Fluent Essays

Please see the attachments for instructions. Plagiarism receipt requires Internet Usage Policy at Pyramid: A Short Report September 20, 2013 Prepared for: Pyramid Design Team Prepared by: Student Name BUS105 Background Pyramid Design Team began seven years ago as a small design firm with three employees. The original employees were the owner and two designers. With this core of three employees, each knew what was expected of the other, and official policies cut against the grain of the creative atmosphere that was being fostered. Therefore, aside from the founding document containing the mission of the company, there were no policies put in place. This worked fine, until recently. Within the last four years, Pyramid has hired 11 additional staff, including designers and programmers. The company has been implementing new policies regarding vacation time, holidays, and sexual harassment, for example, but there still exists no policy governing the use of the Internet at work. Now that the company consists of 14 employees, I propose the creation and adoption of an Internet policy that will provide employees with clear guidelines about its appropriate and sanctioned use at work. Problem The inappropriate use of the Internet is threefold. First, the designers and developers are downloading beta versions of software from the Internet. Since this software is often in beta, there can be, and have been, numerous problems with these types of free downloads. Our IT manager has seen a huge increase in Trojan viruses penetrating our system and causing damage to our servers and other employees’ computers. He has spent countless hours trying to find and remove these viruses and has expended thousands of dollars in resources to call in technical specialists to eradicate the viruses. The intent of the designers and developers was simply to get the latest software that will allow them to create the best product. Unfortunately, that has not always been the case, and some of these downloads are causing serious IT threats to our systems. The new Internet policy needs to ban this practice and clearly state that nothing can be downloaded from the Internet without the express consent of the IT manager and a supervisor. Second is the use of social media at work. The use of company computers by employees to view Facebook, other social media, and streaming services has increased 200\% in the past 18 months! Some employees, for example, are logging-into Facebook when they arrive at work and leaving the page running as a tab in their web browser, checking it frequently throughout the day. This has decreased productivity. A study conducted by Nucleus Research and published by Computerworld found that “Companies that allow users to access Facebook in the workplace lose an average of 1.5\% in total employee productivity, according to a new report from Nucleus Research, an IT research company. The survey of 237 employees also showed that 77\% of workers who have a Facebook account use it during work hours.” Facebook is, of course, the biggest offender, but the policy needs to ban all social media, such as Twitter, while at work. The third area of concern involves streaming video services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. Employees who eat lunch at their desk are using their computers to watch videos from a streaming video provider. The problem arises when the employee watching a video finds the content completely suitable, while a co-worker sitting nearby, or passing by his or her desk, finds the content inappropriate. As this is a subjective opinion, we can be opening ourselves up to a lawsuit for sexual harassment, for instance, if a video contained nudity in it and the passerby saw it and became threatened. Although most employees are not falling into this category, it only takes one. Because of this, we need to ban streaming videos. Finally, there have been instances where pornography has been viewed on a company computer. I am sure we all can agree that banning the use of viewing or downloading any pornographic image using a company computer should be banned. Solution There needs to be a policy implemented where violations like these above can be dealt with immediately. Depending on the severity of the infraction, we can have a tiered system of punishment: 1. First Infraction – verbal warning 2. Second Infraction – written warning 3. Third Infraction – dismissal from the company There are many forms an Internet usage policy can take, but I suggest we keep it simple. GFI, a company that provides IT solutions, provides a clear-cut policy for Internet usage that details what company computers should, and should not, be used for: • Company employees are expected to use the Internet responsibly and productively. Internet access is limited to job-related activities only and personal use is not permitted • Job-related activities include research and educational tasks that may be found via the Internet that would help in an employees role • All Internet data that is composed, transmitted and/or received by <companys> computer systems is considered to belong to <company> and is recognized as part of its official data. It is therefore subject to disclosure for legal reasons or to other appropriate third parties • The equipment, services and technology used to access the Internet are the property of <company> and the company reserves the right to monitor Internet traffic and monitor and access data that is composed, sent or received through its online connections • Emails sent via the company email system should not contain content that is deemed to be offensive. This includes, though is not restricted to, the use of vulgar or harassing language/images • All sites and downloads may be monitored and/or blocked by <company> if they are deemed to be harmful and/or not productive to business • The installation of software such as instant messaging technology is strictly prohibited Unacceptable use of the Internet by employees includes, but is not limited to: • Sending or posting discriminatory, harassing, or threatening messages or images on the Internet or via <companys> email service • Using computers to perpetrate any form of fraud, and/or software, film or music piracy • Stealing, using, or disclosing someone elses password without authorization • Downloading, copying or pirating software and electronic files that are copyrighted or without authorization • Sharing confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary information outside of the organization • Hacking into unauthorized websites • Sending or posting information that is defamatory to the company, its products/services, colleagues and/or customers • Introducing malicious software onto the company network and/or jeopardizing the security of the organizations electronic communications systems • Sending or posting chain letters, solicitations, or advertisements not related to business purposes or activities • Passing off personal views as representing those of the organization Obviously, not all points made here are necessary, but this provides the best overview of a policy that we can utilize to make our operations run more smoothly and effectively. We can pick what we need and discard what does not apply. I suggest we begin work on creating this policy within the next week and have it ready to implement within one month. I am available at your convenience to discuss the creation of this policy. Works Cited Sample Internet Usage Policy. GFI. GFI Software, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.gfi.com/pages/sample-internet-usage-policy>. Study: Facebook Use Cuts Productivity at Work. Computerworld. Computerworld, Inc. 22 July 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/ 9135795/Study_Facebook_use_cuts_productivity_at_work> The Benefits and Risks of Using Skype at Darcy’s: A Short Report September 20, 2013 Prepared for: Darcy’s Department Store Prepared by: Student Name BUS105 2 Background The East Coast buyers for Darcy’s Department Store are looking for an economical and efficient way to share information about the deals buyers are getting from various suppliers and use real-time transmission of that information between one another to help save money. There are a number of tools to do this, but Skype has been mentioned as a leading contender. Skype claims to be an easy to use, online tool that allows users to connect with any other Skype user around the world for free. A user can make video and voice calls to other Skype users at no charge. Users can even share files among themselves, which provides a great asset during a business meeting. However, when there are group video calls, then Skype begins to charge a fee. Also, for buyers throughout the East Coast, this tool can be useful if they need to talk with one another. However, for meetings that require more than two attendees, Skype is not a useful tool and is not intended to work that way for business. Benefits Among the most attractive benefits of Skype is that it is free and you can see the person you are talking with. To purchase a software license for 20 buyers that is compatible to what Skype can do will cost Darcy’s roughly $1,500 per month. There are no hidden charges with Skype. According to Skype’s web page, users get video and voice calls to other Skype users and “instant messaging and file sharing” all at no charge. The video sharing feature of Skype will allow the buyers to see products in real time. For example, if two buyers are looking at similar merchandise from two different suppliers who are offering different pricing, then they can quickly Skype one another and compare the product to see if it is the same and to then get the best pricing for it. Two business writers for the Auburn Citizen in NY, state that there are business users “who can save time and money in scheduling and holding conferences or training sessions, demonstrate products or services for potential customers, and extend customer service by showing customers how to get the most from your product” (Leon and Leon). Downsides Despite the benefits mentioned above, there are clear downsides to this product. I tested Skype over a one-week period by calling various Skype users throughout the East Coast and tried to simulate a conversation that a buyer might have. First, using Skype takes getting used to. During my five-day test, I never mastered the connection stage. This is when one Skype user “calls” another Skype user. Skype makes 3 a distinctive sound that lets the user know it is making a call. However, once you connect to whom you are calling, the picture shows, but it takes about five seconds for that picture to catch up with the person sitting there. In essence, it is a still picture for five seconds. Second, once I was connected to the user, I quickly realized that what I was saying was not being transmitted in real-time. There could be up to a three second lag in what I said and the user hearing it. This created a number of challenges, but the biggest one was this lag kept the other user and me talking over each other. I just assumed the user could not hear what I said, so I repeated myself. Of course, as soon as I spoke, then I heard the user’s response to my original message, and thus began us talking over one another. This was a persistent problem throughout my first two calls, but got better once I became more familiar with the technology. Third, the picture is grainy, like an old TV. In this world of high definition, the picture I was getting with Skype looked like a 1970s television set. I could see the person fine, but the lack of clarity was alarming. If buyers were trying to compare colors of a fabric, for instance, that would be nearly impossible to do because of the degraded picture quality. Fourth, I experienced a number of connectivity issues throughout my test. I was only able to connect immediately on four of my 10 test calls. On the others, I thought the person picked up, but there was no one there, and I had to re-connect. This caused frustration and made me want to discard Skype each time it happened. Also during calls, it was not uncommon for the connection to be lost, and I would have to try and re- connect again. I am not sure why this occurs, but it happened on nearly 40\% of my calls. Again, this caused a great deal of frustration. Finally, there are concerns that the privacy of Skype users is being violated by Microsoft, “Anyone who uses Skype has consented to the company reading everything they write” (“Skype with Care). Recommendation The use of Skype really boils down to money. If we are trying to save money and need a readily available, free solution, then Skype is a contender. However, even though it is free, Skype poses a number of technology challenges that are outlined above. This alone makes this technology untenable for our company. At the swift pace we move, little challenges like the one Skype poses lead me to not recommend the product. There are a number of other services we can use, including many instant messaging programs that provide similar services as Skype, but do it better. We can even use FaceTime, from Apple, that can be used on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and most of our buyers seem to have at least one of these products. 