BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONGood communication is as stimulating as
black coffee and just as hard to sleep after. Communication is a
process by which information is transmitted and understood between
two or more people. It should include both transference and the
understanding of meaning.Communication is the life blood of social
as well as corporate world. We exist because we communicate. Even
our silence communicates a lot. We all have a laymans idea of what
communication is , but let us try to understand the concept fully
so that we can use it effectively.Communication is the process by
which we exchange meanings , facts , ideas ,opinions or emotions
with other people. It is an essential condition of our existence
and the most important activity of ours. The word communication has
been derived from Latin word communicare/communis that means to
share or participate . Everybody knows that most of the time ,
through speech or writing or any other means like exchange of a
common set of symbols , we are sharing information with other human
beings. It is , therefore , first and foremost a social activity.
Man as a social animal has to communicate.Communication is an
exchange of facts , ideas , opinions or emotions by two or more
persons.General communication is different from business
communication / Administrative communication.According to William
Scott in his book organizational theory Administrative
communication is a process which involves the transmission and
accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose
of eliciting actions which will accomplish organizational
goalsCommunication is the process of sending and receiving
messages. However it is said to be effective only when the message
is understood and when it stimulates action or encourages the
receiver to think in new ways.OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION 1.
STRONGER DECISION MAKINGYour ability to communicate effectively
increases productivity , both yours and your organization.2.
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITYWith good communication skills , you can
anticipate problems , make decisions , co-ordinate work flow ,
supervise others , develop relationships and promote products and
services.3. STEADIER WORK FLOWCommunication acts as tool for the
effective work related flow of information. 4. STRONG BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIPS & ENHANCED PROFESSIONAL IMAGEYou can shape the
impressions you and your company make on colleagues , employees
,supervisors , investors ,and customers in addition to perceiving
and responding to the needs of these stakeholders(the various group
you interact with ) without effective communication , people
misunderstand each other and misinterpret information. Ideas
misfire or fail to gain attention and people and companies
flounder.5. CLEARER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS Your organizations need
for effective reach of company name and public promotions are based
on effective promotional material such as advertisements , bill
boards , online add , posters etc are all communicated for
effective message delivery and meaning.6. PROVIDE ADVICEGiving
advice is based on individual-oriented and work-oriented ,advice
should not given to the person for pinpointing his mistakes rather
it should be helpful for his improvement. Effective advice promotes
understanding and it can be a two way process if the subordinate
staff given freedom.7. PROVIDE ORDEROrder is an authoritative
communication pattern and it is directive to somebody always a
subordinate to do something. Orders will be written and oral orders
, general and specific orders ,procedural and operational orders ,
mandatory and discretionary order. Order should be clear and
complete ,execution should be possible and given in a friendly
way.8.SUGGESTIONSuggestion is supposed to be very mild and subtle
form of communication. Suggestions are welcomed for it is not
obligatory to accept them , it can be voluntary and anonymous and
submitted through suggestion boxes.9. PERSUASIONPersuasion may be
defined as an effort to influence the attitudes , feelings ,or
beliefs of others , or to influence actions based on those
attitudes , feelings , or beliefs. Persuasion can be done to others
if you are convinced , you do not impose , you are not rigid are
prepared to meet half-way and you can look at the situation from
the other persons angle also.10. EDUCATIONEducation is a very
conscious process of communication ,it involves both teaching and
learning by which organizations provide to their employees in the
form of training. Education is given for management , employees and
outside public.12. WARNINGIf the employees do not abide by the
norms of the organization warning is a power communication tool and
it can be general and specific. Specific warning should be
administered in private and after thorough investigation. The aim
of the warning should be the organization betterment.13. RAISING
MORALE AND MOTIVATIONMorale stands for mental health and it is a
sum of several qualities like courage , resolution , confidence
.High morale and effective performance go hand to hand. Motivation
is a process that account for an individual intensity, direction ,
and persistence of effort towards attaining a goal.14. TO GIVE AND
RECEIVE INFORMATIONCommunications main idea is to give and receive
information because managers need complete , accurate and precise
information to plan and organize employee need it to translate
planning in to reality. Information will cover all aspects of the
business.15. TO PROVIDE COUNSELLINGCounseling is given to solve
employees mental stress and improve the employees productivity.16.
TO IMPROVE DISCIPLINEFinally discipline is the foremost part of any
business communication. The various disciplinary codes are
effectively communicated to employees through disciplinary
codes.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONEffective
business communication have a common basic characteristics1.
Provide practical information : Business messages usually describe
how to do something , explain why a procedure was changed ,
highlight the cause of a problem or a possible solution , discuss
the status of a project , or explain why a new piece of equipment
should be purchased.2. Give facts rather than impression : Business
messages use concrete language and specific details. Information
must be clear , convincing , accurate and ethical. You must present
hard evidence ( not just opinion ) and present all sides of an
argument before you commit to a conclusion.3. Clarify and condense
information : Business messages frequently use tables , charts ,
photos , or diagrams to clarify or condense information , to
explain a process , or to emphasize important information.4. State
precise responsibilities : Business messages are directed to a
specific audience. Therefore , you must clearly state what is
expected of , or what you can do for, that particular audience.5.
Persuade others and offer recommendations : Business messages
frequently persuade employers , customers , or clients to purchase
a product or service or adopt a plan of action. To be effective ,
persuasive messages must show readers just how a product , service
or idea will benefit them specifically.COMMUNICATION PROCESS
MODELPHASE 1: Idea& SenderA person has an idea or thought which
he wants to communicate to the other person. Now the sender sends
the message with a carefully selected medium and channel. The
sender encodes the idea (i.e) Written or spoken word , facial
expression , gesture. The message length, tone, and style all
depends on your audience and your personal style or mood. The
sender transmits the message to the receiver in a form of channel
(i.e) Telephone , letter , memo , email , report , face to face
exchange.PHASE 2: MESSAGEThe message will now enter in to the
sensory world of the receiver. Sensory world we mean all the noise
that surrounds a person that the senses sight, hearing, smell,
taste, touch can detect.PHASE 3From this sensory world the receiver
picks up the messages through his senses. But receiver senses
cannot detect all that exists in the world around him. Just how
much they can detect depends on a number of factors. One is the
ability of his senses. As you know not all eyes see equally well
and not all ears hear equally well. And so it is with the other
senses. Another factor is receiver mental alertness. There are
times when he is keenly alert to all that his senses can detect,
and there are times when he is dull in a stupor, a daydream, or the
like. Then there are the distractions NOISES that occur around
receiver at the moment. They can weaken, perhaps even eliminate,
the stimuli sent. Furthermore, receiver cultural background has
sensitized him more to some stimuli than to others. Yet another
limiting factor is the receiver will. In varying degrees, the mind
is able to tune in or tune out events in the sensory world. In a
noisy room full of people for example, the conversation of a single
person can be selected and the other voices ignored.PHASE 4When
receiver senses pick up sender message, they relay it to his
brain-that is, as much or as little of the message as they detect.
But the sender message may not be all that receiver senses pick up.
