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1 Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

2 Excellence in Business Communication
Chapter 11 Planning Reports and Proposals Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

3 Learning Objectives (1 of 3)
Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals. Describe an effective process for conducting business research, explain how to evaluate the credibility of an information source, and identify the five ways to use research results. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

4 Learning Objectives (2 of 3)
Explain the role of secondary research, and describe the two major categories of online research tools. Explain the role of primary research, and identify the two most common forms of primary research for business communication purposes. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

5 Learning Objectives (3 of 3)
Explain how to plan informational reports and website content. Identify the three most common ways to organize analytical reports. Explain how to plan proposals. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

6 Applying the Three-Step Writing Process to Reports and Proposals
(LO 1) Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals. In previous chapters, you learned to use the three-step writing process when developing shorter business messages; now it’s time to apply those skills to longer messages. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

7 Categories of Typical Reports
Informational Reports Analytical Reports Proposals Monitor and Control Operations Implement Policies and Procedures Demonstrate Compliance Document Progress Assess Opportunities Solve Problems Support Decisions Internal Proposals External Proposals Typical reports fall into three basic categories: Informational reports offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of information, without analysis or recommendations. Analytical reports offer both information and analysis, and they can also include recommendations. Proposals present persuasive recommendations to internal or external audiences, often involving investments or purchases. Try to view every business report as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of your audience’s challenges and your ability to contribute to your organization’s success. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

8 Analyzing the Situation
Compose a Statement of Purpose State why you’re preparing the report. State what you plan to deliver. Prepare a Work Plan for the Project Identify project-related tasks. Establish a timeline for the project. The complexity of many reports and the amount of work involved put a premium on carefully analyzing the situation before you begin to write. Pay special attention to your statement of purpose, which explains why you are preparing the report and what you plan to deliver in the report. Using an infinitive phrase (to plus a verb) encourages you to take control and decide where you're going before you begin. When you choose an infinitive phrase (to inform, to confirm, to analyze, to persuade, to recommend), you pin down your general goal in preparing the report. In addition to considering your purpose carefully, you will also want to prepare a work plan for most reports and proposals in order to make the best use of your time. For simpler reports, the work plan can be an informal list of tasks and a simple schedule. However, if you’re preparing a lengthy report, particularly when you’re collaborating with others, you’ll want to develop a more detailed work plan. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

9 Sample Work Plan Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
Figure 11.2 Work Plan for a Report A formal work plan such as this is a vital tool for planning and managing complex writing projects. The preliminary outline here helps guide the research; as the writers move forward with the project and begin drafting the report, they may modify the outline to improve the flow or to incorporate new information uncovered during their research. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

10 Gathering Information
Planning Your Research Information Needs Statement of Purpose Audience Needs Obtaining the information needed for many reports and proposals requires careful planning, and you may even need to do a separate research project just to acquire the data and information you need. To stay on schedule and on budget, be sure to review both your statement of purpose and your audience’s needs so that you can prioritize your information needs and focus on the most important questions. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

11 Selecting the Right Combination of Media and Channels
Media Requirements Feedback Preferences Document Uses Media Choice In addition to the general media selection criteria discussed in Chapter 3, consider several points for reports and proposals. For many reports and proposals, audiences have specific media requirements, and you might not have a choice. For example, many executives review reports on their in-house intranets via an executive dashboard, which is a customized graphical representation of key performance parameters. Consider how your audience wants to provide feedback on your report or proposal. Do they prefer to write comments on a printed document or to use commenting and markup features in software? Will people need to search through your document frequently or update it in the future? Your choice of media also sends a message. For instance, a routine sales report dressed up in expensive multimedia will look like a waste of valuable company resources. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

