INDE 2_2013

Business Communication

E F F E C T I V E B U S I N E S S W R I T I N G

Questions that govern the process of writing

Why? Why do I write?

gives the reasons why that piece of writing is produced

For whom? For whom do I write?

makes the writer concentrate on the reader's interests and needs

What?

What do I write? the writer focuses on the subject that should meet the reader's

needs

How?

How should I write? selection and combination of vocabulary and structures;

order - to create sentences

- to develop them into paragraphs

will enable the reader to interpret the message as intended by the

writer

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STAGES OF THE WRITING PROCESS

1. Evaluating the circumstances and the reasons for writing

Why?

2.

Assessing the readership / audience

- anticipating the reader's interests

level of understanding

For whom?

3.Deciding on the core information that should be transmitted and its relevant

aspects

What?

4.Working on the message and letting your personality show through

- adapting your writing style to that particular communication situation

How?

From another point of view:

- planning your writing (why? and for whom?)

- developing a strategy for writing

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FACTORS THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE QUALITY OF WRITING

1. THE WORDSa. Denotation and connotation

b. Concrete and abstract words

c. The tone of the message

d. Short or long words?

e. Familiar and unbiased words

1. a. Denotation and connotation

the two co-ordinates of the meaning of every word

words have potential meaning

context

the sender's intention and knowledge

the receiver's understanding and attitude

Denotation = the factual definition of an object / situation / quality / idea etc.

Connotation = how a person feels about a word

A word

- may have more than one denotative meaning

letter

graphic symbol for a sound A, D, M

information / message sent to somebody

- connotations vary significantly [sometimes antagonistic connotations may be given to the

same word]

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ignorant "lack of knowledge"

usually: negative connotation

in legal disputes: positive connotation

My client was totally ignorant of any misuse of funds.

When we write:

to take into account both the denotations and the connotations of the words

to create adequate context

to use dictionaries (synonyms, spelling, cross-reference) creativity

to increase the reader's interest

to create a good impression

Uniqueness of individual writing style

starts to develop in childhood

through the whole learning process

during our whole life

b. it reflects:

our background

education

life experience

career training

etc.

c. necessary:

to help the reader interpret the message in the way we want

additional knowledge about words

1. b. Concrete and abstract words

Concrete words: denotation sends to tangible persons, objects, events, places

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Examples: ball, house, excavator, smile, town etc.

They are:

- direct

- precise

- specific in nature

The use of concrete words:- avoids misunderstanding (+)

- cannot express fully what the reader intended (–)

Abstract words: Concepts

Ideas

Feelings

Impressions

Examples: professionalism, friendship, honesty, quality control,

decision-making, debate

Their meaning: more difficult to express

Necessary: - to define them

- to illustrate them

- to place them in adequate context

- to use them with caution

- the reader should know exactly what we mean

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Examples:

1. Group

– a group of close friends

– your office colleagues

– specialists in the same field

– mathematical concept

2. majority, most, few, several – interpretation left to the reader

Business writing – clarity = a main objective

Abstract words Concrete words

1. The amount the client has to pay is large.

The client has to pay $ 20,000

2. The draft will be due in several months.

The draft will be due in three months.

3. We are ready to cover part of these expenses.

We are ready to cover 40 % of these expenses.

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1. c. The tone of the message

Combination of words range of impressions tone of the message

positive

neutral

negative

Difficult task: it involves:

- finding the most appropriate words

- careful selection

- creating adequate context

- dealing with positive and negative words

Generally thought:

negative words negative communication

Examples: no, disappoint, unable, cannot, delay, defect

However:

Examples: "On inspecting the shipment, we were unable to find any flaw".

negative words positive meaning

importance of context

- to convey bad news

- to say no with a negative word

depends on the relationship with the reader/partner

two possibilities

Examples:

a. No complaint will be taken into account after 45 days.

b. Complaints will be taken into account if made within 45 days.

1. d. Short or long words

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Requirement: writing in business is short and simple

Yet the use of short, simple words does not always guarantee clearness

Necessary:

- to consider the reader first

- to decide on the level of writing

Sometimes: short/simple words overused + lose their power

Necessary:

- to use vivid/lively words

- impact on the reader

Examples:

Overused

1. Pursuant to your request, we are enclosing herewith a copy of our financial report.

improved version

2. Here is the financial report you requested.

1. e. Familiar and unbiased words

Recommendation:

to avoid

- jargon

- slang expression

- words showing gender, age, race discrimination

to be more sensitive to people's feelings

to select words that express sensitivity.