In addition to sender message, his sensory world may contain
outside sounds, movements of objects, facial expression, and the
like. In fact, this senses are continually picking up messages from
the world around him. Sender message is just the primary one at the
moment. The others are there, and they might interfere with senders
message.PHASE 5When sender message gets to receiver brain, it goes
through a sort of filtering or decoding process. Through that
process the receiver brain gives meaning to sender message. In
other words, the message is filtered through the contents of
receiver mind. Those contents are made up of all receiver knows. It
includes all the cultural influences of his family , his
organization memberships, his social group, and such. In fact, it
includes all receiver has learned, experienced and thought
throughout his life. Obviously , no two people have precisely
identical filters, for no two people have minds with precisely the
same contents. Because people filters differ, the meanings they
give to comparable message may differ. Thus, the meaning receiver
gives sender message may not be precisely the same as the one that
someone else would give it. And it may not be meaning sender
intended.PHASE 6After his mind has given meaning to sender message,
receiver may react to the message. If the meaning he received is
sufficiently strong, he may react by communicating some form of
response called feedback. This response may be through words,
gestures, physical actions or some other means.PHASE 7When receiver
elects to communicate a response, through his mind he determines
the general meaning encoding that the response will take. This
process involves the most complex workings of the mind, and we know
little about it. There is evidence, however, that ability, here and
throughout this stage, is related to ones intelligence and the
extent that one permits the mind to react. Receiver ability to
evaluate filtered information and formulate meaning also is related
to his stage, is related to ones intelligence and the extent that
one permits the mind to react. Receiver ability to evaluate
filtered information and formulate meaning also is related to his
ability with language. Ability with language equips one with a
variety of symbols, words and other ways of expressing meaning. And
the greater the number of symbols one possesses, the better one can
be at selecting and using them. Receiver ends this stage of the
communication process by forming a message. That is, he converts
meaning in to symbols decodes mainly in to words, and then he sends
these symbols to sender. He may send them in a number of ways: as
spoken words, written words, gestures, movements, facial
expression, diagrams on paper etc.PHASE 8When receiver sends his
message to sender, one cycle of the communication process ends. Now
a second cycle begins. Now the sender becomes the receiver and
receiver becomes the sender. The message enters receiver sensory
world. Her senses pick it up and send it through her nervous system
to her brain. There her unique mental filter influences the meaning
he gives to sender message. This filtered meaning also may bring
about a response. If it does, receiver, through her mind, selects
the symbols for his response. Then he sends them to sender, and
another cycle of communication begins. The process may continue,
cycle after cycle, as long as both sender and receiver want to
communicate.Although our description of the communication process
illustrates face to face, oral communication, it also fits written
communication. But there are some differences. Perhaps the most
significant difference is that written communication is more likely
to involve creative effort. It is more likely to be thought out,
and it may even begin in the mind rather than as a reaction to a
message received. A second differences is the time between cycles.
In face to face communication, cycles occur fast, often in rapid
succession. In written communication, some delay occurs. How long
the delay will be varies. While instant and text messaging may be
read within a few seconds of sending, fax or email messages may be
read within few minutes after they are transmitted, letters in a
few days, reports perhaps in days, weeks, or months. Because they
provide a record, written messages may communicate over extremely
long time periods. A third difference is that written communication
usually involves a limited number of cycles and oral communication
usually involves many. In fact, some written communication is one
cycle communication. That is a message is sent and received, but
none is returned.
FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATIONWhether an organization is
large , small or virtual , sharing information among its parts and
with the outside world is the glue that binds the organization
together. When you join a company , you become a link in its
information chain. Whether youre a top manager or an entry-level
employee , you have information that others need in order to
perform their jobs, and others have information that is crucial to
you. To succeed organization must share information with people
both inside and outside the company. It includes the internal and
external structure through which messages pass and the way
information is presented , as well as the actual content of the
messages themselves. As you exchange information with people inside
and outside the organization you use a variety of formal and
informal forms of communication.
COMMUNICATIONFORMALINFORMALINTERNAL EXTERNAL
Planned communication among with insiders ( letters , reports ,
memos , e-mail ) that follows the companys chain of commandPlanned
communication with outsiders ( letters , reports , memos , speeches
, websites and news release )
Casual communication among employees ( email , face-to-face
conversations and phone calls that do not follow the companys chain
of command )Casual communication with suppliers , customers ,
investors and other outsiders ( Face- to-face conversations , email
and phone calls )
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION : It refers to the exchange of
information and ideas within an organization. As employee, you are
in a position to observe things that your supervisors and
co-workers cannot see: a customers first reaction to a product
display , a suppliers brief hesitation before agreeing to a
delivery date or a slowdown in the flow of customers. Managers and
co-workers need these little gems of information in order to do
their jobs. Internal communication helps employees do their jobs ,
develop a clear sense of the organizations mission and identify and
react quickly to potential problems. To maintain a healthy flow of
information within the organization , effective communicators use
both formal and informal channels.Formal internal communication
network : The formal flow of information follows the official chain
of command. There are organizational charts in many companys which
commands good communication flow. In organization information flows
down , up , and across the formal hierarchy.Downward flow :
Organizational decisions are usually made at the top and then flow
down to the people who will carry them out. Most of what filters
downward is geared towards helping employees do their jobs. From
top to bottom , each person must understand each message , apply it
, and pass it along.Upward Flow : To solve problems and make
intelligent decisions , managers must learn whats going on in the
organization. Because they cant be everywhere at once, executives
depend on lower-level employees to furnish them with accurate ,
timely reports on problems , emerging trends , opportunities for
improvement , grievances , and performance.Horizontal flow :
Communication also flows from one department to another , either
laterally or diagonally. This horizontal communication helps
employees share information and coordinate tasks , and it is
especially useful for solving complex and difficult problems.Formal
organization charts illustrate how information is supposed to flow.
In actual practice , however , lines and boxes on a piece of paper
cannot prevent people from talking with one another.Informal
internal communication : Every organization has an informal
communication network known as grapevine that supplements official
channels. As people go about their work , they have casual
conversations with their friends in the office. Although many of
these conversations deal with personal matters , about 80 percent
of the information that travels along the grapevine pertains to
business. The informal communication network carries information
along the organizations unofficial lines of activity and power. The
grapevine is an important source of information in most
organizations.EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION: The external communication
network links the organization with the outside world of customers
, suppliers , competitors , and investors , journalists , and
community representatives. Sometimes this external communication is
carefully orchestrated especially during a crisis. At other times
it occurs informally as part of routine business operations.Formal
external communication : Companies use external communication to
create a favorable impression. Whether by letter , website , phone
, fax , internet , or videotape , good communication is the first
step in creating a favorable impression. Carefully constructed
letters , reports , memos , oral presentation , and websites convey
an important message to outsiders about the quality of your
organization. Messages such as statements to the press , letters to
investors , advertisements , price increase announcements and
litigation updates require special care because of their delicate
nature. Therefore , such documents are often drafted by a marketing
or public relations team a group of individuals whose sole job is
creating and managing the flow of formal messages to outsiders. The
public relations team is also responsible for helping management
plan for and respond to crises which can range from environmental
accidents or sabotage situations to strikes , massive product
failure , major litigation , or even an abrupt change in
management. To minimize the impact of any crisis , expert
communicators advise managers to communicate honestly , openly ,
and often. If handled improperly , a crises can destroy a companys
reputation.Informal external communication : Although companies
usually communicate with outsiders in a formal manner , informal
contacts with outsiders are important for learning about customer
needs. As a member of an organization , you are an important
informal conduit for communicating with the outside world. Every
employee informally accumulates facts and impressions that
contribute to the organizations collective understanding of the
outside world. In the course of your daily activity you
unconsciously absorb bits and pieces of information that add to the
collective knowledge of your company. Top managers rely heavily on
informal contacts with outsiders to gather information that might
be useful to their companies. Much of their networking involves
interaction with fellow executives. Many top level employees
recognize the fact that keeping constant touch with the external
real world , front line employees , customers by making a
opportunity to talk to them and getting feedback helps in
organizational improvement. Receiving feedback is considered to be
the most important aspect of communication.
FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS WRITINGADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF
WORDSCONSTRUCTION OF CLEAR SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHSWRITING FOR
EFFECT1. I. ADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF WORDSThe study of clear
business writing logically begins with adaptation. By adaptation we
mean fitting the message to the specific reader. You should form
your message to fit that persons mind. This process of adaptation
begins with visualizing what the reader imagine, what he feels,
thinks and such. In many business situations, adapting to your
reader means writing on a level lower than the one you would
normally use. In writing to less educated workers, for example you
may need to simplification, for highly educated people you may
write differently. At times adapting to multiple reader, if you
write for one person in the group, you may miss the others. To
communicate with all of them, write for the lowest member of the
group. There fore adaptation is a basic rule which underlines all
writing aspects.SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING WORDSelecting the write
word is a part of a adaptation. Following are some suggestions to
help you select words. These suggestions stress simplicity for
three reasons (1) Many people tend to write at a difficult level
(2) The writer usually knows the subject better than the readers
and (3) The results of research based on writing skills support
simplicity.SUGGESTION FOR WORD SELECTIONUsing familiar words to
communicate related to the language that most of us use in everyday
conversation. Example Instead of using the terminate, use end.