12 Organizing Your Information
Direct Approach Indirect Approach Less More Receptive Audience Resistant Audience The direct approach is often used for reports because it is efficient and easy to follow. When your audience is likely to be receptive or at least open-minded, use the direct approach. Lead with a summary of your key findings, conclusions, recommendations, or proposal, whichever is relevant. This “up-front” arrangement saves time and makes the rest of the report easier to follow. For those readers who have questions or want more information, later parts of the report provide complete findings and supporting details. However, if the audience is unsure about your credibility or is not ready to accept your main idea without first seeing some reasoning or evidence, the indirect approach is a better choice because it gives you a chance to prove your points and gradually overcome audience reservations. To enable the use of AIDA-style persuasion, unsolicited proposals in particular often use the indirect approach. Bear in mind, though, that the longer the document, the less effective the indirect approach is likely to be. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

13 Supporting Your Messages with Credible Information
(LO 2) Describe an effective process for conducting business research, explain how to evaluate the credibility of an information source, and identify the five ways to use research results. Audiences expect you to support your message with solid research. As you’ve probably discovered while doing school projects, effective research involves a lot more than simply typing a few terms into a search engine. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

14 Applying the Research Process
Plan your Research Locate Data and Information you Need Process Data and Information Apply your Findings Manage Information Save time and get better results by using a clear research process: 1. Plan your research. A solid plan yields better results in less time. 2. Locate the data and information you need. The research plan tells you what to look for; your next step is to figure out where the data and information are and how to access them. 3. Process the data and information you’ve located. The data and information you find probably won’t be in a form you can use immediately and will require some processing, which might involve anything from statistical analysis to resolving the differences between two or more expert opinions. 4. Apply your findings. You can apply your research findings in three ways: summarizing information for someone else’s benefit, drawing conclusions based on what you’ve learned, or developing recommendations. 5. Manage information efficiently. Many companies today are trying to maximize the return on the time and money they invest in business research by collecting and sharing research results in a variety of computer-based systems, known generally as knowledge management (KM) systems. At the very least, be sure to share your results with any colleagues who may be able to benefit from them. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

15 Planning Your Research
(1) Develop a Problem Statement (2) Identify Essential Information (3) Generate Research Questions Start by developing a problem statement that will define the purpose of your research—the decision you need to make or the conclusion you need to reach at the end of the process. Next, identify the information you need in order to make that decision or reach that conclusion. You can then begin to generate the questions that will constitute your research. In addition, you will need to prioritize your information needs and concentrate on the most vital questions. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

16 Avoiding Ethical Lapses
Keep an open mind. Respect the privacy of participants. Document and credit sources. Respect intellectual property rights. Don’t distort information from sources. Don’t misrepresent your intentions. With a prioritized list of questions, you’re just about ready to get started with your research. Before taking that step, however, it’s important to be aware that research carries some significant ethical responsibilities. To avoid ethical lapses, keep the following points in mind: Keep an open mind so that you don’t skew the research toward answers you want or expect to see. Respect the privacy of your research participants; don’t observe people without their consent, and don’t mislead people about the purposes of your research. Document sources and give appropriate credit. Respect your sources’ intellectual property rights (the ownership of unique ideas that have commercial value in the marketplace). Don’t distort information from your sources. Don’t misrepresent who you are and how you intend to use research results. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

17 Locating Data and Information
Secondary Research Primary Research •Books •Magazines •Newspapers •Public Websites •Surveys •Interviews •Observations •Experiments The range of sources available to business researchers today is remarkable, almost overwhelming at times. If you have a question about an industry, a company, a market, a new technology, or a financial topic, the chances are good that somebody else has already researched the topic. Someone in your own company, in fact, might have already looked into the problem. Research materials previously created for another purpose are considered secondary research. Secondary sources include magazines, newspapers, public websites, books, and other reports. Don't let the name fool you. Start with secondary research because it can save considerable time and money for many projects. In contrast, primary research is new research done specifically for your current project. Primary sources include surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