Business letters

General aspects

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Communication between companies various means

telephones

fax machines

the Internet

a certain degree of informality that may not illustrate the real nature of the relationship

Consequently any important element in business, discussed or agreed upon the phone,

should be confirmed by an official, formal letter

For this reason (and for many others) writing ability appears in the top three activities of

a business person

Businesses value effective communicators:

being an effective writer can enhance your professional career

people in other departments of the company get to know you through your writing

your letters may get your superiors’ attention showing how effective (or ineffective) you

are as a business communicator.

The layout of a business letter

The layout of a business letter some specific elements

Information about:

the two companies that communicate by letters

the people authorized to communicate on behalf of each company

or may refer to the filing system that enables tracing a letter (or a number of letters in the

correspondence file)

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10Figure 5. Main parts of a business letter.

Letterhead

Date

Inside address

Salutation

Subject line

Main body of the letter

Complimentary line

Author’s signatureTyped namePosition

Enclosures

Reference line

Fig. 1. Main parts of a business letter

The letterhead

Information about the sender:

the logo

the company’s name and status

its address

telephone/fax number/ e-mail address

The date

There are various ways to express date:

2.11. 2011

2/11/2011

The 1st of November 2011

November 1st, 2011

In business correspondence pattern recommended:

The reference line

Your ref. (“your reference”)

Our ref. (“our reference”)

helps tracing a letter in the file

the name of the person who signed the letter

the name of the typist

the filing code

Example: Your ref.: FW/ms/P25

- the letter was written/signed by Frank Warrington

- it was typed by Mary Storm

- is located in the file P (“petrol”) 25

"Our ref." gives similar information about the sender

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2 November 2011

The inside address indicates the following:

name and address of the addressee

position in the company (e.g. The Supply Manager, The Chief Accountant etc.)

department

mail address – written exactly as given by your partner

The salutation

Forms of address used to open business letters

depend on: the addressee’s status

the social distance between the partners

Dear Sir – when the addressee is a gentleman whose name we do not know;

Dear Sirs – used to address a company;

Dear Madam – the addressee is a lady whose name we do not know;

Dear Mr Robertson/ Dear Ms Watson – to address a person whose name is known to the

writer;

Dear Bill - used to address a person with whom the writer is on friendly terms

High officials or personalities:

(the addressee’s name is associated with)

- courtesy titles

- titles deriving from appointment or honours

- rewards

Useful information:

- no special form of address for the Prime Minister and members of the

Ministry

- ambassadors are addressed as:

Your Excellency (formal)

Dear Mr Rodson or Dear Lord Bart

The subject line

below the salutation and underlined

tells what the letter is about

helps the reader direct the letter to the right person

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facilitates fast processing of correspondence

Dear Mr Winter

Tax collection

The body of the letter the main text of the letter (the message of the letter)

the rule of the “ four Cs”

clear, concise, correct, courteous

divided into paragraphs

information distributed according to the role of each

paragraph

The opening paragraph

makes connection between the subject line and the rest of the text (" above" or

"above-mentioned")

refers to the source of information, which is used as a basis for the letter you are

writing

The following two or three paragraphs

the proper message of the letter

describe facts/give arguments/ make complaints/ make suggestions etc (according

to the purpose of the letter)

The closing paragraph

emphasises the main idea of the letter

restate the writer’s point of view

conclusion of the letter

The last sentence of this paragraph often contains the formula:

We look/are looking forward to hearing/ receiving news from you

We look/are looking forward to your answer/reply/letter

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The complimentary line

depends on the level of formality

the relationship between the writer and the addressee

directly related to the salutation

Differences between British and American English:

British English

Salutation Complimentary line

Dear Madam / Sir(s) Yours faithfully

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Waters/ Dear

colleague/friend/customer

Yours sincerely /Best regards/ wishes/ Kind

regards

Dear Mary Yours/ Best regards/ wishes/ Kind regards

American English

Salutation Complimentary line

Gentlemen:/ Dear Madam / Sir(s) Truly yours/Yours truly/ / Faithfully yours/

Yours faithfully

Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Hudson Sincerely yours/ Yours sincerely/ Best regards/

