T. A.

PAI MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

Management Communication

Argument Analysis

DATE: 17th September, 2019

Working Group No: AB1

NAME ROLL NO.

AISHWARYA SHETTY 19F505
AMBIKA GAUTAM 19F508
DHRITIMAN SAHA 19F518
M. ASHHAR 19F530
NEERAJ KUMAR 19F532
During the past year, Alta Manufacturing had thirty percent more on-the-job accidents than
nearby Panoply Industries, where the work shifts are one hour shorter than ours. Experts
believe that a significant contributing factor in many on-the-job accidents is fatigue and sleep
deprivation among workers. Therefore, to reduce the number of on-the-job accidents at Alta
and thereby increase productivity, we should shorten each of our three work shifts by one
hour so that our employees will get adequate amounts of sleep

Unstated and/or Stated Assumptions

 More accidents are occurring at Alta manufacturing than Panoply industries because
they have longer working hours
 The on-the-job accidents will reduce and the productivity will increase if Alta
Manufacturing shortens three work shifts by an hour
 Another assumption is that Alta manufacturing thinks that if they shorten the work
shifts by an hour, the employees will get adequate sleep which they were not getting
earlier.
The Alta manufacturing thinks that to reduce the on-the-job accidents they should reduce
the working hour shifts. They reached to the above conclusion by comparing the number
of accidents which happen at the nearby Panoply Industries where the shifts are hour
shorter. Alta Manufacturing thinks by reducing three work shifts by one hour the
employees will get more sleep and also will be more productive which may not
necessarily happen as there can many other reasons for the lesser productivity and higher
accidents which occurred due to older machines not being serviced regularly.If they
reduce the working hours,the output and the revenue will get impacted to a great
extent.The productivity issue might not get resolved due to that and the issue might
persist.
The vice president also emphasizes on sleep deprivation as the major cause for the accidents
that occured.Without divulging any details, he quotes some findings about the same.The
argument could be proven if the claims could have been substantiated by evidence. The Vice
president suggested that the working hours should be reduced, this doesn’t necessarily mean
that the employees will get more sleep. Hence the argument is not strong enough.
The accidents could be caused by a multitude of reasons such lack of training of the
employees or lack of company safety standards. There is a possibility that the company is
unequipped and has no exigence plans to handle accidents. These factors collectively could
be the reason for accidents.
Therefore, the vice president of Alta Manufacturing should make decisions based on
substantial evidence. The issue should be researched extensively and only then the conclusion
of reducing the shift hour should be arrived at.