18 Evaluating Information Sources
•Reputation •Potential Bias •Purpose •Credibility •Methodology •Verification •Completeness •Logical Scrutiny You have the responsibility to verify the quality of your sources. Therefore, ask yourself the following questions about your sources of information: Does the source have a reputation for honesty and reliability? Try to find out how the source accepts articles and whether it has an editorial board, peer review, or fact checking procedures. Is the source potentially biased? To interpret an organization’s information, you need to know its point of view. What is the purpose of the material? Was the material designed to inform others of new research, advance a political position, or promote a product? Is the author credible? Is the author a professional journalist? An informed amateur? Merely someone with an opinion? Where did the source get its information? Try to find out who collected the data, the methods they used, their qualifications, and their reputation. Can you verify the material independently? Verification can uncover biases or mistakes. Is the material current and complete? Make sure you are using the most current information available by checking the publication date of a source. Have you used the whole document or only a part of it? Do the source’s claims stand up to scrutiny? Step back and determine whether the information makes sense. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

19 Using Research Results
Analyze the data. Quote, paraphrase, or summarize information. Draw conclusions. Make recommendations. After you’ve collected all the necessary information, the next step is to transform it into the specific content you need. For simple projects, you may be able to drop your material directly into your report, presentation, or other application. However, when you have gathered a significant amount of information or raw data from surveys, you need to process the material before you can use it. This step can involve analyzing numeric data; quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing textual material; drawing conclusions; and making recommendations. Business research often yields numeric data, but these numbers alone might not provide the insights managers need in order to make good business decisions. Fortunately, even without advanced statistical techniques, you can use simple arithmetic to help extract meaning from sets of research data. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

20 Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Information (1 of 2)
Avoid Plagiarism Cite Sources Observe Context Summarizing Paraphrasing Quoting Once you’ve collected your secondary and primary information, the next step is transforming it into the specific content you need. This step involves quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing textual material or analyzing numerical data. Quoting a source means you reproduce it exactly as you found it, and you either set it off with quotation marks (for shorter passages) or extract it in an indented paragraph (for longer passages). However, too much quoting creates a choppy patchwork of varying styles and gives the impression that all you've done is piece together the work of other people. You can often maximize the impact of secondary material in your own writing by paraphrasing it, which is restating it in your own words. Paraphrasing helps you maintain a consistent tone, present information using vocabulary more familiar to your audience, and avoid the choppy feel of too many quotations. You still need to credit the originator of the information, but not with quotation marks. Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support points from your source material, but leaves out most details, examples, and other information that is less critical to your audience. Like quotations and paraphrases, summaries also require complete documentation of your sources. All three approaches require careful attention to ethics. When quoting directly, take care not to distort the original intent of the material by quoting selectively or out of context. And never succumb to plagiarism, presenting someone else's words as your own, without proper credit. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

21 Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing Information (2 of 2)
Figure 11.6 Summarizing Effectively To summarize a section of text, first analyze it to find the main idea, the major support points, and the less important details. Then assemble the appropriate pieces with additional words and phrases as needed to ensure a smooth flow. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

22 Drawing Conclusions and Making Recommendations
Interpretation of the Facts in the Report Recommendations Suggestions for What to Do about the Facts After all your planning, research, and processing, you're finally ready to apply your findings. Depending on the writing project, you may be drawing conclusions based on your results, or making recommendations. A conclusion is a logical interpretation of the facts in your report. Reaching good conclusions based on the evidence is one of the hallmarks of innovative business leaders. Whereas a conclusion interprets the facts, a recommendation suggests what to do about the facts. To be credible, recommendations must be practical and based on sound logical analysis. Also, when making a recommendation, be certain you have adequately described the recommended course of action so that readers aren’t left wondering what happens next. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

23 Conducting Secondary Research
(LO 3) Explain the role of secondary research, and describe the two major categories of online research tools. Even if you intend to conduct primary research, start with a review of any available secondary research. Inside your company, you might be able to find a variety of reports and other documents that could help. Outside the company, business researchers can choose from a wide range of print and online resources, both in libraries and online. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