4 In summary, although Skype is free, it does not meet the need we have to interconnect buyers across the East Coast and allow them to quickly and efficiently conduct business. I do not recommend Skype for Darcy’s buyers. 5 Works Cited Leon, Norma, and Tony Leon. Sky’s the limit for Skype video call uses. The Citizen. N.p., Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/sky-s-the- limit-for-skype-video-call-uses/article_5454fb55-8c85-5817-909f- 43a729f04992.html. >. Skype with care – Microsoft is reading everything you write. . The H Security. N.p., May 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Skype-with-care- Microsoft-is-reading-everything-you-write-1862870.html>. What is Skype?. Skype. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.skype.com/en/what-is- skype/>. Assignment Instructions: Short Report Instructions for Graded Writing Assignment 3: Short Report Reading(s): • Lesikars Chapter 12, pages 375 - 407 • Sample Short Report, pages 386 - 394 Instructions: For this final Graded Writing Assignment, you will compose a Short Report based on one of the scenarios outlined below. You must choose one of the scenarios listed below; papers submitted reflecting a scenario other than those listed below (even those listed in your text) will not be given credit or graded. Assignment Requirements: Write your findings as a well-organized Short Report containing the following key elements: • A title page • Document headings to separate parts of the report • At least two sources with brief in-text citations as shown in the sample Short Report (pages 386-394)1 • Interpretation of your findings in terms of their likely significance to you and your readers. Assignment Notes: • Create all pieces of the Short Report as one (1) document. • The Short Report should be 1,200-1,500 words in length. Remember to focus on the content, not just writing to fill a word requirement. • You will upload your finished document to the appropriate assignment in Business Communications. Instructions on how to upload are available in Topic 12. Scenarios: Option 1) The graphic design shop where you work as the account manager is doing well. Just last year the owner hired three new designers and a receptionist, bringing the total number of employees to 14. But with growth comes certain headaches, and one of them is figuring out how to regulate employees Internet use. Currently, employees can download anything they want from the Internet and view any website they wish. The owners IT person has alerted him to several problems. One is that the designers are downloading any and all software that they think sounds cool - even software in beta versions that still have a lot of kinks. As a result, their computers lock up or malfunction and the IT person has to spend hours troubleshooting the problem to get it resolved. Two, there is concern over what Internet sites employees are viewing, specifically those that are inappropriate for the workplace. Overall, the IT person is worried about security breaches resulting from these downloads, inappropriate website visits, and other Internet activities. Its time for a policy to be developed governing Internet-use and your boss thinks youre just the person to help write it. Your assignment is to study the current wisdom on the workplace Internet policies and send your findings to your boss and the IT person as a short report, including a proposed Internet- use policy that might be implemented. Option 2) As a Senior Buyer as Darcys, a national department store, Sasha Warner manages the buyers in the eastern U.S. region. Youre currently working under her as a sales co-op student. She drops by your office to chat one day and brings up a subject shes been wondering about. Do you know anything about Skype? she asks. You nod, having used this online international phone service yourself. I heard its totally free and really easy to use, she continues, so Im thinking about recommending that all my buyers subscribe to it. Then maybe they could talk to each other and to international designers and merchandisers more easily. Is there any downside? Maybe security issues? Youre not sure--but you offer to look into the matter for her. Do the necessary research and, if you havent done so, try this service yourself. Then, write Sasha a report that gives her the information she needs to decide whether or not to pursue this idea further. She may want to share your report with other managers in the company so be sure you give it your best effort. Option 3) You work for the owner of three local coffee and tea shops, one of which opened a few months ago. The newest one has already developed quite a nice, regular clientele, mostly those in or near the neighborhood who want an alternative to the big-coffee-chain experience, but your boss things its sales need a bump. She is considering holding an in-store promotion at the coffee shop - her first-ever. Since she knows youre an Internet whiz, she turns to you for help. How do you run one of these events? she wants to know. How much do they cost? Are they worth the effort and expense? What are the options? Do such promotions have lasting effects? How can I maximize the results? You turn to the internet and find a lot of great stuff about in-store promotions, so much, in fact, that you decide to present your findings to your boss in writing. Tell her what she needs and wants to know in a clear, well-organized report. Having the information in writing will also be helpful if she wants to share it with other employees. Be sure she can go to your sources and read more if she wants to. Option 4) Many managers today are realizing that there really is something distinctive about Gen Y, or Millennial, employees (the children of baby boomers - who were themselves children of the World War II generation). Find a real client or invent a realistic company to use as your client. Then review the literature on Gen Y employees and write your client a report in which you describe the