The following appeared in a report presented for discussion at a meeting of the directors of a company that manufactures parts for heavy machinery:The falling revenues that the company is experiencing coincide with delays in manufacturing. These delays, i

The argument that falling revenues that the company is experiencing coincide with the delays is manufacturing raises some important concerns that must be addressed to substantiate the argument. The statement that follows reasons the purchasing manager responsible for the delays caused. Further, the argument suggests the replacement of the purchasing manager with a scientist. This does not constitute a logical argument and it certainly does not provide proof or support to the main argument.

Most conspicuously, the argument does not address the main cause of the problem clearly. The argument coincides the falling revenues with the delay in manufacturing and further interlinks the manufacturing delays with the delays in purchase. It can be quite possible that the entire system is working properly and it is the sales department that is unable to sell the product and increase profits.

First, the delay in purchasing might be the result of declining market conditions or problems in demand and supply instead of poor planning as mentioned in the argument. Furthermore, it could also be due to problems in logistics as the manufacturing plants are situated in remote areas that are not accessible easily.

Second, the argument states that a purchasing manager needs to know about the properties of metals to be purchased instead of general business skills and skills in sociology. This is quite absurd because a purchasing manager has to deal with vendors who have limited knowledge about the properties of the product they sell. These vendors are like stock brokers and act only like a middle man in business selling or buying.

Third, the replacement of a purchasing manager with a scientist is the least probable solution that could have been provided. Scientists think more rationally than logically which would cause the business to decline even more. Further, scientists lack general business skills required to deal with clients and seldom avoid to socialize.

In conclusion, because the argument leaves out several key issues, it is neither sound nor persuasive. If it had included the items discussed above it would have been far more through and convincing.