argument65 [Flamy July小组]第五次a作业

heapUID: 2122790

TOPIC: ARGUMENT65 - The following appeared in a memo from the president of a chain of cheese stores located throughout the United States.

"For many years all the stores in our chain have stocked a wide variety of both domestic and imported cheeses. Last year, however, the five best-selling cheeses at our newest store were all domestic cheddar cheeses from Wisconsin. Furthermore, a recent survey by Cheeses of the World magazine indicates an increasing preference for domestic cheeses among its subscribers. Since our company can reduce expenses by limiting inventory, the best way to improve profits in all of our stores is to discontinue stocking many of our varieties of imported cheese and concentrate primarily on domestic cheeses."
WORDS: 482          TIME: 0:30:00          DATE: 2006-7-8

After presenting the result of the survey and certain evidence about the advantage of domestic cheeses, the arguer concludes that domestic cheeses is the best way to improve profits in all their stores and they should limiting inventory to reduce expenses. Yet I find this argument specious in several respects.

In the first place, it seems that the survey on which the conclusion is based is not convincing enough. A survey ought to depend on both sides, one is that the samples are collected at random, and the other is that the respondents are well representative of the overall population. In this argument, however, we are told nothing the survey is conducted and how well it represents the public opinions. It is quite likely that people inclined to buy domestic cheeses are more willing to respond to the survey than those who do not. Besides, since the survey is held by a magazine, we cannot rule out the possibility that the survey itself is not objective, or perhaps certain commercial aims are concealed behind the results.

Furthermore, the arguer generalizes on the basis of a sample consisting of atypical cases. Firstly, the five best-selling cheeses at our newest store are not well represented the whole business, because the argument ignores the factors, such as special bargaining, that may be more important than the domestic cheeses itself in determining the selling. In addition, even concede that the cheeses from Wisconsin is welcomed, there is inadequate evidence to suggest that all the domestic cheeses could sell well.

Finally, the arguer draws a haste conclusion that we are able to gain profits, which is hardly persuasive. On one side, the profits are decided by weighing revenue against expenses. However, as the arguer emphasizes that the revenue is large, he (or she) fails to point out the possibility that the cost of domestic cheeses might relatively high. On the other side, even though limiting inventory can reduce some expenses for the company, it may probably cost other expenses such as the purchase-cost, a potential cost due to the operation of the company. If the inventory is reduced too much, the purchase -cost might be very high and the company is not in safe. That is, as long as the inventory is not enough to support the demand, the company will probably spend a large sum of money to enhance the supply, or he’ ll miss the change to make profit.

In sum, the evidence claimed above is inadequate to support the argument that it is better to concentrate primarily on domestic cheeses. To make the conclusion more easily to be reasonable, it is better for the arguer to provide more information on how the survey is conducted and how domestic cheeses other than Wisconsin cheeses is sold. Moreover, it is necessary for the author to take into account the cost of potential risks limiting the inventory.