Your report – Section by Section

Now that we have discussed the theoretical aspects of writing business reports, it’s
time to focus on looking at how to actually write each section of our report.

As you will remember, there is a recommended sequence for report writing.

Order in Report Order Written Executive reads

Executive Summary 6 Always

Contents 7 N/A

Introduction 1 Sometimes

Findings (Main Body) 3 If interested in research

Conclusions 4 If surprised

Recommendations 5 Nearly always

Bibliography 2 As you research If something needs further

Appendices 2 As you find info Rarely

This is the sequence we will follow for the rest of this workshop.

1 Introduction

Though not as critical as the executive summary, this is an important part of your
report. Why? Well, if your introduction is well written, informative and arouses the
curiosity of the reader, then there is a good chance that they will read your full
report sequentially. Conversely, if your introduction is dull and poorly written, then
the reader will be more inclined to scan it instead of reading it fully, and will be
severely tempted to go straight to the end to see what your recommendations are.

Also, a good introduction serves as a road map for your reader. You can let them
know what your topic is, why it is important, and how you plan to proceed with your
discussion. It should contain a mini thesis that will state your main topic. It will also,
ideally, give the reader a sense of the kinds of information you will use to make your
points and the general organization of the paragraphs and pages that will follow.

So, as we have said, your introduction is the first impression your readers will have of
your writing. A good introduction will show them that you know what you’re talking
about and that you’re going to complete the task in question. It will also make them
want to carry on reading and will make them enthusiastic about lies ahead of them in
the body of your report. Logically, a bad introduction will have the opposite effect
and might even prejudice the reader against the rest of the writing, even if it does
improve.
So how do you make your introduction interesting?

Include a “topic sentence” which indicates the main objective of your report.

This report presents a Cost Benefit Analysis of the proposed investment in a new
sorting machine for the Seville plant.

Use words and expressions which clearly show the plan behind your report.

This report is divided into four main sections.

It will first consider ...

It will then go on to describe ...

The third part compares ...

Finally, some conclusions will be presented as to ...

Remember to use formal, simple clear language – your goal here is to encourage
people to continue reading, so you don’t want to put them off by using jargon or
terms they may not be familiar with. If you are translating a report from Spanish into
English, be sure to read each section thoroughly a number of times and then aim to
translate the message, not the words. Ask yourself the question: “What is this
paragraph trying to communicate?” and then translate that message using grammar
structures and vocabulary you are confident with.
Sample Introduction to an Analytical Report

Sugar in China: A Market Report

This report on the sugar market in China deals with the ongoing developments as
the market restructures. The report examines foreign companies in the sector, local
initiatives and production.

Despite price fluctuations due to the effects of altering world sugar prices and local
shortages, the demand for sugar from Chinese consumers is growing steadily.
Growth is being stimulated by the growing use of sugar as an ingredient in food and
beverage products, as well as an additive to foods and drinks. In general, sugar cane
refineries are performing better than sugar beet refineries, most of which are
currently recording losses.

The report also covers the retail market for sugar for human consumption in China.
The report investigates all forms of sugar including white granulated sugar, brown
sugar, icing sugar and packaged and sachet sugar.

The sugar industry itself is analyzed in terms of sugar beet, sugar cane and refining,
as well as retail sales and the consumption of sugar in China.

This report includes:

 an overview of China’s total food & beverage market with sales statistics up
to 2005;
 an analysis of the volume and retail value of the sugar market, including a
regional breakdown, up to 2005;
 a market share analysis of the sugar industry;
 retail pricing trends for sugar on a sectoral and provincial basis up to 2005;
 a market volume and value forecast for sugar in China up to 2010;
 a marketing and distribution analysis;
 a statistical analysis of China’s sugar industry, including data on key sugar
manufacturers;
 a breakdown of sugar exports and imports up to 2005;
 profiles of the leading sugar companies in China;
 an overview of China’s demographics and macroeconomics.
Exercises

Translate the following short sentences from Spanish into English.

1 El estimado de Ventas al Detalle en Puerto Rico pasó por una amplia revisión
metodológica en el año 2005 y los resultados de su primera versión se encuentran en
el documento número 1, publicado por la CCE en diciembre del 2005.

2 En el presente informe se dan a conocer los avances en las acciones de la

Comisión Estatal del Agua, así como los resultados de la operación a agosto de 2007.