distinctive traits of this segment of the workforce and recommend ways to recruit, manage, and retain them. Option 5) Your company does not offer flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for its employees. Your boss wonders if your company (you pick the name) should. Are FSAs a good idea for businesses and employees? Prepare a report for your boss in which you analyze the advantages and disadvantages of FSAs so that she can decide whether to offer FSAs to your employees. ________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Please note that the sample shown in your book is a Mid-length Report and therefore contains some sections that you will not need for the Short Report. For instance, you will not need the letter of transmittal or the executive summary. BUS105 Needs Improvement (1) Satisfactory (2) Exemplary (3) Content Many key elements of the assignment unmet. Content not covered in a substantive and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects some confusion with important aspects of the assignment. Student illustrates a lack of understanding and insight of assignment objectives. All key elements of the assignment are met, but content not always covered in a substantive and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects a solid grasp of each important aspect of the assignment. Student illustrates insight and understanding of assignment objectives. All key elements of the assignment met. Content is covered in a substantive and comprehensive way with each important aspect of the assignment addressed. Student illustrates insight and understanding of assignment objectives. Organization Main points are unclear and many are not sufficiently supported. Ideas are not logically arranged. Construction of sentences and paragraphs reflects difficulty with organizing coherent thoughts. Main points are clearly stated, but not always supported. Ideas are logically arranged, but sentences and paragraphs are not well-constructed. Organization reflects coherent thought, but transitions are needed to help connect ideas. Main points are clearly stated and supported. Ideas are logically arranged. Sentences and paragraphs are well- constructed. Organization reflects coherent thought with effective transitions used to connect ideas. Support (Support and Elaboration) Points are not supported with evidence. Student does not make an effort to anticipate the readers concerns. Most points are supported with evidence (facts, statistics when applicable) and examples. Student makes an effort to anticipate the reader’s concerns by offering relevant explanations and clear support for the author’s position. Main points are supported with effective evidence (facts, statistics when applicable) and examples. Student anticipates the reader’s concerns by offering relevant explanations and clear support for the author’s position. Tone & Style (Professionalism) Word choice is informal and is not directed towards appropriate audience. Tone and style are not appropriate for assignment. Font type and/or size are not appropriate for assignment. White space is not used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate audience, but some issues related to tone and style noted. Font type and size choices may not be appropriate for assignment. White space is used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate audience. Tone and style are appropriate for assignment. Professional font type and size for assignment purpose. Effective use of white space. Grammar/Mechanics Many errors noted in sentence structure and/or spelling. Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation not followed. Documentation style not used or formatting contains several major errors. Sentences are complete and spelling is correct. Minor grammar, usage, and/or punctuation errors noted. Appropriate documentation style used where applicable with some minor formatting errors. Sentences are complete and spelling is correct. Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation followed. Appropriate documentation style used where applicable. Learning Objectives Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to write well-structured business reports. To reach this goal, you should be able to 1 Explain the makeup of reports relative to length and formality. 2 Discuss the four main ways that the writing in short reports differs from the writing in long reports. 3 Choose an appropriate form for short reports. 4 Adapt the procedures for writing short reports to routine operational reports, progress reports, and problem-solving reports as well as to minutes of meetings. 5 Write longer reports that include the appropriate components, meet the readers’ needs, and are easy to follow. Page 375 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE Preparing Different Types of Business Reports Assume again the position of an operations manager at Technisoft (as introduced in Chapter 11). Writing reports is a significant part of your job. Most of the time, these reports concern routine, everyday problems: human resource policies, administrative procedures, work flow, and the like. Following what appears to be established company practice, you write the reports on these problems in simple email form. Occasionally, however, you have a more involved assignment. Last week, for example, you investigated a union charge that the company showed favoritism to nonunion workers on certain production jobs. Because your report on this formal investigation was written for the benefit of ranking company administrators as well as union leaders, you used a more formal style and format. Then there was the report you helped prepare for the board of directors last fall. That report summarized pressing needs for capital improvements. A number of executives contributed to this project, but you were the coordinator. Because the report was important and was written for the board, you made it as formal as possible. Clearly, reports vary widely. This chapter will help you determine your reports’ makeup, style, form, and contents. It will then focus on the types of reports that are likely to figure in your business-writing future. AN OVERVIEW OF REPORT COMPONENTS LO1 Explain the makeup of reports relative to length and formality. As you prepare to write any report, you will need to decide on its makeup. Will it be a simple email? Will it be a long, complex, and formal report? Or will it