How to Write a Business Report
Reports and proposals
After reading this chapter you should be able to: • Explain the differences and similarities between formats, types or sub-genres of reports • Explain the differences and similarities between reports and essays • Explain why documents need to contain an appropriate balance of information and persuasion • Demonstrate competence in writing a longer, analytical research report • Explain the differences between reports and submissions, proposals and tenders
So you’ve got to write a report . . .
The ability to write reports is one of the most useful writing skills you can acquire. To be a good report writer means you must be competent at describing and analysing situations and people. A report is a powerful communication and decision-making tool in many business undertakings. It may be used to present the results of a special project or it may serve as a public relations exercise, such as in when social and environmental reports are published. In either case, how well the document meets the brief, and its quality and accuracy, can have a profound effect on its success in achieving its desired objective. What’s more, demonstrating your ability to produce a credible document will set you apart from colleagues and help you make strides in your career (Couzins & Beagrie 2003). Reports can be just a few words long or can extend to multiple bound volumes. They can deal with routine or non-routine matters. The writer may have to make all decisions relating to content, layout and design, or the format may be pre-set, with the writer needing only to feed in a few new figures and updates. Most reports are still paper-based, although an increasing number are completed and submitted online. There are many types of reports, but in this chapter we will focus primarily on analytical or research reports. We will also consider some types of documents that bear a strong resemblance to reports — namely, submissions, proposals or tenders. Table 5.1 sets out some
After reading this chapter you should be able to: • Explain the differences and similarities between formats, types or sub-genres of reports • Explain the differences and similarities between reports and essays • Explain why documents need to contain an appropriate balance of information and persuasion • Demonstrate competence in writing a longer, analytical research report • Explain the differences between reports and submissions, proposals and tenders
So you’ve got to write a report . . .
The ability to write reports is one of the most useful writing skills you can acquire. To be a good report writer means you must be competent at describing and analysing situations and people. A report is a powerful communication and decision-making tool in many business undertakings. It may be used to present the results of a special project or it may serve as a public relations exercise, such as in when social and environmental reports are published. In either case, how well the document meets the brief, and its quality and accuracy, can have a profound effect on its success in achieving its desired objective. What’s more, demonstrating your ability to produce a credible document will set you apart from colleagues and help you make strides in your career (Couzins & Beagrie 2003). Reports can be just a few words long or can extend to multiple bound volumes. They can deal with routine or non-routine matters. The writer may have to make all decisions relating to content, layout and design, or the format may be pre-set, with the writer needing only to feed in a few new figures and updates. Most reports are still paper-based, although an increasing number are completed and submitted online. There are many types of reports, but in this chapter we will focus primarily on analytical or research reports. We will also consider some types of documents that bear a strong resemblance to reports — namely, submissions, proposals or tenders. Table 5.1 sets out some