3 Uno de los objetivos prioritarios de las REDES es prestar a sus integrantes un

conjunto de servicios de valor agregado que complementen aquellos que los Grupos
pueden contratar en su entorno local.

4 Este informe tiene como finalidad brindar información relevante acerca de la

categoría Accesorios para Vehículos. El informe se emitirá periódicamente y
esperamos que te sea de gran utilidad.

5 El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las características del mercado del

azúcar y las modificaciones en materia normativa y empresarial relacionadas con el
complejo agroindustrial azucarero uruguayo.

6 El presente informe tiene como principal objetivo dar cuenta del ejercicio de
Monitoreo Ciudadano realizado por tres Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil, al
Componente Alimentario del Programa Oportunidades en colaboración con la
Coordinación Nacional de Programa Oportunidades y la Unidad de Vinculación
para la Transparencia de la Secretaría de la Función Pública.

7 El siguiente informe tiene por objeto reflejar y analizar el viaje de Estudio

Curricular de la Carrera de Geografía de la U.N.C.P.B.A, que tuvo como destino la
provincia de Tucumán. En él se realizaron diversas actividades, y en el presente se
realizara una breve descripción de cada una de ellas, y profundizaremos nuestro
análisis en la comparación de dos agroindustrias (un Ingenio Azucarero y una Planta
Citrícola) representantes de los sectores más importantes de la Industria tucumana.

8 El presente informe es el resultado del análisis de la propuesta del Bosque

Modelo Sabanas de Manacas (Cuba) y de la visita de evaluación respectiva realizada
en forma conjunta entre la Red Iberoamericana de Bosques Modelo (RIABM) y la Red
Internacional de Bosques Modelo (RIBM). Este informe se realiza con el propósito de
brindar criterios que permitan a los miembros del Directorio tomar una decisión
sobre la adhesión de la presente iniciativa a la RIABM.

9 El objetivo del presente informe elaborado en febrero del 2000 es el de dar a

conocer la actual situación y evolución del mercado de CONSERVAS en Japón. Se
pretende ofrecer una visión clara de las tendencias actuales de este sector.

10 El presente informe está dedicado a la integración social de las personas

discapacitadas, en particular a la integración laboral. El informe pretende dar una
visión de las disposiciones legislativas referentes a las políticas de empleo de los
minusválidos puestas en práctica por los países europeos, sin ignorar la realidad
humana que hay tras ellas.
Exercise

Translate the following introduction from Spanish into English.

INTRODUCCION

El presente informe describe los objetivos, el plan y el desarrollo de la asesoría

llevada a cabo por el académico de la Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial de la
universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Sr. Guillermo Bustos R., Ingeniero Civil en
Informática, para la Superintendencia General de Ingeniería y Desarrollo de la
División Andina de CODELCO Chile.

El problema que suscitó dicha asesoría dice relación con la definición, especificación
y posterior construcción de un sistema de información para el apoyo al control de la
gestión de la Superintendencia indicada. Para la puesta en marcha de la asesoría se
estableció una modalidad en la cual el asesor actuaría como orientador del trabajo
realizado en la Superintendencia, a través de visitas periódicas que establecerían
programas de trabajo y controles de avance. En el anexo 1 "Descripción del Trabajo
del Asesor" puede encontrarse una descripción más detallada de las actividades
realizadas por el asesor en sus diferentes visitas.

Este informe ha sido dividido en 4 (cuatro) partes más un conjunto de anexos. En la

primera parte se plantea el objetivo general de la asesoría y los objetivos
secundarios derivados del anterior. La segunda parte describe el plan de trabajo
propuesto para el proyecto de desarrollo del sistema de información, dentro del cual
se inserta esta asesoría. En la tercera parte se muestra el trabajo desarrollado,
describiendo la metodología y los resultados del estudio de la situación actual, el
planteamiento del modelo de control que impuso el marco de referencia conceptual
para el sistema, la proposición de los indicadores de gestión de la Superintendencia,
y la descripción de otras tareas complementarias realizadas.

Finalmente, la cuarta parte presenta las conclusiones de la asesoría realizada.

Exercise
Translate the following introduction from Spanish into English.

