"We recommend that Monarch Books open a caf in its store.

Monarch, having been in business at the same location for more than twenty years, has a large customer base because it is known for its wide selection of books on all subjects. Clearl y, opening the caf would attract more customers. Space could be made for the caf b y discontinuing the children's book section, which will probably become less pop ular given that the most recent national census indicated a significant decline in the percentage of the population under age ten. Opening a caf will allow Monar ch to attract more customers and better compete with Regal Books, which recently opened its own caf." Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered i n order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted res ult. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluat e the recommendation. The author recommends that Monarch Books should open a cafe in its store in ord er to attract more customers and increase its business.The author supports his r ecommendation by stating that Regal Books which recently opened a book cafe,also experienced a surge in their business.The author further states that the cafe c an be opened by closing down the children's book section.He warrants his actions by the fact that the recent national census has indicated a significant decline in percentage of population under ten,which will lead to less popularity among children's books.Although the premise stated seems correct at first,on a closer scrutiny the argument remains essentially flawed and a few questions need to be answered first in order to evaluate this recommendation. Firstly and fore mostly the most important question which needs to be answered i s that what age group of customers belong to the customer base of Monarch Books? Are they adults and are they essentially adults who seem to enjoy coffee?If no e vidence is found for the fact that the customers of Monarch's Books are essentia lly coffee drinking adults ,then it would weaken the original assumption stated in the argument and would lead to no increase in business as stated by the autho r. Secondly and importantly what is the evidence that closing down the children's b ooks section to open up the cafe will lead to a surge in business?The author sta tes the most recent census has indicated a decline in percentage of population o f the age group below 10.What is the evidence that a decline in the national pop ulation of children below 10 means that there is also parallel decline of the ch ildren aged below 10 in the area where Monarch's books is built?If no evidence i s found for this fact ,then the assumption stated would seem unwarranted. In fac t on the contrary,if evidence is found that there is increase in percentage in c hildren below 10 in the area pertaining to the Monarch books,then a severe decli ne in business could be expected due to the shutdown of the children's book sect ion Thirdly and lastly the author states that Regal Books experienced a increase in business by opening up a cafe.What is the evidence for the premise that the Rega l Books experienced this surge in business due to opening up of the cafe only? I n fact if evidence is found for other factors contributing to Regal bookstore's success more than the cafe ,it would weaken the original argument considerably. It is quite a possibility that Regal Book store may have attributed its success to a number of other factors like offering its customers a large discount on its books or a successful advertising campaign. To summarize, the recommendation stated is essentially flawed and if the evidenc e to the above stated questions is found,it would help to evaluate the recommend ation.Without these evidences,the argument stated remains highly unsubstantiated and open to debate.