UNIT 4

Written communication: mechanics of writing, report

writing, circulars, notices, memos, agenda and minutes;
business correspondence – business letter format, style of letter
arrangement, types of letters, telex manages, electronic mail.

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 Process for Planning and Preparing
Spoken and Written Messages

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 Step 1a: Determine the
Purpose of the Message
What do you hope to accomplish
with the message?

Answer a
Get information Accept an offer
question

Sell or get
Deny a request support for a Apologize
product or idea

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 Step 1b: Select a Channel
Situation Channel/Justification

Tell a customer damaged merchandise Telephone or face-to-face: Lends

will be replaced importance to the message; more
personal

Notify a sales rep of job termination Telephone or face-to-face: Lends

importance to the message; more
personal

Inform employees of a new Internet Email: Routine matter; mass

usage policy distribution

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 Step 2: Envision the Audience

What should you learn

about your audience?
Economic and
Age and Work
educational
cultural factors background
levels

Needs and
Rapport Expectations
concerns

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Audience Perceptions
Meaning an audience derives
from a message is colored by:

Attitude toward
Previous
sender and
experiences
ourselves

Experience with
Attitude toward channel, especially
subject in electronic
communication
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 Step 3: Adapt the Message
to the Audience

receiver’s
Focus on the ________ point of view
 ________ andresponsibly
CommunicateEthically __________
 goodwill
Build and protect ________

contemporary
Use ____________ language

simple
Use ______, informal words

tactful
Project a positive, ______ tone
 Writeconcisely
________

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 Adapting: Focusing on
Receiver’s Viewpoint
“Me” Attitude “You” Attitude

I want to congratulate you on Congratulations! You are the Employee

your award. of the Year.

I am interested in ordering . . . Please send me . . .

(You is the understood subject.)

I give you permission to take an You earned an extra day of vacation

because of your performance.
extra vacation day.

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 Adapting: Communicating
Ethically and Responsibly
 State information as truthfully and fairly as possible
 Do not exaggerate facts
 Express ideas understandably
 Support viewpoint with facts
 Respect and preserve receiver’s self-worth
 Design honest graphics

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 Adapting: Building and
Protecting Goodwill
 Use ___________ cautiously
euphemisms
 Avoid _____________ or demeaning expressions
condescending
 Use __________ tone cautiously
 Use _______ language appropriately
connotative
 Use ________ language
specific
bias-free

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 Common Occupational Euphemisms

Accountant • Bean counter

Lawyer • Ambulance chaser

Politician or public
• Spin doctor
relations director

Psychiatrist • Shrink

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 Using Connotative Words
 May be more easily misinterpreted than
denotative words

 Appropriateness varies with the audience

and the context

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 Adapting: Using Contemporary,
Easily Understood Language
 Eliminate outdated expressions

 Eliminate clichés

 Choose simple, informal words

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 Eliminating Clichés
Cliché Improved
Right as rain I am feeling good.
Ships that pass in the We are working different
night schedules.

Up the creek without a He is having trouble with

paddle his work.

Salt of the earth This employee can be

counted on to do a job
right.
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 Adapting: Writing Concisely
 Eliminate redundancies
 Use active voice
 Include only relevant details
 Eliminate clichés
 Do not restate ideas
 Tighten using prefixes, suffixes, and compound
adjectives

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 Adapting: Projecting a Positive,
Tactful Tone
 State ideas using _______positive
language
 Avoid using ______ person when stating negative ideas
second
 Use _______ voice to convey negative ideas
 Use __________ mood to de-emphasize negative ideas
passive
 Include a ________ idea in the same sentence with a
subjunctive
________ one

positive
negative
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 Projecting a Positive, Tactful Tone
Negative Tone Positive Tone
Don’t forget to submit your Please remember to submit
mileage. your mileage.

We cannot ship your order You will receive your orders

until you send us full as soon as you send us full
specifications. specifications.

You neglected to indicate the Please send the complete

specs for Part No. 332-3. specs for Part No. 332-3 so
your order can be finalized.
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 Sender Benefits from Outlining
 Encourages ________ and ______
accuracy brevity
 Permits ____________ on one phase at a time
concentration
 Saves time in __________ ideas
 Provides a ___________ lift
structuring
 Facilitates appropriate ________ of ideas
psychological
emphasis
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 Receiver Benefits from Outlining
 Makes messages more concise and accurate
 Makes relationships between ideas easier to
distinguish and remember
 Promotes a positive reaction to the message
and the sender

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 Step 4: Select an Appropriate Outline

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21 2/23/2022
 DIGGING DEEPER
What is empathy and how does it affect
business communication? How are empathy
and sympathy different?

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 1) Sympathy is merely the ability to feel or express sorrow or pity
for the pain or distress of another. Empathy is an attitude that
enables a person to identify another’s frame of reference
(knowledge, feelings, and emotions) and to project or
communicate understanding back to a person.
2) Empathy is an excellent way to establish rapport and
credibility and to build long-lasting personal and business
relationships.
3) Seeing a situation or problem from the receiver’s perspective
not only will permit you to address the receiver’s needs and
concerns but will also enable you to anticipate the receiver’s
possible reaction to the message.