INFORME DE LAS POSIBILIDADES DE GALICIA COMO DESTINO TURÍSTICO EN EL

MERCADO DANÉS
Introducción:

El presente informe trata de estudiar las posibilidades de Galicia como destino

turístico en el mercado danés, desde la experiencia de mi estancia como becario de
la Cámara de Comercio de Vigo en la Oficina Española de Turismo en Copenhague
(Dinamarca) durante el año 2003.

El informe se estructurará en una primera parte en la que se presentará un pequeña

aproximación a la situación económica del país en cuanto a la evolución de sus
principales variables macroeconómicas. Una segunda parte de análisis del mercado
turístico danés como mercado emisor, detallando las características y hábitos del
turista danés. Una tercera parte de análisis de comportamiento de los
touroperadores y agencias de viajes daneses, como está estructurado el mercado y
cuales son sus características. Y una cuarta parte de análisis de las posibilidades y las
dificultades de Galicia en este mercado, con estructura de DAFO, haciendo
especial referencia a la zona de Vigo y su área de influencia.

Con este informe se pretende dar una imagen fiel no solo del mercado turístico danés
sino sobre todo de las posibilidades reales de Galicia como destino, teniendo muy en
cuenta que se trata de un destino desconocido en Dinamarca, pero con posibilidades
de ser considerado como emergente en poco tiempo, sobre todo relacionándolo con
el único producto conocido de la comunidad que es el “Camino de Santiago” y la
ciudad compostelana.

También se tratarán de definir, a la conclusión de este informe, algunas acciones a

realizar para que este destino se asiente en el futuro como una opción vacacional en
Dinamarca, teniendo en cuenta que en un principio estas acciones serán muy
generales ya que se tratarán más de acciones de información y conocimiento del
destino que de promoción del mismo.
 2 Bibliography and Appendices

Bibliography

For very long and detailed analytical reports, a bibliography is important. Why?
Because depending on the nature of your conclusions and recommendations,
your reader may wish to investigate some aspects of your report in more detail.
With a clear and consistent bibliography format, you can make this easy for
them to do, and remember – keeping your reader happy is an important
objective for you if you want them to agree with the information presented in
your report.

Depending on the source of your information, there are different ways of

acknowledging that source.

Specific Bibliography Formatting Examples

Book

Surname, Name. Title. Publisher, Year.

Article in a periodical

Surname, Name. “Title of Article.” Periodical Title and Volume Number, (Year) pp-
pp.

Article in a newspaper

Surname, Name. “Title of Article.”. Newspaper, Date, pp-pp.

Newspaper article on the Internet

Surname, Name. “Title of Article” Newspaper, Date. Online. Available:

www.hyperlink. com

Personal interview conducted in person

Surname, Name. Personal interview. Full Date.

Personal E-mail

Surname, Name (full email address). “Subject” Date.

Appendices

You may not need an appendix, or you may need several. If you have used
questionnaires in your analysis, it is usual to include a blank copy in the appendix.
You could include raw data, or calculations performed on the data which have been
shown in the body, that are necessary, or useful for your audience to get the full
benefit from your report. There may be maps, drawings, photographs or plans that
you want to include.

If your report is heavily focused on the presentation of figures, then the most
detailed aspect of these should be included in the figures. For example, if you refer
to some elements of a balance sheet in the body of your report, it might be advisable
to reproduce the full balance sheet in the appendix, particularly if there are some
notes to the accounts which qualify the information.

Once again, you must monitor your appendix carefully, and ensure that all
information included therein has been clearly and consistently referenced in the
main body of your report. Do not include irrelevant information in the appendix on a
“just in case” basis – only include it if it is relevant to the matter being discussed in
your report and if you are sure that your audience will find it helpful in terms of
gaining a broader or more in-depth understanding of a particular aspect of your
report.

The plural of an appendix is two or more appendices or appendixes. Once again, if an

appendix or appendices are needed, design them thoughtfully so that your reader
will find them convenient to use.
 3 Findings

As you will remember, quite often people do not read the findings or main body of a
report, but it is critical to work on this section professionally as it basically forms the
foundation on which you construct the most important elements of your report – the
executive summary and the conclusions/recommendation.

Quite often you will be presenting some form of data in this section of your report.
Indeed, many status reports are principally concerned with the presentation and
subsequent analysis of company or industry figures and data, so it is advised that you
focus on presenting this information to your audience in a clear, visually attractive
and sequential manner.

