Argument100 [infinity小组]第二十八次作业

mayaUID: 199038

TOPIC: ARGUMENT100 - The following appeared in a memo from the chief operating officer of the Presto Manufacturing Company.

"Since orders for our major product increased by over 200 percent last quarter, we should promptly expand production by building a new manufacturing plant in Summit City. Summit City is the ideal location for the new plant because it has low property taxes, extensive blocks of land available for immediate purchase, and a large number of residents who are not currently employed."
WORDS: 536          TIME: 30min          DATE: 2006-7-24

The conclusion endorsed in this memo is that the Presto Manufacturing Company should build a new manufacturing plant in Summit City for expanding production. The reasons cited are that Summit City can provide ideal location and low property taxes. However, each of the evidence cited in this argument cannot support the conclusion. There are several critical flaws as follows.

In the first place, this officer assumes that the company needs a new plant to expand production. However, the mere fact that over 200 percent increased orders last quarter cannot indicate this is necessary. Last quarter orders cannot present today's performance of the company. If the orders are declined lately the project of building a new plant is a wrongdoing and it is possible to burden the whole company. Unfortunately, the official has not provided any information about the recent circumstance of the company and thus I cannot accept this recommendation.

In the second place, even if there is a need for expanding production the official has hastily to conclude that they should purchase a location for building a new plant. The official has provided no information about their own company. It is possible that there are other ideal locations which can be used for expanding production. In addition, the evaluation of expense for purchasing and building this new plant also cannot be considered by this official. After all, the company's purpose is to satisfy their customers' orders and increasing their income. Yet, if the expense has exceeded their budget this project is failure finally.

In the third place, the evidence cited by the official about the Summit City should be dubious. Firstly, the ideal location and low property taxes cannot substantiate that this is an optimal location for building a new plant. Now that this ideal location is so fascinating and then why other companies have not purchased on them. It is entirely possible that other factors have influenced the location which has not been told, such as the bad environment or worse traffic condition. Secondly, the official has not considered other alternatives to build this new plant. If there are other cities which can provide better locations than Summit City did, then the optimal location for building new plant should be reconsidered.

Finally, the fact that a large number of residents are not currently employed cannot indicate that the new plant can benefit from this phenomenon. The official has not showed whether the new plant needs new employers. It is possible that they have skilled workers who will move to this new plant to produce. Moreover, the amount of ideal residents would be likely to danger the new plant.  After all, the high jobless rate is consistent with the high criminals. And maybe this can explain why this ideal location which has low property taxes has not been purchased by others.

To sum up, the official has overlooked many factors in which the company should build a new plant to increase production. In addition, the ideal location in Summit City should be examined carefully and whether it is applicable to build the plant. Without these information and evidence the official's recommendation for building a new plant in Summit City to increase production cannot be accepted.