INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 1 TO EDUCATE THE READER 2

• INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 1. TO EDUCATE THE READER 2. INFORMATION ALONE IS THE FOCUS ANALYTICAL REPORTS 1. TO PERSUADE READERS TO ACCEPT SOME CONCLUSION OR RECOMMENDATION 2. END IS EITHER A DECISION OR AN ACTION 3. ANALYTICAL REPORTS ARE WRITTEN TO RESPOND TO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

EXAMPLES O INFORMATIONAL REPORTS Reports for monitoring and controlling operations Reports on statements of policies and procedures Most Compliance reports Most Personal Activity Reports Some Justification Reports Some Reports on Client work Some Proposals

READER COMPREHENSION IN INFORMATIONAL REPORT In Informational Reports main focus is Reader Comprehension not the Reader Reaction because to simple informational reports readers will normally respond unemotionally So the information can be presented in direct fashion But the information should be provided logically and accurately to make the reader understand to make the reader use the information in practical way

STRUCTURING IDEAS IN A REPORT Topical Organization Can be Based on Order of Importance Chronological order Location Spatial Relationship Categories etc. Logical Organization Can be Based on Arrangement around the Logic you developed

DETAILED EXAMPLES OF SUBDIVIDING THE INFORMATIONAL REPORTS For monthly Status Reports of an organization the Organizational Structure can serve as dividing framework For Example Mr Milton VP of an agricultural company Summarizes results for his group as a whole And then for each of the six departments under his supervision For reports describing working of a Machine Each machine component can correspond to a part of the report

DETAILED EXAMPLES OF SUBDIVIDING THE INFORMATIONAL REPORTS For reports describing an event The report can be organized chronologically For reports describing how to do something The report can be organized by steps in procedure For Some Informational Reports specially the Compliance Reports The report can be organized by the instructions supplied by the person who requested the Information

TWO EXAMPLES OF INFORMATIONAL REPORTS(PERIODIC REPORTS , PERSONAL ACTIVITY REPORTS ) Periodic Report A monitor/control report that describes what has happened in a department or division during a particular period. These are floated after a regular interval of time. Purpose To Keep the corporate mangers up-to-date So that A corrective action can be taken if required

FORMAT OF PERIODIC REPORTS Usually written in memo format Do not need much introduction ; subject line on memo is enough Should follow the sane general format and organization from time to time

SEQUENCE OF THE PERIODIC REPORT MOST OF THE TIME Overview of the routine responsibilities and discussion of special projects i) Brief discussion of writers routine responsibilities ii) In some the overview focuses on statistical or financial results iii)Otherwise is written in paragraph form. iv)Brief description of any new projects , activities during the said period can also be given Plan for Coming Period Schedule of the activities planned in nest reporting period

SEQUENCE OF THE PERIODIC REPORT MOST OF THE TIME Analysis of the Problem Discusses the possible causes and solutions of any problem If the problem requires high-level attention This analysis can be set off as a separate section

IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IN PERIODIC REPORTS In Periodic Reports Be honest about problems as well as accomplishments Bad news more important than a good news Because an immediate action and corrective measure is required in case of a problem whereas good news often does not.

EXAMPLE OF A PERIODIC REPORT Prepared by: Liz Rockwell, Director of campus recruiting for the Minneapolis office of an accounting firm. Rockwell has this to say about her report “Campus recruiting is a big deal for our firm because we hire most of our staff right out of college. Between January and April we visit eight or ten campuses and screen about 500 candidates in an effort to hire roughly 20 people. During the recruiting season I prepare a memo twice a month to let my boss know where we stand. The rest of the year I submit my report on monthly basis. ”

PERSONAL ACTIVITY REPORT An Example of Informational Monitor and Control report that gives a persons description of some activity , event, trip convention or conference etc. PURPOSE To Inform the Management of any important information or event that emerged during the activity. FORMAT Normally in Memo Format Require more of an introduction because they are non recurring documents Organized chronologically or around the topics that reflect audience’s interest