Best wishes/Cordially yours

Dear Nicholas Best regards/ Cordially

The signature given together with

the writer's typed name

the writer’s position in the company

If the writer is not the person authorised to sign the letter:

the printed name is preceded by:

“p.p.” (per procurationem) or

“for”:

Mary Smith

p.p. Tom Richard

Supply Manager

Enclosure line the last point of a business letter

abbreviated to Enc./encl.

gives the list of additional documents sent with the letter:

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Encl.: 2 copies of the Monthly Statement

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Fig.2 Business letter (sample).

MEDEQUIP Ltd. 78 Bell Street

Washington DC, WA 5312427 January 2002Our ref. CG/mn/ T 99

Mr Paul LevinWashington Marketing Society667 Seventeenth StreetWashington DCWA 64702

Dear Mr LevinTraining course

We are writing to you in connection with the above-metioned subject, following your article on new trends in marketing published in the December issue of the Marketing Review.

Since your ideas seem very interesting to us, we would like to invite you to deliver some lectures to our sales people within a two-week training course at the beginning of April. We are sure that the new strategy you propose for selling medical equipment will be of great interest to our people.

Could you please confirm, by 15 February 2004, if you would accept our invitation? All the other details will be discussed as soon as we receive your confirmation.

We look forward to your answer.

Yours sincerely,

Marion EvansHuman Resources Manager

Types of business letter layout

Layout patterns/ styles:

indented style

block style

semi-indented style

The indented style requires:

letterhead

inside address

complimentary close

signature block

each line be indented as compared to the line above

closed punctuation (full stops, commas, etc) is used after each element and line of these

layout items

letter body

the first line of each paragraph is indented

reference line

date line

complimentary line

are placed on the right-hand side

The block style

all layout items are placed on the left-hand side

punctuation is omitted from all the items except for the main letter body

each line of the paragraphs starts in the left-hand margin

paragraphs are separated by double space

The two patterns differ from many points of view

However, the use of punctuation in the main body of the letter is compulsory in both cases.

Combinations of the two patterns:

semi-block style - (when some elements are placed in the centre of the paper or on the

right-hand side)

semi-indented style indentation of the first line of each paragraph

full punctuation (inside address, salutation, complimentary line,

signature block and enclosure line)

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Figure 7. Indented style layout (sample).

(letter head)__________________________________

(date)______________(ref. Line) ________

(inside address)_________________ _______________ _____________ ___________

(salutation)______________________(subject line) _______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(complimentary line)______________(signature)

(typed name)___________________(position)_________________

(Encl.)______________

Figure 8. Block style (sample).

(letter head)__________________________________________________

(date)________

(ref.line)________

(inside address)___________________________________________________________________________

(salutation)__________(subject line)_____________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(complimentary line)____________________(signature)(typed name)__________(position)_____________

(Encl)_______________

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MAKING AN ENQUIRYComplete the following letter and then answer the questions:

1. Who writes on behalf of SUNSHINE Hotels?

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SUNSHINE Hotels10 Lion Street

7 AHD AmsterdamThe Netherlands

15 December 2003Your ref:Our ref: AC/gc/ Amst 03

The ROMFAST Bank12 Queen Mary StreetDistrict 3 BucharestRomania

Dear SirsRe: Banking services

We …1… your …2… from Mr Toma Dănescu, General Manager of "RomTour"- Bucharest, who has …3… you as one of the most reliable banks in Romania.

We are …4… the hotel…5… and our …6… of hotels is well-known …7… Europe. We have recently …8… the Romanian market, with two …9… in Bucharest and we would …10… to …11… your bank for paying …12…our staff …12…our suppliers.

We would …14… if you …14… send us …15… about the card system and credit lines you can …16… us.

We look …18… to …19… from you soon.

