ESSAY QUESTION:
The following appeared in an article in a human resources magazine:
"Six months ago, in an experiment aimed at boosting worker productivity, Company Z started providing free gourmet lunches to its employees. The Company hoped that these office lunches would encourage employees to remain in the building during lunch-hour and motivate employees to work harder throughout the day. A survey found that soon after the lunch program was implemented, the average number of hours worked by most Company Z employees increased dramatically. During this same period, the Company's profits also increased substantially. Thus, it is safe to say that the lunch program was a huge success and that Company Z should make the program permanent."
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
YOUR RESPONSE:
In today's competitive arena, every Company looks forward to incorporate certain strategies to increase productivity. One of those strategies is to enhance employee satisfaction. There could be several ways to deal with this. As stated above, Company Z chose to provide feree gourmet lunches.
Though the argument says idea helped in increasing profits, I would disagree that the free lunch was the sole reason behind it.
There are several factors that could assist in increasing the company's profits. Reliance industries which is one of the top companies in the world, has solely depended on customer satisfaction to increase its profits. The CEO declared that we have hundreds of employees moving in and out in the last 1 year and that inspite of this, the company was able to hold its profits share in the market. This turns to be a striking example to invalidate the author's argument.
Let us look at the strategy applied by company Z to increase its profits - provision of free gourmet lunches. The recent survey of food lovers showed that people tend to eat more when they are out in a party or buffet which is free. This proves that the employees tend to eat more at the office. Moreover, It has been scientifically proved that the more we eat, the more we tend to sleep in a en effort to digest the food. Hence, from these 2 solid premises, we can make out that the employees of company Z will tend to sleeep more. The more one tends to sleep, the lower is his/her productivity.
Therefore, from a logical stand-point, free lunch cannot be the only reason for increased profits.
There is aslo a financial burden to company Z in trying to cope up with free lunches. We have already discussed that Employees tend to eat more when they are in free lunches. Company will need to bear the complete cost of the lunch. Whenver, there is dissatisfaction faced by employees due to the variety or quantity of food they eat, it reflects on their work, thus worsening the productivity. Company will need to make an extra effort to make sure that the lunches do not cause dissatisfaction to the employees. This is not the company's primary business and hence should be avoided to the maximum possible extent.
After so many thoughts, on why fodd cannot be the reason, let us see what other factors could have caused the increased sales. During this period,
1. The customer base of the comapny could have increased
2. The cost of the raw material to make the products could have gone down.
3. The marketing campaign could have worked out in favor of the company.
4. The work hours could have increased leading to more productivity.
There could be many more to add to it.
Hence according to me, These reasons make more sense in long term than the program of free lunches.
The following appeared in an article in a human resources magazine:
"Six months ago, in an experiment aimed at boosting worker productivity, Company Z started providing free gourmet lunches to its employees. The Company hoped that these office lunches would encourage employees to remain in the building during lunch-hour and motivate employees to work harder throughout the day. A survey found that soon after the lunch program was implemented, the average number of hours worked by most Company Z employees increased dramatically. During this same period, the Company's profits also increased substantially. Thus, it is safe to say that the lunch program was a huge success and that Company Z should make the program permanent."
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
YOUR RESPONSE:
In today's competitive arena, every Company looks forward to incorporate certain strategies to increase productivity. One of those strategies is to enhance employee satisfaction. There could be several ways to deal with this. As stated above, Company Z chose to provide feree gourmet lunches.
Though the argument says idea helped in increasing profits, I would disagree that the free lunch was the sole reason behind it.
There are several factors that could assist in increasing the company's profits. Reliance industries which is one of the top companies in the world, has solely depended on customer satisfaction to increase its profits. The CEO declared that we have hundreds of employees moving in and out in the last 1 year and that inspite of this, the company was able to hold its profits share in the market. This turns to be a striking example to invalidate the author's argument.
Let us look at the strategy applied by company Z to increase its profits - provision of free gourmet lunches. The recent survey of food lovers showed that people tend to eat more when they are out in a party or buffet which is free. This proves that the employees tend to eat more at the office. Moreover, It has been scientifically proved that the more we eat, the more we tend to sleep in a en effort to digest the food. Hence, from these 2 solid premises, we can make out that the employees of company Z will tend to sleeep more. The more one tends to sleep, the lower is his/her productivity.
Therefore, from a logical stand-point, free lunch cannot be the only reason for increased profits.
There is aslo a financial burden to company Z in trying to cope up with free lunches. We have already discussed that Employees tend to eat more when they are in free lunches. Company will need to bear the complete cost of the lunch. Whenver, there is dissatisfaction faced by employees due to the variety or quantity of food they eat, it reflects on their work, thus worsening the productivity. Company will need to make an extra effort to make sure that the lunches do not cause dissatisfaction to the employees. This is not the company's primary business and hence should be avoided to the maximum possible extent.
After so many thoughts, on why fodd cannot be the reason, let us see what other factors could have caused the increased sales. During this period,
1. The customer base of the comapny could have increased
2. The cost of the raw material to make the products could have gone down.
3. The marketing campaign could have worked out in favor of the company.
4. The work hours could have increased leading to more productivity.
There could be many more to add to it.
Hence according to me, These reasons make more sense in long term than the program of free lunches.
