Business Reports

Investigative Report Writing:

 Key features
- Demonstrated and organized critical thinking.
- Systematized argumentation
- Clearly presented evaluation.
 The basic structure of a business reports includes:
- Introduction
 Outlining the background and purpose.
 The main aim is to provide context.
- Findings
 Presentation of the evidence, facts and figures
obtained through investigation.
 Presents multiple sections dealing with different
areas.
 The information is grouped and positioned logically.
 Impersonal, factual, neutral style.
 No main heading.
- Conclusions
 Draw out possible future implications of findings.
 Should answer the question of “Why the report
matters”.
 Evaluative, contains assumptions, opinions, and
implications.
- Recommendations
 Direct a clear course of action.
 Imperative, command, and actionable.

Investigative Reports

1. Preliminary section:
- Written in roman numerals.

1. Title page
2. Terms of reference
- Present the name of the person commissioning
work and date on which it was commissioned.
- Precise instructions received.
- Date by which work should be submitted.

3. Executive summary
- Should condense the main features of the work.
- Include key findings, conclusions, and
recommendations.
 4. Table of content
5. List of illustrations
6. Glossary

2. Main section:

1. Introduction
1.1. Subject of the report
1.2. Background to investigation
1.3. Problems to be investigated
1.4. Objective of this report
- Provide…
- Describe…
1.5. Procedure used to gather information
1.6. Scope and limitations
1.7. Plan of development
2. Findings
3. Conclusions
4. recommendations
o Introduction
 Business report is a collection of data and analyses that help make
relevant information easily available to the organization (what).
 Business reports have a fixed format, which puts across information to a
reader (what).
 In terms of the PCU, an evaluative business report is a document that
presents the findings, conclusion(s), and recommendation of an
evaluation (why).
o Main parts of a business report:
 Preliminary pages | stylized in Roman numerals.
 Title page
 Terms of reference
 Summary
 Table of contents
 List of illustrations
 Glossary
o Uses Roman Numerals – I, II, III, V, VI, and IV.
 Main report | stylized in Arabic numerals.
 Uses Arabic numerals – 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
 Introduction
o Outline the background and purpose of the report.
 Findings
o Describes the current situation.
o Style and tone are neutral and formal.
o Facts are concise, factual, and clear.
o Consists of multiple sections.
o NB - The findings section is the only section
without a heading.


 Conclusion(S)
o Presents opinions.
o Evaluates possible solutions.
o Addresses why the subject matters.
o Details the future possible implication of the findings.
 Recommendations
o Outlines a clear course of action.
o Presents information is a sound, clear, and logical manner.
 

o Language is imperative, command, and action based.

 End pages
 List of references
 Bibliography
 Appendices

Business Proposal
 Introduction and background
- Persuasion can be defined as the ability to influence people’s beliefs,
attitudes, intentions, or behaviour in relation to an event, idea, or other
people.
- This in essence involves three theoretical concepts such as ethos,
pathos, and lagos.
 Key persuasion techniques:
- Ethos
 This refers to persuasion based on the credibility or
authority.
 It involves establishing trust and credibility with the
audience by demonstrating expertise, integrity, and authority
on the subject matter.
 Ethos convinces the audience that the speaker is
knowledgeable, reliable, and worthy of respect, making their
arguments more persuasive.
 Example: A doctor giving a lecture on the benefits of a
particular medication. The audience is more likely to
trust the information and recommendations provided
by the doctor due to their expertise and authority in
the medical field.
 Example: A celebrity endorsing a product. The
endorsement relies on the credibility and
 trustworthiness of the celebrity to persuade consumers
to purchase the product.
- Pathos
 This refers to a persuasion based on emotion and feeling.
 It aims to evoke empathy, sympathy, or other emotional
responses to persuade the audience to adopt a particular
viewpoint or take action.
 By appealing to emotions such as fear, love, anger, or
compassion, pathos can create a strong emotional connection
with the audience, making the message more memorable and
impactful.
 Example: An advertisement showing heart-wrenching
images of starving children to solicit donations for a
charity organization. The emotional appeal of the
images aims to evoke feelings of compassion and
empathy in the audience, motivating them to take
action.
 Example: A political speech recounting personal
stories of individuals who have been adversely
affected by a particular policy. By appealing to the
audience's emotions, such as anger or empathy, the
speaker seeks to mobilize support for policy change.
- Lagos
 Logos refers to the logical appeal or rational argumentation
used to persuade the audience.
 It involves presenting facts, evidence, reasoning, and logical
analysis to support the speaker's claims or arguments.
 Logos appeals to the audience's intellect and reasoning
faculties, convincing them through logical coherence and
sound reasoning rather than emotional manipulation.
 Example: A scientist presenting research findings and
statistical data to support the argument for climate
change. The logical appeal of the data and evidence
helps convince the audience of the validity of the
scientific claims.
 Example: A lawyer using logical reasoning and legal
precedents to make a case in court. By presenting a
coherent and logical argument, the lawyer seeks to
persuade the judge or jury to reach a favorable verdict.
 Cialdini’s 6 principles of persuasion
- Cialdini's concepts have had a profound impact on various fields,
including marketing, sales, negotiation, politics, and social
psychology.
- By understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms that
influence people's decisions, individuals and organizations can become
more effective in persuading others and achieving their goal.
- Here are the following 6 principles:
 Reciprocity
 This refers to the mutual expectation for exchange of
value or service.
 In other words, this suggests that people feel obliged
to repay favors or acts of kindness.
 Example: Businesses often leverage this principle by
offering free samples, trials, or gifts to potential
customers, knowing that people are more likely to feel
obliged to make a purchase or return the favor.

 Scarcity
 The principle of scarcity suggests that people assign
more value to items or opportunities that are limited in
availability.
 In other words, when something is perceived as scarce
or in high demand, it becomes desirable or in essence
you want what you can’t have.
 Example: An advertisement announces a limited-time
sale with phrases like "While supplies last" or "Offer
ends soon." The limited availability creates a sense of
 urgency, prompting customers to make a purchase
before the opportunity disappears.

 Authority
 The principle of authority suggests that people are
more likely to comply with requests from individuals
who are perceived as authorities or experts.
 This exemplifies that people are more likely to comply
with requests from authority figures or experts.
 Example: A doctor in a white lab coat recommends a
particular brand of vitamins. Because the doctor is
perceived as an authority figure in the field of
medicine, patients are more likely to trust their
recommendation and purchase the vitamins.
 

 Consistency
 Once people make a public commitment or take a
stand on a particular issue, they tend to stick to it in
order to maintain a consistent self-image.
 This principle exploits the desire for internal
consistency and aversion to cognitive dissonance.
 Example: A salesperson starts by asking if you
consider yourself environmentally conscious. If you
agree, they may then ask you to sign a petition or
make a small donation to an environmental cause.
Once you've committed to the cause, you're more
likely to continue supporting it in the future.

 Liking
 People are more inclined to comply with requests
from individuals they know, like, or find attractive.
 This principle is based on the idea that we are more
influenced by people we admire or have positive
feelings towards.
 Example: A salesperson compliments you on your
taste in fashion before suggesting a clothing item.
Because you like and respect the salesperson, you're
 more inclined to consider their recommendation and
make a purchase.
 Consensus
 People often look to others, especially in uncertain
situations, to determine the appropriate behavior.
 The principle of social proof capitalizes on the power
of conformity and the belief that if many others are
doing something, it must be the correct course of
action.
 Example: A crowded restaurant with a line out the
door creates the perception of popularity and quality.
Seeing the bustling activity and long wait, passersby
are more inclined to believe that the food must be
delicious and worth trying.