profits
- maybe the patented process has other advantages such as lower manufacturing costs
- perhaps the patent fee is really small when it is shared by each pair of socks
- switching to another technology may cost money in training and machinery replacement