Business Communications (Lecture 15 and 16). Writing Reports and Proposals презентация

types of information without analysis or recommendations
Analytical Reports – offer both information and analysis and may also include recommendations
Proposals – offer structured persuasion for internal or external audiences

and other information for decision making

Reports to Implement policies & Procedures communicate organizational rules and positions

Reports to Demonstrate Compliance provide information to show regulators & other authorities that company meets formal requirements

Reports to Document Progress Provide managers or customers with information on project status

Proposals

Informational Reports

Reports to Assess Opportunities Explain the risks and rewards of a course of action such as market analysis report

Reports to Solve Problems Analyze problems and (usually) suggest solutions

Reports to Support Decisions Judge the merits of past or future decisions (such as feasibility reports)

Internal Proposals Request decisions from managers within the organization (funding proposals; project proposals etc)

External Proposals Request decisions from parties outside the organization (grant proposals; sales proposals etc)

the Situation
Clarify the opportunity or problem at hand, define your purpose, develop an audience profile and develop a plan
Gather Information
Determine audience needs and obtain the information necessary to satisfy those needs; conduct a research activity if necessary
Select the Right Medium
Choose the best medium for delivering your message
Organize the Information
Define your main idea; limit your scope; select direct or indirect approach; outline your content using the appropriate structure

to Your Audience
Be sensitive to audience needs by using a “you” attitude, politeness, positive emphasis and bias-free language. Build a strong relationship with your audience by establishing credibility and projecting your company’s image. Control your style with a tone and voice appropriate to the situation.
Compose the Message
Choose strong words that will help you create effective sentences and coherent paragraphs throughout the introduction, body and conclusion of your report / proposal

the Message
Evaluate content and review readability, then edit and rewrite for final polished version
Produce the Message
Use effective design elements and suitable layout for a professional appearance. Integrate text with graphics / diagrams
Proofread the Message
Review for any errors such as spelling and punctuation
Distribute the Message
Deliver your report using the chosen medium and check that your report has been received by the audience in its entirety

complex so it is critical to define your purpose clearly. This tells your audience why you are writing
The best way to begin is with a purpose statement for an informational report is to describe your goal. For example:

- To provide clarification on how new tax laws will apply
- To update the directors on the policy review project
- To explain the latest customer feedback data

for an analytical report needs to be more comprehensive. This is because analytical reports draw conclusions and make recommendations. Example:

- To analyze the travel and entertainment budget, evaluate the impact of recent changes in airfares and hotel costs, and suggest ways to tighten management’s control over travel and entertainment expenses.

for a proposal must be focused on persuading your audience. Examples:

- To secure funding in next year’s budget for three new photocopiers.

- To get management approval to hire a change consultant

- To compete for the government tender to provide training for 500 new trainee public officials

this in detail already this semester; you should refresh your memory from earlier slides and activities

Write out a work plan

A work plan (rough outline for your report / proposal) can save time and produce a better end result. See page 369 in our text book for an example

what the needs of the audience are. What do they need to know? And then we need to gather the right information to put into our report so we can satisfy those needs…to be informed? To be advised? To be given a choice of solutions for a problem?

This may be simple and obvious in many cases. In some cases we may need to conduct some research to identify needs and collect data to satisfy those needs

select must be appropriate for your audience in terms of how they expect to receive a report, how sensitive the information is, what impression you hope to make and what they plan to do with the report.

It could be: a PowerPoint presentation; a printed and bound booklet; emailed word document; a page posted on the company’s intranet etc

if your audience is receptive
Use an indirect approach if your audience is skeptical
Use a direct approach if your audience is familiar to you
Use an indirect approach for an audience less well known or to build interest / credibility

14 2008)
On one side (p 392) is an ineffective informational report
On the other side (p 393) is an effective informational report


What makes the reports effective and ineffective?



All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

2008)
It is an example of a good analytical report
It is pages 398 – 399 in our text book



All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

2008)
It is an example of a good internal proposal
It is pages 402 – 403 in our text book

What differences do you see between the effective report (p398-399) and the effective proposal (p402-403)?