Presenting Data in a Report

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This is undoubtedly true when you are
making a live presentation to a group of people – striking photographs can really help
to reinforce a message, concept or idea. In most written reports however,
photographs are not very common. Instead, we use visual aids to present data to our
readers.

When you are thinking about the quality of your graphs, pie charts or any other visual
aids in your report, the most important question you need to ask yourself is: “Does
this visual aid stand up on its own?” Ultimately, a successful visual aid shouldn’t
require any detailed explanation – if it is well presented and formatted clearly,
anybody reading your report should immediately recognize what that visual aid is
trying to communicate to them.

Apart from the aesthetic reasons for this, an important thing to remember is that
visuals are often photocopied from a report and circulated to other people, so you
should really try to develop all your visuals with this possible scenario in mind.

Another important element of creating good visual aids is the “less is more” rule:
Don’t try to do too much with one graphic. Decide what you most want to convey and
then do just that. Are you trying to show changes over time? Or differences across
different regions? Are you trying to present absolute changes or relative changes?
Have one primary objective for each visual.

All computer applications offer a wide variety of tools which can help you to present
your data attractively. It is important to choose the correct way of representing your
data - if you understand what your audience expects in this respect, you will be
better prepared to choose the best way to represent the relevant data.

With this in mind, let’s outline the different kinds of tools we have available to
communicate data and express results, percentages and statistical analysis.

 Tables or lists are simple ways to organize the precise data points themselves
in one-on-one relationships.
 Use a line graph to demonstrate how something has changed over a period of
time.
  Select a bar graph to compare data, and try to keep it in two dimensions as
three-dimensional bar graphs are sometimes difficult to read.
 Consider a pie chart to show how percentages relate to each other within a
whole
 Show a map to illustrate differences in rates between and among counties,
states or countries.
 Use an organizational chart to show chain of command, communication
between departments, and how different departments are related.
 Use a flow chart to illustrate a series of steps in a procedure or process.

 Illustrations are best when they are simple line drawings. Remove all but the
essential details in order to keep your line drawing as uncluttered as possible.

A critical point to try and remember is that your visuals should supplement, and not
simply repeat information to be found elsewhere in your report. You should never
include a table or figure just for fun - it is redundant and wastes your reader’s time.

There a few other considerations worth remembering when designing your visual
aids. All your visual aids should:

 be self-contained - they should make complete sense on their own without

reference to the text;
 be cited, (referenced), in the text - it will be very confusing for your audience
to suddenly see a table or figure that is not introduced somewhere in the
text. They will not have a context for understanding its relevance to your
report;
 include a number such as Table 1 or Figure 10 - this will help you to
distinguish multiple tables and figures from each other;
 include a concise title - it is a good idea to make the most important feature
of the data the title of the figure;
 include clear and proportionate labels, (the legend),so that readers will
understand your visual aid;
 include a note about where you obtained the information you are presenting;
and
 include the time period that is covered by the data contained in the visual
aid.
Exercise

Translate the following graph from Spanish into English.

La producción de Caña de Azúcar fue de 116.157 toneladas en el año 2003, un

volumen 38% inferior al del año anterior. Este descenso en la producción fue
consecuencia de problemas climáticos, principalmente heladas, que provocaron una
caída del rendimiento en el 33 % (cuadro1).

Cuadro 1. Área sembrada, producción y rendimiento de Caña de Azúcar

Cosecha 2003 y comparación con la cosecha 2002

Año de
Cosecha Area cosechada Producción Rendimiento

2003 2.870 116.157 40.473

2002 3.100 187.745 60.563

Diferencia - 230 - 71.588 - 20.090

Indice 2002=100 92.6 61.9 66.8

Fuente: Elaborado por DIEA en base a información proporcionada por CALNU

 4 Conclusions and Recommendations

In this section of your report you need to clearly state the outcome of all your hard
work.

With a status report, where you are reporting or digesting historical facts related to
your company or your sector, this is a relatively straightforward task. However, in an
analytical or hypothetical situation, this is clearly a more difficult thing to do,
because you do not have a crystal ball to look into the future with, so you obviously
want to be careful with the language you use in order to give yourself some room to
manoeuvre in terms of how strongly you express something in case you need to
change your position at a later stage. You also need to be careful with your choice of
language in this section because there may be people reading your report who you
know have very different opinions from you as the report writer. Large business
organizations are political institutions, but if you choose your language carefully you
can avoid awkward situations.