EXAMPLE OF A PERSONAL ACTIVITY REPORT A personal Activity Report organized by topic. A Conference Report By Chris Bowers (staff of a large Housing Development Country) Bowers says about the report “My boss sent me to the Manufactured Housing Convention to find out whether we might be able to use factory- built houses to reduce our development costs. Because I knew my boss was mainly interested in learning about various kinds of factory-built housing , I went to the seminars that covered the four main types. When I wrote my conference report , I devoted a section to each one”

ANALYTICAL REPORTS Subdividing analytical reports by Conclusions or Recommendations When writing the analytical Report for people from your own organization You are writing for your most receptive readers L*

ORGANIZING ANALYTICAL REPORTS Some Drawbacks of Direct approach If your reader has some reservations against you or your material , then Strong statement in the beginning can intensify the resistance Every thing may appear to be so simply o your reader Readers can call it Superficial L** Use the Direct Approach When your credibility is high When your readers trust you and are ready to accept your Conclusions and recommendations.

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ALONG THE CONCLUSION Ellen Miller Works on Planning Staff of forest-products company in , North Carolina Task To investigate opportunities for getting into mushroomgrowing business.

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ALONG THE CONCLUSION Miller says this about her analytical report “I have worked for my boss for five years , and our function in the company is to look for new business investment banker had sent us a prospectus on a little company that specializes in growing mushrooms, but we did not want to acquire the company without taking a good hard look at the mushroom industry as whole. I spent about six weeks checking out the industry , and I had to conclude that growing mushroom is a lot like eating hot-fudge sundaes: sounds good but has some serious drawbacks. I didn’t feel that it was my place to say flat out that we shouldn’t invest in the industry , but I did feel justified in warning my boss of the risks. ”

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ALONG THE CONCLUSION Miller divided the report into two main sections knitted around her dual conclusion “Growing Mushroom is a good business but not for our company. ”

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS Readers want to know What they ought to do Rather than what they ought to Conclude How to Solve the Problem than just study it L***

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS Five Steps for Organizing the Report around recommendations 1. Establish the need for action in the introduction, generally by briefly describing the problem or opportunity. 2. Introduce the benefit that can be achieved without providing any details 3. List the steps (recommendations)required to achieve the benefit , using action verbs for emphasis 4. Explain each step more fully giving details on procedures , costs , and benefits 5. Summarize the recommendations

EXAMPLE OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS Raymond Vergando, Director of Manufacturing Engineering at a paper-products company in New Jersey, says about his report(on increasing the company’s production of facial tissues without any heavy investment) “I must have looked at a dozen ways we could increase our output. When I wrote up the results, I thought about discussing all the options I’d evaluated, but then it occurred to me that management wasn’t really interested in the ideas that wouldn’t work. So I just talked about the two things we could do to increase capacity”

SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT BY LOGICAL ARGUMENT When the audience is not receptive L**** When better results are expected by encouraging the reader to weigh all the facts before you present your conclusions or recommendations. Why you want your audience to concentrate on why your ideas make sense When you want your report to show the thinking process that lead to conclusion

THREE MET HODS OF SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYT IC AL REPO RT BY LOGICAL ARGUMENT 2+2=4 approach Scientific Method Yardstick Approach

SUBDIVIDING THE ANALYTICAL REPORT BY LOG IC AL AR GUMENT APPROACH Choice depends on the nature of Facts Reasoning process to reach the conclusion NOT Mutually exclusive Often you have to pursue several lines of Thought to arrive a solution In long report specially you may want differing organizational plans for various sections.

2+2=4 APPROACH Reports developed around a list of reasons that collectively add up to the main point you are trying to prove. The main reasons behind your conclusion or recommendation make the main points in your outline and report Each reason is supported by the evidence collected during the analysis Most efficient and persuasive way to develop an analytical report for a skeptical reader.