Yours …20…SCarlssonSteven CarlssonHead of Finance Department

2. Who is the addressee?

3. What information is given in the first paragraph?

4. What does Mr Carlson say in the second paragraph of his letter?

5. Which of the phrases below would you use to refer to Mr. Carlson’s action?

He is arranging a meeting

making payment

sorting out letters

giving a presentation

making an enquiry

making a proposal

Letters of enquiry asking for information

You make an enquiry in order to find out:

where you can find the product

how much you have to pay for it

if you can get a discount

what quantities of that product are available

how soon the supplier may honour your order

what similar products are available on the market

The paragraphs of an enquiry letter have clear functions:

ParagraphFunction Examples

1st introduction

(how you found information about the addressee: name, address, type of business etc.)

"We have found the September issue of your magazine in the library of "RomTour"-Bucharest."

"Mr. Steven Robson, Managing Director of FINDAS Corporation, one of our partners, has recommended your company to us and …"

"We have heard of your firm at the 3rd Fair of Consumer Goods in Tokyo last year."

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2nd ; 3rd giving additional information about the situation;

giving brief information about your company;

offering to give further information;

launching the request.

- "We are in the hotel industry and our chain of hotels is well-known throughout Europe"

- "Our company is involved in road building."

- "We will be happy to offer you further details."

- "We would like your comments on the possibility of organising a joint conference."

- "We would appreciate if you would consider our proposal for a partnership."

"Could you please send us your catalogue and price list?"

last paragraph

- ending the letter (a formal sentence to close politely)

"We look forward to hearing from you."

The general structure of an enquiry letter:

may begin directly with the request

information about the sender + his interest in the request made

has to indicate the source of information, which has facilitated the enquiry

A letters enquiring about people more specific

it shows clearly who you are enquiring about

describes the situation that has led to the enquiry (promotion to a top position,

new employment, a prospective merger/partnership etc.)

Recommendations:

include a set of clear questions that will help the respondent to structure the answer

accordingly

these letters should be very objective

should rely on facts

the information supplied should be used for business purposes only

getting or giving information about someone with the permission from the person

concerned

such information must be treated confidentially

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REPLIES TO ENQUIRIES

A serious businessperson will always answer an enquiry.

Answers:

- positive an order or a contract will follow

- negative (refusal)

Interested in the proposal answer it promptly!

Experienced business people move fast:

confirm the letter: orally, over the phone, by e-mail

a formal letter will be sent later

Read the enquiry reply letter below and then find in its text the parts that comply with the functions given in the list below:

a. confirming receipt of enquiry and thanking for the letter

b. expressing satisfaction for being contacted

c. giving specific information in answer to the questions in the enquiry

d. taking action

e. closing optimistically, expressing hope for future co-operation

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ROMFAST BANK23 King Ferdinand Bulevard

District 1, Bucharest Romania

20 December 2003

Your ref: SC/gc/Rom.03Our ref: OD/ms/ Amst 03

The SUNSHINE Hotels10 Lion Street 7 AHD AmsterdamThe Netherlands

Dear Mr Carlsson,Re: Your letter of 15 December 2003

Thank you for your above-mentioned letter enquiring about our banking services. As you have found out from some of our clients, our standards are high and our services prompt and efficient.

We have recently developed our range of products, including some new credit lines, which are successfully used by many large Romanian firms and foreign companies working in Romania.

We are sending you enclosed a detailed description of our products and hope that you will find them suitable for you. Please contact us by phone or e-mail if you have additional questions. Our staff will be glad to help you make the best choice.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerelyODumitrescuOana DumitrescuHead of Marketing Department

2. Giving negative replies to enquiries

2.a Complete the following sentences that are often used in letters expressing refusal:

1. We are __________ that we ___________ send the goods so soon.

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2. We ________sorry ______ we ________ unable to help you ______ developing the

project.

3. We are sorry to _________you that we __________invest in hotel industry.

4. We _________ that we are __________to grant you such a big loan without third-

_______ guarantee.

5. We ____________ inform you _______ the C12 video projectors are _____ of stock.

6. We _________to inform you that the opening you are interested in was filled two weeks

ago.

7. ____________, you have failed to supply the goods as per the contract.

2.b Now fill in the paragraphs below taken from two letters of refusal:

"We …1… to inform you that we no …2… manufacture the projector type you are …3… in.

Instead, we could …4… you a similar product at an affordable …5… and significantly …6…

characteristics."

" Thank you for …1… letter …2…20 June 2004 …3… about a bank …4….

