GMAT analytical writing assessment tests the writing skills of the candidates. Candidates are required to study the argument, find the flaws, and write ways to strengthen the argument. This GMAT AWA sample essay focuses on the change of location of Cumquat Cafe and its effect on business. Candidates will find similar topics in GMAT AWA writing practice papers.
Topic:
The following appeared as part of an article in the business section of a local newspaper:
“The owners of the Cumquat Café evidently made a good business decision in moving to a new location, as can be seen from the fact that the Café will soon celebrate its second anniversary there. Moreover, it appears that businesses are not likely to succeed at the old location: since the Café’s move, three different businesses—a tanning salon, an antique emporium, and a pet-grooming shop—have occupied its former spot.”
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.
Answer:
The author has provided in the argument that the owners of the Cumquat Cafe have decided to move its location to a second location. They are supposedly going to celebrate their second anniversary there. The argument further supports the claim by stating that a business is likely to succeed in a new location. In fact, since the move to the new location, three different businesses have arrived - a tanning salon, an antique emporium, and a pet-grooming shop. The author has nowhere mentioned in the argument the pieces of evidence based on which the assumptions can be strengthened. The argument is a vague one, and the reasons are mentioned below.
Also Check:
Firstly, the author has spontaneously accepted the fact that the shift of the Cumquat Cafe to a new location is due to an insignificant amount of profits, and revenues generated from the previous location. The author further proceeds to assume that since the business is celebrating its second year in the new location itself, it might have really boomed and performed better than the previous location. But the author has failed to portray the pieces of evidence stating the poor development or deficiency in profit-making in the previous location. The argument shows no comparison of profit-making in two different locations through the facts. It is very much possible that the cafe might have encountered equally favorable profits and revenues and has shifted due to completely other reasons like space crunch, parking issues, proximity to raw materials, distance from the city’s center, and more. The reason could also be safety issues. The author of the argument could have interviewed the cafe’s owner and manager to get the actual responses of why they shifted to a new location. Without the comparison of the two locations’ profit margins, the argument will fail to become a strong one.
Secondly, the argument has mentioned facts that since the shift of the Cumquat Cafe to a new location, three different businesses, namely, a tanning salon, antique emporium, and a pet-grooming shop have opened. The author has tried to state how three different businesses created their business but couldn’t survive, and moved as they started facing losses - hence saying that the location is ill-fit for businesses. The argument has failed to hold its stability as the author has nowhere mentioned the authentic reasons behind the change of location of the three businesses. It could have been because of space crunch, rent issues, or any other reason similar to Cumquat Cafe. Or, it can also be true that the location is unfavorable for these three businesses particularly, and the owners were eventually forced to shift the business. Had the author conducted an interview with the owner and staff of the three businesses and provided with the reasons behind their change of location, then the argument could have been strengthened. Without these, we have no solid proof to believe that the location is unsuitable for doing business.
In conclusion, it can be said that the author has assumed that Cumquat Cafe has shifted its business because of incurring losses in the previous location. And now with their celebration in the new location, and continuity for two years, it is even more believed. The argument also states the fall of the other three businesses happened because of the previous location. But the author has nowhere mentioned reliable resources for the audience to believe that the fault is with the location. The issues mentioned like space crunch, rent issues, distance from city’s center, can also be possible reasons behind the change of all these businesses.
Comments