GMAT Essays (AWA)

write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

"Since its opening in Collegeville twenty years ago, Monarch Books has developed a large customer base due to its reader-friendly atmosphere and wide selection of books on all subjects. Last month, Book and Bean, a combination bookstore and coffee shop, announced its intention to open a Collegeville store. Monarch Books should open its own in-store café in the space currently devoted to children's books. Given recent national census data indicating a significant decline in the percentage of the population under age ten, sales of children's books are likely to decline. By replacing its children's books section with a café, Monarch Books can increase profits and ward off competition from Book and BeanSince its opening in Collegeville twenty years ago, Monarch Books has developed a large customer base due to its reader-friendly atmosphere and wide selection of books on all subjects. Last month, Book and Bean, a combination bookstore and coffee shop, announced its intention to open a Collegeville store. Monarch Books should open its own in-store café in the space currently devoted to children's books. Given recent national census data indicating a significant decline in the percentage of the population under age ten, sales of children's books are likely to decline. By replacing its children's books section with a café, Monarch Books can increase profits and ward off competition from Book and Bean"


answer:

In this argument the author suggests that the Monarch book store should replace its children books section with a café in order to gain profits and eliminate competition with the newly arrived book store Book and Bean. But author's this argument does not sound cogent and it is full of loopholes. Although the Monarch book store should employ their own strategy to ward off their competition with the Book and bean but still the author's suggestion is lacking its strength in various important points.
First the author implied that Monarch Books is the most eminent book store in Collegeville from past twenty years due to its reader friendly environment. So it has its own set of loyal customers. So the Monarch books directors should not be threatened by the newly open Book and Bean as simply it's a combination of bookstore and coffee shop.

Again Monarch store consists of a wide range of books which may not be found out in the newly founded shop. So therefore still the Monarch will entice the prospective customers over the Book and Bean.

Secondly the Monarch is famous for its reader friendly environment. But if the authority employ the author's strategy and open a coffee shop by replacing its children books section, it can disrupt the reader friendly environment. As in the coffee shop other types of customers can also come only for the cuisine and to spend time and have chit-chats with friends and family etc. so by opening a café just to attract new set of customers the store might loose its own set of loyal followers. So the authore's argument is not valid.

Again the author suggests to replace its children book store as the national census data indicates a significant decline in the population under the age ten. But only this reasoning is not enough to replace this children section. The children in the Collegeville area might be very much interested in reading books and therefore they may be a regular customer of this store. So the census data does not imply the decline in the sales of books in children section.

Book and bean is a complete different store with a different character than the monarch. It accounts for both the books and cuisines whereas the monarch is essentially only a book store. Therefore the authority should not be bothered about the completion between the two stores.
The author's argument thus does not count these several assumption and failed to be strong enough to make any sense.