The above rules apply principally to internal reports. In a situation where you are
acting as a consultant and have been charged with writing an independent report,
then clearly you should present your conclusions and recommendations in a
systematic and impartial manner.
Exercise

Translate the following passages from Spanish into English.

Conclusiones

Dado que el Bosque Modelo Sabanas de Manacas cumple con los términos explicitados
en la Guía de Adhesión que fueron corroborados in situ por la visita realizada en
forma conjunta por personeros de la Gerencia de la Red Iberoamericana de Bosques
Modelo y un representante de la Secretaría de la Red Internacional de Bosques
Modelo entre abril y mayo del 2008, se sugiere que ésta iniciativa sea aprobada como
miembro de la Red Iberoamericana de Bosques Modelo.

Conclusiones y Recomendaciones

Esta investigación ha permitido evaluar, en primer lugar, el peso del Tercer Sistema
en términos de empleo en los quince Estados miembros de la Unión europea. Un
primera recomendación sería, pues, ampliar los esfuerzos estadísticos referentes al
Tercer Sistema y al empleo que éste genera. Al mismo tiempo que se mejora el
conocimiento cuantitativo del Tercer Sistema, es importante promover una mejor
aprehensión de las especificidades europeas de éste último. En efecto, los cuadros
de análisis de inspiración americana basados en la noción de “nonprofit sector” están
lejos de poder rendir cuenta de la diversidad de las experiencias nacionales en
Europa y de los rasgos que tienen éstas en común. Es además el motivo por el que se
ha dirigido paralelamente una reflexión conceptual a los trabajos estadísticos y
analíticos.
 6 Executive Summary

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

This is the first part of your report that people will read. It is vital that this opening
section is written to the best of your ability, as it will provide your readers with their
initial impressions of your report, your writing style, and the overall quality of your
work.

A vague, disorganized or boring executive summary filled with mistakes will obviously
create a negative impression. On the other hand, a concise, engaging, and well-
written introduction will start your readers off thinking highly of you, your analytical
skills, your writing, and your report.

Sample Executive Summary

Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current and prospective
profitability, liquidity and financial stability of Outdoor Equipment Ltd. Methods of
analysis include trend, horizontal and vertical analyses as well as ratios such as Debt,
Current and Quick ratios. Other calculations include rates of return on Shareholders
Equity and Total Assets and earnings per share to name a few. All calculations can be
found in the appendices. Results of data analysed show that all ratios are below
industry averages. In particular, comparative performance is poor in the areas of
profit margins, liquidity, credit control, and inventory management.

The report concludes that the future of the company in its current position is not
positive. The major areas of weakness require further investigation and remedial
action by management.

Recommendations discussed include improving the average collection period for

accounts receivable, improving/increasing inventory turnover, and reducing
prepayments and perhaps increasing inventory levels.
Exercise

Fill in the gaps in the following executive summary. Each gap requires one word.

State of Logistics: The Canadian Report 2008

Executive Summary

today’s complex business environment, the extent which firms are

integrated into global value chains and the efficiency and effectiveness their
product distribution and associated services are key determinants of
competitiveness. In this context, Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada (SCL)
and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) partnered Industry Canada to
review this important service business function. By drawing on industry-based
intelligence, existing government statistics and on Industry Canada-based economic
models and analysis, this industry-government partnership has resulted the
first assessment of the state of Canada’s logistics and supply chain environment. This
novel analysis is intended help Canadian supply chain managers and
decision-makers understand current and future trends, their competitive position
relation to leading firms within their own sector, and the steps that be
taken to become more competitive.

In order to benefit the productivity gains arising through the use of

logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM), individual firms need to develop their
own action plans. This exercise can include documenting long-term perspectives and
classifying their components into specific action items linked deliverables,
performance indicators, objectives, return investment, and project time
frames.

For some firms, a first roadmap action item could be an internal evaluation of their
logistics key performance indicators (KPI) with some participation in associations and
networking activities. For others, it could be implementing a pilot project with a
customer and a supplier. Examples include radio frequency identification (RFID),
green supply-chain management, and just-in-time (JIT) processes. all
cases, a well-documented roadmap allows firms to gain the support of all
stakeholders and their involvement the implementation phases of the firm’s
logistics and SCM action plan.
Exercise

Fill in the gaps in the following executive summary. Each gap requires one word.