24 Finding Information at a Library
Newspapers or Periodicals Business Books Membership Directories Almanacs and Statistics Government Publications Databases Public and university libraries offer an enormous array of research tools. Many of these may be unavailable through a standard web search or may be available only with a subscription. Reference librarians can direct you to the library’s many sources of business information: Newspapers and periodicals. Libraries offer access to a wide variety of popular magazines, general business magazines, trade journals, and academic journals. Business books. Although less timely than newspapers and periodicals, business books provide in-depth coverage of a variety of business topics. Directories. Thousands of directories are published in print and electronic formats in the United States, and many include membership information for all kinds of professions, industries, and special-interest groups. Almanacs and statistical resources. Almanacs are handy guides to factual and statistical information about countries, politics, the labor force, and so on. Government publications. Information on laws, court decisions, tax questions, regulatory issues, and other governmental concerns can often be found in collections of government documents. Electronic databases. Databases offer vast collections of computer-searchable information, often in specific areas such as business, law, science, technology, and education. Some libraries offer remote online access to some or all databases; for others, you’ll need to visit in person. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

25 Finding Information Online
Actively search for existing information Monitor selected sources for new information The Internet can be a tremendous source of business information, provided you know where to look and how to use the tools available. Roughly speaking, the tools fall into two categories: those you can use to actively search for existing information and those you can use to monitor selected sources for new information. (Some tools can perform both functions.) Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

26 Online Search Tools (General-Purpose Search Engines)
Opportunities Scan Millions of Websites Search by Keyword Rank the Results Challenges No Human Editors Wide Variety of Results Can’t Reach Deep Internet The most familiar search tools are general-purpose search engines, such as Google and Bing, which scan millions of websites to identify individual web pages that contain a specific word or phrase and then attempt to rank the results from most useful to least useful. For all their ease and power, conventional search engines have three primary shortcomings: (1) no human editors are involved to evaluate the quality or ranking of the search results; (2) various engines use different search techniques, so they often find different material; and (3) search engines can’t reach all the content on some websites (the hidden Internet or the deep Internet). Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

27 Online Search Tools (Improve on General Search Engines)
Human editors evaluate and classify websites Format searches for multiple search engines Journals, magazines, and newspapers Web Directories Metasearch Engines Online Databases A variety of tools overcome the weaknesses of general-purpose search engines, and you should consider one or more of them in your business research. Web directories address the first major shortcoming of search engines by using human editors to categorize and evaluate websites. Metacrawlers or metasearch engines address the second shortcoming of search engines by formatting your search request for multiple search engines and then telling you how many hits each engine was able to find. Online databases address the third shortcoming of search engines by offering access to the newspapers, magazines, and journals that you're likely to need for many research projects. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

28 Online Monitoring Tools
Automatically Monitoring Information Sources Subscribing to Newsfeeds Following People on Twitter Setting Up Online Alerts Using Specialized Monitors One of the most powerful aspects of online research is the ability to automatically monitor selected sources for new information. The possibilities include subscribing to newsfeeds from blogs and websites, following people on Twitter and other microblogs, setting up online alerts on search engines and online databases, and using specialized monitors, such as TweetBeep, to track tweets that mention specific companies or other terms. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

29 Interpret Results Carefully
Search Tips Keyword Searches Boolean Searches Natural Language Searches Forms-Based Searches Optimize Searches ********** Interpret Results Carefully Search engines, web directories, and databases work in different ways, so make sure you understand how to optimize your search and interpret the results for each tool you’re using. The most basic form of searching is a keyword search, in which the engine or database attempts to find items that include all of the words you enter. A Boolean search expands on this capability by using search operators that let you define a query with greater precision. Common operators include AND (the search must include both words before and after the AND), OR (it can include either or both words), or NOT (the search ignores items with whatever word comes after NOT). To overcome the perceived complexity of Boolean searches, some search engines and databases offer natural language searches, which let you ask questions in normal, everyday English. Recently, search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and AllTheWeb have implemented forms-based searches that help you create powerful queries without the need to learn any special techniques. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