EXAMPLE OF 2+2=4 APPROACH Gray Johanson Executive assistant to the president of a diversified company had To prepare a memo To Analyze the performance of the Restaurant Division also To recommend what to do out of four options 1. Continue the current course 2. Sell off the chain 3. Remodel the existing facilities 4. Build new restaurants

EXAMPLE OF 2+2=4 APPROACH Johansen says “I knew that whatever I recommend would alienate somebody. My difficulties were compounded by the nature of the problem. I could have made a good case for any of the three options. But as an objective , neutral and unbiased observer, I gradually came to the conclusion of my own : that we should sell some of the restaurants and use the proceeds to offset the cost of remodeling the remaining locations and the cost of adding new outlets. I decided that my strategy would be to build a case for this course of action by gradually presenting the various reasons that had emerged from my analysis of the options”

EXAMPLE OF 2+2=4 APPROACH The Main Idea The company should strengthen the restaurant division by selling some facilities, upgrading others and adding new sites. The main divisions of the outline are the reasons that support this recommendation.

EXAMPLE OF 2+2=4 APPROACH The table of contents showed five main sections corresponding to five roman numerals in the outline: I. Introduction II. Recent Performance of the restaurant division III. Trends in the Restaurant Industry IV. Analysis of the Alternatives V. Summary

EXAMPLE OF 2+2=4 APPROACH NOTE: Introduction does not reveal his position Recommendations are not opened up in the beginning Beginning is with the discussion on report’s purpose and scope Background of study , methodology of research Recommendation is saved for the fourth section where finally all the reasons are added up(2+2=4)

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD When we are to discover Whether an explanation is true Whether an option will solve the problem Which of the several solutions will be the best Then, Scientific method is useful

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD These begin with Statement of the Problem Brief Description of the hypothetical solution or list of possible solutions(hypotheses) The body discusses each alternative in detail in turn and offers evidence that will either confirm the alternative or rule it out. There can be multiple alternatives relevant solutions The final section of the report summarizes the findings and indicates which solution or solutions are valid. The report then concludes with the recommendations for solving the problem and eliminating the causes.

AN EXAMPLE OF A PROPOSAL WITH SCIENTIFIC METHOD By: John Mac Gregor( an account executive with an advertising agency) Purpose: to win the advertising account for Cambridge , a soap introduced five years ago as a family ‘soap’ ‘ Mom loves it because its gentle ; Dad loves its deodorant power ; suzie Teenager swears that it cures acne; and the little twins like the way it floats. By the end of the day, there’s hardly any left for Grandma, who says it kills germs and costs less than other brands. ”

AN EXAMPLE OF A PROPOSAL WITH SCIENTIFIC METHOD Problem: the public did not flock to the soap. The manufacturer , wanted to boost sales. Mac Gregor agency was requested to submit a proposal for developing a new advertising campaign. Mac Gregor explains ‘We did some preliminary research , which revealed that the public buys soap for special qualities, not for versatility , so we decided to propose that the company market the product as a special interest soap. The trouble was , everybody in the company had a different idea of which special to promote”

AN EXAMPLE OF A PROPOSAL WITH SCIENTIFIC METHOD “However I knew what I wanted the client to do” “I wanted them to promote Cambridge as the premium-priced soap b for people who care about their bodies , people who drink Perrier, wear Reebok running shoes , jog three times a week , and drive a Mercedes-Benz. My theory was that if you can charge twice as much for your soap, you can afford to sell only half as many bars as your competitors. ” “I decide to use a very balance strategy in my proposal, I started with a complete review of the problem. Then I went through five competing advertising concepts , explained each one in detail, and examined whether each did or did not solve the problem. Ultimately , of course I conculded that my approach was the beat solution. ”

BENEFITS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD Best to unify the divided audience Better chances of consensus when you show the strengths and weaknesses of all the ideas

DRAWBACKS O SCIENTIFIC METHOD Many alternatives many turn out to be irrelevant or unproductive But you have to discuss them all More ideas discussed more confused the readers may get And more trouble they may have comparing the pros and cons.