Instead of using endeavor use try. At the same time the suggestion
to use familiar words does not rule out some use of more difficult
words. Difficult words are not all bad. Use them when they fit your
needs and are understood.USE SLANG AND POPULAR CLICHES WITH
CAUTIONAt any given time in any society same slang words and clichs
are in vogue. Use popular slang and clichs when meaningful. Thus
you should use such expressions always only in informal
communication with people who know and appreciate them.CHOOSE SHORT
WORDS: Generally short words communicate better than long words.
Some times exceptions exist. You should concentrate on short words
and use long words with caution. Use a long word only when you
think you reader knows it.USE TECHNICAL WORDS AND ACRONYMS WITH
CAUTIONEvery field of business, accounting, information systems,
and finance has its technical language. This language can be so
complex that is some cases specialized dictionaries are compiled.
These words are useful when you communicate with people inn your
field. But they do not communicate with outsiders. Use them with
caution. Some examples covered employment, cerebral vascular
accident, annuity, bob tail etc. These words are all well known to
people in special fields, but not to most outsiders. Initials
including acronyms should be used with caution too. Spell out and
define as needed.SELECT WORDS WITH RIGHT STRENGTH AND VIGORIn a
way, words are like people, they have personalities some words are
strong and vigorous. Some are weak and dull and some fall between
these extremes. Good writers know these differences and they
consider them carefully. They use the words that do the best job of
carrying the intended meaning. As a rule, they make the stronger
words stand out. To select words wisely, you should consider shades
of difference in meanings. Example bear market is stronger than
generally declining market; mother is stronger than female parent.
Sometimes weaker words serve your purpose best. Verbs are the
strongest words. Verbs are action words. Nouns are second which are
the doers of the action, heroes of the sentence. Adjectives and
adverbs are weak words. They involve judgment. Use them
sparingly.USE CONCRETE LANGUAGEGood communication is marked by
words that form sharp and clear meaning in the mind. These are
concrete words and you should prefer them in your writing. They
stand for things that exist in the real world: deck, chair, and
road. Abstract nouns on the other hand cover broad meanings
concepts, ideas and the like. Their meaning is general, as in their
example administration, communication etc. Concreteness also
involves how we put words to gather. Exact or specific wordings are
concrete, vague and general wordings are abstract.USE ACTIVE
VOICEWhile writing prefer the active voice than passive voice. In
active the subject does the action, in passive voice it receives
the action. Active voice is stronger and shorter.Example: Passive
voice: The result were reported in our JULY 9 letterActive voice:
we reported the result in our JULY 9 letter.At times passive voice
is better when the doer of the action is not important. Passive
voice helps avoid accusing the reader and passive voice is better
when the performer is not known. Your decision on whether to use
active or passive voice is not simply a matter of choice. It is
also better when the writer prefer not to name the performer.SELECT
WORDS FOR PRECISE MEANING:Writing requires some knowledge of
language. In fact, the greater your knowledge of language, the
better you are likely to write. You should study language and learn
the shades of the difference in meanings of other words. Use
correct idiom. By idiom we mean the ways things are said in a
language you can use idioms for certain reasons but violations of
idiom rule affect the reader.SUGGESTIONS FOR NON DISCRIMINATORY
WRITING:By discrimination (or) discriminatory words we mean words
that do not treat all people equally and with respect. Avoid words
that discriminate against sex, race, nationality, age, sexual
orientation or disability. We often use discriminatory words
without bad intent.a) Use gender neutral words : Avoid using
masculine pronouns for both sexes (he, his,him)b) You can make the
reference plural (their, them , they)c) You can express neutral by
( he or she , he/she , you, they etc)d) Avoid words suggesting male
dominance ( Man-made to manufactured, Businessman to business
executive, salesman to sales executive)e) Dont use words which
lower the status of womenf) Avoid words that stereotype by race,
nationality, sexual orientation, old age,
disability.******************************************
Letter WritingThe art of writing a letter takes practice,
knowledge about proper form and the ability to put into words the
thoughts and feelings which are associated with the letter.
Learning to write a letter can be difficult, as there are multiple
types of letters which can written. To avoid the time that it may
take to learn to write each one of these letters, if you are able
to learn to write a basic letter that will help you to create
letters for a variety of occasions.Parts of the Letter:Your
addressAt the top of your letter, you will put your address, so the
reader will know where to send their reply to.DatePut the date on
which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e.
June, 15, 2009.Inside AddressThe inside address is only required
for a business letter and will include the address of the person
you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their
title and company name. If you are not sure who the letter should
be addressed to either leave it blank or try to put in a title,
i.e. Director of Human Resources.The GreetingThe greeting will
address the individual that the letter is being sent to. This is
usually completed in the form of Dear Anne or Hey Anne, for less
formal letters.The Introductory ParagraphThe first paragraph and
will generally outline the purpose for the letter and the reason
that the letter is being sent. This can address any issues that are
outstanding and is used to set the tone for the entire rest of the
letter. In this first paragraph, the summary of the letter can be
found and the intentions which will be displayed through the rest
of the letter should be outlined. From the first paragraph of the
letter, the introductory paragraph, the individual should be able
to note the tone of the letter.The BodyThe body of the letter will
expand upon the introductory paragraph and the individual can
extend their thoughts and feelings further when it comes to the
letter. The body of the letter can be anywhere from multiple pages
for personal letters, to one page or two pages for most business
letters and other types of proposals.The ClosingIn the closing of
the letter, the individual will close the letter and finish any
thoughts that have been mentioned. The closing of the letter comes
in various forms from yours truly, for those individuals that are
familiar with one another, to a traditional sincerely which is a
versatile closing that can be used in a variety of letters
detailing many situations.The Presentation of the LetterThe
presentation of the letter can be hand-written for less formal
letters that are addressed to friends and family members,
especially thank-you letters. In the case that you have illegible
handwriting, you may want to consider typing the letter in these
cases, although proper etiquette dictates against this type of
behavior.Formal letters which are written on behalf of businesses
to or professional contacts should remain typewritten and
grammatical and spelling error free. These types of letters should
be legible and professional and therefore typing the letter is one
of the most effective ways to ensure that the letter demonstrates a
professional appearance through the entire course of the letter,
thereby creating a positive impression on the recipient of the
letter.As well as outward presentation, it is important to
determine the tone which will be written in the letter, including a
professional tone or a tone that will be taken with friends or
family members in a more informal setting. The tone should be
established from the greeting of the letter, into the introductory
paragraph, throughout the entire body of the letter and even into
the closing statement and closing greeting of the letter. Read
through the letter once it has been completed to ensure that the
tone remains the same. The tone can be adjusted based on the
language which is used through the letter, as well as the greetings
(familiar as opposed to formal). Letter Writing Tips Always
proofread your letter after writing it, check for sentence
structure, grammar, spelling mistakes Proof read your letter again
(and again) after you have revised it. Keep the recipient in mind,
and write in a way that he/she can easily understand the letter.
Dont use abbreviated dates, i.e. use November 19, 2004, and not
11/19/04 Be respectful when you write, even if you are writing a
letter of complaint.Business letter writing tips Be concise and
keep to the point, but dont leave out any important information.
Try to keep your letter short enough so that it fits on one page.