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 Explain what is meant by writing to
express and not to impress?
•The purpose of business messages is to
communicate a clear message that can be read
and understood quickly—not to impress the
recipient with a wide vocabulary that is not
readily understood.

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 How can you ensure quality in a collaboratively written
document? Perhaps someone on your team makes
unnecessary additions or questionable edits, such as
revising to make the document sound “more professional”
while sacrificing clarity. What would you do?

The purpose of working together is to produce a

higher quality document rather than one that is
chopped up and filled with too many different
writing styles. Someone on the team should be
charged with the final production/submission of
the document to assure sound writing and clarity.

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26 2/23/2022
 Letter Writing

Module 5

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 Definition

A formal letter is written in formal language, usually used when writing from
one business organization to another, or for correspondence between two
organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties.
The overall style of letter will depend on the relationship between the parties
concerned.

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 Objectives of business Letters

❖It is essential to write a business letter to

maintain contacts with the external world
including other businessmen, customers and
government departments.
❖It serves as a record for future reference.
❖It leaves more durable impression on the
receiver's mind than an oral message.
❖It is used as a legal document.
❖It is used to build goodwill.
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30 2/23/2022
 FUNCTIONS OF BUSINESS LETTER

 To provide a convenient and inexpensive means of

communication without personal contact.
 To seek or give information.
 To furnish evidence of transactions entered into.
 To provide a record for future reference.
 Record and reference
 Making a lasting impression.
 Widening the approach
 An authoritative proof.
 Building goodwill.
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 THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTERS
 Letters represent your company’s public image and your
competence
 Letters are more personal than a report, yet more formal
than memos or e-mail
 Letters are more permanent than e-mail
 Letters constitute an official legal record of an agreement
 Letters follow up on telephone calls and other types of
oral communications
 Letters provide a wide range of corporate information
 Letters can support action
 Letters sell
 Letters are efficient for targeted mass mailings

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 Importance of a business letter
 Business letters help organizations in strengthening their rapport with customers,
stakeholders, suppliers etc.

 They can be filed for future references and they serve as an important repository of
information.

 They help in conveying information that can be confidential or complex.

 Letters help companies reach the organizations, clients, shareholders, and others
who are geographically in distant places.

 They help the companies to know the problems in their products, services, and
deliveries. Thus, mutual exchange of information helps in filling the gaps and
eventually helps in the smooth functioning of the organization and contributes in
its growth.

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 Writing Effective Letters
 Analyze Your Audience:
 Who is my audience?
 Will my audience be favorably or unfavorably disposed to
what I am going to say?
 What kinds of information will my audience expect me to
supply?
 How will my audience use the information I am sending?
 What impression do I want my letter to make on readers?
 Have a clear sense of your purpose and theirs
 Select the best communication strategy
 Draft, revise, and edit your letter
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 PROOF READING YOUR LETTER
 Proofread everything that has your name on it
 Take time to proofread your letter for
 Errors of facts
 Miscalculations
 Misrepresentations
 Accuracy of prices, dates, and serial numbers
 Full-block format
 All text flush left, spaces between paragraphs
 Semi-block/Modified format
 The writer’s address, date, complementary close, and
 signature to the right side of the letter
 The date aligns with the complementary close
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 Notations of enclosures flush left below signature
 LETTER FORMATS
Full-block format
All text flush left, spaces between paragraphs
Semi-block/Modified format
 The writer’s address, date, complementary close, and
signature to the right side of the letter
 The date aligns with the complementary close
Notations of enclosures flush left below signature
Indented paragraph format
 Identical to the semi block format except that each
paragraph is indented five spaces Continuing pages.
 If your letter runs beyond one page, use name, page
number, or address in the header of the second page.

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 PARTS OF A LETTER
 Date line
 Inside address
 Salutation
 Subject line
 Text of the letter
 Complementary close
 Signature
 Enclosure(s) line
 Copy notation

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 ACHIEVING THE “YOU ATTITUDE”:
FOUR GUIDELINES
 Never forget that your reader is a real person
Avoid writing cold, impersonal letters
 Keep the reader in the forefront of your letter
Make sure your reader’s needs control the tone,
message, and organization of your letter
 Be courteous and tactful
 Be neither boastful nor meek

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 Elements of a business letter
 Sender's address & contact information (omitted
in letterhead)
 Date of writing
 Recipient's name, title, company, & address
 Salutation/greeting, followed by a comma
 Message (body of the letter)
 Valediction/closing
 Sender's signature
 Sender's name, title

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 Optional Elements of a business letter
 Subject line
 Enclosures (Encl.: or Enc.:)
 Carbon Copy Recipients (cc:)

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 TYPES OF LETTERS
 Four common types of business correspondence
1. Inquiry letters
2. Special request letters
3. Sales letters
4. Customer relations letters:
 – Follow-up
 – Complaint
 – Adjustment
 – Collection

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 Inquiry Letter
A letter of inquiry is written to enquire about a product or service.
Points to remember –
1. State clearly and precisely what information you require – a
catalogue, samples, price lists, quotations etc.
2. Ask about the time period the supplier is likely to take in facilitating
the order.
3. Seek clarification regarding the mode of payment, discount offer,
credit facility, if any.
4. Sometimes enquiries are also written to find out the status of an
order already placed.
5. Keep your inquiry brief and to the point.