fall between these extremes? To a great extent, your decisions will be based on the reports anticipated length and formality. The more complex the problem and the more formal the situation, the more elaborate the report is likely to be. Conversely, less complex problems and less formal situations will require less elaborate reports. Adjusting your reports form and contents https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/24_chapter11.xhtml#chap11 based on its likely length and formality will help you meet the readers needs in each situation. In the subsections that follow, we first explain how to decide which components to use for a given report. We then briefly review the purpose and contents of each of these components. The Report Classification Plan The diagram in Figure 12-1 can help you construct reports that fit your specific need. At the top of the “stairway” are the most formal reports. Such reports have a number of pages that come before the report itself, just as this book has pages that come before the first chapter. Typically, these prefatory pages, as they are called, are included when the situation is formal and the report is long. The exact makeup of the prefatory pages may vary, but the most common parts, in this order, are title fly, title page, letter of transmittal, table of contents, and executive summary. Flyleaves (blank pages at the beginning and end that protect the report) also may be included. As the need for formality decreases and the problem becomes smaller, the makeup of the report changes. Although the changes that occur are far from standardized, they follow a general order. First, the title fly drops out. This page contains only the report title, which also appears on the next page. Since the title fly is used primarily for reasons of formality, it is the first component to go. On the next level of formality, the executive summary and the letter of transmittal are combined. When this stage is reached, the report problem is simple enough to be summarized in a short space. As shown in Figure 12-1, the report at this stage has three prefatory parts: title page, table of contents, and combined transmittal letter and executive summary. Page 376 Figure 12-1 Progression of Change in Report Makeup as Formality Requirements and Length Decrease https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 At the fourth step, the table of contents drops out. Another step down, as formality and length requirements continue to decrease, the combined letter of transmittal and executive summary drops out. Thus, the report commonly called the short report now has only a title page and the report text. The title page remains to the last because it serves as a useful cover page. In addition, it contains the most important identifying information. Below the short-report form is a form that presents the information as a letter report. And finally, for short problems of less formality, the email or memo form is used. This is a general analysis of how reports are adapted to the problem and situation. While it wont cover every report, it can be relied upon for most reports you will write. The Report Components To be able to decide which parts of a long, formal report to include in your reports, you need a basic understanding of each part. This section describes the different report components represented in Figure 12-1. https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 Title Pages. The first two pages of a long, formal report—the title fly and title page— contain identification information. As we have said, the title fly contains only the report title; it is included simply to give a report the most formal appearance. The title page, as illustrated on pages 386 and 416, is more informative. It typically contains the title, identification of the writer and reader, and the date. Page 377 COMMUNICATION MATTERS Creating a Report Title with the 5 Ws and 1 H As this chapter says, the five Ws (who, what, where, when, why) and one H (how) can help you craft a report title that is precise and informative. For example, to generate a title for a recommendation report about sales training at Nokia, you might ask yourself … Who? Nokia What? Sales training recommendations Where? Implied (Nokia regional offices) When? 2014 Why? Implied (to improve sales training) How? Studied the companys sales activities From this analysis would come the title “Sales Training Recommendations for Nokia,” with the subtitle “Based on a 2014 Study of Company Sales Activities.” Although constructing title pages is easy, composing the title is not. In fact, on a per- word basis, the title requires more time than any other part of the report. A good title efficiently and precisely covers the contents. Consider building your title around the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. Sometimes how may be important as well. You may not need to use all the Ws, but they can help you check the completeness of your title. Remember that a good title is concise as well as complete, so be careful not to make your title so long that it is hard to understand. A subtitle can help you be both concise and complete, as in this example: “Employee Morale at Florida Human Resource Offices: Results from a 2013 Survey.” In addition to displaying the report title, the title page identifies the recipient and the writer (and usually their titles and company names). The title page also contains the date unless it is already in the title of the report. Your word-processing program likely includes some attractive templates for title pages, like those used in the sample reports in this chapter. You can also download report templates from the Internet. Transmittal Message. As the label implies, the transmittal message is a message that transmits the report to the reader. In formal situations, it usually takes letter form. In less formal situations (e.g., when delivering a report to internal readers whom you know https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#page386 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#page416 fairly well), the report can be transmitted orally or by email. Whatever the case, you should think of the transmittal as a personal message from the writer to the reader, with much the same contents you would use if you were handing the report over in a face- to-face meeting with the recipient. Except in cases of extreme formality, you should