If your letter is more than a page long, use another page, dont use
the back of the page. If you have access to company (or personal)
stationary with a letterhead on it, use that instead of regular
paper. Business Letter WritingPurpose of a Business LetterA
business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way of communicating
between two or more parties. There are many different uses and
business letters. Business letters can be informational,
persuasive, motivational, or promotional. Business letters should
be typed and printed out on standard 8.5 x 11 white paper.Elements
of a Good LetterThe most important element of writing a good letter
is your ability to identify and write to your audience. If you are
addressing your letter to the department of human resources, avoid
using highly technical terms that only engineers would understand,
even if your letter is addressed to an engineering company, chances
are that the personnel in human resources does not have an
engineering background.The next element is that you make sure your
present your objective in a clear and concise manner. Dont be vague
about your objective, most people will not have the patience to sit
there and guess at the meaning of your letter or the time to read a
long-winded letter, just get to the point without going into
unnecessary details.Another important element to remember is to
remain professional. Even if you are writing a complaint letter,
remain polite and courteous, simply state the problem(s) along with
any other relevant information and be sure to avoid threats and
slander.Business Email WritingThe following are some tips to help
you when you are writing business letters through email. A heading
is not necessary in an email (your return address, their address,
and the date). Use a descriptive subject line. Avoid using an
inappropriate or silly email, register a professional sounding
address if you dont have one. Use simple formatting, keep
everything flush with the left margin; avoid special formatting and
tabs. Keep your letter formal, just because its an email instead of
a hard copy is no excuse for informality (dont forget to use spell
check and proper grammar). Try to keep your letter less than 80
characters wide, some email readers will create line breaks on
anything longer and ruin the formatting. If possible avoid
attachments unless the recipient has requested or is expecting an
attachment. If it is a text document, simply cut and paste the text
below your letter and strip off any special formatting. If the
persons name is unknown, address the persons title i.e. Dear
Director of Human Resources
Business and Workplace Email EtiquetteEmail etiquette is often a
commonly overlooked part of the business and professional world
despite being an important part of conveying a professional image.
Emails written to friends and family will be less formal and will
not need to follow any particular guidelines or rules, but when
writing to someone at a professional level the following guidelines
and rules should be taken into account.Guidelines and Rules of
Email Etiquette Use a descriptive subject line, avoid leaving it
blank or putting an irrelevant or general subject. Address the
recipient by name to add a personal touch to your letter. DO NOT
USE ALL CAPS! Avoid over using punctuation marks!!!!!!!!!!!! Avoid
using abbreviations, such as IMHO (in my humble opinion) or TTYL
(talk to you later), not everyone is familiar with them. Skip a
line when starting a new paragraph, avoid using tabs to signify a
new paragraph, different email programs read tabs in different
ways. Avoid using HTML in your e-mails, not everyone can view it
and it takes away from the professional image of the letter. If you
are sending an attachment, make note of it and describe what the
attachment is for in the body, some people are very wary of
attachments due to the threat of computer viruses. Keep your emails
as concise as possible without leaving out any important
information. Keep usage of quoted text to a minimum. Always leave a
signature line, dont assume the person already knows who you are.
Do not keep on sending the same message to the same person over and
over again, if they dont respond after a few days, send them an
e-mail enquiring if they received your first email. Use spell check
and proof read and revise your letter after its done. Use threads,
if you get a message from someone and you are going to respond,
dont send a new message, simply hit the reply option on your email,
this keeps the original subject line with Re: in front of it. If
you are sending out an email to a large private list dont use CC:
(carbon copy) use BCC: (blind carbon copy) to protect the addresses
of the recipients. Remember most emails are never completely
private, there is always a chance of someone else besides the
intended recipient reading it, so avoid writing any personal
attacks which are unprofesional to begin with. When reading emails
treat them as if they are private messages (unless you know you are
allowed to share it with others). When you receive a message reply
to it as soon as you have time to.
Business Letter FormatBlock Format: Business LetterReturn
Address Line 1 1Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year)
2Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of
Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr.
Last Name: 4Subject: Title of Subject 5Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Closing
(Sincerely), 7Signature 8Your Name (Printed) 9Your TitleEnclosures
(2) 10Typist Initials. 11
The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is
flush against the left margin.Your Address 1The return address of
the sender of the letter so the recipient can easily find out where
to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date.
(Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company
letterhead already on it.)Date 2Put the date on which the letter
was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. August 30, 2003. Skip
a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3
or 4 lines after the date).Inside Address 3The address of the
person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient,
their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter
should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a
title, i.e. Director of Human Resources. Skip a line between the
date and the salutation.Salutation 4Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:,
Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It May Concern: if
recipients name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the
salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line
or body.Subject Line (optional) 5Makes it easier for the recipient
to find out what the letter is about. Skip a line between the
subject line and the body.Body 6The body is where you write the
content of the letter; the paragraphs should be single spaced with
a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the end
of the body and the closing.Closing 7Lets the reader know that you
are finished with your letter; usually ends with Sincerely,
Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma
after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing
is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed
name, so that there is room for the signature.Signature 8Your
signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue
ink with a pen.Printed Name 9The printed version of your name, and
if desired you can put your title or position on the line
underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the
enclosure.Enclosure 10If letter contains other document other than
the letter itself your letter will include the word Enclosure. If
there is more than one you would type, Enclosures (#) with the #
being the number of other documents enclosed that doesnt include
the letter itself. Reference Initials 11If someone other than
yourself typed the letter you will include your initials in capital
letters followed by the typists initials in lower case in the
following format; AG/gs or AG:gs.Modified Block Format: Business
LetterReturn Address Line 1 1Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day,
Year) 2
Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3Title/Position of
Recipient.Company NameAddress Line 1Address Line 2Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr.
Last Name: 4Subject: Title of Subject 5Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Closing
(Sincerely), 7Signature 8Your Name (Printed) 9Your Title
Enclosures (2) 10Typist Initials. 11
In the modified block format, your address, date (the date can
actually go on either the left or the right side), the closing,
signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of
the page (how far you indent in is up to you as long as the heading
and closing is lined up, use your own discretion and make sure it
looks presentable).Addressing an Envelope Addressing an envelope
should be fairly simple. In the upper-left hand corner should be
your name, and underneath that should be your return address. In
the upper-right hand corner should be the postage stamp (with the
correct postage amount). In the middle-center should be the
recipients name and recipients address.Envelope FormatYour
NameReturn Address Line 1Return Address Line 2Stamp
Recipient NameRecipient Address Line 1Recipient Address Line
2
Helpful Tips Print/write all the information on the envelope
before stuffing and sealing it so it will be written/printed on a
flat surface. If you are writing to a different country, make sure
you put it at on the last line of your return address and the
recipients address. If you are writing a friendly letter with a
small envelope, you can write the return address on the flap of the
envelope if there is no room on the top-left hand corner.Writing a
Complaint LetterThe complaint letter should be written in the
business letter format. When writing a complaint letter you want to
keep it short and to the point to help ensure that your letter will
be read in its entirety, if you write a seven page complaint
letter, its highly unlikely that someone will sit down and read all
seven pages.The complaint letter should be addressed to the
customer service/consumer affairs department or the head office if
there is no customer service department. The address and contact
information of the customer service department should be available
on the companys products or website.Complaint Letter WritingIn the
first paragraph you should identify what the issue is and any
relevant information that you believe is important. Be sure to
include the following information if its applicable to the
situation: the date/time of the issue, location, name of person on
duty, name of product, what the problem was, your account number,
model number, price, warranty information and reference number. Be
sure to stick with the facts and avoid putting emotions into your
letter.The next paragraph should state what you would like done to
resolve the situation. If you received poor service, you could
request an apology or a coupon. If a product malfunctioned, you
could request that you could exchange the product for a new one or
request a refund.The last paragraph should thank the reader for the
time. You can also throw in some compliments about something you
liked about their companys product or service.You should include
your telephone number/e-mail address after your printed name so
that they can contact you ASAP if necessary.Be sure to keep a copy
of the letter for yourself and include photocopies of any relevant
documents and enclose them with your letter.Writing a Letter of
InterestThe letter of interest is also called a prospecting letter
and with good reason. Its a type of cover letter you write when
youre searching for a golden job opportunity. The letter of
interest is your first chance to make a good impression on a
prospective employer.Letters of interest are written to express
your interest in working for a particular company in a specific
field. Your letter may be written either in response to a job
opening or just to investigate possible employment.Human resource
departments receive dozens of letters of interest each week.
However, make your letter stand out from the crowd using the
following tips:1. Before you write, do your homework. Research the
background of the company and familiarize yourself with their
products and/or services.2. Be sure to find out the name of the
individual who does the hiring. Address your letter to his/her
attention and use her/his name in the salutation. To Whom It May
Concern and Dear Sir or Madam are both outdated and considered to
be lazy or even rude.3. Start your introductory paragraph with the
reason you are interested in pursuing employment with this company.