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 Sales Letter

Sales letters are written to advertise and promote a product.

Point to remember
1. The immediate purpose of the sales letter is to capture the attention
of the reader. For this, the beginning of the letter should be so
captivating that the reader should not be able to put it down without
reading.
2. The letter should arouse the reader’s interest, and the second part of
the letter should be able to sustain it.
3. The letter should convince the letter of the authenticity of the claim
4. The closing paragraph of a sales letter should be designed to
persuade the reader to take the action.

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 Complaint/Claim letter
A complaint letter is written to tell someone that an
error has occurred and that needs to be corrected as
soon as possible. In business world, there are
numerous situations which warrant a complaint or
claim letter as quite a few things go wrong several
times.

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 Points to Remember
 Following Points are to be kept in mind while drafting a
letter of Complaint-
 1. Inform about the problem in clear, precise way.
 2. Refer to the order/invoice number to avoid ambiguity in
communication.
 3. Avoid being rude, angry or humiliating in your tone.
 4. Suggest a solution to help the other rectify the problem.
 5. End your letter on a positive note expressing faith in him
and expecting a favourable solution or an early reply.

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 Adjustment Letter
 A letter which deals with a complaint and claim letter
is termed as an adjustment letter. Professionalism
requires us to deal with complaints and claims in a
manner that suggests maturity and clarity of
approach.

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 Points to Remember
 Following points are to be kept in mind while drafting a letter
adjusting complaints or claims.
 1. Acknowledge the complaint immidiately. Even if you cannot
give a full reply send an interim response assuring him/her
further action at your earliest.
 2. If the fault lies at your end, admit your fault, express regret
and promise to rectify the error.
 3. Even if the complaint is baseless, politely point out where the
fault lies and suggest alternatives in an inoffensive manner.
 4. Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your
knowledge

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 Points to remember
 Each element or paragraph of the letter is
followed by a single blank line.
 In general, left and right margins are one inch
 Subject line, is usually underlined
 The salutation/greeting and valediction/closing
are generally followed by a comma.
 Leave four line gap between closing and sender’s
signature

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 Office Orders

❖ Office orders are authoritative instructions or directions that flow downward.

❖ They suggest compliance by the subordinates, failing which administrative action
can be taken. Office orders are usually related to posting transfer, promotion,
suspension, fixation of pay, imposing certain restrictions, taking of any disciplinary
action, etc.
❖ The following should be kept in mind:
 Specify clearly the persons for whom it is meant.
 Keep the language simple, direct and concise.
 Ensure that it is complete, clear and free from ambiguity.
 Check the distribution list to ensure that all concerned parties needing copy of the order
are covered.
 Ensure that the office order is duly signed by a competent authority.
 Office order asking employees to visit the canteen during lunch
hours only.
 SUNNY ENTERPRISE LTD.

 Date: June 16, 2014

 OFFICE ORDER
 It has come to my notice that some of the employees visit canteen during the
office hours. If they need tea/coffee/cold drinks/snacks during office hours, they can get
at their seats. It may be noted that they are allowed to visit the canteen only during the
lunch break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
 This order comes into force with immediate effect. If any of the employees is
found in canteen during office hours, disciplinary action will be taken against him.
 K.K. Gupta
 General Manager
 Copies: Notice Board: All Departments
 Office Order asking employees to sit overtime
 J.K. TRADING CORPORATION
 Date: 1.7.2014
 OFFICE ORDER
The following staff members are advised to sit overtime today at 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and
complete the following work of balancing of ledgers:
1) Mr. Amit Singh Ledger No. 1 to 5
2) Mr. Suman Kumar Ledger No. 6 to 10
Manager
Administration
To: Mr. Amit Singh
To: Mr. Suman Kumar
Office Notices
Office Notices
❖ Office Notices are means of horizontal communication. They are
exchanged between officers of equal rank or between departments
of an organization.
❖ They are used to obtain or convey information and suggestions.
The format or layout of office notes may vary from company to
company.
 Office Note informing stock taking in the stores
 RANJAN INDUSTRIES LTD.
Date: 20.03.2014
Ref. No. _____________________
From: Stores Deptt.
To All Departments
Subject: Stock Taking for the year ending 31.03.2014

The stocktaking for the purpose of closing the accounts for the year ending 31.3.2014 will begin on
30.3.2014. All departments are advised to draw their requirements latest by 28.3.2014.
The Stores Department would not be able to make supplies to the customers also on 30th and 31st March,
2014.
Rajesh Agarwal
Stores Manager
Copy to: All Departments
Office Memos
What is a Memo?
❖ A memorandum (or memo) is a short piece of writing used
by an officer of an organization to communicate within the
organization.
❖ It is the most common form of written communication
between people or departments, or even branch offices of
an organization.
 Why a Memo?

