The following appeared as part of an article in the business section of a local newspaper Motorcycle X has been manufactured in the United States for more than 70 years Although one foreign company has copied the motorcycle and is selling it for less the

The author claims that American-made Motorcycle X which has been copied by a foreign company is not selling as well primarily due to the exceptionally loud noise that is characteristic of motorcycle X. The author goes on to substantiate that this is not typical as foreign cars tend to be quieter compared to American cars but they sell as well. There are several flaws in the argument presented by the author.

Firstly, Motorcycle X is likely an American household name seeing as it has been manufactured in the United States for more than 70 years. It may very well be an internationally recognized brand. Any potential market entrant would need to surpass the reputation that Motorcycle X's company has built up through the years to even pose a competition to the sales of Motorcycle X. The foreign company may very well have lost out significantly based on this one advantage that motorcycle X's company has. The author should find out if historically there have been other companies trying to mimic the same product but are unable to gain foothold in the market, and the reasons behind them.

Secondly, the author's main comparison is with foreign cars. This is akin to comparing apples to oranges. Consumers of quiet foreign cars may very well be a different group compared to consumers of motorcycles. Motorcyclists may by far and large wish for their motorcycles to be the loudest in the industry. Hence these two groups are not comparable in the beginning and to see the consumer pool of motorcycles and cars as one entity is a grave oversight. The comparison should be with how foreign motorcycles are made and what are the popular models generally.

The author also bases the failure of the foreign company to attract motorcycle X customers by throwing out a claim made by an anonymous group of people. This group of people may not be representative of the customers of motorcycle X but the general public which may have no interest in motorcycles whatsoever. In this case, the author should be doing proper market research to ensure that the group that was surveyed have knowledge of both motorcycle X and the foreign company's copy to be able to objectively compare both of them. Objective reasons by the public, experts in motorcycles, avid fans and customers of Motorcycle X would give the author a better idea as to where the foreign company's product might be losing out on.

The author then proceeds to highlight that the television advertisements showcases Motorcycle X's durability and sleek lines instead of its engine-roar. This brings to mind similar advertisements by makers of sports cars or motorcycles. Cars such as Ferrari or Lamborghini do not need to use engine sounds to attract customers. The engine roar in this case may very well be anticipated. Hence their advertisements focus more on the sleekness and aesthetic appeal of the vehicle. Motorcycle X may be taking a similar approach in not using it's engine-roar as a means to attract customers. Instead, Motorcycle X is focusing more on its aesthetic build. The foreign company's copy may be focussing on the silence of the engine instead of the aesthetic appeal hence not attracting potential consumers. To know why the foreign company's advertisements may not be working will require study into what was the actual advertisement put up.

Overall, the author's conclusion is baseless as the majority of the claims remain unsubstantiated with hard evidence or proper market research. The author seems to be making hasty generalizations and jumping to conclusions without performing due diligence in investigating and studying both companies and the market conditions. The arguments put forth would be stronger had the author backed it up with conclusive and reasonable evidence.