After careful …5… of your documents, we …6… to …7… you that we are …8… to help you.

…9…, you do not …10… sufficient collateral, as it results …11…your documents."

A letter of refusal

carefully worded

the general tone of the letter respect and understanding

to create a favourable atmosphere for a possible relationship in the future

Stages:

confirm receipt of the enquiry letter

express regret (for not being able to help)

give reasons for your negative answer

offer an alternative (if possible)

end on a friendly, encouraging tone

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STAR Bank5 Long Street

Edinburgh3E 56 EG

Great Britain

Grungwald and Son24 Forest StreetAmsterdamThe Netherlands

Dear Mr GrundwaldReply to enquiry

Thank you for your letter …1…18 May 2002.

…2… your proposal is very attractive, we …3… that we are …4… to invest in your project for the moment.

…5… some management changes, we …6… restricted our …7… funds for a certain …8…of time. We …9… move back to our …10… investment …11… as …12… as some old …13… will …14…been …15…. We estimate that this will not …16…more …17…six months. …18… your proposal is really interesting; we can take your project as a priority at that time.

Thank you again for your…19….…20… our proposal does …21…fit you, we would like to …22…you every success in the future.

Yours …23…MBrayMary BrayHead of Investments Department

LETTERS OF COMPLAINT

Possible reasons/situations of complaint related

1. delayed delivery

2. undershipment

3. slow operations

4. inadequate invoices

5. incomplete information

6. overshipment

7. bad behaviour

8. breakdown of the IT system

9. delays in money transfer

10. non-payment

11. inadequate advice

12. slow recording of documents

13. inefficiency in manipulating documents

14. overcharging

15. delivery of the wrong goods

Conflicts are very frequent in business.

Partners interested in achieving and defending their interests and goals

When conflicts occur try to solve them amiably

without affecting the basic relationship

without damaging the professional image or position held in the business

environment

keep the costs of the conflict to the minimum

An effective way:

• let our partner know that something wrong happened

• try to find out about the causes of the mistake that have generated our

discontent

• speak or write about them

Making complaints3.a What functions do the following phrases (a -f) express?

a. "We are ready to do that if you can offer us a 2% discount for the remaining shipments."

b. " We are writing with reference to the above-mentioned contract for repair works."

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c. " We can presume that the contents of the second van were intended for another

customer."

d. " However, we regret to inform you that …"

e. " We are sorry to remind you that, if you do not replace the wrong goods within 10 days

as from the receipt of this letter, we will be obliged to refer to the Penalty Clause

stipulated in our contract."

f. " According to a previous agreement with you, we have placed the merchandise in our

warehouse and we will keep it there until you can collect it."

1. stating the subject; reference to documents (connection with the "subject

line", if expressed)

2. stating the reason of complaint;

3. suggesting possible causes of the problem;

4. stating the action you request your partner to take;

5. mentioning the action taken by you (if any)

6. making suggestions to solve the problem (special requests to compensate

you for the losses suffered; mentioning penalties if the partners may fail to

repair the situation).

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HITECH LTD.Romanian Division

The Continental HotelStr. Azurului 15, Sector 263451 Bucureşti, România

30 September 2004

Mr. Doru DinescuDirectorROMFAST Bank12 Queen Mary StreetDistrict 3, Bucuresti, Romania

Dear Mr. DinescuContract 215 of 27 March 2004

We are …1…in connection with our… 2… contract for staff payment through card systems …3…between your bank and our…4….

As …5… in the contract, your bank …6… transfer the corresponding …7… to our staff individual …8… before the 9th day of each month. Everything went quite well until June 2004 when our employees …9… about their accounts …10… credited one week after the …11…date.Since this …12… again in July and September, we wonder what has …13…with the relevant department of your bank.

…14…, we have …15… all the records and documents delivery dates for …16…our …17…staff are responsible, but everything has been …18… without …19… delay or mistake.

Since …20… in …21…payment is a very serious matter, we …22… inform you that, if you do not take …23… so as such things be completely…24…, we will be …25… to …26…to the …27…Clause in our contract and even to …28…the contract altogether.