use personal pronouns (you, I, we) and conversational language. The transmittal letters on pages 387 and 417 illustrate the usual structure for this component. Begin with a brief paragraph that says, essentially, “Here is the report.” Briefly identify the reports contents and purpose and, if appropriate, its authorization (who assigned the report, when, and why). Focus the body of the message on the key points of the report or on facts about the report that could be useful for your readers to know. If you are combining the transmittal message with the executive summary, as represented by the third and fourth levels of Figure 12-1, here is where you will include that summary. At the end of the message, you should provide a pleasant and/or forward- looking comment. You might express gratitude for the assignment, for example, or offer to do additional research. Page 378 Figure 12-2 Diagram of the Executive Summary in Indirect and Direct Order https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#page387 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#page417 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 Table of Contents. If your short report goes much over five pages (or 1,500 words), you might consider including a brief table of contents. This part, of course, is a listing of the reports contents. As Chapter 11 points out, it is the report outline in finished form, with page numbers to indicate where the parts begin. The formatting should reflect the reports structure, with main headings clearly differentiated from subheadings. The section titles should state each parts contents clearly and match the reports headings exactly. The table of contents may also include a list of illustrations (or, if long, this list can stand alone). If a separate table of contents would be too formal, you can just list the topics that your report will cover in its introductory section. Executive Summary. The executive summary is the report in miniature. For some readers it serves as a preview to the report, but for others—such as busy executives who may not have time to read the whole report—its the only part of the report they will read. Because of this latter group of readers, the summary should be self- explanatory; that is, readers shouldnt have to read other parts of the report in order to make sense of the summary. As pointed out previously, whether the executive summary is one of the prefatory parts, is included in the transmittal message, or is part of the report proper depends on how long and how formal the report is. https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/24_chapter11.xhtml#chap11 You construct the executive summary by reducing the parts of the report in order and in proportion. You should clearly identify the topic, purpose, and origin of the report; state at least briefly what kind of research was conducted; present the key facts, findings, and analysis; and state the main conclusions and recommendations. If you include these parts in this order, which usually matches the order of the report contents, your summary will be written in the indirect order. But sometimes writers use the direct order by starting with the conclusions and recommendations and then continuing with the other information. Figure 12-2 shows the difference between these two structures, and Figures 12-3 and 12-4 give examples. Whichever order you choose, the executive summary will need to be a masterpiece of economical writing. Page 379 Figure 12-3 An Executive Summary in Indirect Order https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-2 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-3 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-4 Page 380 Figure 12-4 An Executive Summary in Direct Order Page 381 It may be desirable to include other report components not discussed here—for example, a copy of the message that authorized the report, various appendices containing supplementary material, a glossary, or a bibliography. As with any writing task, you will need to decide what parts to provide given the facts of the situation and your readers’ preferences. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SHORTER REPORTS LO2 Discuss the four main ways that the writing in short reports differs from the writing in long reports. The shorter report forms (those at the bottom of the stairway) are by far the most common in business. These are the everyday working reports—those used for the routine information reporting that is vital to an organizations communication. Because these reports are so common, our study of report types begins with them. Little Need for Introductory Information Most of the shorter, more informal reports require little or no introductory material. These reports typically concern day-to-day problems. Their lives are short; they are not likely to be kept on file very long. They are intended for only a few readers, and these readers are likely to understand their context and purpose. If readers do need an introduction, that need is likely to be small. Determining what introductory material to provide is simply a matter of answering one question: What does my reader need to know before reading the information in this report? In very short reports, an incidental reference to the problem or to the authorization of the investigation will be sufficient. In extreme cases, however, you may need a detailed introduction comparable to that of the more formal reports. Reports need no introductory material if their very nature explains their purpose. This holds true for personnel actions, weekly sales reports, inventory reports, and some progress reports. Predominance of the Direct Order Because shorter reports usually solve routine problems, they are likely to be written in the direct order. That is, the report will begin with its most important information— usually the conclusion and perhaps a recommendation. Business writers use this order because they know that busy readers typically want the key point quickly. Many routine reports are submitted on hand-held devices. The form that the direct order takes in longer reports is somewhat different. The main findings will be somewhere up front—either in the letter of transmittal, executive summary, or both—but the report itself may be organized indirectly. The introduction will present the topic and purpose of the report, but the actual findings will be brought out in the body