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Difficulty: HardWeakening Arguments

To reduce order fulfillment errors caused by manual sorting, a major online retailer plans to deploy Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) across all its regional distribution centers. Management notes that in pilot tests at a prototype facility, the automated sorting system reduced mispackaged shipments by 80 percent compared to human sorters. Therefore, management concludes that deploying AMRs nationwide will significantly lower overall operational costs associated with shipping errors.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens management's argument?

  1. The specialized technical labor and maintenance fees required to resolve routine AMR sorting malfunctions cost more per incident than the financial losses previously incurred from human mispackaging errors.Answer
  2. B
    Automated mobile robots require less daily operational downtime for battery recharging than human workers require for mandatory rest breaks.
  3. C
    Competing e-commerce platforms have chosen to outsource fulfillment operations to third-party logistics firms rather than purchasing proprietary sorting technology.
  4. D
    Mispackaged shipments account for a smaller overall percentage of customer service complaints than delivery delays caused by severe weather events.
  5. E
    The initial pilot testing was conducted during daytime shifts, whereas regional fulfillment facilities operate continuous 24-hour schedules.

Answer

The statement showing that specialized technical maintenance fees for robot sorting errors exceed the losses from human sorting errors.
The conclusion asserts that deploying AMRs will lower overall operational costs associated with shipping errors. The correct answer weakens this argument by demonstrating an unconsidered cost of the new technology: fixing AMR sorting malfunctions requires expensive specialized technicians whose fees exceed the cost of human sorting mistakes. Consequently, even with fewer physical mispackages, the financial cost associated with sorting errors will increase, defeating management's goal.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Deconstruct the argument structure
Premise: Pilot tests showed an 80% reduction in mispackaged shipments using AMRs compared to human sorters.
Conclusion: Nationwide deployment of AMRs will significantly lower overall operational costs associated with shipping errors.
Identifying the explicit premise and conclusion isolates the central claim and logical gap.
2
Identify the unstated assumption
The argument assumes that the financial savings achieved by preventing human mispackaging errors will not be offset or exceeded by new costs created by the AMR system itself.
A cost-reduction conclusion requires that total expenditures associated with the new process are net lower than under the old process.
3
Evaluate answer choices for an alternative factor that invalidates the net cost reduction
The option pointing out that specialized technical labor and maintenance fees to fix AMR malfunctions cost more per incident than human sorting errors directly shatters the net savings premise.
Showing that new error-handling costs surpass old error losses proves the total operational costs associated with shipping errors will actually rise.

Key Concept

Weakening Cost-Benefit Arguments
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Topics

Weakening Arguments

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