The following appeared as part of an article in a business magazine. A recent study rating 300 male and female Mentian advertising executives according to the average number of hours they sleep per night showed an association between the amount of sleep the executives need and the success of their firms. Of the advertising firms studied, those whose executives reported needing no more than 6 hours of sleep per night had higher profit margins and faster growth. These results suggest that if a business wants to prosper, it should hire only people who need less than 6 hours of sleep per night. 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. While it may be true that the business’, in order to prosper, ought to hire only people who need less than 6 hours of sleep per night, this author’s argument does not make a cogent case for success of their firms based on amount of sleep the executives need per night. It is easy to understand why business’ would prefer executives who sleep less at night, but this argument is rife with holes and assumptions, and thus, not strong enough to convince business’ to hire “only” such people. Citing about a study, that rated 300 male and female Mentian advertising executives according to the average number of hours they sleep per night, the author reports an association between amount of sleep the executives need and the success of their firms.It is not clear, however, the scope and validity of that study. For example, if the study rated them by asking them questions about their sleep patterns, then executives may have faked. Or if the study actually rated them by observing them over a period of time, we really don’t no was it week or two, or a month or so, or over a complete year.We just do not know. Nevertheless, the sleeping pattern of the executives may still vary depending on: deadlines, personal problem or some other disorder impacting sleep. Thus sleep as causal factor behind “higher profit margins and faster growth” is flawed. Additionally, the sample set of 300 being rated by the study is really a miniscule number to make such a grandiose claim.It may not be representative of the trait the study is looking for.For example, if the study is trying to relate less sleep with more work and output, the population of 300 people may nat be able to give a clear view, as some people may sleep little longer and still outperform their less-sleeping counterpart. Also, nothing as such has been mentioned about the ratio of men to women in the sample set used by the study. May be only 1 men to 10 women were rated in the study carried out. In which case conclusion of the study, if applicable, should be applied to woman only. Unless the study is fully representative, valid, and reliable, it can not be used to effectively back the author’s argument. Building upon the implication that, of the advertising firms studied, those whose executives reported needing no more than 6 hours of sleep per night had higher profit margins and faster growth, the author generalizes the findings of Mentian advertising executives to all business’. The author assumes that other business’ are analogous to advertising business and it’s findings are invariably applicable across all business’.The correlation also fails to incorporate other factors which might be significant to the success of the firms, apart from sleeping hours. For a business to prosper, the most important factors to be taken into account are the motivation of people, how effectively they embrace technology to help the business and undoubtedly, teamwork and synergy. Along with the sleeping patterns, the author should have shed more light on the importance of these factors to present a strong conclusion. Certainly,for the same quantum of output and all other factors remaining same, people who can manage a decent work-life balance with a sleep averaging no more that 6 hours per night can be considered more efficient than people who require more sleep. For these reasons, Business’ may decide to hire only people who need less than 6 hours of sleep per night. However, this author’s argument is not likely significantly persuade the business’ to hire such people in order to prosper.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 15:09:57 +0000
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