Economic Partnership Agreements: A New Approach in EU-ACP Trade Relations.

ACP countries and EU have long and preferential relations that are
governed today by the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, signed in Cotonou on 23 June
2000 and concluded a period of 20 years.

order to enhance the contribution of trade to development, the ACP States

and the Community decided in Cotonou to overhaul their previous trade relations.
Whereas these had been primarily based, since Lomé I, non-reciprocal trade
preferences granted by the Community to ACP exports, the Community and the ACP
countries have agreed to conclude new WTO-compatible trading arrangements,
progressively removing barriers to trade and enhancing cooperation all
areas related trade. This current legal framework for trade is primarily
conceived as an instrument for development.

this end, Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are being negotiated with
ACP regions engaged in a regional economic integration process. EPAs are thus
intended to consolidate regional integration initiatives the ACP and to
foster the gradual integration of the ACP the global economy the
basis of an open, transparent and predictable framework for goods and services. EPAs
are trade and cooperation agreements at the service of development.

FIGURES

2007 trade with the ACP countries totalled €80 billion, with the EU importing
goods the value of €40.2 billion and exporting goods €39.7 billion.
For most of the ACP countries - and for virtually all African ACP countries -
EU is the main trading partner. So, trade between the ACP and the EU has remained
important for the ACP, but marginal the EU.

The main products traded are: as regards ACP exports, petroleum (42% of total
exports), followed cocoa beans (5%) and diamonds (5%); as regards EU
exports, machinery (22%), followed by oil (11%), vehicles (7%), ship/boats (7%),
medicines (3%).

EU investment flows the ACP increased from €1,922 million in 1996

€4,319 million in 2002, which represented a 3.3% share of EU total outflows.
Investment flows to ACP Africa rose from €1,532 million in 1995 to €2,799 million in
2002. The relative importance of the ACP a destination for investment has
increased. EU capital employed in the ACP increased from 2.5% of total EU outward
stock in 1996 to 3.1% in 2002 of the total EU share, amounted €58,831
million.
Exercise

Fill in the gaps in the following executive summary. Each gap requires one word.

Strengthening the Supply Chain: The Future of the UK Automobile Industry

The UK is the base for a strong and diverse automotive industry. relatively low
business costs makes it one of the most attractive locations for investment within
developed economies. The automotive components sector is the source of some
190,000 jobs and has an annual in excess £15 billion.

The automotive components sector is part of a global industry and is subject

intense competitive pressures. Those companies operating in the UK have been faced
particular difficulties and a consequence there has been a
reduction the proportion of components sourced the UK. This
report highlights five areas where Government action could help to reverse this
trend. These measures would help to address growing concern within the sector that
there will be further erosion of UK- supply industries.

1. Economy
The uncertainty surrounding the UK’s entry the single currency has
increased the risks associated with investment in the UK. Companies have tried to
cope with the relative strength of Sterling, but this has frequently been at the
expense of new investment capital equipment, training and research &
development (R&D).

2. Skills and Training

The automotive sector is at the edge of new technologies and component
suppliers must be able to demonstrate their abilities to undertake R&D and new
product development. The industry needs to attract more highly qualified staff and
to improve the skills of those already working in it. To succeed, it needs help from
Government to make continuous learning and apprenticeship schemes more
attractive.

3. Research and Development

The Government has introduced measures to R&D expenditure in the UK.
There is an existing base of high quality facilities and expertise, but without further
action it will be difficult to reverse the drift of work away from the UK. The major
R&D facilities for the global vehicle manufacturers and tier one suppliers are outside
the UK and this makes it more difficult for UK-based companies to compete.

4. Tax and Regulatory

The Government must ensure it assesses the impact tax and regulatory
changes the international competitiveness of UK companies. Increases
in these burdens have reduced some of the UK’s traditional advantages.

5. Investment in the UK
The automotive sector is highly competitive and there is increasing competition
between locations for investment from the global players that dominate it. In this
environment, it is essential that the UK Government plays a more active
in promoting the UK to the global automotive industry.
Exercise

Translate the following executive summary from Spanish into English.

Mercado Europeo de azúcar orgánico & Comercio Justo

RESUMEN EJECUTIVO

El azúcar es importante para la industria alimenticia. Se estima que a nivel mundial

su consumo llegue a 137 millones de toneladas. El precio inconstante ha traído
desbalance de su oferta/demanda, en el mercado. Se espera que América Latina y el
Caribe eleven la producción de este rubro. Para Centroamérica la producción de caña
de azúcar es de suma importancia.