❖ To provide information – I attended the meeting of the executive committee. The

main points discussed were.......
❖ To issue an instruction – Staff members are requested to attend the orientation
session to be held in the conference room at 11 a.m. Today.
❖ To convey a policy decision – The executive committee has decided to pay one day’s
salary for working on a Saturday.
❖ To offer suggestions – I think in-house training should be a regular feature for all
cadres.
❖ To record/report an agreement – During the meeting held on August 6, it was
decided that we buy 3 LCD projectors.
 Writing Memos
❖ A memorandum, often referred to as a memo, is a form used by a person known to the receiver
personally.
❖ Therefore, it is less formal in tone and does not have formal elements such as Salutation,
subscription, greeting or even a signature at the end.

 To.............. Date.............
 From.........

 Subject............
❖ A memo addresses the subject under discussion immediately. It is short and written in a friendly
tone.
❖ All business messages and information solicit a friendly, cooperative and positive response from
employees, seniors or junior colleagues.
❖ A harsh or unfriendly tone will dishearten the reader of the memo and lower morale.
❖ For example, consider the following memorandum from a works manager to the supervisors
under his management:

“Every Saturday morning all supervisors in my plant must meet and report on the clean up
of their individual shop floors. All reports must be submitted by afternoon”.

❖ In this memo, the tone is of distrust and authority. The works manager uses “all” and “must”
twice. It shows that he does not consider any of his supervisors responsible. The use of “must”
indicates that he doubts their sense of duty. The manager can direct his supervisors without
doubting their sense of duty.

❖ Further, the memo is vaguely worded. The reader will not know which Saturday the meetings
begin and when they are to be held – morning is a long period of time and is not specific.

❖ In addition, questions such as where the meetings are to be held are not addressed. No
reference of place is made.

❖ The manager should indicate the specific time by which the reports are due. Finally, the phrase
“clean-up” does not completely convey all that is to be considered while inspiring the
work.
Guideline for Memos
➢ Do not assume that everyone knows everything related to the issue discussed
in the memo.
➢ Explain the causes of problems or reasons for changes being suggested.
➢ Be clear, concrete and specific.
➢ Be pleasant rather than commanding or authoritative. Use “you” attitude.
➢ Ask for feedback or suggestions.
 Advantages of a Memo

❖ Inexpensive: Because of its hand to hand circulation within the organization, it is an

inexpensive means of communication.
❖ Convenient: it is convenient to write and read a memo, as all headings like date, person,
etc. are usually printed in a standardized format.
❖ Future Reference: Memos are usually stored in office files or on computer. As a result,
they can be used for future reference.
❖ Quick: Memos ensure quick and smooth flow of information in all directions. With the
exchange of memos, executives and employees can interact with much disturbance to
their routine.
❖ Fixing Accountability: As memos are records of facts and decisions, they establish
accountability.
 Excel Corporation
Internal Memorandum
To: All Employees
From: Lisa Joseph, Head, Administration
Subject: Misuse of Office Telephones

In view of soaring administrative costs, we have revised our policy on the use
of office telephones. So far, our policy has been to discourage the use of office
telephones for personal purposes because of the costs involved. We realize
that this may not be a convenient solution, so employees can now use office
telephones for personal calls by paying for each call.
The details of charges for local and outstation calls have been put up on the
notice board.

Lisa Joseph
 Memo regarding safety precaution
 JINDAL STEEL MILLS

 MEMORANDUM
 Date: _________________
 From: The Managing Director
 To: The Operations Manager
 Subject: Safety Precautions
 We have decided to launch a drive to improve safety precautions throughout the factory due to the
accident which occurred in the blast furnace recently. First of all, we want to eliminate the source of
accidents by removing all possible danger points . Secondly, we want to make all our employees fully
aware of danger to themselves if they do not follow the instructions.
1) Please prepare a report for me on what you consider the danger points to be and how to protect the staff
against themselves.
2) Inform all employees of the risks to them if they do not follow the safety regulations.
Thanking you.
C.C. The Human Resource Manager
Business Meetings- Agenda
 Business Agenda means the business transacted at a
meeting. The secretary is in charge of the preparation of
an agenda for the board meeting or a general meeting
with the permission of of the Board of Directors.
 Features of Agenda:
 1. It forms the part of the notice for the meeting.
 2. It is fixed before the meeting for relevant discussion in
serial order
 3. It lists all the points for discussion in serial order.
 4. It contains name of the organization and nature of the
meeting.
 5. The last item of the agenda is ‘Any other matter with the
permission of the Chairman.’
Considerations for Preparation of
Agenda
❖ It should be clear and explicit.
❖ It should be drafted in a summary manner.
❖ Each item of the same nature should be numbered in serial number.