In the hope that the situation will be …29…as soon as possible, we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours …30…Tom BellFinancial Manager

3.b Explaining the problem

Writing letters of complaint a difficult task

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explaining the problem a key function in this situation

make the reader understand his full responsibility for the negative consequences

deriving from the mistake

the letter should convey the necessary encouragement for immediate action

try to maintain the previous friendly relationship

Striking balance between irritation and politeness

the writer's ability to select adequate language

Polite negative messages:

"we are sorry but we have to remind you that……""Unfortunately,……""we regretfully inform you that……""we regret but we have to draw your attention to ……""we are sorry to inform you that……""we were surprised to find out that……"

ADJUSTMENT LETTERS

1. Match the following meanings of the verbs in italics with the sentences below:

a. regulateb. put in orderc. settling claimsd. in harmonious relations with other personse. change one's way of living, thinking, etc.

1. You have to be grateful to her for helping you to become a well-adjusted young man.2. Please do not adjust your sets! (warning on TV screen)3. Managers have to adjust themselves to new cultural contexts.4. I've checked it myself. Our partner is right. We've delivered less than agreed. We have to

send them an adjustment letter.5. The device adjusts itself to changes in humidity.

An adjustment letter is an attempt to restore the relationship and maintain the company's good reputation. As a result, its tone should be polite and reconciliatory and should help to achieve the following functions:

• confirm receipt of the complaint letter;

• explain the cause(s) of the problem;

• mention action taken so as the problem may not happen again;

• reassure the customer;

• state the steps taken in order to solve the problem;

• if a solution was suggested, give your opinion by accepting it or coming up with a

counterproposal;

• apologise for the trouble caused and end optimistically.

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-

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ROMFAST BANK12 Queen Mary Street

District 3Bucharest

4 Oct.2004Your ref: TB/tg/ Rm 04Our ref: DD/md/ BCC

HIGHTECH Ltd.Romanian DivisionStr. Amurgului 28Sector 4Bucuresti

Dear Mr BellComplaint - Contract 215 of 27 March 2004

We …1… receipt of your letter …2… 30 September 2004, …3… the delay in …4… for your staff as per the …5… contract.

We have looked …6… the matter and found …7… that your …8…is…9…. Due to an …10…breakdown of the IT…11…, the last step of the money …12…procedure …13…not be …14…at the …15… time. Besides, in July, we …16…two persons for money tranfer …17…and it …18…some time until they got …19…with the whole system.

We are …20…very …21…for the …22…created and we …23…you that no …24…will occur from now …25…. We have taken measures that the …26…-hired persons …27…helped by an …28… officer for a period of six months. The …29…of department will increase …30…on this area of activity. Also, in …31… for the situation you have …32… through, we …33… to carry out bank operations for your staff, free of…34…, for a period of three months.

…35…again for the trouble …36…to you, we do hope that this regrettable …37… will not …38… our future…39….

Yours…40…

DDinescuDoru DinescuDirector

Clients usually request compensation for the loss incurred: a discount an additional quantity an extension of time for completion etc.

Unjustified complaints

There are situations when their claims should be rejected1. In such a case, the letter should include a paragraph stating clearly that you cannot accept

responsibility for the mistake and, consequently, no compensation will be given. 2. Rejection of complaints should be done in a polite way, no matter how firm the writer's

attitude may be.

4. Choose a suitable paragraph from column B in order to reject complaints in column A:

A B1. the quality of the flour is not the same as that agreed on; the client asks for a 3% reduction in price for the whole quantity

a. We are sorry but we cannot accept your complaint. Our experts have established that you did not observe the maintenance instructions. Therefore, we cannot assume any responsibility.

2. the printers have been installed soon after unpacking but they do not work; the client wants the printers to be replaced

b. Our people have checked the whole lot carefully and found out that the fabric has been damaged during transportation. Consequently, we cannot be kept responsible as the damage occurred in transit.

3. the whole lot of fabric must be replaced as it is stained and torn

c. We have investigated your complaint carefully. Samples of the material have been taken and tested again. They comply fully with the standard agreed on. We regret we cannot accept your complaint and, consequently, no reduction in payment will be made.

4. after three month operation, five of the washing machines bought for the hotel laundry seem to have serious defects; the client claims that the machines be replaced

d. Our experts have looked into the matter and say that the printers have not been installed according to our instructions. Therefore, we can offer you technical assistance to correct the installing defects but we do not accept to replace them.