El mercado del azúcar se ve afectado por las razones de salud que tiene Europa y por
la competencia con la miel orgánica y comercio justo. Sin embargo actualmente hay
fuerte demanda de azúcar orgánica y comercio justo debido a la disponibilidad del
producto e interés de la industria y supermercados, quienes actúan en el crecimiento
de dicha demanda, según el comportamiento de sus ventas. Además, los
supermercados favorecen las ventas porque también aplican al azúcar la garantía de
la doble etiqueta.

Según opinión de importadores, el azúcar orgánico mantiene buena demanda, así que
si los proveedores cumplen con todos los requerimientos, se les abren más
oportunidades de comercialización. Asimismo consideran que el volumen de venta en
los últimos años alcanzará una tasa de crecimiento de más del 20%, para la Unión
Europea. También señalan la importancia que tienen Alemania, Francia, Holanda y el
Reino Unidos, para la venta de este producto.

Para los últimos años se espera que las ventas de azúcar orgánico alcancen un
crecimiento de 5 a 10%, en Suiza. Este país tiene balanceado su mercado, pero
además pueden ingresar nuevos proveedores ya que las importaciones no llegan a las
1,000 toneladas; el 80% es para la industria y sólo el 20% para consumo. Actualmente
le abastecen con el producto, Paraguay, Costa Rica y Brasil.

En los últimos años el azúcar orgánico y el comercio justo han incrementado sus
ventas en Europa. El de comercio justo tiene a la industria como principal
consumidor por la elaboración de sus productos; ha alcanzado equilibrio entre
oferta/demanda. Sus principales importadores son Reino Unido, Francia y Suiza. Los
canales de comercialización para ambos están muy interrelacionados.

Al igual que los otros productos, el azúcar orgánico, y comercio justo también deben
cumplir con las normas europeas y reglamento suizo, en cuanto a la producción
orgánica. También puede producirse bajo los estándares privados como BIOSUISSE,
Naturland, entre otros.
 7 Contents

At last, it is time to prepare your contents page. The principal objective here is to
ensure that they are accurate – double check your pagination. Most report page
numbers begin on the page where the Introduction in presented. Cover pages do not
need a number, nor does the page where you outline elements such as distribution
lists, confidentiality etc. The Executive Summary does not necessarily need a page
number either as it is presented before the contents page appears.

Select a simple contents structure and use indentations to show how each section is
subdivided.

Sample Contents Layout

Contents

Executive Summary ii
1.0 Introduction 1
2.0 Car A 1
2.1 Design features 1
2.2 Materials selection 2
2.3 Fuel efficiency 2
3.0 Car B 3
3.1 Design features 3
3.2 Materials selection 4
3.3 Fuel efficiency 4
4.0 Comparison of designs 5
5.0 Conclusions 8
6.0 References 9
Appendices:
Appendix 1 Design diagrams
Appendix 2 Contribution of each group member
 Reference Material – The Mechanics of Writing

List of Essential Business English Nouns

Do you know them all? Scan the list and underline any you are not sure about.

advantage advertisement advice agenda apology

authorization bill brand budget change

commission comparison competition competitor confirmation

costs creditor customer deadline debt debtor

decision decrease deficit delivery department

description difference disadvantage distribution

employee employer enquiry environment

equipment estimate experience explanation facilities

factory fall feedback goal goods

growth guarantee improvement increase

industry instructions interest inventory invoice

knowledge limit loss margin market

message mistake objective offer opinion

option order output payment penalty

permission possibility preparation price product

production profit promotion purchase quote

reduction refund reminder repairs report

responsibility result retailer rise

risk salary sales schedule share

signature stock success suggestion supply

support target transport turnover wages

 List of Essential Business English Verbs

Do you know them all? Scan the list and underline any you are not sure about.

add admit advertise advise afford approve authorize

avoid borrow build buy calculate cancel change

charge check choose complain complete confirm

consider convince count decide decrease deliver

develop discount dismiss dispatch distribute divide

employ encourage establish estimate exchange extend

fix fund improve increase inform install invest

invoice join lend lengthen lower maintain manage

measure mention obtain order organize owe

own pack participate pay plan present prevent process

produce promise promote provide purchase raise

reach receive recruit reduce refuse reject

remind remove reply resign respond return

rise sell send separate shorten split structure succeed

suggest trade try trim undercut vary vie

 Transition and Linking phases

Addition: also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition,
likewise, moreover, similarly.