Presentation of an Agenda
❖ By the business very briefly.
❖ Agenda can also be presented in the form of minutes of meeting.
Notice of the Meeting
❖ A proper notice needs to be given to all the people who
are entitled to attend the meeting.
❖ A notice must specify date, venue and time of the meeting
and must bear the sign of the Chairperson.
❖ Additional Information if any must be attached or
enclosed.
Example: Notice of the Meeting
ABC Ltd.
10. Kasna Road, Greater Noida, G.B. Nagar
Dated: 31/01/2015
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the 12th Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the company will be held at 10 a.m.
sharp at the Radisson Blue Hotel, Greater Noida on 15th February, 2015.
Agenda:
1. call to order
2. Roll call
3. Approval of previous minutes of meeting
4. Annual accounts
5. Current or planned projects or current issues
6. Appointment of an auditor
7. Fixing the auditors remuneration
8. Consideration of financial statements
9. Election of directors
10. Any matter with the permission of the chairman
11. Adjournment

By the order of the Board

Secretary
 Example: Agenda
Planning Committee Meeting
Monday, June 11, 2014
10. A.M. to 12: 30 P.M.
Executive Conference Room
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Approval of Previous Minutes of Meeting
V. Chairman’s Report on Site Selection Progress.
VI. Restructuring of the product
VII. Introduction of the new Product
VIII. Announcements
IX. Adjournment
 Minutes of Meeting
❖ Minutes are written records about what has been said or decided at the
meeting. They act as permanent records for future reference.
❖ They remind people of the assignments they have taken on and the deadlines
they need to meet.
❖ They also inform people who were not present in the meeting on what had
happened in the meeting and what decisions were taken.
❖ One person is designated at each meeting who will be responsible at the
meeting for taking the minutes of the meeting.
 Details to be taken at the Meeting for
the minutes.

❖ Name of the body and the Nature of the meeting.

❖ Day, Date, Time and Place of the meeting.
❖ The number of meeting if in series; Eg: 4th or 5th Meeting
❖ Time of the meeting called to order.
❖ Name of Chairperson of the meeting
❖ Names of the members present and of those who could not attend, and also of those who attend by special
invitation.
❖ Approval of the minutes of the previous meetings and any amendments.
❖ Summary of reports, announcements and other information shared.
❖ Proposals, resolutions, motions, amendments, a summary of the discussion and final disposition.
❖ Time of Adjournment
❖ Date, Time and Location of the next meeting.
❖ Signature of the secretary and the Chairperson.
Minutes of Meeting
❖ Motions and resolutions should be recorded verbatim
and should be read out during the meeting to make
sure that they are transcribed properly.
❖ Summarize the discussions, capturing the key points
and decisions taken.
❖ Separate facts from opinions. Facts are objective and
indisputable; opinions are personal views.
Press Release
Meaning
❖ Press release is issued by a company to inform the publics about
the important events occurring within the company or Industry.
❖ A press release is straight forward way of informing the
newspapers or press about a particular event or occasion in the
hope that they will find it sufficiently newsworthy to pass
information to their readers.
❖ A press release should be:
❖ Informative
❖ Clear, Candid and Concise
❖ Devoid of any misstatement or exaggeration of facts.
 Reasons for a press release

❖ A press release is not an advertisement but it can result in useful publicity for
the company issuing the release. Some reasons why a company may send a press
release to the media are:
a) Introduction of a new product
b) Launching of a new project.
c) Moving to new premises
d) Change in top managerial personnel
e) Declaration of financial results
f) Statutory requirement like declaration of record date for dividend, issue of
shares, etc.
Drafting of press release
❖ The press release should be on the following patterns:
❖ Headline: Used to grab attention of journalists and briefly summarize the
news.
❖ Dateline: Contains the date of release and usually the originating city of the
press release.
❖ Introduction: First paragraph in the press release, that generally gives basic
answers to the questions of who, what, when, where and why.
❖ Body: Further explanations, statistics, background or other details relevant to
the news.
Drafting of press release
❖ Boilerplate: Generally a short “about” section, providing independent
background on the issuing company, organization, or individual.
❖ Media Contact Information: Name, Phone number, e-mail address, mailing
address, or contact information for the Public Relations officer or other media
relations contact person.
Essentials of a good press release
❖ News Value: The information contained in the press release must
be recent in order to arouse interest among the readers.
❖ Factual: A press release should be based on factual information as
opinions tend to be subjective and biased. Therefore, facts are
always preferable.
❖ Interesting to Readers: Press releases must be drafted in an
interesting manner. It is common for an organization to present
things from its own perspective. However, the reader may have
different expectations.
❖ Brevity: Press release should always be brief because limited space
is allowed for them by the newspaper.
Essentials of a good press release
❖ Display: The display of a press release is important. It should preferably be
prepared on a computer in a standard font and convenient size. Variations for
creating an artistic effect are an expectation.
❖ Format: The press release should be printed on the letter head of the
organization. It should carry the date of release and be signed by an
authorized person, who can also be contacted for any clarification or further
information.
Guidelines for writing a press
release
❖ Use third person style. Write as though you are the newspaper
editor, talking about your company as an outsider.
❖ Do not make press release sound like an invitation or
advertisement.
❖ Write an interesting snappy, punchy style with short sentences.
❖ Try to appeal to human interests whenever possible.
❖ Use a style which will be suitable to appear in a newspaper with a
little bit of editing.
❖ Do give what, who, where, when and why.
 PRESS RELEASE