REPORTS

What are reports?

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Why study business report writing?

A broader definition:

Reports are almost any presentation of information, ranging from the extremely formal to the highly informal.

A narrower definition:

A business report is an orderly and objective communication of factual information that serves some business purpose.

Classification criteria:

1. Subject matter

2. Time interval

3. Function

4. Formality

5. Physical factors

6. Writer-reader relationship

7. Status of authorship

8. Miscellaneous

1. Subject matter limitless possibilities e.g. in the field of accounting:

costaudittaxfinance

e.g. broad subject fields:accountingmanagementeconomicsfinanceengineeringmarketing

2. Time interval periodic reports – written regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, annually) special reports – prepared for a special assignment that is not likely to be repeated

with any degree of regularity

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3. Function Informational reports

- is little more than a bare presentation of facts on the subject;- contains no attempt at analysis;- any decision or interpretation that comes from the data presented must

be drawn by the reader himself. Examination reports

- carries the problem one step further than does the informational report;

- the writer analyzes and interprets the data;- no conclusions or recommendations

Analytical reports- presents and analyzes data;- draws conclusions from the data;- it may even arrive at recommendations.

4. Formality Formal reports – all those reports that are dressed up physically and are appropriately

worded to fit the requirements of a formal occasion. Informal reports – all reports with the makeup and wording requirements of an

informal occasion.

5. Physical factors Memorandum report:

i. concerns a routine matter that must be transmitted within an organisation;

ii. is written on specially prepared forms. Letter report:

has all the physical properties of a typical business letter;

is classified as report because of the nature of its content. Short report:a. topics that are of medium or moderate length;b. have no great need for formal presentation. Long report:a. presents relatively large problems;b. formal presentation;c. its contents are carefully organised and marked with captions;d. may require supplementary parts as an appendix, bibliography, or index.

6.Writer-reader relationship Administrative report – officially written within a business organisation to

facilitate operations. Professional report – is submitted to an organisation by outside specialists. Independent report – are frequently written by non-profit research

organizations, which write up and publish the results of a project for a public review.

7. Status of authorship Private report – written by those engaged in private business; Public report – written by employees of public institutions (e.g. government, professional

societies, colleges, etc.);

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Individual report – written by an individual without the authorization of any public or private group (e.g. a research scholar working on his own authority would present his findings in an independent report).

Miscellaneous Progress report – presents the progress of an undertaking (e.g. construction of a

bridge, an advertising campaign, etc.) Justification report – presents a decision to a particular problem. Recommendation (improvement) report – an analytical report that concludes with a

recommendation.

Classify each of the reports described below on the basis of each of the classification schemes.

a. The supervisor of a production department submits a weekly report on the output of this unit.

b. An outside sales consultant writes a 30-page report analysing a company’s sales programme and making recommendations for future action.

c. A committee appointed to study a safety programme in the plant sends its written findings and recommendations to the top administration of the company in a two-page report.

d. A researcher submits a 43-page report presenting the findings of a special investigation he has conducted for the board of directors.

e. A production worker investigates a problem for his boss and submits his findings in a one-half page report.

Structuring a report:

Points to consider:

Accurate info. presented must be factually correct;

Complete to include all the info necessary to help others make a decision

Balanced present all sides of the issue fairly and equitably;

Clear & logical clear sentence structure; selection of words; Documented properly

indicate whether you use primary or secondary sources of information; give credit to sources;

The structure:

a. an introductory paragraph/ part

Functions:

1. Puts the report in a broader context

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2. Introduces the subject/purpose and indicates why the subject is important

3. Previews the main ideas and the order in which they'll be covered

4. Establish the tone of the document and the writer-reader relationship which

An introduction could contain the following topics:

authorisation: when, how, by whom the report was authorised; who wrote the report; when it

was submitted

problem/opportunity/purpose:

scope: what is and what isn't going to be covered by the report; report's size &

complexity

background: historical conditions & factors that led up to the report;

sources and methods: sources; how samples were selected; how

questionnaires were constructed; the section builds reader confidence;

definitions: a list of terms that might not be familiar to readers along with their definitions;

limitations: factors beyond your control that affect report quality (budget limitation; schedule

constraints; limited access to information or people)

Dependence on:

Nature

Length

Circumstances

Writer-reader relationship

Example:

"The performance of the Venture line can be improved.

