ober, contemporary business communication, 4/e. copyright © houghton mifflin company. all rights...

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10.1

Describe four characteristics of business reports.

Describe four types of business reports.

Identify three purposes of business reports.

Analyze the audience for business reports.

Evaluate the quality of data already available.

Discuss the need for managing business reports.

Planning the reportPlanning the report


Business reportBusiness report

business report (biz’ nis ri port) n.

An orderly and objective presentation

of information that helps in

decision making and

problem solving.


Characteristics of reportsCharacteristics of reports

They vary widely.

The quality of the process affects the quality of the product.

Accuracy is their most important trait.

They are often a collaborative effort.


Achieving accuracyAchieving accuracy

Report all relevant facts.

Use emphasis and subordination appro-priately.

Give enough evidence to support your conclusions.

Avoid letting personal biases and unfounded opinions influence your interpretation and presentation of the data.


Types of reportsTypes of reports

Periodic reports Routine management reports Compliance reports Progress reports


Proposals Project proposals Research proposals

Policies and procedures Situational reports


Project proposalsProject proposals

Background

Objectives

Procedures

Qualifications

Request for approval

Supporting data


Research proposalsResearch proposals

Heading

Introduction

Problem

Scope

Procedures

Conclusion

References


Purposes of reportsPurposes of reports

Informing:

Nearly 2,400 viewers and organizations pledged a total of $213,000 during our recent drive.


Analyzing:

This amount represented an increase of 11% from last year’s total.

Recommending:

As a result of the success of this effort, I recom-mend we delay our fall drive for two months.


Audience analysisAudience analysis

Internal or external audience

Authorized or voluntary report

Level of knowledge and interest


Types of secondary dataTypes of secondary data

Published Internet resources Journals and magazines Newspapers Books Brochures Pamphlets Technical reports


Unpublished

Company records

Legal documents

Personal records

Medical records


Evaluating secondary dataEvaluating secondary data

What was the purpose of the study?

How was the data collected?

How was the data analyzed?

How consistent is the data with that from other studies?

How old is the data?


Key termsKey terms

factoring policy primary data procedure proposal secondary data


Proposal outlineProposal outline

I. Background

II. Objectives

III. Procedures

IV. Qualifications

V. Request for approval

VI. Supporting data

University Hosts


Audience analysisAudience analysis

Report is internal, so less background information is needed, and a memo format is appropriate.

Report is authorized, so the reader has some inherent interest in the topic; a direct organizational plan is appropriate.

Reader is knowledgeable about the subject.


Because the report is for a university adminis-trator, a more formal style is appropriate.

Because university administrators are busy, conciseness is important.

Because the information is being used for making a decision, it must be accurate.

Because an evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages has been requested, analysis is necessary.


Policy statementPolicy statement

General Guideline: 72

Subject: Use of Photocopiers

Effective Date: October 1, 20—

Urban Systems strives to promote productivity by providing its employees with up-to-date and convenient photocopying services.


To ensure their continued availability, these services may be used only for copying documents directly related to the conduct of company business. Company procedures will be followed in determining which photocopying service is to be used for each project.

This policy is effective immediately and applies to all company employees. Any exceptions must be approved beforehand by the head of the Office and Information Systems Department.

A coin-operated photocopier is available in the snack bar for personal use before and after work.

1. Unless you live in a glass house, you will need to throw

2. switches, because lighting up your life is adviced for safety and

3. vision. Depending on it’s function, lighting serves as general

4. illumination, task lighting, or accent lighting. Irregardless, in a

5. good-designed plan, all three types must interact.

LAB 10 testLAB 10 test


Regardless

SURBAN SYSTEMSU

advised

well-

its

6. General illumination creates the principle seeing environment.

7. If you notice any one groping around or tripping, if nobody

8. seems to want to be in a room, or if a cite seems dull, then

9. you’re general lighting probably needs improvement.


SURBAN SYSTEMSU

your

principal

anyone

site

10. When it was installed, task lighting should of been glare-free

11. and directed to shine directly on the task area; i.e., reading

12. lamps should be aimed at the book, not at the reader. The reason

13. is because task lighting prevents fatigue and eye strain.

14. In passed years, a fixture hanging on a chain over the coffee

15. table was common. Today, these hanging lamps make a room look

16. gloomy and flat, so its important to be an informed consumer.


SURBAN SYSTEMSU

that

should’ve

e.g.,

past

it’s

17. You can buy fluorescent lighting in colors that are close to

18. the affect of regular bulbs and that are easier on the eye than the

19. old fluorescent lights. Try and avoid any kind of unshielded bare

20. light bulbs. When planning recessed lights, be sure and give the

21. builder a sample fixture so he may make the holes the correct size.


SURBAN SYSTEMSU

can

effect

Try to

sure to

ober, contemporary business communication, 4/e. copyright © houghton mifflin company. all rights...

Documents

u accuracy

accuracy u

approval u

characteristics of reports

external audience u

u use emphasis

types of business reports

purposes of business