Analysis of Issue
The following was used as part of an internet advertising company's appeal to businesses: "Furniture Depot employed our internet advertising company to help. Since then its sales increased by 10% over last year's totals. Furniture Depot's success demonstrates how using our internet services can increase your profitability."
Describe how well reasoned you find this argument. In the discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the argument's conclusion. You may also address possible changes in the argument that would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
Some companies achieved their success just after they use internet advertising. The first known virtual book shop, Amazon.com, is a sharp sample of internet based business. Besides its technological competitiveness, Amazon.com has strong values such as innovation and good governance.
According to the appeal, the only quantitative fact about Furniture Depot stated is its sales increased by 10% over last year's totals. Another statement is that Furniture Depot has employed an internet advertising company. And the last statement of appeal is more likely a claim of success made by the internet advertising company. The quantitative fact it self is not strong enough to support the claim.
There are some questionable assumptions which are not provided, such as: 1) how long Furniture Depot has employed the internet advertising? 2) how much Furniture Depot has invested in internet advertising? 3) what is the last year's ROI? 4) what is the recent ROI?
With those additional assumption, the appeal can be changed into: "Furniture Depot has employed our internet advertising company to help for one year. Since then its sales increased by 10% over last's totals. The ROI increases from 9% last year to 11% this year. The investment was about 10% from company's sales."
All in all, internet advertising is one of business key success. And it must have supported by investment plan according to company strategy. Internet advertising it self without strategy is leading to nothing.
Friday, February 20, 2009
GMAT - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Practice 6
GMAT - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Practice 5
Analysis of Argument
"Following the September 11th attack, where the Al-Queda acquired bombmaking and terrorist knowledge over the internet, many lawmakers have proposed that an international body regulate the internet so that sites which provide information to terrorists could be eliminated."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations or reading.
The recent breakthrough in information and communication technology have enabled people to interact with others. No matter where they are or when the time is. It is internet that becomes the magic thing as it can be either distance learning tools, e-market places, or hang-out clubs. In line with the balance theory, internet gives both of advantages and disadvantages. In addition to its negative side, I couldn’t more agree with those lawmakers who proposed an international body to regulate the internet.
One of the most powerful role of internet is the educative function as a knowledge storage and an accessible data provider. Only by ticking one key word, millions of thing related to that word will be generated at an unprecedented speed.
Not only angels who use internet, evils also use the powerful function of internet to disseminate ideas such as hatred, rebellion, or violence. Recent findings pointed out that the know-how of bomb making widely disseminated and adopted by irresponsible villains just as the September 11th attacked.
There are still more harmful effects of internet. According to my experience as a high school teacher, I have been so worried about internet contents accessed by my students. Even now there is the ministry of communication and information, it still can not block those pornography and crime sites away.
This matter have became a global challenge. No single nation alone could solve this problem. It needs all countries working together. It could be represented by an international body regulate the internet.
GMAT - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Practice 4
Analysis of Argument
"DKLA was the innovator in the market for casual women's business apparel. Smith & Co. was once the leader in that market with $2 billion in sales until styles changed and Smith & Co.'s clothes went out of fashion. DKLA can also be expected to fail, especially because the market for casual women's business apparel is saturated."
How would you rate the accuracy of the above statement? Support your position with reasons and examples.
The casual women's business apparel competition nowadays is really tight. Companies come and go and only the innovative can last longer. They are trying to get a big part of a market pie which is growing less quickly than the number of the companies.
It once happened to Smith & Co.'s that the company had been a market leader after reached $2 billion in sales. In almost cases, the comfort zone have made big players forgot to create newer, cheaper or better things. Like in honey moon, they don't realize the existence of others. While they take a rest, newer and smaller companies are innovating. One of the companies is DKLA. DKLA style launched in the market just as the Smith & Co.'s clothes went out of fashion. That was when the king crown had been transferred from a sleeping-giant to a skinny rabbit.
Who can be sure that DKLA will always be at the peak? Nobody. According to Peter Drucker statement, there is no certainty, the only certain is the uncertainty it self. As long as DKLA's value of innovation is worked harder in the rest of the company, there is a possibility that it would be last longer.
The same story happened in the computer business. Years ago, names as IBM and Apple are well known as global leaders of information technologies. But, nowadays, they are passed by new comers such as Google and Yahoo.
As a conclusion, the statement above somehow has a minimum accuracy. What can make a company last longer is not only the growth-size of the market. But there is one more important value that can help company to last, it is innovation.
GMAT - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Practice 3
Analysis of Argument
"Regulators and policymakers should respond to potential environmental threats even before the information is fully known or concrete."
How would you rate the accuracy of the above statement? Support your position with reasons and examples.
I don't agree with the above statement. It contains flaws in both grammatical structure and substances.
Grammatically, there are words "respond" and "before" in that statement. In my opinion, a response is taken after an action occurs. When there is a scientific finding in global temperature increasing, world leaders respond it immediately by signing a Climate Change Convention. On the other hand, people notice that the potential environmental threats are becoming more dangerous and wider in areas. Although the researches on the climate change are still in progress, regulators and policymakers can anticipate the threats. The statement needs word "anticipate" to accompany "before".
According to the good corporate governance, every government action whether it is regulator's or policy maker's, should be made under valid considerations based on data or information. Regulator or policy maker can make a quick response to an important matter but still has to be supported by minimum knowledge required. Unless, the responses could be misleading or irrelevant.
GMAT - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Practice 2
Analysis of Issue
Chemists have determined that spring water from Augusta, Maine contains minerals necessary for a healthy body. Residents of Augusta, Maine, have a longer life span than the average U.S. citizen. Even though spring water from Augusta, Maine may be expensive, it is a superior choice over drinking general tap water.
How would you rate the accuracy of the above statement? Support your position with reasons and examples.
The statement above is formed by three sentences that have independent causality among each other. Each sentence has an issue and all issues together are still not adequate to make a conclusion.
The first issue is about the important minerals contained in the spring water from Augusta, Maine. The second issue shows the life span comparative between residents of Augusta, Maine and the average U.S. citizen. And the third informs us despite its expensive price, the spring water from Augusta, Maine, still becomes a superior choice over drinking general tap water.
In my opinion, the second statement becomes the major issue. And the others are minors which they can be either a cause or an effect to the second statement. I start to analysis with one open question, what makes residents of Augusta have longer life span than the average U.S. citizen? A general study shows that life span is a function of physical health, emotional conditions, spiritual orientation and life style. According to the study, what is determined in the first sentence it self does not immediately become the cause of longer life span. More explanations are needed to conclude its position.
The third sentence tells more about customer preference in choosing drinkring water . Spring water from Augusta Maine is well known to be expensive. But its premium rate have made it a superior choice over drinking general tap water. Clearly, this sentence is not a cause or an effect to the major issue.
All in all, the statements separately give us knowledge. But no conclusion should be made from them. Our reaction against the information mentioned above is capture and store it to memory.
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