The Research and Analysis Department of the Northern Railways

has succeeded in developing an Eco-Friendly Electronic Governor.
This instrument will help improve fuel efficiency of diesel- electric
locomotives currently in use. Filed trails have also shown
significant reduction in emission levels, which would also lower the
maintenance costs. The Railways is optimistic about reducing cost
of production once commercial production of the Electronic
Governor begins. The Railway Minister has complimented the
department on achieving this breakthrough.

Issued by:
Public Relations Officer
Northern Railways
 PRESS RELEASE
A study undertaken by ASSOCHAM has reveled that 215 mega-projects could not be
completed on schedule. This will put an additional burden of almost 40,000 crore on the
National Exchequer. Out of these 117 projects had witnessed cost overruns of more than Rs.
25,000 crore, which was 38% higher than the anticipated rate. The time over-runs in the
case of 98 projects ranged from 4 to 130 months imposing an extra burden of over Rs.
14,000 crore.
This study has found that the delays in land acquisition and rehabilitation of affected people,
lack of infrastructure facilities like water and power and breakdown of law and order at sites
contributed largely to project over-runs.
ASSOCHAM strongly recommends setting up od a special cell in PMO to check cost
escalation and complete mega and medium projects on schedule. A closer inter-ministerial
co-ordination and involvement of state governments will surely help arrest the unfortunate
trend.
Issued by:
Secretary General
ASSOCHAM
 PRESS RELEASE
GSLV Launch Cancelled

The launch of India’s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle scheduled at

3:47 p.m. on March 28, 2001 from Sriharikota was aborted at the last moment
due to a technical snag. The countdown for the lift-off proceeded smoothly till
one second before the lift off. The automatic launch process system held the
countdown and immediately the strap-on stages were commanded to shut
down. The preliminary analysis indicates that one of the four liquid propellant
strap-on stages had not developed the required thrust. Accordingly, the
subsequent sequence of events including the ignition of the solid propellant
core motor was prevented. A detailed analysis of data will be done before a
new date for the launch is announced.

Issued by:

Press Information Bureau

Government of India
 Module- 4
Business Reports

Fehmina Khalique
Assistant Professor
School Of Business
Galgotias University
 Business Reports

 A report can be defined as a communication in which the

writer (or speaker if it is an oral report) provides information to
some individual or organization because it is his or her
responsibility to do so.

 The common element in all reports is the element of

responsibility. The writer is obliged to communicate what he
or she knows to those who need this information, as a part of
an assigned, clearly defined, time-bound task.
 Purpose of a Report

 While collecting data, the investigator should remember that

the report is not a descriptive statement of facts, events or
future possibilities.
 For example, the purpose of a report is not fulfilled if it speaks
about the “possibility of change of work site”.
 Instead, the report should explain the reasons for changing
the workplace, discuss the need for doing so, compare the
relative advantages of different choices available and choose
and recommend the best option.
 The basic purpose of a report is to help the management
identify the reasons underlying a specific situation.
 The main purpose of report is to present specific conclusions
regarding the problem’s existence and solution.
 Objectives of a Report
➢ A report is primarily a source of information that helps in
decision making. It can also be used to offer a solution to a
business problem. Its objectives can be:

❑ To give information about a company’s activities, progress,

plans and problems.
❑ To record events for future reference.
❑ To recommend a specific action.
❑ To justify and persuade readers about the need for action in
controversial situations.
❑ To present facts to the management to help decide the
direction the business should choose.
Nature of a Report
 A report is a statement containing some information
or an account of some event.
 A report is written for some specific purpose
 A report is written for a specific audience
 It is an orderly presentation of facts about some
activity, event or programme.
 A report is an objective and unbiased presentation of
facts.
 A report often contains recommendations.
 It contains conclusions drawn by the report writer
together with the procedure followed for collection
and interpretation of data.
Importance of Reports
 Conveyor of information: It is the means of reports
that the management is able to establish channels of
communication through which ideas, opinions,
suggestions, orders and commands flow in various
directions.
 Review and Evaluate Operations: Reports help
manage, coordinate, review and evaluate all the
functions of the departments continuously.
Importance of Reports
 Decision Making: A report aims at providing suitable
information to the person who requires it so that
some decision could be taken at his end.
 Better coordination: Reports aim to promote common
understanding of information between different
groups in the organization.
 Tool for measuring performance: Reports are useful
tools for measuring departmental performance as the
collect operational data from various departments
and help assess their performance
Importance of reports
 Help in making desirable change: Changes in business
environment pose a threat and challenge to business
firms. Reports are prepared to analyze the factors
responsible for the changes.
 Help in measuring the effectiveness of the
organization: Reports are prepared to measure the
effectiveness of departmental operations, employees
and the management. This is also helpful in measuring
the overall effectiveness of the organizations.
 Kinds of Reports
Reports of mostly of the following kinds:
❑ Formal Report: When a report is prepared in the prescribed
format and is presented according to the established
procedure, it is known as Formal Report. These reports are
prepared in accordance with the requirement of the law or
established formal procedure.
❑ Informal Report: It is written like a communication, in the
form of a letter from one person to another. It does not
comply any specified procedure. Informal reports are not that
much used in the business world as compared to formal
reports. They do not have any formal structure and are made
as per the convenience of the person making the report.
 Kinds of Reports
 Routine Reports: Routine reports are submitted to the
management at regular intervals to help them control
the administration effectively and efficiently. A general
list of reports is given:
 Budgets
 Monthly and Quarterly Accounts and Balance Sheet
 Cost Reports
 Production Reports
 A report to be effective must contain all the relevant
facts and in some logical order, discuss them in a
simple language and arrive at some useful conclusion.
 Kinds of Report
 Short Reports: these are presented in a simple letter
format or memorandum form. The report may not run
for more than 5 pages. The style of presentation is
simple and only facts are reported as far as possible. It
is made in different forms such as letter form,
memorandum form or minutes form depending upon
the purpose, context and the intended receivers.
 Guidelines for writing a Report
❑ The study and report should be comprehensive. They should examine all
aspects of a problem and the potential solutions.
❑ All groups – workers, staff, customers and so on whose interests may be
affected in different ways by a change should be considered.
❑ The report writer should consider the objectives of the report from point
of view of its recipients and ask the following questions as guidelines:

❖ For whom is the report written?

❖ What is their level of information and education?
❖ How much do they already know about the problem?
❖ Why do they want the report?
❖ What do they want to know and in how much detail?
❖ How does the report’s result help them?
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style

 A report presents facts, conclusions and recommendations in

simple and clear words and in a logical and well-defined
structure.
 The elements of a report in the order of their sequence in
formal report are:

❑ Title page – the title page includes the following:

➢ The heading (title of the report), which should be short, clear
and unambiguous
➢ The name and affiliation of the author
➢ The department and date of issue

❑ report. It can be written in the form of a memo, a letter, or a

forwarding certificate.
Title Page of a Report
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style

❑ Cover Letter – the cover is usually written by top management

or project guides as a preface or foreword to a report, reflecting
the management’s policy and interpretation of the report’s
findings, conclusions and recommendations.
➢ It introduces the report and tells readers why it is being sent to
them. The cover letter is usually placed between the cover and
title page.
➢ It is never bound inside the report. It can be written in the form
of a memo, a letter, or a forwarding certificate.
Writing Reports – Structure & Style
➢ Acknowledgements – the writer of the report should thank
everyone associated with assignment and preparation of the
report. He or she should be generous in expressing gratitude. An
example is:

➢ “I thank my organization, PPL Feedback Packaging Limited, for

giving me the opportunity to conduct this research project. A
special word of thanks to Mr. Suresh Kumar (Director & Chief
Executive), Mr. Nitin Khanna (DGM) and the executives of PPL
Feedback Packaging Limited for giving me the necessary
guidance and help.
➢ I also thank all the respondents of the survey, who gave me
valuable information to carry out the study.
➢ Finally, I wish to thank my colleagues in the marketing
department, whose inputs were invaluable to the research.
Writing Reports – Structure & Style
❑ Table of Contents – long reports must have a table
of contents placed after the acknowledgements and
before the executive summary.
➢ The table of contents is an important element in a
long, formal report as it identifies the topics and their
page numbers in the report.
➢ The table of contents also indicates the hierarchy of
topics and their sequence and mentions the main
sections of the report exactly as they are worded in
the text.
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
❑ Executive Summary – An executive summary covers all the major
elements of a report’s content:
➢ Background of the problem
➢ Major Topics
➢ Important Details
➢ Main Conclusions
➢ Recommendations
➢ Discussion of how implementation of the recommendations would
affect the company.
 Introduction –
➢ Give enough background information to provide a context for the
report.
➢ State the purpose of the report.
➢ Clarify key terms and indicate the scope of the report (i.e. what the
report will cover).
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
❑ Discussion and Analyses of Findings – This is the main
body of the report. It discuses findings and analyses results.
The information is developed in one of the ways discussed
here:
➢ Chronological Development: information can be arranged in
the order in which the events happened. This is the simplest
method of presenting information – as a story with a
beginning, middle and the end.
▪ The writer selects and arranges the major topics in the order
of their occurrence.
➢ Subject-wise Development: the information can also be
arranged according to the subjects or topics discussed within
the report.
▪ The subjects are grouped in a predetermined order. This
arrangement makes the presentation of information coherent
and logical.
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
➢ Concept-wise Development: the information can be
organized concept wise means that the writer develops
his or her argument and reasoning on the lines of his or
her thoughts.

