Understanding and

Planning Business
Reports and Proposals

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Reports and Proposals

Comply with Gain the

Guide
Government Acceptance
Decisions
Regulations of Others

Monitor Implement
Document
and Control Policies and
Results
Operations Procedures

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Informational Reports

• Monitor and control operations

• Implement policies and procedures

• Comply with government regulations

• Document progress on projects

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 Analytical Reports

Problem-Solving
Reports

Business
Proposals

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 Solving Problems

Trouble Shooting Reports

Feasibility
Reports

Justification Reports

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 Writing Proposals

Internal External

Solicited Unsolicited

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Three-Step Writing Process

Planning Writing Completing

Organize the Revise the Message

Analyze the Situation
Message Produce the Message
Investigate the Topic
Compose the Proofread the
Adapt to Audience
Message Message

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 Planning Reports
Medium

Analysis

Audience Adaptation Purpose

Investigation

Channel

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 Analyzing the Situation

Informational Analytical
Reports Reports

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 Defining the Problem

Where
Who? What?
?

When? Why? How?

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 Writing a
Purpose Statement
Analyze Summarize

Evaluate Analytical Informational Explain

Recommend Submit

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 Drafting a
Preliminary Outline
Descriptive (Topical) Informative (Talking)

I. Industry Characteristics I. What is the nature of the industry?

A. Annual Sales A. What are the annual sales?
B. Profitability B. Is the industry profitable?
C. Growth Rate C. What is the growth pattern?
1. Sales 1. Sales growth?
2. Profit 2. Profit growth?

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 Preparing the Work Plan
• Statement of the problem
• Statement of the purpose and scope
• Discussion of tasks to be accomplished
• Description of final products or outcomes
• Review of schedules and requirements
• Plans for following up
• Working outline

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 Finding Information
in the Library
Business Electronic
Newspapers Periodicals
Books Databases

Statistical Government
Directories Almanacs
Resource Publications

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 Business Information
on the Internet
Internet
Public Library

Company
Websites

News
Release Sites
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 Searching Databases
Use Multiple Search Engines

Replace Concepts With Key Words

Use Variations of Search Terms

Specify Phrases and Key Words

Refine Searches As Needed

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 Sources of
Primary Information
Documents

Observations

Experiments

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 Effective Surveys
Provide Clear Use Short
Instructions Questionnaires

Seek Easy-to-Analyze Avoid Leading

Answers Questions

Pretest Ask One Thing

Questionnaires At a Time

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 Effective Interviews

Plan the Prepare Prioritize

Interview Questions Questions

Don’t Ask Too Edit the Process

Many Questions Questions Information

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 Documenting
Sources

Copyrighted General
Material Knowledge

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 Interpret Your Findings

Assumptions
Values

Facts
Conclusions Recommendations

Judgment

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