BUS 121 Chapter 9

BUS 121 Chapter 9

1. Chapter: 9 Informal Reports 1

2. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 2 Explain informational and analytical report functions, organizational strategies, and writing styles. Learning Outcome 1

3. Ch. 9 / Slide 3 Reporting in the Digital-Age Workplace Routine reports keep managers informed about completed tasks, projects, and work in progress. Reports help executives sift through huge amounts of digital and other data. Report findings may be presented orally in meetings or shared digitally in e-mail messages, PDF files, or slide decks. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

4. Ch. 9 / Slide 4 Three Main Purposes of Business Reports Convey information Answer questions Solve problems Here’s the information you wanted. 1 Here’s your answer. 2 Here’s one solution. 3 © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

5. Ch. 9 / Slide 5 Characteristics of Business Reports Informational reports Analytical reports © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

6. Ch. 9 / Slide 6 Report Functions Informational Reports Present data without analysis or recommendations Are routine and often periodic © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

7. Ch. 9 / Slide 7 Report Functions Analytical Reports Provide data or findings, analyses, and conclusions May also supply recommendations Intend to persuade readers © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

8. Ch. 9 / Slide 8 Audience Analysis and Report Organization Direct Strategy Readers are informed are supportive want results first Indirect Strategy Readers need to be educated need to be persuaded may be disappointed or hostile © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

9. Ch. 9 / Slide 9 Report Writing Style Friendly, casual tone First-person pronouns, contractions Shorter sentences, familiar words Conversational language © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

10. Ch. 9 / Slide 10 Report Writing Style Emphasis on objectivity, accuracy, fairness Professional distance between writer and reader May use third person (the researcher) and passive voice Absence of humor, figures of speech, “editorializing” Formal Style © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

11. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 11 Learning Outcome 2 Describe typical report formats and understand the significance of effective headings.

12. Ch. 9 / Slide 12 Report Formats E-Mail and Memo Format Manuscript Format Letter Format Digital slide decks Infographics Digital Formats and PDF Files @ Forms and Templates © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

13. Ch. 9 / Slide 13 Informal Reports– Letter Format Tips for Letter Reports: Use letter format for short, informal reports sent to outsiders. Organize the facts section into logical divisions identified by consistent headings. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

14. Informal Reports– Letter Format Tips for Letter Reports: Single-space the body. Double-space between paragraphs. Leave one or two blank lines above each side heading. Ch. 9 / Slide 14 © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

15. Ch. 9 / Slide 15 Informal Reports– Letter Format Tips for Letter Reports: Create side margins of 1 to 1¼ inches. Add a second-page heading, if necessary, consisting of the addressee’s name, the date, and the page number. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

16. Ch. 9 / Slide 16 Analytical Report – Memo Format Tips for Memo Reports: Use memo format for short (ten or fewer pages) informal reports within an organization. Leave side margins of 1 to 1¼ inches. Sign your initials on the From line on hard copies. Consider attaching the memo to a cover e-mail for delivery. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

17. Ch. 9 / Slide 17 Informal Reports– E-Mail and Memo Formats Tips for E-Mail and Memo Reports: Chunk similar information into groups for quick comprehension. Use concise headings to quickly identify groups. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

18. Ch. 9 / Slide 18 Informal Reports– Digital Formats and PDF Files PDF documents are a popular delivery format. Some reports are animated and may be hyperlinked to other content. Slide presentations can be converted to video. Slide decks are a condensed image-rich format not intended for verbal delivery. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

19. Ch. 9 / Slide 19 Types of Headings Functional Headings Executive Summary Introduction Findings Discussion Talking Headings The Best Business Laptop Money Can Buy Will Smartphones Replace PCs? Texting: The New Smoking Gun What’s New in Social Media? © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

20. Ch. 9 / Slide 20 Types of Headings Combination Headings Background: How Apple Won Personnel: The Savvy Workforce Production Costs: The Investment Is Paying Off © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

21. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 21 Effective Report Headings 1 Write short but clear headings. Experiment with wording that tells who, what, when, where, why, and how. 2 Include at least one heading per report page. 3

22. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 22 Effective Report Headings 4 Try to create headings that are parallel. Construct a hierarchy of heading levels using placement, size, and font. 5 Don’t use more than three heading levels. 6

23. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 23 Levels of Report Headings TITLE The title of a report, chapter heading, or major part should be centered in all caps. First-Level Heading A first-level heading is centered and bolded. It uses a smaller font size, and only primary words are capitalized.   Second-Level Heading A second-level heading divides the topics introduced by the first level heading. It is bolded and left-aligned.   Third-Level Heading. Because it is part of the paragraph that follows, a third-level heading is also called a paragraph heading. 14 pt. sans serif font 12 pt. sans serif font 11 pt. sans serif font 2 inches 2 blank lines 2 blank lines 2 blank lines 1 blank line 1 blank line 1 blank line

24. Ch. 9 / Slide 24 Identify the problem the report addresses, define the report purpose, and collect significant secondary and primary information to solve the problem. Learning Outcome 3 © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

25. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 25 Determine the Problem and Purpose Problem Statement: What can we do about problem X ? Statement of Purpose: To recommend a plan for solving problem X.

26. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 26 Collect Information From Secondary and Primary Sources Company records printed and digital files b . Printed materials books , newspapers, journals c . Digital resources online databanks , websites, social media, blogs Good reports are based on solid, accurate, and verifiable facts from sources such as

27. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 27 Collect Information From Secondary and Primary Sources d . Observation colleagues , supervisors, customers , competitors e . Surveys and questionnaires customer feedback f . Interviews experts , target population

28. Learning Outcome 4 © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 28 Prepare short informational reports that describe routine tasks.

29. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 29 Trip, Convention, and Conference Reports Use headings and bullets to enhance readability. Identify the event (name , date, and location). Preview the topics to be discussed. Summarize the main topics that might benefit others in the organization.

30. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 30 Trip, Convention, and Conference Reports Offer to share the information. Express appreciation. Mention the value of the trip or event. Submit itemized expenses, if requested, separately.

31. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 31 Progress, or Interim, Reports Specify the purpose and nature of the project. Provide background information if necessary to inform the reader. Describe the work completed thus far. Explain the work currently in progress, including names, activities, methods used, and locations.

32. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 32 Minutes of Meetings Record briefly the discussions of old business, new business, announcements, and committee reports. Begin with the group’s name, date, time, and place of meeting. Identify the names of attendees and absentees. State whether the previous minutes were approved or revised.

33. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 33 Minutes of Meetings Include a signature on formal minutes. Include the precise wording of motions. Record the votes and actions taken. Conclude with the name of the person recording the minutes.

34. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 34 Summaries If requested, include your reaction or overall evaluation of the document. State the main idea or purpose of the summary. Highlight the research methods, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Omit illustrations, examples, and references. Organize for readability by including headings and bulleted or enumerated lists.

35. Learning Outcome 5 Ch. 9 / Slide 35 Prepare short analytical reports that solve business problems. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use.

36. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 36 Justification / Recommendation Reports Direct strategy Include a discussion of pros, cons, and costs. Explain the problem or need briefly. Announce the recommendation, solution, or action concisely and with action verbs. Explain more fully the benefits of the recommendation or steps necessary to solve the problem. Conclude with a summary specifying the recommendation and necessary action.

37. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 37 Justification / Recommendation Reports Indirect strategy Discuss alternative solutions, beginning with the least likely to succeed. Refer to the problem in general terms in the subject line or title. Describe the problem or need your recommendation addresses. Use specific examples, supporting statistics, and authoritative quotations to lend credibility.

38. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 38 Justification / Recommendation Reports Indirect strategy Ask for authorization to proceed, if necessary. Present the most promising alternative (your recommendation) last. Show how the advantages of your recommendation outweigh its disadvantages. Summarize your recommendation. Specify the action it requires, if appropriate.

39. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 39 Feasibility Reports Describe the problems that may result. Announce your decision immediately. Provide a description of the background and problem necessitating the proposal. Discuss the benefits of the proposal. Calculate the costs associated with the proposal. Show the time frame necessary for implementing the proposal.

40. © 2019 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school approved learning management system for classroom use. Ch. 9 / Slide 40 Yardstick Reports Tell how the criteria were selected or developed. Describe the problem or need. Explain possible solutions and alternatives. Establish criteria for comparing the alternatives. Discuss and evaluate each alternative in terms of the criteria. Draw conclusions and make recommendations.

41. Chapter: 9 Informal Reports Ch. 9 / Slide 41