The following appeared in a memorandum from the human resources department of HomeStyle, a house remodeling business:
“This year, despite HomeStyle’s move to new office space, we have seen a decline in both company morale and productivity, and a corresponding increase in administrative costs. To rectify these problems, we should begin using a newly developed software package for performance appraisal and feedback. Managers will save time by simply choosing comments from a preexisting list; then the software will automatically generate feedback for the employee. The human resources department at CounterBalance, the manufacturer of the countertops we install, reports satisfaction with the package.”
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your 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 conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion. (used with permission from mba.com)
The memorandum from homestyle's remodeling business states that the introduction of a new software package for employee appraisals will lead to a revamp in performance in the company and its employees due to its found success in another company in a related industry, and the streamlined feedback system. However the argument makes assumptions that are critical to evaluating the impact of the proposed software. As such additional information needs to be explored to see if this will combat homestyle's issues.
Firstly, the memorandum states that despite a move in company office, there is a decline in performance and morale. homestyle will benefit from looking into when this decline took place. As is, it is difficult to draw a conclusion as to what the root of the dip in morale and productivity is, and the hr department is assuming a new approach to appraisals will fix the issue. it could be that the employees preferred the previous office as it had better facilities or access, while the new office such benefits, resulting in a dip in morale and performance. Alternatively, there could have been a previous event that had an impact on homestyle's employees which began a decline long ago, but the decline is now only recognized by hr. Perhaps the office move actually weakened the decline, but there are still underlaying factors (unrelated to the appraisal system) that are having a negative impact. Regardless, without identifying the cause and timing of the decline in morale and productivity, it is difficult to assume the introduction of a new system will re-raise performance.
Secondly, while counterbalance has found satisfcation with the introduction of this new system, it is not so simple to assume it will positively impact homestyle's employees. counterbalance and homestyle, while in a related industry, are two completely different companies with a completely different set of employees. Not just with a software implementation, but any sort of new implementation, a company will benefit from analyzing and predicting the impact it will have on its own business and employees, rather than assuming success in one area equates to success in another area. Therefore homestyle would benefit from further collaboration of what issues counterbalance was tackling, and in which areas it was able to find success.
Lastly, the department makes the assumption that the improved efficiency of the software, that is to say the management's saving of time with pre-selected comments, will improve the morale and productivity among its employees. is there actually a problem with the current way appraisals and feedback is currently handled? would employees actually feel a disconnect from management when receiving preexisting comments, and lose further morale? Questions similar to these will further assist in evaluating whether this software will truly bring a positive impact to homestyle's business.
In order to have additional clarity on whether or not the introduction of the newly developed software package will bring positive results, no results, or even negative results to homestyle can be done with further analysis of their current situation. if the hr team can identify the timing and cause of its decline in morale and performance, it will have more access to information relevant to whether or not streamlined feedback systems will actually fix the root of the problem. collaboration with counterbalance's hr team to identify any challenges counterbalance faced as a company, what type of employees they have and how they reacted to the software package, and the actual results generated will also help homestyle's hr more accurately predict if its own problems will be solved. Furthermore, interaction with its employees through something like a survey will assist homestyle's hr identify the type of reception the introduction fo the software will have among the employees.
In conclusion, while the new software package may lead to a turnaround in homestyle's problems with declining morale and productivity, further information is need to evaluate whether or not this software package will truly have the intended impact the hr team is expecting.
- The following appeared in a memorandum from the business planning department of Avia Airlines:“Of all the cities in their region, Beaumont and Fletcher are showing the fastest growth in the number of new businesses. Therefore, Avia should establish a co 50
- The following appeared in a memorandum from the human resources department of HomeStyle a house remodeling business This year despite HomeStyle s move to new office space we have seen a decline in both company morale and productivity and a corresponding i 87
Comments
Essay evaluation report
Attribute Value Ideal
Final score: 4.5 out of 6
Category: Good Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 0 2
No. of Sentences: 17 15
No. of Words: 660 350
No. of Characters: 3463 1500
No. of Different Words: 246 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 5.069 4.7
Average Word Length: 5.247 4.6
Word Length SD: 3.066 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 270 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 224 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 163 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 110 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 38.824 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 18.363 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.824 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.359 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.621 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.093 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 6 5
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 1, column 305, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: However,
...y, and the streamlined feedback system. However the argument makes assumptions that are...
^^^^^^^
Line 4, column 117, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: Homestyle
...is a decline in performance and morale. homestyle will benefit from looking into when thi...
