Day1 Over time，the costs of processing go down

The following appeared as part of an annual report sent to stockholders by Olympic Foods，a processor of frozen foods：

“Over time，the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better，they become more ef？cient.In color？lm processing，for example，the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984.The same principle applies to the processing of food.And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrate its 25th birthday，we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument.In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument.For example，you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion.You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument，what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound，and what，if anything，would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

文勇五问：

（1）本题中，事实是什么？结论是什么？“Over time，the costs of processing go down because as organizations learn how to do things better，they become more ef？cient.In color？lm processing，for example，the cost of a 3-by-5-inch print fell from 50 cents for five-day service in 1970 to 20 cents for one-day service in 1984.”和“And since Olympic Foods will soon celebrateits 25th birthday，”是事实，“we can expect that our long experience will enable us to minimize costs and thus maximize profits.”是结论，值得反驳吗？

（2）一个通用的准则，一定适用于每一个个体吗？一般来说，大部分企业都是年限越长，生产效率越高，但对于奥林匹克食品公司来说，它是否一定成立？

（3）文中使用彩色胶片加工行业来作为例证，大家想想看彩色胶片加工行业可以代表所有行业吗？可以类比食品加工生产行业吗？彩色胶片加工和食品加工生产两方涉及的工艺技术和工艺过程是一样或者类似的吗？你能指出在彩色胶片加工业中需要特别注意而在食品加工生产业中不需要特别注意的方面吗？例如完全避光。反过来呢？例如食品的新鲜程度。这些不同会如何影响结论？

（4）从企业生存时间的长短的角度而言，二十五年是一段很长的时间还是一段很短的时间？对于不同行业的企业来说，长寿的标准是一致的吗？我们认为一家超过三十年的网络公司是长寿的，但对于一家汽车公司来说呢？

（5）“最小化成本”的决定要素有哪些？原文罗列全面了吗？除了工艺成本最小化之外是否需要考虑其他方面？例如：原材料的价格。“最小化成本”就一定能得到“最大化的收益”吗？如果不一定，请你指出一到两个可能产生影响的要素，例如：销售量、人事费。

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