In the two years since its introduction, this product line has achieved a sales volume lower than

we expected, resulting in a drain on the company's overall earnings. The purpose of this report is

to review the luggage-buying habits of consumers in all markets where the Venture line is sold,

so that we can determine where to put our market emphasis."

introduces the subject (disappointing sales)

tells why the problem is important (drain on earnings)

indicates the main point of the report (review of markets where the Venture line is sold)

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b. Main body in which relevant information is presented in detail under suitable

subheadings;

explanations of a problem/opportunity

facts/statistical evidence/ trends

results of study/investigation

discussion/analysis of potential causes

advantages/disadvantages/costs/benefits of potential courses of action

procedures/steps in a process

methods and approaches

criteria for evaluating alternatives and options

conclusions & recommendations

supporting reasons for conclusions and recommendations

Example:

"During the last two weeks of May, I scouted three Bucharest locations for our spars. Diana Avram recommends these sites in her business development report which is on the intranet under "Regional reports", if you would like to review it. The three areas are existing in shopping centres.

COMPARISON OF BUCHAREST SITES

Site Space Availability Competition Visibility

Tei 200 square meters

Now Ever Entertain has begun construction (2 blocks east); no other spars within a 6 block radius

None; on the second of two retail floors in this building

Băneasa 320 square meters, with additional 100 square meters in one year

March GYMFIT (2 halls north and one west)

Poor visibility

Crângaşi Two options:400 square meters;600 square meters

Now for the larger site; May for the smaller one

One spar in the area (Flower Bay)

GET FIT(2 halls in a block north)

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SCOUTING PLANS FOR JUNE

Our schedule has been pretty tight for the last four weeks. Below you find our plan for June:

Bucharest: I will contact Bucharest Info agency to get additional data about all three sites. (we can have figures in 10 days.) Maria's team to get permission with the local authority to study future building plans in each location. I will contact Mr. Aurelian Stan from the City Hall to talk about construction restrictions.

Ploiesti: Dan Vasilescu wants us to see some sites he had located before. I shall send Dragoş Voicu or visit them myself." c. Conclusion which summarises the information given, and may include an opinion and/or

suggestion/recommendation.

do not introduce new information

if the report is intended to lead to action, state clearly what should happen

next

task assignments

set of clear conclusions

combination of conclusions and recommendations also possible

for multiple conclusions and recommendations use numbers and list them:

("The findings of the study/report lead to the following conclusions:")

Definite and tentative ways of writing

Verbs Adverbsappears to perhapsseems to possiblytends to probablymay apparentlymight likely

Definite statement:Industrialisation is viewed as a superior way of life.

Tentative statement:Industrialisation tends to be viewed as a superior way of life.

ExerciseLook at the following sentences:a. It is also likely to appear in the development of institutions.b. The ideal of economic development tends to be associated with different policy goals.c. Perhaps greater clarity can be brought to the meaning of economic development.

How would the above three sentences be written if we wanted to make them definite and not tentative.

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Model:

Report on improving project team communication

IntroductionThe aim of this report is to identify communication problems within the new project team and recommend ways of improving this communication.

FindingsTo begin with, individual interviews were held with all eight team members. Each team member also completed a questionnaire, which was designed to highlight the effectiveness of communication within the team. Several key issues arose from this feedback.1) Although individual team members meet fairly frequently to discuss the project, the outcome of these discussions is not shared among other team members. Furthermore, these individual meetings are creating mini-teams within the team. This, of course, damages team spirit.2) The eight team members are located in different parts of the building. This does not encourage contact and results in the situation outlined in Point 1.3) Team members do not make enough effort to share information by email. Messages are sent to one person only and not copied to colleagues.

ConclusionNo evidence of personnel problems was found among team members. The lack of communication is due to difficulty with procedures and location, both of which should be easy to solve.

Recommendations1) It is recommended the whole team meet on a weekly basis to share information and time together.2) Team members should remember to copy colleagues in on emails relating to the project. This may require some training with the email software.3) It has been suggested that the team attend a team-building seminar or adventure weekend. This would be a good idea.

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