sections, and their fullest statement will usually appear in the conclusions or recommendations section. As you move down the structural ladder toward the more informal and shorter reports, however, the need for the direct order in the report itself increases. At the bottom of the ladder, the direct order is more the rule than the exception. Page 382 Illustrating the direct arrangement is the following beginning of a report on a personnel issue: The hiring committee recommends appointing Sue Breen as our new Corporate Communications Officer. We interviewed three candidates for the position … [The rest of this paragraph describes the candidates.] While all three candidates had strengths, Ms. Breen emerged as the top candidate, for these reasons: • She was the most experienced of the three candidates, with 27 years’ experience in corporate communication. • She had the most expertise with the widest variety of communication media, from annual reports to blog posts to intranets and social networking, and she understood the advantages and disadvantages of each. • She has an impressive track record. At Gemini Web Conferencing, she launched a corporate communications program that … [The report continues to make the case and then reiterates its recommendation at the end.] As you can see, this report states its main point first and then supplies the supporting information. In contrast, a report written in the indirect order presents the supporting information before stating its main conclusion or recommendation. Using the personnel issue from the last example, the indirect arrangement would appear like this: The hiring committee interviewed three candidates for the position of Corporate Communications Officer: … [The opening paragraph briefly describes the candidates.] While all three candidates had strengths, Ms. Breen emerged as the top candidate, for these reasons: • She was the most experienced of the three candidates, with 27 years’ experience in corporate communication. • She had the most expertise with the widest variety of communication media, from annual reports to blog posts to intranets and social networking, and she understood the advantages and disadvantages of each. • She has an impressive track record. At Gemini Web Conferencing, she launched a corporate communications program that … [The list continues to make the case.] In light of these assets, we recommend that Sue Breen be appointed as our new Corporate Communications Officer. Deciding whether to use the direct order is best based on a consideration of your readers’ likely use of the report. If your readers need the report conclusion or recommendation as a basis for an action that they must take, directness will speed their effort by enabling them to quickly receive the most important information. If they have confidence in your work, they may choose to skim or not even read the rest of the report before acting on your information. Should they desire to question any part of the report, however, the material is there for their inspection. On the other hand, if there is reason to believe that it would be better for your readers to arrive at the conclusion or recommendation only after a logical review of the analysis, you should organize your report in the indirect order. This arrangement is especially preferable when you will be recommending something that you know your readers will not favor or want to hear. For example, in the illustration above, if you suspect that one of the executives to whom youre making your hiring recommendation prefers another candidate to Sue Breen, youll want to make your case before stating the committees decision. Presenting the supporting data before the recommendation prepares resistant readers to accept your solution to the report problem. Page 383 COMMUNICATION MATTERS Tips from a Professional Explainer City planners have to write proposals and reports that make sense to both experts and ordinary citizens. Consider incorporating these 10 recommendations from a San Francisco-based planner into your proposals and reports: 1. Summarize. Most people dont have time to read a long plan. Write a clear executive summary, and make it a stand-alone document that can be reproduced and distributed separately. 2. Hit the facts. Consider writing a one- or two-page fact sheet or flyer for your plan or project for such secondary audiences as reporters and others who just want the key details. 3. Unclutter. Move lengthy supplementary information into appendices. 4. Break it up. Put such information as definitions, examples, and lists into margin notes, textboxes, or sidebars. 5. Add on. If some readers might want additional information, tell them where to find it. 6. Help navigate. Use “signposting” tools—such as a table of contents, section previews, and section-specific headers and footers—to help readers find what they need and know where they are in your document. 7. Add headings. Break up the text visually with informative headings and subheadings—and use form and placement rather than numbering to indicate the different levels. 8. Dont overdo acronyms. Spell out acronyms the first time you use them, and consider including them in a glossary, along with technical terms. 9. Experiment. Perhaps black and white text in portrait orientation on 8½ × 11-inch paper is not the most effective format to use. Consider adding color, using landscape orientation, and incorporating other kinds of visual interest. 10. Why not video? Or other kinds of electronic media? If you will be delivering your document electronically, consider including dynamic content for interest and persuasiveness. SOURCE: Niko Letunic, “Beyond Plain English,” Planning 73.9 (2007): 40–44, ProQuest, Web, 20 July 2012. A More Personal Writing Style The writing in shorter reports tends to be more personal than in long reports. That is, the shorter reports are likely to use the personal pronouns I, we, and you rather than only the third person. Several factors account for this tendency toward personal writing in shorter reports. In the first place, short-report situations usually involve personal relationships. Such reports tend to be from and to people who know each other and who normally address each other informally when they meet. In addition, shorter reports are apt to involve personal investigations and to represent the observations, evaluations, and analyses of their writers. Finally, shorter reports