Try not to start the first sentence with I. (See sample letter of
interest.) Also, explain what prompted your inquiry, such as a
classified advertisement, a media article or interview, or a
referral from an employee.4. In the next paragraph(s), give
specific examples of your qualifications. Dont hesitate to indicate
the reasons why you would be an asset to the company. Illustrate
your skills, strengths, and achievements in a professional, yet
personable way. Stay away from strings of abbreviated credentials.
These, if you have them, should be on the resume youll enclose with
the letter. Direct the reader to your resume and any other
enclosures.5. In your final paragraph, thank the individual for
his/her time in considering you as a new employee. Indicate a
precise time when you will contact him/her by phone to follow up on
your letter. Also, be sure to let the individual know how to
contact you.Like any business letter, use 8.5 x 11 paper and follow
a business letter format. Keep your letter short, no more than a
single page. Remember to check it thoroughly for errors in
spelling, grammar and to be sure it addresses each point you wanted
to make.Cover Letter WritingWhat is a cover letter?A cover letter
is a brief one page letter sent along with the resume to potential
employers. The purpose of the cover letter is to present yourself
to potential employers and to let them know what position you are
interested in and why youd be a good fit for their company.Cover
Letter FormatThe cover letter format should be almost identical to
the regular business letter format.Cover Letter WritingGenerally
the cover letter will consist of three paragraphs. The first
paragraph is an introductory one which introduces yourself. You
want to include information on the position you are looking for and
how you heard about and why you are interested in the position
and/or company.The second paragraph should provide information on
your skill, strengths, education, qualifications and/or experience.
This paragraph should be concise and give specific examples of why
you are the ideal candidate and not simply restate your resume.The
final paragraph should close up the letter by requesting an
interview and possibly suggestion times that are convenient for you
or stating that you can come in at a time thats convenient for the
employer. Also you should let the recipient know what the best way
and/or time to contact you is (you should let them know both your
contact email and phone number so that they can contact you in
their preferred method). Or you can let them that youll follow up
on this letter with a phone call in several days. You should thank
them for their time to close up the letter.Each cover letter that
you send out should be unique and tailored to the specific company
and position you are applying to. Using one cookie cutter cover
letter will lessen your chances for landing an interview. Also be
sure to check for grammar and spelling and keep the letter to one
page in length.Writing an Apology LetterAn apology letter shows
that you are sorry and says that you value your relationship with
the other party. The sooner an apology letter is written and sent
out the better it is for the relationship. Depending on the nature
of the letter, it can either be written in the friendly or the
business letter format.Friendly/Personal Apology LetterIf this is a
personal letter you should start the letter by saying that you are
sorry to the recipient. Next you should admit your fault and take
responsibility for your actions. Next you should volunteer or ask
if there is any way that you can help out to resolve the situation.
Then you should let the recipient that you will try to make sure
that the situation will not happen again. To close off the letter
you should apologize again. When writing a personal apology letter
it should come from the heart and be sincere.Formal/Business
Apology LetterIf this is a business letter you should start the
letter by saying that you are sorry to the recipient. Next you
should give an explanation as to what went wrong. Then you should
try to rectify the problem. To close off the letter you should
apologize again.Writing a Letter of AppealIn cases where unfair
treatment was committed, a letter of appeal can help to rectify the
situation. An appeal letter allows you to state your side of the
story using facts to support your cause to convince the reader(s)
to reconsider your case. The letter should be written in the
business letter format.Appeal Letter WritingThe first paragraph
should introduce yourself and explain why you are writing the
letter. Although it may be difficult, be sure to keep your tone and
emotions in check so that you can show that you can present an
objective viewpoint. Keep the first paragraph as concise and clear
as possible so that the reader can immediately understand its
urgency.The next paragraph(s) should narrate the account of what
happened, and why your appeal should be granted. Include all the
necessary facts in order to legitimize your case. You can start by
referring to your handbook or guidelines as member of that
particular group or institution. Also, provide specific times and
date when particular events occurred. To make your letter more
reader-friendly, use bullet-points every time you need to
enumerate. After doing this, refer to testimonials from people
related to your work, transcript of records, and medical
certificate, if necessary. Be certain to cover all the bases
necessary toThe last part should summarize everything you have
stated above. Repeat the necessary points that need to be
elucidated. Also include the contact details and where you can be
reached. Close out the letter by thanking the reader for their
time.
Writing an Invitation LetterAn invitation letter serves the
purpose of inviting a guest to a party, an event or a celebration
while conveying more information than a traditional invitations
card. It serves two purposes; one, to invite the individual to the
event and two, to ensure that the person receiving the letter is
going to attend.There are two tenses used within the invitation
letter, the present and the future. The present tense conveys
information about the event and the future tense ensures the guest
is going to attend.Business Invitation LetterAn invitation letter
is a formal way to invite peers and clients to events which are
being hosted by the company and are one of the most popular ways of
inviting guests to functions. The professional invitation should be
written in a formal tone, even when being sent to friends and
family members, if the letter is also being sent to professional
contacts.The introduction allows the host and sender to introduce
themselves, as well as the organization in which they have chosen
to represent. A simple background of the individual or company will
suffice in this section of the letter.Next, in the body of the
letter it is important to outline all of the information about the
event. The date and time should be included as well as the theme
and purpose for the event. At this point, a date should be
mentioned in which guests should provide their reply by, and it may
also contain any information regarding special roles played at the
event, attire and items required for the guest to bring.Be sure to
mention any specifications about dress code in the invitation
letter.Next, in one sentence, the appreciation for the guest to
attend the party should be shown. This can be completed with a
formal note, stating that you look forward to seeing the individual
at the event. Remember, this needs to keep in tone with the rest of
the letter.The conclusion should contain the sign off and a line
that ties the complete letter together, drawing the end of the
invitation, with a salutation and a signature.Friendly Invitation
LetterA friendly invitation letter is similar to a business letter
but contains less formal speech and can make nuances with memories
that may be shared with the guests whom are being invited to the
occasion.Friendly invitation letters are used for a variety of
reasons from engagement parties and showers to wedding invitations.
They can also be used for personal parties and showers as well as
housewarming get together. Personal invitation letters should be
signed with a less formal sign off, such as; yours sincerely, best,
or sincerely.Invitation letters are used as an alternative to
traditional invitations. They allow the host to convey different
messages through the tone of the letter. Invitation letters allow
the host to convey additional information that what is
traditionally shared in an invitation card. Memories can be shared
with close friends and family members that bring about memories of
past events.When sending an invitation letter, be sure to edit it
completely, ensuring there are no punctuation, grammatical or
spelling errors before the letter is sent to potential guests.
Using these techniques, you should be able to create personal and
professional invitation letters with ease.Writing a Resignation
LetterBefore sitting down and writing a resignation letter, you
should be almost 100% certain that you want to leave your current
job, if not many complications can arise.The resignation letter
should be written in the business letter format and be directed
towards your supervisor or manager.At a minimum the letter should
state that you are leaving, when you are leaving, and thank them
for the time that they have employed you. It is common courtesy to
give at least two weeks notice before you leave your job, but
sometimes youll have no control over it.It is important that you
keep your letter positive, you want to maintain a good relationship
with your employer and co-workers, and they can be potential future
references or business associates. If you feel like your reason for
leaving is honorable, you can include the reason for leaving in
your letter, but if you think your reason for leaving may rub your
employer the wrong way, there is no need to put the reason in your
letter.Resignation Letter WritingThe first paragraph of your letter
should state that you are leaving and when you are leaving.The
second paragraph should explain your reason for leaving the
company. (This paragraph is optional.)In the third paragraph you
can offer to make your resignation go smoothly for the company. For
example, you can offer to help train a replacement with the time
you still have left. (This paragraph is also optional.)The last
paragraph should thank the employer for the opportunity to work
for, wish them well and/or express interest in maintaning your
professional relationship.Requesting a Letter of
RecommendationGetting a good recommendation letter can
significantly help you out in your application process so it is
important to ask someone who you are in good terms with for a
letter. It is also important to ask someone that knows you well for
a recommendation and ask them for it in person. If you are seeking
a letter for college or graduate schools, then it is recommended
that you request letters from your teachers/professors. If you are
seeking a letter for a job, business or professional school then it
would be ideal if you got one from your current company. If you
have not been at your current company long or if you are not
currently employed then asking a previous employer is recommended.