30 Using Search Tools Effectively
Think before you search. Read instructions; pay attention to details. Review search/display options carefully. Try a variety of search terms. Vary the number of search terms. Look beyond the first page of results. To make the best use of any search engine or database, keep the following points in mind: Think before you search. After you have identified what you need to know, spend a few moments thinking about where that information might be found, how it might be structured, and what terms various websites might use to describe it. Read the instructions and pay attention to the details. A few minutes of learning can save hours of inefficient search time. Review the search and display options carefully so you don’t misinterpret the results; some of these settings can make a huge difference in the results you see. Try variations of your terms, such as management and managerial. Use fewer search terms to find more results; use more search terms to find fewer results. Look beyond the first page of results. Don’t assume that the highest-ranking results are the best sources for you. For example, materials that haven’t been optimized for search engines won’t rank as highly (meaning they won’t show up in the first few pages of results), but they may be far better for your purposes. Search technologies continue to evolve rapidly, so look for new ways to find the information you need. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

31 Conducting Primary Research
(LO 4) Explain the role of primary research, and identify the two most common forms of primary research for business communication purposes. If secondary research can’t provide the information and insights you need, your next choice is to gather the information yourself with primary research. Primary research encompasses a variety of methods, from observations to experiments such as test marketing, but the two tools most commonly used for business research are surveys and interviews. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

32 Conducting Surveys Provide Clear Instructions
Keep Questionnaires Short and Easy to Use Avoid Asking Leading Questions Surveys can provide invaluable insights, but only if they are reliable (would produce identical results if repeated) and valid (actually measure what they are designed to measure). To develop an effective survey questionnaire, follow these tips: Provide clear instructions. Respondents need to know exactly how to fill out your questionnaire. Don’t ask for information that people can’t be expected to remember. For instance, a question such as “How many times did you go grocery shopping last year” will generate unreliable answers. Keep the questionnaire short and easy to answer. Don’t make any individual questions difficult to answer, and don’t expect people to give you more than 10 or 15 minutes of their time. Whenever possible, formulate questions to provide answers that are easy to analyze. Numbers and facts are easier to summarize than opinions, for instance. Avoid leading questions that could bias your survey. If you ask, “Do you prefer that we stay open in the evenings for customer convenience?” you’ll no doubt get a “yes.” Instead, ask, “What time of day do you normally do your shopping?” Avoid ambiguous descriptors, such as “often” or “frequently.” Such things mean different things to different people. Avoid compound questions such as “Do you read books and magazines?” When selecting people to participate in a survey, the most critical task is getting a representative sample of the entire population in question. A good handbook on survey research will help you select the right people for your survey, including selecting enough people to have a statistically valid survey. Obtain a Representative Sample Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

33 Types of Survey Questions
Figure 11.7 Types of Survey Questions For each question you have in your survey, choose the type of question that will elicit the most useful answers. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

34 Conducting Interviews
•Open-Ended Style •Closed Style The Questions You Ask •Question Sequence •Potential Answers The Way You Ask Questions Like surveys, interviews require careful planning to get the best results. The types of questions you ask and the way you ask them influence the answers you receive. Ask open-ended questions to invite an expert to offer opinions, insights, and information, such as “Why do you believe that South America represents a better opportunity than Europe for this product line?” Ask closed questions to elicit a specific answer, such as yes or no. Note that including too many closed questions in an interview makes the experience feel more like a simple survey and does not take full advantage of the interview setting. Think carefully about question sequence and the potential answers so you can arrange them in an order that helps uncover layers of information. Also, consider providing each subject with a list of questions at least a day or two before the interviews. If you want to record interviews, ask ahead of time; never record without permission. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

35 Planning Informational Reports
(LO 5) Explain how to plan informational reports and website content. Informational reports provide the feedback that employees, managers, and others need in order to make decisions, take action, and respond to changes. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