▪ In the concept wise method, the writer tells the reader

how he or she arrived at the results and why they are
valid.
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
 Conclusions and Recommendations:
Recommendations flow from conclusions, as conclusions
flow from the discussion.
❖ Conclusions are:
➢ These state the results of the investigation
➢ Offers answers to questions raised in the beginning of
the report.
❖ Recommendations are:
➢ Are the action centre of the report
➢ State how the conclusions should be acted upon.
➢ Make clear and definite suggestions/proposals.
➢ Mention the need for further investigation as a condition
for a more comprehensive study of the problem if
required.
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
❑ Glossary – The glossary is the list of technical or special
terms used in a report or technical paper and is placed at
the end of a report, before the index.
➢ It alphabetically lists words or phrases that need special
attention.
➢ It explains the usage of technical terms peculiar to the
industry.
❑ Appendices – is used to give a variety of information
separately when its inclusion in the main body could
interfere with the smooth reading of the report.
➢ It usually includes the text of questionnaires or other
instruments of survey.
➢ Tables, flow charts, maps, details of mathematical
formulation are generally included in the appendix.
 Writing Reports – Structure & Style
❑ Bibliography and References: all published and unpublished
sources of information used in preparing the report are listed in the
bibliography.
➢ All reference documents, previous reports, books, even letter written
are mentioned in it.
➢ In using written material from secondary sources, report writers must
always mention the source of the information by citing it as a footnote
or endnote.

❑ Index: an index is an alphabetical lists of subjects, names and so on,

with references to page numbers where they occur in the report or
book.
❑ It is usually placed at the end. It should not be confused with the
table of contents, which always appears at the beginning of the
report or book.
❑ For example: Research Questions 34 a – 675 : means that the topic
of research questions is discussed on page 675 under section 34 a.
Table of Contents
Report in a Memo Form
Report in a Letter Form
CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Objective
This project aimed at studying the interest of students in
studying abroad. This primary survey was conducted for
200 respondents of different age groups and backgrounds.
The survey involved some multiple-choice and open-ended
questions, which were carefully interpreted and analysed.
The personal and contact details of the students surveyed
have also been maintained in a database for future
reference. More specifically, the project had the following
objectives:
 To understand what potential candidates look for when
applying to a university abroad.
 To understand their country preferences.
 To find the range of expenses they are prepared to pay for
studying abroad.
 CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Data Collection
 The data have been collected through both primary and secondary sources.
Primary data have been obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. The
questionnaire takes into account all the relevant variables required for research so
that meaningful analysis could be computed at the end of the survey. Secondary
sources of data, like the Internet and various books, were used for exploratory
studies.
Results of the Primary Survey
 According to our survey, 47% of students think that studying abroad is a better
option than studying in India.
 Results also revealed that the majority of the students would prefer to go to the
United States—46 students chose the United States, 40 students preferred the
United Kingdom, 30 students preferred Australia, and 4 students chose France.
 There were very few students willing to spend INR 10,00,000 to 12,00,000 each
year to study abroad. Most of them were comfortable spending around INR
5,00,000 a year.
 From this survey, it seems a lot more would need to be done in terms of marketing
and promotion for HRC Business School, France, as there was a lack of awareness
among students.
CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Results of the Secondary Survey

 According to the secondary survey, 1,53,000 students go abroad
every year from India—the second largest group of international
students in the world after China.
 In 2007, 970 students went to France to study; in 2008, the
number increased to 1,757.
 The French government provides specific scholarships for Indian
students, like the Eiffel scholarships sponsored by the French
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There are also scholarships co-
financed by French companies or institutions. These
scholarships are attracting many Indian students.
 Indian students are highly cognizant of the fact that they need
to learn French and studying in France gives students the
opportunity to learn the language and add to their overall
professional profile.
CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Challenges Ahead
 Marketing and promotion barriers:
 Awareness of French universities is very low among Indian
students, so very few students want to go to France for
higher studies.
 Increasing awareness of HRC Business School is also a
major challenge; only 4% of students were aware of HRC
Business School in our survey.
Expense barriers:
 Indian students perceive that doing one-year, full-time
MBA abroad would cost more than doing it from India.
 Indian students perceive that France is a more expensive
place to live in.
CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Solutions
 Increasing awareness of HRC Business School among
students.
 Promoting French education as world-class education.
 Taking part in various education fares for increased
visibility.
 Forging good relations with our strategic partners for
wider reach.
 Making strategic relationships with some financial
institutions for loan facilities.
CASE: SURVEY REPORT FOR INDIA REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF HRC BUSINESS
SCHOOL, FRANCE

Questions to Answer
 Give a very brief overview of this report.
 Mention the reasons for taking up the survey.
 Sum up the conclusions you draw from the report and
give your recommendations.
 Does the report contain all the necessary parts that
help a reader understand it easily? Suggest the
missing parts, if any.