If that is not possible seek recommendations from respected
professionals that you may know, such as doctors, lawyers,
politicians, ministers and so on.Ask for the letters early on, dont
wait until the day before the letter is supposed to be sent in to
request the letters of recommendation. Instead ask ahead of time.
If you are going to apply to school ask your professor at least a
month ahead of time. If you are seeking a professional letter, ask
for a letter of recommendation whenever you leave a job.Assist the
writer with as much material as necessary, providing the writer
with your resume and a list of achievements will make it easier on
the writer. You may also want to give him/her any information that
will help with the letter including your plans for the future, your
strengths, experiences and other qualities you want to be presented
in the letter. Be honest about the information you give, if you
embellish itll catch up with you later.You should provide the
writer with a stamped and addressed envelope. Also if there is a
guideline that needs to be followed or any other material that
needs to be filled out, you should provide that to him/her.After
the letter is sent out, you should send a thank you note to the
writer. You can also thank them in person or over the phone as
well.Job Interview Thank You LettersYou should write a thank you
letter as soon as possible (within 24 hours is recommended) after
the job interview, at a minimum this should be done through email
but is recommended that you do this through a hard-copy of a letter
printed out of your computer which can be sent in through the
postal mail or faxed in. Hand written notes on thank you cards are
also acceptable and good for short thank you notes.A hard-copy
thank you letter should be written in the business letter format,
while an email should be sent in the same format but without the
heading (your return address, their address, and the date).Thank
you letter writingThe first paragraph should consist of thanking
the interviewer for the interviewing you (remind him/her about the
position you interviewed for and the date of your interview). You
can also include information about your impressions about the
company.The second paragraph should state your interests in the
company and include any additional information about yourself that
was not brought up in the interview which would make you a good
candidate for the position. You can also emphasize your
qualifications that were already discussed during the interview
(dont make this paragraph too long, try to keep it between 3-5
sentences, pick the traits that you think were most important to
the interviewer and emphasize them).The last paragraph should let
the recruiter know that you expect to hear from them soon. Also let
them know that you are available to come in again and are willing
to discuss the job further. Write down your contact information
again and what the best method and/or time to contact you is. To
finish up the letter, thank them again for the interview.Notes/Tips
A thank you letter shows that you have good business etiquette,
your interest in the company and the position, and reiterates your
positive qualifications to the interviewer so it should not be put
off. If there was more than one interviewer; write individual thank
you letters to each of the interviewers (make sure each letter is
unique). If it was a panel of interviewers interviewing you at the
same time, you can send out one letter and address it to the head
interviewer and the interview panel and thank them as one group. If
you forget the spelling or the names of the interviewers, simply
call the company and request the proper spelling and title. Keep
the thank you letter brief; make sure the letter does not go past
one page in length. Check for proper grammar usage and
spelling.Friendly Letter WritingPurpose of a Friendly LetterA
friendly letter (or informal letter) is a way of communicating
between two people (sometimes more) who are usually well
acquainted. There are many uses and reasons for writing a friendly
letter, but usually friendly letters will consist of topics on a
personal level. Friendly letters can either be printed or
hand-written.Friendly Letter WritingThe friendly letter is
typically less formal than that of a business letter. Usually the
first paragraph of the body will consist of an introduction which
will give the recipient an idea about youre writing to them with a
short summary of the main topic of your letter. If you dont know
the person you are writing to, you may want to introduce yourself
in this introductory paragraph as well.The next few paragraphs will
usually consist of the message you want to get across along with
any details you may want to convey.The last paragraph will usually
be the conclusion where you wrap everything up. You can sum up your
main idea in this paragraph, thank the recipient for their time,
wish the recipient well, and/or ask any questions.Since friendly
letters are less formal, you can feel free to write it however you
like, but the above format is fairly common.Writing a Condolence
LetterWriting a letter of condolence is one of the most difficult
tasks we undertake because its always hard to know just what to
say. Of course, what you say depends on how close you were to the
deceased and/or the recipient of the letter.Condolence Letter
WritingA condolence letter should be written in a friendly format.
Unless you are a close friend or relative, start the letter by
introducing yourself. In the next paragraph, offer your sympathy.
The third (and final) paragraph is the place to offer assistance
(if you are sincere in your desire to help) and to try to say
something that genuinely helps the bereaved work through their
grief.What you dont say in a condolence letter is almost more
important than what you do say. All the same, even if you only
write a line or two, youll show the family your support.Condolence
Letter Tips/Notes1. Keep condolence letters short. The family may
have a mountain of cards and letters to read and answer. Dont add
to their burden.2. Never say you know how they feel. Simply put,
you dont. Even if you have endured a similar situation, grief is a
very intimate series of feelings that are unique to each
individual. Dont intrude on them.3. When my son passed away, a
well-meaning friend said, At least he didnt leave any children
behind. Her well-meaning words rattled me to the bone. I would have
gladly given my life to hold his son in my arms just one time.
Especially in cases where death was a long-suffering ordeal, you
may be tempted to write that it was a blessing or relief. Dont.
Some words are best left unsaid.4. Do share a fond memory of the
departed in the body (second paragraph) of your letter. The passing
of a loved one leaves a big hole in our lives. A well-written
condolence letter helps fill the hole with friendship and
love.*************************************** PRINCIPLES OF REPORT
WRITINGBASICS OF REPORT WRITING:Business reports are vital to
larger organization. You will probably write complex &formal
reports when you work for large organization. A business report is
an orderly and objective & communication of factual information
that serves a business purpose. As key words orderly communication
a report is prepared carefully. The objective quality of a report
is its unbiased approach. Reports seeks truth. They avoid human
bias. The word communication is broad in meaning. It covers all
ways of transmitting meaning: Speaking, writing, drawing & such
factual information is based on events, records, data and the like.
