How to write a Business Report
You must go through a number of steps:
1. Identify your target reader
2. Plan the scope of your report
3. Organise your tasks and research into a project plan
4. Evaluate and analyse y
...
How to write a Business Report
You must go through a number of steps:
1. Identify your target reader
2. Plan the scope of your report
3. Organise your tasks and research into a project plan
4. Evaluate and analyse your information
5. Draft the main body of text
6. Devise your conclusions and recommendations
7. Final edit to ensure it all makes sense
8. Write your executive summary
9. Add the front-sheet and bind the report; then check it before
submission
4.1 Consider carefully exactly what you have been asked to do. If in doubt ask for
clarification.
4.2 Who is your reader.
Most business reports are written by ‘specialists’ and read by ‘generalists’
usually the decision-makers in an organisation. So in preparing your report ask:
How much background information, definitions and other information is
required?
What questions will they ask and what information do you need to
answer them?
Is the audience ‘internal’ or ‘external’ or both?
4.3 What do you need to research.
Will you need primary research, or will you be working from published
information? Is the data readily available? Plan how long you will need to
acquire the information and build that into your project plan.
4.4 Take the time to analyse your information thoroughly.
Keep in mind your brief and organise your information accordingly. Typically it
might be: 1) historical perspective - where has the organisation come from; 2)
the prevailing conditions – state of the market, economy, political climate; 3)
what new information you have acquired; 4) your synthesis into a plan; 5)
conclusions and a summary of your recommended plan of action. As you collect
information keep it collated in the sections of your outline so as you can control
how you build up the report.
4.5 Draft the main body of text.
Use headings and sub-headings, as this document is structured.
Use the third person. i.e. write: Research was undertaken amongst
employees.... Not: we did some research with employees...
Write in short sentences and in short paragraphs. These make reading
easy. One thought per paragraph.
Keep your style consistent throughout.
Do not use slang or contractions. They are advertisements not ads.
Use correct, grammatical English including apostrophes in the right
place.
Repeat some or all of the sub-head information in the first line of your
sentence underneath.
See appendix 1 for a summary of the differences between essay and
report.
4.5.1 Use of headings and sub-headings
Writing Business Reports
Required reading by all Plymouth Business School students at all levels.
The following document outlines the requirements of a business report and provides a
model for the way in which the School of Management recommends business reports
be written. This is a framework; your tutor may advise of minor changes to the format
but in the absence of such advice, write your business reports in this format.
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