Business Communications

(8 of 13)

MARIA ASUNCION
 Write a Request Refusal (p. 149)

—  Read “7.1 Request Refusal: Pink Dragons

Sink Application”
Write an email as if you were writing to
your employees to Pink Dragon’s captain Josephine
Rosa, politely refusing her initial request and explaining
the Shopify sponsorship belief and submission rules
—  Make sure you follow the Writing Plan for Refusing
Requests on Page 138
—  Please entitle your document NAME 7.1 149
—  When finished, send this email to
mariakasuncion@gmail.com
 Write a Request Refusal (p. 149)

—  Read “7.2 Claim Denial: Lost in Flight”

Write an email as if you were writing, on
behalf of Air Transat, to Ms. Frymoyer-Morris
about her missing reading glasses.
—  Make sure you follow the Writing Plan for Claim on
Page 138
—  Please entitle your document as NAME 7.2 150
—  When finished, send this email to
mariakasuncion@gmail.com
 Write a Request Refusal (p. 149)

—  Read “7.3 Customer Negative News:

Costly SUV Upgrade”
Write an email as if you were writing to
Mr. Chan about his unfortunate experience with a large
SUV rented from Budget at the Calgary airport.
—  Make sure you follow the Writing Plan Page 138
—  Please entitle your document NAME 7.3 150
—  When finished, send this email to
mariakasuncion@gmail.com
 Chapter 8 – Informal Reports

—  Reports can vary from a brief 1-page informal report

to a 200-page analytical report
—  Reports can also vary in their formats (email, memo,
letters, etc.)
—  We’ll be taking a look at INFORMATION reports and
ANALYTICAL reports
Informational Analytical
Trip report Recommendation report
Routine operations Feasibility report
Company policy,
procedures
 Informational vs Analytical

Informational Analytical
Collects and organizes Contains information,
information analysis (breakdown) &
recommendations
Direct strategy: main idea Direct and indirect
at the top of the message

Audience: supportive and Audience: varies between

familiar familiar and unfamiliar
 Informal Formats & Headings (p. 155)

—  A report should be appealing to the eyes and should

look professional
—  There are different formats to use:
¡  Electronic (email, PowerPoint, Google Docs/
Slides)
¡  Letter (printed writing)
¡  Memo (shorter reports)
¡  Template (company provides you with template;
Word)
¡  Manuscript (we will see an example in Ch. 9)
¡  Infographics (visual aids to go with information)
 Informal Formats & Headings (p. 159)

—  Headers are also used, but keep in mind to:

¡  Use a hierarchy for the heading levels (p. 160)
¡  Capitalize and emphasize carefully

¡  Create grammatically equal heading levels

¡  Use correct punctuation

¡  Keep headings short but clear

¡  Do not use headings often

¡  Make sure that under each heading, there are a

paragraph or more
 Problem & Purpose (p. 161)

—  An informal report should include:

¡  Aproblem statement, which helps show the
task needed done
For example: The leases on all company cars will
expire in 3 months. We must decide whether to
renew them or develop a new policy regarding
transportation for sales reps…

¡  A
purpose statement, which focuses the report’s
main idea
 Problem & Purpose (p. 161)

¡  A purpose statement, which focuses the report’s

main idea
For example: To recommend a plan that provides
sales reps with cars to be used, the report will
compare costs for 3 plans: ownership, leasing and
compensation for employee-owned cars. Data will
include the sales reps’ reaction to each plan.
¡  A purpose narrows the focus and keeps the
report on target
¡  Try to use words such as recommend, analyze,
investigate
 Gather Data (p. 162)

—  Begin a report by stating the problem to be solved,

question to be answered, or task to be completed
—  Then draft a statement of purpose
—  Be able to explain why you are writing the report
—  Typical reliable sources of information include
¡  Company records

¡  Surveys

¡  Interviews

¡  Observation

¡  Secondary research from printed and digital sources

 Informal Informational Reports (p. 163)

—  Trip, Convention and Conference Reports (Fig 8.7)

—  Begin by identifying the event (name, date and
location) and previewing the topics that were
discussed at the event
—  In the body, summarize the main topics that
might benefit others in the organization (use
headings and bullet points for readability)
—  Close by expressing appreciation, mentioning the
value of the trip/event, and offering to share info
—  If requested, itemize your expenses on a separate
page (like a receipt, invoice or bill)
 Informal Informational Reports (p. 164)

—  Progress, Status and Milestone Reports (Fig 8.8)

¡  For continuing projects at work
—  The purpose and nature of the project
—  A complete summary of the work completed
—  A detailed description of work still in progress,
including personnel (people working on it);
methods; and obstacles (and how to overcome them)
—  A forecast of future activities in relation to the
scheduled completion date, including
recommendations and requests
 Informal Informational Reports (p. 164)

—  Minutes Reports (Fig 8.9)

¡  Notes from a meeting
—  Provide the name of the group, date, time & place
—  Identify the names of attendees and absentees
—  Describe the disposition (nature, kind) of
previous minutes (not needed in informal meetings)
—  Record new business, announcements and reports
—  Include precise wording of motions; record vote
and action taken
—  Conclude with name and signature of recorder
 Informal Informational Reports (p. 164)

—  Summary Reports (Fig 8.10 on Page 169)

—  Condenses (puts a lot of information in a short
amount of space) primary ideas, conclusions and
recommendations of a longer written work
—  4 steps to write an effective summary:
1.  Read the material carefully for understanding

2.  Lay out the structure of your summary

3.  Write a first draft
4.  Proofread and revise
 Informal Analytical Reports (p. 170)

—  Justification/Recommendation Reports (Fig. 8.11)

¡  Analyze a problem; discuss option; and present a
recommendation, solution or action to be done
—  For topics that don’t need sensitivity or caution, or for
recommendations, you can write in direct organization,
following the sequence below
¡  Identify the problem briefly in the introduction
¡  Announce the recommendation, solution, or action
concisely and with action verbs
¡  Discuss pros, cons and costs; and then explain
benefits
¡  Conclude with a summary, repeating
recommendations and action
 Informal Analytical Reports (p. 171)

—  Feasibility Reports (Fig. 8.12 on Page 174)

¡  Examinesthe practicality (reasonable) and advisability
(wisdom) of a course of action
—  Consider the following plan when writing:
¡  Announce your decision immediately
¡  Describe the background and problem
necessitating the proposal
¡  Discuss the benefits of the proposal

¡  Describe any problems that may happen

¡  Calculate the costs, and show time frame

 Informal Analytical Reports (p. 169)

—  Yardstick Reports (Fig. 8.13 on Page 175-176)

¡  Examine problems with two or more solutions
¡  Two or more solutions are compared
¡  But specifications cannot be given

—  You can follow these steps to writing this report:

¡  Begin by describing the problem or need
¡  Explain possible solutions and alternatives
¡  Establish criteria for comparing the alternatives
(how were they selected or developed?)
¡  Discuss and evaluate alternatives
¡  Draw conclusions and recommendations