Lecture 08: Memorandum

Rowshonara Akter Akhi

Assistant Professor
Department of Finance & Banking
Jahangirnagar University
 Memorandum: Outline
 Outline

 We shall see

o What is memorandum?
o Why we need to study this?

o How to write a memorandum?

 What do you do when……?
 What do you do when……..?

o When you need to send a message at soonest

possible?

o When you have 2-3 minutes to tell a full length

story?
 ………and a JOKE!
 The Scenario!
o After finishing exam at return, mother asked to the
home back school boy
 Come take food. By the way how much did you score
in the exam?
o The boy wants to answer the both questions
simultaneously
 How to do so?
 The SIMILARITY!
 The joke in an applied situation of the questions
asked initially
o In organization the scene pops up very
frequently
o You might be required to feed a daylong story in
2-3 minutes
o How to handle them? o The answer is
MEMORANDUM!
 Memorandum: Defining
 Memorandum
o Memo is a form of letter through which
communication occurs mostly inside the
organization
 Also called memo most frequently
o In rare case one uses them for the external use
o Sometimes memos are treated as report
o But in most cases it’s a tool for internal
communication
o Normally memos are in the form of hard copy
o But as technology improves nowadays
organization send memos through mail too
 Threat to memo
 Threat to memo

 Threat?

o Mailing system is a threat to the memo

o More the mail in use, less the memo in use!

 Memo: Writing
 Writing memo
 Design
o Well depends on the situation once again
o But normally one includes to, from, date, subject
 Not necessarily in this order
o You can write company name or simply memo at
the top of the letter

o Memos are never signed!!

 But initial might be there!
 Memo: Writing
 Writing memo
Writing approach
o In most cases message are direct
o No explanation or introductory remarks are
there
o Just giving information and asking for reaction if
required
Memo VS letters
o Unlike letter memo is quite direct
o Less need to be concerned about word choice,
formality, effects of words etc.
 Memo: Process in writing
 Process in writing
Plan the message
o Objective of the message
o Reactions from the other parties
 Gathering and collecting facts
o Data collection
Analyzing and organizing information
o Direct order
o Indirect order
 Memo: Process in writing
 The writing process cont’d…
 Writing the message
o Write in a clear and effective manner
o Let others to understand what you mean
o Text selection matters a lot
Rewrite the message
o Check the message you did write
o Check the meaning for you and for others
o Let others correct your writing and then rewrite
 Memo: Rules
 Some rules to follow…
o 1” or 2” top margin
o 1” side margins
o single-spaced within paragraphs
o double-spaced between paragraphs
o Finish the paragraph or sub paragraph in one page or
start from the next page!
o In case of more than one page memo have all the key
points in first page
o Staple the memo in case of it is of multiple pages
 Memo: Example-01
1”
 Memo heading TO Mr.X
 Guide words (TO:, FROM:, DATE:, 1” FROM Mr.T

SUBJECT:) DATE May 20, 2020

 Memo body SUBJECT Budget Meeting
 Reference initials The budget meeting has
been rescheduled for May 27
 Attachment/enclosure notation at 1:30 PM. The budget is attached.

Please advice your staff member.

TS

Attachment
 Memo: Example-02
Memorandum
Date : June 17, 2020
From : XYZ, Chairman
To : All the faculty members
Through : EMBA Office
Subject : Academic meeting 15

Dear Colleagues:

You are requested to join the academic meeting 15 on 20 June 2020

in the conference room of the institute. The agenda if the meeting
is in point.

• Approval of the minutes of the academic meeting 14

• Semester final exam of the batches
• Other ( if any)

See you there!

Thank You!

Any Question?