Consequence: accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, hence,

otherwise, so then, subsequently, therefore, thus, thereupon.

Generalizing: as a rule, as usual, for the most part, generally, generally speaking,
ordinarily, usually.

Exemplifying: chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, namely, particularly,

including, specifically, such as.

Illustration: for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration, illustrated
with, as an example, in this case.

Emphasis: above all, chiefly, primarily, with attention to, especially, particularly,
singularly.

Similarity: comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, likewise, similar,

moreover, together with.

Exception: aside from, barring, besides, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of,
other than, outside of.

Restatement: in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in short, in
brief, to put it differently, to put it in other words.

Contrast and Comparison: in contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead of,
likewise, on the one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather, similarly, yet,
but, however, still, nevertheless.

Sequence: at first, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time, for
now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on, meanwhile, next,
then, soon, in the meantime, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward, in
conclusion, with this in mind.

Summarizing: after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any
case, in any event, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the
final analysis, in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally.

Diversion: by the way, incidentally.

Concession: by way of contrast, conversely, in comparison, in fact, in reality,

instead, on the contrary, admittedly, in spite of, after all, naturally, all the same,
nevertheless, although, no doubt, although this may be true, nonetheless, at the
same time, notwithstanding, besides, only, despite, still, doubtless, under certain
circumstances, even if/though, up to a point, even so, while, however, yet.
 Quick & Easy Punctuation

This is a concise guide to punctuation. The one thing you need to know in order to
use this guide is the meaning of an independent clause and a dependent clause (and
the difference between the two). So first, let's review independent and dependent
clauses:

Independent Clause:

An independent clause is a group of words that contain a subject, a verb, and can
stand alone as a complete thought. Here are some examples of independent clauses:

The dog begged for food.

The mother wept at the sight of her new baby.

The party began all over again.

Dependent Clause:

A dependent clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb, but does
not stand alone as a complete thought. Here are some examples of dependent
clauses:

Because the dog begged for food.

When the mother wept at the sight of her new baby.

And the party began all over again.

A sentence can contain both dependent clauses and independent clauses, or it can
contain two independent clauses:

Because the dog begged for food, we opened a can of Winalot and fed her.

We all felt very emotional when the mother wept at the sight of her new baby.

The host opened another bottle of whiskey, and the party began all over again.

Here is your punctuation guide:

1 Independent clause. (or ! or ?)

2 Independent clause ; independent clause.

3 Therefore , independent clause.

However,

Nevertheless,

Consequently,

Furthermore,
 Moreover,

Also,

4 Independent clause , and independent clause.

, or

, but

, nor

, yet

, so

, for

, (then)

5 Independent , at eight o’clock in the morning , clause.

, of course,

, however,

, therefore,

, also,

, consequently,

, furthermore,

, moreover,

, nevertheless,

, on the other hand,

, it seems,

6 If dependent clause , independent clause.

Because

Since

When

While

Although

After
 Even before

7 Independent clause if dependent clause.

because

since

when

while

after

even before

8 Independent clause : item, item, and item.

9 “Spanish people are crazy,” he said.

He said, “Spanish people are crazy.”

“Spanish people are crazy,” he said, “let’s move to France.”

“Spanish people are crazy,” he said. “Let’s move to France.”

He asked, “Are Spanish people crazy?”

Who said (that) Spanish people are crazy?

Who said, “Spanish people are crazy”?

 Comparisons

We use comparisons all of the time when we are writing. However, there are a few
problems that should be avoided. The rules below should help you write more
grammatically correct comparisons.

Be sure to compare only those things that are capable of being compared:

Wrong: The damage done by the flood was worse than the fire.

Right: The damage done by the flood was worse than that of the fire.

The damage done by the flood was worse than the damage done by the
fire.

Wrong: The girl’s teeth were prettier than the boy.

Right: The girl’s teeth were prettier than the boy’s.

The girl’s teeth were prettier than the boy’s teeth.

When a comparison is limited to two things, use the comparative degree.

Wrong: What takes the most time, your job or school?

Right: What takes more time, your job or school?