2. POINTS TO PONDER
19 out of every 21 civilizations have crumbled,
not because of warfare or any such calamity; but
because of moral decay.
Arnold Toynbee
The real tragedy is - the world hardly learns from
this history because of lack of records!
Write the vision and make it plain upon tables
that he may run that readeth it. (Habakkuk 2-2)
3. By their faith (i.e. commitment) the elders obtained a good report. For
by means of it, the men of ancient times had witness borne to them.
Heb. 11:2
In spite of the centrality of reports, many organizations especially in
Africa have not fully appreciated their positions in management
decisions.
What are Business Reports?
Reports are a regular occurrence in everyday-living.
We are often expected to make reports of our
previous activities and experiences, including
telephone conversations, reading, interviews,
meetings, investigations, business transactions,
among others.
4. Reports are expected to be authentic accounts of
these different activities and experiences. Greater
emphasis is place on authenticity in business report
since important decisions are based on them. We
shall discuss the processes of producing authentic
business reports.
The Nature of Business Reports
Business reports state facts (written or oral) with the
aim of guiding someone to make decisions
Such reports may be short and of the routine type.
Some of them may be lengthy requiring systematic
investigation and research.
It is the subject that determines the length and
complexity of the report.
5. Types of Business Reports
Business Reports can be classified based on the
following criteria:
- Regularity - Function - Outlook
- Subject matter - Formality
Classification of Reports Based on Regularity –
Routine and Special Reports
Routine reports deal with matters that recur
periodically. Periodical reports of
departmental managers, reports of
committee meetings
6. Reports of travellers to the sectional head,
chairman’s annual reports at shareholders’
meetings. Such reports are usually made on
predesigned forms which make preparation and
presentations very simple.
Special reports, are prepared once in a while,
and they provide information on specific matters
of concern.
May be used to give an executive current
information to shape the business policy of an
organisation.
Most government reports are of the special type
7. Classification Based on the Subject –
Informative, Evaluative and Analytical
Informative reports present mere data about the
subject without any intention to analyze the
details or to draw conclusions from the data.
The reader is left to draw the appropriate
conclusions.
Informative reports include routine sectional
returns, sales reports and stock inventories. For
larger organistions, there are quarterly or annual
reports from different sections from which the
officers at the headquarter can draw their
conclusions.
8. Evaluative reports interpret the data.
The reader can draw valid conclusions from
such data.
Such reports may not contain conclusions and
recommendations.
The analytical report covers different aspects of
the problems starting with the background, the
objectives to the achieved and the methodology
adopted in solving the problems.
It highlights in detail the components of the
subject.
9. It combines both the informative and the
evaluative models
The analytical report is the basis of long essays,
projects, dissertations and theses in academic
institutions.
It involves elaborate design, fieldwork and
comprehensive questionnaire items.
It also requires detailed data analysis from
which conclusions and recommendations will
emerge.
10. Classification based on Formality –
Formal and Informal Reports
Formal reports are expected to conform
to certain rigid regulations in matters of
language and style.
A report to be addressed to the Board of
Directors of a company is expected to go
straight to the point and use language
forms that are devoid of slang and
personalized conventions.
11. Such reports are expected to be full of
dignity.
Informal reports, are casual and less rigid.
Slang words and personalized
conventions are often used.
In business organizations, a senior officer
may be communicating some information
to his subordinates in a slightly informal
form of language
12. Classification based on the Outlook
Memos, Letters, Short Reports, Long Reports
A memorandum report focuses on a specific
topic which is discussed on just one page
There is usually a subject heading followed by a
brief introduction in which the terms of reference
are highlighted
There is the central issue of the report following
in the next paragraph.
The report is then concluded with the writer
appending his signature, his name and his
position.
13. The memo report is usually meant for the
internal circulation of an organization
It is usually very short and does not observe all
regulations of formal presentation
The letter report is usually long, taking as long
as two pages or more. It is convenient for both
internal and external circulation. The formal is
the normal format for business letters
The letter report is often referred to as the
schematic report. Letter reports focus on
subjects that require immediate action.
14. A good example of the report in the letter form is
the progress report.
Other areas that can be covered within the letter
report are annual reports, proposals, feasibility
studies, police reports.