tend to deal with day-to-day problems. These problems are informal by their very nature. It is logical to report them informally, and personal writing tends to produce this informal effect. Page 384 TECHNOLOGY IN BRIEF Using a Report Template for a Polished Look When preparing a report, consider using a pre-designed template to give your report a professional, consistent design. In Word 2010, you can access the available report templates by clicking File > New and entering report in the “Search Office.com for templates” field. When you find a template you like, such as the one shown here, you can download it to your computer for your current and future use. If youre not pleased with the color scheme, you can click File > Themes to select a different palette of colors, as shown. If you like, you can also change the fonts and margins. For most business reports, youll want to choose a relatively conservative design like the one shown here. The more visually elaborate designs are better for special publications, such as annual reports and sales proposals. http://office.com/ Page 385 As explained in Chapter 11, your decision about whether to write a report in personal or impersonal style should be based on the situation. Convention favors using impersonal writing for the most formal situations. For most short reports, personal writing is likely to be preferable because of their relatively routine nature. Less Need for a Structured Coherence Plan A long, formal report usually needs what we call a “structured coherence plan”—a network of introductions, conclusions, and transitions that guides the reader through the report. Creating such a plan means giving the report an overview and a conclusion, providing the same for the individual sections, and incorporating transitions that bridge each section to the next. Such devices enable the reader to know at every point where he or she is in the report and how the current section is related to the overall goal of the report. Short reports, because they are short, generally do not need an elaborate coherence plan. Readers will not need many reminders of what they just read or previews of what theyre about to read. The report introduction (which should contain an overview), clear headings, and brief transitional devices (such as “Second,” “next,” and quick references to previous points) will usually be sufficient to keep readers on track. FORMS FOR SHORT TO MID-LENGTH REPORTS LO3 Choose an appropriate form for short reports. As noted earlier, the shorter report forms are by far the most numerous and important in business. In fact, the three forms represented by the bottom three steps of the stairway in Figure 12-1—short reports, letter reports, and email or memo reports—make up the bulk of written reports. The Short Report One of the more popular of the less formal report forms is the short report. Representing the fourth and fifth steps in the formality stairway, this report consists of only a title page and text or a title page, combined transmittal message/summary, and text, respectively. Its popularity may be explained by the middle-ground impression of formality that it conveys. The short report is ideally suited for the short but somewhat formal problem. Like most of the less formal report forms, the short report may be organized in either the direct or indirect order. If the report is addressed to an internal audience, it will likely use the direct order unless there is reason to believe that readers will resist the conclusions or recommendations. Reports written to external audiences may or may not state the main conclusions or recommendations in the opening paragraphs, but it is https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/24_chapter11.xhtml#chap11 https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 customary to include these in the transmittal message since it doubles as an executive summary. When you open your short report with the main results of your investigation, the next section usually provides background on the report problem and what you did to investigate it. In other words, it provides your problem and purpose statements, as described in the previous chapter. When your report uses the indirect order, a coherent statement of your problem and purpose open the report, as illustrated by the sample long report that appears later in this chapter. Even if you have provided your recommendations up front, you should reiterate and perhaps expand on them at the end of your report. Readers do not mind this kind of redundancy as long as the recommendations are helpfully restated, not just copied and pasted from the front of the report. Plus, stopping short of your main points at the end of your report would end it too abruptly. Page 386 CASE ILLUSTRATION A Mid-Length Recommendation Report. This report, with its title page and combined letter of transmittal and executive summary, would fall on the fourth level of Figure 12-1. It is organized indirectly in order to prepare the reader for the students’ recommendations. https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/1260093808/epub/OEBPS/25_chapter12.xhtml#fig12-1 Page 387 Page 388 Page 389 Page 390 Page 391 Page 392 Page 393 Page 394 Page 395 The mechanics of constructing the short report are much the same as the mechanics of constructing the more formal, longer types. The short report uses the same form of title page and page layout. Like the longer reports, it uses headings, though usually only one or two levels because of its brevity. Like any other report, the short report uses visuals, an appendix, and a bibliography when these are needed. Letter Reports The second of the more common shorter report forms is the letter report—that is, a report in letter form. Letter reports are used primarily to present information to people outside the organization. For example, a companys written evaluation of its experience with a particular product may be presented in letter form and sent to the person who requested it. An outside consultant may deliver his or her analyses and recommendations in letter form. Or the officer of an organization may report certain information to the membership in a letter. Typically, the length of letter reports is three to four pages or less, but they may be longer or shorter. As a general rule, letter reports are written personally, using I, you, and we references. Exceptions exist, of course, such as …