The following appeared as part of an article in a business magazine.
"A recent study rating 300 male and female Mentian advertising executives according to the average number of hours they sleep per night showed an association between the amount of sleep the executives need and the success of their firms. Of the advertising firms studied, those whose executives reported needing no more than 6 hours of sleep per night had higher profit margins and faster growth. These results suggest that if a business wants to prosper, it should hire only people who need less than 6 hours of sleep per night."
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.


A recent study at Mentian advertising executives showed that there is a correlation between sleeping less and making more profit; hence, the author jumps to a conclusion that firms should hire people with less needs of sleep to prosper. However, the argument is very illogical and unconvincing, and the reasoning is rife with loopholes and ungrounded assumptions.

First, the methodology of this study is fundamentally false. The author assumes that a simple rating of sleep and profits can demonstrate a correlation between the two variables. The truth is, the correlation between the sleeping time of employees and the success of firms cannot be established by looking at a vague trend. There is no quantitative evidence suggesting that executives sleeping less hours have greater profits. In addition, the fact that the samples come from the same firm could lead to a biased conclusion. The result cannot be generalized to all corporations across different disciplines. A statistical correlation test should be performed to the data of 300 samples across different firms to be more objective and comprehensive.

Even if the correlation test using a wide range of samples gives a negative correlation between sleeping time and firm profits, correlation could not indicate causation. Other variables should be examined to make sure they are not playing a role in gaining profits. For example, people who sleep less in a Mentian advising firm could have more experience and skills before they were hired. This means that they have connections with big clients established during internship or previous work, and these resources can be used to benefit their work. Furthermore, the time duration of the study is never mentioned. Sleeping less may have a short-term effect on earning more profits; however, in the long term, it is possible that people who sleep less develop various diseases or medical conditions that force them to take days off. This leads to inefficiency for the firm and damages to health for the personnel.

Furthermore, for a firm to prosper, money is not the only standard. Corporate culture, staff satisfaction, and reputation are other factors that make a good firm. Forcing employees to be sleep-deprived is inhumane and cruel, which causes them to leave. In the end, no one will be willing to devote their time and effort for such an unappreciative company. A firm can never grow or develop with lack of human resources. Gradually, the firm will also have a notorious reputation as a callous capitalist, depriving its workers of their health and freedom to generate profits by working them as machines. This will not only attract fewer clients or customers, but also cause lawsuits between employees and employers. On the other hand, a kind and friendly corporate culture can attract talented people to work for the firm, which in turn builds up the company’s reputation, attracting more and more customers. Encouraged employees are more passionate at work, so the company can develop for the better.

In conclusion, I believe that more evidence needs to be shown to demonstrate the relationship between sleeping time and profits. The conclusion for a firm’s hiring strategy should be even more carefully drawn as the reality could differ from theoretical analysis.