GMAT考试写作指导：Argument范文二一

　　81. This company memorandum suggests that, in lieu of adopting an official code of

　　ethics, the company should conduct a publicity campaign that stresses the importance of

　　promoting certain societal interests. The reason for the suggestion is that an official

　　code of ethics might harm the company in the public eye because a competing company

　　received unfavorable publicity for violating its own ethics code. This argument is

　　unconvincing, since it depends on several unwarranted assumptions as well as arguing

　　against its own conclusion.

　　First of all, the author unfairly assumes that the two companies are sufficiently

　　similar to ensure the same consequences of adopting an ethics code for this company as

　　for its competitor. The competitor may have adopted an entirely different code from the

　　one this company might adopt―perhaps with unrealistic standards not embraced by any

　　other companies. Perhaps the competitors violation was extremely egregious,

　　amounting to an aberration among businesses of its type; or perhaps one notorious

　　executive is solely responsible for the competitors violation. Any of these scenarios, if

　　true, would show that the two companies are dissimilar in ways relevant to the

　　likelihood that this company will experience similar violations and similar publicity if it

　　adopts any ethics code.

　　Secondly, the author unfairly assumes that the competitor was damaged by its

　　code violation and the resulting publicity more than it would have been had it not

　　violated its code. Just as likely, however, the violation was necessary to ensure a certain

　　level of profitability or to protect other important interests. Without knowing the extent

　　and nature of the damage resulting from the bad publicity or the reason for the violation,

　　we cannot accept the authors conclusion.

　　Thirdly, the authors proposal is inconsistent with the authors conclusion about

　　the consequences of adopting an ethics code. The author suggests that, instead of

　　adopting an ethics code, this company should stress the importance of protecting the

　　environment and assisting charitable organizations. This proposal is tantamount to

　　adopting an ethics code. In this sense, the author suggests going against his own advice

　　that the company should not adopt such a code.

　　in conclusion, differences between this company and its competitor may

　　undermine the authors conclusion that this company should not adopt an ethics code.

　　To better evaluate the argument, we need more information about the nature of the

　　competitors ethics code and about the nature and extent of the violation. To strengthen

　　the argument, the author must accord his advice with his conclusion that the company

　　should not adopt an ethics code.