36 Classifying Informational Reports
Monitor and Control Operations Implement Policies and Procedures Demonstrate Compliance Document Progress Informational reports can be grouped into four general categories: Reports to monitor and control operations. Managers rely on a wide range of reports to see how well their companies are functioning. Plans establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action. Among the most important of these are business plans, which summarize a proposed business venture and the company’s goals and plans. Operating reports provide feedback on a wide variety of an organization’s functions, including sales, inventories, expenses, shipments, and so on. Personal activity reports provide information regarding an individual’s experiences during sales calls, industry conferences, and other activities. Reports to implement policies and procedures. Policy reports range from brief descriptions of business procedures to manuals that run dozens or hundreds of pages. Position papers (also known as white papers) outline an organization’s official position on issues that affect the company’s success. Reports to demonstrate compliance. Businesses are required to submit a variety of compliance reports, from tax returns to reports describing the proper handling of hazardous materials. Reports to document progress. Supervisors, investors, and customers frequently expect to be informed of the progress of projects and other activities. Progress reports range from simple updates in memo form to comprehensive status reports. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

37 Organizing Informational Reports
Comparison Importance Sequence Chronology Geography Category Topical Organization Most informational reports use a topical organization, arranging material in one of the following ways: Comparison. Use this pattern to show similarities and differences or advantages and disadvantages between two or more entities. Importance. Build from the least to most important; or start with the most important and progress to the least important. Sequence. A process or procedure can be arranged sequentially, discussing steps or stages in the order in which they occur. Chronology. When investigating a chain of events, organize the study according to what happened in January, in February, and so on. Geography. If location is important, organize the study according to geography, perhaps by regions of the world or areas of a city. Category. If asked to review several distinct aspects of a subject, look at one category at a time – such as sales, profit, cost, or investment. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

38 Organizing Website Content
Special Considerations Web Readers Are Demanding Reading Online Can Be Difficult Medium Is Nonlinear Medium Is Multidimensional Websites Are Multipurpose Most of what you have already learned about informational reports applies to website writing, but the online environment requires some special considerations: Web readers are demanding. Most visitors won't bother to dig for information. They scan navigation buttons, headings, images, and hyperlinks, looking for possibilities. If nothing looks promising, they're gone. Reading online can be difficult. For most people, reading on a computer monitor is more difficult than reading from the printed page. In fact, studies show that reading speeds are about 25 percent slower on a monitor than on paper. The web is a nonlinear, multidimensional medium. Readers of online material move around in any order they please; there often is no beginning, middle, or end. As a web writer, you need to anticipate the various paths your readers will want to follow and make sure you provide the right hyperlinks in the right places. In addition, many websites perform more than one communication function; therefore, they are multipurpose. Each individual purpose must be defined carefully, then integrated into an overall statement of purpose for the entire website. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

39 Information Architecture
Consider a Mobile-First Approach Plan Site Structure and Navigation Let Your Readers Be in Control Help Readers Absorb Information Many websites are intended for multiple audiences. Website designers use the term information architecture to describe the structural and navigational flow of all parts of a website. This architecture enables multiple audiences to enter and explore the site. To organize your site effectively, keep the following in mind: If you know that a sizable percentage of your target audience will access your site with mobile devices, take a mobile-first approach: design the site to work with tablets and smartphones, then make sure it functions on conventional computer screens, too. Plan your site structure and navigation before you write. Let your readers be in control by creating links and pathways that let them explore on their own. Help online readers scan and absorb information by breaking it into self-contained, easily readable chunks that are linked together logically. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

40 Planning Analytical Reports
(LO 6) Identify the three most common ways to organize analytical reports. The purpose of analytical reports is to analyze, to understand, or to explain; in other words, to think through a problem or opportunity, explain how it will affect an organization, and recommend how the organization should respond. In many cases, you’ll be expected to make a recommendation based on your analysis. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

41 Planning Analytical Reports
•Assessing Opportunities •Solving Business Problems •Supporting Decision Making Typical analytical reports fall into three basic categories: Reports to assess opportunities. Every business opportunity carries some degree of risk and requires a variety of decisions and actions in order to capitalize on the opportunity. You can use analytical reports to assess both risk and required decisions and actions. For instance, market analysis reports are used to judge the likelihood of success for new products or sales. Due diligence reports examine the financial aspects of a proposed decision, such as acquiring another company. Reports to solve problems. Managers often assign troubleshooting reports when they need to understand why something isn’t working properly and how to fix it. A variation, the failure analysis report, studies events that happened in the past, with the hope of learning how to avoid similar failures in the future. Reports to support decisions. Feasibility reports explore potential ramifications of a decision that managers are considering. Justification reports explain a decision that has already been made. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