All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

reports demand a lot of readers, making the “you” attitude more important
Follow any company guidelines / templates for reports (especially to external audiences)
Write for the audience: consider carefully tone, vocabulary (complexity of words; register); acronyms; jargon; prior knowledge of the topic of the report etc
Build credibility for yourself and your message

in context for the reader. Introduce the subject, preview the main ideas and set the right tone for the document

The body of your report provides the discussion and analysis and interprets the information you discovered

The conclusion might be the only thing some people read. Make sure it is strong, clear and unambiguous

by whom the report was authorized; who wrote it and when it was submitted
Problem/opportunity/purpose: The reason the report was written and what is to be accomplished as a result
Scope: What is and what is not covered in the report. This helps manage the reader’s expectations
Background: Any relevant historical conditions or factors that help put the topic in context
Sources and methods: The primary and secondary sources of information used. This section can also explain how the information was collected

important terms used in the report. Define any terms that might be unfamiliar to the audience or used in an unfamiliar way
Limitations: Factors beyond your control that limit the quality, reliability, usage of the report’s message such as budget constraints or quality of data. But never make personal excuses
Report Organization: How the rest of the report will be organized. It’s a bit like a table of contents

the body of a report include:
Explanations of a problem or opportunity
Facts, statistical evidence, trends
Results of studies or investigations
Discussion and analysis of potential courses of action
Procedures or steps in a process
Methods and approaches
Criteria for evaluating alternatives and options
Conclusions and recommendations
Supporting reasons for conclusions and recommendations

conclude with a list of key points
Indirect approach – reiterate and stress your conclusions and/or recommendations
If the report requires action, use the ending to explicitly state what should happen next and who is responsible for each task. If it is you, make sure your readers know this

2008)
It is an example of a good problem solving report that focuses on recommendations
It is pages 415 – 416 in our text book


All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

proposal… “presents and summarizes the problem or opportunity you will address along with your proposed solution.”

If your proposal is solicited, be sure to follow the guidelines they provide for writing your proposal
If your proposal is unsolicited, you should explain why you are writing. For example; following up on a conversation

of the problem / opportunity: briefly reviews the reader’s situation and establishes reason for action. If unsolicited, you will need to convince them
Solution: Briefly describes the change you propose and highlights your key selling points and their benefits, showing how your proposal will help readers achieve their business objectives
Scope: States what is and is not covered in the proposal
Organization: Like a table of contents for what is to follow

complete details on the proposed solution and specifies what the anticipated results will be.”

Remember – a proposal is a persuasive document so all of this needs to be written in a way to influence the reader to see things as you do.

a proposal is most likely to be:
Proposed solution – Describes what you have to offer (service; product; opportunity) why it will make a difference and its unique benefits
Work Plan – Describes what you plan to do in detail: timings; resources; methods; venues etc
Statement of Qualifications – You/your organization’s experience, knowledge, expertise and other credentials
Costs – Detailed breakdown of all costs

the benefits; summarize why your proposal is the best option; emphasize the proposal as an opportunity to be taken now and ask the reader for a decision.

Be brief – a paragraph or two, be assertive and confident but not arrogant or demanding

2008)
It is an example of an effective solicited proposal in letter format
It is pages 422 – 423 in our text book


All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

reviewed and revised for clarity, conciseness, structure, flow. Have a colleague review your document for suggestions

Edit and re-write your document

main parts:

Prefatory Parts: Things that come before the introduction
Text Parts: The introduction; body and conclusion
Supplementary Parts: Things that come after the conclusion

Text Parts Supplementary Parts

Covering letter
Title page
Acknowledgements
Definition of key terms
Table of contents
List of illustrations / tables
Synopsis

Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Recommendations (can be separate to conclusion)

Index
Bibliography
Appendices

Entertainment Costs”)
It is an example of an effective full report including prefatory, text and supplementary parts as well as graphics
It is pages 462 – 475 in our text book

All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

2008)
It is an example of an effective full proposal including costing
It is pages 483 – 486 in our text book



All of the handouts are saved in the “class activities” folder on the L Drive

in spelling, punctuation, grammar, spacing, font size and styles and other technical aspects of writing

audience in the chosen method based on what is expected and what will get the best results for you. Make sure the covering letter goes with the report.

Check that the report has been successfully received by your audience