Read all of the questions below carefully. Decide what the questions are asking,

Question

Read all of the questions below carefully. Decide what the questions are asking, state your position, and list three reasons for your position. Then, write a thesis statement: one parallel sentence that states your position and lists your reasons (for all five questions)

EXAMPLE:
Question: Should people keep dogs on leashes when they are walking their dogs?

Answer all questions in the following format:

Position: People should keep their dogs on leashes when walking them.

Reasons:

1. Keeping dogs on leashes prevents the dogs from running in front of cars.
2. Keeping dogs on leashes prevents them from biting people.

3. Keeping dogs on leashes prevents them from chasing cats.

Thesis: People should keep dogs on leashes to keep their pets safe, protect other people, and prevent them from chasing other animals

Thesis/Outline Exercise Questions

1. The government loaned money to many banks to keep them strong after the financial crisis. A result of the bailouts is an effort to limit executive pay at these banks. Some argue this course of action is necessary because taxpayer money was used. Others insist this interferes with the free market system and limits the earning power of individuals. Do you agree or disagree with limits on executive pay? Support your opinion with detailed examples.

2. Large retail stores can often sell a greater variety of merchandise at lower prices than smaller stores. When large stores move into small communities, many smaller stores cannot compete with them and go out of business. Do these giant superstores help or hurt American capitalism? Support your position with detailed examples.

3. Many people who work in sales feel that working on commission is the best way to maximize their incomes. Others prefer less pressure to push goods or services on people who may not really want or need them and prefer the security of working for salaries. Which approach to compensation provides the greater benefit to employees? Support your position with detailed examples.

4. Businesses often embrace the idea that teams produce better results than individual employees. It is felt by some that many different viewpoints produce the best results. More recently, it has been argued that teams produce groupthink, causing team members to simply agree with the group rather than think about what is best for the company. Can you support the case for teamwork or is individual responsibility more important in running a business? Support your position with detailed examples.

5. When you order a pizza, you might find that the person on the other end of the phone knows your personal preferences for toppings based on past sales. Many other businesses track your personal information as well. Do you feel this a good way for companies to gear their marketing to specific target audiences or a violation of your right to personal privacy? Support your position with detailed examples

Explanation / Answer

1. Position: I disagree with limits on executive pay.

Reasons:

i) In a free market system, compensation at all levels is determined by the dynamics between demand and supply and there is no reason for interfering with the same. Those who get paid more are there simply because they deserve it.

ii) Limiting the compensation leads to demotivation of executives and this can be extremely damaging. Executives get the feeling that their incremental contributions are not recognized and hence, may slacken off.

iii) Limiting compensation leads to searching for other modes of aggrandizement and negative behaviours which damage the organization. This include selecting undue benefits packages and other schemes across the board and may set many an unsavoury precedent.

Thesis: There should not be any limits on executive compensation to let the free market forces operate, to ensure motivated executives and to prevent any negative attitudes or behaviours from creeping into an organization.

2. Position - Giant stores help American capitalism.

i) They help ensure that all competitors are competent when it comes to prices. This helps ensure that customers get the maximum value.

ii) They bring best practices in the supply chain as well as in contracts into the market. As these are profitable businesses, these best practices can be leveraged by others.

iii) The basic tenet of capitalism lies in a free market where anybody is allowed to operate. Thus, the giant stores are players who drive capitalism towards its actual benefits.

Thesis - Giant stores help American CXapitalism by maximizing customer value, bringing in best practices to be leveraged and supporting the basic tenets of capitalism.

3. Position: The salaries-based approach to compensation provides greater benefit to employees.

Reasons-

i) It provides them the security of having a fixed income even in lean periods.

ii) It encourages long-term beneficial moves rather than moves attemted at making the quick buck

iii) It improves the customer experience as sales people are no longer just trying to dump goods on to them.

Thesis - The salaries-based compensation approach provides greater benefit to employees by providing them security, encouraging long-term thinking and improving the customer experience.

4. Position - I support the case for teamwork in running a business

Reasons -

i) A diversity of skillsets are required to run a business successfully. All of these cannot be contributed by a single individual.

ii) People in a team come up with multiple ideas and the team usually draws upon parts of multiple peoples' ideas. This is usually a lot more effective than individual decisions.

iii) In case of effective teamwork, the whole is greater than the sum of the components. Thus, team members complement each other to contribute more towards the running of the business.

Thesis - Teamwork is more important in running a business because of the diversity of skillsets needed, more ideas converging to make better decisions and team members complementing each other to successfuklly run the business.

5. Position - Tracking personal information is a good way for companies to gear their marketing.

Reasons -

i) It provides convenience as the same information need not be repeated multiple times

ii) It provides a sense of satisfaction to the customers that they are consuidered important and their choices are remembered.

iii) It makes it easier for sellers to suggest products which might not have otherwise reached the customer. Thus, the choices they have are increased.

Thesis - Tracking personal information is a good way for companies to gear their marketing as it provides convenience, satisfaction and greater choice to customers.

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