Office Administration Chapter 8 Writing Business Documents

Overview Writing what you have to communicate is encoding the message in words that you want the receiver to interpret and clearly understand. Message may be delivered to the receiver in a variety of written channels: memo, letter, formal report, email, etc. Message interpretation requires the receiver to decode the message. Feedback = means for assessing whether this has been accomplished

A. Business Letters Business letter is external communication used most often for corresponding with others outside the organization Positive letters – says “yes” and presents good news; main purpose is to transmit info that pleases the receiver Orders for good or services Letter granting refund or adjustment Response to inquiry for information Goodwill message = expresses sympathy, thanks or congrats!

A. Business Letters (cont’d) Direct approach or deductive approach – used in writing positive letters; main idea presented immediately Opening paragraph – general statement Body paragraph – necessary details here Closing paragraph – general positive statement Routine or Neutral Letters Exchange day-to-day information Request for information Response to information request Direct/deductive approach also applied here

A. Business Letters (cont’d) Negative letters Use the indirect approach – inductive approach Unfavorable letter Types are: Refusal to send info Refusal to give assistance Problem with order for goods and/or services Refusal to grant particular action Writing approach: Buffer paragraph – sets the stage in the beginning Rationale for refusal Bad news Closing paragraph

A. Business Letters (cont’d) Combination letters – says “yes” to the reader for part of what is requested with a “no” response clearly stated Types are: Partial order being filled Partial response to information request Persuasive Letters – presents positive information to the reader, but the nature of the info is more complex Special requests for assistance (fundraising efforts) Special requests for information (research related) Marketing goods, services or ideas

A. Business Letters (cont’d) Writing approach used is: Attention Interest Desire Action A – I – D – A approach! Opening paragraph must get the reader’s attention! Body paragraphs emphasize reasons why the reader should respond positively! Closing paragraph should explain to the reader what action should be taken

A. Business Letters (cont’d) Merged Letters Word processing mail-merge feature Variable information Mail merge fields Main document is the form letter Database contains the variables to be inserted into the form letter CHECK POINT A! PAGE 244

B. Memoranda and Short Reports Memoranda = common medium for correspondence within the organization Favorable – request for info or assistance; response to same Unfavorable – performance evaluation; uses the indirect approach Persuasive (use A I D A approach) Informal or Short Reports = used to transmit meaningful information to others within the organization (informal and short – no more than 4 - 7 pages)

B. Memoranda and Short Reports Types are: Proposal = plan that includes info such as what it is, why it is important, how it will be used, and how much will it cost Feasibility Study = analysis of business systems and procedures Progress report = outlines steps already completed in a project CHECK POINT B! PAGE 250

c. Electronic Mail (email) Advantages: Focused, short, and to the point Transmitted immediately Cost of communicating decreases Fundamental of writing e-mail messages: Concentrate on the four “Cs” Conciseness – short, simple sentences Correctness – facts MUST be accurate; spelling & grammar! Completeness – check carefully before hitting “SEND” Courtesy – use the “you” approach; don’t be CURT! CHECK POINT C! PAGE 252

D. Business Reports Primary purpose = transmit meaningful data to one or more persons who need the info for decision-making purposes Business report may be oral or written Types of reports = classified according to type of text or data material, time interval, information flow, context, function and message style

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Textual material (primarily text) Narrative reports Statistical reports = primarily numerical data Time interval Scheduled reports – weekly, monthly or quarterly Special reports – generated “on demand” Information flow Vertical report – prepared for higher level w/in organization Horizontal report – communication at same level w/in org External report – disseminated outside the organization

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Context Nontechnical reports – convey info to people who do not have backgrounds in a given subject area Technical reports – designed to convey info to professionals within the field who will understand it Function = informational or analytical Informational report – facts presented in organized, structured manner Analytical report – presents primary data and provides analysis and interpretation Message style Chronological – sequence of events Logical – patterns of reasoning Psychological – according to receiver’s needs

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Planning, Designing, and Conducting Research Research involves study of a problem, a trend or an issue Problem – result is a preferred solution Trend – examines a topic over a specific period Issue – has no resolution as yet Result – the report is the RESULT of the research! Definition of problem, trend or issue Collecting data – accumulation of data or facts from primary and secondary sources to analyze the problem thoroughly Secondary research – an investigation to gather info that others have written and prepared (company publications, general reference books, gov’t documents, databases, etc.) LOOK AT PAGE 253 – ITEM NO. 4 – WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE AND WHY!

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Primary sources = gathering the original information to use as current data in a report, you are conducting primary research Three types: experimental, observational and survey research Survey can be administered in written form (questionnaire) or oral form (interview) Data collection procedures must be planned and carefully monitored: Questionnaire = written form that includes all questions to be answered, space allowed for answers OMR = optical mark recognition response forms May be administered through USPS, web sites or email SEE PAGE 255 BULLETED ITEMS AS TECHNIQUES USED IN DEVELOPING A QUESTIONNAIRE

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Personal interview – another technique used to obtain responses to open-ended questions Individual responses need to be recorded in writing or taped Telephone interview – should be designed so little time is needed to administer; still not as effective as the personal interview! Question format = closed, open or scaled Closed – provides the respondent with a choice of answers Open – requires the respondent to provide an answer Scaled – rating scales allow the respondent to rank a list of items

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Analyzing data – data is nothing until this phase is accomplished; this step gives meaning to the data Data coding – a number is assigned to each response classification Data tabulation – responses will need to be counted Statistical analysis – percentages, measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion Percentages – ratios Measures of central tendency – measure the center value Mean Median mode

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Measures of dispersion Range Standard deviation Data evaluation and interpretation Result of data evaluation and interpretation is the development of findings (facts) and conclusions Findings – summarized following the presentation of the data Conclusions – generalizations about the population or sample that are drawn as a result of the data analysis Recommendations

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Organizing the report Inductive – specific to general (most prominent form used for formal reports) Deductive – begins with presentation of general info, followed by more specific information Writing the report Final step in the research process Preliminary parts Letter or memo of transmittal Title page Authorization form Table of contents Table of figures Abstract Executive summary

D. Business Reports (cont’d) Body of the Report Introduction Data analysis and findings Conclusions and recommendations Supplementary parts Bibliography – alphabetical list of all information sources used Works cited (references list) Glossary – alphabetical list of terms Appendix or appendices – supplementary research material (questionnaires, etc.) Index – names and subjects CHECK POING D – PAGE 263 & FOR YOUR REVIEW!!!!