^^^^^^^^^
Line 4, column 377, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: It
...roach to appraisals will fix the issue. it could be that the employees preferred t...
^^
Line 7, column 175, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: Counterbalance
...positively impact homestyles employees. counterbalance and homestyle, while in a related indus...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 585, Rule ID: SENT_START_CONJUNCTIVE_LINKING_ADVERB_COMMA[1]
Message: Did you forget a comma after a conjunctive/linking adverb?
Suggestion: Therefore,
...rea equates to success in another area. Therefore homestyle would benefit from further co...
^^^^^^^^^
Line 10, column 227, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: Is
...e and productivity among its employees. is there actually a problem with the curre...
^^
Line 10, column 322, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: Would
...sals and feedback is currently handled? would employees actually feel a disconnect fr...
^^^^^
Line 10, column 352, Rule ID: A_INFINITVE[1]
Message: Probably a wrong construction: a/the + infinitive
... handled? would employees actually feel a disconnect from management when receiving preexist...
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 13, column 40, Rule ID: WHETHER[7]
Message: Perhaps you can shorten this phrase to just 'whether'. It is correct though if you mean 'regardless of whether'.
Suggestion: whether
... In order to have additional clarity on whether or not the introduction of the newly developed...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 13, column 253, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: If
...er analysis of their current situation. if the hr team can identify the timing and...
^^
Line 13, column 483, Rule ID: UPPERCASE_SENTENCE_START
Message: This sentence does not start with an uppercase letter
Suggestion: Collaboration
...l actually fix the root of the problem. collaboration with counterbalances hr team to identif...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 16, column 175, Rule ID: WHETHER[7]
Message: Perhaps you can shorten this phrase to just 'whether'. It is correct though if you mean 'regardless of whether'.
Suggestion: whether
...further information is need to evaluate whether or not this software package will truly have t...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
actually, also, but, first, firstly, furthermore, however, if, lastly, look, may, second, secondly, so, still, therefore, while, as to, in conclusion, sort of, that is to say
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 24.0 19.6327345309 122% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 27.0 12.9520958084 208% => Less auxiliary verb wanted.
Conjunction : 28.0 11.1786427146 250% => Less conjunction wanted
Relative clauses : 12.0 13.6137724551 88% => OK
Pronoun: 33.0 28.8173652695 115% => OK
Preposition: 85.0 55.5748502994 153% => OK
Nominalization: 30.0 16.3942115768 183% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3538.0 2260.96107784 156% => OK
No of words: 660.0 441.139720559 150% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.36060606061 5.12650576532 105% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.06857624559 4.56307096286 111% => OK
Word Length SD: 3.11799481137 2.78398813304 112% => OK
Unique words: 269.0 204.123752495 132% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.407575757576 0.468620217663 87% => More unique words wanted or less content wanted.
syllable_count: 1127.7 705.55239521 160% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.7 1.59920159681 106% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 4.96107784431 121% => OK
Article: 4.0 8.76447105788 46% => OK
Subordination: 7.0 2.70958083832 258% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 9.0 1.67365269461 538% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 3.0 4.22255489022 71% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 23.0 19.7664670659 116% => OK
Sentence length: 28.0 22.8473053892 123% => The Avg. Sentence Length is relatively long.
Sentence length SD: 65.8779876951 57.8364921388 114% => OK
Chars per sentence: 153.826086957 119.503703932 129% => OK
Words per sentence: 28.6956521739 23.324526521 123% => OK
Discourse Markers: 7.5652173913 5.70786347227 133% => OK
Paragraphs: 6.0 5.15768463074 116% => OK
Language errors: 12.0 5.25449101796 228% => Less language errors wanted.
Sentences with positive sentiment : 12.0 8.20758483034 146% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 8.0 6.88822355289 116% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 3.0 4.67664670659 64% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.164861951193 0.218282227539 76% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0598229628692 0.0743258471296 80% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0376884103616 0.0701772020484 54% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.101865741825 0.128457276422 79% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0513746820289 0.0628817314937 82% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 18.2 14.3799401198 127% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 34.6 48.3550499002 72% => OK
smog_index: 11.2 7.1628742515 156% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 15.4 12.197005988 126% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 14.4 12.5979740519 114% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.71 8.32208582834 105% => OK
difficult_words: 154.0 98.500998004 156% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 15.0 12.3882235529 121% => OK
gunning_fog: 13.2 11.1389221557 119% => OK
text_standard: 15.0 11.9071856287 126% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.