In some cases, the main report is written
separately. This is usually accompanied by a
covering note or a letter of transmittal when this
happens, the long report is expected to contain
the following
- a letter of transmittal - Introduction
- The title page - Body of the Report
15. - Table of contents - Recommendations
- List of illustrations - Bibliography
- Abstract/preface or - Appendices
Introductory summary
The long report can occur as a scientific or
technical report.
This derives from actual fieldwork and surveys.
Such fieldwork and survey which constitute part of
the major research are preceded by proposals.
Based on the functional criterion, we also have the
following report types:
16. - Feasibility reports – which present relevant data
related to business proposals.
- Survey reports – which rely on specific details of
what was done with a careful analysis of
probabilities.
- Progress reports – which highlight what has
been done and what is still to be done. They
also cover records of personal development as
in psychotherapy or education.
- Conference reports – Summaries of business or
professional meetings, stating the time, place,
subject, personnel and results of the meeting.
17. - Laboratory reports – Records of
procedures and results of laboratory tests.
- Instructional Manuals – Directions for work
procedures or policies; the use of
technical equipment or appliances. Such
reports rely on clear specific, complete
directions presented in a sequential order.
18. Components of a
Technical/Research Report
The analytical and technical reports
share common features.
Note that the report is retrospective.
19. In presenting business and social
research reports, the following sections
are followed:
- Background/problems of the study:
- Objectives
- Methodology
- Data analysis
- Management findings
- Summary, Conclusions and
Recommendations
20. Familiarity with the background,
objectives and methodology of research is
assumed here.
The report writer is expected to provide
justification for the methodology adopted
based on the context of the research.
21. Data Analysis in Reports
A good report should interpret the results
acquired during fieldwork. There is usually
a
brief introduction of what the sections
Contain.
22. Respondents’ characteristics which will help the
reader to understand the trends and the
compositions of the sample on whom the
instruments are administered should be
presented.
Important characteristics are age, gender,
educational attainment, marital status, etc.
These characteristics usually occur in frequency
tables.
23. These tables are constantly referred to in the body
of the report.
A crucial task in data analysis is to use the data
collected to answer the stated research questions
– i.e. to find solutions to the problems being
studied.
• Each of the problems (which may occur
as a research question or a hypothesis) is
considered.
The researcher presents different
tables to answer the relevant questions. All tables should
be numbered serially.
24. It is possible for the researcher to discover other
forms of data which are not just related to the
immediate question of the research.
He is expected to analyze such data as these
may help him in drawing the relevant
conclusions and in making necessary
recommendations at the end of the study.
It should be borne in mind that many of the
clients are not research experts but project
managers.
Therefore, the analysis and interpretation of data
should be presented in three sections:
25. Section 1
Research Digest: This is also referred to
as executive summary. It is a complete
description of the study and the findings in
two or three pages.
Section 2
Detailed Findings: These are full discussions
of the findings of the research for the project
manager and not the academic researcher.
Section 3
Tabulations: Tabulations which contain as many
details as
26. They are preferably bound in separate
volumes.
The formula, procedures and special
techniques may also be added in the
tabulations pack.
If there are further discoveries not directly
related to the objectives, they should be
added to the tabulation segment.
27. Implications of the Findings
The client is not just satisfied with an
enumeration
of discoveries.
He expects an interpretation of these findings as
they affect his business.
The report writers should highlight the implications
of major trends in the research.
Summary
For ease of understanding, there should be a
summary of all the major findings. This summary
is not the conclusion.
28. Conclusion
The conclusion is not a summary of summaries
It is made up of absolute statements about
findings
This way the conclusion relates to the list of
recommendations.
Recommendations
The recommendations may also be described as
the marketing considerations
These are the definite bits of advice which the
project managers are looking for, and on which
they want to base their business decisions.
29. And finally; care should be taken in writing
them since any false step can lead to a
great deal of loss.
Thank you for being attentive throughout
this presentation.
30. Notes to end on:
The Business Executive or the dynamic
administrator requires a cumulative pool of
knowledge to draw from in matters of
decision making. This pool can only be
helpful if it is qualitative. It is believed that
our suggestions will point the way forward
in this regard.