Not all reports are business reports. To be classified as a
business report must serve a business purpose.DETERMINING THE
REPORT PURPOSE:A) THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION:Getting your
problem clearly in mind is largely a matter of gathering all the
information needed to understand it and then applying your best
logic to it. It includes collecting data from company files,
talking over the problem with experts, searching through print and
electronic sources and discussing the problem those who authorized
the report.B) NEED FOR A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:The next
step is writing the problem statement clearly is a good practice. A
writing statement of the problem normally takes one of the three
forms: Infinitive phrase, question or declarative statement.(i)
Infinitive Phrase : To determine the causes of decreasing sales at
store X(ii) Question :What are the causes of decreasing sales at
store X(iii) Declarative statement : store X sales decreasing and
management wants to know whyYou may describe the statement of the
problem in many ways but meaning should be same.1) DETERMINING THE
FACTORS:Next step after stating the problem, you should determine
what need to be done to solve it. Specifically you look for the
factors of the problem. That is you determine what subject area you
must look into solve the problem. The problem factors may be three
types(i) they may be subtopics of the overall topic about which the
report is concerned.(ii) They may be hypothesis that must be
tested.iii) In problems that involve comparisons, they may be the
bases on which the comparisons are made.(i) USE OF SUBTOPICS IN
INFORMATION REPORTS:If the problem concerns a need for information,
your mental effort should produce the main areas about which
information is needed. This is an informational report problem-that
is, it requires no analysis, no conclusion, no recommendation. It
only requires that information be presented. The mental effort in
this case is concerned simply with determining which sub-division
of the overall topic should be covered. After thoroughly evaluating
the possibilities, you might come up with this analysis:Problem
statement: To review operations of company X from January 1 through
March 31Sub topics:1) Production2) Sales & Promotions3)
Financial Status4) Computer Systems5) Product Development6) Human
Resources(ii) HYPOTHESIS FOR PROBLEMS REQUIRING SOLUTION:Some
problems concern why something bad is happening and perhaps how to
correct it in analyzing problems of this kind, you should seek
explanations or solutions. Such explanations or solutions are
termed hypothesis once formulated, hypothesis are tested and their
applicability to the problem is either proved or disproved.Problem
Statement: Sales at the spring field store have declined and
management wants to know why.Hypothesis:1) Activities of the
competition have caused the decline.2) Changes in the economy of
the area have caused the decline3) Merchandising deficiencies have
caused the decline4) Changes in the environment (population shifts,
political actions etc) have caused the decline.In the investigation
that follows, you would test there hypothesis. You might find that
one, two or all apply or you might find that none is valid. If so,
you would have to test advance additional hypothesis for further
evaluation.(iii) BASIS OF COMPARISON IN EVALUATION STUDIES:When the
problem concerns evaluating something, either singularly or in
comparison with other thing you should look for the basis for the
evaluation that is you should determine what characteristics you
will evaluate. In some causes, the procedure may concern more than
naming the characteristics.(EX) To determine the location of ABC
company at three different placesCity A City B City CComparison
basis:1) Availability of skilled workers2) Tax structure3)
Community attitude4) Transportation facilities5) Nearness to
marketThe factors sometimes have factors of their own. For Example:
The Comparison of transportation facilities can be further
subdivided into water, rail, truck and air. So they also may be
broken down into sub-factors.GATHERING THE INFORMATION NEEDED:The
next step is to conduct the research needed. For most business
problems, you will need to investigate personally. Some business
problems require analysis of primary data based on experiments or
surveys and few of them require secondary data on library research
is used. Most of the data can be gathered from internet &
quality materials. In any event your task is to apply whatever
research techniques are required to get the information you need
for your problem.INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS:The next step after
collecting the information is interpreting the findings. Applying
and interpreting your findings is obviously a mental process. When
interpreting the findings avoid human errors by remembering these
fundamentals1) Maintain a judicial attitude2) Consult with others3)
Test your interpretationsA) STATISTICAL TOOLS IN INTERPRETATION:The
information you gather is quantitative that is expressed in
numbers. Such data in their law form usually are voluminous,
consisting of tens, hundreds, even thousands of figures. To use
these figures intelligently you must find ways to simplifying these
data so that you can present these data to your reader. Various
statistical tools are available for calculation and interpreting
the data.ORGANIZING THE REPORT INFORMATION:After finishing the
interpreting the results you know the message of your report. Now
your information are presented in a form of outline. Outlines
should usually be written. They serve as tables of contents and
captions. In constructing your outline, you probably will use
either the conventional as the decimal symbol system to mark the
levels.Conventional system & decimal system:(EX) I.A. 1.0B.
1.12. (Conventional System) 1.2 (Decimal system)a. 1.2.1(1)
1.2.2(a) 1.2.2.11.2.2.1.1 etc
THE NATURE AND EXTEND OF OUTLINING:The outline is designed to
meet the objective of the report. You should build the outline
around the objective of the report and the information you have
gathered to meet that objective with the and your information in
mind, you build the structure of the report mentally. In this
process, you shift facts and ideas about until the most workable
order becomes clear. That order is that presents the findings in
the clearest and meaningful way. When you reach the outlining
stage, you have probably done some of the work.A) INTRODUCTORY AND
CONCLUDING PARTS:Outlining is concerned mainly with the part of the
report commonly called the body. The body is the part of the report
that analysis and interpretations where needed. It is usually
preceded by an introduction, and an ending section of conclusion,
and recommendation.B) ORGANIZATION BY DIVISION:You may view
organizing as a process of division. First you divide the whole
into parts, then you divide the parts into subparts. You may
subdivide further.C) DIVISION BY CONVENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:In
dividing your information into subparts, you have to find a way of
dividing that will produce approximately equal parts. Time, place,
quantity and factor are the general bases for these divisions.
Time, place, quantity and factor are the bases for the process of
division. When the interpretation has a time basis division by time
is possible. When the information is related to geographic
location, a place division is possible. Division based on the
quantity is possible when the information has a number base. (For
Example).Rs.10000 to 20000 (on) age 18-30 etc.,Factors are areas to
be investigated are the fourth basis for dividing information (For
Example) The following organizational problem should be treated on
the basis of location accessibilities, rent, parking, facilities
sometimes combinations of time (For Example) The period orientation
from May-July, Place Place of Sales: North, South, East, West.,
quantity and factor are sometimes logical.D) WORKING OF THE
OUTLINE:The outline in its finished form is the table of contents.
Its part serve has headings to the sections of the report (which is
why we refer to three parts has headings in the following
discussion) because the outline is an important part of the report,
you should construct the final wording carefully. When outlining
you may use topic or talking headings give only the subject of
discussion. For example present armar unit a) description &
output, b) Cost, c) Deficiencies.Talking headings identify the
subject and tell what is said about it (For example) Operation
analysis of armor unit a) Recent log in overall output, b) Increase
in cost of operations. Then every heading making up a level of
division should be parallel grammatically (i.e) Parallelism of
construction. Then whenever you are using headings see to that you
are maintaining the conciseness in wording. Finally you want to use
variety of expressions. Repeating words in headings can be
monotonous. So you should not overwork works.
WRITING THE REPORTIn writing the report, communicate clearly and
quickly, when you write your report see that you follow these
guidelines.REQUIREMEN OF OBJECTIVITY:Good report writing is
objective. They dont include subjective data for analysis by
objective report we mean keep out of all prejudices & biases
and your report should seek the truth. Another thing your objective
writing should be believable. Second historically objective writing
has meant for writing has meant for writing impersonally, they dont
include I, we, you etc., Recently, some writers have argued that
personal writing is more interesting than impersonal writing and
just as objective. Good advice is to use personal style for routine
reports and impersonal style for more formal reports.CONSISTENCY IN
TIME VIEWPOINT:Presenting information in the right place in time is
a major problem in keeping order in a report. Keep a consistent
time view point throughout the report. There are two time
viewpoints past and present. Select any one and do not change. The
past time view point views the research and the findings as past,
and prevailing concepts and proven conclusions as present. The
present time view point presents as current all information that
can be assumed to be current at the time of writing.NEED FOR
TRANSITION:A well written report reads as one continuous story. The
parts connect smoothly. You should use transition to connect the
parts of the report. Transition means bridging across. Transitional
are words or sentences that show the relationships of succeeding
parts. Transitions should be used where there is or need to connect
the parts of the report. They should be made naturally, not
mechanically. For connecting large parts, transition sentences may
be used and also use of topic sentences also helps improve thought
flow. Transitional words show relationships between lesser parts.1)
MAINTAINING INTERS :Report writing should be interesting.
Interesting writing is necessary for good communication.
Interesting writing is the result of careful words choice, rhythm,
concreteness- in fact, all the good writing techniques. But efforts
to make writing interesting can be overdone. The writing style
should be never draw attention away from the
information.COLLABORATIVE REPORT WRITINGCollaborative report
preparation is common for good reasons. Group involvement in report
preparation is becoming increasingly significant for a number of
reasons. They are :-DETERMINATION OF GROUP MAKEUP:Groups should
have five as fewer members and include all pertinent specialization
areas. Preferably, the group has a leader, but there are
exceptions.TECHNIQUES OF PARTICIPATION:Headers and participants
have clear duties to make the procedure work. Groups often
experience results that are less than ideal. Consult references on
effective group.PROCEDURE OF THE WORK:At least two meetings and a
work period are needed. The following activities activities
normally occur, usually in this sequence1) First, determine the
report purpose2) Derive the factors involved for analysis3) Gather
the information needed4) Interpret the information5) Organize the
material6) Plan the writing7) Assign the parts to be written8)
Write parts assigned9) Revise the writing collaboratively10) Edit
the final draft as a synergistic final outcome.