42 Understanding the Challenges of Writing Analytical Reports
More than Delivering Information Compelling, Persuasive Message Added Responsibility for Outcomes Writing analytical reports presents a greater challenge than writing informational reports, for three reasons. First, you are doing more than simply delivering information—you are also analyzing a situation and presenting your conclusions. Second, when your analysis is complete, you need to present your thinking in a compelling and persuasive manner. Third, analytical reports often convince other people to make significant financial and personnel decisions, and these reports carry the added responsibility of the consequences of such decisions. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

43 Focusing on Conclusions
Advantages Direct Approach Presents Main Idea Disadvantages Ignores Questions Potential for Oversimplification When writing for audiences that are likely to accept your conclusions—either because they have asked you to perform an analysis or they trust your judgment—consider using the direct approach by focusing immediately on your conclusions. This structure communicates the main idea quickly, but it does present some risks. Even if audiences trust your judgment, they may have questions about your data or methods. Moreover, starting with a conclusion may create the impression that you have oversimplified the situation. To give readers the opportunity to explore the thinking behind your conclusion, support that conclusion with solid reasoning and evidence. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

44 Focusing on Recommendations
Establish the need for action. Introduce benefits and potential risks. List the steps (recommendations). Explain each step more fully. Summarize your recommendations. When structuring a report around recommendations, use the direct approach. Then unfold your recommendations using a series of five steps: Establish the need for action in the introduction, generally by briefly describing the problem or opportunity. Introduce the benefit that can be achieved, along with any potential risks. List the steps (recommendations) required to achieve the benefit, using action verbs for emphasis. Explain each step more fully, giving details on procedures, costs, and benefits. Summarize your recommendations. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

45 Focusing on Logical Arguments
Hostile Readers Skeptical Yardstick Approach 2 + 2 = 4 Approach The Indirect Approach When readers are potentially skeptical or hostile, consider using the indirect approach to build logically toward your conclusions or recommendations. If you guide readers along a rational path toward the answer, they are more likely to accept it when they encounter it. The two most common logical approaches are as follows: The = 4 approach, in which you convince readers by demonstrating that everything adds up to your conclusion The yardstick approach, in which you use a number of criteria to decide which option to select from two or more possibilities Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

46 (LO 7) Explain how to plan proposals.
Planning Proposals (LO 7) Explain how to plan proposals. Proposals can be grouped into two general categories: internal and external. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

47 General Categories of Proposals
Internal Proposals Request Decisions from Managers in the Organization External Proposals Request Decisions from Parties Outside the Organization Internal proposals request decisions from managers within the organization. External proposals request decisions from parties outside the organization. For example, investment proposals request funding from outside investors, grant proposals request funds from government agencies and other sponsoring organizations, and sales proposals present solutions for potential customers and request purchase decisions. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

48 Structuring Proposals
Solicited Proposal Unsolicited Proposal Expected Strict Instructions Unexpected More Flexibility The most significant factor in planning a proposal is whether the recipient has asked you to submit a proposal. Solicited proposals are generally prepared at the request of external parties that require a product or a service, but they may also be requested by such internal sources as management or the board of directors. Some organizations prepare a formal invitation to bid on their contracts, called a request for proposals (RFP), which includes instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be performed or products to be delivered, along with budgets, deadlines, and other requirements. Other companies then respond to the RFP by preparing proposals that show how they would meet those needs. Unsolicited proposals offer more flexibility but a completely different sort of challenge because recipients aren’t expecting to receive them. In fact, your audience may not be aware of the problem or opportunity you are addressing; so before you can propose a solution, you might first need to convince your readers that a problem or an opportunity exists. Consequently, the indirect approach is often the wise choice for unsolicited proposals. Regardless of its format and structure, a good proposal explains what a project or course of action will involve, how much it will cost, and how the recipient and his or her organization will benefit. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

49 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.


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