GMAT作文AWA范文80

Argument1“Overtime,thecostsofprocessinggodownbecauseasorganizationslearnhowtodothingsbetter,theybecomemoreefficient.Incolorfilmprocessing,forexample,thecostofa3-by-5-inchprintfellfrom50centsforfive-dayservicein1970to20centsforone-dayservicein1984.Thesameprincipleappliestotheprocessingoffood.AndsinceOlympicFoodswillsooncelebrateitstwenty-fifthbirthday,wecanexpectthatourlongexperiencewillenableustominimizecostsandthusmaximizeprofits.”Discusshowwellreasonedyoufindthisargument.Inyourdiscussionbesuretoanalyzethelineofreasoningandtheuseofevidenceintheargument.Forexample,youmayneedtoconsiderwhatquestionableassumptionsunderliethethinkingandwhatalternativeexplanationsorcounterexamplesmightweakentheconclusion.Youcanalsodiscusswhatsortofevidencewouldstrengthenorrefutetheargument,whatchangesintheargumentwouldmakeitmorelogicallysound,andwhat,ifanything,wouldhelpyoubetterevaluateitsconclusion.Citingfactsdrawnfromthecolor-filmprocessingindustrythatindicateadownwardtrendinthecostsoffilmprocessingovera24-yearperiod,theauthorarguesthatOlympicFoodswilllikewisebeabletominimizecostsandthusmaximizeprofitsinthefuture.Insupportofthisconclusiontheauthorcitesthegeneralprinciplethat“asorganizationslearnhowtodothingsbetter,theybecomemoreefficient.”Thisprinciple,coupledwiththefactthatOlympicFoodshashad25yearsofexperienceinthefoodprocessingindustryleadstotheauthor’srosyprediction.Thisargumentisunconvincingbecauseitsuffersfromtwocriticalflaws.First,theauthor’sforecastofminimalcostsandmaximumprofitsrestsonthegratuitousassumptionthatOlympicFoods’“longexperience”hastaughtithowtodothingsbetter.Thereis,however,noguaranteethatthisisthecase.Nordoestheauthorciteanyevidencetosupportthisassumption.Justaslikely,OlympicFoodshaslearnednothingfromits25yearsinthefood-processingbusiness.Lackingthisassumption,theexpectationofincreasedefficiencyisentirelyunfounded.Second,itishighlydoubtfulthatthefactsdrawnfromthecolor-filmprocessingindustryareapplicabletothefoodprocessingindustry.Differencesbetweenthetwoindustriesclearlyoutweighthesimilarities,thusmakingtheanalogyhighlylessthanvalid.Forexample,problemsofspoilage,contamination,andtimelytransportationallaffectthefoodindustrybutarevirtuallyabsentinthefilm-processingindustry.Problemssuchasthesemightpresentinsurmountableobstaclesthatpreventloweringfood-processingcostsinthefuture.Asitstandstheauthor’sargumentisnotcompelling.TostrengthentheconclusionthatOlympicFoodswillenjoyminimalcostsandmaximumprofitsinthefuture,theauthorwouldhavetoprovideevidencethatthecompanyhaslearnedhowtodothingsbetterasaresultofits25yearsofexperience.Supportingexamplesdrawnfromindustriesmoresimilartothefood-processingindustrywouldfurthersubstantiatetheauthor’sview.2AWAbyGemj“WhentheApogeeCompanyhadallitsoperationsinonelocation,itwasmoreprofitablethanitistoday.Therefore,theApogeeCompanyshouldclosedownitsfieldofficesandconductallitsoperationsfromasinglelocation.Suchcentralizationwouldimproveprofitabilitybycuttingcostsandhelpingthecompanymaintainbettersupervisionofallemployees.”Discusshowwellreasoned...etc.InthisargumenttheauthorconcludesthattheApogeeCompanyshouldclosedownfieldofficesandconductallitsoperationsfromasingle,centralizedlocationbecausethecompanyhadbeenmoreprofitableinthepastwhenallitsoperationswereinonelocation.Foracoupleofreasons,thisargumentisnotveryconvincing.First,theauthorassumesthatcentralizationwouldimproveprofitabilitybycuttingcostsandstreamliningsupervisionofemployees.Thisassumptionisneversupportedwithanydataorprojections.Moreover,theassumptionfailstotakeintoaccountcostincreasesandinefficiencythatcouldresultfromcentralization.Forinstance,companyrepresentativeswouldhavetotraveltodobusinessinareasformerlyservedbyafieldoffice,creatingtravelcostsandlossofcriticaltime.Inshort,thisassumptionmustbesupportedwithathoroughcost-benefitanalysisofcentralizationversusotherpossiblecost-cuttingand/orprofit-enhancingstrategies.Second,theonlyreasonofferedbytheauthoristheclaimthatApogeewasmoreprofitablewhenithadoperatedfromasingle,centralizedlocation.Butiscentralizationtheonlydifferencerelevanttogreaterpastprofitability?Itisentirelypossiblethatmanagementhasbecomelaxregardinganynumberoffactorsthatcanaffectthebottomlinesuchasinferiorproducts,carelessproductpricing,inefficientproduction,pooremployeeexpenseaccountmonitoring,ineffectiveadvertising,sloppybuyingpoliciesandotherwastefulspending.Unlesstheauthorcanruleoutotherfactorsrelevanttodiminishingprofits,thisargumentcommitsthefallacyofassumingthatjustbecauseoneevent(decreasingprofits)followsanother(decentralization),thesecondeventhasbeencausedbythefirst.Inconclusion,thisisaweakargument.TostrengthentheconclusionthatApogeeshouldclosefieldofficesandcentralize,thisauthormustprovideathoroughcost-benefitanalysisofavailablealternativesandruleoutfactorsotherthandecentr