OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED u Develop an effective questionnaire and cover letter. u Conduct a data-gathering interview. u Construct clear, concise, and accurate tables. u Determine the most effective chart form and construct any needed charts. u Interpret the data for the report reader. Collecting and analyzing data

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Constructing questionnaire items Necessary Not: What percentage of new start-up com- panies failed in Michigan last year? (question of fact) But: What percentage of new start-up com- panies do you think failed in Michigan last year? (question of opinion)

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Questionnaire items Unbiased Not: Do you think new companies fail primarily because of a lack of adequate funding? But: What do you think is the major reason that new companies fail?

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Questionnaire items (cont’d) Unambiguous Not: Do you think it takes a long time for the average start-up firm to secure financing? But: How many months do you think it takes the average start-up company to secure financing?

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Questionnaire items (cont’d) Exhaustive and mutually exclusive Not: How many months did it take you to secure financing for your new company? __ 4 months __ 4-6 months __ more than 6 months But: How many months did it take you to secure financing for your new company? __ 0-4 months __ 5-6 months __ more than 6 months

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Questionnaire items (cont’d) One idea Not: Banks should set aside more funds for start-up companies because they are so important to the economy. __ agree __ no opinion __ disagree But: Banks should set aside more funds for start-up companies. __ agree __ no opinion __ disagree

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Interview questions Open versus closed Open: How were you treated by the loan officer? Closed: Do you feel you were treated fairly by the loan officer?

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Interview questions (cont’d) Direct versus indirect Direct: What is your opinion of First National Bank? Indirect: How do you think most entrepreneurs feel about First National Bank?

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Probing Could you give me an example? What do you mean by that? Why? In what way? Interview questions (cont’d)

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Format of a table Table Number Cross-tabulations Title Subtitle Footnote (optional) Source (optional) Column Headings

Line chart Nonexempt Exempt No. of Employees Figure 1. Employee Distribution: OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Bar chart No. of Employees Figure 1. Employee Distribution: 2000–2001 OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Pie chart Figure 1. Employees by Type OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Key terms u bar chart u cross-tabulation u interview guide u line chart u pie chart u questionnaire u survey u table u visual aids

Bar chart Figure 4. No. of Employees Rating Banking Services as Very Important OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

1.Not too many years ago, computers were something of an of- 2.fice novelty, most office workers then performed one major visual 3.task the reading of black characters printed on white paper laid 4.flat or nearly flat on a desk. LAB 11 test OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED S URBAN SYSTEMS U novelty. Most task:

5.Office workers now spend there days looking into a monitor 6.who’s screen is almost perpendicular to the desk. Some screens 7.still display low-contrast green characters on a dark background. 8.The higher the contrast, the easier faster and more accurately a 9.worker can perform their visual tasks. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED S URBAN SYSTEMS U their whose easier, faster, his or her

10.While the electric illumination produced by a buildings 11.system may be ideal for performing paper tasks they could create 12.conditions inappropriate for computer-based tasks. Managers must 13.recognize that office lighting have many qualities but the dif- 14.ferences aren't apparent in a cursory survey of the work area. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED S URBAN SYSTEMS U building’s tasks, it has qualities,

15.Glare creates visual discomfort. Which is often subtle, due 16.to your eyes amazing ability to except relatively-poor viewing 17.conditions. Tiny ocular muscles react to lighting and causes the 18.eyes to adapt, minimizing viewing problems. Long term viewing 19.problems however cause these muscles to become strained. These 20.conditions can make the workplace far less hospitable, and can 21.have a damaging affect on productivity and moral. In addition, a 22.productivity loss of one percent in a payroll of $1,000, costs the company $10000 annually. OBER, CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, 4/E. COPYRIGHT © HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED S URBAN SYSTEMS U 1% discomfort, which eyes’ acceptrelatively poor cause Long-term problems, however, hospitable effect morale. $1 million $10,000