REPORT STRUCTURE: THE SHORTER FORMSYour decision about report
structure will be based on the needs of your situation. Those needs
are related to report length and formality of the situation. The
longer the problem and the more formal the situation, the more
involved the report structure is likely to be. The shorter the
problem and the more informal the situation, the less involved the
report structure is likely to be. Such adjustments of report
structure to length and formality help meet the readers needs in
each situation.Generally the reports are classified based on their
length and formality with high end reports to the low end reports.
At the top of the stairway are the most formal , full-dress
reports. Such reports have a number of pages that come before the
first chapter. These pages serve useful purposes, but they also
dress up the report. Typically, these prefatory pages as they are
called, are included when the problem situation is formal and the
report is long. The exact makeup of the prefatory pages may vary,
but the most common arrangement includes these parts: 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. The first two pages title
fly and title page contain identification information. The title
fly carries only the report title. The title page typically
contains the title, identification of the writer and reader, and
usually the date. As the words imply, the letter of transmittal is
a letter that transmits the report. It is a personal message from
the writer to the reader. The table of contents, of course, is a
listing of the report contents. It is the report outline in
finished form, with page numbers to indicate where the parts begin.
It also may include a list of illustrations ( tables, figures,
diagrams ), which may be a separate part. The executive summary
summarizes whatever is important in the report the major facts and
analyses, conclusions and recommendations.As the need for the
formality decreases and the problem becomes smaller, the makeup of
the report changes. The changes primarily occur in the prefatory
pages. As we have noted, these pages give the report a formal
appearance. So it is not surprising that they change as the report
situation becomes less formal. Usually, such reports are shorter.
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. Obviously, the title fly is used primarily for reasons of
formality. Next in the progression, the executive summary and the
letter of transmittal are combined. When this stage is reached, the
report problem is short enough to be summarized in a short space.
The report at this stage has three prefatory parts: title page ,
table of contents, and combination transmittal letter and executive
summary.At the fourth step, the table of contents drops out. The
table of contents is a guide to the report text, and a guide has
limited value in a short report. Certainly, a guide to a 100 page
report is necessary. But the guide to a one-page report is not.
Somewhere between these extremes a dividing points exists. You
should follow the general guide of including a table of contents
whenever it appears to be of some value to the reader. 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 very useful cover page. In addition, it
contains the most important identifying information.The short
report is a popular form in business. Below the short-reports form
is a form that reinstates the letter of transmittal and summary and
presents the entire report as a letter thus, the letter report. And
finally, for short problems of more informality, the email form is
used. Knowledge of the general relationship of formality and length
to report makeup should help you understand and plan
reports.CHARACTERISTICS OF SHORTER REPORTSThe shorter report forms
are the most common in business. These are the everyday working
reports those used for the routine information reporting that is
vital to an organizationsa.) Little need for introductory
informationMost of the shorter, more informal reports require
little sometimes no introductory material. These reports typically
concern day-to-day problems. Their lives are short that is , they
are not likely to be kept on file for future readers. They are
intended for only a few readers, and these readers know the
problem. They are likely to need little introduction to it.
Determining what introductory material is needed is by analyzing
what does the reader need to know before receiving this report.
Some shorter reports need introductory material in extreme cases
you may need a detailed introduction comparable to that of the more
formal reports.b.) Predominance of the direct orderShorter reports
are written in direct order which means the report begins with its
most important information usually the conclusion and perhaps a
recommendation. Business writers use this order because they know
that their readers main concern is to get the information needed to
make a decision. 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. The indirect order makes presentations in a formal
introduction, analysis , conclusion. But the direct order gives the
main message first then depending on the problem the direct
beginning could consist of a summary of facts , a conclusion, a
recommendation, or some combination of summary, conclusion and
recommendation. The indirect order has this sequence ,
introduction, facts and analysis, conclusions and
recommendations.c.) More personal writing style :Although the
writing for all reports is much the same, writing in shorter
reports tends to be more personal. That is, the shorter reports are
likely to use the personal pronouns I, WE, YOU rather than only the
third person. Shorter report situation usually involve personal
relationship because these reports tend to be from and to people
who know each other and who normally address each other informally
when they meet. Then they involve personal investigation of
analysis in their writer needs and finally shorter reports tend to
deal with day to day routine problems. The problems are by very
nature informal and it is logical to report them informally and
personal writing tends to produce this informal effect. The
decision of whether to write a report in personal or impersonal
style should be based on the situation. Write impersonally when
your reader prefers it. It should be clear that either personal or
impersonal writing can be appropriate for reports ranging from the
shortest to the longest types.d.) Less need of structured coherence
plan :Long and formal usually require a structured coherence plan.
Shorter reports do not. This is not to say that coherence is not
essential to short reports. The point is that a structured plan is
not needed. By structured coherence plan we mean an arrangement of
summarizing, forward looking, and backward looking parts that tie
together the report presentation. Therefore in shorter reports this
plan is not needed since they directly move to main information or
conclusion.
FORMS OF SHORTER REPORTSa.) The short report :One of the more
popular of the less formal reports forms is the short report. The
short report consists of a title page and the report text. These
reports are in the direct order , beginning with the conclusion.
Then based on the need the introduction comes next, then the
findings and analyses, and finally conclusions.b.) Letter
report:The second of the more common shorter report forms is the
letter report, that is, a report in letter form. They are used
primarily to present information to persons outside the
organization especially when the information is to be sent by mail
or fax. They are usually written in personal style and cover short
problems. If a letter report is begun in the direct order, a
subject line is appropriate. It may written in a capital letters or
written by giving a sub topic subject and writing the text.
Theorganizational plans of the letter report are much like longer
report which has a direct order and indirect order.c.) Email
Reports :Email is most widely used form of written communication in
business. Although heavily used for communicating with outside
parties, email dominates internal written communication. That is,
email is written by and to people in an organization. Because email
is primarily communication between people who know each other it is
usually informal. In fact many are hurried and casual messages ,
some are usually formal for high profile audience. Some are more
formal, factual and problem related.SPECIAL REPORT FORMSa.) Staff
Report :One of the more popular forms of reports used in business
is the staff report. Usually written in memorandum form, it can be
adapted to any structural type, including the long , formal report.
The staff report differs from other forms of report primarily in
the organization of its contents. It arranges contents in a fixed
plan. The plan remains the same for all problems. Because this
arrangement leads systematically to conclusions and
recommendations, it is especially useful for business problems. The
basic course of plan is summary , problem objective , facts ,
discussion , conclusions , recommendation. One of the major uses of
staff reports is the armed forces , all branches of which use a
standardized form. But military version of plan is somewhat
different from the above plan.b.) Meeting Minutes :Minutes provide
a written record of a groups activities and decisions , a history
that includes announcements reports, significant discussion and
decisions. Minutes include objective data because they will
highlight who will do what and when. Accurate minutes are important
because they can have some legal significance as to whether
decisions are binding. The physical form is typically a memo or
email, but the layout varies among organizations. Basically, it
should enable the reader to easily focus on the content as well as
easily retrieve it. Typical minutes include common preliminary
body, such as name of the group, name of the document , type of
meeting , place date and time called to order , names of those
attending the meeting , names of those absent and reasons for
absence. The body items include approval of minutes of previous
meeting , meeting announcements , old business reports on the
matter previously presented and new business- reports on matters
presented to the group. The closing item include place and time of
next meeting , notation of the meetings ending time , name and
signature of the person responsible for preparing the minutes.
Preparing ahead of time makes the job easier and encourages more
complete notes.c.) Progress report :A progress report presents a
review of progress made on an activity. Most of the reports are
informal send through mail, as a worker reporting the duty of the
particular work done to his superior. Certain formal reports
include reporting the progress made for huge projects.d.) Audit
Report:Short form and long form audit reports are well known in
business. The short form audit report is perhaps the most
standardized of all reports. The standardized statement verifying
an accountants inspection of a firms financial records. Long form
of audit reports vary in their makeup.BUSINESS PROPOSALSA proposals
is a persuasive presentation for consideration of
something.Proposals are usually written, but they can be oral
presentations or a combination of both. They may be made by
individuals or organizations, including business organizations, and
they may be made to any of a variety of individuals or organiz