argument65 [0710G +U小组] --xiefen0223--第15次作业

xiefen0223UID: 2301911

题目：ARGUMENT65 - The following appeared in a memo from the president of a chain of cheese stores located throughout the United States.
https://bbs.gter.net/thread-718825-1-1.html
"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."
字数：359          用时：0:48:00          日期：2007-08-08

In this argument, the arguer recommends the cheese stores to stop stocking inported cheese while concentrate primarily on domestic cheeses. To support his suggestions, the arguer demonstrates  last-year experience in their newest store and a rencent survey in a world magazine, to point out that the imported cheeses is not so popular that the stores should stop stocking it to improve profits by reducing inventory expense. However, the recommendation is not as convincing and specific as it seems to be.
To begin with, the arguer takes it for granted that reducing expenses by limiting inventory will improve profits. But as we know, making profit depends on whether the income of one product has overrated its expense. So, if the income of imported cheeses can still cover their expenses, then such cheeses should still be kept to making profits. From this point of view, the arguer makes a mistake of hasty generalization.
In addition, the experience of last year mentioned that the five best-selling cheeses at our newest store were all domestic cheddar cheeses from Wisconsin. But this does not mean the imported cheeses is not popular anymore, since there are other alternative explanations, such as the domestic cheeses are on sale to promote the business in the new area, or consumers of the new store are mostly from Wisconsin and of course like the food there. So this experience can not account for the unpopularity of imported cheeses.
Last but not least, another fallacy is about the recent survey, which indicates an increasing preference for domestic cheeses among its subscribers. But here the survey is probably carried out among the whole world, which might not be the same in US. So the arguer can not conclude that the domestic cheeses are more popular and should be emphasized.
Simply put, the argument is not as reasonable as it stands. To make it acceptable, the arguer should do some math work first to see whether the recommendation will really improve profit. Besides that, more data about the overall sale of the two cheeses in the whole country should be provided to prove the need to limit one's inventory while concentrate another.

[ 本帖最后由 xiefen0223 于 2007-8-10 00:20 编辑 ]

ldsunUID: 2329026

没有发完啊，呵呵。